Vampire Holiday - Completed

3. Friends

Days went by. I did nothing, as always. I had to drink tiny bits of blood to sustain myself and really could just stay home and watch TV all day long. I had no interest in getting out or seeing anyone.

I got a message from Elaine that she and Jose would be coming. I wasn’t in the mood for any company, but I didn't want to tell her no. Elaine would not accept that anyway. I knew I had three minutes tops to get ready, and these two traveled fast.

I threw a clean shirt on and a pair of jeans and plopped back on the couch, about to turn the TV back on, but heard a noise at the door. I opened it only to find Elaine and Jose making out intensely in the hallway. Their hands were all over each other and lips were connected as if they were fused together.

I rolled my eyes and told them to come in. I wasn’t sure if they heard me, but after a minute Elaine tore herself from Jose to ask me, "Can we use your bedroom?"

"Be my guest," I replied. I didn't want to watch them doing it on my couch instead, which would not be the first time, either.

This time I raised the TV volume but could still hear Elaine’s moans and bed rattling in the other room.

Eventually they came out fixing up their clothes.

“That was a treat, honey!” she told Jose, kissing him gently this time.

“I can’t get enough of you”, He pulled her into his arms again.

“Sorry about that,” Elaine told me when they came out from the bedroom a second time.

"So ready for a bite?" she asked me casually, still adjusting her hair and using the phone camera to see herself.

"I don't want to go out," I sighed.

"No problem," She was still on her phone, her fingers quickly typing something. "Should we get something from "VampHub" or a raw unexpected delivery rando instead?

"Why not both?" Jose replied.

"You are right!" she smiled back at him.

"Which one do you prefer, Ar?" she asked me, landing on the couch next to me and shoving the phone in my face.

"Let me see," I started scrolling through the VampHub choices of men and women. I didn't know whom to pick. I threw it back in Elaine's lap. "Can you just pick anyone with type O? I feel like having sweet and sour today."

"Found the perfect one for you," she giggled, "and one for me and Jose to share."

"I am also ordering food delivery, which will be a completely random pizza delivery human."

"Sounds good," I replied.

"I hate waiting," Elaine said after an uncomfortable minute of quiet. "So, you know we were at Silvia's. I was hoping we could all hang out at the party. I heard you talked to Elon and then left abruptly. We missed you."

"I had to go." I didn't know what to tell them.

"Silvia told us you picked up leftovers from him,” her eyes were full of concern, “And that you were wearing pajamas? I mean, I like pink, but for Silvia's party? You know how sensitive she is about the dress code.”

I was searching for some plausible explanation. But I knew my behavior during the New Year celebration was far from perfect. Actually, it was peculiar even for me.

"I also heard you had a stake in your hand... So what exactly were you planning to do? Hope you were not going to kill him? Not at the party?"

"No, I was not going to do that."

I looked away.

Jose was on his phone, not paying attention to our chat.

Elaine looked directly at me as if trying to read my mind. I felt her eyes piercing through me, but she could not use her magic on me, yet she knew me well. Maybe I should tell her how I felt, the loneliness, the hopelessness. But I could not, not today, perhaps another day, maybe never. I didn't want her to feel bad for me.

The doorbell rang.

"We'll see who it is." Elaine jumped up.

Two people walked in, a woman and a man.

"We are here to serve you."

I let Elaine and Jose have their woman snack on the couch while I took the guy and sat on the chair with him. I didn't feel like feeding for whatever reason, but when they put their fangs into their girl hungrily. The smell of blood woke me up, and I grabbed the guy as well. He was sitting on the chair's arm, and I pulled his neck down to me. My fangs extended without me even thinking, and I jabbed them into him. He didn't even twitch. Maybe he had the elixir in him or was used to the job. But the taste was not enjoyable compared to the human I met at the party. It would do for now. I drank slowly. I had to prove even to myself that I was still who I was, even though it was not as pleasurable as it used to be.

We had our meals and chatted. Elaine had all the rumors about whom got together and who split up. Apparently, after I left the party, Joan found Rickardo there cheating on her in the bathroom with the human, and almost threw him out of the window. Slowly I felt more at ease. It was surprisingly good to catch up. We even laughed, and that felt very different from the last few weeks I'd had.

Finally, We sent our meals away.

"It was nice to see you!" Elaine said again. "I can tell something is off with you. You did not even enjoy this food." She texted something on the phone, and mine beeped in sequence.

"This is a bit unorthodox, but I think you should see this guy. He helped Jose and me when we had a couple of arguments a few years back. He might be useful to you, but keep him alive. Do you know what I mean? He is human, after all."

I could not believe they ever had any arguments. They were together for hundreds of years or at least as long as I knew her. And during all that time, they always looked at each other ready to devour. They were the perfect couple. I used to hope to find that kind of love, but I gave up hope.

Her phone beeped.

"Let me give these VampHub humans ratings… What do you think, Jose, eight or nine?"

"I think nine," Jose replied.

"Ar, how was yours?"

"Five, maybe six."

She raised one eyebrow, "Okay, I'll put down six." I shrugged.

They were heading out, and Jose approached me.

"Listen, Ar. We are there for you. Remember, just a text away," I nodded.

They left, and I heard the doorbell again. Have they forgotten something?

I swung the door open and saw a delivery guy waiting with boxes in his hands.

"Should I leave this by the door?"

I felt significantly better after my friends visited.

"Come right in," I told him.

He could not refuse me, and that meal tasted much better.

***

Author's Note:

What do you think about a vampire's life so far? Would you want to be one? Leave me a comment!