Close Your Eyes, Remember Me (TBF Book 1)

Lucia

There was a question brewing behind Sariyah's eyes, Lucia could tell. Every now and again she would not-so-subtly glance up at her from her book, pause for a moment as though considering her timing and then return to the words held in front of her face. Lucia didn't know how much longer she could wait before she cracked and asked what the older woman wanted, this game of glances was incredibly distracting. They were chilling in Elijah's room as usual but he had been asked by his father to help him work on something for the family business, apparently he was going to take over eventually.

Finally, Sariyah was the one to break, sliding her book to her lap and asking very non-casually, "How are things with Elijah?" when Lucia hesitated to answer, the question startling her for a moment, she added, "I heard you've been spotted gliding around the ballroom like a swan!"

Lucia closed her own book and chewed on her bottom lip nervously before answering, "It's been lovely," she sighed dreamily, in front of anyone else she would be embarrassed to behave so lovestruck but Sariyah wouldn't judge her, she saw the older woman as a sister, mother and personal cheerleader rolled into one amazing tiny person. "and not just the dancing, he's finally talking about himself! Whenever I asked him something about himself or his life he would always twist the conversation back to me and my fall and how I'm feeling, now we talk so much and I'm learning everything about him all over again!"

Sariyah grinned as though enjoying a private joke, "I'm so happy for you! I told you he was sweet on the inside, he's just shy and also a massive dork."

Lucia laughed, "Well, I like him. The last couple of nights we've been up until the early hours just discussing books, it's been so wonderful! That reminds me... I meant to start a book he recommended to me last night - 'Under The Skin'!" she began to dig through the towers of books she had built through her many library trips with Elijah over the days since their first dance. "Although, he said it might give me trouble sleeping, apparently it's quite creepy!" She paused, a question she had been holding onto for some time bubbling on her lips. "Speaking of sleep... Elijah doesn't seem to get very much of it."

"Oh, yeah," Sariyah laughed awkwardly, "he's a bit of a night owl."

"He doesn't sleep during the day either."

"Right-"

"And I've been occupying his bed for weeks, where does he sleep?"

"Well, these chairs are awfully comfy, you know-"

"Sariyah, I've never seen him eat, sleep or leave to use the bathroom."

A pause hung between the pair of them for a few seconds as Lucia gave her best puppy-dog eyes and pouty bottom lip and Sariyah did her best to look away at anything else in the room besides Lucia's face.

"Lucia," She sighed, "I feel like this is a conversation that Elijah should have with you."

"Sariyah, you're my closest friend here."

Lucia knew she had her by the emotional balls the moment the words left her mouth, she watched Sariyah physically cave under the pressure as her kind expression crumpled.

"Fine, you probably won't believe me anyway." She ran her hands lightly over her tight braids, perfectly shaping her small head. "We, the Bonnet family and their clan that live on the grounds, we're all vampires."

Lucia found all of her muscles frozen, she couldn't move them no matter how much she wished to, all she could do was blink dazedly.

"We don't drink blood from living creatures, we have blood bags brought in that have either been donated by humans willingly and who get paid for it or ones from butchers that have animal blood in. Just like the kind used for black pudding. We have enhanced abilities but we've all been doing our best not to use them in front of you so as not to frighten you."