AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“With Derek?”
“With Derek, if that’s what he calls himself. Yes.”
They sat for a moment, quiet.
“Why not?”
Ansel downshifted as they pulled up to a stop sign. He still wasn’t looking at her. It seemed like he was avoiding her eyes. She watched him, his elegant profile, his strikingly pale skin.
“I don’t know what you remember, what I told you, but they’re very dangerous.”
“What’s going on there? What’s happening at those parties?”
Ansel drove forward, looking at the road like a satisfactory answer might appear there in the yellow lines as they streamed past.
“I went to another one,” she said, “after that night. I had to, Ansel, I had to know what was happening. I stayed sober, I didn’t accept any drinks and—”
“I wish you hadn’t done that.”
“Well I did.”
“And,” he said very,veryquietly now, “what did you see?”
She watched him for a moment.
“You already know, don’t you?”
Ansel finally looked at her, and his dark, serious eyes flashed.
A moment passed between them.
“He asked me if I wasyoursalready,” she said, “and told me that you warned him…”
Ansel said nothing, only drove.
“I can’t remember exactly what he said…” She glanced at him before continuing. “Ansel, are you one of them? It’s all real, isn’t it? I’m not going crazy, am I?”
“One ofwho?” he said, his voice strained and hollow.
“You know who. Ansel, are you a vampire?”
At dinner, Ansel was as aloof, polite, and generous as he always was. They were eating at an intimate French restaurant, and the atmosphere and food were stylish, subtle, and quiet. Ansel and Jim discussed work problems for a few minutes, and Ansel asked how Saber was doing in school.
“Fine,” she said, picking at her steak frites, “ready for winter break.”
“And how’s the painting?”
“Oh, going great. I love the studio my dad helped me put together.”
Ansel smiled.
“I want to see your work one day. Your dad always talks about how talented you are.”
She was amazed at how civil, friendly, and utterly normal they were both being after the completely insane conversation they’d had in the car.
Saber had asked Ansel if he was a vampire, and he hadn’t denied it, hadn’t said “that’s ridiculous.” Now, she watched as he moved salad around on his plate and swirled wine, a convincing mum-show of enjoying a meal.
“Is everything to your liking, sir?” a concerned waiter asked, noticing his full wine glass.
