He says the word like it’s in a foreign language, and I hear it that way, too. Like I’m not familiar with the concept.
“Why? You want another drink already?” I ask, crossing my arms.
“Because you are the only ally I have left.”
It takes me a moment to really hear him. “I thought you didn’t believe in any kind of interspecies friendships.”
When he offers no retort, I study him. He looks different, and I get the sense I’m missing information. Something must’ve happened since we argued.
“What’s changed?” I ask.
“I…” He seems to be struggling to find the right words. “I have learned that I am the last of my kind.”
A gasp grows inside me, but I stifle it. “What—I mean, how can you know that?”
“There is writing on the back of the portraits I took from the LUB. On mine, it says:The last.”
I don’t immediately react.
I can’t imagine how crushing it must feel to learn you’re the last of your species. That kind of devastation is beyond my comprehension, and it makes me sad for him—still, I’m more relieved to know there are no other vampires out there.
“I’m sorry,” I say after what feels like a while.
“I know you have no reason to trust me.” Something is different about his demeanor, as if his guard has come down. “Yet if you are willing, I would like a second chance to earn it.”
Every time the vampire has offered me a choice, it’s been performative because we both know he holds all the power. Even now, the only reason he’s being generous with me is that he has no one else in the world. But at least he’s no longer acting threatening.
“If you’re going to be living among us forever, you’ll have to work on your vampire-human relations,” I say.
“Will you help me?” he asks.
At this point, I’m just as invested as he is in uncovering the truth about his kind. Zach flits across my mind, but I can’t bring up what he discovered because I don’t want William to keep messing with my friends’ memories. I’ll have to handle that on my own.
“Fine,” I say at last. “I’ll let you sit next to me on the bus to Hanover. I know that’s the real reason you’re apologizing.”
Then he does something that makes time stop: His purple gaze fills with light and a starlit glow emanates from his skin asWilliam smiles. “Were you truly going to make me sit next to someone else?”
I can’t think of anything, much less a witty retort.
“Want to work on ourRomeo and Julietscene?” he asks when I don’t answer. “Or would you rather we focus on our presentation for history club on the Roanoke Colony?”
The vampire’s friendly overtures are so strange after everything we’ve been through. It feels like we’re crossing a newly built bridge and testing if it holds. Just to say something, I ask, “What actually happened to those colonists? I bet you know.”
“A vampire named Leonardo the Bloody killed them all.”
I hold my expression, waiting for thegotcha. Only it doesn’t come.
“But—the Treaty—” I stammer.
“He did not live by anyone’s rules,” says William, as if that explains the murder of an entire community. “He disappeared after that, and no one knows what became of him.”
As sad as it is that William won’t be reuniting with his family, all I can feel right now is an intense relief that all the vampires are gone.
All butone.
WILLIAM ANDI show up to the dining hall together. I feel Salma’s gaze drilling into my head, but I pick up my plate and head to the buffet.
“What are you doing?”
