my love.” He sighed and he ran his hands down my arms, pulling me closer to him. “I have always, even without knowing it, been looking for you!” He took a shuddering deep breath. “It has been killing me not telling you who I am after all the critical things you have shared with me. I have betrayed you in that and I am desperately sorry for doing so. I would spend an eternity making it up to you if you would just let me try. I have failed you so badly. I should have told you about me in the beginning. I knew I was wrong then. I was just so amazed that you loved me and that I loved you the same. I didn’t want it to end because of what I was. I wanted to pretend I was a normal guy for once and we could be together and be happy and normal, like regular people.”
I was starting to panic now his words were touching me and totally freaking me out all at the same time. I could not comprehend what he meant by “normal people,” what in the heck was going on!
I took his face in my hands. He blinked fast; he was terrified. I took a deep breath.
“William, you must tell me who you are, or what is going on.” I used my soft, calm voice, trying to ease him. I could see he was absolutely on edge here, and I had to help him open up to me somehow.
“You mean what I am Corrine.” He looked down, unable to look at me; I didn’t try to make him look into my eyes.
“No Will, you mean who you are. You can’t be a what, okay, that’s not the way you say it.”
“No… Corrine, you are wrong, that’s the whole problem, and I am a what or a thing…I don’t know how you say it.” He seemed frustrated with himself as he looked at me. “I can never exist without you, it would destroy me, but what I am could very well destroy you.” He looked up at me now, his stunning blue eyes locked on mine. “Think, Corrine. Think of all the things you have noticed about me, that just aren’t right. I know you have noticed them. I have not been able to hide many things from you since we are together so much; do not lie to yourself either.” I did as he said; my “William list” was again in my thoughts. I sat there silent, not really wanting to do this, and maybe I didn’t really even want to know the truth anyway.
I felt my heart speed up; Will seemed to sense it immediately. He looked at my pulse on my neck without hesitating. Of course, another odd thing I had forgot he did a lot. My neck seemed to be of great interest to him.
“William, you tell me!” I said softly. I still had his face in my hands, his cheeks flushed as my own from the cold and intense emotions going on. “I beg you. If you have ever loved me, if you really still love me right now, tell me the truth please.” I studied him, his eyes never left mine, but his face relaxed slightly. He looked at me as if I was supposed to be saving his life, like if I turned away from him he would disappear or crumple to the ground.
“Corrine.” He sighed, and shook his head his face was tense. “I am a vampire, that is the ‘what’ that I am. It is the thing that makes me different from you and it could destroy us both.” I froze
in shock. Yes, the thought did cross my mind, but vampires were not real, were they? Was one actually kneeling at my feet right now? I could feel my heart racing. One side of me said run like hell, the other side wanted to take him into my arms and tell him it was going to be all right. He was waiting for my reaction now.
“You are afraid of me. I feel you shaking now.”
“No it’s not that I’m okay. I just have to process all this.” I was trying to convince him and myself it was really okay, but it was very difficult. I mean it’s not every day your boyfriend tells you he is a vampire. I mean come on! I replayed in my mind the teasing words Beth, Kara, and I said when