Transylvania

T E N

After dinner, and cleaning up, Marco left for a date, or, as he put it, grabbing a bite out. Alone in the apartment, Shirley and Alexander retired to his bedroom. "I hope Marco wasn't too much," Alexander ventured as they kicked off their shoes and lay on the bed.

"Are you kidding? He's amazing."

"He gets less amazing after a few decades," Alexander said sarcastically.

Shirley rolled over and placed her head on Alexander's chest and squeezed him tight. "You've had so much time on this planet. I can't even imagine half the things you have seen."

He caressed her hair, tucking it behind her ear, and ran his hand down her back. His life had been long, yet, instead of one long life, it almost felt like he had lived several shorter ones. Each chapter of his existence starred a distinct set of characters. There was his human life, full of human pain. And then his first few years as a vampire had been like a second childhood. He'd had so much to learn. Like a schoolboy, he'd traipsed after his creator, following him up and down the Atlantic coast. Once he knew how to hunt and fend for himself, they had parted ways, and Alexander had fallen in love with Fiona. Later, when her temper had taken a toll, he traveled west. He took his time meandering across the country, stopping for a few flings, stopping longer when he found Sarah. Once on the west coast, he had become somewhat more settled, but his social circle ebbed. Most of his companions were human. And humans aged and died. Including Georgie. And who knew about Allison?

The past few decades had been his most stable, with Marco as a constant companion. The world had also become more accommodating. So accommodating, in fact, that there was now a dating app dedicated to people like him. He shook his head.

"Shirley," he said, "I may have seen some things, but a lot of it wasn't pretty. Trust me, this is the best time to be alive. And I'm not just saying it because I've found you."

"I'm glad you found me, baby." She rolled over onto her stomach, her face just above his. "I think I'm falling for you." She leaned forward and kissed him.

When their lips parted, he smiled. "I think I'm falling for you, too."

"I know it's only been a month, and things are still super new, but with all that talk tonight, it's really got me thinking," Shirley said as she cuddled back up against him.

Alexander shut his eyes. He didn't know exactly what was coming next, but he feared the words she was about to say. Despite this, he asked, "What's on your mind?"

"Just thinking about the future, that's all," she sighed. "Like, what are your dreams? What are your hopes? Can you see yourself getting married, having kids, that sort of thing?"

"Kids?" was his reflexive response, his face scrunching up in confusion. No one had asked him that before. He'd expected her to ask more about life as a vampire, about immortality, about her own fears of death. Not about kids.

"Well, yeah. I'm almost 30. I've got to think about that."

"I'm a vampire, Shirley. When you're with me, we can't create a life, although your body can sustain mine. But, even if I wasn't a vampire, you know I couldn't... I know you know I wasn't born..."

"There's more than one way to have kids," she said lightly, saving him from his stuttering. "That doesn't make you any less of a man."

Alexander, of course, knew that there were all different families. Gay dads, lesbian moms, surrogacy, sperm donors, foster families, adoption. But he could honestly say that he had never thought about it. When he was human, all he wanted to do was escape the traps that came with being born female. And, well, then he was a vampire. Vampires didn't become fathers, no matter if they were trans or cis. "Honestly, I just don't see how it would work," he concluded.

She stared off at the adjacent wall. "How do you see this ending?" she asked, her tone flat.

"Ending? We've barely started." His chest constricted. Here it came.

"Ten years from now, thirty years from now, even just in a fantasy. How do you see us working out?"

"I–I don't know. I'm enjoying the present."

"Don't you ever think about the future? Try to imagine what life will be like?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I mean, no, not really." He furrowed his eyebrows, thinking. Once he gathered his thoughts, he started slowly, "My body hasn't changed in centuries. In some ways I never leave the present... And in other ways, I have this endless future ahead of me. It's, well, sort of overwhelming to think about."

She stroked his chest, letting his words sink in. "What about when you were with Allison? Marco said that her being human led to the end of your relationship. Did you want a future with her?"

He sat up, forcing her to lift her head, and spoke deliberately, trying to keep his voice neutral. "I would rather not talk about Allison with you. That chapter is over."

"No need to get angry, baby," she said, sitting back on her knees.

"I'm not angry. I just don't see how something that ended before you were even born is relevant right now." And although he said he wasn't angry, his words came out like daggers, smoke steaming from his nostrils.

She said nothing. Her lips pressed into a straight line.

"Would you want me asking questions about Zach? That beast who attacked me on the night we met? Was he someone you thought about having children with, too?" The words came out like acid. And as her face cracked and her lip trembled, he immediately regretted going there. He tried to backpedal. "Listen, I'm sorry."

Alexander reached out his hand, but she swatted it away. "If all you are looking for is a steady meal, just say it." Her voice trembled. "Maybe you should give Supr more of a chance. Grab a bite out every night, like Marco does."

"That's not fair."

"Isn't it though?" A tear stared to slide down her cheek.

They both sat there, as quiet and still as stone.

"Maybe I should call a cab home," Shirley stood, and then picked up her shoes from the ground.

"Probably a good idea," Alexander muttered.

As she left the room, Alexander remained on the bed. Unmoving. But when he heard the front door shut, it set him into action. He quickly forced his feet into his shoes and darted after her. This couldn't be how the night ended. He made it down the hall just in time to see the elevator doors close.

"No, no, no," he pressed the elevator call button frantically. The elevator that Shirley was on was quickly descending to the main lobby; the second elevator was stalled a few floors above. Impatiently, Alexander walked around the corner to the stairs. He took two steps at a time, using the banister to help take the turns even quicker. But, even with all that effort, Shirley was gone by the time he burst through the ground floor doors, panting. Speed-walking, Alexander crossed the lobby and exited the building. As he stepped out into the night air, he watched as a cab pulled away from the curb, taking Shirley with it. And for the first time, he wished he had a cell phone so that he could call her and plead with her to come back.

Instead, he would have to hope that things would blow over. Although part of him knew that "the future" would never be resolved. Maybe it really would be better to just keep using Supr to find the occasional fresh meal. Bagged blood would be fine in between.

Not wanting to return to an empty apartment, Alexander walked down the block. He didn't know what direction he was going, but the breeze felt nice on his face, and besides, he needed to clear his head.