Vampire´s Secret

Q&A's

“Good… Now. Tell me what happened.”

I swallowed and a shiver shook me, he was mad, he was upset, but I knew he was not gonna go in peace until he got all the story. As I told him everything, I fought the tears that formed in my eyes, I saw his jawline tighten and his hands turn into fists. When I finished my tale, he extended his open hand over the table I took it and he put his lips in my hand, he closed his eyes, I felt his breathing in my skin and I was sure he was smelling me.

“I am so sorry” he whispered in my hand and he released me

“It was not your fault” I said, a stupid tear rolled down my face and I quickly swiped it. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything”

“How did you know?” My question included all, but I was not sure that he understood it as such.

“Can I offer you the dessert menu?” the waiter startled me, before he came and for a long minute, I felt like I was alone in the world with Will, his eyes pierced my soul as I told him all about the fear… and the cold.

He raised his eyebrows, asking me, and I shook my head, he asked for the bill and, he payed with a black bright card. We left the restaurant, and inside his car, he offered me again his jacket “It´s cold” he shrugged, and I snuggled in his scent, feeling protected. However, I always felt unease with him, like something is tense and close to breaking.

“So…” I whisper while he start the engine and the warm air flow in the car, mixing his scent with the books.

“It was the last message that startled me.” his voice, a soft velvet tone, commanded the air between him and me. “It sounded nothing like you.”

“What did it say?”

“Rock invited me to the ball, not going with you anymore, you can invite Alana if you want to go”

“Those…” words stuck inside me, fury tears ran down my face, “they deleted my conversation with you, the last message I wasn`t even able to read before they erased it”

“Do you wanna grab dinner after this? Our parental figures went to the cinema and to eat something.” I looked at Will, confused, and then clarity hit me. “Well, at least I was able to get you some dinner.” He smirked at me and winked, which made me blush hard.

“So, the message startled you”

“Yes, so I decided to take a look…” he glanced at me, the lights of the cars and the posts played shadows in his face, he looked embarrassed.

“Thank you” I extended my hand and touch his, but he barely moved it from the shift gear. “You saved me”

“I am sorry, please forgive me” a red light made him stopped and have a moment to turn around and look at me. “I wasn’t trying to stalk you. But I got worried. The idea was to find you and watch you from the car, so you don’t even noticed me.”

“But” he continued. “I reached town and I saw them walking on the sidewalk, you were not around, and they had your clothes, and I heard them laughing about leaving you naked in the store. I open the ‘Find my phone’ app to search for your ipod, but signal got lost a lot and I got a few hints of your location, I was a block away maybe and then I heard you”

His jaw clenched and he grabbed the wheel so hard I thought for a moment he was going to break it.

“Thank you” I whisper, while flashbacks held me prisoner. The recent event mixed with old wounds and old places.

“We are here” Will’s softness brought me back from the dark places my mind wandered.

We entered the house, a deep silence consumed the place, it felt bizarre but not in a bad way, I saw a huge box in the middle of the living room, an unexpected gift from me to me. I touch it and try to move it but is was impossible, too heavy and too big for me.

“Need help?” Will closed the door behind him and rolled his sleeves. I nodded and ran to open the library door, I ran back to help but he already had the box in arms and was moving towards me, I made an embarrassing squeak and ran back to give him space to move.

Without a word we unpacked and move around the pieces to build my fever-dream impulse buy. In complete silence and signaling each other for tools and parts we work for a really long time, we were almost finished when we heard laughter from the outside entering the house.

My mom in a new pretty dress, entered giggling and talking with Lugo about the movie. She looked radiant and happy, she saw us in the library and rushed over to catch with me.

“Honey!” she kneeled to the floor to hug me “Where’s the dress?”

“The dress?” I asked cluelessly.

“They were awful,” Will said calmly, moving the finished piece back to the wall, “I will take her this weekend to find something she likes.” he winked at me and I was thankful for him being my savior once again.

“That`s great, thank you Will, Lugo did a good job with you” my mom joke

“You sound surprised and I resent that Louse.” Lugo hugged her and tickled her, my mom twisted in his arms laughing, I laughed as well. I was so happy to see them… in love?

“Bed look amazing tiny-louse.” Lugo winked at me and made me look at Will`s and I creation.

The last time I had a bedroom and a bed of my own I was 9, it was a princess bed, with a canopy draped in tulle and tall metal posts resembling a roof made of the same pink fabric.

But now, the bed that occupied part of the room looked more like a gigantic sofa. The bed stood in the center of the room, like a silent invitation to rest and serve as a reading nook. Its light wood frame exuded a natural warmth, with a smooth finish that seemed to hold the scent of the forest in front of it. It had three walls with simple yet elegant lines that offered comfortable support for long nighttime. The fabric on the walls, perfectly laid out, promised an enveloping softness, while the mattress (generously sized) seemed made of clouds; it was so soft and fluffy. It was a bed that didn’t just invite you to sleep, but to stay, to share…

“Are you sleeping here now?” my mom asked me, freeing herself from Lugo’s grip.

“Yes…?” I asked with a certain resolution.

“That’s good, darling, let’s say goodbye to the guys.” she winked at me, leading Lugo to the door.

Will helped me stand up, and, even when I wasn’t ready to let him go, I whispered a soft thank-you once again and he pulled me into a hug, “I am just so happy you are okay” he whispered into my hair and his soft breath caressed my neck and made me tremble, I felt embarrassed as I was sure he felt it, but I reciprocate his hug.

We stayed wrapped in each other’s arms for an ephemeral, eternal second. His arms were hard and strong. I touched his back and I was surprised by how chiseled it felt, his scent in his clothes and on his skin made me feel butterflies in my stomach. As the adrenaline filled my body, I also felt my heart beat rising.

One second I was in his embrace and the next I was trying to keep me balanced as he disappeared in thin air and suddenly appeared on the other side of the room. “I am terribly sorry, I need to go… good night.”

He said, and he walked through the patio door and disappeared in the forest outside my window.