Dead

Sorry little one, that's not how it was meant, sit down on the sofa, I'll just get dressed and then we can talk."

His voice is suddenly very gentle and serious. He's like a changed man. His hand comes off me and he points to the black sofa that is in front of the window. I do what he says and sit down. He quickly digs a few items of clothing out of his chest of drawers and quickly disappears behind a door. It must lead to his bathroom. My body is still very tense. It calms down a bit when he comes back wearing a gray t-shirt and dark jeans. He sits down next to me at some distance.

"So what's on your mind?"

He rests his elbows on his knees. I feel his eyes scrutinize me and seek contact with mine. I'm slowly feeling more comfortable around him again. Now that he's wearing something and it seems that he really wants to get into a normal conversation with me. I start with my request.

"I just had a few questions about vampires and John said I could turn to you."

I concentrate on my hands pausing folded in my lap. While I patiently wait for a response. Will he laugh at me? It seems so strange to me to talk to him about it. I hardly know him and 'asked' his help to 'enlighten' me. When I think about it, I find it a little embarrassing.

"Then start asking."

His voice sounds so calm. I didn't expect that. I look in his direction. He smiled at me gently. He actually wants to answer my questions. Any inhibition to hold back my questions breaks. It comes out of me all by itself.

"How about the food? I watched you eat pizza today and I've never seen John eat anything."

I feel my cheeks blush. When I confess to him that I watched him eat. But it doesn't seem to bother or surprise him. Had he noticed that I looked at him so often.

"Well, the food still tastes good, but unfortunately it didn't fill you up in the least. So you won't be able to avoid drinking blood. Next question."

I look to the side thoughtfully. There were so many when I was sitting alone and bored in my room. He nudges me urgently.

"Ok. And what about getting older, so I also know from stories that my mother was younger, only as long as I can remember Mum hasn't changed a bit, she could pass as my big sister."

I ask with knitted eyebrows. He laughs slightly and starts to answer.

"Yes, we also age, just more slowly than humans. Up to the age of 20 we age just like humans, but then we age more slowly with every year. But that's only how it is with the born, the created never age, that's why they will never more powerful, because strength comes with age. "

My pupils are getting bigger. I straighten up. Take my hands out of my lap and lay them flat on the sofa to my left, facing him. My mouth opens a crack. Is he serious?

"Seriously? The created ones? So can we really turn a human into a vampire by one bite?"

He lets his back fall backwards, laughing.

'' Your look is awesome right now! ''

His hands lie parallel on his stomach. Laughing, he doubles over my ignorance. Until he composes himself again and continues to speak more seriously. He lifts a finger in the air. As if he wanted to warn me.

"Oh no, it is not that easy to change a person and to keep it at this point it is prohibited! You need a permit from the council or you have to belong to the royal family. So back to the conversion, first a blood exchange has to take place A person has to be almost bloodless and then drink some of your blood, then the person has to die whereupon he comes into a new life after a few hours and now comes the most important thing, he has to drink human blood as soon as possible, otherwise he will simply die again. "

I stare at him hungrily for knowledge and am shocked by my fascination with the topic, but I don't care, I want to know everything now.

"What about garlic and the sun?"

My arms relax again. Conner just can't stop grinning. Every question I ask seems to amuse him. He leans his head backwards. He tries to answer me relaxed. I see how difficult it is for him not to laugh again. But that doesn't interest me. I just want to know everything. Still leaning back, he turns his head to me and gives me the answer.

"All fairy tales, only that is true with the wood, if you want to hurt us you should use wood."

Good to know. So I should be more careful with toothpicks in the future.

"And are there other beings?"

I want to know about him. He ponders my question for a moment. Until he speaks again. Still sitting in the same position. 

"There are a lot of rumors about different beings, but I've only met wolves, witches and shapeshifters so far."

The madness. My mum had never told me such things. I raise my arms repeatedly and unconsciously move a little closer to Conner. It seems to surprise him.

"Wolves? Really that transform at full moon?"

I want to know

"No a wolf can always change, that with the moon is again just a fairy tale of the people."

Only now do I notice how close I have come to him. It seems to bother him because he stands up to create a distance between us. I immediately move back a little. And continue the conversation.

"You just mentioned advice, who is that?"

He takes his face in his hand more relaxed again. He rests his arm on his knee again. Without breaking eye contact.

"They are the law of the vampires, because we have many rules of the game. You are not allowed to walk people, never reveal your existence, not kill civilians or vampires and then there is the ranking and much more that you do in school will learn. "

Just don't want him to remind me of this school. I feel that my facial expressions seem depressed. Still, I still have a few questions.

"What sort of ranking?"

I question. He still keeps this distance from me. What's the matter with him all of a sudden? Maybe I got too close to him earlier. I pull my hands back into my lap.

"At the top are the four royal families. They have the direct bloodline of the first vampire. Then comes the council, after which the guards come, they carry out the instructions of the council and the kings, now next we come the born and finally the ones Changed. "

Repeatedly I look to the side thoughtfully. There is so much information. I had more questions on my mind and now I can't think of any more, damn it. For the subtle time tonight, I look into his ice-blue eyes.

"How old are you actually?"

"I'm 119 years old."

Its cute dimples are back. 119? He can be my great-great-grandfather. Young? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that. Old sack. I can't help but giggle. Still, I'm amazed.

"Wow, I would have guessed you to be 28."

He puts on a mock evil eye.

"Did you just laugh at me? As I said, we age more slowly."

I move my hands up and down soothingly. Give him another smile. Then continue with my question time.

"And your brothers?"

He yawns. Which brings out his white teeth. Has he ever killed someone with those teeth? I'll ask him another time.

"Adam is 18 and Jayden is 19."

They're almost my age.

"But you have a big difference in age?"

I stated questioningly. His arms land crossed behind his head. He gracefully stretches his legs and pushes his pelvis a little forward. I should stop staring at him like that.

"Yes, they are only my half-brothers, we have different mothers."

"Oh, and where are your mothers?"

Au. Am I stupid. I immediately regret having voiced this question. I didn't mean to say that out loud. There must be a reason why she lives with her father and why John is with my mother now. Sometimes I could punch myself in. And that's one of those moments. But he answers my question and confirms my stupidity.

"They are dead.''

I can't read his face. He says it in such a cold voice. What should I say to the statement. I nervously rub my hand and turn my face away. Until he continues his story and breaks the calm that had settled in the room.