“Mom, I have to tell you something.”
She stares at me expectantly but doesn’t say word, just waits for me to get mine out.
“I… I was attacked by a vampire.”
Her jaw slackens. “When?”
“A few months ago. It was pretty bad… a fatal wound.”
I let my declaration hang in the air for a bit, hoping she gets where I’m going with this. It doesn’t take long for the spark of understanding to appear in her eyes. She covers her mouth, and I see her fighting to not cry. My eyes burn too.
Mom walks closer and frames my face between her hands. “You’re still my son, and I love you. That will never change, Vaughn.”
I close my eyes and hug her fiercely, letting the tears of relief roll down my cheeks.
“What’s going on? Why are Mom and Vaughn crying?” Clarissa asks.
“Vaughn is a vampire now,” Annabelle says matter-of-factly, as if being a bloodsucker isn’t a big deal.
God. She truly has no filter.
“Whoa. Really?”
I turn around, wiping my face with the back of my hand. “Yeah.”
Clarissa stares at me as if I’m a unicorn. “Do you have fangs?”
“I do.”
“Can I see them?”
I’m mega uncomfortable, and I kind of freeze.
“They only drop when he needs to feed,” Sophie lies, and I thank her with my eyes.
“How do you know?” Clarissa asks. “Wait? Are you a vampire too?”
Sophie glances at me fleetingly before answering, “Yep.”
Clarissa’s eyes turn even bigger. “That’s so cool. Do you have any special powers?”
“Yeah, I do.”
Annabelle sits straighter in her chair. “Really? I didn’t realize vamps had special powers besides superstrength and speed.”
“Sophie is also a witch, which is really rare among vampires.” I walk over and throw my arm around her shoulder.
“Oh no. That means you can’t eat your favorite dessert anymore,” Mom laments.
“No. I’m sorry you went through all the trouble.”
“I’m not,” Annabelle pipes up. “More apple pie for me.”
“And me!” Clarissa raises her hand in excitement.
“Well, dinner is ready regardless. You can still sit at the table and tell me everything.”
We follow Mom to the dining room table, and for the first time since I was turned into a vampire, I’m certain everything will be all right.
