The two girls sat across the small round table from one another. Bex looked into Lyssa’s chartreuse colored eyes and Lyssa stared back, into Bex’s hazel eyes. Lyssa had her arms crossed and resting on the table. Bex was unwrapping her takeout. For a moment neither girl said anything.

“I suppose I should give you full disclosure,” Lyssa said.

“Yes please.” Bex smiled.

Lyssa physically recoiled at those words. Her eyes looking almost accusingly at Bex. Bex frowned not understanding, she shrugged it off and took a bite of her burger.

“Full disclosure is that I haven’t had a serious blood bond with someone in over a hundred years. All the bonds I have made accidentally over the years I made sure to end them quickly before it could develop into something serious.”

“By end do you mean kill?” Bex asked with her mouth full.

Lyssa crinkled her nose at her.

“Yes mostly, some faded on their own before I had to resort to that,” Lyssa said.

“Before you go on can I ask you something?”

“You just did.”

“Are you faking sounding American? I heard you earlier you kind of sound British.”

“Do you ever have serious questions?” Lyssa frowned.

“What? I think it’s serious. Well, are you?”

“Yes. When I move to a new area I have to quickly learn the lingo and language as well as their accents. Having an accent in a foreign land is a big way to get caught by slayers. Therefore if I don’t want to be found out so quickly it’s better to look, act, and sound American. This would be the same in any country or region I find myself in.”

“So right now you’re faking it? You don’t have to fake around me if you don’t want.”

“If I start to slack now it could lead to slip-ups in the future. I don’t want us to become comfortable with one another. We need to keep this professional.”

“Oh sure says the girl who spies on me when I sleep and cuddles me when I’m unconscious. Really professional.” Bex rolled her eyes.

“Don’t test me.”

“I’m just saying.”

“Fine you want me to be me, you are absolutely disgusting. Your room is always filthy. You eat like a caveman, and you don’t even know the concept of manners. You are a detestable person and just associating with you makes me feel icky.” She said in her natural accent. Her English tone coming through strong.

Bex broke into laughter, spitting out the food that was in her mouth. Lyssa cringed away and made a face of disgust.

“Stop it, it’s not funny you imp.” Lyssa hissed.

This only made Bex laugh harder.

“Okay, okay, okay wait. So this whole goth girl get up? Is that fake too?” Bex asked her eyes watering from her strong laughter.

“What do you mean get up? I wear what I please. I like to mix it up depending on my mood of the decade. This decade I have been feeling very morbid and dark. Sort of bitter and melodramatic. The goth style is an extension of my mood. Insult it and you insult me.” she eyed her seriously.

Bex laughed again.

“You are pissing me off,” Lyssa said in her fake American tone.

“Okay, okay. Sorry.” Bex snickered trying to get herself under control.

“Now can we get back on topic?” She kept up her fake American tone.

“No, only if you talk all British like. I like it.” Bex snickered.

“Are you mocking me?”

“No really, I do. Come on, it’s okay.”

“It’s not a British accent you twit. It’s an English accent. Victorian English to be exact. I hail from Liverpool. I was born in 1806 and changed into a vampire at the age of 17. 14 years before the famous Victorian era.” She said once again going back to her natural accent.

“Wow, you’re old,” Bex said.

Lyssa narrowed her eyes at her.

“Okay, I’m done, honest. Continue.” She held up her hands in surrender.

“Back on the topic of Blood Bonds. A blood bond is formed when a connection is formed with a human and a vampire after a vampire feeds from them. How the bond is formed varies. It usually doesn’t happen after one feeding.”

“Wait so how does it form? Like what exactly triggers it?”

“Well, there is no set in stone answer. Many things contribute. If there is an emotional connection that might be a factor. Sexual orientation, the amount of blood consumed, age, gender, etc. Any of these can be factors as to how it forms.”

“So us forming a bond so quickly was what? just a freak accident?”

“Something like that. Frankly, I was surprised the bond even formed from that little amount of blood I drank.”

“Well, what exactly is a blood bond?”

“It bonds the human to the vampire. It allows the vampire to know where the human is at all times and gives the ability to command them. That being said it gets more complicated than that.”

“How?”

“Once the bond gets stronger I will be able to feel your emotions, sense if you are in danger, and possibly even hear your thoughts.”

“What! I don’t want you in my head!”

“There’s more.”

“More!”

“The bond can work both ways. If it gets strong enough you will be able to hear my thoughts, feel my emotions, and sense where I am as well as if I may be in danger. Think of it as our own personal phone line that no one else can use.”

“The last thing I want is to be inside a vampires head!” Bex said in disbelief.

“Trust me the feeling is mutual.”

“Well is there a way to break it without the murder death part?”

Lyssa sighed and ran her hand through her hair.

“There are a few ways a blood bond can be broken, all of which are very painful. The easiest way is death.”

“That’s the easiest way!”

“Yes. Then there is what your friend began to attempt today. Blood purification. That is often the most painful way. A bond can also fade over time on its own, but that is also painful and agonizing for both parties. Lastly, a bond can be broken if a new bond takes its place. Such as if another vampire were to come and feed on you and try to take you away from me.”

Bex shivered at the thought of getting involved with yet another vampire.

“So we are stuck like this?” Bex pouted.

“I am afraid so.” Lyssa sighed.

Bex also sighed and took a large comforting bite of her burger.

“Lucky for both of us that the bond isn’t that strong yet, but the more I feed on you, the stronger it will become. And at the current rate, I expect to be hearing your thoughts by next week.” Lyssa frowned.

“This is a disaster.” Bex grumbled.

“Tell me about it. I don’t understand how some vampires insist and actually like blood bonds. They are truly the worst.”

Bex turned over the new information in her head as she finished her meal in silence. Mostly she just looked down at the table. Occasionally she would glance up at Lyssa who was eyeing very intensely. When Bex was done she wiped her hand across face and crumbled up the wrapper to her food.

“You are welcome to stay here for the night or I can take you home if you would like.” Lyssa finally said.

“If I stay are you just going to watch me sleep and cuddle me again?” Bex raised an eyebrow.

Lyssa turned her head away and stared out the window.

“Well?” Bex pushed.

“No. If that makes you uncomfortable I will stop.” She said.

Bex eyed her.

“Why do you do it?” Bex asked after a moment of silence.

Lyssa took a deep breath and turned to Bex once more.

“I don’t need to breathe you know. I can stop and nothing will happen.” Even as she spoke her chest rose and fell with her breathing.

Bex gave her a confused look.

“Breathing helps me to feel human again. It makes me feel less of a monster.”

“So cuddling makes you feel less of a monster?” Bex said not understanding.

“I wasn’t cuddling you. I was listening to your heartbeat.” Lyssa stood up and walked towards her dresser.

“My heartbeat?” Bex got up and followed her.

“I like to close my eyes and pretend that the beating in your chest is actually coming from my own. That the warmth of your body radiates from my cold lifeless skin. For a moment, even the briefest moment, I felt alive again.” Lyssa said to her reflection which stared back at her with a sad expression.

“Lyssa.” Bex moved to comfort her.

“It’s silly I know, but I will stop if it makes you uncomfortable. You can sleep here if you want or there are several guest rooms in the house. It doesn’t matter to me.” Lyssa quickly composed herself.

“You can talk to me if you need to.” Bex placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“Professional Rebecca, we must be professional.” Lyssa pulled out of her grasp.

Bex frowned at her.

“Okay, then I guess I’ll just sleep in here. But where will you sleep?”

“I don’t sleep. I will probably go out for the night as I usually do.”

“Okay,” Bex said awkwardly.

“Make yourself comfortable, I’ll be back before sunrise. Get some rest.” With that Lyssa walked over to the window, turned into a large crow and flew away.

Bex stared at the window for a second before moving to close it. Now she was in the big mansion alone. The house felt too quiet, too empty. Too big for one person. She sighed and went over to the bed laying down. She closed her eyes and pulled the blankets over herself. Then she let exhaustion overtake her and she was out like a light.

After an hour or two Lyssa came back and sat by the window. Staring out at the moon. She hugged her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. Bex mumbling in her sleep drew her attention and she turned her head to look at the sleeping girl.

“What am I doing?” Lyssa frowned. “This only ends one way,” Lyssa whispered the admission.

She quickly turned and buried her head in her knees. She thought back to her past once more.

She could recall laying in bed with The Girl.

“You know you really got to stop sneaking into my room at night. People might start asking questions.” The girl teased.

“I cannot help myself. I am addicted to you.” Lyssa crawled over to the girl on the bed.

“Is that so?” The girl flirted flashing a devious smile.

Lyssa acted like she was going to bite the girl but instead kissed her softly on the neck. Then she laid down and rested her head on the girl’s chest.

“Whatever will I do with you?” The girl smiled running her fingers through Lyssa’s thick black locks of hair.

“Run away with me,” Lyssa said seriously.

The room fell quiet and Lyssa listened as the girl’s heart sped up.

“I cannot.” The girl finally said.

“I can always command you to.” Lyssa pointed out.

“But you won’t.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because you haven’t commanded me to do anything since we met. Why start now? It would ruin our wonderful dynamic.” The girl teased.

“Perhaps I do not care for such things.” Lyssa wrapped her arms around the girl.

“Well, I suppose I am at your mercy then.”

The room fell silent again.

“What are you thinking of?” the girl asked after she could bear the silence no more.

“Nothing. I am thinking of nothing. I am simply enjoying feeling human with you. Your warmth is enough for the both of us. Just let me lay here.”

“I am to be engaged next week you know. If my father were to find you here. I shudder to think of what might happen.”

“Shh. Don’t worry of such things. Just let me be.”

The girl sighed and wrapped her arms around Lyssa, softly combing her fingers through her hair until the girl fell asleep.

Lyssa whimpered at the memory and rubbed the scar dead center of her chest. Again her head moved and her eyes fell on Bex’s sleeping form. She sighed and once again found herself lying next to Bex on the bed.

“You look and act so much like her you know,” Lyssa talked to the sleeping Bex.

“Tis probably why the bond was formed so fast and why it won’t break.” She spoke out loud to herself.

“What kind of new torture is this? As if it wasn’t painful enough to meet you once already, now I must deal with this new version of you. Forced to relive every painful memory we created. You truly are cruel to me you know. Yet even now I am weak for you.” Lyssa cuddled up into Bex, resting her head on her chest.

“Your hearts sound the same.” She whispered. “But I know she’s not you.” Lyssa buried her head deeper into Bex and held back silent tears.

Bex let her eyes open as she laid perfectly still, pretending to be asleep. Part of her was extremely uncomfortable with the monologuing vampire on her chest. The other part wanted to wrap her arms around Lyssa and comfort her. She resisted both parts and just laid there silently until she fell asleep once more.