Drawn to a Vampire by Kathryn Drake Page A

I said.
    “Try me.”
    “Well … I can’t let him keep killing all these people.  I tried to talk to him … but he doesn’t want to change.  I don’t know what else there is to do….”
    “You’re planning on killing him,” he said.  It wasn’t a question.
    I nodded helplessly.
    I looked up at him – trying to gauge his reaction.  His jaw was set.
    “It makes sense.  I think I’d do the same … if I was in your situation.”
    “You would?”
    He nodded, and then glanced away, looking thoughtful.  He looked back at me, his blue eyes shining.  “I could help you.”
    I shook my head.  “Thank you though.  But I feel that this is my problem … my fault … and the risk of sorting it out should be left to me.”
    “Well, I’m here.  If you change your mind.”
    I smiled at him.  “Thank you.”
    “No worries.”
    “So, how about you?  What’s your story?” I said.
    He shrugged … and looked away again.  “I’ve been this way for about a year.  I move from city to city in the hope I won’t get caught.”
    “Have you ever changed anyone?”
    “No, no way.  I couldn’t do that … for the reasons you’re saying – in case they turned out like Adam.”
    “At least you’re not like that.”
    He looked at me sideways.  “Nor you.”
    I held his gaze, and the air felt full of static, of potential, and of understanding.  We smiled at each other weakly, and walked on, down to the canal that Adam had pushed me into the night before.
    “What was your life like before you were changed?” I asked.
    “It was good.  I had a job.  A girlfriend.”  His eyes welled up.  “She was my first victim,” he said bitterly.  “That took a long time to get over.  I still haven’t gotten over it, in fact.”
    “Yes, I killed my best friend.  I haven’t forgiven myself.”
    He took my hand as we walked and gave it a reassuring squeeze.  I felt disappointed when he let my hand go.
    We took a left turn, and I heard the heartbeat of a fox not far off, down an alley, and as I stopped, so did he.
    “Are you ready?” I asked.
    “Yes.”
    “Expand your senses out until you hear the heartbeat of a fox – there’s one nearby.  Then go for it.”
    I watched his face as he closed those gorgeous blue eyes.  His eyelashes were thick and dark.  His skin pale, of course, but not as pale as mine.  He didn’t look like a vampire!  But as he ran around a corner, his speed was incredible, and his vampire-ness could not be doubted. I followed, and watched as he lunged onto a fox, grabbing it and biting into its neck.  He drank, then let the animal go, and it skittered away.  Alive.
    He stood up straight and wiped a little blood off the side of his mouth.  Then looked at me.
    I laughed.  “It’s not that bad!”
    He chuckled.  “I guess not.  I think I could get used to it.”
    “Really?”
    “Yes.  It makes sense.  I would be glad to stop feeding on humans.  Let’s try it again.”
    We spent the next hour hunting together, before walking back to the river.  He took my hand, brought it up to his lips, and kissed it.  I shivered with pleasure.
    “What was that for?” I said.
    “Thank you,” he said, “for showing me a different way of living.”
    “It can get lonely,” I said, without thinking.
    He grinned at me.  “It won’t if we stick together.”
    I looked into his eyes, assessing him.  Was he serious?  This guy, this nice guy, a nice vampire , wanted to get to know me.  And I liked him.  And I sure fancied him.  I felt the first spark of hope I’d felt in a long time, and I smiled at him, hoping that this time it was my eyes that were twinkling.  I wasn’t sure if he was interested in me as a friend, or as more, and I knew what I wanted.  After our hunt I was feeling reckless.  I stepped closer to him and his blue eyes widened, and I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the lips, then I leaned back so I could see his expression.  He was smiling