Darkling by Mima Sabolic

strange sense of home, of San Diego.
    “Where are you from?” I asked.
    “I live here in downtown Tromsø, for now. My father has responsibility on the Council, so we had to move. And since he’s a lawyer, he’s used to living among humans, unlike me, which is why he took an apartment downtown and not here in the compound. My guess is he’s teaching me a lesson, because I couldn’t get over the fact of mass burnings and lynchings. He figures that total emersion will help me to evolve and get over it.”
    “Like total emersion will help me with your fangs,” I said, and her gaze lingered on me. Then she gave me a wide smile and took my hand.
    “I want you to meet someone.”
    Her touch felt pleasant, and, surprisingly, it didn’t scare me. She moved like a butterfly, fluttering through the crowd with a smile on her face. I followed without complaint. Actually, her strides were so long that she practically dragged me, until she stopped in front of a tall boy.
    “This is Aidan. I couldn’t bear existence without him.”
    Their eyes met and their deep mutual affection was clear. It was utterly captivating.
    “This is Nika,” said Doris.
    “Oh, you work with Belun.”
    I nodded, stretching my hand into his, hoping my face didn’t show how I actually felt about Belun. Aidan had strikingly dark hair and thick eyebrows, and looked the same age as my team leader. I didn’t know what to actually say to him, but Doris broke all the barriers of uneasiness and silence.
    Just with her facial expressions and smiling eyes, she was already growing on me. She felt completely familiar to me, even though she was a vampire whom I’d just met.
    “I see you are managing well,” said a familiar mealy-mouthed voice. Baldur approached, nodding in Doris’s direction. “Lazar is from some of our best blood.”
    Doris gave him a serious look. I gazed at him not knowing what to say.
    “How are you feeling?” he asked me.
    “Well, I guess.”
    “I thought you would like to know that you can freely communicate now with your friends and family. Story is that you are taking an advanced course abroad. Oh, and your parents are very proud of you.”
    The mention of my parents twisted a knot in my stomach.
    “All right.” I forced myself to be polite.
    “Enjoy, children.” He turned and left.
    That vampire was trouble. No matter how polite he tried to sound, it always came out twisted. Something was very off about him.
    “And that’s over,” Aidan announced.
    “Right,” I exhaled. “So, you’re of good blood stock, huh?”
    Doris rolled her eyes, catching my grin. “My father and Baldur are not exactly on the same page.”
    “Concerning this Project?” I asked.
    “Concerning many things.”
    Soon, Doris left to get a drink, and I gave Aidan a polite smile and moved on. Where were the other Inquirers? Scanning the room, I managed to see only Max, and he was hanging out with a vamp guy.
    I walked through the room and found my way to the balcony. People were smoking cigarettes and the lights were dim. The sound of the string quartet playing a cover of a rock song I’d recently heard on TV caught up with me.
    That night I’d seen younger vampires for the first time. There were even some kids running around behaving like any average child would. I assumed they were vampires, since Matthews had told me that vampires are born not created.
    “You look breathtaking.” The whispering voice behind me was Set’s. I startled a bit and grinned, making space between us.
    “And your best suit is really good,” I said.
    “Ah, you’re just being polite. It is unfathomable that you could notice anyone else’s beauty. Yours is so blinding.”
    “Flatterer.” I rolled my eyes with satisfaction and smiled.
    He stood looking at me with the same curved grin as the previous day.
    “I thought I would not have the pleasure of talking to you, without the watchful eye of your companion.”
    “Who, Blake?”
    He looked confused. Then he