The City of Darkness and Blood

Chapter 6

After the harrowing events, my parents allowed me to stay with Lieutenant Vlad and Kendall. I just finished dinner, savoring Lieutenant Vlad's expertly made meatloaf, macaroni, and cheese, which I found far superior to my mother's attempts. Though admitting that felt harsh, it was true; her cooking wasn't quite as flavorful. I lay on the guest room bed, unable to shake the images of Silver from my mind. The revelation that she was a vampire shook me to the core. How could I have befriended someone with such a monstrous secret? The bodies of the thugs haunted me, their violent end was nothing compared to what I'd seen on TV.

As sleep enveloped me, a tapping sound on the balcony's glass doors stirred me awake. My eyes widened in surprise as I realized it was Silver. Jumping out of bed, I hurried to unlock and open the doors. "Silver, you're okay," I sighed in relief. Silver entered without a word, her demeanor filled with shame, still clad in her blood-stained nightgown. "Where have you been? I was so worried about you," I blurted out, unable to contain my concern. Instead of answering immediately, Silver turned to me, her expression guarded. "Maybe I should have stayed away longer," she retorted sarcastically.

"I'm serious," I scolded gently. "When would you tell me you're a vampire?"

Silver's mood shifted instantly. "When I know I can trust you," she replied softly, sinking onto the bed, "I'm sorry you had to see that. You must think I'm a freak."

I struggled with conflicting emotions. "You scared me, that's for sure," I admitted, "But I don't think you're a freak."

Silver seemed taken aback by my response. "R-Really?"

"Yeah, really," I confirmed, sitting a little closer to her, "I thought vampires were just myths, but meeting one in real life... it's a lot to process."

Her demeanor softened, and there was a hint of relief in her eyes. "So, you're not scared?"

"No, not really," I lied, though my racing heart might have betrayed me.

"You're lying," Silver pointed out with a knowing smile, "I can hear your heart racing. You are scared of me."

I fell silent, unable to deny it outright. "Maybe a little," I admitted reluctantly.

Silver chuckled softly, then edged closer. "Relax, I'm not going to drink your blood... unless you, I don't know, betray me."

"I haven't told anyone," I assured her, edging away slightly.

Seeming to believe me, Silver smiled. "Good."

Suddenly, she leaned in and kissed me gently, catching me completely off guard. I stumbled over my words, unsure how to react. This was entirely new territory for me—first, befriending a vampire, now being kissed by one? I was at a loss for words, but Silver seemed amused by my flustered state, smiling at my reaction. "I need you to trust me," she said quietly, her eyes searching mine. I was still too stunned to respond coherently. I stared back at her, my heart racing and my stomach fluttering from the unexpected kiss. A knock sounded on my door before anything more could be said or done. "Jason? Is everything okay?" Kendall's voice interrupted from outside the guestroom. Startled, I hurried to the door and opened it slightly. "Hey. What's up?" I greeted, trying to mask my nervousness, though my sweaty face probably gave it away.

Kendall noticed my demeanor and furrowed her brow. "Who were you talking to? I heard voices," she said, suspicion in her voice.

"I was... talking to my mom and dad," I lied quickly, hoping she would buy it.

"This late at night?" Kendall pressed, clearly not convinced.

"Yeah, I just wanted to make sure they're okay," I replied, trying to sound casual. "Uh, talk to you tomorrow!" I added, closing the door before she could ask more questions.