Boris and the Vampire (Legends of Pinewood 2)

When Accidents Happen

"The people from Pinewood town think he's your boyfriend?"

Ivana sounded completely incredulous at my report of the first night, and I didn't blame her. If you weren't there during the conversation, you wouldn't quite be able to grasp just how good Etienne was at twisting a situation in his favour.

I sighed as I stared up at the sky, taking in the sight of the rising sun. I'd retreated into the forest to have my phone call with Ivana, so Etienne couldn't listen in. He couldn't go out anymore now, so the town was safe. Well, relatively safe. If he didn't lure anyone into my house again. I'd keep the phone call brief.

"It wasn't exactly by choice, Ivana," I said. "People are nosy here, okay? The vampire and I went hunting in the middle of the night, but evidently, even the adults don't go to sleep here and spread rumors just quickly as the teenagers."

"I guess it wasn't preventable that the townsfolk learned he was around eventually, but be careful, Boris," Ivana said. "If you feel you can't handle this, we'll have to move the vampire elsewhere in the Pinewood area and get the rest of the pack involved. I'd rather not, but if there's no other choice..."

"It may be necessary," I admitted. "He's dangerous. He knows how to play this game and he knows exactly what he wants."

"Access to human blood," Ivana said.

"That's what he says. He wants it willingly, or so he claims. But we can never be sure with the vampires. I doubt that's the whole truth. You know what they're like."

If Etienne was like the rest of them, and he seemed to be, he thought himself far above others. Far above the rules. All other supernaturals were inferior according to the vampires... but humans? Humans were like cattle. A walking Capri Sun pouch. The accords stated humans had rights, and we needed to share this world with them without harming them. But if any species would not stick to that, it would be the vampires.

"Well, let me know if you need help, Boris," Ivana emphasised again before we said our goodbyes and I walked back to my house.

As the sun rose, I put the final touches to the vampire-proofing of my living room and kitchen. Tempting as it was, I couldn't allow the sun to accidentally spill in and burn the vampire. All hell would break loose.

Luckily, I already had both blinders and blackout curtains installed at every window. A precaution for any young werewolf accidentally shifting inside my house, and now also a precaution for vampires burning. Etienne's peers could never be able to accuse me of trying to sabotage later.

Now, all I needed to do was come up with a viable excuse why my curtains were always closed for the coming month.

Unfortunately, Pinewood did very much suffer from the small town syndrome. Everyone was all up in everyone's business. Now that they thought Etienne was my brand new love, I imagined I'd be getting more curious people on my doorstep. And, unfortunately, Etienne had also been very right about the townsfolk expecting to see him around.

Maybe I should use his lie to my advantage and say we were constantly 'busy' to keep them away.

I didn't have an immediate solution in mind, and decided to make breakfast and pour myself some tea first. I could hardly plot and plan on an empty stomach.

Moments later, there were light, barely audible footsteps on the stairs. The living room door opened just a crack first, before Etienne slipped through it and stepped into the living room. A cloud of bergamot-based perfume entered the room with him, and I wrinkled my nose. He looked like he was ready for a fancy upstate party with the grey dress shirt and black, carefully tailored trousers.