advancements made and the increase in the quality of life resentment towards vampire-kind still reigns and there’s an endless number of conspiracy theories that paint them as evil incarnate.

Sophie, like Caleb figured, doesn’t buy into conspiracies though, only facts. She’s sweet around the edges and even a bit ditzy, but at her core she’s stubborn and has a righteous streak. She won’t let anything or anyone stop her when she thinks she’s doing the right thing which is what makes her a good cop. These character traits can be attributed directly to her mother.

Sophie like a good daughter calls her mother everyday when she gets home from work. Her mother had demanded this of her when she started working on the police force claiming that she wouldn’t be able to sleep unless she knows that Sophie is safe and sound. Tonight is no exception despite the late hour, the moment that Sophie walks through the door of her apartment she’s dialing her mother to discuss the events of her day.

“Mom?” Sophie questions the dead air the moment the line is picked up.

“Sophie, you had me so worried. Why didn’t you call sooner? How is your new job? Have you made any friends yet? Did anything dangerous happen?”

“Mom,” Sophie laughs, “I’m fine. I got caught up and ended up staying late, nothing bad happened.” She expertly holds the phone between her shoulder and ear so she can start taking off her work clothes and putting her equipment in its proper places.

Her apartment is small, but cozy with hardwood floors and eclectic furniture that she had hunted for at garage sales and flea markets and almost every available wall space and countertop is inhabited by pictures of her and her family. When walking into her apartment the first feeling that Sophie has is that she’s arrived home and she hopes that any guests she has also feels the same way.

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“And it was fine? The new precinct?”

Sophie hesitates, “It was fine.” she sorta lies.

Her mother though is quick as a whip, “If they’re bullying you Sophie I’ll come down there myself and give them a good piece of my mind.”

She bursts out laughing at her mom’s predictable fierceness, “No, mama, don’t do that. It was fine, I swear, there was no bullying.” She walks into her bedroom.

“Well, fine.” Her mother gives up, “Who do they have you working with? Are they nice?”

“Umm, his name is Caleb…” Sophie pauses trying to figure out how to describe her new partner, “He’s… grouchy, but I think in a good way. He didn’t even ask why I transferred. I don’t think he cares.”

“Ooh,” her mother bites on immediately, “is he young, handsome? Does he have money? That’s important.”

Sophie grins to herself and momentarily puts her phone on speaker and sets it on her dresser so she can change into her pajamas. “He looks young, very handsome, and I guess he has money. He told me he owns a house.”

“Ah, you’re in love you should bring him over for dinner.”

Sophie picks her phone back up and crawls into her bed, “No, mama, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why?” Her mother sounds genuinely disappointed, “He sounds like a nice boy and he is working with my daughter so I want to meet him.”

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“Hmm,” Sophie debates telling her mother the truth and decides to just do it like ripping off a bandaid, “listen, you can’t tell Alisha or Randy this okay, but my new partner is actually a vampire.”

“Oh…” Sophie’s mom falls into silence at this, but then picks right back up, “Well, of course I have to tell you brother and sister about this. They should know what you are doing.”

“No! Mama, you have to promise me. Randy will throw a fit if he finds out and I’ll get calls from Alisha nonstop.”

“What do you want me to do if they ask? Do you want me to lie to my own children Sophie, your siblings?”

Sophie grimaces and sighs at her mother’s theatrics. “Mom, just don’t tell them unless they specifically ask, okay?”

“Hmph, fine.” Her mothers resigns miffed. “So tell me what you did today.”

Sophie settles herself in and begins to describe the events of her day from gory beginning to busy ending.

~

Caleb prefers walking. He had never liked automobiles and trains they always seemed too loud and messy and then as time advanced they became too fast and dangerous for his taste. The entire point of them seemed to rush things along whereas Caleb prefers to take things slow and steady. Caleb remembers though old childhood memories of him racing on a bicycle at breakneck speeds on trails through the park and forests. He was always so desperate to prove himself and try to win first place back then, but now he has nobody to race against. Nowadays

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it’s all he can do to leave the house, everyday feels like an endless uphill battle for him that he has no way of winning.

On nights when the sadness feels heavy on his chest Caleb always lets himself wander around the city taking in the night air and gleaming lights that have replaced the stars until he arrives on the sketchy part of the city. Caleb enjoys this part of the city most because unlike other parts this one seems to never truly go to asleep. From sunrise to sunrise there are always gangs patrolling, drug dealers and prostitutes loitering, and an endless stream of people seeking their poison. Caleb feels something akin to them, their hopeless attempts to be forgotten by the world and remain unseen to the outside is something he understands.

On nights like these there is only one individual that Caleb wants to be with, who his wanderings always eventually lead him back too.

The entrance to the apartment is tucked away in an alley scribbled in graffiti and littered with trash, but the apartment itself is meticulous and clean. Caleb had rented it for cheap from the owner of the nightclub the apartment lives above because most people don’t enjoy having their sleep interrupted by rave music, but it doesn’t bother Caleb or the apartment occupant. He climbs the stairs up and without even knocking lets himself in. The apartment is a small one bedroom. The front door leads right into the kitchen area that’s connected to the living room. Caleb freely walks through the apartment until he finds the person he’s looking for.

The man’s name is Alejandro Guevara and he’s been Caleb’s familiar for five years. In the past Caleb had never taken on longterm familiars because he always thought they were overly complicated, but recently his loneliness had driven him to seek out a companion he could keep all to himself. Caleb is the only person allowed in the apartment, he’s the only person