in them, but as I said, to do so would only put off unavoidable. It would also cause you undue stress, and your mind, I am sure, would create theories which would probably be untrue.”
He inhaled deeply, holding his breath for a few moments before exhaling forcefully. “Sofia, as people who are interested in and study sciences, we are taught to view things with a rational eye, to seek the logical reason behind any condition presented to us. However, I think you can agree there are some things that are beyond even our comprehension, and the circumstance which surround Colton’s recovery, and indeed my own existence, is one of those.”
Simon licked his lips and released my hand, pulling away from me and leaning back in his chair. “Sofia… I am a vampire.”
I laughed long and loud, until my sides began to burn from the force of my hilarity. I laughed until tears began leaking from the corners of my eyes. And all the while, Simon sat there with his forearms resting on the chair and watched me, his expression blank, but his eyes pained.
“Oh, I’m sorry!” I choked out between guffaws. It took me a moment to recover my breath, and I wiped my eyes dry as I did so. “I’m so sorry, but that was really hilarious. Although, I would’ve expected that joke before Halloween, not after.” At his unaltered, steely expression, I sobered. “Look, I’m sorry, Simon. I wasn’t trying to be rude or mean, but… I mean, can you really blame me?” I shook my head. “I mean, really? A vampire?”
The pale, coral lips I had fantasized about for weeks parted.
Shlck.
In hindsight, I would be both appalled and ashamed at the undignified shriek that burst from my mouth when two sharp canines descended into sight, but at the present, I was too taken aback to care about what noises I made.
I sprang up, more in surprise than actual fear, and realized one second too late that I had lost my footing and was going to go crashing down onto the wooden floor. I was going to walk away—if I walked away at all—with the bare minimum of bruises to both my butt and my pride. I only hoped I didn’t crack my head wide open on the unyielding floor when it stopped my fall.
But rather than painfully hitting the ground and seeing stars swimming before my eyes from disorientation, I found his eyes staring, unblinking, into mine.
“You caught me,” I said, only distantly recognizing how utterly inane that statement sounded.
His smile was amused, but sad. “Did you believe I would allow you to injure yourself in my care?”
I laughed again, only this time, the sound was light and unexpectedly airy to my own ears, in spite of the current situation. “No. No, I suppose not.”
He did not release me as my mirth faded back into incredulity, mercifully less frantic than my previous reaction. I shook my head as if trying to clear my mind of the image it had seen. “Vampires-vampires aren’t real. They’re myths, fairytales, just like ghosts and werewolves and unicorns. Vampires—they don’t exist. They just don’t.”
“Well, I am sure you will understand if I argue that, cara.”
I felt my toes curl at his persistence in calling me beloved. “What-what are you going to do with me?” I inquired, though I instantly regretted the words and wished I could take them back. Even in the muted light, I could see the hurt that flickered over his face. “I’m sorry, Simon, I didn’t mean—”
“It is quite all right, amore mio,” he assured me, his voice as smooth as honey. “I can, in all honesty, say I do not blame you for your reaction. After all, we are said to be creatures of darkness.”
Those words brought to mind a swarm of questions, and I squirmed in his embrace, attempting to get into a vertical position instead of leaning in his arms from my almost-fall. He released me at once, his face painted with resignation, and I felt my heart ache for him. “I, um, I’m not sure what to say.”
Simon was a
Michelle Rowen
M.L. Janes
Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dianna Love
Joseph Bruchac
Koko Brown
Zen Cho
Peter Dickinson
Vicki Lewis Thompson
Roger Moorhouse
Matt Christopher