Chasing Sunrise

Seven

Corban ran his fingers through his hair, rumpling it still more so that he looked like a mad scientist. An oddly young and hot mad scientist.

I took another sip of latte to break that train of thought.

"First off, don't stay out past sundown," he said.

"Would a UV lamp keep the vampirism out of my system?"

He shook his head.

"A full spectrum—"

"It has to be sunlight," he said. "Trust me, every other possible option has been tried. Vamps can handle UV lamps, full spectrum lamps, every approximation for sunlight that is technologically possible. Only the real deal affects them."

I bit my lip and considered that. "So if I moved really far south—"

"Stay in Taos for now."

"But I could get more hours of sunlight if I went south."

He nodded. "True, and that's a fair point. Let me see if I can make moving safe for you, but right now, you really need to stay in Taos."

"Why?"

"Because this is my area and I can make sure no one hurts you while you're here."

"Your area?"

"Yeah." He shrugged as if this was no big deal.

"There aren't any adults overseeing this area? Just you?"

He pursed his lips, mulling over his answer, I could tell. Finally he said, "Yeah, it's just me. The order has people of all ages and we all have responsibilities. That's how it works."

"Okay, so if I set one foot outside Taos city, I'm dead? Or does this cover the county?"

"Just stick around the city, okay?"

"Can I go visit the pueblo? Are shopping trips to Santa Fe out of the question? What about Taos Ski Valley?"

He put his hands over his face, which I suspected was to cover him rolling his eyes.

Which he had no business doing. My questions were valid.

"Um..." he said, "the ski valley is fine, the pueblo is fine. I'll give you my cell phone number and you text me if you're going anywhere else, all right?"

"No," I said. "Not all right. I barely know you and for all I know you're just a nutcase living some delusion that you're a vampire hunter."

"Okay, fine. How about this? I will give you my phone number and ask that you please text me. You're right that I don't control you. It's up to you whether or not you trust me."

He wasn't doing anything to double down or make demands, which made me think that this really wasn't about control for him. That didn't sway me completely, but it was enough for me to nod so we could move on to the next topic.

"So, my number," he said. "If you look through the sent texts on your phone, you'll see one I sent to myself, so that I'd have your number."

"Oh."

"If you want to move somewhere with longer days, let me know."

"I want to move somewhere with longer days," I said.

This time he didn't hide his eye roll, but it wasn't one of disgust. He was scrambling, trying to stay on top of a situation that was too big for him. "If you leave the state, I need to talk to a higher-up who I have... issues with. If you leave the country, I have to deal with an even higher higher-up who hates everything vampire with a passion. He will kill you. Or he'll try. If you want to fight him, I can't help you, okay? Even if I sympathize with you, the hierarchy is everything in my order. I have to stand aside."