Being Human (32 page)

****

Impatiently, I waited through the birthday song, as everyone ate cake and as I helped clean up. I felt like half the night had been wasted on birthday activities with my family. All I wanted was to have Sunlight to myself. I was tired of sharing her with them.

Finally, my family headed up to bed. I pulled Sunlight from the couch and headed for the basement.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“To where I usually rest.”

Her eyes roamed over the basement and stopped on my corner. Photos of my family were propped along the edge of a blanket that spread across the floor. She drew closer, eyes widening as she picked one up. “It’s you as a human.”

I leaned my chin on her shoulder. “Yes.”

She traced her fingers over the image. “Do you remember being human?”

I shook my head.

“Why keep the picture then?”

I shrugged and placed the photo with the others. “I used to think photos were pointless, but then I learned I liked seeing my family when I wake. Would you like to see more?”

Her eyes brightened and she nodded. We settled on the blanket and she nestled against my side. I sifted through the photo albums and chose the one that had the most images of me.

She gasped at the first images, pulling the album from my grip and leaning in to look closer. Her laughter rang out as she turned the pages. At the end of the book, she lingered on the last image.

The one of me and my family on vacation.

“You look so different,” she said as her fingers grazed over the image of my human self. “I can’t even imagine you being human.”

“I can’t either.” I tilted my head at her. “Do you think you would like me as a human?”

“I think so,” she replied and blushed.

I brushed my fingertips along her cheek. “If I was human, I’d spend every day with you. I’m glad I’m not because I wouldn’t be able to protect you as well.”

Her blush deepened. “Did you like my present? I wanted it to be more personal so I made it myself.”

I turned my wrist over and examined the woven threads. “It’s beautiful, like you.”

She hid her face against my chest and I felt her blush burn my skin. She didn’t move and soon I felt her relax against me and her breathing slow. The door to the basement creaked overhead as I ran my fingers through her hair, Rissa coming down the stairs. She sat on the floor across from me, watching Sunlight sleep.

“I have to say I am not surprised,” Rissa said. “Dan said you found someone new to obsess over. Should have known it would be Jamie; she really affected you ten years ago. Don’t protest. I know how obsessive you get when you fixate on something. You were the exact same way with Mackenzie when she was little.”

I closed my mouth and shrugged. “Is that bad?”

“Not necessarily, but you need to be careful.”

“I trust her not to call Vampire Forces.”

“I’m not worried about you, I’m worried about her,” Rissa replied. “What happens if the wrong person finds out how much you care for her? Or how much she cares for you?”

I buried my face in Sunlight’s hair and inhaled. “I won’t let anything happen to her.”

“You can’t protect her from everything, Tommy.”

“I won’t let anything happen to her!”

Rissa, never afraid of me, pursed her lips, but didn’t argue any more. “It’s too cold for her to sleep down here, so the couch upstairs has been made up for her.” She headed up the stairs, stopping and turning to me at the top. “Promise me you’ll be careful. We’d be devastated if you were destroyed, Dan especially.”

Careful not to disturb Sunlight, I carried her to the couch and tucked her in. I settled on the floor next to her, stoking her hair and watching her sleep. When the sun grew close to rising, I brushed my nose against her ear and retreated back to the basement.

When the sun set, Sunlight was sitting on the edge of the blanket. I pulled her close, grazing my nose along her neck and a smile on my lips. She tensed against me and fear started to fill her scent.

“Don’t worry, I won’t bite. Well, maybe a little nip. You’re so irresistible,” I teased.

She relaxed and laughed. “Irresistible?”

“I bet you taste delectable,” I replied and pressed my nose to her ear.

She laughed and squirmed, trying to escape. “Is this how a vampire flirts?”

“I don’t know, what is the point of flirting?” I asked, still pursuing her ear.

“It’s what someone does to make another blush in happiness and embarrassment,” she giggled.

“I like making you blush in happiness,” I replied. “So yes, I am flirting.”

Her cheeks blazed red.

I stopped flirting, but couldn’t stop looking at her or keep my hands off her warm cheeks. Again, I wondered, what would a kiss be like?

As if she heard the question, she pulled away. “I need to go, I told my parents I forgot some clothes and needed to get them.”

“You lied?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I wish I didn’t have to, but they’d never let me out of their sight if they knew I was talking to a vampire.”

I hugged her tightly. “I wish you didn’t have to either.”

With reluctance she pulled away, but kept ahold of my hands. She swallowed nervously. “Tommy… I…”

I pulled her back until our noses were barely touching. Somehow I knew she was searching for courage to say three words I wasn’t afraid to speak, but terrified her. “I don’t want you to say or do something if you’re not ready.”

Her body slumped in relief. She pulled out of my grip, keeping her eyes on me as she headed up the stairs. “I’ll see you tomorrow night, right?”

“I’ll always find you,” I promised.

****

“Mackenzie,” Rissa warned.

“In a minute, Mom,” my niece sighed. “It just got dark.”

“You have school tomorrow.”

“A half day! Jeez, give me some space.”

“Ten minutes, then get your butt upstairs and in bed,” Rissa ordered, then marched into the kitchen. She stopped short at the sight of me with food. “Tommy, what are you doing?”

“Making a sandwich for her.”

Lips twitching, Rissa wandered to my side and observed the sandwich I was assembling. “Ham and strawberry jam don’t go together.” She placed the food back in the refrigerator and pulled different items out. Once the sandwich was finished, she wrapped it in plastic and handed it to me. “This should taste better. Why are you making Jamie a sandwich?”

I shrugged, feeling reluctant to discuss the topic.

“Tommy.” The warning was back in Rissa’s voice.

“I want her to know I can care for her in case she decides to leave her family.” I kept my eyes down.

Rissa didn’t reply so I slipped out of the kitchen. Dan raised an eyebrow at me, but also stayed silent as I headed out the door and into the quiet night. I turned down Sunlight’s street, clutching the sandwich and feeling slightly nervous. Would she like my gift?

She instantly appeared when I tapped on her window, smiling and stepping back to let me in.

I held the sandwich out. “I made a gift for you.”

She took the sandwich with a giggle. “You made me a sandwich?”

“You said you don’t like the food at school,” I explained. “So I thought…”

She cut me off with a hug. “Thank you, I love it. I might not be able to wait until tomorrow, might have to eat it now.”

I relaxed against her, closing my eyes and focusing on feeling her; her pulse, her rhythm and her life. “I should have never let you go,” I whispered.

“I’m safe now,” she replied and set the sandwich aside.

Her body pressed against me and again, I wondered what would it be like to kiss her? But she cringed whenever my lips neared her skin and I knew she wasn’t ready. I wanted to do something though, something more intimate and there was only one thing I knew.

I tilted her head to the left, exposing her neck. Her pulse throbbed under the skin and the rhythm picked up as my lips neared. Hunger rumbled through me, her scent tickling my nose. A burst of blood hit my tongue as my fangs sliced through her skin. Instinctively, my grip tightened with a possessiveness that said this prey was mine.

But that’s not what I wanted.

I pushed the hunger, need and desire to drink back and relaxed my grip. The blood pooled in my mouth as I stopped sucking, and with one last swallow, I let her go. Her skin was white, eyes as wide as the moon and a tremble rolled through her.

“I wasn’t feeding on you,” I assured her. “I wanted to be intimate with you and that’s the only way I know how.”

Her fingers touched her neck and came away stained with blood. Each breath she took shook her body. She moved to her bed, silent as she sank to it.

Worry filled me at her lack of expression. “Please speak.”

“My neck feels numb.”

“That’s normal.”

She didn’t speak again and desperation curled through me.

“I thought it’d be all right. I’m sorry.”

Her hand dropped from her neck and clutched a fistful of blanket. Determination flashed across her face like lightning. Slowly, she rose and faced me. She pressed her bloody fingers to my lips as the other hand curled around the back of my neck. She pulled me against her and pressed her forehead against mine. “I’m ready.”

****

Sunlight lay across from me, our hands linked together. Wiggling, she moved closer and wrapped her arms around my neck. A blush colored her cheeks as she tugged the blanket back up.

I brushed my fingers through her hair. “I am never going to understand humans.”

She laughed, then brushed her nose against mine. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. We don’t understand ourselves most of the time.” Her blush deepened as her gaze dropped from mine. “How’s this for intimate?”

“Very good.”

“Probably not what you expected.”

I tilted my head. “What was I supposed to expect?”

When she said she was ready, there hadn’t been a trace of fear in her scent. Only nervousness. The nervousness grew as she pulled her clothing off, and then mine. Next, she pulled me to her bed, having me lay down before crawling in and facing me. Neither of us moved as time slipped by and slowly her nervousness disappeared.

Now it was back.

She chewed on her bottom lip. “Sex?”

I nodded. “I understand sex, but why do you think I would expect it?”

“I thought I was ready for sex, that I could do it if it was you, but…” She dropped her gaze, red creeping across her face. “I’m really glad nothing happened. I’m not ready.”

She sat up and started dressing. I followed suit and dressed, pulling her close when finished. Together, we laid back down, Sunlight tucked tightly against me. She drifted to sleep, her face looking so peaceful. Around us, the smell of her fear faded into nothing. She finally felt safe in her home.

When I felt the sun approach, I gave her a shake. She blinked sleepily at me, then curled up against my chest. I shook her again. “I have to go.”

“No, I don’t want you to,” she murmured.

“I don’t want to either, but the day is too hot for me.” My smile barely contained my happiness at her words. I pressed my lips to her ear and she squirmed against me. “We’ll always be together,” I whispered, then tore myself away and slid out the window.

****

Voices from the TV floated through the air and light spilled through the open basement door. I stared at it, confused. It should be closed, was always closed, especially if I was resting in the basement. I darted up and peered into the living room. Dan, as always, was hidden behind a newspaper while Rissa lounged next to him and watched the TV.

Downstairs normal, I headed upstairs and stopped outside my niece’s door. Rhythms beat on the other side and two scents tugged at me. I tapped a few times, then pushed the door open.

Sunlight sat on my niece’s bed, her smile glowing. She blushed as I sat next to her and tugged her close. “Did you rest well?”

I nodded. “I had happy thoughts about you.”

“Aha!” My niece jumped to her feet, her finger aimed at me. “There is the proof Dad has been looking for to prove you’re still human.”

I looked between the two. “What?”

Sunlight giggled and turned her head against my shoulder. “She’s saying you think about what every other teenage boy thinks about.”

My niece fell back on her bed. “Sex!”

Downstairs, I heard Rissa. “Did she just yell what I think she did? Mackenzie, downstairs, NOW!”

“Ah crap,” my niece sighed and stomped out the door. After a minute of arguing with Rissa, in which my niece declared she was fifteen and should no longer be treated like a child, she stormed back into her bedroom. “Mom drives me bonkers sometimes. I’m not encouraging you two to have sex. She also says to tell you Dad's ready to take you home, Jamie.”