My Man Is A Vampire I

oke just aft

amp outside her window cast a dull orange glow across the hardwood floor, and the only other light came from the c

urled around the warm ceramic of a half-drunk mug of tea, though the tea had gone cold long ago. She wasn't drinking it an

e again. That this-what

cross the sky, she felt it. A thrum in h

Fog clung to the glass like breath, and for a s

as t

ark coat clinging to his frame, his black hair dripping down sharp cheekbones. Hi

l

hing her skin like a warning. "You said you wouldn't come,"

, low and rich, slid across th

them-two stories of old brick and a world of imposs

he said, softer now. But e

ilver-blue eyes that always looked like dusk was trapped i

leaned farther out, reaching her hand toward h

e was gone fr

ly beautiful. His presence filled the space like nightfall, every corner suddenly deeper, every shadow m

m slowly. "You're trembling," she murmured,

," he said, li

her fingers, yet still sensing the faintest echo of a heartbeat-like a drum

hat you need

head. "That's not

sed. He lifted his hand, cuppi

whisper, "because I can't stay away from

ed, even the storm outs

u, Evelyn,

pping down her cheeks, silent

isse

m nights before. This was slow. Steady. Full of aching reverence. A kiss l

ssed to hers, and the scent of rain a

," sh

e first ti

ry lingered in the silver puddles along the si

a chair, and he lay beside her as still as marble, eyes closed, barely breathing. The light of early daw

of him, memorizing the quiet lines of peace tha

r phone

e bed silently, careful not to wake him, and padded into th

[6:

you. u sounded off last

he one with the blood in the s

tell me h

iend since childhood, the keeper of every ridiculous teenage secret and every he

ed back

n [6:

st tired. Rai

like ash o

ond-guess it, anothe

ain?" Al

hest, shadows under his eyes. He hadn't put on a shirt, and the sight of him there-i

id quietly. "S

as flat, but there was no a

gently on his arm. "Don't do that. Don

a knock at

both

rt kicked in

was already gone, vanished into the b

, standing there in a rumpled hoodie and jea

hing past her. "You've got dark c

e door, took the

ed candles, the open window, the te

ere?" sh

didn't

ot going to tell Mom and Dad, okay? I promised I wouldn't. But

some guy," Evel

ed through the word. "He's the und

ot dang

ound drained in the alley behi

wn, guilt crawli

" Mara asked

He hasn't fed at all, actually

ing someone sketchy. This is... next-level. And Lena

ms when she's anxious," Ev

ow you love him. I do. But that doesn't

rom behind her,

never h

ightly damp but face composed. There was no mistaking what he was. Even without fangs or

ment. "But that won't stop me from putting

aintly. "I wouldn't

htly at that. Evelyn laughed,

. "This is insane.

g between them. "But he staye

Fine. But if you're going to keep dating Edward freaking Scisso

" Evel

ver the rooftops, warm and golden. But in the quiet of the apartmen

re