Truce and Lies

Chapter 3: cuties

I was sore when I shifted back as the moon set. I showered first, though yawning mightily as I did so. I would eat and then go to bed, I decided.

There were more vampires down on the first floor than usual. I could never tell if it was a party or business, but slipped around the affair to get to the kitchen. Bacon would be too loud, so I peered through the fridge, hoping I hadn't eaten all the leftovers. I had. I bit into an apple on the counter, wondering if I would make too much noise if I tried to cook something else.

"I thought they were for show," said someone behind me.

I turned suddenly, mid bite. A dark skinned woman was watching me eat. Her hair was short and white; it reminded me of Katie back home.

"The apples?" I questioned.

"No, you cutie," said the vampire.

I frowned at this woman. Stefa had told everyone I was off limits. No one really talked to me without her in the room. It was a little odd, but I knew that Stefa was looking out for me.

"I'm Conor. Do you cook?" I inquired.

"Um, no," she scoffed. "And I'm Amber. You know, a vampire?"

"Just asking," I shrugged and hopped off the counter to open the fridge once more. There was some cheese and I found some ham. We never remembered to buy bread but I found the celery to cut up instead. Amber watched me with amusement.

"You a part of the clan?" I inquired as I crunched into my celery.

"No, my girlfriend is," she replied. "We're hear to talk about it with Stefa, actually."

"Ah."

I wasn't sure what to do, so I got a glass of water, filling the cup with ice from the freezer before adding water. I was confident that Amber would have the sense not to bite me, but I didn't want her to get into trouble over a misunderstanding.

"So do you just...live here?" she inquired. "Sleeping upstairs, eating weird things out of the fridge? Whose pet are you?"

I bristled. "I'm no one's pet. I'm Stefa's boyfriend."

Amber laughed and then stopped abruptly when she realized I wasn't joking. Somehow, this was the first thing this woman had done that had insulted me. I ate another celery stick as she stepped closer.

"You smell odd," she noted.

"You don't smell," I retorted.

"I thought I heard you in here."

I looked up to see Stefa glide into the room. She smiled at me and then raised an eyebrow at Amber. I waved a dismissive hand and finished the last of the cheese. Amber had taken several steps back when Stefa walked into the room and was now demurely looking to the ground.

"What are you eating?" Stefa wrinkled her nose at me.

"I didn't want to burn something while you had company," I remarked. "I thought you didn't have meetings at the house?"

Stefa rolled her eyes and opened the fridge, pulling out another steak for me. She put it in a skillet and I hopped back on the counter. Amber seemed a bit bug-eyed, but managed to contain it when Stefa glanced her way.

"I usually don't," she admitted. "But it was simpler. Some of the little ones are going on a hunting trip and we were drawing straws. Well, I wasn't. Amber, you should close your mouth, you might let flies in."

"Sorry, so sorry, ma'am," she bobbed her head.

I smirked and Stefa shook her spatula at me.

"Don't undermine me, people think I'm scary," she informed me.