Watching | Michael Jackson *HEAVILY EDITING* ✓

Chapter 13. Something Evil This Way Comes

Tatiana's POV:

   The level of sheer glee that circulates my entire body the moment my eyes meet Austin's is unfathomable. There he is—standing at the door as handsome as ever.

"Hey," I muster, gazing at him happily.

"Michael said that you were worried about me," Austin smiles. "Is that true?"

"Well, I am the type of person to worry about others if they're hurt. I hope I'm right in thinking that you would do the same if I was in your position," I scoff.

"Well, I'm okay. You know how doctors are with the whole vampire thing—unknowing idiots," Austin shrugs. I giggle and smile at him, once again taking in the fact that he's here. Alive.

"Anyway, I don't want to hold you guys up. I just wanted you to know that I'm all healed up and kicking," Austin smiles. He stretches his hand out for me in a manner that seems as though he wants me to take his hand so that he can pull me into a hug. Although my heart leaps happily, my brain screams at me to remember that Michael is in the room with us, so I simply shake his hand. I can immediately tell by his eyes that Austin was hoping for the latter, but what am I supposed to do?

"I guess I'll see you later..." Austin says as he turns around and heads for the door.

"Bye, Austin," I say as I walk him out, closing the door behind him as he leaves. I sigh and turn around, looking at Michael whose expression is hard to make out.

"Michael, can I stay at your place tonight?" I ask, hoping that perhaps this might break the tension of the last few minutes. Michael walks up to me, places his hands on either side of my face, and kisses me passionately. It's almost as though he knew that I needed him to ground me. After everything that's happened the last little while, my head is spinning and nothing feels real anymore—almost as though this is all some sort of twisted concoction my brain is brewing in my sleep.

"Of course you can stay," he says as he pulls away. I smile lovingly at him as he places an arm around my waist and we make our way up to his bedroom before falling asleep in each other's arms.

   The smell of bacon greets me as I wake up, finding myself in an empty bed. Eagerness and a rumbling stomach motivate me to bolt out of bed and walk downstairs, finding Michael in the kitchen making breakfast. 

"Good morning my love," Michael says without looking at me. 

I giggle in shock as I wrap my arms around his waist and peer over his shoulder at the food he's cooking, saying, "How did you know I was coming?" 

"Super hearing," Michael states casually as though it's an ability that everyone should possess. 

I can't help but smile and stare at his side profile, taking in his perfectly shaped nose, his puffy cheeks, structured jawline, and tiny curls resting on his forehead as I say, "You're truly something else, Michael Jackson." Michael does that sweet giggle that always turns my stomach into tiny knots as he shakes his head. If he was still human, I'd imagine that his cheeks would be a bright red right about now.

Michael finishes cooking and lays the plates on his kitchen table and we start eating. As I take a bite of my bacon, my mind wanders to the other day when Michael returned home after his "walk" with blood at the corner of his lip. While I suppose it was pretty obvious what happened, I can't help but wonder if he does what he did that morning often.

"Michael," I start, nervousness filling my stomach as I recall what happened after he got home—he attacked me. I know it wasn't him, he was under some sort of strange influence, but I want to learn more. "Do...do you drink human blood to sustain yourself?"