The Early Bird Gets the Bookworm

Characters: Reese Morgan, Valerian Cassidy
When: Days before reaching the Azoth Manor;
Where: Pegasus Books
Summary: Another boring day for Valerian in which he really didn't have anything planned. He had some spare money, and needed something new to read, so he heads down to the Bookstore to pick up some books, and makes a new acquaintance named Reese.


The sun had only come up a few hours before hand, and Valerian had already gone for his morning jog, and shower. It was the ritual he did every morning before he began his day. Albeit lately, his days weren't filled with much. His nights, however, were kept busy at Mint, where he was the Bar and Hospitality Manager of the Club. Today, would be a lazy day for him for sure. It was his night off at Mint, so that generally meant that he would spend the day at a 'friends' house swimming or chilling. Before that though, new books.

Valerian was the type of person that without books, he would probably go bat shit insane. Keeping himself constantly challenged in the intellectual sense, kept him entertained. He already decided that he would pick out four books at Pegasus. One of which had to be about Vlad the Impaler. He knew a little about Vlad, but not enough. He caught a cab fairly easily, and in twenty minutes time, he found himself pushing open the door of the bookstore. The small silver bell jingled above the door. "Oh Valerian!" The old woman behind the counter called out. "Its nice to see you today dear. If you need anything, you let Grandma Sophie help you, hmmm." She said with a smile. Thats just what everyone called her. She was quite possibly the sweetest old lady in existence. He nodded, and for a second his brooding eyes softened, before he went to the back and began looking for a book. The other book was a bartending book. That one was for work. He had to come up with a featured drink, and he needed inspiration. Valerian thumbed through the books, and didn't pay much attention to his surroundings. Most of the other customers recognized Valerian, and just moved out of his way while he browsed the books at his own perusal.

Being in Seattle for a couple of hours, Reese was strolling through the heart of the city, known for its famous Pike Street Market and shops. One shop caught her attention, allowing the young Arcane Protector to enter through the door, the silver bell ringing her entrance into the shop.

"Why hello there, Ms. Morgan. It's been a long time since you've stopped in my shop. Come give Grandma Sophie a hug," the old woman said as she came around the counter to hug Reese. "The last time I saw you, you were with your father getting a book on writing and literature...how is your father doing nowadays?"

"He's doing really good, Grandma Sophie. He misses you and wishes to express his deepest apologies for not stopping by the last time he was in the city," Reese said as she smiled at the woman that was like a grandmother to anyone and everyone. "I'm here for work and thought I'd stop on by and pick out something good to read."

"Well, you've come to the right place then, sweetie. Just let me know if you need help," the old woman said as Reese started her way back into the fiction section.

Her brown eyes drank in the titles of the books, waiting for one to pique her attention.

Valerian was in 'la la land' for the time being. Books books everywhere. Books on the walls! Books on the floor! Books on tables! Books in chairs! He quickly scanned the shelves for the book he was looking for. "Books on rulers, books on Czars, books on Emperors, books on serial killers, books on murderers, books on criminals, books on...Vlad the Impaler!!!" He got louder with each different type of book he found! Grandma Sophie turned around and looked at him. "Valerian. You must have found what you were looking for." She said with a laugh. "I remember when you were a little kid." She said as she continued the story. "You came in here for the first time, and your eyes were as big as a dinner plate. You still get so excited over books." She said with another laugh. "Come set it up here, and get your other three." She said as she watched him put the book on the counter. He had practically grown up in front of her. When he had birthday parties, she always showed up with a book for him. In fact he was made to open her gift last because if he opened it first, he wouldn't want to open the others. It amused his parents to say the least.

He looked back to the section where he found Vlad the Impaler books located, and saw someone standing there, the he did not see before. She was reaching for a book from the same section he just picked a book out of. He looked at the wall of books to see where she was trying to grab her book from. Sure enough. "The Blood Countess..." He whispered a little loudly to himself. He walked right up next to her and slapped her hand away from last copy and watched her as he grabbed the book and pulled it close to his chest. He was truly an awkward kid. "Bathory..." He whispered as he continued to stare at her as he walked backwards, with the book, towards the counter. However, walking backwards in a crowded bookstore was never a good idea, and before he realized it he fell over a table, knocking four piles of books, himself, and the table to the floor. Smooth.

Reese had found the section of books that always seem to get her interest up-the True Crimes section. Her favorite would have to be on the Blood Countress, Elizabeth Bathory, who was the inspiration for Bram Stoker's "Dracula". Reaching out for the last copy of the one book she was searching for ages when her hand was slapped.

"Owww..." she muttered as she looked to find someone else take the copy she was trying to reach for.

She raised an eyebrow at him as he walked backwards...but was quick to smile as she saw him about to collide with the table with the four piles of books on top. She bit her lower lip to keep back the laughter as she walked over to him. She grabbed the copy from him before reaching a hand out for him.

"You sure have a way to give a first impression on a girl...especially one that's shorter than you," she said with a smile on her face, her brown hair covering one eye just right.

He sputtered for a moment as he regained his composure and coughed. "Table." He said simply as he grabbed her hand for help up. He could feel the strength in her arms, and it caught him a little off guard. She had arms like Madonna. Crazy strong and toned perfectly. He looked up at her momentarily as he regained his balance. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Grandma Sophie trying to keep the laughter contained.

Valerian smiled goofily. It was the first real smile all month, and all it had taken was him tripping and falling over a table of books. Thats all. He studied her for a moment. "Um, sorry?" He said almost questioningly. "Are you ok?" He asked stupidly as he recalled that it had been him that went head over heels over a table. He looked down at the book in her hand and then at his own hand. It no longer held his book. He frowned. "I'll get another one Valerian." Grandma Sophie called out as she stifled some latent laughter.

His frown lessened considerably. "I'm...Valerian." He managed to squeak out as he bent down, picked up the table and began working on the books he had knocked on the floor. He couldn't believe that he had been so careless. He was thankful that she hadn't been a 500 pound man that could smash a truck with his fists. He really needed to be paying more attention.

Reese laughed as the guy asked if she was ok.

"I think I should be asking you if you're ok, to be honest," Reese said as she shook her head, the smile grew a little more genuine.

Reese put the book down on the counter before she went to help Valerian out with straightening the table.

"I'm Reese. You really wanted that copy, didn't you?" She replied as she took the time to study the guy that was taller than her by a few inches.

Valerian was pale-skinned, had a slender built unlike most guys she came across in her life, and looked...'cute', for a lack of a better word, when he frowned. Reese caught herself at that and mentally shook it out of her mind--she wasn't here for a potiental hook-up--she was here to meet with Taylor, wherever she was at the moment. For now, she was just glad that her dad wasn't there to see her go into her 'cop' mode; it was the nickname she dubbed the skills rubbed off from her parents being cops and whatnot.

"Oh yes, I'm fine. Just a scratch." He responded blandly. It really was just a scratch, but he got off pretty lucky considering that he could have very easily broken a bone. "I guess I really like books is all." He said with a blush. On anyone else it would have been near unnoticeable, but because of his pale skin, it was too obvious. "Grandma Sophie is ordering one for me, so I'll be ok. It will give me something to look forward to." He said honestly. Even though she was simply stunning, she was not his type, through no fault of her own. He finished placing the books back on the table when something tapped him lightly on the back of the head. Valerian turned slowly around. "It was not the last copy." Grandma Sophie chimed happily. "There was one on the shelf below it." She said with a grin. Sure enough, he had tunnel vision, and didn't even bother to look somewhere else. Now he felt really embarrassed. Not only had he swatted someone, but he needlessly swatted someone. Grandma Sophie squeezed his shoulder as she went back up to the counter.

"So, why the interest in the Blood Countess?" He asked curiously. Books made him open up a little. His brothers and sisters would be so proud to see him talking to a stranger. Especially a pretty one. "You know. The book on Vlad the Impaler, I hear is pretty good too." He added as he stared at his feet. He might as well worn a shirt that said wallflower on it.

"I still have to get a book on cocktails, and maybe a cookbook." He mumbled to himself. He had almost forgotten that she was there.

"Had I known that there was another copy, I would have had let him take it, Grandma Sophie," Reese said as her eyes held that mischief that was part of her childhood.

Reese adjusted the strap to her messenger bag to ease up on the slight numbing it had on her shoulder. She bit her lower lip as Valerian asked her of her interest in the Blood Countess.

"Grew up reading a lot of True Crime books...courtesy of what my parent--well now my dad--did for a living. As for Vlad the Impaler, I read that book a while back and it is a good read."

Reese caught onto hearing what Valerian was looking for, which conveniently is at the same table he bumped into.

"Would these help?" Reese asked as she picked up two different books and showed them to Valerian.

His eyes lit up with excitement! Good books! A Good read! Now he was very excited about the book! If only books were people! He would be a king among men. "You know a lot about boo..." He looked at the books in her hands. One of them was absolutely perfect. A book about rare ingredients in drinks. "Perfect! I'll be able to make a killer drink for Mint." He said to himself. "What a perfect book." He said as he gently took the book from her hands and thumbed through it quickly. "You are like a good luck charm he said with a smile that was like liquid sunshine.

"Do I want a cookbook?" He asked himself. He looked at her for a moment and had an idea. "What would you recommend? I get one more book. What book would you recommend Reese?" He asked curiously. Surely she would have something absolutely wonderful to recommend to him.

"My parents are..." He gulped. "on a trip." Awkward. What was he supposed to say now? He stared blankly into space.

Reese smiled at knowing that she had made friends with another avid book reader. Plus, Valerian was a whole different person when he smiled. She smiled at the reference of her being a 'good luck charm'--her roommate in college, Kai, even mentioned that she was a lucky charm at times of need.

Hearing Valerian ask for a recommendation, she handed her copy of the book to him before she went in search of the book in question. When she found it, she returned to present it to Valerian. It was a book on charms of good and evil.

"Since I'm a writer, I usually go for the supernatural stuff...this was screaming out when you just asked me. I hope this kinda helps out in the long run, but it's a good read, no doubt."

Hearing hesitation in Valerian when he spoke of his parents being on a trip, she nodded her head.

"Fair enough. I lost my mom and my younger siblings in a car accident when I was fifteen. It's just been me and my pop since then..." Reese said, her eyes cast downward upon the memory of her dead brother and sister and her mom.

He looked at the book she gave him cautiously as he ran his fingers over the cover. It was bound in canvas, and the letters on the top were embossed into it, in gold. He read the title. "This looks interesting." It was strange how true it would hit home with the young Arcanist. He looked back at her for a second and opened his mouth to say something but stopped. How did she get interested in this kind of stuff. She hardly seemed the type to be interested in this kind of stuff. He was happy though, she was more than she appeared to be. She was strong, beautiful, and intelligent. A package deal for a lucky somebody.

"It looks interesting to say the least." He mumbled. "How did you stumble across this?" He asked curiously. It really was a legitimate question. He didn't know anyone, other than his family members, who enjoyed this kind of book. His eyes were soft and appreciative. His hands continued to caress the book. He already knew he would like it. His long and thin fingers parted the book in the middle and he listened joyfully as the spine of the book cracked. It had never been opened. How he loved books. "Wait. You are a writer?" He asked curiously. Perhaps he should try to find one of her books!

Reese wasn't too surprised when asked how she came across such a subject.

"I was always intrigued by the supernatural as a kid. My mom was big into science fiction and fantasy books. She even got me my inspiration to write when I was only 14," Reese said as she smiled at the memory of her mother.

Reese nodded her head as she spotted one of her books nearby and grabbed for it.

"This is one of my earlier works. Believe me, I'm surprised that it got as many reviews as it did...and this was published about three months after I had started college," Reese commented as she held the book in her hands.

He watched her as she responded. She really was intelligent, and apparently she was also a writer. He often wished he had majored in Literature. It would have been a good fit for him too. He took the book gently from her hands and looked at the cover. Sure enough, her name was on it. He smiled mischievously as he opened the small backpack on his back, and pulled out a pen and handed it to her. Surely he wouldn't have to ask her to sign it. The smile and the pen would be enough to make it obvious exactly what he wanted. His cheeks turned pink. So shy, so shy.

"I've never met an author before." He admitted as he put the canvas book on the table behind him. It would be there next week, and if it wasn't there, then it wasn't his fate to own it. He smiled sheepishly. He almost didn't even want to read it. It was like treasure to him. A real signed book. It was his first, that was for sure.

Reese shook her head with a smile on her face as she took the pen and signed the book. This wasn't the first time this had happened to her, and sure enough, this probably won't be the last.

"I'm not that special, you know. Just point me in the direction of books and I'm all for the world of fiction," Reese said as a small blush formed on her cheeks, as she handed the signed book and pen to Valerian.

She made it a point to buy the canvas book as a gift of friendship to Valerian--after all, Grandma Sophie will make sure to have it for him the next time Valerian will show up at the shop.

"I'd like to hear back on how you liked this one before I suggest another one of my works to you," Reese said as Grandma Sophie was greeting another customer that just walked in. "I got about five other ones; my last one is just two years old. And you might like them because they pertain the supernatural and true crimes mixed in with thriller and whatnot."

He would have argued with her, if he felt she would have believed him. Writing a book was one of his secret dreams. It wasn't glamorous, and most people he thought, would not have been interested in writing a book. He would be famous, but not paparazzi famous, if he ever wrote a book worth reading, that was. The canvas book would be a surprise to him next time he came in. He would definitely be elated!

"I'll let you know." He said as he held the book close to his chest. "You have written quite a few of them." He said with admiration. She had done a marvelous job of getting his head out of his shell. Granted, eventually, he would retreat back into the shell, but for now, he was ok. "I like good writing, and I like fiction based on non-fiction." He added. The only bad thing about the book was now he was going to read it first, instead of making the feature drink for Mint. He still had time to do it, and read the book. Maybe the book would serve as an inspiration! He was a clever boy.

Reese nodded at his comment as she felt her phone vibrate against her jeans before it started to blare out to "Voices" by Rev Theory. Looks like she might have to cut her talk with Valerian short.

"I'm so sorry...it's my dad calling. He worries about me...a cop thing," she laughed as she shook her head. "I guess I'll be seeing you around here then. You a bartender per chance? I could probably stop by and get a drink there," Reese added as she pulled out her phone.

He nodded as the memories of his father and mother's faces replayed in his head repeatedly. It happened anytime mentioned a mother or father. "Yes. I work at Mint." He said as he pulled a business card out of his backpack, and held it out to her. It was a black business card with few green glittery mint leaves embossed on it. Underneath the mint leaves was the name, Valerian Cassidy, Bar and Hospitality Manager. Yeah, it made him feel important.

"Definitely. I hope to see you at Mint." He said as he pointed at her phone. "Don't keep him waiting." Valerian said with an almost playful lilt in his voice. He nodded, and disappeared back into the book store. What a strange kid.

"I'll be sure to be there. Hope to see you soon, then," Reese said as she answered her phone while going to pay for her book. As Granma Sophie finished ringing her up, Reese waved at the woman before she left the bookshop.