“When I was first turned, we did. You have to understand, Arwen… We’re talking about the late 1600s and early 1700s. I don’t do that anymore.”
“You don’t kill people?”
“No. It’s one of the many reasons I don’t love Cassia anymore.”
The look on Arwen’s face was one of devastation, for some reason, which didn’t really make sense to Iro, but things were happening so quickly; she didn’t have the time to think about it.
“Arwen, I loveyou. I’m in love withyou. I was going to tell you – not tomorrow, but not in ten years. I just wanted time with you first. I wanted us to be committed to one another and to know that this was what we wanted; nothing and no one else. We made love last night, Arwen, and this morning. I just wanted more of that; more of the lazy days in bed and nights by the fire where I read you poetry and we talk about–”
“I don’t want that,” Arwen stated.
“What? Arwen, we can talk about this. I know it’s a lot, and I’m sure you never thought vampires would be something you’d talk about like this, but, Arwen, I love you. I’d never hurt you. I’ll never hurt anyone. I just want to live a normal life with you.”
“You’re right: I can’t believe I’m having this conversation. But here I am, Iro, and it’s because of you. You made melikeyou. You used some sort of supernatural abilities on me. How could you?”
“I didn’t make you feel anything, Arwen. Whatever you feel for me, you feel. That’s not me, I assure you.”
“I feel nothing for you now,” Arwen replied.
Iro took another step back, the words and the tone with which they were delivered hitting her hard. Her home swirled around her, and Arwen was still standing there, but the look in her usual hazel eyes was cold and dark.
“Arwen… I love you. We can handle this.”
“You don’t age. I didn’t even need Cassia to tell me that. You live forever.”
“Yes.”
“I won’t. I’m human. What were you going to do, Iro? Make me one of you eventually? Would you have forced me to drink blood?”
“No. Never,” she said quickly. “Arwen, if you want to grow old as a human and die one day, I want that for you. I know how that sounds, but it’s the truth. Everyone should have the choice of how they live their life. My choice was taken away from me.”
“What do you mean?”
“I loved someone once a long time ago. Her name was Mary. I was human, and so was she. We lived in a time when she and I couldn’t be together, so she married after years and years of trying to avoid it. She got pregnant shortly after, to produce an heir for her husband, which was all women were good for back then, according to men. I asked her to run away with me, Arwen. I wanted her and only her, but she chose to stay with him because she was scared, and she died in childbirth.” Iro waited for Arwen to say something like she was sorry for her pain, but she didn’t, so Iro added, “I met Cassia then, and she turned me. It wasn’t my choice, Arwen.”
“She told me you asked for it. You wanted it.”
“I didn’t. I mean, I might have. I had had a lot to drink that night, and I didn’t know what I was saying. I didn’t understand it, Arwen. I was in pain, and she offered to take it away, but I didn’t know what I was agreeing to.”
“You said yes, though.”
“I did, but–”
“Then, you chose it. You chose to drink blood and kill people.”
“No, I didn’t. Arwen, if you ever wanted to really talk about this in the future, what it means and how it all works, I will sit down and explain everything, the good and the bad and the terrible, too, but you have to know that Cassia is not a good person. It’s taken me way too long to know that, but shedoeskill people, and she drinks from humans. She’ll turn anyone she wants. I’ve tried to get her to stop, but–”
“She saidyoudo those things, and she’s tried to getyouto stop. So, who am I supposed to believe, Iro?”
“Me!” she yelled. “You’re supposed to believemebecause I’m your girlfriend. I just told you that I loveyou, that I don’t love the woman I’ve been with for three hundred years anymore, and that’s why she’s telling you these things.”
“You’re describing a very petty woman, Iro.”
“Sheispetty. She only cares about what benefits her; nothing else. Arwen, don’t let her do this to us. If you need time, take it.” Iro walked toward her again. “I’ll be here. We can talk about anything you want, anytime you want.”
“I don’t want this,” Arwen said and pointed back and forth between them. “I couldneverwant this.”
“Arwen, please… Just take some time.”
