Lyssa’s lips peppered kisses all over Bex’s neck. Bex closed her eyes tight as crinkled the velvety sheets in her hands.

“Lyssa.” She moaned.

Lyssa pulled back and looked into her eyes. Bex stared into those mysterious Chartreuse eyes. She watched as a wave a lust clouded the vampire’s eyes.

“Kiss me,” Bex begged.

Lyssa leaned in and her lips grazed Bex’s.

Bex shot up in bed, her heart racing at her steamy dream. Her eyes darted around the foreign room. The sun just barely peeked through the curtain. She was alone, and thank god for that because she knew she mumbled in her sleep.

She ran her hand down her red face and pushed the covers aside, getting out of the bed. The bedside clock read 6:19 AM.

“Urgh! Too early.” Bex complained.

She slowly padded out of the room and walked around aimlessly. She had no idea how to navigate the big house. Lyssa’s room was on the first floor, but there was a grand staircase that led to a whole other level of the house she had yet to explore. Not to mention the basement and all the ground level rooms she yet to look into.

“Lyssa?” she called out.

“In here!” Lyssa called back.

Bex followed the voice to a different room on the ground floor. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and opened the door to find what looked to be an art studio. Her eyes scanned the area. Many canvases laid around with sketches on them. There were paint tubes lying in a box. Clay sitting in the corner. It all had a very artsy feel to it.

“Whoa!” Bex’s eyes went wide as she stepped into the room.

“Good morning Rebecca. Although it is a bit early for you isn’t it?” Lyssa was focused on a canvas she was working on.

She had on an apron that was covered in paint splatter and smudges. Her eyes were trained on the canvas as she carefully dotted the paint into the desired spots. Rebecca moved in closer to get a better look at the painting.

“I am afraid I am not a very good cook. Although my kitchen does contain food for you, I go grocery shopping once a month to seem, normal. It helps divert suspicion from me.” Her English accent was strong as she spoke and her eyes still had yet to leave her art piece.

“What are you doing?” Bex asked.

“Don’t ask stupid questions, I am painting.”

Bex frowned.

“I mean, what are you painting?”

“I don’t know yet. I am just letting my hand act on its own.” She said in deep concentration.

“Oh.” Bex stood there awkwardly.

Lyssa sighed and set her paintbrush down before turning to Bex.

“I suppose you want me to feed you then?” Lyssa asked.

Bex forced a smile.

Lyssa sighed and got up from her stool. Taking off her apron. She left the painting and walked out of the art studio. Bex followed her, but before she could leave her eye caught a painting in the corner of the room, halfway uncovered.

The half she could see was the face of a girl with ice cold blue eyes and blond ringlet curls. Her curiosity got the better of her as she wondered If this was Lyssa’s mysterious girl. She walked over to the painting and uncovered it. She gasped at the beauty that lay before her.

The girl was magnificent. Porcelain-like skin, deep red lips. Ice blue eyes. Sharp cheekbones and an elegant neck.

“Emm.” Lyssa frowned at the painting, having walked up behind Bex.

“She’s beautiful,” Bex said in awe.

“She’s a bitch.” Lyssa covered the painting back up.

“Who is she?”

“My ex. She dumped me 20 years ago.”

“So is she?”

“A vampire? Yes.”

“I was going to say dead, but okay.”

“She might as well be, that girl is dead inside. A cold heartless bitch.”

“I’m guessing you guys didn’t end on good terms?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

Bex frowned, she had found a girl but she could tell it wasn’t the girl by Lyssa’s reaction. Still, now she was curious about this new girl.

“So what’s her name?” Bex asked.

“Professional, Rebecca. Please restrain yourself from asking such personal questions.” Lyssa walked into the kitchen.

Bex frowned after her.

“You know we can be friends. It won’t be the end of the world.” Bex said.

“What makes you think I want to be your friend?” Lyssa asked.

Because you cuddle with me at night, Bex thought to herself.

“Because you are being very nice to me,” Bex said out loud.

“This is just common hospitality. Do not mistake it for something else.”

Bex rolled her eyes.

“Well help yourself.” Lyssa opened the fridge.

Bex grabbed milk and cereal before sitting down and pouring herself a bowl. Lyssa watched her eat.

“Why do you do that? It’s creepy.” Bex frowned.

“Do what?”

“Watch me eat so intensely.”

“Sorry. I shall stop if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“Yeah right, that’s what you said last night.” Bex cringed once she realized she had given herself away.

Lyssa tensed up and shot a wary look at Bex wondering how much she had heard last night.

“It’s okay, it’s not like a big deal or anything,” Bex said after the silence stretched on for too long. She felt her cheeks heat up.

“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.” Lyssa looked away from Bex.

“It's okay. I don’t mind.” Bex frowned.

“No. We must keep this professional.” Lyssa stood firm.

Bex sighed.

After that, the girls got dressed for school. Bex took a shower and borrowed something from Lyssa, which resulted in her wearing black skinny jeans and a plain black t-shirt. Luckily, she had been wearing her usual checkered vans so the shoes matched perfectly.

Then Lyssa picked Bex up in her arms and the two sped off to school.

“How come you don’t just take your car?” Bex asked as they walked up to the school steps.

“A car makes it much easier for them to track me and find out where I live.” She pointed out.

“Freaks in town!” Monroe called as they walked into the cafeteria.

Lyssa walked over to him and took his apple, this time she used her nail to carve a face in it before setting it back in front of him. Then she walked to her usual vacant table. Bex stood at the entrance awkwardly for a moment wondering if she should follow Lyssa or go sit with her friends.

She looked at the table and saw Joan sitting there. They made eye contact. Then she looked back to Lyssa who seemed to be paying her no mind and had opened a book to read. Her legs led her to Lyssa’s table and she sat down in front of her.

Lyssa looked over the edge of her book but didn’t say anything.

“So what are you reading?” Bex asked.

“Today I am rereading Dante’s Inferno.” She said with her fake American accent back.

“Why?” Bex made a face.

“Because I enjoy literature. It is the only other thing that is as immortal as me.” She turned the page.

“That’s not true,” Bex said.

Lyssa sighed and set her book down.

“Well, lots of things don’t age. Like uh, music and art.”

“I know this.” Lyssa frowned.

“Well, what about movies and plays and stuff like that?”

“I guess so.”

“Lots of things are timeless.” Bex smiled.

“I see what you are trying to do here and it won’t work.” Lyssa picked her book back up.

“What do you mean?” Bex played dumb.

“You are trying to gain my friendship. To which I have already told you that I will not give. We must remain—”

“Professional, I know.” Bex rolled her eyes.

“Why would you want to be my friend anyway?” Lyssa looked at her over the edge of her book.

“Because there is so much I want to know about you. About vampires, about history and the supernatural. I have so many questions and it is literally killing me not being able to ask them.” She pouted.

“Like what?”

“Like… who was that girl you were talking about last night?” Bex went out on a limb.

Lyssa tensed up and put her book away, grabbing her backpack.

“Lyssa wait, come on, you can talk to me.” Bex got up and stopped her from leaving.

“Perhaps I have been too lenient. There will be no friendship, there is only professional courtesy. That is the way it has to be Rebecca.” Lyssa pulled free and walked away just as the bell rang.

Bex sighed and watched her go.

When Bex turned to grab her bag she saw Joan making a beeline to her, she quickly grabbed her stuff and ran off before Joan could catch up.

After band practice, Bex walked home per usual. She kept thinking about Lyssa. About how sensitive Lyssa was about this mystery girl. She thought about how Lyssa broke down when she put her in the casket. How Lyssa shouted at her about being buried in the ground. She thought about Lyssa listening to her heartbeat and how she watched her eat and sleep. She knew the vampire was probably just being stubborn and was actually really lonely. At least that was the vibe she got from it.

“Hey.” She said when she walked into her house and her brother was digging through the pantry for food.

“Hey, how was your girlfriend.” He smirked at her.

“She’s going through a lot. I’m kind of worried about her.” Bex admitted.

“What do you mean?” Nathan turned and gave her his full attention.

“She has no family, no one. She’s all alone you know. I just sort of feel sorry for her. She is always home alone. You know I haven’t even seen her smile once. I can just tell she’s so unhappy.” Bex sighed resting her elbow on the counter.

“Well don’t you make her happy?” He leaned into the conversation.

“I don’t think so. I think I just remind her of her painful past.”

“That’s harsh. Well, maybe she’s stuck in the past. You got to bring her to the present. Show her there is still so much out there for her. Help her make some friends. Invite her over for the family game night or something. You can’t give up.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I won’t! thanks, big bro.” She smiled.

“Anytime sis.” He smiled back.

With new determination to break threw Lyssa’s hard shell Bex ran upstairs.

“Rebecca, have you seen your grandmother's silverware collection? The one I keep by her picture in the living room? It’s gone and I can’t find it.” Her mom popped her head into her room.

“Uh, no.” she lied.

“Your grandmother is coming over tomorrow and you know she always likes to look at it when she comes. I swear that woman is out to get me. She gives you one set of antique silverware and expects the world in return.” Her mom ranted as she left the room.

She sighed in relief and kicked the box of silverware further under her bed as the corner of it stuck out. The box was empty as Bex had thrown out the silver utensils into the shed in the backyard far away from any potential harm it could cause Lyssa.

“Hey, Bex did you hear!” Abby came into her room.

“What?”

“A carnival is in town and guess who asked me to go on a date with him!” she squealed.

“Is it Rory?”

“It’s Rory!” Her sister confirmed with excitement.

“Congrats sis.” She smiled.

“Don’t congrats me just yet, there is a catch.” She pouted.

“A catch?”

“Mom said I could only go if you or Nathan come with. But Nathan can’t because he is going over to his friends this weekend. So…”

“Oh…”

“Please, please, please! Come on, you can even invite your girlfriend we can make it a double date thing. Plus once we are in you can do your thing and I’ll do my thing, yeah?”

“Hmmm.”

“Please Bex, please!” She begged.

“On one condition.”

“What?”

“Take this and go get nannas silverware out of the shed and put it back next to the picture in the living room. Don’t ask questions and don’t tell mom it was me.” she handed her sister the box.

“Okay.” She dragged the word out, taking the empty box.

“As for the double date, when is it?”

“Saturday?”

“Works for me.”

“Yes! Thank you, you’re the best!” her sister squealed and ran out of the room with the box in tow.

Bex sighed in relief once she was gone. Then she grabbed her phone and called Lyssa.

“This better be an emergency,” Lyssa warned; her fake accent gone.

“It kind of, sort of, maybe a little, is?” Bex bit her lip.

“I am hanging up.” Lyssa sighed.

“No, wait! Look I am sorry about this morning. I was out of line. Can we just forget the whole thing?”

The line was silent.

“Lyssa?”

“Fine,” Lyssa said.

“Awesome! So I have a favor to ask you.”

“Now I am hanging up.”

“No! Listen. The carnival is in town and my sister has a date. But she can only go if I go with her. Sounds awful right? Well, it might not be so awful if you came with me… please.” Bex closed her eyes tight and crossed her fingers.

Again the line was silent for a long time.

“I don’t think you grasp the concept of strictly professional.” Lyssa sighed.

“Forget about that! I don’t want to be professional, I want to be your friend. I would feel a lot more comfortable with being your blood slave if I knew more about you. Please, Lyssa, come on. When’s the last time you just went out and did something fun for once?”

“Fine,” Lyssa growled.

“Really?” Bex said in excitement.

“I am only doing this to shut you up and keep you from nagging me all the time.”

“Yes! So it’s a date then. I mean not a date date, but like a friend date. Because we’ll be going as friends. Nothing more.” Bex facepalmed herself.

“A friend date.” Lyssa snorted in amusement.

“You can hang up now,” Bex said in embarrassment.

“See you tomorrow at school Rebecca.” Lyssa smiled before hanging up.

Bex dropped her phone and took a deep breath, trying to get her nerves in check. Her cheeks were pink with blush. She looked at her phone and smiled. She was making progress.