The heat in my body when I woke up that Saturday morning was dreadful. I felt like my blood was boiling, my skin was on fire, my gums ached, it felt as if someone was putting a white hot branding iron down my throat. That's when I knew what had happened to me. The disease has been spreading for weeks, or so, that's what we thought.
Only a few survive the virus, and I knew I wasn't going to be an exception to this, my whole family had died from the virus, except my mom, who had been murdered.

                           BOOM!...

                          BOOM!...

Startled I sat up but kept hearing,

                          BOOM!...

A couple seconds later.

                         BOOM!...

I wondered if I was still in Gaea, my home town, but I was assuming I wasn't because of the loud banging sounds. Gaea in Greek meant Earth, so it always smelt like dirt and trees. Some of the other cities here didn't have this peacefulness about it, but that was why my parents had wanted to live here.
It was peaceful. Until “It” came. You couldn't smell it, or touch it. But you would know when you had it. You would have a red tint in the iris of your eyes. And you would be so thirsty it hurt, but no amount of water could quench your thirst. You would have superhuman powers, until you didn’t anymore.
That was when you knew the high was over. That, was when you knew you were going to die. That, was when you said goodbye.
BOOM!...
I heard the loud boom again and I realized it wasn't a sound, but the banging in my head. The headache that was going on right then was horrible. The walks I have been taking have kept me sane these past few weeks, so I decided to go. My house was border line on the woods, and even when I was little I would be out there. There was this clearing that always calmed me down, but I haven't been out there since the virus spread. As I was walking I had this weird sensation that I was being watched, but it didn't scare me for some reason. It actually made me feel more alive. I have always had a knack for adrenaline.
It usually took me about four hours to get there but today it took me almost all day. As I approached the clearing I saw a boy sitting on MY rock, staring up at the stars. I think he must have somehow sensed me because his back tightened. For some odd reason I felt the need to go over to him and rub his back to get him to loosen up, I shook my head to get rid of that crazy thought.
He stood up and turned towards me, he looked right at me and it felt like the world had fallen away, he looked into my soul, I felt… Bare. But it didn't scare me like it should have. He started towards me like he knew me and stood right in front of me, he was about five inches taller than me, he had jet black hair where I had dark brown hair, and his eyes, oh his eyes… They made my knees wobble, they were a rose-gold color, I didn't even know anyone's eyes could look like that. He looked at me and said,
“Hello, I'm Elias Tartarus,” I stared at him startled that he would even say anything to me. “I'm not from around here, I'm from Molral, just up The Eros River.”
I shook my head to get rid of the trance that had taken me under.
I spoke with more confidence than I felt like I had.
“I’m Everleigh…”
He interrupted me, “My, Everleigh your eyes are beautiful.”
He looked at me as though he knew me. I blushed and lowered my eyes to the ground at how open he was, how bold he was being.
“Don’t,” he took my chin is his hand and raised my face to meet his.
“Don't ever hide those beautiful eyes from me again.”
He smiled at me and continued to stare into my eyes.
Then all of a sudden he took his hand back like I had burned him, his eyes widened like he just realized something,
“No… You have it, don't you?”
He didn't say what but he didn't have to I know what he was talking about. The Virus. I shook my head yes, and started walking towards the rock he was just sitting on. He came over and sat right next to me, for some reason I felt as if I had known him my whole life.
“I found out this morning-” I started talking about everything that had happened with my family, friends, he sat there and listened, he would ask a few questions here and there but other than that he just listened, when I got to how my mom died I paused. I didn't want to cry in front of him, I didn't want him to think I was weak. I don't know why I felt that way, I didn't even know him.
He looked at me startled like he didn't want me to stop, but then I assumed he had realized I was having trouble keeping my composure because he pulled me over onto his lap and rocked back and forth, then he started singing to me, it was beautiful, his voice, it made me want to cry.
“Κ?μω ε ε ε…
Ν?νι μο? το ν?νι ν?νι
κι ?που μου πονε? να γι?νει.
Νανι το, που να το χαρ?,
σαν η ελι? το φ?λλο.
Σαν τα πουλ?κια το νερ?
και τα βουν? τον ?λιο.
Ε ε ε ε…”
I had always loved that lullaby, it translated to,

“I make (the sound) e e e ….
Nani (my baby) nani nani
and wherever it hurts will heal.
Nani to my baby, whom I enjoy
as the olive of its leaf.
As the little birds of the water
and the mountains of the sun.
E…e…e…e”
He was singing to me in a sweet, loving voice. I rested my head on his chest right where his heart should be, but I couldn't hear his heartbeat. He kept singing the same lullaby over, and over. When he stopped I raised my head to look in his eyes.
“I should probably get going soon…” I said quietly.
I tried to stand up, but he pulled me back down on his lap.
“No, let me.”
He then stood up carrying me bridal style and as if I was as light as a feather,
“You are tired, you need rest.”
He started walking towards the woods. I tried squirming out of his grasp but it was like he tied me to him.
“Elias, I can walk you know.”
He tightened his grip, and smiled. It was the most amazing smile I have ever seen. But he still didn't let me down. When I was walking here I had fallen a lot, but he didn't even stumble.
It took Two hours to get back to my house I don't know how we had gotten back so fast but, we did. As we got to the porch of my little white house, He asked,
“Where are your keys?”
I looked at him like he was a crazy.
“You really think I'm going to give my keys to a complete stranger?” I asked.
He looked at me and smiled. I think he realized how weird he was being because he shook his head and put me down on my feet and I wobbled a little like everyone does when you first stand up. Elias grabbed my shoulders to steady me.
“No, I didn't think you would…” He said with a sly smile. He looked at me one more time and turned around, and walked off. I was still staring at him when he reached the end of my driveway and turned around to look at me, he winked at me and ran off into the woods.
I turned towards my door and unlocked it. As I walked in I realized how tired I was. I went into the bathroom to take a shower and brush my teeth. After an hour I was ready for bed, I climbed into my bed but I couldn’t sleep. Finally, I felt my eyes droop and I fell asleep.
***
I don't know if I was still sleeping or not, but, I “woke” up to Elias sitting right next to me, on a rock on the beach. He looked at me startled, like I wasn't supposed to be there. When he looked at me, he really looked at me. He grabbed my hand and intertwined his hand with mine.
“I've never met anyone like you Everleigh.”
He took my hand and kissed each of my fingers.
“There are many people I have met but you, are different, i'm not going to lie to you…”
He looked at the ocean.
“But you have to promise not to tell anyone.”
He paused.
“Please promise me Everleigh.”
He looked at me with pleading eyes. I don't think I have ever seen someone so vulnerable.
“I promise Elias.”
He nodded his head and stood up.
He started pacing and then said, “You won’t remember this when you wake up, but I just want to see what you would do if I told you, I don't want to lie to you anymore. I don't know why, but I feel like I should trust you. You make me feel something I haven't felt in a millennium. But I don't want you to hate me because of who I am, please don't hate me…” He looked at me pleadingly.
“I promise Elias, but please tell me.” 
He turned around towards the lake. I could tell he was really struggling with telling me this so I went up to him and started rubbing his back. He started relaxing, he then turned around and grabbed both of my hands and put then up to his mouth and took a deep breath.
“I used to have the virus as well.” He started off.
“I didn't know what had happened to me I had this new strength and I didn't know what to do. I looked for days to try and figure out what was wrong with me but I never figured out how to make any of it go away, until one day… I was home, with my mother, sister, and father. We were all cooking dinner.”
He paused and looked off behind me like he was actually there in the kitchen, I could see the emotions playing over his face, I could tell he loved his mother dearly. Everytime he talked about her he would tear up and smile.
“My father was frying chicken, my sister and I cutting up vegetables. And my mother, she was cutting chicken and putting it in the egg and flour to then give to my father to put in the boiling grease. We were listening to an old country song…”
He trailed off, then his face darkened.
“I can still smell the blood of my mother when she cut her hand. I don't know what had gotten into me, but I had this sudden urge to go over and lick her hand where it was cut. I don't know why I did then, but it was such a powerful urge that I went over to her and took her hand.”
He paused, and I saw a red blood tear roll down his cheek. I was surprised to see it red but I just took my hand and wiped it off his face. He continued his story.
“I think she thought I was just going to mend to it. I took her hand up to my mouth and licked the deep gash on her hand.”
He paused and lowered his head and I saw another blood tear fall off his face.
“How could I do that to my own mother?”
He looked at me then, his eyes red and puffy.
“I guess I don't understand what you mean, when you tell me this…”
I phrased it as a question even though I knew what had happened to him. He lowered his head.
“I’m… A vampire.”
He said it with a kind of disgust I have only ever heard of in books. His jaw was clenching and he was running his hand through his black hair that looked like he had just gotten out of bed. I knew what this meant when he said this, and I knew that I had promised him that I wouldn’t be scared, but how could I not be. He is a VAMPIRE!  Someone who eats people, who is stronger than 1,000 men, stronger than me… I pushed away from him, and got up.
“No. Everleigh, please don't be afraid of me! I would never hurt you. I promise. Please don't be afraid.”
He had said it but I don't know how to not be afraid. I sat down on the shore and took a deep breath. I thought everything through. Then it hit me.
“How did you get like this?”
I thought I knew the answer but I didn't want to jump to any conclusions. He sat down on the rock and looked down at the sand.
“It’s the virus isn’t it?”
He closed his eyes.
“Oh my god… No, Elias please no.”
I started crying. I don't want to be here forever, I don't want to be like this I want to be… Normal. His eyes widened and he darted over towards me.
“Everleigh, I will find a cure for you I promise. You don't have to be like me…”
I heard a loud screeching beeping sound in the back of my head.
“It's your alarm clock.”
He looked at me.
“You will not remember this when you wake up.”
I grabbed him, but I couldn't feel him. Then I blacked out.
***
I darted up into sitting position in my bed. It was just a dream… I said to myself over and over, just a dream. But why did it feel so real? And how did I come up with that story? It must be all those books that I read… But could it have been real? No, it's not possible. So I might as well get ready for school.
I was a senior at Gaea’s one and only Hemera High School. There are about 700 kids in my school. We were halfway through the year. I have been an A honor roll student all my life, and I was not going to stop that now just because of some boy that was rattling me. At 17 years old I shouldn't even be thinking about a boy… Should I? The thing is even though the virus is going around, you still are made to come to school. The virus isn't contagious, but we still don't know how it gets passed around.
I arrived at school 20 minutes before the bell rang in my 2225 Chaos truck. It’s a black four door.
My first hour was English with Mrs. Selene Thanatos. She was short with her hair died but you could see her roots coming in. She always had a smile on her face and was really nice. She was my favorite. I had always loved English. I walked in and took my seat right by her desk. We had partners that sat next to us. But she knew I was a good student so she always let me fly by with no partner. I was lucky because their was an odd number of students in my Advanced English class. I took out my white binder that was so full I had papers from the front ripping out of it. I had always kept it clean and organized though. I took out my orange pencil with a gray eraser, red and blue pen, and my favorite book. To Kill A Mockingbird By: Harper Lee
Mrs. Thanatos was explaining what we should be doing with our writing piece we are working on, when the door opened. Just some kid late for class.
“Well good morning to you Mr. …”
She looked at the kid that entered expectantly.
“Tartarus, Elias Tartarus.”
I froze. Could it be? I turned around, and he was standing in the doorway with a c***y smile on his face. He was wearing a black leather jacket with a black t-shirt underneath, blue jeans, and black boots. He looked like a… a biker. I turned around before he could notice me staring at him, and continued writing.
“Well Mr. Tartarus, I am Mrs. Selene Thanatos, and we only have one seat open… Ms. Nyx is it okay if Mr. Tartarus sits next to you?”
I can't believe he is here… Is he following me? Why would he follow me?
“MS. NYX!”
Mrs. Thanatos said quite loudly to me. I realize I was staring at him, he was smiling at me. Knowingly.
“Uhh… Yes Mrs. Thanatos, that would be fine.”
I stuttered. I can't believe I just did that. Oh my god, he probably thinks i'm mental.
He sat down and got out a #2 pencil, a dark blue binder that didn't have anything in it. Then he got out his book, Oliver Twist by: Charles Dickens. I was surprised, a classic. Why would a guy like him read a book from 1838? I thought it was sweet though how he wants to act all cool but he loves to read. He looked at me.
“Hello.”
He said to me with a smirk.
“Um… Hi?”
I mumbled.
“You were staring earlier… So I thought you wanted to talk.”
I blushed and looked away. Ugh so he did catch me staring.
“Oh… I’m sorry, I guess I was just drifting off.”
I said matter of factly.
“I would love to…”
“Ms. Nyx and Mr. Tartarus, would you like to explain what I was just saying?”
Mrs. Thanatos said with a little bit of a smirk. My eyes widened and I froze.
“Mrs. Thanatos, you were saying that when you write a story you have keep the reader interested and create a conflict. Or make the characters have a weakness, so we can relate to them.”
He looked right in her eyes but wore the same smile she wore before, but now her mouth was hanging open just like every other kids in the class.
“I am very sorry for interrupting your class, and i’m sure Everleigh is as well, right?”
“Yes I am so very sorry.”
I said stuttering, still wowed by how he could do that. I sat back in my seat, and tried to think back to see if I could remember her saying anything she said when we were talking, but I heard nothing. I must have been so caught up in his voice that I didn't hear her talking to the class.
“Well then, since you both decided to talk in my class. I will see you Friday night, in detention. Ms. Nyx, I am very disappointed.”
The disappointment card… I have never had that card. And it was all because of him…
Throughout the rest of the day he would see me in the hall walking past or he would walk past me. He would always have a group of girls around him but when I would walk by he would look straight at me. Smirking.
He was in all of my classes besides my last one. I had photography, and by the way Victoria was screeching down the hall about the “cute new guy in her last period” I assumed he was in her woodshop class. As I got into my truck I saw a silver car that looked like it was worth a million dollars, stop right next to me. The car made my truck look like a peice of crap. The dark tinted window on the driver side rolled down, and Elias looked right at me. He stepped out of the car and walked up toward me. Everyone was staring. I hate being the center of attention, and I think he noticed it because he walked around to my passenger side and got in. His car was still running, I looked at him like he was crazy.
“Elias, what are you doing?”
I asked him incredulously He just got in my car. I thought I locked it?
“I would like to take you to dinner tomorrow.”
He said matter-of-factly. Not even asking like he knew I would say yes. It was actually kind of annoying.
“So? What do you say? Dinner tomorrow night my place 7 O’clock, I will pick you up.”
“Excuse me?”
I said.
“You think you can come barge into my car and then force me to got to dinner with you?”
I  said with a smirk on my face. He smiled.
“Yes?”
He grabbed my hand and started playing with the palm of my hand.
“Fine I will go to dinner with you, But! You are cooking.”
I said laughing.
“Okay I will pick you up tomorrow at 7 then.”
He then got out of my truck and jumped in his car.
“See you later.”
And then he sped off. I can't believe what had just happened. I just got a date with the new guy. The guy everyone has been talking about. Elias Tartarus. But what about that dream last night? Could I keep it together knowing what I dreamt that last night? Well I guess we will see.
I got home that night around four and grabbed my keys and put them in my door. I walked in and went into the kitchen to start dinner. After 30 minutes of cooking I realized I was cooking something similar to what Elias had said in my dream. Fried Chicken and vegetables. He is getting in my head. By six I had finished dinner and was ready to get in the shower, when there was a knock on my door.
As I walked to the door I put on a pair of shorts and a baggy sweatshirt. I looked through the peephole in the door and saw a bouquet of flowers sitting on my porch with a card and a teddy bear. I opened the door and grabbed them and took them inside. I went into my kitchen and took a vase from inside the left side cupboard and filled it halfway with ice cold water, and set them on the kitchen table. I grabbed the teddy bear and the card and went upstairs to my bedroom. I set the baer on my bed and the card on my desk, I grabbed my towel and my pink silk robe and went to get in the shower.
When I got done brushing my teeth with my purple toothbrush, I went into my room and changed into light blue pajama pants, and a gray tank top. I grabbed the card off of my desk and went to my bed, and sat down indian style. I set the bear on my lap and opened the red card envelope. Inside was a purple, pink, and blue home-made card.
On the front it said,

Don't be afraid to try something different,
Because different is good,
But never put your guard down,
For you could get hurt.

On the right inside it said,

But don't be afraid of me ,
I will always protect you,
For you are the sunshine in my world,
-Love Elias Tartarus

His handwriting was beautiful, and his poem made me tear up.
I realized there was more writing on the left inside, it said,

Hello Everleigh Nyx, Thank you so much for the date, I wanted to give you something to remember me by before the date. I know my poem was cheesy but I just wanted to make you feel special. The bear was my mother's and I want you to have it. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow night.
-Sincerely, Elias Tatarus

I re-read the card over and over trying to figure out if I had read the name wrong or something, but over and over I kept reading in delicate hand writing Elias Tartarus. Why would he write me that? And he said was his mothers, is his mother gone? I didn't want to overthink things so I decided it was time to go to bed. I got under my covers and pulled them up to my chin, and fell asleep.

***

In my dream I was sitting on the sand by a lake where my mother, father, brother, and I, used to go for my birthday every year.
“Everleigh!”
I heard Elias say like he didn't think I would be here.
“Elias?”
I honestly didn't think he would be here.
“What are you doing here?”
I asked but I was glad he was here he gave off a calming vibe. But I still didn't understand why he was here, in my dream.
“I came to see you, I don't like being without you.”
He came over to me and picked me up into a huge bear hug, and I couldn't help but hug him back. He made me feel safe. We kept talking for what felt like forever about nothing in particular, when I said,
“All day at school today Elias, I wanted to tell you about my dream about you last-”
He cut me off.
“Wait, what? You remember?”
He asked.
“Of course I do, why wouldn't I?”
“You weren't supposed to, but if you remember than you know…”
He stopped waiting for me to cut in.
“That you're a vampire… Yes but how-”
He cut me off again.
“Okay, tomorrow at dinner, if I ask “Do you sleep a lot?” say ‘Hypnos’ if you remember this dream.”
I looked at him weird. “That way I know if you remember so that I don't freak you out.”
Again just like last night my alarm went off and my paradise was over. I wrapped my arms around him and blacked out.
***

I woke up with a raging headache so I started up the shower to the hottest temperature and went downstair to the kitchen to make breakfast. I got out a tin of muffins and put them in the oven. As I walked up the stairs I decided today was going to be a good day, I know I can’t literally say that today is going to be a good day, but I am going to try.
I got in the shower with a smile on my face, and Tyler Burch from my phone playing his new hit, ‘She’s a Heart Attack Girl’. I was chanting along to his singing and had only his songs on replay. I got out of the shower, brushed my teeth, put on some mascara, and got dressed in black leggings, a maroon dressy shirt, with a leather jacket. I went down stairs, all dressed, hair in curls and ready for the day.
My music still playing, and me dancing around the house, I got my muffins out of the oven and put the on a plate on the kitchen counter. I put my boots on and was out the door with my bag and keys in one hand and a muffin in the other. I got into my truck and turned on 96.5, and drove off to school. I passed the cemetery with my families sepulcher, and smiled knowing that they don't have anymore pain. I decided that after school I was going to freshen up their flower source with my favorite daisies.  
I got to school 20 minutes before school started and got a great parking space. I put my keys into my bag and swung it onto my back. I grabbed my phone and headed to my locker. As I was walking to my locke I felt someone tap my shoulder, I turned around to Elias smiling at me.
“Well someone looks happy today!”
He said with a huge grin on his face. His dimples were showing and he looked so cute! He was wearing dark blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and his leather jacket. He had a bag over his shoulder and a sweatshirt was falling out of it.
“Yep! Today is a good day!”
I said smiling, I turned around and bumped into a girl holding a styrofoam cup filled with pop, the cup bursted open drenching my shirt with cherry coke.
“Oh my god, I am so sorry! You better watch where you're going Everleigh!”
Britney said, smiling sourly. She had a sarcastic tone to her and I almost erupted from anger. But I stopped and darted into the girl's bathroom and locked the door behind me.
Why would Britney do that to me? I have been nothing but nice to her. I went over the sink and started wiping off my shirt, when I hear an eruption from outside the girls bathroom. I walk to the door and opened it to Elias zeroed in on Britney, he had a bone chilling look on his face and was so close to her their bodies were touching. He was super calm but every now and then he would yell. I ran over to him grabbed his arm and pulled him into the bathroom with me and locked the door again.
“Elias, what are you doing? You could get yourself into trouble!”
I was yelling at him now. Why would he do that? I swear guys are such idiots!
“Everleigh, calm down it is fine I am not going to get into trouble! I know what I am doing.”
“Elias you can't just go around and do that all of the time. You can't yell at her, she is the Queen B at this school. You will get yourself into a bad place in this school, like I am now. Just-”
He cut me off by covering my mouth with his hand.
“Everleigh calm down. I am going to help you whenever you need it. I will be there for you no matter what”
He looked me up and down. My shirt was soaked, and my face was contorted.
“Now stop with the cute pouty face,” he stopped talking and smiled, “and change your shirt.”
I looked at him with a sour smile.
“And what exactly do you expect me to change into?”
I asked him with sarcasm.
“Stop it! I can't take you seriously when you're mad…”
He smiled again and I pushed his shoulder.
“Hey you might want to be nice to the man who is letting you borrow his sweatshirt! With your luck you will probably get something spilled on this as well.”
He laughed and grabbed the sweater to hand to me. I took it and waited, he crossed his arms.
“Well?”
“I am NOT getting dressed in front of you!”
I folded my arm mockingly.
“Fine,” he said,
“I will turn around.”
He turned around and I rolled my eyes.
“Hey don't roll your eyes at me!”
I looked up and realized he could still see me in the mirror.
“Really! Go stand in the corner!”
I told him. He laughed and went to the corner and stood there. I took off my jacket, shirt and tank top that was still soaking wet and put his sweatshirt on. It smelt like pine trees, and him. But it was HUGE!
“I look like a marshmallow.”
I said disapprovingly, even though I was glad to have it. He laughed and turned around.
“No you don't. You look absolutely adorable in my sweater.”
He smiled. I looked at him and ran my fingers through my hair. He walked over to me and bent down to pick up the cloths that were on the floor.
“What are you doing?”
I asked reaching for my clothes. He pulled them back and shoved them in his bag.
“This is how I know if you will actually come on this date with me tonight.”
He said, “I don't want you cancelling on me now do I? Because then I will have all the food that I cooked.”
“I wouldn't do that, but I just wanted to bring them home right now so they don't stain!”
I said pleadingly.
“Okay then, let's go!”
I'm confused did he just say “let's” go? I looked at him and started shaking my head.
“Ummm… You are not coming with me.”
He started laughing.
“Oh I know,” he paused, “you are coming with me.”
He then proceeded to grab my hand and pull me out of the bathroom. I pulled against him,  but he didn't budge. When we got to the parking lot he stopped at a huge black motorcycle.
“I AM NOT GETTING ON THAT BIKE!”
I screeched. He grabbed my hand and pulled me to him into a bear hug. My heart was beating so fast he could probably hear it.
“I will never let anything hurt you or make you get on my bike. But I am going to ask you to trust me.”
I leaned back out of his embrace and looked deep into his eyes,  and I knew that I could trust him with my life. I nodded my head,  and he let go of me.
I watched him walk over to his bike, throw his leg over the side of it and kick start it up. It was as loud as a lions roar,  but as sweet as its pur. I walked over to the bike and put my left hand on his shoulder and my right on the back of his bike. I threw my leg over the seat and climbed on. He turned his head and said, 
“hold on!”
I looked at the sides of the bike and then back up to the back of his head.
I tapped his shoulder.
“Where?”
I asked. He laughed and let go of the handle bars. He reached around to me and grabbed my hands. He pulled them around his waist and hooked my pointer fingers into different loops on his pants.
He looked around to me and asked, 
“You ready?”
I shook my head yes. As soon as I did that he sped off. I swear we were going way over the speed limit. I squeezed my hand and arm tighter to him so I wouldn't fall off. I felt him smile and then he turned his head towards me.
“You scared?” He asked. My eyes bulged open and I pushed his head back toward the road.
“EYES ON THE ROAD! I DON'T FEEL LIKE DYING TODAY!”
I screamed at him he laughed and took his hands off of the handlebars.
“What are you doing? You are going to kill yourself and me in the process!”
He laughed again, and put his hands back on the handlebars.
20 minutes later we pulled into my drive, he shut off his bike and let me climb off the back of it. My knees were really wobbly, and I almost fell over. But Elias was already there beside me grabbing my shoulders.
“Yeah,”
he said,
“You will get used to that.”
I nodded and he smiled. He kept his hands on my shoulders until he thought I was steady enough to stand on my own. He looked very hesitant to let go of me though. I walked up to my door and I grabbed my keys out of my bag, and put them into the lock. I walked in through the door, and held the door open for him. He didn't walk through.
I looked at him with my eyebrows raised.
“Well I am not just going to walk in,”
he said with a smile,
“I am not that rude.”
I shook my head, to get out of the trance I was in because of his hesitance.
“Of course not. Well Elias, would you like to come in?”
I said with a laugh. He smiled. And shook his head yes.
“Of course, I would love to come inside of your lovely home.”
He walked in through the doorway, and shut the door behind him. He took his bag off his shoulder and was about to open it when I took it from him. His eyes widened and he looked shocked. I laughed.
“Everleigh, what are you doing?”
He said very seriously. I raised my shoulders and ran off into the house. I could hear him running behind me, so I turned around to look at where he was when I ran into something hard. I started falling back when I realized it was Elias I had ran into, he grabbed me before I could full on fall.
“How did you do that?”
I asked once he had caught me and helped me stand up. He laughed.
“Well, I was on the track team at my last school. And when I saw you getting ready to turn around I sprinted up to the other side of you and got in front of you so you would run straight at me.”
He smiled.
“No one has ever beat me in a race.”
I nodded an okay and started unzipping his bag when he took it from me. I looked at him confused.
“What are you doing?”
I asked with a confused look on my face.
“Why don't I get the clothes and give them to you, so you can hurry up and cook us some lunch.”
“Okay, but who said I was cooking lunch?”
“Well I am assuming we are not going back to school, and since I am cooking dinner tonight, you get to cook lunch.”
He looked at me seriously.
“Fine, but you have to help!”
We laughed and he nodded his head in a yes.
“Okay but come here so I can get the clothes clean.”
I started walking towards the laundry room and he followed. As I got in there he already had my clothes out of his bag and was putting them on the top of the washer.
“There you go, Princess Buttercup!”
He said, setting my clothes down.
“Now, what can I do next to help?”
I looked at him and thought about it for a minute.
“Well since you're taller than me. Can you open that cupboard right there,”
he pointed to a cupboard,
“nope the next one over, yep that one. Okay now let me see.”
I stood on my tippy toes to try and look for the cleaning stick, when I felt his hands on my hips.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Well your short so you can't see up there so I thought I would help you by making you a little taller.”
He said with a smile, He was holding me up at arm's length, but they weren't even shaking. He saw me looking at him, and said,
“I was a dead lifter,  at my last school…”
“Okay…”
I looked up to the cupboard and found the stick I was looking for.
“Okay, you can put me down now.”
I said, but he was already lowering me down to the floor.
“Thank you for… The lift.”
I said with a giggle. Did I seriously just giggle? Oh my god, I did. Okay just act cool maybe he didn't hear you? No he definitely heard. How could he not have?
“No problem,” he said with a smile.
“Anything else?”
I shook my head no. And he just stood against the wall and watched me. I felt nervous with his eyes on me. I started scrubbing the stain off my shirt and finally after what felt like hours it didn't have a stain, so I threw it in the wash with some other cloths that were dirty, and started the washer up.
“Okay I think we are done with that,”
I said and turned to look at him, but he was already gone. I walked out of the laundry room and out into the living room, and he was sitting on the couch with his head lolled back, his arms were crossed on his lap and he was snoring slightly. I smiled and walked away into the kitchen.
As I walked into the kitchen I turned the radio on a soft tune and started cooking lunch. I grabbed some chicken out of the fridge that had already been cooked and started heating it up in the microwave. Then I started cooking some rice, carrots, onions, and peas.
When the chicken, and rice was done I put them both into the pan and made a stir fry. I took two plates out and heated them up in the microwave. I put the top on the pan and took out soy sauce and let the plates stay in the microwave.
I walked into the living room and saw that Elias was still sleeping. I went over to him and sat next to him.
“Elias, wake up.”
I said while rubbing his shoulder. I wanted to make sure he ate,  I don't know why I keep wanting to take care of him but I just keep feeling very protective over him.
He moaned a “no” and rolled over onto my lap. I laughed.
“Elias you have to get up, our food is going to get cold.”
I was rubbing his hair trying to persuade him to get up.
“What'cha make.” He mumbled.
“Chicken stir fry.”
I said matter of factly. He squeezed me tighter and shook his head.
“Mmmmm but I don't want to get up…” he mumbled.
And then he started lightly snoring again. I decided he wasn't going to be getting up anytime soon so I tried getting up but he tightened his grip on me.
“No stay with me… please.” I laughed.
“I would like to go eat before my food gets cold.”
He groaned, and then he sat up,  and rubbed his eyes. I watched him, he tried to keep this bad boy facade up but I know it was just a cover up.
I went to stand up, but he pulled me back again.
“What are you doing, Elias?”
“Just promise me that after dinner we can go back to sleep,” he paused, 
“do you like sleep?” I had a moment of recognition,  didn't he tell me to answer that with hypnos? Last night in the dream?
I looked at him and said, “Hypnos.”
And as soon as I said it his eyes shot at me, and then her grabbed my hand.
“You remember.”
I nodded and he shot up.
“So I guess this is when you kick me out of your house.”
He said it with disappointment, and started walking towards the door.
I grabbed his hand and pulled him back.
“Uh uh uh, where are you going?”
I asked him.
“You didn't think I was going to make you leave did you?”
He looked at me like I wasn't thinking right.
“Wait so you do remember the dream right?”
I nodded a yes.
“Then why aren't you scared of me?”
He looked at me incredulously.
“You don't think I would hurt you.”
“If I thought you were going to hurt me, would I be here trying to keep you here with me?”
He looked at me and blinked several times.
“You're a marvel.”
He said and came over to me and hugged me. He put his head in the crook of my neck and took a deep breath.
“You have no idea how hard it is,  you smell so delectable. It's hard for me not to just devour your neck. I can hear your sweet, sweet blood pumping through your neck. It's very tempting.”
He took one last breath of my neck and leaned back. I looked at him and then leaned my head on his chest.
“Why aren't you scared of me Everleigh?”
He asked after a little while. We ended up on the couch with me on his lap.
“Right now I could kill you with the flick of my wrist. And yet you still want me to stay.”
He set me on the couch and stood up.
“You shouldn't - no I shouldn't have came here in the first place.”
He started walking away. I ran up behind him and spun him around.
“Hey! Don't turn your back on me now that I know. I trust you because Evan though you could kill me at anytime,  you didn't. And that lets me trust you, Elias. Don't ever forget that.”
“Everleigh, you don't know what you're agreeing to when you say you trust me.”
He said quietly.
“Then tell me.”
He looked away from me and sat down on the couch.
“There are many things you don't know about your world. There is a code to which we have to live. Some of us agree to it some of us, don't.”
He paused to look at me. I could tell he didn't want to tell me the rest. So I took his hand and squeezed his hand.
“I haven't always followed the code. But there is a hierarchy, we have a clan here, and multiple other clans everywhere else I was 2nd in command, to my best friend, Dylan. He runs this clan here. He wants to spread out our population so we won't have to hide anymore. I didn't like the idea so I left. And I got on a ‘diet’ where I don't drink from the vein.”
He paused. And looked at me. Waiting for me to say something.
“So you aren't 17?”
He laughed and shook his head.
“I was turned at 17, but now I believe I'm about 387 years old.”
I took his chin in my hand and turned his face to one side, then the other.
“Yep, I never would have guessed.”
He laughed again.
“I have another question. Why did you stop, drinking from the vain?”
I could see he was dreading this question, by the way he tensed and looked away.
“Hey, you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to.”
I want to know but, I don't want to push him too far.
“No, I don't want to lie to you. But it wasn't a good time for me.”
He paused and look to the side of me,  he looked deep in memory.
“It was about 50 years ago. I was an unruly vampire back then. Vampire have something called, humanity. And if we want we can turn it off. Back then. I had turned it off, I don't remember most of it. I was mostly drunk the whole time, on blood or whiskey. It was a bad time for me,  I killed everyone I could, but when I fed off the vain I couldn't stop. I was something the elders call, a non-humane vampire switch. Some vampires when they turn it off still have some sort of humanity. But I didn't. I hated everyone who did something I didn't like. Especially my brother.”
He looked at me.
“Wait you have a brother?”
He laughed.
“See I tell you I am one of the most dangerous type of vampire out there. And all you get out of it is that I have a brother.”
He smiled.
“But yes I do have a brother,  a twin for that matter.”
He smiled and he looked at me.
“For years he tried getting my switch back on but I hated him for it. I even tried killing him once or twice.”
I looked at him, how could he want to kill his own brother?
“What happened between you and your brother?”
His eyes teared up and he walked away from and into the kitchen.
“Can we save that for another time?”
He asked.
“For now I would just like to eat. I am starving...”
My stomach growled and I blushed. I had not realized how hungry I was. He laughed and went to get the plates out of the microwave.
“Sorry,” I apologized.
“So, you eat? And you can sleep? But the sun doesn't burn you?”
He laughed.
“Most of thing people say about us, are myths. But yes I eat, it doesn't satisfy me but, it keeps people from thinking i'm weird…”
He looked at me.
“Sun can kill me if I become a cold blooded killer. The more I kill the more the sun bothers me.” 
“So at night, when I have the dreams. Are you here?”
He shook his head.
“No I have to be invited in. But now that I have been invited in. I could, if I wanted to. Or if you wanted me to...”
I just looked away and started talking about something else.
We spent the rest of the night talking and answering questions. He left at midnight, but promised to be back in time for our “dream date” as he called it.

***
Three  days later as I was walking through the woods with Elias by my side. We have spent the last three days talking,  and just hanging out together. I had totally forgotten my virus. Until that day. I felt awesome with Elias holding my hand we were walking with the sun beaming down on us. Then I felt my legs get weak and I got really dizzy. I stopped and leaned on a tree.
“Everleigh, babe what's wrong?”
He came over to me and started rubbing my back.
“I don't know I am just all of a sudden really hot and weak.”
I blew out a breath and almost fell over but he caught me.
“Oh no… oh no no no! This can't be happening. Not now.”
He paused and put his cold hand on my forehead.
“Everleigh, you are going through the stage right now where you have to chose, between a life like mine with me or you die. But before you choose know that I will always be here for you through it all.”
“I can't believe it. Are you sure I have to choose? I mean what would I even have to do to complete the change?”
He looked down to the ground and I could see the tear rolling down his face. It still surprises me every time I see a blood tear roll down his face.
“I'm sorry Everleigh I know you won't chose to stay with me. Especially when I tell you how you become like me. You will never think about me the same way again.”
I grabbed his chin and pulled his head up to look up at me.
“Tell me Elias.”
He forced his head away from me.
“Do you remember that story I told you about my family?”
He was looking at me again so I nodded my head.
“Well, I never really told you the whole story. I didn't just try my mother's blood I craved it. When I took my mouth from her hand all I could think about was how good it had tasted. And I couldn't help myself from feeding on her. And I didn't stop until her last breath took her. And then I went on to murder my whole family. When I was just a new vampire that's what I was, it's what I did. I killed every human I came across.”
He stopped and hung his head down in self loathing.
“In order for the change to be complete you have to kill a human. And I did. That enough to where I was a perfect little vampire to its dark side.”
“Elias, I know you won't do that anymore. I won't let you. You are to important for me to let you go.”
I went over to him and pulled him up to me into a big bear hug.
“How could you still want to be around me after everything I have done? I am a monster! I could kill you. In fact there has not been one moment where I have not thought about sinking my teeth into your skin to taste your sweet, sweet blood.”
He put his head into the crook of my neck and smelled deeply.
“You wouldn't be able to stop me. No one would hear you.”
And then he took a step back.
“But then I could never bring myself to do it. You mean to much to me.”
“Elias. I know you would never hurt me.”
I moved all my hair over my left shoulder and bent my head.
“I trust you.”
I pulled his head to my neck and urged him to bite me.
“Everleigh,” he choked out.
“I don't want to hurt you.”
I could tell it was taking all of his restraint not to dig his teeth deep into my neck.
“It's okay Elias. You won't hurt me.”
He waited a little longer,  but then with a savage cry he sank his teeth deep into my neck.
He pulled himself closer to me and bit deeper. I expected to feel some type of discomfort but all I could feel was him. I could feel his presence in my head. I could hear how much he needed blood, I could feel how much hunger he had. But with that I could also feel and know how much he felt for me. And I was grateful to understand that he felt for me as much as I felt for him.
I pulled him closer to me and he pushed me against the tree behind me. I was hoping that he would understand how much I trusted him, and how much I cared for him.
He pulled back with to drips of my blood rolling down his chin. His face was still contorted into the monster. The white part of his eyes were blood red and it looked like black veins were coming from his eyes. I rubbed my thumb under his eyes and the black veins disappeared. He cut his thumb with his fang and started rubbing his blood on the holes. I knew he was healing me.
I took my thumb and wiped the blood off his chin. He looked at me as I worked on getting the blood off his chin.
Finally he asked, “Did I hurt you?”
I raised my eyes to his and could see himself mentally destroying himself for doing what he just did. I put my hand on the side of his face and he leaned into my hand and closed his eyes.
“Why would you think that?”
I kissed his cheek and waited for him to answer me.
“Because you're crying.”
He said, then be wiped the tear that I didn't notice was rolling on my cheek off. I smiled and softly laughed.
“Well I'm telling you right now, you didn't hurt me. I'm crying because of how beautiful this moment is.”
He smiled and kissed her cheek.
“I don't want to be the reason you choose something you don't want. But I need to tell you. Everleigh,  since the first time I met you I knew something was different about you. I've been walking this earth for a long time so that says something. But what I'm trying to say is Everleigh, I think that i'm in love with you…”
My breath sucked in as I heard the words that I have been waiting to hear.
“Elias,  I don't think dying was ever a choice. You have made me feel loved so many times over the past days. I think I'm in love with you to.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, when I felt the weakness come over me again.
“I can't lose you, come on.”
He lifted me up bridal style and used his super fast speed to race me back to Gaea square.
He stopped when we were close. He stopped and set me down. When I was steady he pulled me to an alley way and told me to wait there.
It was 15 minutes later when Elias came back with a man, he looked about 32 years of age. I looked at Elias, confused. .
“I found this man about to rape a little girl younger than us.”
The man's eyes widened as Elias’s faced turned to a monster. He bit into the stranger's neck and then let go with a smile.
“Your turn.”
He said as he pulled her closer. She looked at the blood oozing out of the bite on the man's neck.
She took her index finger and touched the blood, bringing it to her lips. She sucked on her finger and an overwhelming amount of pleasure assaulted her senses. She then placed her right hand on the right side of his head and brought her head to his neck.
She could smell the sweetness of his blood. She put her mouth on the blood and she could feel her face start to contort and the fangs grow from her gums but she was to overwhelmed with the taste of him that she didn't notice the pain of it. She bit deeply into him and drank from him. She drank more and more until she couldn't drink no more. Then she drank again. Until she felt hu? I'm limp in her arm's.
She looked up with a killer smile on her lips Elias was looking at her and smiling at her.
She went over to him and hugged him, when she let go of him she looked over his shoulder and saw the one woman she always looked forward to seeing. The one woman who she thought she would never see again.
“Mom?”

THE END