the only him I was seeing. I stood in my open doorway for what seemed like eternity before I finally closed it and sat on my couch, a little perplexed. A short while later, a knock sounded on my door. I hoped it was Kerian. I didn't think I could handle another Christian breakdown. I was relieved to see Kerian standing in the hall, a distant look on his face. He didn't look happy to see me, which hurt me on so many levels. He walked by me, lightly kissing my forehead before walking towards my window and staring at the night sky. I shut the door, but sat on the couch and watched him in silence.
"Is everything okay?” I asked at last. “You said you wanted to talk.” He didn't move, didn't answer me. I had a bad feeling I wasn't going to like what he had to say. Even though he'd said so many endearing things to me the night before, I feared it was because he had been in ‘the moment'. I felt my heart break, and I wanted to cry. I prayed what I had told him about my mother hadn't caused what we had to go sour. I twisted my hands together and waited quietly for whatever was coming.
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Chapter Ten
* * * *
Kerian turned around and looked at me. I couldn't tell what was playing through his mind. He walked over and sat on the couch, grabbed my hands and held them tightly.
"I want to tell you about my past and about...what I am."
I was confused. But then, I always felt stunned at how he worded things. I had no clue what he meant when he said, “What I am."
"Please do.” That was all I could say. He took several deep breaths before glancing down at the floor. “Whatever it is, you can tell me,” I added. He looked at me then with such anguish in his eyes, I felt my heart throb painfully.
"Everything I'm about to tell you is the absolute truth."
He stared at me as if waiting for my approval. I nodded and brought my hand to his cheek. “I will believe anything you say.” I wanted to tell him I loved him, but didn't want to put more pressure on the situation.
"I'm not who you think I am."
I stared at him, showing no emotion, though plenty of it roiled around inside me. “What do you mean? You're not a doctor?"
"I am. There's just more to it than that."
"Please just tell me.” I wanted him to spit it out and end the dread gathering inside of me.
"I was born over four hundred years ago."
I didn't move, or breathe, as we stared at each other. “Is this some kind of joke?” I managed at last. “You're telling me you were born in the sixteen hundreds?” I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was everyone around me crazy? “Are you a doctor?” He had claimed to be one, but listening to him right now made me question his sanity.
"Yes. I was a healer in my village, and kept with the trade."
"Healer in your village?” I let go of his hands and walked over the window to stare out of it. “What are you, immortal or something?"
"Please, Ashliyn, come sit down and let me explain. I know how crazy it sounds."
"I don't think you really do.” I automatically walked back and sat on the chair facing him. He sounded crazy, yes, but maybe this was all some kind of practical joke. If it were, it wasn't funny. I thought back to what Christian had said earlier, about how I didn't know what kind of creature Kerian was. I hadn't thought much about his choice of words then, but now they seemed a little too close for comfort.
"So, what are you? A witch? A monster?” I wasn't making fun of him, but what else was I supposed to say? He looked at the floor again and gave a big sigh. “This isn't funny, Kerian.” His head snapped up and I thought I saw hurt in his features.
"Ashliyn,” he shook his head and then ran a hand over his face, “I wouldn't joke about this.” He seemed to take a strong, steadying breath and continued. “I'm a vampire—a vampire born over four hundred years ago."
I would have laughed, but his stern face made me rethink that idea. He was dead serious, and that fact
"Is everything okay?” I asked at last. “You said you wanted to talk.” He didn't move, didn't answer me. I had a bad feeling I wasn't going to like what he had to say. Even though he'd said so many endearing things to me the night before, I feared it was because he had been in ‘the moment'. I felt my heart break, and I wanted to cry. I prayed what I had told him about my mother hadn't caused what we had to go sour. I twisted my hands together and waited quietly for whatever was coming.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Ten
* * * *
Kerian turned around and looked at me. I couldn't tell what was playing through his mind. He walked over and sat on the couch, grabbed my hands and held them tightly.
"I want to tell you about my past and about...what I am."
I was confused. But then, I always felt stunned at how he worded things. I had no clue what he meant when he said, “What I am."
"Please do.” That was all I could say. He took several deep breaths before glancing down at the floor. “Whatever it is, you can tell me,” I added. He looked at me then with such anguish in his eyes, I felt my heart throb painfully.
"Everything I'm about to tell you is the absolute truth."
He stared at me as if waiting for my approval. I nodded and brought my hand to his cheek. “I will believe anything you say.” I wanted to tell him I loved him, but didn't want to put more pressure on the situation.
"I'm not who you think I am."
I stared at him, showing no emotion, though plenty of it roiled around inside me. “What do you mean? You're not a doctor?"
"I am. There's just more to it than that."
"Please just tell me.” I wanted him to spit it out and end the dread gathering inside of me.
"I was born over four hundred years ago."
I didn't move, or breathe, as we stared at each other. “Is this some kind of joke?” I managed at last. “You're telling me you were born in the sixteen hundreds?” I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was everyone around me crazy? “Are you a doctor?” He had claimed to be one, but listening to him right now made me question his sanity.
"Yes. I was a healer in my village, and kept with the trade."
"Healer in your village?” I let go of his hands and walked over the window to stare out of it. “What are you, immortal or something?"
"Please, Ashliyn, come sit down and let me explain. I know how crazy it sounds."
"I don't think you really do.” I automatically walked back and sat on the chair facing him. He sounded crazy, yes, but maybe this was all some kind of practical joke. If it were, it wasn't funny. I thought back to what Christian had said earlier, about how I didn't know what kind of creature Kerian was. I hadn't thought much about his choice of words then, but now they seemed a little too close for comfort.
"So, what are you? A witch? A monster?” I wasn't making fun of him, but what else was I supposed to say? He looked at the floor again and gave a big sigh. “This isn't funny, Kerian.” His head snapped up and I thought I saw hurt in his features.
"Ashliyn,” he shook his head and then ran a hand over his face, “I wouldn't joke about this.” He seemed to take a strong, steadying breath and continued. “I'm a vampire—a vampire born over four hundred years ago."
I would have laughed, but his stern face made me rethink that idea. He was dead serious, and that fact
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