Transylvania

N I N E

The next month passed in a blur. Days and nights blended in together like drops of blood on red satin sheets. Alexander and Shirley learned every inch of each other's bodies. The places that tickled when kissed and the spots that elicited immediate moans. They were magnets, and only the pull of sleep could separate them. Yet, every few days, full and tired, Alexander donned dark glasses, pulled a hood over his head, and made the trek home.

With the sun already up, Marco was usually asleep when Alexander quietly opened the door to their apartment, but today he was still awake, wiping the counter in the kitchen. "Look what the cat dragged in," he said with only a quick glance.

"Good morning to you, too," Alexander replied, stifling a yawn.

"Just glad you graced me with your presence."

"What's wrong, sweetheart? Jealous?" Alexander plopped down on the couch and removed his sunglasses, tossing them onto the coffee table.

Marco kept cleaning the same spot and didn't respond. Silence crept into every crevice of the room as the seconds stretched into minutes.

Alexander took a deep breath. "Ok, how about tonight Shirley comes over here so you can meet each other properly?"

Eyes flitting up, Marco's mouth remained in a straight line. "That's a start," he said, and then turned on his heel and disappeared into his bedroom.

With a sigh, Alexander pushed himself off the couch and walked over to the fridge. He opened it and, unsurprisingly, found it empty. Marco sometimes kept human food around to feed his pets, but not consistently. If Shirley came over tonight, they'd have to order in. Probably a blessing. Neither Marco nor Alexander were known for their cooking skills, even before they had turned.

Alexander closed the fridge, picked up the phone, and dialed Shirley's number.

"Hey baby," she answered after two rings. "Miss me already?"

"You know I do." He smiled into the receiver. "So, I was thinking, let's do something a bit different tonight. How about you come over to my place? Marco is dying to get to know you better. We can order dinner from somewhere. Whatever you like."

"Sounds fun," she said without hesitation.

After getting off the phone, Alexander went into his bedroom. The light-blocking shades were already drawn, and he crawled under his covers, falling asleep before his head hit the pillow.

He woke up to the sound of the vacuum. Was it even dark yet? Alexander rolled over and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Looking up, he saw the clock read five-thirty. Anything with a five in front of it was too early. He sat for a moment, stretching his arms, rubbing his eyes, and then he heard Marco loudly sing, "Do you remember, the 21st night of September?" Earth, Wind & Fire was his cleaning music. He must be getting ready for company.

Alexander opened the door and–sure enough–Marco was wearing a pair of headphones while dancing with the vacuum.

"She's just a woman I'm dating, not my mother. You really don't have to go overboard," Alexander said through cupped hands.

Marco kept vacuuming, oblivious. Then, a minute later, as he turned to go down the hall, he startled. Reaching up, he tapped on his headphones to pause them. "Jesus, you scared me. How long have you been awake?"

"How long have you been vacuuming?" Alexander retorted.

"I just want to make a good impression." Marco placed a hand on his hip. "Isn't this the first time she's coming to your place? I would assume you would want to impress her."