Turned

Chapter Eighty

I didn't head home, I didn't want to, I headed to Nick's, hoping he was home. I knocked on the door but waited outside, sighing as I hoped he'd be home soon. He didn't mind me waiting for him, he knew what I was like, I liked to see him, just I didn't want to break his door in, or worse, make him absolutely petrified, thinking he'd been burgled or that his boyfriend had become his stalker. Either way, that thought terrified me to the point of wanting to scream, I didn't know what it would do to him, if I gave it the chance to become reality.

An hour sat, wishing, waiting... wondering. Finally, he arrived, greeting me with a long, beautiful kiss that made my world light up in flames, a circle of flames with us in the centre, sharing a long, passionate kiss that I never wanted to end.

"Someone's missed me" he commented playfully as he touched my cheek.

"Definitely" I replied. 

He stepped inside and chuckled as he hung in the doorway. "Do I have to invite you in every time?"

"Maybe" I teased as I walked up to him, stopped by an impenetrable barrier between us.

He stepped back, cruelly chuckling to himself. He rolled his eyes and gestured for me to come in. "I don't like leaving you out there, all on your own" he whispered as I ran towards him. Romantically, he kissed me gently, his hands on my waist. 

"I hate it when you do that" I commented with a playful smile.

"Oh, but I love it" he joked as he kissed me again, softly.

I rolled my eyes and smiled at him, holding his hands as he sat down on the sofa. He didn't say a word as he pulled me down and hugged me as he switched on the TV, just watching it. I didn't say anything about it, I just liked spending time with Nick.

"How was work?" I asked.

"Boring, only good for the money, yours?"

"Same really, I find it boring, but I need to do something to pay rent"

Nick nodded. He understood, I guessed as much anyway. He was an artist, very artistic and beautiful. He liked to paint wolves, something I admit, I didn't quite understand, until I found out what he was, a werewolf, a beautiful werewolf under the light of the full moon. I didn't mind it, didn't bother me too much, just like me being a vampire didn't seem to bother him.

"What is it?" Nick asked as a smell caught my nose.

I hadn't realised why I was thinking about painting, until I smelt the fresh paint. I smiled brightly as I walked up the stairs. Nick chased after me but where he was possibly stronger, I was faster. I got upstairs and stopped dead at the selection of beautiful paintings. It wasn't just the wolves, those I recognised but there were so many others I hadn't seen before, beautiful pictures of trees, large trees full of life, green leaves and a strong, large tree trunk, painted on various canvases that only seemingly made sense when put together. Separated, they were odd, suddenly becoming... confusing to the eye.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"It's nice" I commented, surprised as I didn't normally like the 'artsy' pictures.

"Good" he commented, trying to shuffle me out but I could still smell the fresh paint.

"What are you hiding?" I asked playfully as he stood between me and a large painting.

"It isn't done yet" he complained. 

"What is it for?" I asked with a cute smile.

"Christmas... I know, I know, you don't like Christmas but... Matt... kind of asked me if I wanted to spend it with you, him and Lena..."

"I could kill him, it's probably way too early to even... think of asking that... I could... shit" I stammered out of embarrassment.

"I told him I would" Nick reassured me as he held my hand.

I couldn't believe my luck, I was lucky to have someone like him, someone so sweet and loving, someone so kind and gentle. He knew my secrets, like I knew his and neither of us shied away from one another. I could tell him anything now, the worst was over, I was, in a way, free. I was no longer the trapped child in my past, it took me years to escape, I had to become a monster to truly escape but I did, I finally did it, escaped. I got to begin my long walk, I was on the path to freedom. Finally, after years, I was free, truly free from their clutches.

"You don't have to" I insisted.

"Well, it beats a meal for one, all by myself, watching Christmas films" he joked with a playful smile.

He truly was a good man, inside and out, a heart of gold, like Matt could be... loyal to a fault, only difference was, Matt could be naïve at times, making him gullible.

"What is it?" Nick asked as he picked up on the worry splashed on my face.

"I'm worried" I admitted.

"I can see that. Is this about Christmas? It's only a present and food..."

"No, no, not at all" I reassured him.

"Then, tell me"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"Your problems are my problems" he insisted.

"Leo is a vampire" I blurted out, stuttering as if I was freezing cold.

"Leo... I don't think I... is he... is he the guy Matt picked up?"

"The drunk one? Yeah, that's him... was him" I replied.

Nick shrugged as if he wasn't even bothered. "I guessed as much, I mean he did seem rather... pale"

"What?" I asked.

"I assume he's been a vampire for some time? Why, what's wrong with it?"

"Are you kidding? He's... he's recently turned?" I corrected him.

"Well, I'm a werewolf, not a vampire tracker"

"That woman... she could..."

"Faith... she has been a werewolf for much longer, she could sense you easily... I have a hard time sensing people"