Chapter 10

Klaus was excited. He felt like a child who'd been handed a shiny new toy.

"How many others are there like you?" he asked.

"I've never met anyone else, except my mother", Starlit answered tiredly.

"Where is she then?"

"She's dead", Starlit said with a sad look in her eyes.

"What about your father?"

Starlit clearly didn't like to talk about this subject.

"I don't know where he is."

"Is he a luxia too?"

"No. Can you please ask about something else?"

Klaus looked at her for a moment but decided to let this one go. For now.

"So can you see my aura?" he asked.

"No, but you do know that your friend is a sociopath right?"

Klaus smirked.

"Yes I know. That's one of the things I like about him. But tell me more about yourself."

"What do you want to know?"

"How did Sylvia heal you?"

Starlit hesitated.

"It's… complicated. What Caleb said about my kind was true. Well more or less. People, who are truly suffering, mentally or physically, are drawn to me. And I can help them. Heal them. But humans or non-humans whose light is… well, gone are also drawn to me. They just don't need my help. Usually they feel strong urge to hurt me. I don't know why exactly."

"You didn't answer my question", Klaus said.

"I'm trying to but it's hard to explain. I just need to feel the light. I mean light that most people have. If I'm forced to be only with someone who doesn't really have that, I… Well you saw what happened."

"What are you saying?"

"I… I was locked in this room without any human contact, except Caleb and as I said his light is not so… bright."

"Did he hurt you?" Klaus asked calmly.

"No, not deliberately. He doesn't seem to have that urge. But merely his presence was too much when I was already weak. Fear drains me."

"Fear that I caused", Klaus thought. "What about that doctor?" he asked out loud.

"It's not that simple. When he came here I was already very weak. I would have needed more than just his presence. I would have had to ask him to literally share his light with me. I can never do that against persons will. Then I thought it would be best just let go. You know, just die. But in the end I was a coward. I couldn't take the pain anymore."

Starlit looked sad. Defeated. Klaus felt very strange urge to say something to make her feel better. What the hell was wrong with him?

"Well, I'm glad that your not dead sweetheart", he said.

"Why?" Starlit asked.

"Because that would have been such a waste. All that delicious blood."

"Right. That's me, a walking blood back."

Klaus smiled.

"We should talk about your living arrangements. What do you need?"

"Well, if you want to keep me alive, I can't be locked in this room. "

"Yes, I get that. What if I would allow you to move around the house freely? Spend time with Sylvia. Would that be enough?"

"I… I guess so. But I would really appreciate if I could get out every once in a while."

"We'll see. That depends how well you manage to keep your part of our deal."

Starlit looked at him calmly.

"I'm not stupid. I won't run."

Klaus looked straight into those deep green eyes. He hoped he would know what she was thinking about. Before he could stop himself, he touched her face lightly.

"For your sake I really hope so."