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It was nearly midnight when Cleo pulled Pearl aside. They paced in the corner of their kitchen as Pearl leaned back against the counter. Cleo wrung their hands as they stared at the ground. Pearl looked worriedly at her roommate as they paced around their kitchen.
“Something wrong?” Pearl asked.
Cleo angrily sighed, “I–I just… need to tell you something.”
“Well what is it? You know you can tell me anything.”
Cleo shut their eyes and buried their head in their hands before looking back at Pearl.
“You can’t tell anyone, okay?”
“Alright?” Pearl spoke worriedly.
“I… I…” Cleo paused, “I–oh, gods this is hard to say, I… I’m a vampire.”
“What?” Pearl let out a breathy laugh, “Is that all you had to tell me? I mean it’s nice to hear you joke, but is this really what we should be doing now, we have–”
“I'm not lying, Pearl.”
Pearl stared at Cleo and she knew that they weren't joking, they believed every word they spoke.
“If you are a vampire–”
“Quiet!” Cleo hissed through clenched teeth.
“Alright, if you really are a,” Pearl lowered their voice to a whisper, “a vampire, then how are you okay when we have silver around the house?”
“I’m a level one vampire, silver doesn’t affect me.”
“Wait! Does that mean you’re immortal?” Pearl excitedly asked.
“I think so,” Cleo nervously fiddled with their dress, “I haven’t really had the chance to test it.”
Pearl laughed quietly and took Cleo’s shoulders, “Cleo this is amazing!”
Cleo shook their head, “I have to disagree with you there.”
“You can’t die, Cleo!”
“I–” They glanced at the ground.
“What do your teeth look like?”
Cleo hesitantly opened their mouth. Pearl stared up into their mouth and at their elongated canines. They hadn’t looked at Cleo’s teeth that often, but they knew enough about teeth to know when they weren’t right.
Pearl blushed slightly and let out a breathy laugh.
“What do you do for food?” Pearl nervously asked.
Pearl looked so curious when they looked at Cleo like that, it almost hurt to tell her.
“We drink people’s blood, Pearl. We can live off animals but it's not enough.”
Pearl hesitated for a second before carefully speaking, “You could drink my blood.”
Cleo backed away, “I am not–” Footsteps shuffled outside and Cleo lowered their voice to a whisper, “I am not going to drink your blood.”
Pearl took Cleo’s shaking hands, “You don’t have to kill me, just enough for you not to be hungry.”
Cleo couldn’t make eye contact with Pearl. She looked so eager and unafraid. She didn’t shy away from Cleo’s teeth and she wasn’t scared to die. She was everything Cleo wasn’t.
“I-I’m not sure about this Pearl. What if I go too far?”
“I’ll tell you if you do, don’t worry. I’m not scared of you.”
Cleo paused for a few seconds before hesitantly taking Pearl’s wrist and holding it up to their mouth.
“Wait.” Pearl's voice was shaky, “Do it from my neck.”
Cleo looked up at Pearl and she gave a reassuring nod, “I’ll be okay.”
Cleo slowly pushed back Pearl’s hair and Pearl stretched her neck to give Cleo better access. Cleo opened their mouth, their teeth extended and mouth drooling. They paused for a second before lowering their fangs onto Pearl’s neck and biting down.
Pearl tasted exquisite. She was sweet and tangy, like the finest ambrosia. Her blood tasted better than any of the animals Cleo had been living on and Cleo couldn’t help but wonder if they would ever taste anything as divine ever again.
Cleo lapped up blood as Pearl gasped, all their restraint draining away from them in seconds. The only thing they could focus on was how good Pearl’s blood tasted.
Pearl grasped at Cleo’s arm but she couldn’t hold on. Cleo continued to gorge themselves on Pear’s blood.
“Cleo, Cleo,” Cleo left their fangs buried in Pearl’s neck, “Cleo!”
Pearl pushed Cleo away and she fell backwards as she did. Her instincts took over and she pushed herself back on her hands.
Cleo gasped and nearly screamed when they saw Pearl, bloody and panicked, staring up at them with widened eyes.
“Pearl?” Cleo reached out a shaky hand.
Pearl pushed herself away from Cleo without thinking.
“Pearl,” Cleo was shaking, “Pearl, I’m so sorry.”
Cleo stared at Pearl as they felt their throat tighten. A moment passed before they turned on their heels and ran out of their shared house. A few people called after them but they ignored them and ran past the walls that surrounded Oakhurst. Once they got far enough that no one could see them, they morphed into a bat and flew off through the sky as fast as they possibly could.
Pearl sat panting, her back pressed up against the wall. She pressed her hand against the bite mark on her neck, trying to stop the bleeding but she didn’t do much except make her hand bloodier.
She shakily stood to her feet and made her way to their chests and took out a piece of cloth. She pressed it against the wound and steadied herself against the wall. Her chest heaved and her head swayed.
Pearl sat like that for a while, waiting for the world to find its feet again.
It took awhile before her head stopped swaying enough for her to stand. When she did, she slowly made her way to their chests where she grabbed another piece of cloth and wrapped it around her neck. It should stop the bleeding enough for her to look for Cleo.
Pearl wasn’t mad at Cleo, or scared of them. She couldn’t blame Cleo for letting their instincts take over, if anything, Pearl knew she was at fault. She also knew she couldn’t let Cleo take the blame.
Pearl wandered the forest for hours before they found Cleo. She made her way through thickets of pine and over sloping mountains until they eventually found a small clearing surrounded by a thicket of dark oak trees where Cleo sat curled up in a ball.
“Cleo?” Pearl softly asked.
Cleo slowly lifted their head, “What are you doing here, Pearl?”
“I was looking for you, silly.” Pearl smiled, “I missed you.”
“I’m dangerous, Pearl. I–I nearly killed you.” Cleo buried their head in their knees again.
Pearl walked over and sat down beside Cleo. Cleo looked back up at her through tear stained eyes and Pearl beamed back at them.
“Well, I’m sitting right here next to you, alive.”
“I–I…” Cleo paused, “You shouldn’t be here.”
“You’re my roommate, how could I leave you to wallow all by your lonesome?”
Pearl giggled and a small smile spread onto Cleo’s lips but it quickly faded.
“How are you not scared of me?” Tears began to well in Cleo’s eyes as they spoke.
“I love you, how could I be scared of you?”
Tears began to stream down Cleo’s face, “But I-I… I almost killed you. I can still taste your blood on my tongue and how sweet it tasted, What If I–”
Pearl quickly interrupted them, “Cleo,” Pearl spoke softly as she took their hand, “I love you, never forget that.”
Pearl rested her forehead against Cleo’s and Cleo let their hand fall on top of Pearl’s.
“I love you too.” Cleo spoke quietly.
Pearl lifted her head and kissed Cleo’s forehead. The two of them stayed like this for a few beats, neither of them wanting the moment to end.
An easy beat passed before Pearl spoke, “Should we head back now?”
“Ehh…” Cleo hesitated, “We could stay out for a few more hours. We could just say we were consecrating beacons or something.”
Pearl laughed and smiled, “I’d like that.”
They rested their foreheads against each other’s. Pearl laughed and her infectious smile spread to Cleo’s. They spent a few peaceful hours together in that clearing, away from all the stress and worry. The longer they spent together, the happier Cleo felt and a part of them wished they could stay like this forever, even though they knew it wasn’t possible. They would still enjoy it well it lasted though.