Survivor - By Kaye Draper Page 0,7

a coma for a month.”

I closed my eyes. “Sometimes I just want to find him and hurt him.” Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes to find Peter regarding me with a strange expression- as if he knew just what that felt like.

“But that wouldn’t change anything, would it?” His voice was even, not patronizing or lecturing.

I laughed bitterly. “I was going to start college that fall. Pre-med. I wanted to be a doctor.” He scooted closer and put his arm around me, pulling me against his side. I was shocked for a moment, not used to a lot of physical contact with others, but it was comfortable.

“I’m sorry.” He said simply. Then he started the movie. I let myself relax, feeling all the tension and anger leave me as I curled up against him and watched Asian men carry off insane stunts in an effort to rescue the damsel in distress. We didn’t talk until it was over.

When the movie ended, I stretched and sat up. It was getting late and I should get to bed or I would pay for it tomorrow. Sleep was really important when your brain was working so hard all the time just to do the simplest things.

Peter glanced over at me and smiled. “You’re tired. I’m sorry for keeping you up so late,” he said softly.

I shrugged. “Don’t apologize. It’s nice to have company.” I gestured around the apartment. “It gets lonely here.” Taz, curled up against the far wall with his long legs in the air, whimpered and kicked in some kind of doggy dream, as if he were protesting my statement. I wondered what he was chasing.

My mind began to wander and I was seized by a sudden thought. “Why were those men chasing you? You know, the first day we met?” Honestly, I had meant to ask before, but somehow I never got the chance. I tended to get a bit flustered whenever he was around.

Peter didn’t looked surprised. He turned to face me and took a deep breath. Taking my hands, he looked at me for a moment as if making up his mind about something. “I am going to tell you a secret Melody,” he said seriously.

I wrinkled my brow in concern. “You look worried,” I said slowly. “What’s wrong?”

He gave my hands a light squeeze and I tried to ignore the warm feeling inside me. He was just my friend. That was all- despite my raging hormones.

“I’m not like everyone else,” he said softly. “I’m not human.”

I shivered as a sudden chill danced up my spine. I’ve developed a certain talent for sensing when people are trying to take advantage of my gullibility. He wasn’t kidding. “What are you?” My voice was hushed.

His eyes never left mine, those sharp green eyes, always searching my face for a reaction.

“I’m… well, I’m a vampire…” he trailed off, still searching my face to gauge my acceptance.

I swallowed. “Uh….are you going to bite me?”

He laughed out loud in surprise, leaning back against the couch and releasing my hands. “That’s it?” He was still laughing, wheezing with it. Apparently, I was amusing.

“Well, what else am I supposed to say?” I asked, annoyed.

He sat up and got control of himself, though he still tended to grin uncontrollably from time to time. “I don’t know,” he said, puzzled. “I’ve never just told someone like that. How about asking if I’m crazy, or running screaming from the room?”

I shrugged. “If you’ve seen the things I’ve seen, you kind of cease to be surprised,” I said dryly.

He nodded. “I guess you’re right about that. You are very wise.”

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever.”

He shook his head. “You see- this is why you are so interesting. You have so much… spirit. You have been through so much suffering, but you are alive and vital, and you take everything in stride. It’s just amazing.”

I snorted. “Okay, so I’m amazing. Why were those guys chasing you?” I was proud of myself for not letting him derail me this time.

He looked down at his folded hands. “They are like me. My kind. I’m breaking a big rule, and they are trying to make me conform.”

I yawned hugely. Neurofatigue- mind numbing brain drain- was making my head fuzzy. “So they’re bullies. I knew it.”

He laughed again. “I suppose so.” He shifted forward, his green eyes tender. “You are so tired. Let me take you to bed?” I looked at him in wide-eyed surprise and he realized what he had just said.