He stared at me for a while (That seemed more like an eternity) and then he whispered:

"What are you talking about?"

"You are a vampire", I repeated, "that's why you're so strong, your skin is so pale, incredibly fast… A-and those little scars on your fingers. I read in a book that vampires have those little markings that distinguish them from humans, but I didn't believe, since it wasn't mentioned in any other vampire book."

He sighed.

"Well, I guess I should not argue with you, or try to convince you that I am not the creature that I really am… I will not lie to you… Yes, I am a vampire"

After he said that, an almost unbearable silence filled the whole room. I could even hear the wind blowing. I felt he was looking at me, but when I tried to look back, he quickly turned his head.

"Are you going to kill me?" I asked.

"Kill you? I saved your life just two hours ago. Why on Earth do you think I would kill you?!"

"Well, because you are evil" I answered.

"Am I really? I saved your life, I didn't even leave that bear kill you, so I could drink all your blood! And you're staying here, in my house, lying on MY bed telling me that I am EVIL?"

I didn't answer.

"Ungrateful little brat", he muttered.

He went to the other room, grabbed a suitcase and came back. Then, he started to pack his stuff.

"Where are you going?"

"I do not know"

"Why are you ;leaving, then?"

He came near me.

"Because…", he said, "you are going to return now to your small village, tell everyone that an 'evil' creature of the dark is living in the woods and they will all come here… and kill me" He paused. "Or… maybe you will come back here tomorrow, open my coffin, let me burn in the sun, or bring holy water, a wooden stake, a crucifix, or any of these things that people think might kill me."

And again, that painful silence.

"Wait" I said, "You are right… if you really wanted to drink my blood, you would have left that bear kill me, or at least, you would have acted the moment I had woken up. I'm sorry—it was wrong to say that you are evil. I'm not going tell anything about you, and I won't come here with holy water… or garlic. You can stay here as long as you wish."

He turned to me. He seemed really surprised to hear that, as if he couldn't believe what he heard.

"Really?"

"Really" I smiled at him.

Then, for the first time, he smiled at me.

"Well… Thank you, then"

I looked at the models of his bed… I wanted to ask him something, but I didn't really know what to say.

"What do you want to ask?"

He looked at me and saw a combination of amazement and curiosity on my face, and chuckled. "I know you want to ask me something. It's not the first time I see a curious child." And, then he smiled to himself, like he was reliving a nice memory.

"Ok… Umm… I wanted to… I was wondering if…" I took a deep breath and said: "Can I sleep here tonight?"

"Why do you want to sleep here?"

"I'm afraid of going home at this time of night… especially after the… horrifying encounter with that beast" I answered, hoping that he would understand.

"What about your parents? Won't they be worried?"

"They're gone... Business stuff"

"And doesn't the idea of sleeping in the house with a vampire scared you?" he asked, sarcastically. "I thought you said we were evil".

"Yes, I did... But I changed my opinion"

He thought about it for a few seconds.

"Very well... you may stay"

"Thank you. I really appreciate it."

"But you will be alone in here, anyway" he continued, "because I need to go and feed myself"

"You mean…"

"NO, I am not going to kill anyone", he laughed. "I will just make an incision in the leg or the arm of the person I'm going to feed on"

"How do you do that?"

He came near me.

"For instance…"

He took my right hand, and he quickly pinched my thumb and took a really small drop of blood"

"Hmm… good blood… "

He smiled when he saw the expression on my face.

"And that's all?" I asked "No fangs, no transforming into bats, no killing? I wonder from where all those Transylvanian myths come from"

"Trust me" he laughed, "I have been trying to figure that out for two hundred years!"

"That is your real age???"

"No… I actually am two hundred and twenty four years old…"

"And you will never die?"

"I will die… It's just that we, vampires, age ten times slower than humans… Like, we age a year in ten human years… And we can also die stabbed or shot, or etc. Disappointed?"

"A little. As I said, vampire myths fascinate me. But I like the fact that you can die…" I admitted

"Why?" he asked

"It's just scary. The idea of seeing all your loved ones grow old and die, whereas you remain young forever"

"I never really thought about it that way. I guess you are right"

"Who is that boy?" I asked, after my I saw one of the pictures with the boy again.

"That's Darren Shan, my apprentice"

"So, he's a vampire too?"

"No, he is only a half vampire. He is still human… half of him, at least"

"How is that possible?"

"It's… complicated"

Suddenly, I remembered I never asked what HIS name was.

"I'm sorry; I forgot to ask you……. What is your name?"

"Larten Crepsley" he answered, "yours?"

"Katherine… Caterina, actually, but everyone pronounces it Catherine"

"Nice to meet you, Katherine", he smiled.

"Nice to meet you too… Mr. Crepsley"

"You must be really tired… Go to sleep" he said gently.

He didn't have to say it twice. I was so tired……. ten seconds after I laid my head on the pillow, I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep…

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ok, I know this was too long and probably boring, but I promise I'll come up with better stuff.