MY ROOMMATE IS VAMPIRE

THE MARK

The black van was still there.

I stood by the window, curtain half-closed. My hands were shaking.

"They're watching us," I whispered.

"I know," Adrian said behind me. He wasn't even pretending to sleep anymore.

It had been 3 hours since the "security" left. 3 hours of silence.

3 hours of me trying to decide if I wanted to be vampire food.

"Why me?" I asked finally. "You could have anyone. Why me?"

Adrian came to stand beside me. He didn't touch me. But I could feel his cold.

"Because you weren't scared," he said. "When I told you the rules. You laughed. You said 'are you a vampire or something'. No one does that."

I huffed. "That was nervous laughter."

"Still," he said. His voice was softer now. "And you smell like home."

I turned to face him. "That's not creepy at all."

He almost smiled. "I'm trying here."

The van's door opened. One of the hunters got out. He was looking straight at our window.

"We don't have much time," Adrian said. "If I don't mark you, they will take you for questioning. And they won't believe you're innocent."

"Mark me how?"

He lifted his hand. Two sharp fangs peeked out. "With this. On your neck. It won't hurt. Much."

I should've said no. I should've screamed.

But the van was there. And Adrian was the only thing between me and them.

"Fine," I said. "But just a little."

"Just a little," he promised.

He guided me to the couch. Sat me down. Then he knelt in front of me.

"Look at me," he said.

I did. His eyes were black again. But not scary. Sad.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

And then he bit me.

It didn't hurt. It was cold. And pressure. And then... warmth. Spreading through me like fire.

I gasped. My fingers dug into his shoulders.

It lasted 5 seconds. Maybe 10.

When he pulled back, there were two small dots on my neck. Barely visible.

Adrian licked his lips. His eyes were half-lidded. "You taste like summer," he breathed. "And trust. Stupid, stupid girl."

Suddenly my head felt light. Strong. Like I just drank 3 coffees.

"What did you do to me?"

"I gave you part of me," he said. "Now the hunters can't sense you. Now you heal faster. Now..." He paused. "Now we're connected."

As if on cue, my phone buzzed. Unknown number.

Message: `We know what you did. Come to the Council. Alone. 12 AM. Or we take the girl.`

Adrian read it over my shoulder. His face went completely blank.

"They want me," he said. "Not you."

"Then let them have you," I said, surprising myself. "No."

He looked at me. Really looked.

"You just got marked, Mia. You can't go back to normal now."

"Then I won't," I said. "If you're going, I'm going."

For the first time since I met him, Adrian Vance looked proud.

"Okay," he said. "Then we go together. At 12 AM. And we break every rule they have."

Outside, the van started its engine.

Midnight was in 17 hours.

[TO BE CONTINUED...]