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“Just what I said. Have you ever drunk my blood?”

“No, how would I do that?”

“I don’t know. You tell me?” She was serious.

“Morgan, you’re the one that asked to see my fangs.”

“I know, but I was thinking about it. And how do I know you haven’t been stealing blood from me while I slept in bed next to you?”

“What?” I laughed out loud. “You know it because it never happened. I wouldn’t bite you without your consent.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t do things like that anymore. Since I hurt my brother, I’ve been trying to change. I’m not perfect, but I’m what they call a work in progress.”

“You swear you have never bitten me?”

“I swear.” I didn’t know who I was swearing to, but I had to plead my case. “You would know if a vampire bit you. It would hurt. The fangs would leave a mark and sometimes a bruise. Depending on how much blood the vamp took from you. And you would feel tired from the blood loss, and you could faint. Tired from sex wasn’t the same as tired from blood loss. I’ve only made you tired from sex.”

“Okay, okay, I believe you. It’s just all of you look so normal.”

“And not like monsters?”

“Well, yeah.”

“We can behave like monsters, and some of us do. Most of us try and succeed at acting civilized.” I explained.

“Okay. It’s just weird. All of it.”

“You think I’m weird?”

“No.”

“Why did you continue to have sex with me if you had all these questions and doubts?”

“I don’t know.”

“You asked to see my fangs, and you asked me to bite you the next time we had, you know, sex. What’s going on with you?”

“I don’t have a good answer. My boyfriend died. Then I find out he was murdered. I have sex with you. Then I find out vampires exist, and my best friend is dating one. And then I find out you’re one of them. Everything is happening so fast. It’s not like I had time to figure out what I was doing. I’m overwhelmed.”

“Do you want Zand to replace me with a human— for your protection?”

“No, I don’t want to replace you. I want to keep you.”

“I want to keep you, too.”

Morgan shrugged once. “It’s settled. I’m keeping you. You haven’t tried to hurt me.”

“Morgan, I would never hurt you, ever.”

“What if the earth’s blood supply gets depleted and me and you are the only ones left on earth?”

“What? I still wouldn’t hurt you. I would still ask for your consent. Please, woman, eat.”

The absurdity of the conversation stopped, and Morgan finished her meal. I noticed her eyelids growing heavy. The adrenaline that kept her going was fading fast.

“We should get back on the road.” I said gently. “Cheboygan isn’t that far away.”