“My family has been one of the first supernatural clans to roam this earth.” Kay started, staring at the scenery out of the window.

I tilted my head slightly, listening to every word he said.

“My ancestors thought it was Consumption,” He laughed to himself, shaking his head. “But then, one by one... all the members in the family started to show the same symptoms- coughing fits.” He said, gripping my hand suddenly, making me wince. However, Kay was too busy in his own thoughts that he didn’t pay attention to it.

“Clara, my mother...” He said, “She, she left me in the dark of what was happening. I had tons of questions. I asked her what had happened to my uncles and aunts who had come to dine at our mansion? But she would give me excuses saying that ‘they got the flu’ and ‘motion sickness’, etc. etc.” He rolled his eyes.

“But what she didn’t know was that every night at three am, I would wake up to find people screaming and groaning in pain. It soon accompanied with the sounds of heavy chains...”

“My mother never let me out of my room, you know.” He said, glancing sideways at me. I stared at the fingers in my lap, soaking it all in. He sighed and continued, “Well, at least she tried to distract me by letting my older sisters play with me so that I didn’t get curious to step out of the room. My room was always guarded the whole time. I wasn’t allowed to step outside at any cost.”

“However, one day, my curiosity got the better of me. I woke up early in the morning, and saw a gold light from the partially open door. I glanced at my older sisters who were fast asleep next to me. The fifteen year old me, quietly padded to the door and when I looked out-” His breath caught in his throat, closing his eyes.

“The entire passageway was streaked with blood.” He breathed out shakily. Ruella watched him, her expression filled with horror. “There was no one out as I quietly walked out of my room, my bare feet shaking. Some of the portraits on the walls had fallen down, some broken into half... The only thing that remained intact was the swaying noises of the chandelier overhead, giving me company in the horrid atmosphere that befell me.”

Kay had left my hand now and I felt the warmth drain from me. I felt awkward at my odd behavior. I was angry at him for not letting me know about his past sooner. Why did Kay have to gaslight me about what I had seen last night? Why was he protecting his secret from my curious eyes? One day or the other I had to know about it.

“The entire passageway was cold.” He continued. “I wrapped my arms around me, trying to warm the chills running down my arms. I could feel my neck get prickly and haze wash over me... B-but I carried on.” He shrugged. “I needed to know what secret my mother was keeping from me... Then I heard a low growl reverberate the walls. I stiffened. I was too scared to move. Where did this sound come from? I turned around to look back at the long passageway behind me and saw that the window on the far end wall was wide open. The moonlight was streaming inside, the curtains blowing in the harsh wind that signaled the onset of winter.”

“A floorboard creaked. I gasped softly and I slowly turned my head around to look the other way. My eyes bulged out of my sockets as I took in the long dark shadow in front of me. I staggered back, falling with a plop on the floor. The shadow matched my steps, moving towards me slowly with calculating steps.”

“I tried to grab something, anything that could be used to defend myself but all that I could find was thick blood coating the floor beneath me. My hair and back was wet from the blood that stuck to me like glue. Bile rose in my throat but I dare not show any weakness to the evil that lurked in front of me.” He suddenly clasped his hands together, rubbing them as if he was reliving the movement right now, fighting off the icy chill that accompanied his memories.

I jumped in my seat, my heart lurching in my chest.

“Sorry.” He said, the corner of his eyes meeting mine. “Nerves.” He added jokingly.

“The evil that lurked in the shadow had now come into the light of the chandelier. It was tall, large, and had the stench of death embedded in its features. It-He had no hair in his head. His irises were like glowing rubies and his mouth was dripping with blood. I screamed and staggered around the thick slosh of blood to run back to the safe confinements of my room. The man... demon...whatever it was roar reverberated in the mansion walls, his nails, scraping loudly around them.”

“I had managed to run without tripping. It didn’t matter how much blood was coating my nightclothes but as I grabbed the handle to open the door, I felt something pull me backward, and the darkness enveloped me. The only thing I could hear was my own screaming being heard in the passageway.”

I reached forward to hold his hand, to stop him from shaking. Kay breathed deeply, calmed by touch. He kept my hand in his palm, afraid I may let go.

I used this as an opportunity to question him. “Is that why you lied to me earlier when I asked you what you were doing last night?” I kept my voice soft. I didn’t want to make him anxious by getting angry at him. Now wasn’t the time.

“Yes.” He said, nodding and placed a chaste kiss to my hand, breathing it in, holding my hand to his beating heart.

I watched him with bated breath.

“I was afraid that you might run away and I may never see you again, Ruella.” His eyes were glassy and displayed a new emotion.

“Why? What did it matter if I left? I didn’t want to stay amongst murderers.” I replied, his eyes staring into my soul. Kay’s irises were getting brighter, the more he stared into me. I gulped and darted my eyes elsewhere, unable to hold his enticing stare.

“I wish I was like you. At least, I didn’t have to hide my private life from human civilization. I wanted the very same life you are living, Ruella.” I could feel him staring at me, his eyes burning holes on the side of my face. I was firm in my resolve not to stare in those grey pools of eyes. “But life had different plans for me, for my family.” He rubbed his thumb on the top of my hand and closed my eyes, relishing in his touch.

“W-what are you, Kay?” I asked. My voice breaking with tears. “What exactly are you? Why live in this secrecy?”

Kay tipped his head to look at me but I was staring outside the window. “I’m a vampire, Ruella.”

I removed my hand from his warm touch and whipped my head around to look at him in horror. I brought my feet up to my chest, my hands in my lap. He stared at me sadly and sighed. I cowered in the corner of the seat, praying that it swallow me whole. “Get away from me...” I growled.

Tears sprung down from Kay’s eyes. He looked so much in pain, so beautiful as he watched my horrified expression. Kay gathered his face in his hands and sobbed. I reeled his words in my head, ‘I’m a vampire, Ruella.’.