Mine

Part 34

"How are you possible?" Brennen asks. "I mean, how are vampires real?"
"We've been real since mankind's creation." I say. "We've just been hiding in plain sight due to the fact that you humans burned us in the fourteen hundreds."
"You were alive in the fourteen hundreds?"
I laugh. "No, but I've heard the story."
Corey frowns. "Exactly how old are you?"
I pause. "Nineteen."
Brennen frowns. As does Sam. "But didn't you say you were born in like 1580... something?" Sam asks.
"Vampires don't age." I say. "I was born in 1584, but I was turned when I was nineteen." Brennen leans back, his eyes wide. "So I'm nineteen, but I've been alive," I use air quotations. "For four hundred thirty six years. Four hundred thirty seven pretty soon, though." I shrug.
"Vampires celebrate the day you turned?" Corey asks.
"It's almost like birthdays, so yes." I say. "The day your born means different things to humans rather than vampires. To humans, it's the day your mother gave birth to you. To vampires, it's the day you turned. Because I'm a vampire, I don't celebrate my human birthday. That ended when I turned in 1603. I celebrate the day I turned, which I've done four hundred and seventeen times, and it never gets old."
"What do you do?" Sam asks. "On your vampire birthday, I mean."
"Vampire things." I grin. Then I look down at Brennen, who was watching Colby. "Brennen, he's fine."
He looks up at me. "How do I know you didn't do anything to him?"
"He's been letting her feed off him for months." Sam says. "Is she did anything, he'd either be dead already or a vampire."
I scowl. "Neither is happening." I say firmly.
There was a pause. "So I'm guessing the fans don't know about this either." Brennen says.
"Vampire's aren't supposed to be known by humans. Other than a vampire's mate, if they're human."
"Mate?" Corey asks. "That sounds like marriage."
"I thought it was that legend you us about. The One and all that?" Sam asks.
"I was quoting Salina." I say. "Not only does she call Colby my One, but she also calls him my mate."
"You don't seem to be too pleased with that." Sam points out.
I shrug. "It is what it is, and I don't have control over whether Colby is my 'mate' or not."
"What's that mean?" Brennen asks. "And what is the legend of the One?"
I close my eyes. "I feel like I'm repeating this so many times." I say, opening my eyes. "The legend of the One is an ancient vampire legend. It's probably as close to soul mates as you can get. It's basically when a single vampire has a kind of connection to a particular human. A connection that is more powerful than anything. It's more than love. That vampire will feel the need to always be with that human. They will do anything to protect them, even if it means risking their own life. And they both have no control over it. They don't choose who they have that connection to. They don't choose when they have that connection. It just happens as soon as you meet them."
"You told the rest of us that, but you never told us what happens when the human dies. What would happen to you if Colby died?" Sam asks.
I pause, really not wanting to answer that question. "If the vampire fails to protect their One, and their One dies, that vampire will kill themselves." I take a breath, staring ahead of me. "They won't want to live without their One, because their One becomes their reason for living."
"So Colby's your reason for living?" Corey asks, glancing at his sleeping form.
"I don't fully believe in the legend, but I know that if Colby died, I would too."
"Salina seems to believe it. What would make you believe in the legend?" Corey says.
My eyes flick to his. "His death."
"That can't be the only way." Sam says, slight desperation in his voice. "Tell me that's not the only way."
"The only way to truly know if a human is a vampire's One, is if that human dies." I reply. "And I'm not going to let that happen."
"But what about Micheal?" Sam asks.
"Who's Micheal?" Brennen asks.