"You must try again, my love," the man said to her, his voice like sweet wine on the tip of her tongue. "Listen to the music within, let it flow through you. Go beyond the beat, into your very heart."
Della looked at him with minor annoyance; he was right, but he'd already told her this and she wasn't understanding what he meant.
"I don't understand what you mean," she said, for she was a person prone to speaking her mind. "I'm good at singing. Just let me sing like I always have."
"No, young one; because you're 'good at singing,' but you could be great. You could sway entire stadiums with your voice. You must find the key to unlock the truth behind the music." She rolled her eyes, wondering again if this had all been a mistake.
"Look, man," she began. "I'm not sure this was such a good idea. And I already told you, my name is Della-"
"No, my childe. You'll have a new name. You'll no longer be Della."
"What? What does- My name is Della!" she yelled at him, and the Beast rose up in her. Her vision tinted red at the edges and she realized she had taken several steps toward him. The man just stared at her with emotionless eyes, unfazed by her outburst. She calmed herself and visibly sulked. "You haven't even told me your name," she said with a pout. But he merely smiled at her elementary manipulation.
"You will know my name," he said. "When you have earned it. And until then, I will have no name and you will have no name. Maybe that will offer you some more incentive to learn the secrets of the voice I've been trying to share with you."
"I..." she thought about continuing to argue for a moment, but it was pointless. "Okay. Do you mind if I go to get something to eat?" Maybe after feeding she would be able to come back with a clear mind and try to get answers for her questions.
"We've already been over this, my childe," he said. "Satisfying your hunger is a necessary evil, but you should take care to refer to your victims always as people. To do otherwise leads you away from Humanity and towards the Beast. No true artist can also be a monster."
"Ummm... Okay. I'll- I'll keep that in mind." She nodded as she grabbed her coat and left the apartment. When she returned, the humans had already dragged him from the building and set him on fire. She watched from across the street, a girl with no name.