"How can you not know!" Maurice may have been over his shock (not that he wouldn't have nightmares later) but he sure wasn't over his excitement. "You can grow wings and you've never flapped 'em? I guess...I guess there isn't really enough room at your house, is there? You might like-- break a lamp."

He thought for a beat.

"Or catch somethin' on fire."

He thought some more.

Then the doorbell rang and startled Maurice so badly that he banged his knee on the underside of the table. Pizza! Pizza made things better. He tugged out his wallet and greeted the pizza lady. She stared only briefly at the ugly scrapes running up and down his arms as she accepted her tip. Then she found the door nearly closed on her nose. She started to feel insulted but then she noticed he'd handed her a ten by accident.

W E L P.

Warm boxes in hand, Maurice made his way back to the kitchen. He thought about hollering for Meranda but knew she probably wouldn't leave her cave any time soon. He'd just leave her some on the counter. The vampire slammed the boxes down on the table.

"We might not get to deface that building tonight, but we can still have a good time." He rounded the table and dug a couple of beers out of the fridge.