When Darkness Plagues Our Bond

Walking down the sidewalk with my hood pulled over my head I had already devised a way to expose myself to Brendon. I decided that going straight to him had some drawbacks. I needed to be sure we would be in a public place, keeping my bloodlust in check. I knew that I would be much less likely to hurt him where we had witnesses. I would have to allow him to come to me.

Picking the place was easy. He always worked the graveyard shift on Fridays and he always stopped at a small diner afterwards, ordering a small stack of pancakes and orange juice. I would simply need to be waiting in the booth he sat in every week.

Opening the door to the diner the small bell alerted my presence, and a young yet overworked waitress quickly came out from the back to seat me.

“Hello there, just one tonight?” She asked, popping her gum as she spoke.

“Um, yes. For now at least.” I answered, searching out the window for Brendon’s lean frame to round the corner of the street.

“Well great, we’ll just sit you down right here.” She pointed towards a table two down from where Brendon usually sits.

“Actually,” I paused to read her nametag, “Chrissy, I’d like to sit there.” I nodded to his table.

“I’m sorry Miss, but that table is sorta reserved.” She smiled nervously, looking back and forth between the table she had chosen for me, and the one where Brendon sat. She obviously couldn’t handle confrontations.

“I apologize for the inconvenience but I’m meeting Brendon here, and that’s where we always sit.” Although I was smiling, I knew she was aware of the edge in my voice. Judging from her expression she could tell she was the prey between the two of us.

“Oh, of course, go right ahead then. Will you be ordering now or later?”

“Just Brendon’s usual. I’ll take a glass of water.”

She wrote the order down onto her notepad as I sat down. I continued to stare out the window as she left me to put in my order, just waiting for him to show up.

I wouldn’t say I was nervous, but my mind was reeling. Something about Brendon and this whole ordeal always replaced the vampire I am into the human I was. Insecurities were constantly building up, breaking me down before he would ever get the chance.

Before I saw him coming around the corner I smelt him. The scent of his blood raised my fears. Would my love for him keep me from killing him? Sitting in a palm tree watching him through a window was one thing, but sitting across from him while I listen to his over excited heartbeat is a completely different story.

The bell on the door rang, signaling he had already entered the diner.

I had enough time to flee before he saw me. I can easily get out of here without him ever knowing I was there.

“Hi Chrissy, still working night shifts too?” I looked towards the exit leading into the kitchen and back to where he was making chit chat with the waitress. Surly there would be other times to reassure him I existed.

“Oh, hey Brendon! Why didn’t you tell me you’d be eating with a girl tonight?” The bubbly voice had just given me away.

“What? A girl?” His voice was laced with evident confusion.

“Yeah.” She popped her gum a couple of times, “Green eyes, pale skin, and dark hair.”

His footsteps raced around the counter, and swiftly stopped when he saw me. He cocked his head to the side and slowly came towards the table.

I attempted a smile and softly greeted him, “Hello Brendon.”

A small smile began to form on his face as he sat across from me.

“Hi.” It was more a question than an actual greeting, but I was too focused on controlling myself to care.

“What are you doing here?”

“I thought it was time to introduce myself.” I answered through tight lips.

“Does that mean you’ll tell me your name?”

I paused for a second, slowly nodding my head. I was prepared to answer quite a few questions tonight.

“My name is Adalyn.”

“Adalyn.” He said to himself. His face was that of complete idolization. I took this time to examine him. He had bags underneath his eyes, yet they were shining. I hadn’t seen him this happy in a long time. Other than my fear for his safety in this position I was beyond elated to see him back to his normal self.

The waitress brought over his food and juice, and began to fill my glass with ice water.

“I haven’t even ordered yet.” He said, looking at Chrissy.

“Well, even if she hadn’t it’s not like I wouldn’t have known what you were getting.”

Waiting for her to leave, he looked back to me. “You ordered for me? How did you even know what-“

I raised my hand, cutting him off. “I believe you may have some questions for me?”

“Yeah, I do.”

He stayed silent for a moment, contemplating whether or not to ask me the question on his mind.

“Did you save me the other day in the alley?”

I hesitated. I didn’t think telling him straight off the bat that I was a vampire was the best idea.

I spoke slowly, making up the lie as I went, “Yes. I heard you scream. Luckily I’ve trained in the martial arts and was able to defend you.”

“How did I end up in my bed without any injuries?”

“I called us a taxi after finding your address on your drivers license. Which is also how I know your name.”

“Well that answered my next question.” He paused, took a drink of his orange juice, and continued, “But what about the injuries?”

“He had only hit you on the back of your head, and only hard enough to knock you out. So there weren’t any injuries missing.”

He nodded his head, trying to match my story up with what really happened in his head.

“So you didn’t jump off of the building?” He asked.

With a small smile I shook my head, “No, I believe that was the alcohol.”

He laughed, nodding his head in agreement.

“So, anymore questions? Or can we just sit and talk like normal people now?” Truthfully, yet regretfully, I was hoping he would finish his meal so we could part ways for the night.

As much as I enjoyed and relished in being able to finally talk to Brendon, I would also feel much better knowing he would live to see tomorrow. His pulse had been ridiculously high the entire time he had been here and the scent had become to intoxicating for me to think up any more covers.

“Of course. Tell me about yourself.” His eagerness was radiating throughout the whole diner.

Who was I kidding, there was no way I cut this night short. I had waited too long for this. I would just have to get used to the close proximity.

Laughing at his excitement I replied, “How about you instead, what type of music do you listen to?”