Dear Citlali [Completed]

Chapter 24. Kai

I texted Citlali. It was late, and Dovi and I had gone back to my apartment. I was worried.

"Are you okay?" I wrote. No answer, but the message had been read. I tried again. "We are at my apartment. You can join us whenever you want. We're here for you." I hesitated. Was it too cheesy to send a heart emoji to my centuries-old vampire lover? And then, I thought: Who cared? I wanted to do it, and I did it.

I didn't expect an answer from Citlali so I joined Dovi on the couch. But the moment I sat down, my phone rang. Citlali had sent me a heart back. I'm ashamed to say I squeaked.

Dovi looked at me quizzically and I showed them the message on my screen. They smiled with tenderness, put their hand behind my neck, and pulled me gently towards them to kiss my hair. I rested my head against their shoulder, and I felt so safe and comfortable that I almost fell asleep.

When Citlali opened the door of my apartment, it was the middle of the night, and Dovi and I were sleeping in my bedroom. However, I must have stayed in a state of vigilance, since I felt her presence immediately and I got up carefully to join her in the living room without waking Dovi.

Citlali smiled at me when I entered the room. I didn't say a word. Instead, I walked directly into her arms. She hugged me tightly, putting her head on my shoulder. "I missed you both and I couldn't see myself sleeping alone tonight," she said.

"You're not alone. Come to bed," I whispered in her ear.

I took her hand and led her to the bedroom. While Citlali took off her clothes, I grabbed a comfortable t-shirt I gave her and Dovi opened their eyes. They smiled and extended their hand towards us. Citlali nestled against them and I curled up around her on her other side. We fell asleep like that, leaning on one another, my heart and Citlali's synchronizing slowly with the steady beat of Dovi's.

In the morning, around my kitchen table, the three of us sat with our coffee. After a few sips, Citlali leaned back on her chair and put her hair up in a loose bun. Dovi and I stayed silent, sensing that she wanted to talk to us.

"It was because I was a vampire," she said with a sad laugh. "She had finally met an old immortal who introduced her to all that she didn't know about the supernatural world. The thing is: they told her that vampires and immortals were enemies and that fraternizing with them was a betrayal of her own kind. And that's why I lost her."

Dovi took her hand.

"I'm so angry. All this bullshit. I lost her for no reason at all. But at least I'm not angry at her anymore. She loved me, but she was young and afraid." Her voice broke, and she raised her hand over her mouth.

"She didn't try to find you again later?" I asked.

"No, she didn't. When she could have, she thought it was too late. She was too ashamed."

"I'm so sorry," Dovi said. "But at least, now you know the truth."

Citlali nodded. Dovi kissed her hand, and I traced circles on her thigh to soothe her. After that, Citlali stayed silent for a while but when she looked at us, she smiled.