While Levi's out, I take the liberty to venture into the kitchen and help myself to some snacks and refreshments. Being cooped up in that small bedroom has taken its toll, and any change of scenery is more than welcome.

As the sun lowers to the horizon, golden light shoots out in rays that pierce through the forest. Even the most insignificant clusters of wildflowers cast long shadows, their pigments saturated and leaves vibrant green despite the late hour. The view is stunning, not at all as haunting as a sunset in the city. When darkness approaches there it only serves as a reminder to the end of another day.

The desire to go outside and walk pulls me closer to the window in the living room. This place is magical, and I want to be a part of it. A part of something bigger.

However, I'm not sure when I'll run out of energy. My strength has been a little touch and go as of late, and I don't doubt Levi could find and bring me back if anything happened. Considering my excursion around the house was an accomplishment in and of itself, I decide to save the walk for another day.

Settling into the couch, my eyes are drawn back to the woods across from me. A handful of squirrels and birds chase each other outside the window. I feel envious; they don't worry about getting fired or keeping a roof over their heads. Surprisingly, I don't miss the sight of other people.

After a while the light fades further and the animals disappear into the tree branches that stretch into a dark blue sky. I wonder what Levi's doing right now. Is he someone else's nightmare, like Lucien is mine?

The thought doesn't sit well with me. He did say he won't target the innocent. What did he mean by that? I can't picture him being...well, a vampire.

I reach for the remote and turn on the TV, trying to distract myself from my thoughts and the itch on my arms. Surfing through the basic channels, I come to a pause at a true crime show. Soon I'm engrossed, reaching for the blanket and pull it closer and closer until I'm wrapped tight. The story line is intriguing, but I'm much more affected by the context than usual.

A little less than an hour later the front door opens. I jump, and then remember it's only Levi before relaxing again. Looking over my shoulder, I watch as he steps in.

Blue light from the television casts a soft illumination on his black jacket, outlining broad shoulders and a creating a sparkle in his eyes. He carries the confidence of one who wields power, but none of selfishness or delusion of a monster. Merely a man, who somehow isn't at the same time.

He carries a brown bag, this time it looks like take out. Guess he hunted down some dinner for me after he got his. The thought makes my lips lift in a smile. "Have a good trip?"

Deep red eyes meet mine. Instead of fear, something pleasant stirs in my heart, warmer than the blanket. "It went as expected." His attention shifts to the television. "Interesting choice of entertainment."

I snort. "I'm sure this stuff is nothing compared to what I assume vampires do."

"Mm." He doesn't sound amused. I turn back to the show as he walks to the dining table and sets down the bag. "Humans and vampires can be equally as cruel."

"Should I change the channel?" I didn't consider it might bother him, but maybe I should have.

"No, I don't mind." Good, I really want to see the ending. "Hope you like steak, I brought some back for dinner," he adds.

"Steak?" I turn around to watch him again, the jingle of a commercial breaking the show's suspenseful buildup.

"With baked potatoes and house salad." In the blink of an eye, the contents of the brown bag have been placed on plates and Levi brings them over.

I shrug out of the blanket wrap and take my plate as the scent of expertly cooked food reawakens my hunger. "You know, I really don't require such extravagant meals to recover properly. Hot dogs and apples have gotten me through more than you'd think."

"You seem to like it, though." He hands me a glass of water then sits down on the couch next to me, far enough so our bodies don't touch. "And a proper diet will aid recovery."

I shift, filling in the space between us. I try to gauge if he has a reaction, but with the dim lighting I can't read his body language enough to tell if he's tense or not. At least he seems more at ease than the first night we shared dinner. "Well, thank you."

I stuff a piece of the buttered steak in my mouth. It melts on my tongue. Hell, I could get used to this.

But I can't, so I'll have to enjoy it while it lasts.

As Levi cuts his steak I sneak a peek, expecting the meat to be rare, or not cooked at all. Instead I see a hint of pink, but nothing bloody. My wandering thoughts refocus as the commercial break ends. This is the last segment, where it all comes together.

We sit, eat, and watch in comfortable silence. Being relaxed is a foreign feeling, and I've missed it.

As the next episode comes on neither of us makes a move to get up or change the channel. I finish eating and set my plate on a side table, curling my knees up and tucking my feet into the blanket. This time the episode is about a serial killer. The wind rustles the trees outside, knocking against the window pane, but I only see darkness when my eyes flicker to the sound. Plain walls reflect the television's glow, giving the room a mysterious hue.

I try to not to stare, but can't help but steal sideways glances as I wonder what Levi's thinking about. We both know he's killed—but out of the two of us, I don't know how many, or how often.

He didn't answer my question earlier about how much blood a vampire needs. A sip? If I'm going by how much I saw Lucien and his associate's drink that theory holds, but I doubt they're the type to only drink when they have to.

A vampire could need enough blood to kill their victim, or even multiple at a time... How irresistible is human blood to them? The thought intrigues me more than it should. Levi hasn't shown any indications of bloodlust around me, but that doesn't mean it's not affecting him.

My hand reaches up, fingers tracing along the warm vein in my neck. Did Levi...did he taste mine? It would have been right there, pouring out and easy enough to take without leaving a mark. Not that he couldn't have drained me on the spot. Why not?

At first I assumed he was saving me, toying with his food, but now I'm not sure. Do I not smell appetizing enough? Maybe I am full of bad blood after all.

Levi sighs, snapping me from meandering thoughts. I drop my hand and try to compose myself, even though I feel like a child caught red-handed. "You can ask questions, as long as they don't entertain your vampire hunting fantasies."

My eyes shoot wide open as I look at him. "I thought mind reading wasn't one of your abilities?" I quickly tack on, "And I don't have vampire hunting fantasies."

He gives a knowing look, the expression more harsh in the stark lighting, but I think he was trying for sarcasm.

"I don't!" I reaffirm.

I can't very well let him think he needs to put up with me as prisoner just because I'm delusional enough to hunt the vampire that's hunting me.

"Reading your biophysical state can be just as effective as mind reading, especially for someone as bad at hiding their emotions as you."

Well, I—damn him. My acting skills need some serious improvement. In hopes of changing the topic, I ask what originally occupied my mind, "Do I smell good?"

Wait, that didn't come out quite as planned.

He appears taken aback, quirking his eyebrows, but answers just the same. "You smelled better after you bathed."

I open my mouth in an attempt to reply, but Levi speaks first, the corner of his mouth lifting in a smile. "You meant to ask about your blood?"

I nod. Heat creeps into my face, and although I know he can sense it, I'm glad he at least can't see it. Or maybe he can, dammit it all.

He rests an elbow on the arm of the couch and leans into his hand, looking into the distance. A strand of charcoal hair falls over his pale forehead. "You certainly don't smell bad."

Guess that's all the answer I'm going to get. I try a different approach. "Did you..." I pause, considering my wording more carefully this time. "When you found me, I'm assuming there was a lot of blood..."

"There was."

Light from the television fades in and out, revealing glimpses of the renewed saturation in his eyes. For a moment he seems to have gone somewhere else, then refocuses on me. "Keeping you alive took most of my attention. That, and I wasn't very hungry at the time."

"What if you had been hungry?" Even I notice how my pulse quickens, but I can't hide it.

He counters with a question of his own, "If I said you aren't my type, would you take it the wrong way?"

When he puts it like that...I glance at the TV as an escape, though I have no interest in the show anymore. I don't know how to take anything he says. All I wanted was a straightforward answer, not one that left me flustered.

A more pressing question comes to mind. "How old are you?"

"Older than you."

I sit up, letting the blanket slip off my shoulders. "Really? By how much? When were you born? Were you ever a human?"

A true smile breaks through his stony features, amusement showing at my excitement. "I was human, a long time ago. I'm older than most vampires."

I chew my lip, wanting to ask something else, but not sure if it's really appropriate. "What happened to your family?"

"Some of them passed away before I—," he stops, "Before I turned thirty years old. They all lived normal lives, for the time."

I continue asking random questions, which Levi more or less answers. True to his word, he doesn't reveal anything that would be useful for taking down Lucien, however I do learn that he's lived in multiple countries and continents, with this cabin being his main residence for the past few hundred years or so.

Piecing together his life—the life of a vampire—keeps me entertained. So much so, that I don't realize when both of us stop talking and my eyes slip closed.

A cold touch causes me to bury deeper into the blanket, then gravity shifts. Seconds later, a more enticing blanket covers me, and I sink into a soft mattress. Chills are replaced by the comfort of fluffy bedding, but I realize I don't want all the cold to leave.

My eyes open a sliver, and I see Levi reaching over to tuck in the blanket at my back. "Stay," I plead. The fear of another night plagued by Lucien is worse than the memories themselves. Somehow, when Levi is near, I don't feel as powerless.

No reply comes, and a weight settles in my heart as I hear him walk off.

Just as I'm fighting off another wave of drowsiness, the chair next to me creaks. I sigh, relaxing further into the bed.

If you were immortal, how would you spend your time?

❤️‍🩹 Siberia