Soft light bleeds through the curtains, illuminating the bedroom with a peaceful golden hue. By the direction of the light I can tell sleep occupied more of my day than planned. At least I feel better. Groggy, I roll over and test my muscles with a long stretch. The skin on my arms isn't as tender, and my returning energy gives a sense of restlessness.

When I'm finally ready and motivated, I rub remnants of sleep from my eyes and sit up. My head is much clearer after some well-needed rest. I wonder if Levi's gone out.

The space feels empty, a hollow silence filling the cabin without his presence. But I wouldn't blame him for getting some fresh air after having to deal with my breakdown this morning. I'm sure I've overstayed my welcome.

Mindlessly, I scratch the bandages on my arms. I should really apologize for earlier. And tell him I'll take him up on the offer to relocate. Once I'm on a bus to a new town, I'm sure he'll be satisfied that he's done his job.

Levi doesn't need to know I'll be going back to the city.

The nightmares might never go away, and living with those fears, knowing the reality of Lucien's threat and then turning blind eye, would cripple me. There has to be a way to defeat him, even if my only hope rests in convoluted memories of grandma's old tales, which only tell me there might be others who know vampires exist, but it still leaves me with no solid truth.

Also, there's the fact I'm alive. Every time I see my arms, every time I wake up and open my eyes, I'm reminded I've been given a second chance. I didn't die. Not even when I wanted to. That truth has been lurking in the back of my mind, like a dark counterpart to the rush I felt when I stumbled across Transylvania.

There's something more to it, but I can't figure out how to connect it all.

Regardless, I have to find some way to keep Mags safe—and I highly doubt the 'deal' Anne made with Kristi is in her best interest. I can't leave them and keep my sanity at the same time.

I'll get Levi to tell me all he can about what he and the others are. If I wasn't plagued by my own terrifying assumptions, then perhaps the details would be too much, but I think knowing the truth will give me closure.

I've gathered some evidence of a vampire's increased physical abilities and senses. Speed for sure, but I assume they also have improved smell and sight, though those are less solidified. Maybe hearing, too. A combination of the above would be enough to explain how Lucien knew about my scars, and how Levi was able to find and rescue me. All of these will be something I'll have to account for if I go back to Transylvania.

So, time to test the theory.

With the door to the bedroom closed, I use a regular voice—not something a normal human would hear on the other side of the door. "Levi?" I hold my breath, wondering if I'll be ignored even if he does hear. "Are you here?"

No more than a second passes before the door opens quietly, and Levi walks in. Our eyes meet. "Awake, are we?"

That was...expected, but surreal. Despite all I've seen, it's hard to believe. I stare at him a little longer than necessary, noticing how he doesn't seem irritated at me being awake, or calling out to him.

Even in the dim light his black hair shines, skin pale and jaw smooth where there used to be stubble. He almost looks cheerful, or at least as cheery as his grim face allows.

"Yeah," I reply. "I must have needed more sleep than I thought."

"Your body is still healing." He takes up residence in the chair beside the bed. "How do you feel?"

"Good." I rub my arm, unable to soothe the discomfort. "My arms are beginning to itch, though."

"I should probably change your dressing." He stands and gets some clean cloth from the bathroom. "But it will still itch, at least until the stitches come off. Try to not irritate them too much."

"Yeah, I won't." My arm prickles as I extend it, even more bothersome beneath the bandage now that I'm conscious of it. Levi leans over the bed, a faint smell of sage and lavender complimenting something more sensual, and takes off the old bandage.

As it comes off I study my arm, amazed at how well the wound is healing. The skin doesn't look irritated, still red, but smoothing over faster due to the stitches. Already it looks better than what I'm used to. "When will you take the stitches out?"

"A few more days, at the least." He finishes applying some ointment to the ugly jagged lines and re-wraps it.

"So when will I be able to leave?"

"Two weeks."

Wait...that long? "But I already feel better, aren't we just waiting for the bandages to come off?" I'm sure I could even be well enough to take care of myself at this point. How hard could it be to cut off some stitches?

"Like I said," he continues, "your body is still healing and replenishing lost blood. I can re-evaluate your state in a week, but don't get your hopes up."

"Then you can sense blood." He looks up and eyes me, then returns his attention to my arm.

"Yes."

"What else?"

His lips form a line. I know he wants me to stay away from all this, but I've made up my mind. I find no bliss in ignorance. At the least, I can offer him a little consolation. "I think knowing will help me move on."

It's more or less true.

"Hm." Levi appears to be reasoning with himself. Little wrinkles appear on his forehead as he finishes with my arm. "Vampires can effectively sense someone's blood—their heartbeat, even blood pressure and identify injuries or infection if we pay close enough attention."

Oh. He just...said it. I thought maybe, I don't know. My brain blanks at the fact I've really been caught up in some vampire bullshit. "And your speed, strength? Weaknesses?"

Levi sighs. "I can run 220 miles per hour, lift 2 tons, and almost any wound heals instantly."

Alright, we're getting somewhere. I nod and try to process all this like this is normal information. Looking at him expectantly, I wait for the second half of the answer—weaknesses.

He gives me a look of disapproval. "Knowing our weaknesses has nothing to do with your moving on."

I chew the inside of my cheek, searching for a work around. "You can die, though? Since you...took care of Marc?"

"Yes, we can die."

"By natural causes? Or does it have to be, you know..." Done by something—someone—other than nature.

"We can die if our blood supply runs out." He sets my arm down. "Of course, starving a vampire to death is no easy task, and it rarely happens due to natural causes."

Questions continue to pop in my brain, as if he's some sort of science experiment. "Can you reproduce? Or turn a human with your blood?"

"No."

That's not enough of an answer to satisfy. "No for both? Then how—"

"I think that's enough answers." He gets up to dispose of the old bandages.

"What about Deception?" I ask, knowing at least that will catch his attention. "Or a Source?"

Just as I thought, he turns and eyes widen. "Lucien mentioned those?"

"I overheard him when he was talking with the others. They said..." I think back, trying to remember their exact words. "They said Deception didn't work on me, and later Lucien said I had a resistance to it. I don't know what they meant by 'Source'."

Levi rubs his thumb over his lip. It's distracting. I wonder how soft his lips would feel, if it were my finger.

"When I used Deception on you, it worked just fine."

"You used it on me?" A small part of me feels betrayed. I mean, it is called Deception. I thought Levi would have been better than Lucien in that regard.

"Only to help you deal with the pain when I first found you."

Oh, hmm. I do remember his eyes glowing that night, but I couldn't tell if any of it was real. "What does it do? And if you can deceive someone, why not just hypnotize me or whatever so I think you're a regular human?"

Levi sits back in his chair. I guess he accepted I'm not letting this go. "If I had done that, you wouldn't realize the danger you're in."

Fair point. Still, I think he could have just painted Lucien as a serial killer and most people would high-tail it as far away as they could.

"Deception is a unique skill," he continues. "You're right in that it is similar to hypnotism. When a victim is vulnerable, we can suggest an alternate version of reality. Although we cannot rewrite memories, we can convince people to not believe their own experiences. Most people succumb without much prompting, but for some..." He looks up at me, an unspoken question in his eyes. "For some it's harder to reject their current reality in order to accept a new one."

That makes sense. "So basically, I accepted that Lucien was a monster, and that made it so he couldn't deceive me?"

"In the simplest of terms, yes."

"And what about the Source?" I try to weasel out more details while I have his attention. This is entertaining. Despite my motive of getting back at Lucien, I enjoy learning more about Levi's nature, too.

"A Source," he corrects. A hardened look crosses his face, blocking me out. "I can't tell you much about that."

I pout. "What else can you tell me?"

"The potential for each vampire is different—some will be stronger, faster, some will have a more constant and passive form of deception when their physical attributes, such as appearance and voice, seem more appealing—but in the end we are all predators. Anything that attracts humans or puts you at ease becomes our true strength."

"No wings?" I'm a little disappointed. Flying would almost make this whole ordeal worth it.

Levi glares at me, irritation flashing on his face. "This isn't a joke."

"I...I know." My fingers twist in a knot. I get that he's being overprotective, but maybe the real truth is he doesn't want to be so personal, either. "Just curious."

"You shouldn't be." Worry swirls in Levi's eyes. They've become faint, almost grey and void of color.

"What about your eyes?"

He sighs and looks away. Just when I accept that maybe he won't answer, he speaks. "They turn red after we drink, and fade when we need another meal."

"So you need to...you need more blood," I say in reference to his current state.

"Once a day is preferred, and I haven't gone out today," he answers. "Usually I go at night."

I fidget more with my hands. "How much?"

"You ask too many questions." The chair creaks as he stands. "I'll get it over with, if that would put you at ease. Shouldn't take very long."

Before he exits, he spares me one last glance. "Try to not let your curiosity get the best of you."

I nod. "Understood."

Not that I meant it. I have to know more, but this was a big enough revelation for the day.

He frowns, but then his face softens. "I don't feed from the innocent, by the way. You should know I'd never attack you."

"I know."

Somehow he didn't need to say it, though I'm glad he did.

What would you ask a vamp if given the chance?

❤️‍🩹 Siberia