“Did you want me to tell you the rest of the story?”
“Yes, sorry, go ahead.”
“So, then I was changed. When I woke up the next morning, I found out just how bad the sun is for vampires. After spending the rest of the day hiding in the barn, and after forcing myself to feed from a few of the animals instead of my parents, I knew I had to leave.” I remembered the exact way it felt to have my flesh burned to the bone. It wasn’t something I wanted to repeat, which was my main reason for agreeing to stay here. “Now you know how old I am and where I came from, anything else?” Hopefully what I’d told him satisfied his curiosity, but then I remembered who he was related to and knew it wouldn’t be that easy.
“How did you get to Occident?” he asked.
I’d avoided that question, but I found I wanted him to know since it had everything to do with his relative. But the fact he wanted to know made me want to withhold that information. Another strange trait of vampires. We weren’t honest or straightforward in our dealings with humans. They were easily fooled, and most of us loved to use that against them. “We’ll talk about that at a later time. I need to rest now,” I lied.
He narrowed his eyes and sized me up before answering. “Okay, but as soon as the sun goes down, I want answers.” He turned on his heel and hurried up the stairs, only looking back when he got to the top. “Have a good day,” he said, and left me in the dreadful gloom of his basement.
“I prefer the grave over this,” I grumbled to myself and settled in for the day.
Five
Blake
For a while I delayed getting ready for work and considered calling in sick and making sure the vampire—Marlon—didn’t figure out a way to ditch us. Not that he’d get far during the day. It was nice to know I had a minor advantage over him, because I suspected he was stronger than he’d shown us. Eventually, I couldn’t put it off any longer and went to work at the only auto garage in town. Workdragged on, but it kept my mind off worrying about what would happen once the sun went down.
My phone buzzed with a text, and I wasn’t surprised to see it was from Aaron. “Wonder what took him so long?” I grumbled to myself.
Aaron:What’s going on with the bloodsucker?
I rolled my eyes after reading his message.
Blake:He’s in the basement. He doesn’t want to burst into flames.
Aaron:Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Is he taking you to the treasure later?
Blake:I don’t think he knows anything about the treasure. He’ll probably take off and we’ll never hear from him again.
Aaron:That sucks. ?? He creeps me out.
Blake:Yeah.
I wasn’t sure what to say after that. It was weird that he was still alive after being in the ground for so long, but I really wanted to know more about him, and his mate. He’d told us a little, but I felt there was more to his story, and he hadn’t done much to make me trust him. Another notification pulled me from my thoughts.
Aaron: I’ll stop by after work.
After reading his message, I tucked my phone back in my pocket and went back to the oil change I’d just started.
As soon as I stepped inside the house, he appeared at the door to the basement looking exactly as I’d left him. “Hey,” I said, not really sure how to greet a vampire that was basically my captive until sundown. I closed the curtains so the house was as dark and safe as I could get it for him.
“As soon as the sun sets, I will go to the farm with you. There is no treasure there, but I’ll show you what is,” he said, as cryptic as every conversation had been. His skin was still caked with dirt, and I was once again amazed he was alive. Well, as alive as a vampire could be. I tried to remember what he’d looked like in the vision as he’d fed from me. But the memory wasn’t as clear now as it had been then, and he still looked too much like a corpse to imagine him alive.
“Did you want to shower?” Was that something a vampire did? I had no clue.
His expression softened, and he nodded. “I would very much like to feel clean again.”
“I have some clothes you can wear.” I hurried into my room and jumped when I turned around to find him right behind me. “You need to wear a bell. You’re way too quiet.”
“It’s what makes me even more deadly,” he said, and tipped his chin enough to make his eyes look more menacing before grinning at me.
“You got a little—” I waved my hand around my mouth. His teeth were caked with dirt and who knew what else. Which, thankfully, I hadn’t noticed while he was drinking my blood. Mostly because I was fixated on him not drinking too much.
He gave me a deadeye stare that I could translate without him saying a word. “How would you look if you’d been in the dirt as long as I have?” He tilted his head as he waited for me to answer, but after gulping down a breath of sweet air I turned and grabbed the first shirt and pair of jeans that my fingers touched.
“Here,” I said and pointed. “The bathroom’s through there.” He stared at me long enough to make me want to look away before taking the clothes and walking into the bathroom.
