The Best Way to Kill Your Boyfriend

Truth

Jake wasn't scared of me. How was that possible? He had seen the evidence with his own eyes - I was a bloodthirsty demon. I had killed millions and glutted myself on the red liquid that flowed through their bodies. Yet there he was, standing calmly next to a creature from a literal nightmare.

"So," Jake said. "Is there anything I need to know?" 

How was I supposed to answer? By my own rules, humans weren't allowed to know about us. But... I owed Jake the truth. Before I could loose my resolve, I blurted out, "Jake, I'm a vampire."

Jake blinked, but otherwise did not show any sign of shock. "I figured that from the way you brutally murdered and drank the blood of that jogger." 

"How are you taking this so calmly?" I demanded. "I have just told you that you are dating a vampire. A bloodthirsty nightmare from hell. Shouldn't you be running away? Screaming?"

Jake sighed. "I probably should be," he admitted. "But I can't. Not anymore."

Some part of me was relieved to hear this. Everything else was focused on Jake. 

"However," he continued. "I do have a few questions." 

Of course. I figured that I may as well answer them. I knew I should leave, but I couldn't. I nodded at Jake. "Proceed."

"How old are you really?" I had expected something more like "Do you burn in the sun?" Oh well.

"I'm a hundred and fifty years old." I replied.

"Tell me. " Jake insisted. "Tell me your life story."

I sighed. This was going to take a while.

"I was born on the fifth of September a century and a half ago. I had two older siblings - a brother and a sister. Two more sisters and one more brother came after me. My parents were poor and had trouble raising us. I could see that. They had also never cared much for me. So I figured I'd do them a favor and run away."

Jake made to interrupt, but I continued. 

"I went to a small town, I'm not entirely sure where. Human memories fade over time. The locals were being preyed upon by an old vampire. The old one wanted my blood, specifically. Of course, I never found out until after. I didn't believe the locals' myths about blood-drinking bringers of death." I paused for a moment, remembering how I had looked in that mirror. Death incarnate.

"The old one found me in a deserted street. I fought him - or tried to, at least. My kind are incredibly strong and fast. He bit me, but then he was distracted by more vampires who had been attracted to the smell of my blood. I managed to crawl away, but the change had already started."

I looked directly at Jake. "Becoming a vampire isn't easy. It feels like every part of your flesh is being destroyed by the hottest, most painful fire imaginable. Time looses meaning. It's infinite, with no beginning and no ending. One eternal moment of fire and pain." I was ruthless with my descriptions, trying to make him understand. Understand me. "In reality, it can take from an hour to a week. I was lucky. I only had to endure half a day. I woke up, and realised what I was. The worst part is the thirst." 

"What's it like?" Jake inquired.

"Imagine having white-hot iron shoved down your throat 24/7." 

Jake winced. "You drink human blood." It was a statement. A fact.

"Yes."

"Before... How come you attacked that person?" Jake wondered. "I mean, one moment we were talking, and the next, you..." He waved his hands vaguely, evidently trying to encompass going crazy, killing someone, and drinking blood into one gesture.

"You know what I said before about having a good sense of smell?" I asked. Jake nodded. "Well, the scent of human blood, especially exposed like that... it makes us start hunting. And your blood, even unexposed..." I trailed off, not wanting to scare him. Then I decided he probably needed a healthy dose of fear, if he could stand next to a vampire in the middle of a deserted park and not be scared. 

"My blood?" Jake prompted, curious.

"It's hard to describe." I searched for a way of explaining it that he would understand. "You know how people like different flavors, different scents?" Jake nodded. "Well, for us, some blood is... sweeter than the others. More so for some. Occasionally, one of us will find a human that is particularly appealing." I saw the question in his eyes, and shook my head. "It usually doesn't end well for the human."

"How do you resist?" Jake looked confused. "I mean, if my blood smells better than most, why don't you just get it over with?

I almost growled at him. "Was that an invitation for me to kill you?"

"No," he assured me hurriedly. "I'm just wondering... If you drink human blood, why don't you drink mine?"

"I wanted to." I admitted, ashamed. "I was hunting you the first time we met. I was going to kill you. But then..." I remembered how I had seen his eyes, felt that caring. "I changed my mind."

Jake looked like he wanted to continue the current topic, but I quickly distracted him. "Don't you want to know more about vampires? I mean, you humans have so many myths about us that you must be wondering..."

Jake made a face. "Well... Do you burn in the sun? Does garlic and all that stuff really work on you? Can you be reflected in mirrors? Are you thirsty all the time? Where do you live? Can I..." He trailed off, remembering that he probably didn't want to come to my home.

"Technically, I'm not a proper vampire." I told him. "I'm part human."

Jake jerked in surprise. "What?"

"We're called daylighters, because unlike true vampires, we don't burn in the sun."

"Then why do I only see you at night?" Jake demanded. There was no way to explain it, so I just said, "I'll show you sometime." Then I continued my explanation.

"We may be part human, but daylighters are almost more vicious than traditional vampires, who are the more civilized among us. Garlic and mirrors are both myths. We're not thirsty all the time, but it takes a lot of blood for us to not want any more. And," I added, "if you ever come to my home, you will die." Plain and simple.

"Your physical abilities...?" 

"Vampires are physically stronger and faster - much faster - than a human. We have heightened senses, allowing us to see and hear much further than you." I hesitated, unsure of his reaction to something so inhuman. It was strange, how much I cared. Yet I knew that if I walked away right now, I would not be able to stop myself from coming back. If not to be with him, than to kill him.

Jake blinked. "Show me."

I leapt to the top of the nearest tree. Flipping back down, I ran two laps around the park, faster than he could see. On the way I grabbed one of the larger branches and tossed it at the tree I had climbed. Both tree and branch split in two.

The sky began lightening. I hadn't realised how much time had passed - it was nearly dawn. 

"I have to go," I shot at Jake, then I darted away, going back to my home. There was a weird, light feeling in my chest, and I realised that I was happy. More than happy. This strange, wonderful human boy, who could look at me, know the truth, and still want to be with me, had awakened some long-dead part of me. It almost felt like my frozen heart was beating again, not to keep me alive, but to let me love. For that was what it was, the strange, happy feeling. It had took me a while to recognise, but now that I knew what it was, I was absolutely sure of three things.

First, Jake's blood was the most delicious thing I had ever smelled. And I knew that if I ever tasted that blood, my soul would shatter. Everything that was me would break if I ever killed this most important thing in my immortal existence.

Second, I was in love with him. A human. I was irrevocably in love with a human.

Third, I wanted him. And I would brutally murder anyone who hurt him. Anything that harmed him.

Along with anyone who kept us apart.

Because he was worth it. Jake, the one good thing in my life, still wanted to be with me, even after hearing the truth. And I knew in that instant that I couldn't live in a world where he didn't exist.