Blood on Fire

Chapter6

I woke up to a loud noise.

Groaning, I held my head, feeling a sharp pain throb across my temples. "Damn... my head," I muttered. My mouth was dry, and my thoughts were foggy.

Then I froze.

Wait... how did I get home last night?

Images came back in pieces. The bar. The dancing. The old couple. The kiss....someone had kissed me. A stranger with a rose-scented perfume whispered, "Sorry... it's just a dare," and then... nothing. Darkness. What the f--? I sat up quickly, regretting it immediately as the room spun. I squinted against the morning light filtering through my curtains and listened.

Another sound. Something was clattering from the kitchen.

My instincts kicked in.

Automatically, my hand slipped under my bed, grabbing the wooden stake-knife hidden in its usual place. I moved slowly, quietly, my bare feet padding over the cold floor as I crept toward the kitchen. My heart pounded in my chest. Someone was there. I could see his back, tall and broad, moving like he owned the place. No hesitation, no fear.

I raised the stake, ready to strike. But just as I moved forward, the man turned around.

I froze.

"What the heck... Selene?!" he said, startled.

"Stephen?" I gasped, eyes wide. I quickly lowered the stake and hid it behind me.

It was Stephen, my best friend since high school. But something was different.

He had cut his hair short. He wasn’t wearing his usual glasses. Without them, his features stood out more. A sharp jawline, clean-cut look, and to be honest... he looked annoyingly handsome.

"You cut your hair?" I asked, still in disbelief. "Where’s my best friend?"

He rolled his eyes. "He got a glow-up. Deal with it."

This was the first time Stephen had ever been inside my apartment since high school.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, still trying to calm my racing heart.

Stephen crossed his arms. "What were you doing at that bar last night? "Is that the 'important thing' you said you had to do instead of going to Christine's birthday party? His voice had a sarcastic edge, but there was concern under it.

I blinked. "Wait—how did you know I was there?"

He leaned against the kitchen counter, looking annoyed and worried at the same time. "I called you to check if you changed your mind about the party. A bartender picked up and said you passed out after too many drinks. So I left the party and went straight to the bar. You were barely standing. I took you home. You're welcome."

I stared at him, shocked. "You took me home?"

"Yeah. You kept mumbling about pineapples and vampires. I didn’t ask questions. I figured you'd explain today."

He raised an eyebrow. "So? Talk."

I laughed nervously, scratching the back of my neck. "I was... I went to the cemetery. To visit my parents. After that, I guess I just stopped by the bar. Needed to clear my head. That’s all."

I hated lying to him. But there was no way I could tell him the truth. I killed a vampire in a hospital last night. I woke up in a bar after being kissed by a stranger and blacked out. That I had almost stabbed my best friend, thinking he was a threat.

Stephen narrowed his eyes. “You? Drinking whiskey? Dancing with strangers? That doesn’t sound like you.”

I tried to laugh it off, waving a hand. “It was just one of those nights.”

He raised a brow. “You’re starting to sound like a party girl.”

I chuckled. “And you sound kinda gay,” I teased, nudging his arm.

He smirked, but instead of firing back with a joke, he stepped closer, too close. I felt the space shrink between us, and suddenly, the air felt heavier. His breath smelled like mint, and his eyes studied mine, like he was searching for something.

Then, in a voice just above a whisper, he said, “Who said I’m gay, Selene?”

I swallowed. Hard.

He leaned in just enough to make my heart skip.

I looked up at him. His eyes were a warm brown, curious but intense. His nose was perfectly shaped, and his lips...

I blinked rapidly and stepped back.

He chuckled. "Relax, I'm not going to kiss you. I just wanted to see if you were still alive under that mysterious vibe of yours."

I pushed his shoulder, and he laughed louder.

"Seriously, though," he said, calming down, "what happened last night? You didn’t look okay. "I know you. "That wasn’t a ‘just having fun’ kind of night.

I sighed, moving past him to grab a glass of water. "It was nothing. Just a weird night. You don’t have to worry so much."

Stephen watched me carefully. I took a deep breath. "Thanks for getting me home. Really. I owe you."

"You owe me more than that. You nearly stabbed me with a damn kitchen knife or something."

"Wooden stake," I muttered under my breath.

He looked confused. "What?"

“Nothing,” I said quickly, trying to act normal. “What are you even doing here?” I looked over and noticed the food on the table.

“Oh, come here,” Stephen said, walking toward the table. "I ordered something. It’s good for hangovers.”

I followed him and sat down, and the smell of warm food made my stomach growl. Eggs, garlic rice, some fried fish, and a bowl of soup. Simple, but perfect. We both laughed as I reached for a spoon.

For a second, I remembered something strange, something from years ago. Back in high school, I suspected Stephen of being a vampire. It sounds silly now, but at the time, it made sense. He hated being touched. He always pulled away whenever someone tried to hold his hand or pat his shoulder. He said he got cold easily, and he was always bundled up, even when it wasn’t that cold.

And then there was the camera thing.

He absolutely hated getting his photo taken. One time, our class had to submit ID pictures, and he had a panic attack in front of everyone. He said he’d had an accident when he was younger and showed some evidence from the hospital. Ever since, cameras have caused him anxiety. He looked like he couldn’t breathe. It was intense, and back then, my mind was full of vampire theories. I thought maybe he was hiding something. But then I saw him eat. A lot. He loved food. Especially fried chicken. No vampire would love to eat human food. So yeah, eventually I dropped the theory. Stephen was just… Stephen. A little weird, a little dramatic, but totally human. I was pulled back to the present when Stephen stood up from the table, holding his stomach.