13

10. Breakfast

5:25 a.m. The last time I woke up this early was two months ago. During the first week of 'training' to become a proper vampire, Eleanor and Silas, who is the Hercues-looking, most muscular member of Idris' clan, had woken me up early just to go for a run. It was awful. The other time I woke up this early was during a finals test for my first college Biology class. I had forgotten to study for it because I was busy studying for other classes, so I woke up three hours before the test and studied about seventeen chapters in one sitting, while I was chugging down four shots of espresso. It was also awful.

But today doesn't seem too bad. It's just me, myself, and a topless, pale, dark haired vampire sleeping soundlessly beside me. His chest is against the mattress and his left leg is on my wall of pillows. His tousled hair sticks out from every direction, and his lips are slightly parted, revealing a little of his sharp white teeth.

He almost looks adorable when he's sleeping. I'm not saying he looks like an angel when he sleeps, but he most certainly doesn't look as innocent and holy when he's awake and kicking ass with just a couple of moves.

Grinning, I reached my hand over the wall of pillows to brush some hair off his face. Then, my eyes met his exposed torso and choked on my own saliva. I drew my hand back as my face heated up. Where the hell is my shirt and why is he not wearing it? And why does he have a scar on his left shoulder blade? When did that get there? Has it been there before we met? What did this strange vampire even do with his life before he stalked Drew for a cure?

Suddenly, he feels like a stranger. Not necessarily in an uncomfortable, 'I don't even know him' kind of feeling, because I have grown to trust him, but I am really curious. I have so many questions. I've always focused on the present, and never worried about the past. During the past two, almost three, months I've been with Idris, never have I ever asked about his past life. Sure, he's shared some information, but it's nothing major. Just highlights. And I just want to know. I want to really know him.

"Watching me sleep, are you?"

The clan leader's tired, morning voice snapped me out of my thoughts. Idris hasn't moved from his position. He's still laying on his stomach and his leg is still on the wall of pillows I specifically told him not to cross, but now his bright cerise eyes are fixated on me as he smirks. Who the hell smirks at this early time of the day? Who has the energy?

Scoffing, I took one of the pillows between us and whacked his uncovered back with it. "No. I'm not like you and Lysander who like to watch attractive people sleep like Edward Cullen. Why are you not wearing my shirt?"

"Because." He groaned, flipping over, now laying on his back. My attention was stolen by his chest for a brief second before bringing it to his face, who faces the white ceiling above us. "It was too tight and uncomfortable to move around with."

I crossed my arms. "Okay. Where is it?"

Idris instantly sits up with a sheepish smile. "Funny story. As I was removing the tight shirt off me, it was sort of, slightly, torn in half."

I searched the floor for the pieces of cloths and there they are. Two halves on the ground. "Damn it, mosquito. You owe me a shirt. But for now, I'm going to go get a drink. And you should, too, because your eyes are getting lighter and lighter." Idris and I had only drank a little bit of blood the other day, so it didn't satisfy our body too much. In order to avoid bloodlust, we have to keep drinking.

Digging up from my other backpack, I pulled out one of my five thermos full of Drew's cure, Rose. Every morning, Idris and I, along with just about every vampire who we met within the past two months, would drink this every morning so that our skin do not burn during the day. Fortunately for me, I never had to deal with hiding during the day and only coming out at night or dark times, but many other vampires did. Drew shared with me the steps and ingredients of Rose, so ever since June, I have been making it for my clan. Drew, Idris, and I also decided to share the ingredients to Ulysses from the other side of the coast, and he took the job of making Rose for other vampires. Anyone who wants the cure, they go to Ulysses, though they are not allowed to have one unless they promise to not harm humans, just like what Drew and Idris wanted.