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“I’m old,” I said, not really wanting to admit just how old I was.
“You don’t look any older than when you were turned.”
I shook my head. “That’s our blessing. Immortality. For me, it’s eternal youth. For my father, he’s eternally a middle-aged man with a touch of grey at his temples. My grandfather is eternally old, grey and bent. Distinguished. No matter how long I live, I’ll always be viewed as a boy.”
“But you’re not. You’ve lived so long. Seen and done so many things.”
“I have,” I said and sat up, straightening my jacket. “Now, enough of me. Tell me more about Calla. What are you planning to do once you finish school?”
“I want to be a scientist,” she replied, her voice hesitant. “An engineer.”
“An engineer. Who would think a pretty young thing as you would want to do such masculine work?”
She shook my head. “You have a lot to learn about the modern world. Women and men are equal today. Well, at least, in the law.”
“You’re a suffragette?”
She smiled. “They won. Women have the vote.”
I raised my eyebrows at that. “You won the vote? Well,” I said, rubbing my chin. “That’s something to consider. This world—your world—is so new to me. I can see it will take some time to acclimate myself to it.”
She yawned, hiding it behind a hand.
I frowned, disappointed that she was leaving so soon. “Oh, don’t go to bed so soon. We’ve just started talking about things and I’ve been alone for so long…”
She met my eyes for a moment like she was considering. “Maybe just a while longer.”
She stayed for another hour, and together, we walked back along the beach to the narrow pathway that led to the guest house.
"Tell me more about the advances made in science," I asked, sitting next to her on the sofa. “I’ve seen amazing things in my long existence, but this century I’ve missed? I can scarcely believe it. So much has happened. I’ve been asleep before for long periods, but not nearly as much has happened as this time.”
She yawned again, this time not even trying to hide it. I finally felt far too guilty to keep her up any longer.
“You should go,” I said and stood up, offering her my hand. “It’s getting late and I’m getting hungrier by the moment. I found a vagrant behind a building in the town and had some blood last night, but not nearly enough to quench my thirst. You’re becoming far too desirable for your own good. I’ll have to travel more widely to find another vagrant or else people will become suspicious about two animal attacks in two nights so close together.”
She frowned. “Is it safe for you to go out? Won’t your enemies be looking for you?”
“I had a good head start and so I doubt they’ll find me. I left a few clues to mislead them about the direction I took, so hopefully, they won’t be looking for me here.”
I stood, holding out my hand to her. She straightened her clothes and then went to the door. I opened it for her, but before she could leave, I took her hand once more and kissed my bite mark. She pulled back a bit, most likely afraid I was going to bite her again.
“No, no,” I said, and held her hand firmly. “I wasn’t going to bite you. Just enjoying the feel of your skin against my lips.” I looked in her eyes. “It’s a vampire thing.”
I pressed my mouth against her wrist again, opening my lips so that I felt her skin against my tongue, tasting her. As a predator, I couldn't help but respond to the scent of her blood and the warmth of her flesh. She gasped and her heart rate increased. Fear and wonder filled her – I could sense her emotions through our contact.
I glanced up from her wrist, knowing that I would be transformed by how close I was to her blood, my eyes bloodshot, my fangs elongated. Finally, I let go of her wrist and cleared my throat. I didn't want to harm her. I wanted to protect her from myself – and any of my enemies who might have followed me to Oregon.
“Good night, sweet Calla,” I said. “Sleep well. Perhaps your personal nightmare will be over and tomorrow night my brother will be here to take me back to the City and you’ll be free of me.”
“Good night,” she replied and almost ran from me when I let go of her hand,
I went back inside the guest house once I saw that she'd entered the cottage and closed the door behind her. She was a lovely young woman, sweet natured. I could tell from touching her that she didn't have a mean bone in her body. One as innocent as her could be exploited by my kind. I didn't want that to happen, intending to leave as soon as I had made contact with my family and they sent someone to return me to my home.
Having been so close to her, smelling her human scent, seeing the blood pulsing beneath her skin, made me hungry.
I flew off in search of a meal, landing in the dark alley behind a business, looking for a vagrant or someone to feed on. I wouldn't kill them. No use in raising alarm amongst the local inhabitants. I'd merely take a small amount of blood from several people, but not enough to make them sick or raise concern.
It was very late by then and there was no one out at that time of night. I was unsuccessful and was considering a trip into the forest to look for nocturnal creatures to feed on. Instead, I went back to the guest house and had a hot bath, trying an old vampire trick to warm up our bodies. Sitting in the water, I felt better, but without blood soon, I’d feel sicker and weaker — and colder.
