Page 2 of Inhuman Nature

“Was it meant to be the other one? Your mum and I were sure this was the right one. The girl in the shop said—”

Before his dad could go on any further, Shaun cut in. “That’s him.”

He went over to the life-sized cardboard cutout of a broody Edward Cullen and stared up at its face.

It was a bit creepy.

“Thanks,” he said. Not that he needed a fake vampire in his life anymore now that he was getting the real thing, but he appreciated his parents’ efforts to engage with his interests.

“Bit pale, isn’t he?” his dad mused.

“He’s avampire, Jason,” his mum said. “They’re supposed to look like that.”

Shaun smiled to himself, picturing Lawrence.

His dad gestured to the table. “Open the rest of your presents, Shaun. I’m doing pancakes.”

“Thanks,” Shaun said again. He thanked them another half dozen times as he unwrapped the gifts, laughing at hismum having used Christmas paper for a few.

Shaun lifted out a glass wolf figurine from a teeny box wrapped in jolly Santas. It fit in his palm, was smooth to the touch, and whilst delicate, it didn’t feel like it would be easily broken.

“In case you were more into werewolves these days,” his mum said with a knowing smile.

Shaun placed it on the table, arranging it so the refracted light danced across the chequered tablecloth.

One of the last presents he opened had him in shock.

“A new phone?” he asked. The model from the year before, but still.

“Figured it was time to upgrade you from that ancient flip phone,” his dad said as he brought over a plate of Scotch pancakes wrapped in a dish towel. “It could also come in handy for when you’re at uni.”

“It’s amazing,” Shaun said, ignoring the comment about university. He’d told them he intended on taking a gap year to figure out what he wanted to do, but it was mainly because he didn’t want to move anywhere else without knowing what might happen with Lawrence.

Shaun spent most of the morning downloading apps and trying out games whilst stuffing torn-off pieces of pancake into his mouth. His parents then dragged him out for a late lunch at a local bistro before settling in to watch a film and devour the chocolate cake his mum had baked.

Most people might go to a pub for their eighteenth, but Shaun had stressed to his parents that he didn’t want to make a big deal of it. Even so, his dad encouraged him to have a bottle of pear cider to at least acknowledge that hecould legally purchase it himself. Shaun only drank half of it, because he didn’t want too much alcohol in his system. He wanted to experience every moment with Lawrence.

Shaun bid his parents goodnight as normal, though he had to keep his hands behind his back to hide how they trembled. He’d never lied like this, but he knew it was for the best. It was a rite of passage, anyway, sneaking out from under your parents’ noses. He was just doing it a few years later than most teenagers did.

“Love you!” his mum called after him as he legged it to his room.

“Night!”

Shaun could have gone out the front door. But he felt like being dramatic, so he opened his bedroom window wide and lowered his rucksack onto the grass. Bungalow living had its perks, namely, not having to risk breaking his neck by throwing himself from an upper floor.

That wouldn’t have been the best start to his night.

As he sat on the sill, halfway in and out of the house, he caught sight of the little wolf figurine on his desk. After a brief hesitation, he slipped back inside to grab it, shoving it into his pocket. It was childish, but he wanted to take it on the adventure with him.

He slung his rucksack over one shoulder and scurried down the garden path, past his old wooden playhouse and through the back gate. He couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he raced down the lane and towards the area whereLawrence had told him they’d meet.

After thirty minutes of waiting, huddled on the bench at the side of the road and wondering if he was going to be stood up, a large red Range Rover drew up alongside him.

The window on the passenger door lowered, and Shaun got his first real look at the vampire.

Even in the darkness, Lawrence’s blond hair shone and his blue eyes glittered with inhuman light. Shaun’s mouth dried up, and his palms got sweaty, and his brain sent opposing signals to every part of his body. He had no doubt that his red face matched his hair.

“Shaun,” Lawrence said, drawing his name out and making it sound like a benediction. “It’s good to see you. Get in the car.” His eyes changed colour, flaring a reflective white before going back to normal.