Blood Gifts by Kara Lockley

movements.
You have to be slow like a human," he said to her. "Right?
    "Right," she said as she stared out the
window. Everything familiar looked so different now. "And try not
to eat my friends. Blah blah."
    "It takes concentration, Karina. That's why I
keep harping on it."
    "I know. Sorry. But I've been practicing it,
haven't I? I know I've got it down."
    "Okay. And don't forget you have super
strength now."
    "Luke," she said firmly, looking over at
him.
    "Sorry," he said.
    They arrived at her apartment building, and
it looked so different through vampire eyes. It was suddenly high
definition. And brighter. She stared up at it in awe as she got out
of the car. Luke got out and came around the car to take her hand.
He gently pulled her inside the building as she stared up at
it.
    People in the lobby actually stopped and
stared at her. She guessed her face had been on the news. They
gaped as Luke and Karina got on the elevator and went up to her
floor. No one was in the hall upstairs. They walked down to her
apartment and the door was open. She heard voices inside. It was
her landlord and Leanne. She got a little teary eyed hearing her
voice.
    "It shouldn't take us too long to get her
stuff together," Karina heard Leanne say. "I don't think we need
movers until it's time to move the furniture."
    "If there's anything I can do to help, let me
know," the landlord said.
    "I will. Thank you," Leanne answered. She
sounded sad. Defeated. Karina stepped into the doorway. The image
of her apartment was brighter and sharper too. And one of her best
friends leaning over a box looked more beautiful than ever.
    "Oh, my God," the landlord said. He stared at
Karina with his mouth open. Leanne turned quickly to look.
    "Oh, my God, Karina!" she shouted. Then she
squealed and ran to Karina and threw her arms around her. She
started to babble a mile a minute while they hugged each other
tightly.
    "Oh, my God, we were so worried. We didn't
know what happened to you or if you were even still alive after
that one phone call. We paid your rent for the first month and then
Carl let it go for one month and now we were just packing up
and—Nina! She's back! Meet us at her apartment! She's here!"
    Karina laughed. Apparently, Leanne had been
dialing her cellphone while hugging and talking to her.
    Karina pulled away from the hug. She saw what
Luke meant about people being tempting. She noticed Leanne's warmth
more now and she swore she could hear her blood pumping through her
veins, but she could ignore it. Karina had tears in her eyes while
she looked at her.
    "Where were you?" Leanne asked as she stared
at her. "You look different."
    "I, uh… a guy kidnapped me. Not this guy,"
Karina said quickly, pointing to Luke. "He rescued me." Luke and
Karina had a whole cover story thought up.
    "Well, thank you!" Leanne said, turning and
throwing her arms around Luke. He laughed and hugged her back
briefly.
    Karina heard the landlord talking on the
phone. "Yup. She's here," he said. "She's alive. She's back." Then
he hung up the phone. "911," he said to her. "Sorry. I didn't know
what else to do. Welcome back, Karina." He gave her a quick
one-armed hug and then stepped toward the door. "I'll leave you all
to catch up. Glad to have you back."
    "Thank you," she said. He left. He'd
certainly never been so friendly to her before. What a weird
homecoming. Then she heard Nina from the doorway.
    "Oh, my God, it's really you."
    Karina turned to see her standing there with
tears in her eyes. It was as if she was afraid to cross the
threshold into her apartment.
    Karina went over to her quickly, trying not
to use her vampire speed, and threw her arms around her.
    "Oh, my God, you're real," Nina said,
gingerly putting her arms around her. "I'm so glad you're
real."
    Karina laughed.
    "Nina, this is Luke. He saved her," Leanne
said excitedly. Karina glanced at Luke. She thought he was actually
blushing. She let Nina go. Nina stepped into the apartment.
    "Thank you, Luke,"