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Julian didn’t respond.

We drove in silence until we reached the turnoff for the town. “I’m sorry, Julian,” I said.

“It’s okay. It’s not your fault. I just can’t stop thinking about all the people I knew, all the people who cared about me.”

We avoided the clogged main road through town and took a side road until I spotted a likely rest stop. Julian waited in the car while I checked it out. The house was empty and had a sturdy basement—not a comfortable one, but it had no windows, so it would do. There was also a fireplace, and given the temperature inside, I decided it was worth risking a fire so Julian wouldn’t freeze to death on the first day.

I unloaded the car while Julian started a fire. Unsure what a human would need for a day, I unpacked everything and brought it inside. Julian seemed amused, but thanked me and began rearranging his supplies.

While Julian settled in and warmed by the fire, I decided to explore the surrounding area. The house was far from the rest of the small town, and the closest homes were empty of living occupants. I didn’t see any light or smoke from other residences or businesses in town, and I decided this would be a safe place for us to stay for now.

When I returned to the house, Julian had made a nest in front of the fire and was nearly asleep, curled around Samson the cat. He opened his eyes as I came in and sat up.

“Everything looks good out there. I don’t think you’ll be bothered here during the day,” I said.

“Didn’t you find anyone?” Julian asked, his voice tinged with disappointment.

“No, there isn’t anyone here. I checked most of the town. I’m heading down to the basement for the day. Do you have your rifle?”

“Yeah,” he said, glancing at the rifle I’d left by the fireplace. “Vincent?”

“Yeah?”

“What if… What if I choose to leave during the day?” he asked, gazing down at his cat.

I watched the flames dance in the fireplace and thought honestly about his question. “Then you go,” I said. “I won’t come after you. If you want to leave, I won’t stop you. We have to trust each other if this is going to work between us. I won’t lock you up or hunt you down and drag you back if you run.” I ran my hands through my hair. “I’m sorry this is happening to you, Julian. I understand if you don’t want to stay. For all my talk of trust, though, I hope you understand if I lock myself in for the day.” I crouched and added a log to the fire. “I haven’t slept unsecured in a very long time,” I admitted, not taking my eyes off the flames. “I don’t think I could bear to do that now. Do you understand?” I turned to look at Julian. The firelight sharpened the man’s features, making his face look harsher than I remembered.

“I understand,” he said. “I don’t mind.” He stroked Samson, avoiding my gaze. “I have a lot to think about.”

I stood and walked toward the basement door. “Good night, Julian.”

“Good night, Vincent.”

I glanced back at Julian one final time before I shut myself in. It was such a strange situation I’d put us both in. Before, I would have happily lied to and toyed with this beautiful man. I would have manipulated him to get what I wanted and needed. I was taking a risk now, but I had to believe it might be worth it. Survival was my goal, both physical and mental. I felt strongly that if I were going to do that, I had to try something new. At the same time, I knew this was a lot to ask of anyone, and I wouldn’t blame this human if he decided to leave. But as I closed the door and descended the basement stairs, I dared to pray that Julian would still be there come the next sunset.

20

JULIAN

The fire crackled cozily in the hearth, a stark contrast to how I felt as I watched the flames leap. In just a few short hours, my life had turned upside down again. My lurching reality was giving me whiplash. The world was not what I thought it was when I’d woken up the day before. I’d gradually come to terms with the idea that my parents were gone and confronted the harsh realities of my isolation and the disease gripping the country, but nothing had prepared me for what had happened in front of the cabin.

I’d been on edge since hearing the gunshots the night before. I’d had no sleep and was preparing to spend another sleepless night, waiting for trouble. What I hadn’t expected was to open the door and be confronted by the same intense blue-eyed stare from my memories—fantasies, more like. It made me dizzy just looking at the guy.

Of course, now I understood. The dark-haired man from the bar, with the penetrating gaze, was no guy; he was a vampire. God, that sounded crazy, but I had no doubt it was true. If I needed confirmation, the other two non-humans who moved at lightning speed and didn’t seem bothered by bullets lent significant credibility to what Vincent had told me. The world was even more messed up than I’d imagined. And somehow, I’d ended up in the middle of it. The real question was how to get myself out.

I glanced down at my bare wrist out of habit, trying to tell what time it was. I’d taken my smartwatch off after the power went out. Without a way to charge it, it was useless. Habits were hard to break, though. I wondered how long I had until sunrise.

I didn’t know how much to trust Vincent—about the town being abandoned, about his promise not to harm me, about anything, really. Still, something about him made me feel safe, even if it made no sense. After all, he was a vampire who fed on humans. That was hard to think about, and my mind recoiled from the images the thought evoked. Vincent, his mouth locked around someone’s throat, staring directly at me with those piercing eyes. I shivered and pulled the blanket I’d wrapped around myself tighter across my shoulders. Lowering myself into the pillows, I tried to clear my mind and get some rest.

After an hour of lying awake, tossing and turning, the room began to lighten as the sun rose, and I gave up. There was no way I could fall asleep after everything that had happened. My thoughts wouldn’t settle. I put on my heavy coat, hat, gloves, and boots and decided to take a look outside for myself. I left the rifle behind this time. My experience the night before with the woman had rattled me badly, and although the gun would have been a smart choice, I couldn’t bring myself to touch it.

The air outside was bitterly cold, and the wind tugged at my clothing as I walked. I shoved my gloved hands into my pockets and strode down the road toward town. It felt good to have a purpose, and the movement soon warmed me in a way the fire hadn’t.

Vincent had been right about the house’s isolation. I could see the main part of the town ahead, but it was a long walk. I scanned the buildings and roadways for any signs of people: smoke from a chimney, cars in the distance, lights shining from a window somewhere, but there was nothing.

It felt like hours before I reached the main cluster of buildings. I didn’t bother sneaking around this time. I was too numb and had seen too much lately. My adrenaline wasn’t responding, and I felt no alarm or urgency as I trudged down the street lined with houses. Maybe it wasn’t that. Perhaps I simply had no hope of finding anyone else.

I didn’t dare enter any buildings, homes, or businesses. A few doors stood ajar, revealing more signs of devastation. Shattered glass, burned-out shops, and heaps of trash lined the roads. I tried not to stare too closely at the piles. Some snow-covered shapes seemed eerily human, and I had no desire to witness more death. By the time I realized I could no longer feel my toes, I decided it was time to head back.