Viktor sat cross-legged on the floor, holding a piece of carrot. He was making soft clicking sounds with his tongue, the kind people used to coax frightened animals.
"Come on," Viktor murmured to something behind the couch. "I know you like vegetables, and it's red."
"What are you doing?"
Viktor looked up, and Simon had never seen him trying so hard not to laugh. "We have a situation."
"Where's Charlie?"
Viktor pointed behind the couch. "That's the situation."
Simon moved closer, looked over the furniture, and felt his carefully reconstructed worldview crack all over again.
A rabbit sat huddled against the wall. Brown fur, enormous eyes, ears flat against its head in obvious distress. It was pressed into the corner like it was trying to become one with the drywall.
"Tell me that's not…"
"Oh, it is." Viktor stood, still holding the vegetable. "He shifted about an hour ago. We wanted to figure out his animal form and well…" He gestured helplessly. "Rabbit."
Simon stared at the rabbit. The rabbit stared back with its impossibly innocent, and slightly panicked, eyes.
"Change him back," Simon said.
"Can't. We've tried everything." Viktor waved the carrot again. "Meditation, visualization, I even tried startling him with a loud noise. Nothing works."
"He's stuck?"
"Completely." Viktor set the carrot on the coffee table. "Turns out shifting is easier than un-shifting. Who knew?"
The rabbit made a small, pathetic sound. Its nose twitched.
Simon's hands clenched. This was ridiculous. He'd come here to confront a vampire, to prove Charlie was dangerous, and instead he was looking at something that belonged in a petting zoo.
"How is this even possible?" The words came out sharp, accusatory. "Vampires don't turn into prey animals."
"That's what I said." Viktor shrugged. "But here we are. I think it's actually kind of fitting, considering?—"
"It's not fitting. It's wrong." Simon stepped around the couch. The rabbit pressed itself flatter against the wall. "Vampires are predators. All of them."
"Simon."
"Even the weak ones. Even the new ones." His voice rose despite himself. He couldn't allow for exceptions. If there were exceptions…
If vampires could be different…
Could Simon have been different?
Was there never any point to all the suffering he?—
No, he refused to let the thought take hold.
Simon crouched down in front of the rabbit. The animal's ears drooped lower. Somehow, even in animal form, Charlie managed to look apologetic.
That made it worse.
"Change back," Simon commanded, knowing his voice did not come out kind. "Now."
The rabbit went completely still.
