Evangeline sank into the settee and shifted her gaze towards the ornate clock on the mantlepiece, its dull metallic chime repeatedly trying to draw both of their attention. It was ten O'clock and had grown dark outside, the black backdrop cloaking whatever lay behind the reflective window-pains.
Vincent went about the room lighting the various candelabra, his silhouette passing by each flame with the grace of a dancer. He stopped in front of the fireplace, basking in its warmth; Its soft glow highlighting the silk threads in his waistcoat and the features of his face. He remained still, his eyes studying the flame; they seemed so welcoming and familiar, even in periods of reflection. Was this unique to him? Or universal amongst all vampires?
She looked to the left of him; her gaze coming to rest on her reflection in the mirror. It was the glimmer of the fire in her dark-auburn hair that had caught her eye, it was parted at the side and brushed behind her ears before ending in a bun. It did little to catch the loose strands, and they fell alongside her fringe to frame her face. She continued to look at herself, noticing how different she and Vincent were in appearance. His pale face seemed so alien and ghostly in the mirror, yet it felt so familiar and recognisable. How could she not have identified what he was sooner? His vampiric features were not subtle; but if he were a stranger, she would pass him buy in the street without as much of a second glance.
Perhaps, subconsciously, she did guess what he was? But rejected her assumption under the guise that it was impossible for such a being to exist: that reality and rationality forbid it. But her perception of what was real and what was rational was wrong. She had to admit to it and learn to live with this new reality: that vampires existed. Perhaps, not like the myth and legend that surrounded them, but they did exist, in the flesh, stood before her. Just as real as she was. How could she learn to accept such a thing? What ethical and moral dilemmas their existence would rise! What mysterious happenings were truly caused by his kind and not by the divine or by chance?
Evangeline reached for her eyes, covering them with her palms. She couldn't bring herself to look up at him. Then she heard his footsteps on the wooden floor. She focused on their sound as he moved about the room before growing stiff as the sound stopped in front of her. He crouched and reached out for her hands, gently coaxing them away for her eyes.
"Don't be frightened, I promise I won't hurt you." He said tenderly.
"It's not... I'm not frightened of you... I just can't believe..." Her voice trailed off, believing her attempt to convey her distress as futile.
Vincent sighed softly and released her hands before walking to his armchair. What a day this has been for both of them! She quietly sympathised with his feeling of vulnerability. He had put himself at risk by revealing what he was. It was not in his best interest to confess his vampirism to her - he could have lied about his disposition - yet he didn't. He willingly and candidly offered her the truth despite the consequences.
"You must have a lot of questions," He inquired tentatively.
Evangeline cupped her forehead. She was not entirely sure where to start; she had so many. She didn't want to overwhelm the man or herself. Which questions were the most pressing? Perhaps, she could begin by asking one of those.
"You said you didn't murder the first cadaver, do you know who did?"
He shook his head.
"I'm uncertain, I have my suspicions but the police never identified a lead. All I know is that the perpetrator is male."
"How can you tell? I found nothing when I read through the cadaver's papers."
He gestured towards his canines.
"Males have broader, shorter fangs. The puncture holes in the cadaver's skin were too wide and unkempt to be inflicted by a female. If they were smaller and more needle-like, then the opposite would be true."
Evangeline's eyes lit up with intrigue. The more Vincent revealed about vampires, the more curious she grew. She wondered about all the things he could reveal to her, and she hoped that he would continue to enlighten her, just as willingly and candidly as he did at present.
She leaned forward on the settee, her eyes wide with a mixture of curiosity and excitement.
"What about yourself?" She inquired, now resting her elbows on her knees. "How old are you, truthfully? Were you always a vampire? Or were you transformed?"
He chuckled and directed his gaze towards her clasped hands.
"I'm 274, and I was born this way, so was everyone in my family." He shifted in his armchair and appeared to think for a moment, "I've met no one who I believe to be 'transformed'... Turning humans is a taboo subject in vampiric society and is rarely discussed, as a result, little is known about it. I set out to change this though - when I first entered the medical field. I searched for scripture which hinted at the prospect for decades. Literature which I found was of little use to me - well, apart from a few pages of an old, medieval book. They were poorly transcribed or written in a lost dialect. I soon grew tired of useless scriptures and conducted studies of my own. I dissected the corpses of vampires hoping to discover something that aided with 'the transformation'. Eventually, I found what I was looking for: a pair of finger-sized glands under the tongue. They produced and stored an enzyme that can 'turn' a human when introduced into their bloodstream - the vampire must consciously secrete this enzyme for the process to happen. Other than this, I know nothing else of the process, I have no idea how this works or why It won't work on other species... I'm sorry, have I overwhelmed you?"
Evangeline shook her head. She was glad that he explained so much; It removed the possibility of her being confused and unsure of what he was trying to communicate. She decided to ask another question but paused for a moment as if to consider her words; her face betraying her uneasiness.
"May I... ask what you feed on?"
She rubbed her arm soothingly, expecting a gruesome response in return.
"Animal blood. Rather than discarding it, the local butcher sells the excess to me," He paused in thought before letting out a soft chuckle, "He used to question me on why I would ask for so much, so frequently. I often joked about needing it for my patients - I worked in a hospital as a cardiologist at the time. He would appear to laugh with me, but I often caught him looking at me with suspicion."
Evangeline smiled with him.
"Do other vampires feed on animal blood?"
"Most of them do, but not all of them share the same moral stance - as shown by the first corpse. These vampires are a dying breed though, they can not get away with the frequent killings like they did in the past. It is a shame that most vampires still view humans with the same disdain that they have held centuries before: that humans may no longer be food, but are still no different from cattle in the fields."
Both parties remained quiet, disappointed in his species views.
'If this is true,' Evangeline mused, 'why help me? Why befriend me? Why heal the sick and instruct young vampires to do the same?' She already knew the answer to these, but wanted to hear it from him.
"Do you believe this?"
A smile formed on his lips.
"Of course not. If I truly believed that I wouldn't be speaking to you as I am now. I take great pleasure in being in the company humans. I have learned many things from them which I would not have learned from my kind: sympathy, empathy, morality, and appreciation for the world around me. I would never have discovered my love for biology if it weren't for humans. I have matured throughout the ages alongside humanity..." He lent back into his armchair, "... I have no ill feelings towards your kind at all."
It was Inevitable that a smirk would slowly spread across her cheeks. She was flattered by such an earnest admission; few humans viewed their kind with such high regard.
"There must be other vampires which admire humans just as must as you do."
He nodded.
"My siblings share my sentiment... well, my sister and her wife, more so than my brothers... I am certain that some members of the wider population entertain these views."
"That's good. I'm guessing your students share this admiration."
"They ought too."
Silence now descended upon the two, their conversation had progressed to a natural end - an end which Evangeline did not welcome. Her mind was ablaze, she bore so many questions, ones which she couldn't even begin to express. Yet their exchange had run dry. 'This would not do!' She needed answers. She desperately hoped that he would read her taut face and give her the means to pursue her curiosity again.
"What about you?" He ventured, now cradling his cheek in his palm.
"Hmm?"
She looked up at him with her brows raised, appearing to forget that there was a world beyond her musings. This was not the 'means' which she had hoped for.
Vincent repeated himself.
"... I know very little about you, despite being in your acquaintance. I've opened up about my character before, yet you speak very little about yourself." He seemed more inquisitive now. Speaking to her softly.
Evangeline sighed. She had previously noted her reticence and wished that she could give him a reason for it, but there was none. She found him so enthralling that she didn't want to bore the man with her character. His extraordinary being only highlighted how ordinary she was in comparison: she didn't possess his intellect, his various skills, or his capacity to live for centuries. Being with him made her realise just how unremarkably... human she was.
"Oh, there's not much to know."
"Indulge me." He roused, his voice like warm velvet.
She flushed at his change in tone and instinctively averted her gaze; persuaded by the irrational hope that he did not see her rosy-pink cheeks, but she was certain that he could feel the warmth radiating from her pale skin. She did not want to give him a reason to suspect her state of affections. It would be most foolhardy to fall in love with a vampire; she doubted that they could live a life of peaceful domesticity. Even the most steadfast would succumb to boredom or the temptation of mortal blood, she did not convince herself to believe otherwise.
She escaped from her musings, realising now that she must answer him.
"Well, what would you like to know about me?"
"Tell me about your family, your history. Do you have any lovers to speak of?"
Her cheeks burned a darker shade of rouge at his mention of 'lovers'. It was noticeable enough that even he raised a brow in return.
"I-I'm not in a relationship, and regarding my family, I'm an only child. My mother's a primary school teacher and my father's a butcher, I grew up on his farm - before he sold it, helping him tend for the animals and what-not." She paused in reflection, her mouth poised as if to speak, "In many ways, I'm thankful for my upbringing, it's made me independent and self-sufficient, but I can't say I enjoyed it. I had to mature quickly because of my responsibilities and never spent much time just enjoying being a kid. My parents tried their best with me, but I won't hesitate to say that they were neglectful... That's why I couldn't wait to move out and pursue my career..."
She remained fixated on the fireplace at first, not acknowledging Vincent's silence. Then she looked up at him, suddenly aware of her surroundings.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have rambled on about my emotional baggage. I doubt you want to hear it."
He shook his head, reassuring her she could discuss anything with him and that he would listen. He then turned the conversation to more practical matters.
"Do you still feel comfortable staying for the week? I understand if you do not."
She smiled at him before confirming that she would stay.
They spoke nothing more of his vampirism that evening but remained in each others company for a short while after. She couldn't have given a reason as to what compelled him to stay. She sat their enslaved by her musings, her mind growing weary from the emotional strain and the promise of sleep. She couldn't recall whether he retired for his bedroom or dozed off in his chair, just as she did.