Coming of Age

Chapter 7

“Phil?”

“Yes, my love?”

“I—um, remember when I asked if you were going to drink my blood and you said not yet?”

“I do remember that,” Phil nodded smiling softly.

“Well, um, not that I’m ungrateful for that or anything, but when will you? And why? I thought you loved me.”

Phil looked at me, his eyebrows drawing towards each other as if Dan just insulted him.

“I do Daniel. Don’t think for a minute I will ever not love you. You are my sun and moon and I’m never going to stop loving you—even if you do not love me,” Phil replied sternly making sure Dan understood before he continued. “And I’m not going to drink from you until you’re completely certain you want me to. When I do, I’m not going to drain you like vampires usually do when they feed. I won’t be feeding on you.”

“Then what are you going to do?”

“Are you sure you want to hear about this now? I do not wish to scare you anymore than you already are.”

“If you don’t tell me, I’m only going to scare myself by imagining what you’re going to do,” Dan replied honestly.

“Do you mind if I hold you when I tell you then?” Phil asked, tilting his head slightly to the right.

“Um, I guess. Sure.”

“It might help comfort you,” Phil explained even though he received permission. “I know humans need comfort like that and touch is the best way.”

He bent down and scooped up Dan easily in his arms, pacing about the room slowly like a mother would to calm a crying infant. Dan couldn’t help but feel so weak and childlike, but he did feel better being in Phil’s arms. He cuddled into Phil a bit searching for warmth making Phil smile.

“Lilith was right, you are a cuddly teddy bear,” Phil cooed hugging Dan to him.

Dan blushed, hiding his face into Phil’s shirt so he wouldn’t see. Phil hummed to himself for a bit, just enjoying the comfort Dan provided him.

“What’s going to happen—only when you’re ready—is that I’m going to bite you. I will of course at the very least relax you, or if you would like me to, I can put you to sleep. It’s all about you and your comfort,” Phil said lightly rocking Dan. “Then I’m going to drink just a little bit of blood from you. That will bind me to you.”

“Do I have to drink your blood then?” Dan asked pulling a face of disgust.

“Not a lot. Not as much as you think,” Phil assured hugging Dan tightly. “Vampire blood is thin and tastes sweet, much like wine. And like I said, you’ll be drowsy from me relaxing you or passed out completely and with me drinking some of your blood, you’ll be even more out of it. I’m going to cut my wrist and allow you to drink that way. Then we will be bound and you’ll start your change.”

“My change?” Dan asked, beginning to shake again. “What change?”

He turned his face into Phil’s shirt holding onto it in one hand. It was a lot of information to take in and he felt his body was reaching its limit. Part of him was worried he’d go into shock, but the other part needed to know everything so he wouldn’t have to worry.

“Oh Dan, am I doing this wrong? Should I be bouncing you? Or cradle you in bed? Maybe I should get you a cup of tea,” Phil decided placing Dan down on the bed and disappearing out of the door before Dan could blink.

Now that he was alone, he felt more scared than before. In the car, Julian asked to have a taste of Dan and he had his own mate. Would other vampires try to bite Dan, or now that he was claimed, would he be safe? He didn’t have much time to think before Phil returned with tea and biscuits, quickly setting them down and disappearing again for merely seconds before returning with cream and sugar.

“I would have prepared it myself, but I do not know how you take your tea,” Phil explained setting everything down on the bedside table next to Dan then appeared on his other side. “Sorry I was gone so long.”

Dan nodded placing two sugar cubes into his tea and a drop of cream. He stirred with the spoon slowly trying to swallow the lump in his throat, while he felt Phil’s eyes on him silently begging him to take a drink. He brought the cup to his lips and sipped slowly as the warm liquid and Phil’s arm around him calmed him slightly.

“I’m proud of you. It’s a lot to take in all at one time but you’re doing so well. Much better than I predicted,” Phil encouraged, resting his freezing hand on Dan’s warm chest to feel his heartbeat. “Am I making you more scared cuddling you like this?”

“No, not really,” Dan replied before realizing how wrong it was that he accepted Phil’s touch. “I mean, I don’t think I could be more frightened than I am now. Why?”

“Your heart is beating much faster. Are you nervous?”

“A little bit,” Dan admitted. “Everything is so new and I’m glad my parents are okay and I’m safe and everything, but it’s a whole new life. I thought I was going to go off to university and get a job and be married, but I’m—here.”

“You can still go to university! Don’t think for one second we’re going to limit you. We’ll have to put make up on you and make sure you’re well fed so you won’t be tempted to hurt anyone after you change—”

“Wait. That’s what the change is? I’m going to be a vampire too?”

“Well, yes. What did you think the change was?”

“I—I don’t know! I don’t want to be a monster!” Dan screamed putting his tea cup down and pulling away from Phil to back up against the wall. “Don’t touch me! Don’t even come near me! I never want to be changed!”

“Dan, please. I know you think so now, but we aren’t monsters. We haven’t killed anyone. Well, anyone that wouldn’t die—”

“You’ve killed people?! You told me you didn’t!” Dan screamed tears freely flowing from his eyes and holding out his hand as Phil walked closer, beginning to fear for his life. “Stay the hell away from me.”

“Please, calm down. Take deep breaths. You’re going to go into shock or have a heart attack. I never killed anyone, Dan,” Phil nearly whispered raising his hands so Dan could see he won’t try anything. “And the only people our clan has ever killed were prisoners on Death Row and that was only two or three times in the past when we couldn’t get blood bags. We don’t kill people, Dan. People kill people. We aren’t monsters.”

“You are! You’re going to change me into one of you! And Julian said he wanted to bite me in the car—”

“He wouldn’t. I know for sure he wouldn’t, he was probably just trying to scare you to make his job easier. And I’m not going to change you; not until you’re ready. If it takes years, fine. Decades, okay. It may take an entire lifetime but that’s up to you. I’m never going to do something you don’t want me to.”

“You keep fucking saying that! Stop it! Just stop!” Dan cried, slamming his back against the wall sinking down to the floor. “I don’t want to be here and you’re forcing me to stay because now it’s unsafe for me to leave! You ruined my life! I hate you!”

“Oh—oh no, please don’t say you hate me. Even if you do, just, just don’t say it,” Phil begged looking as if he were about to cry.

“I do though! I hate your clan of vampires. I hate everything about this place and I hate being a Chosen One! But most of all, Phil, I hate you!”

“I’m so sorry, Dan. I really am,” Phil replied pressing his fingers to his forehead making him black out before he could protest it.