Please, Rose replied. She figured he would probably just keep texting her, but she kind of hoped he would actually call. She missed hearing his voice.

Damien called her, since that would be so much easier than testing her half a million times.

Rose hit the answer button on her phone, though she was a little surprised he actually did call. She wasn't sure he would.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Hi," Damien said. "I figured this would be easier than texting you a million times.

"Well, supposedly after vampires came around, humans couldn't fight off the vampires. One night, a wolf bit a human, and he became the first werewolf, to defend humankind. From his children rose the other Were-creatures; the fox, the snake, the jackal, the lynx." Damien was quiet for a moment. "And shifters came from a cross between a Werelion and a Werewolf or Werebear; accounts vary."

"Fascinating," Rose replied. She was already cross-referencing in her head, thinking of different sources she could pull to find more information. It had to be out there, somewhere, and she would find it.

"No one's quite sure where vampires came from," Damien continued. "It depends if you want the evolutionist theory or the religious theory. Or theories, I should say, depending on the religion and the time period and such things."

"I'm sure I can find a book or something that mentions such things," Rose replied. "The materials have to exist somewhere, I just need to find them."

"You can find mentions all over history," Damien said quietly. "You just have to know where to look. I can't really help you there. Everything I learned was from oral tradition."

"I'm sure I can find a starting point somewhere," Rose replied. She was quiet for a moment. "Thanks," she finally said softly. "For helping me understand a bit better."

"My pleasure," Damien said quietly, idly petting the cat that had settled into his lap. "Was there anything else you wanted to hear about?"

"Not right now," Rose replied. That was about all the information she could handle at the moment. No sense in being overwhelmed.

"Alright," Damien said. "Sorry I can't tell you where to start looking. I've never read anything about our stories, but then again, I'm also not a researcher."

"I'm just grateful you're willing to share with me," Rose replied. "I'm sure I'll find somehwere to search. There has to be a database somewhere."

"I honestly have no idea," Damien said with a little laugh. "Feel free to search your heart out, and let me know what you come up with."

"Trust me, you'll know if I find anything," Rose replied. She was fully planning on using him to cross-reference what she found.

Damien chuckled quietly. "Good. I'd like to hear what you come up with."

Sera glanced at her watch. "I should probably get home. It's about time for dinner, and I'm supposed to be cooking tonight."

Rose blushed slightly when she heard the grin in his voice. She was starting to miss him again. She knew Sera would probably want to kill her, but she didn't mind. She was almost ready to forgive him. Not quite, but almost.

Taylor nodded.

"Just say the word and I'll take you home," he said. He grinned a bit. "Any time you need a bit more 'bribery,' let me know. It's on me."

Damien smiled a little. "Well, I guess I should let you go," he said softly. "In case you have something else you need to do."

"Now would probably be a good time," Sera said, finishing up her ice cream.

"Alright..." Rose said softly. She didn't want to hang up with him, but she was sure he had better things to do than talk to her all evening.

"Alright, then," Taylor replied. He took out his keys and walked with Sera out to his car.

"Have you eaten yet?" Damien asked instead of hanging up.

Sera went over to his car and got in, staying quiet for the time being.

"Not yet," Rose replied softly. "Wasn't all that hungry when I got home today."

Taylor noticed she was being quiet, but didn't force conversation. He started the car and took her back home.

"Maybe you should eat," Damien suggested. "That might make you feel better."

Sera waited until he'd stopped the car to get out. "Thanks," she said. "See you tomorrow." She headed up to the house, unlocking the door and heading inside.

"Maybe," Rose said. She still didn't have much of an appetite, probably because of the stress from before. She heard a car door close from outside. "I think Sera might be home."

"Have a nice night," Taylor said as Sera got out of the car. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Should we get off the phone then?" Damien sounded amused and a little disappointed.

Sera nodded and headed inside, keeping all the animals in. She took out the snake to wind around her neck before she went into the kitchen to start cooking.

"We probably should," Rose replied, disappointed as well. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then." She could hear Sera puttering around in the kitchen.