That wasn't a dream.
Is he avampire? That’s crazy…
How does he go out during the day?
Why does he have wings?
That afternoon, I find him on the beach, waiting for me in the shelter of an outcropping of rocks near the pathway.
He smiles when he sees me.
"There you are," he says, holding out a piece of beach glass. "Look what I found."
I'm in no mood to look at it.
"I have a bite mark on my neck."
His smile dies and he glances away. He throws the piece of beach glass in the water a few yards away.
I pull my long braid out of the way, arching my neck to the side.
He shrugs. "I don't see anything."
He's lying.
"You didn't even look." He knows about the mark because he put it there. I'm certain of it. "You bit me," I say plainly. "Last night. It's almost all healed. You’re a vampire."
He leaves the shelter of the rock outcropping, walking along the surf, his strides long, fast enough to keep just ahead of me.
"You must have been dreaming."
"Youbitme," I say again, hurrying to keep up. "I know it."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
That hurts and I quit following him.
"No," I say. "It's a bite." I dig my nails into my palms to control my emotions. "What are you? How can you be out in the daylight?"
"You're crazy."
I shake my head, tears springing to my eyes.
"I thought I was dreaming last night, but I wasn't. I'm not crazy."
He stops in his tracks and stands still for a moment. I see the tension drain out of him, his shoulders sagging.
"No you're not," he says, coming to where I stand. "I'm sorry," he whispers. "I didn't mean that." Then he lays his hand on my cheek. "You shouldn't be able to see that. I'm supposed to be able to make you forget when you dream, but it must not have worked." He shakes his head. “This is the second time I screwed up.”
"Tell me how you know me," I say softly, looking in his eyes. "Tell me what you are. You can do things. You healed that bird. You healed me. When you touch me, you enter my mind."
He glances away, staring off across the sea. After a moment, he turns back and looks in my eyes. He touches my cheek again.
“Am I in danger from you?" I ask.
He closes his eyes. "I’d never hurt you.”
I touch the bite mark. "But you bit me.”