Death Bite (Peterick)

Part 6: Sleepover

Patrick's POV:

Nothing could have prepared me for all of this- the vampires I mean. You're not taught in school how to defend yourself against an attack. Neither do your parents show you. That's mostly because no one believes in them anyway. So I was left a hopeless, useless human who had to rely on others to keep me out of harm's way, and that made me feel like such a burden not just to Pete but to Andy and Joe now too.

Who knew if they escaped in one piece? The fact that they weren't answering my calls and texts was killing me.
"They're fine. Don't worry about it," Pete reassured me, when he noticed me hang up my phone for the twenty-seventh time.

"How can you be so sure?"

"They're hunters. Hunters know how to handle themselves."
Right. Hunters. This whole time when I thought they were killing bugs and rats they were actually murdering vampires behind my back, vampires I didn't even know existed until very recently. Pete finally unlocked his door, revealing that it was completely pitch-black inside, and motioned for me to enter. One would think going into someone's home would be dangerous especially if it was someone you barely knew.

Yet, Pete wasn't a complete stranger. I knew his biggest secret. That had to count for something. His lights switched on, and I observed the space around me. It was a simple house.

From what I had seen outside two minutes ago, it was only one story with an attic but nice nonetheless. Nothing too extravagant and nothing too plain. Comfortable enough for an eternal being to live alone. I glanced at Pete, and a warm smile spread across his face. It was hard to picture him, a fearsome, intimidating vampire, being lonely but I guess the feeling came along with the gig.

I sat on his leather love-seat facing a small, flat screen while he awkwardly stood by the door.
"What do you do when you're home?" I asked.

Pete's posture loosened once I had spoken, and he ambled into the kitchen, returning a moment later holding a glass of water.

"I do what any other person who lives by themself does. I entertain myself the best I can." he handed me the glass and I mumbled a 'thank you'.

"I read, go on the Internet, watch random t.v. shows, take up hobbies. Just stuff that will keep from going insane."
"Oh." And right then that seemed like the only appropriate response.
Having an extended life probably wasn't all that it was cracked up to be, I imagined.
"I don't have any like actual food here. Are you hungry, Patrick?"

"No. I had dinner with Joe and Andy. I'm just tired right now."
"Alright, you can take my bed."

"W-where will you sleep? Wait. Do vampires sleep? Of course they do, right?"
He only shrugged and walked off down the hallway, expecting me to follow in which I did. We turned a corner into a large bedroom.

Dark, silky curtains draped the windows, complimenting the deep wine-colored walls. A king-sized bed lay centered on a completely flawless wood floor. There was a dresser in the corner near a closet which doors had clearly been painted black.
"Make yourself at home. The windows are blacked out all through the house so I apologize if you want sunlight in the morning," he folded his hands behind his back, "Also, if you want to change into something more comfortable feel free to try my wardrobe."

"Thank you. Goodnight, Pete."
The vampire man nodded and closed the door behind him. I went over to his dresser, brushing my fingers along the clean material. He really had a lot of time on his hands. Well, so did I, but I rarely ever put any effort into keeping my living quarters even slightly neat.

I snatched a plain black t-shirt and loose fitting pajama pants that had been folded rather nicely. There wasn't a single crease on it. Once I had changed I put my used clothes aside and slid underneath the sheets. Yet as I lay there my eyes were focused on the closet across the room. Snooping around in someone else's home was rude especially since Pete was kind enough to let me stay, but curiosity had always been a personality trait of mine that was extremely hard to control.

My hands touched the knobs, hesitating for a slight moment. There was something in there that was just urging for me to look at.
"Nothing of interest in my closet, y'know. A few dusty books maybe but mostly junk."
I gasped, taken aback by the sudden voice. Pete had his head sticking between through the bedroom door, a large and smug smile played on his lips.

"I-I wasn't...I was just about to-"
"It's fine. Do you need me to bring you something to help you sleep?"
I shook my head, and the door closed once again. A vibration from my phone on the night stand startled me even more, and I sighed. My nerves had been on edge lately. It was a text from Joe.

J: Where did you go off to?

I began typing away until I remembered that Andy and him had been keeping a giant lie from me. The best way to hint that I was pissed was to give short answers.

Me: I'm crashing at a friend's.

J: Are you at Elisa's?

Me: No, I'm with someone else. Listen I've gotta get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning.

J: You don't even wanna tell me who?

Me: I said see you in the morning.

They were my best friends and being deceived wasn't the best feeling at the moment. I was glad they had made it out alive at least. I needed an explanation, and surely tomorrow I would get one. My questions for them were just piling right up after this incident. My phone beeped, signaling my low battery, and so I tossed the thing onto the nightstand.

Sure, I had wished for something extraordinary to happen around here, something to entertain me until I was able to leave. Vampires wasn't what I had in mind, though. I closed my eyes in an attempt to sleep, but the events over the course of these days burrowed into the deepest pits of my brain. The tiniest sound sent my anxiety sky rocketing. I curled into the fetal position, gripping firmly onto my legs, and hummed to myself.

When I was a young boy my father used to hum to me when I had nightmares and such. If that didn't work and I still had too much bothering me my mom would sit with us too. She would go on about her day at the hospital. Her humorous patient stories usually brought me a peaceful rest. Yet, right now I only had myself. I would be the only constant person in my life once I moved out, and I knew getting used to it now would make a huge difference in the long run.