From then on, Cade helps me bathe regularly. I let him cut my hair too. He cleans my clothes in a strange device. He makes me food and I eat with him at regular times. Unless he has to leave for work, then I miss out on a meal time. But it's not like I need to eat so often.
Cade has explained what every device in his house is. I intently listen and take note of their names and what they do. He gives me a weird smile but doesn't explain what it means.
I knew my hands and arms were essential in living... but somehow I didn't realize just how much I needed them. Cade says I can open the fridge for food but I can't without my hands. For some reason he apologizes every time he makes a mistake like that. I don't really care. I'm just surprised by how even more powerless I realize I am every day.
One day he's feeding me breakfast as usual. I chew and swallow.
"Cade. What do you do for work?" I ask. I wonder where he goes every time he leaves the house.
"Oh. I work a couple jobs. One is volunteering at the orphanage. Another is exposing illegal slave trades and businesses like that. Then my last one is at a flower shop that often works with various charities." Cade explains. He takes a bite of his food.
"...so the building I was held captive in before you found me is...?"
"Vacant. I shut down their business by reporting it."
"It sounds like you do good for this world... somehow I thought you were evil since you could hold your own against the king of vampires."
Cade offers me more food. I take it. "I think it's better to do good. Someone will always need help. I want to try my best to help them if it's possible."
I chew on my food. He seems obsessed with helping others. He took in a dangerous vampire and is trying to help me too. I don't think any other person would have tried this.
Cade checks his watch. "Oh! I have to go to work! Today it's the orphanage! Did you have enough to eat?"
"You know I don't really need to eat, right?" I ask.
"Sure, whatever. See ya!" Cade rushes out of the house after cleaning up. I watch him go.
I wander around the house when Cade is gone. It's all I can do to wait for him to come back. I've gotten used to our routine. It's too boring to sit in a room for years anyway.
Cade always keeps things clean and tidy. His bed is always made when I peek inside his room. I've laid on my bed to see how it feels. I've felt more at ease to try and sleep. But eating and sleeping would just be a pleasure to indulge in. I don't truly need it to survive. Cade always makes my bed when I lay on it and mess it up. I never know when he tidies it though.
There's something called a TV in the living room. I've seen it on a couple times. Cade always forgets to leave it on for me though. I'm still not sure how it works so I can't try to turn it on myself. It seems like an interesting device. I'd like to explore it more.
The hours pass as I wait for Cade to come home and entertain me. I should mention the TV to him. I might be able to pass the time more leisurely if I can explore that device.
The sun goes down and it gets dark in the house. I sit on the couch and see as my eyes adjust to the darkness. I can clearly see in the dark but my eyes must adjust a little at first, the same as humans. Yet my sight is still greater than theirs.
As I wait, I listen to the small noises from outside. I pick up something strange. It sounds like a human may be approaching the house. I don't understand what they're doing here. It isn't until they test a window and break the glass before I realize.
The human crawls in, dressed in black. I jump to my feet and they finally see me. They raise something dark and black at me.
"Get down!! Get on the ground and stay there and I won't shoot!!" The human yells at me. I don't know what device he's holding. I've never seen it before. When I don't react how the human wants, he becomes more hostile. "I said get the hell on the ground!!"
The human comes at me. I won't allow him to touch me. I use my intimidation and he falls down like a dead fly. I almost forgot how effective my intimidation is on anything other than Cade. The human groans in pain but doesn't move. What do I do now...?
Just then, Cade comes home. "I'm home~" he announces. When he walks into the living room, he turns on the light. There's the human on the ground and me standing above him.
"Cade," I say. "This human broke in."
Cade is shocked. He rushes over to me. "Silas! Are you alright!?" He examines me then glances at the human on the floor.
"Of course I am. You forget I'm the king of vampires. This weakling wouldn't be able to do anything to me," I tell him.
"I have to call the police..." Cade seems worked up. He hesitates before kicking the black device away from the human. Then he pulls out his phone to call the police as he said.
Cade pushes me into my room when the police arrive. I'll look weird with my restraints if they see me. I listen through the door as the human is taken away. Cade lets me out of my room when it's done.
He doesn't look so good. He goes to the broken window and looks at it solemnly. Then he grabs a broom to sweep up the glass. I can only watch him.
"I can't believe this..." Cade finally says. "If you weren't here, that could have been dangerous... He would have stolen what he could. Or if I was here alone, he could have shot me..."
"What was that device he was holding?" I ask.
Cade turns to me. "A gun. It's a very dangerous weapon... for normal people like me..."
"You don't seem so normal to me," I tell him. His expression is bothering me. Why is he so bothered? In the end, nothing happened. Nothing was stolen and that "gun" or whatever didn't do anything... It looks like the police he called helped with everything too.
"Despite everything, I am normal." Cade looks back at the broken window. "I'm not an immortal vampire like you."
I don't know what to say to that. I guess he is a human after all. Humans are fragile. I've killed many easily, so I know. Their bones can be crushed with one hand and I can rip their limbs off no problem. It's crazy how weak they are, yet they make up for it with intelligence. Like how they could come up with a spell to stop me...
"I need to do something about this window..." Cade says. He walks into the kitchen. He searches for something.
I watch as Cade tapes the window up with layers of plastic. He stares at the window when it's done. His face says "this'll have to do for now". He was so worked up that I can easily read him now. For some reason I'm not feeling too happy about it. I'm not used to seeing him like this.
Cade turns to me. He takes a step forward. He looks awkward. "Um... thanks for stopping the burglar. I never knew this kind of thing would happen. Sorry for inconveniencing you." He bows his head in apology.
What is with this human... he's acting like me helping him is a big deal. He's been helping me this whole time. Why is it so weird for me to help him once? We both live in this house now. If anyone tries to ruin it, it'll be trouble for both of us. I was just getting used to this peaceful life. I don't want to go back to being stuck in a jail cell... being forgotten... no one coming close because they fear me...
Cade raises his head and sees my glare. He just smiles his usual smile. "Now then. How about we have dinner?"
He continues on and makes dinner without waiting for my reply. I watch him do so. When the meal is done, he feeds me. He isn't really touching his food. I don't actually have to eat, but he does. So why isn't he eating?
"Why aren't you eating?" I ask. He tries to give me more food but I refuse it.
Cade sighs and puts the utensil down. "I guess I lost my appetite."
"Then why'd you make dinner?"
"I thought we should have some type of routine to make you comfortable here. I always make dinner, even after work. I wanted to be consistent. Then that burglar..." Cade trails off.
He's still thinking of me. Even when he got home and saw the burglar, he asked if I was alright first. Why does he care so much about a vampire? I think nothing of killing humans and even my own kind when they were still alive. Cade volunteers at orphanages, shuts down evil organizations, and works for something called charity. Does he not realize just what he brought into his home? I could have killed him by now. He's let his guard down so many times. I feel confident he wouldn't be able to stop me the next time I want to kill him.
"If you want to starve and die, I can easily kill you now," I say.
Cade stares at me. "Heh..." He lets out a small laugh. "Maybe you should."
I furrow my brows. "Do you want to die?" It doesn't seem like it. He's doing his best to do good in the world. He stopped me from killing him a few times. If he really wanted to die, he would have let my attempts succeed.
Cade eyes me. Then he looks away. "It's not a matter of if I want to or not. It's if I should. I wasn't always like this, trying to be good."
"What does that mean...?"
Cade moves his food around his plate. "I've been a bad person. So that's why I'm trying to do good. I'm trying to make up for my mistakes."
I know I thought he might be evil... but he's shown me that he's not. So this doesn't make sense. He really was evil in the past? How is that possible? I feel like you can't take care of an evil vampire when you're evil yourself. He's been unconditionally doing his best to help me. He made a shirt just to fit me... he's been trying to find information about the spell put on me... he cares for me every day...
"I don't believe you," I say.
Cade freezes. He looks at me again. His eyes are wide in surprise. His face is saying "what?" He's searching my own face for why I would say that.
"If you were bad, you wouldn't be trying to help me," I explained.
Cade somehow looks disappointed. He might be thinking "I am bad, that's why I'm trying to help you". But he doesn't say it aloud. He just looks away.
We sit in silence. I'm used to silence. I go centuries sitting by myself in complete silence. But this silence is actually uncomfortable. It's practically suffocating. I want Cade to smile his usual smile. I want to go back to our peaceful life. I curse the burglar for ever coming here.
Then again... I've learned a bit more about Cade. I just thought of him as the weird superhuman who's taking care of me for some reason. Now he's a troubled human who might be more complicated than the rest. He irritates me and confuses me. Yet he piques my interest.
Soon, Cade cleans up without eating anything. I feel a tinge of worry. He's a human. He needs to eat. He's not like me that can go forever without it. He'll start eating again soon, right? Or... didn't I want him to die...? Then I'd be free. But I've gotten used to how he's taken care of me... I already know no one else will do the same for me...
Cade heads to his room then stops. He looks back at me. He puts on a strained smile. "I'm not sure if I can sleep tonight. I'm worried if anyone else will break in..."
"They won't. I'll make sure of it." I say.
Cade looks away and pauses. Then he slides his eyes back to me. "Will you sleep with me?"
"Huh?"
"Just having someone next to me... maybe it'll make me feel safer... and then I can sleep," Cade says.
"You want an all powerful vampire who could easily kill you to be by your side?"
Cade's usual smile comes back. "Yes. That's exactly what I want."
I feel... strange. I don't know why but... I follow Cade into his room without another argument. I lay in his bed big enough for two. How come I have a smaller bed in my room? Well, not like I usually use it...
Cade puts the blanket over us. Then he snuggles up close to me.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"It's more cozy this way." Cade replies.
Cozy... that's somewhat of an unfamiliar word to me. I don't know what else to say though. Cade cuddles me and seems to drift off to sleep easily. Was he lying about not being able to sleep? No, I doubt it. He did seem scared. How is my presence so calming for him? I don't understand anything about him. I wonder if I ever will.
The bed is more comfortable and warmer than I thought. Cade's body helps it to be warm. I've found true comfort. I guess... it wouldn't be so bad... to indulge in this for a minute...
I close my eyes. I let myself drift off to sleep for the first time in a while. I only give myself a few minutes before I wake up again. The house is safe and Cade is still asleep next to me. Those few minutes of sleep was absolute bliss. Now I'll be alert to protect the house as I told Cade not to worry.
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