Master of Vampirism (Part #2) ✔️

Chapter 12: Pains of the immortal

"Isn't your birthday, like, in about half an hour?" Tina's sardonic gaze slid over my oversized black hoodie and my black skinny jeans. The only thing I couldn't hide was my blonde hair which was even more visible in the darkness of the night.

I leaned against the wall next to William's cabinet, "I heard you can pick locks."

"Aren't you, like, super strong?" Tina complained but squatted next to the door.

"Don't wanna make a mess." I shrugged.

She grabbed two relatively big twinges and worked her magic, "Why aren't you celebrating your birthday with Caiden?"

"I don't think he's in his room." I lied. "I'm gonna meet up with him later. My birthday is the entire day tomorrow, you know?"

The truth was, I wanted a moment for herself when the clock ticked midnight. During all the drama I have been going through, one thing slipped my mind.

I wouldn't actually be turning twenty at midnight. Yes, my ID would say so. Yes, the birthday cake might have twenty candles. And yes, my grandma would immediately start asking me when I planned on getting married.

But I would remain nineteen forever. And no matter how much I tried to lie to myself, I was not celebrating my birthday tonight. My birthday had disappeared the moment I died. I would stay this living ghost forever and the lack of aging would soon enough become proof of my death.

"You don't look so good." Tina mumbled in between glances. The lock rattled and creaked.

"Honestly, I don't feel so good." There was no shame in admitting it, right?

"Eh, welcome aboard." The lock clicked and the door opened.

My eyes widened, "You're pretty good at this."

"I'm a woman of many talents."

I entered the cabinet with a chuckle, "Getting me blood is only one of them."

"So, what exactly are you going to do here?" Tina got off the floor.

I looked around the room. A bookshelf, a lacquered wooden desk, an office chair, a scent of forgotten knowledge and just a dash of purple fabric all around the place. Yes, William's cabinet.

"Well," I walked in, "Ian went to Paris on my birthday, so now I'm going to spend it in the sole company of his best whiskey, which I know he keeps in William's cabinet."

"Are you seriously that petty?"

"Oh, you have no idea." I turned to her. "Wanna join me?"

Confusion wrinkled her forehead, "You want to be with me on your birthday?"

I turned on the light and immediately noticed the liquor on the top shelf.

"I'm dead." I shrugged. "How do you celebrate your death? By gathering your closest relatives?"

"That's called a funeral." Tina's expression remained deadpan.

Perhaps her dismissal of human tragedy and the general vibe of not giving a flying fuck made her the perfect candidate for the kind of celebration I was looking for.

I spread my hand and reached for the bottle, "Ian mentioned this particular bottle. He said we'd open it on my birthday. It's old and good, apparently."

"Why the fuck not?" Tina entered the room and closed the door behind her. "Drinking in the teacher's cabinet might very well be on my bucket list."

I dropped on the office chair, the floor slightly creaking. The whole place was cosy, warm. I turned on the desk lamp and gestured for Tina to turn off the main light.