I nod. “Okay. That’s good.”
Taking my hand in his, he holds it tight and vows, “I will never hurt you. Never. I’m still the same guy.”
The same guy. Just now he drinks blood.
The second question comes easier. “So you drink blood?”
He seems relieved by this question and answers immediately, “Yes. I don’t need it often but I still need it at least once a month to replace my lack of red blood cells.”
“Did that man know what you were doing to him?”
He shakes his head. “No. Vampires can hypnotize a person before feeding. It’s easier this way. It’s cleaner and faster.”
Okay. “Did you hurt him?”
His eyes soften, as does his tone. “No, baby. I release venom into the bloodstream that acts as an anesthetic. He didn’t feel a thing, and I never take too much.”
I’m not sure I want to ask, but curiosity gets the better of me. “Have you ever fed from me?”
His hand squeezes mine. “Never. I would never do that to you. Never without permission.”
I think about all the vampire lore I’ve read about. “Are you going to live forever?”
He sniffs a laugh. “No, baby. Immortality is a choice. When I met you, I gave it up.”
Confused much? “How?”
He explains in perfect calm, “I can slow down the aging process by feeding every day. And I did feed every day for a while but when I met you, I made the decision to stop feeding and start aging again.” He smiles down at me lovingly, “Why would I want to live without you?”
My heart warms as I get a glimpse of my Bastien. Pre-vampire Bastien, that is.
I blurt out, “That’s so sweet. I think. In a creepy I don’t know what’s going on way, I guess.” I stand and begin to pace. “But you eat food. We eat together all the time.”
He nods. “I do eat food but my venom dissolves it into nothing.” He looks me in the eye. “If you’ll give me a minute, I’ll explain all the things I think you’ll want to ask.”
Pausing mid-step, I look my husband in the eye and whisper, “You’re not joking, are you?”
He softly shakes his head. It’s then that I realize my life has suddenly changed in a big way.
Bastien Lee — my husband, my lover, and my best friend — is a vampire.
More of the Story
And the world still turns
He watches me closely then asks carefully, “Are you going to freak out?”
I lift my head in thought. I think hard about this.
Has Bastien given me a real reason to freak out?
No. He hasn’t.
He’s been patient and calm regardless of my treating him like a leper slash nutcase.
Body slumping, I slowly walk over to him till we’re almost toe-to-toe. I look up into his bright green eyes and reach up to cup his cheek. “No. I don’t think so. But you’re going to tell me why I shouldn’t have to, right?”
His eyes close, he lifts his hand to hold mine in place on his cheek and responds roughly, “Whatever you want, baby.”
Taking his hand in mine, I lead us over to the sofa. He sits and pulls me down with him. Sprawled over his lap, I turn to the side so I can look at his face while he speaks. “I never planned on meeting a girl. It was too hard what with my… condition. I didn’t count on meeting you.” He kisses my knuckles. “I don’t know any other woman who would be completely fine with not being able to see her boyfriend during the day. I’ve dated before. They all thought I was cheating on them. I couldn’t tell them I had to sleep. As in, had to. They’d think I was a freak. But you just accepted it, like it was nothing.”
I’m confused. “Does your family know?”
He smiles. “Yeah, Em. They’re like me too.” His smile turns to a grin. “We all got turned on the same night.”
My mouth gapes. “No way. They all look so nor-” I spot the ginormous grin on his face and fade out. “What I mean to say is that I never would’ve been able to te-”
His rough chuckle slides over me. “Go on, you can say it. We all look so normal.” He nods, “We know. That’s kind of the point.”
Holy shit.
Holy shit!
This is real. I have a real live vampire in my house.
Oh my God. I’ve been having sex with a vampire!
Is that why it’s been so good?
I have to dig further. “Whoa, wait! Do you have some sexual voodoo going on? Is that why the sex is so good? Because, if so, I’m not complaining.”
He tips his head back and laughs. “No, Em. That’s just you and me. Believe me, I wish I could take credit. It’s just what you do to me.”
A smile plays at my lips. “So what of the stories? Are they fact or myth? Super speed is obviously a tick but what about the other stuff. I didn’t know you could do the Spider-Man thing.”
He sighs softly. “A lot of the stories aren’t true. In fact, it’s been rumoured that vampires started the stories to throw people off. As you know, I have a reflection. Holy water is just water to me. Hell, I’m catholic. I’m not evil. I eat and drink but don’t actually go to the toilet. I-”
I cut him off in protest, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait a minute! What the heck do you do in the bathroom when you go in there? Sometimes you take forever!”
He grins sheepishly. “Um. Candy Crush.”
A surprised laugh bursts out of me. “Oh my God, that is funny!” I chuckle to myself and prompt him. “Okay, sorry. Tell me more.”
“Yes, we have super speed. I can walk up walls but that is a trait only I have. Mom can move things with her mind. Dad can fly.” Holy cow! “We have extremely sensitive hearing and-”
My stomach coils as my eyes almost pop out of my head. I jump up off the sofa and cover my mouth with my hand. “Oh no.”
A look of alarm crosses Bastien’s face. “What is it, Em?”
“Have you-” Oh God, I don’t want to ask but I have to know. I just have to! I whisper in horror, “Have you ever heard me fart?”
He winces.
I gasp as my face heats. “Oh my God, you have. This isn’t happening!”
Bastien has the gall the smile. “Honey, you just found out I’m a vampire. And this is your main concern?”
I sit on the edge of the sofa, face drawn. I talk to myself. “I’m no longer the perfect wife. Perfect wives don’t fart.”
He takes my hand in his. “You are, Em. You are perfect to me.”
I am so sad right now.
This is my life, people.
Bastien suddenly stands. “You want me to fart? ‘Cause I’ll do it. Right here, right now. I’ll tear a goddamn hole in my slacks if you want me to, princess!”
I mumble a flat, “I’ve never heard you fart.” A thoughtful look crosses my face. “Can you fart?”
He tilts his head in thought. “I don’t even know. I think dust might come out of me.”
Damn him. Damn him to heck for his funniness.
I try to hide my smile but fail miserably. “You’re a dork.”
I don’t even see him move but I’m suddenly lifted high in the air. Geez, he’s strong. He smiles up at me. “So, we’re okay?”
My smile is soft and loving. “I love you, Bastien. It’ll take a little more than you being a vampire to change that.”
He lowers me back to my feet. His lips come down on mine, feather soft. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’m going to love you till forever.”