Cullen Residence

I awoke suddenly with a gasp. My mouth tasted as though it were full of cotton and my vision was blurry. I blinked a couple of times, clearing my throat in an attempt to remove the taste. I opened my eyes again to find I was lying down, looking up at a high ceiling.

"Here." A glass of water was presented above my head.

I pushed myself up on an elbow, grabbing the proffered glass with my other hand and taking a small sip. "Thanks."

"Boy, you have no sense of self preservation, do you?"

The glass I had been tilting to take another sip from froze on my lips as that sentence sent alarm bells ringing through my head. Where was I again? Wasn't I just walking through the forest? And didn't I meet a..?

Everything came crashing back to me in that moment, the weight of it all pinning me in place. I had frozen looking forward, and it took every fiber of my being to drag my gaze over to where the voice had originated. A honey-golden gaze met mine, but there was no mistaking it as the image of his blood covered mouth flashed across my mind, and even though he was clean-faced now I knew this was the same 'man' from before.

I felt the glass slip from my fingertips and watched as he reached out, lightning fast, to grab it out of the air before it spilled on me. I screamed, hastily pushing myself away from him and up and over the couch. I grabbed one of the decorative cushions in my haste and placed it over my head as I crawled behind the couch, my eyes darting around to find the nearest exit.

"I won't let you get to my brains, you zombie scum!"

"I-what?!"

He sounded flustered, and I peeked around the edge of the couch to see that he was still kneeling by the other end, seemingly frozen in shock. Good, gives me a moment to regroup.

I sat up and tucked my knees into my chest as I leaned onto the back of the couch, firmly holding the pillow on top of my head with both hands. Think, think, think! I had a staircase to my left, a door to my right, and a wall directly in front. Staircase or door, staircase or door, left or right, left or-

"Yeah, I'm not a zombie."

My jumbling thoughts came to a screeching halt. Slowly looking up I found him looking back down at me from over the top of the couch, casually resting his cheek atop a fist and an amused grin playing at his lips.

I swiftly turned around and kicked myself backwards until my back hit the wall, managing to keep the pillow in place with one unsteady hand. I brought the other up to point accusingly at him. "That's what you would say, you-you zombie!"

He pursed his lips. "Hmm, well, I highly doubt you'd be able to hold a conversation with an actual zombie."

Damn, he did have me there. I felt my grip on my pillow barrier falter.

"Besides, if I really did want to eat your brain, do you honestly think a pillow is going to stop me?"

My grip came back full force as I pulled it even harder against my head. "Hah, that's what you want me to think! Not today, zombie. You won't catch me falling into your trap any time soon!"

He hung his head and sighed before straightening up. He walked around the couch, and I tried to meld myself even closer to the wall, but he just leaned back against it, crossing his arms over his chest and crossing his legs at the ankles. He looked down at me with another sigh.

"Look, I was taking a walk in the woods when I saw you lying on the forest floor, unconscious. I didn't bring my phone with me so I couldn't call anyone, and I wasn't too far from home, so I brought you here. I was just trying to help, I swear."

"Yeah, help yourself to my brains more like it!"

"Believe it or not, I am a doctor. I just wanted to make sure you didn't suffer a concuss-" He cut himself off at the way my face drained of color. "Oh, for- I'm not a zombie!"

"Oh yeah? What were you doing, then, walking around by yourself in the forest?"

"What were you doing in the forest?"

I bristled at the question. "Oh, what, I'm not allowed to take a nice jaunt through the trees every once in a while? I thought we lived in a free coun..."

My voice trailed off as his eyebrow raised. I cleared my throat and sniffed, darting my eyes from side to side. "Touché."

I licked my lips before pinning him with a determined gaze. "Anyway, while that's all well and good and not a half-bad excuse, you're forgetting one crucial detail. You and I both know that I clearly didn't faint from a concussion which means I remember clearly how everything played out before I went tits up. Mind explaining that?"

"I'm not quite sure I know what you're talking about."

"Really? We're just going to pretend that I didn't catch you face deep in the neck of the mountain lion that was attempting to eat me?!"

His arms tightened against his chest, catching my eye. "I'm telling you, you're mistaken."

"Mmhmm, and what happened there?" I stuck my chin out towards the outer arm where three small, symmetrical tears were now visible in the fabric. "You may be muscular, but you're certainly not 'tearing through your shirt Hulk style' muscular. And I have it on good authority that I'm not heavy enough to pop a seam, so what gives?"

He looked down at the rips, shocked, as if this were the first time he noticed them.

"You're going to try telling me you didn't get those when you pushed me out of the way?" He refused to meet my gaze, and I couldn't help but feel like I was close to uncovering something. I gasped when it finally occurred to me, and the shameful way he hung his head proved that I was right. "You weren't trying to save me from the lion! You were upset it was going to get to me first, and that's why you attacked it. That poor Kitty lost its life all because you couldn't share!"

With the force he used to lift his head back up to look at me incredulously, I was surprised he didn't snap it off.

"I'm sorry, poor kitty? Are my ears failing me or did we not just establish that that lion was trying to eat you?"

"Ah hah! So you admit that you only saved me just so you can get to my brains!"

He took a step towards me, pointing at me with his entire palm. "For the last time.I. Am NOT. A zombie."

"Well, you're clearly not a human. So, what are you?"

"I-" He deflated from his charged stance, resting one hand on his hip while he brought the other up to pinch the bridge of his nose. He sighed in, what seemed to be, resignation. "I'm a vampire."

A beat passed.

I snorted.

"No you're not."

He couldn't look more shocked if he tried. His mouth opened and closed twice in an attempt to say something until he finally settled on spluttering. I just shrugged my shoulders at him, slowly lowering the pillow to hug it to my chest.

"I get it. You don't want to tell me, we barely know each other. But that doesn't mean you have to make stuff up."

"What on Earth would lead you to believe I'd be lying about that?"

Scoffing, I gestured at all of him. "Are you kidding me? Literally nothing about you screams 'vampire'. Hell, it doesn't even whisper it."

He looked down at himself before looking back to me, shaking his head.

"I mean, let's look at the facts here: The obvious one is that you're walking around in broad daylight. Another is that you were eating that lion. What vampire eats animals?" I listed each point off for him, counting on my fingers. "Plus, you look like you just waltzed off the cover of an L. L. Bean magazine! There's no way vampires would ever dress like that!"

"There's no way any real person would dress like that," I mumbled.

"Hey! I heard that I dress quite fashionably." He pouted for a moment. "And where, exactly, are you gathering your facts from about how vampires 'should' be?"

I shifted my eyes away from him. "Uh, movies?"

He chortled, running a hand through his hair. "I should have known."

"Oh, sue me! It's not like I sat there cataloguing every fact in case I came face to face with an actual vampire! Or any other movie monster, for that matter."

"Yeah, I gathered that from how vehemently you believed I was a zombie when I exhibited none of the actual signs."

"I, uh, don't watch a lot of zombie movies."

It was silent between us as we just stared at each other. A loud vibration tore through the air as my phone rattled against the hardwood floor through my back pocket. Slipping my phone out, I tapped it to see that I received a text message from my dad.

Hey kiddo. I should be home in about an hour. Want me to bring anything from the funeral buffet? -5:48 p.m.

My eyebrows flew to my forehead.

A funeral buffet? I've GOT to see that. -5:48 p.m.

I stood up, placing my phone back into my pocket. "As fun as this has been, I really ought to be getting home now. And since you aren't planning on eating my brains, mind if I got out of your hair?"

"How many times do I have to-you know what? I don't even know why I'm trying to convince you otherwise. Feel free to believe whatever you'd like! It's not as if we're ever going to see each other again."

I laughed, walking over to replace the pillow from where I grabbed it on the couch. "Agreed. And I suppose, regardless of everything else, you did save my life. So, thank you." I sent him a warm smile, full of sincerity.

I made a move to leave when I realized: "I have no idea how to get home from here."

He laughed loudly, walking towards what I now recognized was the entrance. "If you have no issues with it, I'd be delighted to drive you home."

Once we were settled in his car, I rattled off the address of the trail entrance closest to my house, jokingly claiming that I didn't want his zombie instincts to change his mind and seek me out in the middle of the night, to which he rolled his eyes. A few minutes into the ride I received another text from Dad.

I tried to be as discreet as possible. Let me know if anything looks interesting enough! -5:54 p.m.

Attached was a photo of what seemed to be a linen cloth table lined to the brim with various foods. At least, that's what I assumed it to be as the photo was so blurry I had a difficult time deciphering what any of the food actually was. I snorted as I typed my response.

Jeez, Dad, I hope you have a steadier hand shooting a gun than you do a photo! Just get me the greatest hits, please and thank you! -5:56 p.m.

You keep going and I'll pull the trigger on you not eating anything tonight. -5:56 p.m.

Lmao, see you soon, ya loon! -5:57 p.m.

See ya kid. -5:57 p.m.

I noticed the man watching me out of the corner of his eye and flushed with embarrassment at my rudeness.

"Sorry," I explained. "Just letting my dad know I'll be home soon."

He smirked, briefly meeting my gaze before turning back to the road. "Don't worry about it."

We sat in a comfortable silence for the next ten minutes until the trail marker that denoted our destination came into view. He slowed the car to a stop at the entrance, putting the gear into park. The sun was now low in the sky, causing the tree line to cast haunting shadows over the car and along the road. This must not have escaped his notice as he turned to me and asked, "Are you sure you wouldn't rather I just dropped you off at home? It's getting to be quite dark."

I waved him off, unbuckling my seatbelt. "Oh please, I've walked these trails practically my whole life. I'll be home in five minutes, tops." And just because I couldn't help myself, "Besides, if I can survive a mountain lion and a zombie attack, I'm pretty sure I can handle a couple of spooky shadows."

He gave me a pointed look that I knew held no real feeling behind it. "Get out of my car already."

I threw my head back in laughter, feeling my cheeks warm as I heard him start to laugh with me. I composed myself, thrusting a hand out in front of me. "Really, thank you for everything. I appreciate you giving up whatever secret you may have just to save my life. I'm sure it was an extremely hard decision to make, and you didn't have to do it for little ol' me."

There was something unreadable in his eyes as he wrapped his hand around my much smaller one. I was taken aback by how it seemed to freeze my palm from the inside out but even more so by his answer.

"Anytime."

His smile was blinding and warm, sending a flutter through my stomach. I coughed, pulling my hand away to tuck an errant strand of hair behind my ear. "Oh God, I certainly hope not! I'd like to avoid any life-threatening encounters for a while, please."

He hummed in agreement, and I suddenly felt as though l'd vastly overstayed my welcome. With a weak wave and one final, blurted 'Bye!', I tore the car door open and rushed outside, hurrying into the forest with not a single look back.

"Dad, do you think zombies are real?"

"Of course they are. I say goodbye to one every morning."

A flicked funeral fry was received directly to his face.