Sink Into Me

21: Question Time

"Nice?" He scoffed. "In what way?"

"He'd told her everything; what to expect." I mumbled. "Told her not to struggle and it won't hurt. Told her to drink his blood afterward to heal her. She didn't have nightmares like the rest did. Only intimate dreams." I stared into his grass green eyes. "I started to think that those two were closer compared to Laura and whoever bit her." I cleared my throat. "And after that one article I just knew. It all fit."

He grinned. "And now here you are."

"Yes, here I am. Lying on a couch with a vampire. What has the world come to, huh?"

He chuckled and pecked my forehead. "Right; out with the questions then."

"Okay - how strong are you? How fast are you? Have I got my own scent? How's your eyesight? What about your hearing--"

"Whoa, calm down there. I'll answer them all I promise. I am very strong but animal blood doesn't do me much justice. I can run faster than a car doing 110. Yes, everyone has their own unique scent. My eyes can see intricate things. I can hear your heart beating and the trees ruffle outside. That first day of class when you and your new friends were outside after my class you were talking with Laura about that guy you met in the laundry room and if I compared to him. I heard it all."

I could feel my face heat at the memory so I changed the subject. "Let's move on to the fact that you gave me your blood that night I crashed." That should do.

He shifted in his spot and cleared his throat.

"Well?"

"Without that blood you could have had a concussion or internal bleeding. Plus you didn't want to go tot he hospital. You should thank me."

I rolled my eyes. "At least tell me if I'm drinking blood instead of telling me its tea!"

"It wasn't a lot I promise you that."

"What about Laura?"

He sighed. "That was John's blood. I refused to give her any of mine."

"And yet you gave me yours."

He nodded and moved a fallen lock of hair away form my face. "Of course. I'd give my life for you, Evie."

"I wouldn't let you." I mumbled. "Another question," I said quickly as he opened his mouth to protest. "Laura believed she had fallen and scraped her wrist...?"

"I changed her mind. And before you ask, there are many, many names for it, dazzling, compelling, persuasion, whatever you feel fit."

Oh. That's what Yasmin was talking about that day in her room. "So what? You can change someone's mind?"

"And... influence them." He muttered. "Although I don't like doing it. Laura was the first time in a very, very long time."

"How old are you really?"

He turned his head away.

"Michael."

"I was born in 1899."

I mentally calculated it and gasped. "You're... one hundred and twelve years old? It's bad enough when I thought you were twenty-three and the fact you're my teacher." I laughed. "Where's the irony in that?" I wiped my eye but turned serious. "But what I don't understand is why you didn't tell me."

He trailed his fingers up and down my thigh. "It's not an easy thing to admit. I've tried so hard to get the words out of my mouth. Especially that night I stayed over. I couldn't fall asleep. I just wanted to watch you. I just wanted to hold you." His arms pulled me even closer somehow. "You're easily breakable. Sometimes I think with one squeeze that's it."