"Ben, are you going to the pumpkin patch with me and Pru? We talked about it a couple of weeks ago. Jo and Link, Teddy and Owen are going with their kids." Miranda asked walking into their bedroom. The curtains were closed and it was rather dim inside.
"Here let me open the curtains. It's really dark in here."
"No, don't do that," he said quickly. Miranda turned to the bed and looked at him strangely.
"I have a headache," he groaned.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you alright? You looked kind of drained."
"I think I am coming down with something," Ben responded.
"I'm sorry baby," she pouted. "Here I'll order you some soup before I leave. Take a hot shower and some medicine and then get up under the covers." She instructed.
"I will,"
Eventually, Miranda came back and sat the bowl of soup on the nightstand with the medicine. "We will be back, feel better Ben Warren."
"Take pictures," he called out faking a cough.
Miranda put Pru's coat on and scarf before they left the house. Ben sat up and took the covers off when she left. He immediately began to pace the floor again. His condition was manifesting itself more and more each day. Granted it, it's only been 5 days now and he was just trying to wrap his brain around it himself.
He looked over at the chicken noodle soup and sighed. His appetite for food dwindled rapidly, and he found himself staring at meals he used to enjoy, knowing he couldn't partake. He missed the taste of human food, but he had no choice. His new craving for blood was an insatiable, tormenting desire, and it left him feeling like a monster.
He told Miranda he was feeling unwell, he felt like he was betraying her trust. He knew that his condition was far from a simple illness, but he couldn't bring himself to reveal the truth. The thought of biting into her neck and tasting her blood, something he was now drawn to, was both horrifying and tantalizing.
"Stop thinking about that," he chastised himself palming his forehead.
Miranda came back home carrying a sleeping toddler in her arms. They had a pretty eventful day. Miranda wasn't that mom who liked petting zoos and anything like that but with Pru, she was breaking out of her shell even more. It was just hard to say no to her as well.
So, they spent the day petting animals, riding hay rides, and exploring the pumpkin patch.
"Ben I am home," Miranda called out before going to lay Pru down.
"Hey, honey," Miranda greeted and looked around the room. Ben looked as if he was still in the same position.
"You didn't eat anything," she noted.
"I'm sorry, I just couldn't eat." He replied turning away from her. Her scent always overpowered him. She smelled like fresh, juicy fruit, strawberries, peaches, and apples all tinged with sharp, metallic iron. She smelled like the color red and all of its forms, bright, dark, decadent, filling, sweet, and bloody.
When he first turned, he started to realize that some people smelled differently than others. Better, in some cases, but not always.
Miranda, however, smelled the best.
And he longed to taste her.
Miranda walked over to his side of the bed and she reached out to feel his head. "Don't," Ben snapped.
"Benjamin you are freezing cold." She informed reaching out to touch him again. "Miranda I said don't touch me," Ben said sharply.
Her eyes widened and she watched Ben look at her. He knew he hurt her feelings. "I'm sorry. I just don't want you to catch what I have."
