Suburban Vampire Ragnarok

Chapter 50

The sun had broken over Portland well before Dawn and Scott arrived back at St. Michael's, where Dawn had parked her car and met Jeremiah for the trip down to Hibbert's Corner. The faded old Civic was still there, much to Scott's contentment.

"Yeah," Dawn said, "I was really worried that someone would steal my crappy car."

"If they did," Scott told her, "I could hunt them down for you."

"And kill them?"

Scott had been joking, but Dawn's query was serious. "Dawn, look. I made a mistake. I regret it, deeply, and I'll have to live with it the rest of my life, which, since I'm a vampire, may be a very long time. But the plain fact of the matter is that this is what I am. I warned you about that."

"And I think you're making more excuses. You're not a killer, Scott, not really. You're a kind, decent person, who wants to do the right thing."

"Yeah. And fails miserably."

"Don't we all?"

"Yeah, but most of us don't kill people in the process. And most of us aren't vampires."

"True enough. But, Scott?"

"Yeah?"

"Remember how I told you that I didn't think I could believe in you anymore? That I couldn't trust you?"

Scott remembered. Dawn's admonition had only happened a few hours earlier, and it still stung. "Of course, I do."

"I was wrong, Scott. I do trust you. And I do believe in you."

"Even if I killed someone?"

"You said he was bad. Was he?"

"Well, if you consider serial killers bad, then, yeah, he was bad. In fact, I may have saved innocent lives by taking that guy out. Not meaning to make any more excuses, mind you, I'm just saying."

"Then, maybe you're not all that far gone. And you killed him to stop him?"

"Absolutely. Yes, I did."

"And not to just drink his blood?"

"No! But it was very tasty."

"You had to say that."

"Just being honest! That's what you wanted, well, there you go."

Dawn smiled at the statement. "I asked for that. Maybe I need to be careful about what I wish for."

"Yep! But I can be honest about other things, too."

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that you were right, and I was wrong. Wrong to try and protect you from me. Wrong to try and hide all this from you. Wrong to try and shut you out. The fact is, you did good out there. Real good. I dare say we even make a pretty decent team!"

Dawn giggled. "You think so?"

"Oh, yeah! Without you, I could very well be inside the intestines of a werewolf god right about now."

"Ewww! That's an image I won't be able to wash out of my brain ever!"

Dawn and Scott shared a laugh. It was a real, genuine laugh, the kind two friends share together. "So, are we good?" he asked.