Why Vampires Sleep With The Lights On

Prologue: Goodbye, Wesley Stiles

My phone buzzed in my hand as I sat just staring at the name on the screen as it flashed up with each call.

KIAN

The four letters popped up for the sixth time, and I still didn't answer it. It clicked off and went to my answerphone. After a minute a notification came up telling me that Kian had left his sixth voicemail.

I ignored it.

Today was the funeral for Wesley Stiles, and I really didn't want to fucking go. You might wonder why I wouldn't want to appreciate the memory of somebody who had helped me out of a tight spot, well it was mostly because him helping me to clear my name of murder had led to Jonathan Cayhill shoving a wooden stake right through his chest.

His death had been my bloody fault...

I wiped away the fresh tears that had started to form in the corners of my eyes. The cuff of the black suit I had picked out for the occasion was now soaked, and I continued to stare down at my phone, waiting for Kian to call for the seventh time.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Looking over at my window I saw Kian perched on the edge like an extremely pale Spiderman. I smiled sadly as I got up and opened the window letting him hop down into my bedroom. He had chosen to wear his usual long black leather coat over a black shirt and tie.

Not gonna lie, it looked good on him.

"I know what you're going to say," I said shutting the window behind him.

"Oh, so you can read minds too now?" Kian asked raising an eyebrow in response.

Fuck you, Kian...

He looked at me, his deep blood red eyes full of sadness as he read my thoughts. Without saying another word he walked over to me and pulled me into a tight embrace. I couldn't help but let the tears fall freely as I buried my head into the warm leather of his jacket.

"It wasn't your fault."

"Yeah, it doesn't feel that way though." I replied, breaking the hug "How can I go to that funeral? Seriously? I mean, no matter how he eventually died, he died because he chose to help me."

"He died like he would have wanted to." Kian replied softly "As a hero."

Damn it, he was right. Of course, he was! But, it still didn't help the guilt that was churning away in my stomach. I'm not sure anything could heal that.

I had only known Wesley for a short time, but the former S.P.E.C.T.R.E agent had left a mark on me. He was just a genuinely good guy who had helped me during a dark moment in my life.

Crap, here come the tears again...

I could feel the burning sensation in the corner of my eyes, and I tried to hold it back.

"Look, we don't have to go if you really can't face it." Kian said "I'm not going to force you. We could just stay here and chill out, or go for a walk to take your mind off it..."

I smiled at him then, the dorky, blonde vampire that I was proud to call my boyfriend. It filled my heart with joy to know that he was willing to do whatever made me comfortable.

Damn, I love it when he's being all chivalrous...

But, for once, this wasn't about me. Today was all about Wesley.

"No, we'll go to the funeral." I said "He was your friend Kian, and I think we both need to be there to honour him. He'd want us to be there."

Kian nodded and I could see his eyes starting to tear up, I knew this meant a lot to him.