“Aloe vera.”
“That stuff works on vampires?” Surprise courses through me. I expected things like that not to work on vamps, guess I was wrong on that front too. I need to do a lot of re-evaluating when it came to vampires. No, to us. That really is going to take some getting used to. I wonder briefly if it’s my opinion of all vampires that needs to change, or if I happen to have stumbled across the only group of good ones. Guess only time will tell on that front. Maybe these ones are just trying to lull me into a false sense of security. I wouldn’t put it past the vamps I’ve always been told about.
One look at Remus and I know I’m wrong. There’s no way this man is trying to hoodwink me.
“Yes, so long as there’s no holy water in it.” He chuckles good-naturedly, and I can almost see why Dimitri decided to leave me with him. He’s much more approachable. Much more likely to make me believe.
I study my arm. The skin is pink, which I expect really, I mean, I was burning up before. Suffering the consequences did make sense. Before my eyes, the skin begins to knit back together, sealing it up and giving me a fresh layer.
Guess that myth about vampires is true then. Though at least it was a perk. Some of the other stuff, not so much. Saying that, I’m not very thirsty, That’s unexpected.
Can I ask him about that? It may be a bit weird to. But I need to know really.
“When will I, er..., want to drink?” The words come out, barely. I’m not normally this...whatever this is. I’m so not it, I don’t have a way to describe it.
He chuckles, dabbing on another stretch of my arm.
“I did wonder why you hadn’t asked that yet. For most new vampires, its question number one.”
“Even if they don’t know vampires exist?” I ask, feeling a bit more sure of myself.
“Okay, not then. They’re more interested in why we won’t let them go outside.”
“Why didn’t you stop me then?” I ask, cocking my head to the side. I’m still old, but my skin feels a lot better. Almost like its already fixing itself. I suppose it is though. This is the new me.
“We didn’t think you needed it, Ashryn. You’ve known about vampires your entire life,” he points out.
Oh, yes, that. I really should have known better.
“I was a little in denial.”
“And you’re not now?” he asks, dabbing on the top of my leg now, a curious look on his face.
“Little bit hard to be.”
“Most people would still try and delude themselves.”
He may have a point, people in general are pretty dense when it comes to stuff that should be ridiculously obvious to them, and given my reaction earlier, I’m just like them.
“I’m not the type to ignore what’s right in front of me.” The statement comes out far more suggestive than I intend it to, and I look away from him before I can see his reaction. I’m not ready for either one. I find him attractive, even with the scars, but I don’t think I can accept being interested in a vampire yet.
Maybe in time.
Hopefully in time.
“Why won’t you look at me?” he asks.
I whip my head up, and my eyes meet his dark ones. Oddly, I feel a slight rip within my head, almost like something is trying to make itself known, but can’t. I wonder if its my powers.
I concentrate on his eyes, rising getting lost in them. But there’s something mesmerising in them.
Which is when it happens. It’s more of a rush than normal, and it makes me cry out, but the knowledge is there. I can’t unthink it. I can’t forget it. I wish I could. The scars were made by his mother.
The knowledge doesn’t sit well with me. Then again, a lot of it doesn’t. A lot of the secrets people keep are exactly the things they wouldn’t tell people. Some for a similar reason to Remus, others for scarier reasons. Some of the things I know even scare me. And that says something. Even some of the other hunters’ secrets weren’t ones to be messed with.
Maybe that should have tipped me off about what’s really going on. Or that vampires aren’t the only bad guys about.
“Enamoured with me already?” He smirks at me, something undefined dancing in his eyes. I look away again, I can’t cope with this yet.