“Ari understands me completely. You don’t count because you’re cheating. When you can figure out what I’m thinking without hearing it, then you’ll count.”
“I’ll get there eventually,”he said.
I couldn’t help but laugh.“I doubt it. I don’t even understand what I’m thinking half the time. During my breakdowns it’s like everything turns to a big mess of… I don’t even know.”I thought for a second, trying to find a word to describe it.“Hopelessness? It’s like a blur of noise that’s suffocating and drowning me at the same time, and then my mind keeps screaming about everything that’s wrong that’s never gonna go away. So if I can’t understand, I doubt you can.”
“What’s so wrong that’s never gonna go away?”
“Just stuff. Nothing serious.”
“And now you’re lying,”he said.
“No, it’s called creative speaking.”I giggled at my joke, but he didn’t seem entertained.
“What’s never gonna go away?”He was watching me intently.
“Life. It’s stupid, I know. But I feel trapped sometimes.”I twisted a lock of hair.“Do you ever wanna disappear?”
“To where?”
“I dunno.”I shrugged.“Nonexistence. Or somewhere equally not existing.”
“No,I’m good here. I like existing. Do you not?”
“It varies.”I bit my lip. This was starting to feel like therapy. I had to get out of here. I took off for the condo and shouted: “Bet you can’t catch me!”
I was there in less than a minute, but so was Dennis—I squealed and crashed into him. He caught me without even stumbling.
“Did you forget I’m a vampire, too? I’ll always be faster than you.” He pinched my cheek before disappearing. I vampire ‘teleported’ to their condo and sighed; he was waiting with a smug smile. “Ladies first.” He held the door open.
I grudgingly walked past, then pouted at the empty room.Ari’s heartbeat was slow and steady in Mateo’s room, already fast asleep.Idropped the stolen gun beside my suitcase andstarted down the hall, figuring I may as well go to bed too since there was nothing else to do. I turned to tell Dennis goodnight and jumped when we came face to face. He leaned against the wall and gestured for me to keep walking.
“How’d you do that? I didn’t even hear you.” My eyes dropped to his neck, which was already fully healed.
“I moved.”
“Alright, smartass. Why’re you following me down the hallway?”
“My room is over there.”Hepointed to the end of the hall.
“Right.” I smiled sheepishly and stepped aside for him to pass. I had totally forgotten his bedroom was past the bathroom. “Thanks for Kiro. And teaching me how to drink without killing. And letting me try your blood. And killing that guy too, I guess. Goodnight.”
“‘Night, Vixen.”He waved over a shoulder, laughing quietly as he enteredthe dark bedroom.
Temptations
I did my usual bedtime routine before heading to the living room in search of something to do. An excitement about life was kicking in, so going to bed now would probably be useless. My eyes fell on Dennis’door, which was barely cracked.Like an invitation, maybe?
I stood, half wanting to see if hewas still awake and half scared to even knock on the door. After a minute Idecided to be brave and quietly made my way down the hall. I stopped a few feet from the door to second guess everything and stare at it like an idiot.
“You can come in, you know.”
I smoothed my hair and pajamas, then pushed the door open and strode inside. Dennis was sitting on his closed coffin, lighter in one hand and an ignited paper in the other. His eyes flickered in the flame’s reflection, casting an eerie glow across the whole scene. I watched in fascination as the crinkled paper burned to nothing.
“Do you ever put that lighter down?”
“Sometimes.”He dropped the smoldering paper.
“Sorry if I’m bugging you,”I mumbled.
