“Yo! Shion wake up!” I hear knocking at the door. And I wonder why someone’s yelling at me, and why Jake hadn’t woken me up himself. I pull the covers over my head to block out the sun light escaping through the light curtains- wait sunlight? My eyes shoot open to an unfamiliar room, and slowly I recall the events of the past two days. I’m not in the vampire city anymore; I’m sleeping in a human inn in a human town with sunlight seeping through the curtains.

I’m grinning again, and immediately my eyes are wide open.

“Shion! It’s past noon! Uncle said to get you up before he gets a stake and garlic out.”

“Good morning Jacob. tell Uncle I’m getting up so there’s no need to waste his cooking ingredients.”

“Good to hear. I left some shower gel in the bathroom if you need it.”

“thank you, I’ll be down in a bit.” I call through the door. I swing my feet over the side of the bed, and sit for a moment, taking in the sensations of my new life: the worn wood under my bare feet, the smell of stale air of the room, and the warmth of the sunlight. Looking favourably around my new room, I left for the bathroom.

There was flannels and a pile of towels left on the shelf by the sink, I helped myself to one and ran myself a bowl of hot water in the sink. Vampires do not smell as much as humans and we don’t usually go through the same cleaning résumé, but I liked the feel of hot water on my face and cleaning away the sleep left in the corners of my eyes. I liked even more playing the role of a human. I cleared away the steam, to reveal a slightly distorted image of a human-like teenager grinning back at me. Jake, I made it, and look at me now! Would father even recognise me? I left the towel hanging on the rack to dry and went back to my room.

Taking on the flasks from the bottom draw, two of which clean and empty, I stared at my reaming options. I knew that if I left it any longer, the blood would go bad. It was cooler in my room, but outside it was much hotter than I’m used to, and there wasn’t any way of keeping it cool, so I drank the remaining blood left in the flask, and then also washed that one through.

I have to find some way of refilling my flasks, and due to Uncles apparent hate for vampires, I doubt he stocks the artificial stuff. I admit I didn’t think this through enough, but this place wasn’t what I was expecting at all, I didn’t think vampires- well- would be so hated. And I didn’t think I’d end up hiding my identity, not to this extent anyway. I have to somehow find out if there are any other vampires in this town and where they get their blood from without looking suspicious. That was my new challenge, and if I meant that I could live like this, I won’t back down.

At the bar I found Jacob and Thalia bent over pages of scribbles, so engrossed in what they were doing

“what’s that you’re doing?” I asked looking over his shoulder at the page full of numbers.

Thalia flinched, and looked up to glare at me. “This is a math equation and if we solve it we get a free trip to the capital city.” She grumbled.

“oh, okay. Have you ever been to the city?” I ask

“no! You think any of us could afford that? You really don’t know anything about money, do you?” she asked bitterly.

I shrugged, then asked “do you want any help?”

“well no offense but do you know anything about advanced mathematics?”

“i don’t know about that but that plus should be a minus.” I pointed to their workings which was a complex array of pencil mess on a page.

“what do you mean? I think I know-”

“no hang on I think he’s right about that. Do you see anything else?” he aksed.

“well, I think you just put it in harmonic form to solve the rest of it.”

“harmonic form... he must be right! Sir said that there is more than one possible answer so that must be it! Harmonic form!” he cried, “wanna do the rest of my homework?” he laughed

she skipped back to the first page of her workings, and then back to the last page, “ok, you’re right.” She grumbled. “I’m sure we could have got there in the end anyway though.”

“sorry, shouldn’t have I said anything?” I asked them.

“no, don’t worry about her, she’s just frustrated because she couldn’t solve it.” He comments, and Thalia’s glare intensifies.

“fine, you’re right. I couldn’t solve it and I’m annoyed because some random guy could and I couldn’t! And you made it look some damn easy, it’s infuriating!” she growels at her page of numbers.

“what she means is, thanks for helping.”

“call it repayment for cutting my hair yesterday. That reminds me, are you really going to make a wig out of my hair?”

“you kiddin’? Of course! Wigs sell for a good price!”

“sometimes you truly amaze me Thalia.” He shakes his head disapprovingly.

“what?” she hisses, “well he doesn’t want it does he?”

“no! What use for it would I have? Besides I think I have enough money!”

“true you’re fine for now, but no money lasts forever. She’s swindling you.”

“I’m not swindling him! He said it was fine!” she

“it really is fine.” I reply.

“you’re too kind for your own good Shion. Selling that wig would pay for your rent for two or three weeks!”

“He said its fine, Jacob, so leave it at that. So, have you decided how long you’ll be staying?” she asked me.

“I think I’ll like to stay a little longer.”

“Great! Then you can do our homework more often!” she winks, “i’m kiddin’” she adds at Jacobs scolding expression.

“Then let us give you a tour of the town!” he suggests.

“Thanks, that’ll be helpful.”

“Not you Jacob. I need you to man the bar.” I hear uncles voice from the corner of the room, exactly where he was yesterday.

“Uncle, you’re sitting right there, and we have two customers. Can you let me go just this once?” he begs, but uncle gives no reply, and after a couple of seconds is breathing slow and deep- he’d fallen asleep.

He swears under his breath in annoyance. “well, sorry Shion but it looks like I’m staying here.”

“Don’t worry Jacob, I’ll look after him.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m apologising for.” He comments.

“Well that’s rude.” She snaps back, but she doesn’t really seem offended, if anything, when they’re like this, there seems to be more energetic.

“What you looking at?” she blushed.

“Nothing. So where are we going first?” I ask as she leads me out the doors. The brightness shocks me a first and send daggers through my eyes. I blink a couple of times, and tears escape the sides of my eyes, and even after that everything seemed hyper bright so that it hurt to look up.

“Are you ok?” she asked, knitting her brow together.

Even though light won’t burn me, my eyes are still hypersensitive to light so that I could see in darkness. Stepping outside after the dim light of the inn was like someone shining a light directly into my eyes. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just have to get used to the light.”

“oh, ok. So you don’t come from somewhere with this much sun huh?”

I thought back to the dark streets of the vampire city, and I almost laughed. “No, it wasn’t very bright where I come from.”

She waits for another minuet, “Are you ready?” she asks. And though squinting against the sun, I nod. “Right, so first I’ll take you to the market because its closest.” I follow her around the streets, trying to note distinguishable features to remember them by. The streets where strangely similar, with the same wooden low buildings that extents one or two floors above the ground, contrary to the tall looming buildings of the vampire city. But there was enough of distinguishing features to navigate. At the end of the first street named Long Inns Road, was a house with a porch painted a awful pink, the paint has begun to peal so I couldn’t imagine how bright it look to begin with, but even now the colour was... an interesting choice to say the least.

“That’s old Harry’s place,” she explains seeing my stare, “his wife painted it that colour before she died, and even after ten years he refuses to repaint it.”

I found the lingering sentiment surprising and so sad. Why would someone remind themselves of their loss so willingly?

“the markets just down the next road, you’ll know when you get there ‘cause its kinda called Market Road. I know, terribly hard to remember, but I think you’ll get it after a while.” And just as she finished, we came to a crossroad, where, just as she said, on my left was a street named Market Road. Although the street sign was worn and faded, the letters were clearly visible; even without the sign, the numerous stalls and shops that ran down either side of the road meant it needed no introduction. Despite the path beginning as dusty and neglected as the others, there was a certain energy to it that even I could pick up on. There were the sounds of bartering and friendly chatter that transcended the dead and monotonous of the rest of the town, and colours, of different fabrics and multicolour fruits out for sale that made even my mouth water.

Again, I found myself wondering what diverse tastes could be found in apples and raspberries, what it felt like to have the juices spilling from the corners of your mouth and dripping off your chin. The sound of the crunch, and the spray of juices as your teeth piece the skin, or the soft succulent texture as the beads of fruit burst in your mouth. I wanted that more than anything.

“you look amazed. Have you never been to a market before?” she asked, holding back a snigger.

“No I haven’t.” I admitted. There were so many people here, more than I could count. The street was full of people buying things and talking, children playing in the gutters, and fantastic smells I’ve never smelt before.

“Just where have you been living all this time?” she asks rhetorically, then pulls me along before I could answer. “come on, you haven’t eaten today have you?” she asks.

“No I haven’t...” what if she buys me food? Although I would love to be able to, I know I cant eat it. Our stomachs can’t handle normal food, I don’t know what happens exactly, but it’s a no-go whatever the specifics are.

“well then, lets buy some of Day’s apples, they’re always delicious this time of year.” And before I could stop her, I had a batch of apples and raspberries wrapped neatly in a paper bag, with the perfect red flesh of an apple protruding at the top.

I let her buy me food for appearances sake, it would look quite strange for me to never be seen eating or buying food. Sure, at first, no-one would notice, but if I stick around here for any length of time people would start noticing, especially since everyone seems wary of vampires. Plus, Thalia seemed happy talking to the merchants and buying things so I left her to it.

“you’re new in town aren’t ya?” I flinch as a large man approaches me and I’m left his shadow.

“yes. My name is Shion.” I answer him politely.

“you look like a nice lad, I’ve got somethin’ for ya.” He takes me by the shoulders and steers me away from Thalia, who was too preoccupied to notice. His grip is strong, and his entire upper body is soild; on closer inspection his face is worn and rough, but it juxtaposes completely with the dodgy grin he had directed at me.

“Sir, sorry but I don’t need anything else.”

“Have you ever seen a vampire?” he asked, and before I could reply he continues, suggesting that the question was in fact rhetorical. “nasty buggers aren’t they? And we’ve had a serious problem with them in the past. Dangerous time, these are. But not to worry! I’ve got somethin’ that will protect you against even the strongest of the blood suckers.”

“No thank you, i’m fine.” I try shaking him off, but it’s as if he couldn’t even hear me.

His booming voice continued, “Now, its ok lad, no need to be afraid, for a small price of thirty full credits and you’ll be safe for sure with this new product of mine.” He reaches in his long trench coat and pulls out a sliver flask with an oversized crucifix crudely welded on this side. “now, I know what youre thinkin’ ‘isnt this just ordinary holy water?’ and thats where youre wrong my young friend. This holy water is infused with garlic so it triple the toxicity, and this flask is pure silver so you’ll be even safer walking about these dangerous streets after sunset.”

“I have to get back to my friend” again I tried escaping politely, but that might not work with this man.

Thankfully, Thalia noticed that I was gone. “Hey Tim, get out of here! Shion isn’t interested in one of your stupid scams!” she wacked him on the shoulder, and he released me, turning in her direction.

“oh, hi Thalia. I didn’t know this kid was with ya. And they aint scams! I run a legitimate business!!”

“yeah, sure, and we were just leaving.” She says sternly.

“But Thalia don’t you want to be protected from the creatures of the night?” he asked.

“I think I’ll take my chances thanks Tim. Especially with that price tag.” She finishes.

I wonder what he would say, if I told him all that stuff was completely useless?

“Jeez Shion! I take my eyes off you for two minutes and you end up with our local con artist!”

I shrugged, “I tried to tell him no, but he wouldn’t listen.”

“He’s a con artist, that what he does.” She argues. We come back the way we came, I recognise Harry’s house and its awful pink colour.