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Up ahead, I spy a faint glimmer of light coming from a half open door. Bracing myself, I walk quietly through the hall toward the light source. Catching my breath, I push back the door and step into the kitchen. My eyes dart from left to right. The lights are on but the room is completely empty. There’s no sign of Nick anywhere.
Everything is just as I remember: the red kettle on the stove, the oak kitchen island in the middle; pots and pans suspended from the ceiling. Not long ago, this room held such happy memories for me. Not anymore.
“Carly …”
I drop my umbrella on the floor. Whirling around, I find Nick standing behind me. He looks sexy as hell dressed in a white silk shirt unbuttoned to the navel, revealing his impressive washboard stomach. His damp hair falls loosely about his face in little black ringlets.
He flings his arms wide and moves forward to embrace me. “Oh my darling, my darling, you’ve come to me. I knew that you would.”
I raise my arms as if to block a punch. “Stay back!”
Nick’s smile quickly fades and is replaced by a look of anguish. “So I’m not allowed to touch you? Is that how it is?”
“I-I’m sorry Nick, but I can’t have you near me right now.”
There’s a short, throbbing silence. Slowly, I drop my arms to my sides and start to breathe again. My heart is thudding in my ears. For a moment, we stare at each other, the air heavy with unspoken tension. Briefly, Nick’s eyes slip over my body and his face burns with repressed longing.
“Why must you torture me?” he whispers. “You know how much I worship you.”
I drop my gaze to the floor, not knowing where else to look. His stare is too raw, too intense. I run my fingers through my hair.
“What did you do to my father?” I ask softly.
He hesitates before replying, “I gave him a fresh lease of life.”
“What exactly does that mean?”
“I have a very unique blood type,” he explains. “It has certain … healing qualities. When it entered your father’s bloodstream, it reversed all of the damage caused by the stroke.”
“You mean …?”
“I saved your father’s life, Carly.” For a second, the words hang there. I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Before I can say anything else, he continues: “Each day, I sat in that hospital car park, watching you go to see Steve. I saw the devastation on your face, the tears in your eyes, and I wanted so much to help, but after what happened last Saturday, I was scared to approach you. But I knew, I justknewI had to do something to take your pain away.”
There’s a short beat as I process this information. At last, I lift my head and look at him.“I hope you haven’t made him like you.”
“Like me?”
“Yes. By sharing your blood with my dad, I hope you haven’t turned him into a …” I falter, unable to complete the sentence.
Nick smiles slightly, but his eyes are hard. “No, your father isn’t going to turn into a vampire, if that’s what you’re thinking. He’ll be buzzing for a while, feel on top of the world, but that’s about it.”
I cover my mouth with my hand. It’s the first time Nick has ever openly said the word ‘vampire.’ I can’t believe it. Finally, he’s addressed the elephant in the room and the admission sends me reeling. “Jesus! Then you really are …”
“Yes,” he confirms quietly. “But it doesn’t change anything. I’m still the same person you fell in love with; the same person you want to spend the rest of your life with.”
“Oh my God, what are you?” I whisper. “You say you’re a vampire, but what does that even mean? Are you alive or dead?”
“Neither. I am theundead.”
“Jesus!” I take another step back, my stomach lurching with fear. “But where do you come from? I mean, how did you become what you are? Were you ever a normal person?”
“Yes, of course I was. Once upon a time. A very long time ago.”
I hesitate, trying to soak it all in. “So is it like in the movies? You … you feed on blood?” My voice shakes as I say the words.
“Yes,” he replies calmly. “Human blood to be precise.”
“But I don’t understand. I’ve seen you eat normal food loads of times. When we went out to restaurants, you drank wine, you ate beef ...”
