“Where did this come from?” I ask.
“There was no time for shaving,” he says, shyly rubbing his hand over his face. “I shall remove it at once.”
“Please, don’t.” I take his hand and pull it down. Behind it, is a face filled with doubt. “I like it. It really suits you.”
His eyebrows draw together in scepticism. “Truly,” he asks.
“Truly.”
I trace it again until I reach his jaw. I linger there, stroking his throat with my thumb. His mouth parts, silently beckoning. I lean in and brush my lips over his, gently tasting them with my tongue.
“Ah,” he says, touching a finger to his mouth. When he pulls it back, there is a drop of blood on the tip.
“What happened?” I ask, confused, but the moment I speak, my tongue catches on something sharp.
Lazarus lifts my upper lip and smiles a strange smile. I run my tongue over my teeth and feel a small fang where my not-at-all sharp canine once was. I let out a quiet gasp and pull his finger into my mouth, lightly sucking on the tip. Then I drape myself over his chest and lick the blood off his lips. He welcomes me with a sigh, pulling me even closer. We kiss tenderly and slowly, as if there was nothing more important in this world.
“Do I have to kill to eat?” I ask, settling myself on his chest.
“Does that trouble you?”
“I don’t know. It just seems pretty brutal.”
“Do animals not die for your nourishment?”
“I guess, but I don’t kill them myself. Besides, I don’t really enjoy meat, honestly. It always seemed so unnecessary.”
“There might be ways. I do not require much blood to live—perhaps an amount small enough not to harm a mortal.”
“Maybe from animals?”
“We can try. Or perhaps during sleep?”
“You know, there’s all sorts of people. Maybe they would volunteer?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know, a kink?” I say, but he only draws his eyebrows together. “Uhm, like a fetish? Like volunteers…”
“Seriously?” he asks, and I nod. “How strange this world has become,” he says, drawing his arms tightly around my chest. “You are shaking.” He pulls me from the basin with one big hand and wraps me in a large blanket. “Your body will get cold quickly now,” he explains as he places me close to the fire.
“That’s exactly what I mean,” I say, leaning against his chest.
“What?”
“You know, about being like this now.” I wave my hand over my body.
“Which way?”
“Why are you being so obtuse all of a sudden? You know I’m like you now, right?”
“I’m not obtuse!” he says, sounding as petulant as a man much younger than his considerable age.
“I’m sure you’ve always been extremely obtuse, but that’s not the point now,” I say, with a smirk.
The moment the corners of my lips lift, his face changes, and he pulls me back into his arms.
“You are so vexing,” he whispers as he nuzzles my wet hair. “I will teach you what I know, but do not raise your expectations.”
