Author's note: I just wanted to apologize that there haven't been any new chapters for a few months. This work wasn't turning out quite the way I hoped, and after a point I decided it would be best if I stepped away from it for a little bit. Recently I regained the motivation to continue it though, so I've started writing again. I'm already partway through Chapter 5, so you can expect that relatively soon.
As dawn approached, the two sat together in bed. Lilith started reading her book again, as Alex sat up with a troubled face. He knew he needed to say something before she went to sleep.
"Is something bothering you?" She asked, noticing his expression.
"Yes." He looked to her. "I'm just not sure what to do. I mean, I've loved spending time with you but at the same time I'm not sure if I'm prepared to simply move here and give up the life I had before. It's not just a matter of what I personally want, it's also all the responsibilities I have." Bringing his knees up to his chin, he thought things over for just a brief moment. "I just don't know. If I'm being honest, I feel like I need time to think about all of this. It's just a big decision, and I'm not sure what to think of everything."
She lowered her book. "It's bothering you that much? How about this: you can go back to your home, then get in contact with me when you've figured everything out."
"That sounds good. And don't misunderstand me: it has nothing to do with you, it's just that there's a lot for me to consider."
"It's like I said, I perfectly understand how you feel." She put her arm around his shoulder. "I'll give you my phone number; call me whenever you feel ready."
"Thank you." He looked to his vampiric mistress. "I really do appreciate it. Taking me in, giving me food and clothes and all that."
"It was no problem. If it makes you feel any better, your service was a fine payment." She kissed him on the cheek, and he felt a slight tingle in his spine.
"Well, anyway," trying to hide his blushing face, he got out of bed "I guess I should get going since I have work tomorrow."
"Yes, I guess it's Sunday now isn't it?"
He picked his clothes off the floor. "Uh, what do I do with these?"
"Oh, you can keep them. Call it a parting gift."
He had no idea when he would wear such a thing outside of renaissance fairs or conventions, but he decided to accept the gift anyway. Bringing the outfit with him, he was given back his old clothes and got ready to leave. Lilith saw him off, though she only followed him to the foyer since the sun had already begun to rise. With one last goodbye, he stepped out into the steamy morning.
The rising sun almost blinded him, as his eyes had grown accustomed to the dimly lit mansion. He made his way out into the steamy morning, walking along the dirt road which was still a bit muddy from the last night's rain. He looked back at the manor one last time, before making his way back through the swamp.
By the time he got back to his apartment, everything that happened at the mansion felt like a dream. He met a tall vampire in a mansion in the middle of a swamp, and even more, was fucked by her. Saying it out loud made him sound crazy, but it was all real; he had the phone number and the black kiss marks to prove it. As the days passed, he found it difficult to go back to his normal life. He even faked being sick on Monday just so he could avoid going in. He felt he needed some time to himself, and just needed another day or two off to process his feelings.
As he thought on things, his mind kept drifting back to Lilith. Try as he might, he simply couldn't get his mind off her. Just thinking about her was enough to make him blush. He had to face the facts: he'd fallen head over heels for her. Though he did not want to move out of his apartment, he still wished to see her again. It made him wonder if dating her was within the range of possibilities, as that would offer something of a middle ground. She even suggested such a thing herself, even if it was a joke.
The rest of the week went by much like any other. He went back to work on Tuesday and found himself getting back into the motions of his daily life. Even so, the vampire issue still lingered in the back of his mind. It stuck like a thorn in his mind as he went about his business. Before long it had already been a week since he left.
When Saturday night came, he finally decided to throw caution to the wind. He would give her a call and explain his honest feelings. He pulled out his phone and started dialing up. He could see his finger shaking as he punched in the numbers. He was so nervous, even though he had an idea of what he wanted to say. Just then, he heard a knocking at the door.
Looking through the peephole, he saw a familiar figure. Her face wasn't in full view, but he could tell who it was. He opened the door to see it was Lilith, the woman that'd been on his mind ever since he left. She was wearing a black hoodie with jeans; perhaps the most "normal" outfit he'd seen her wear so far.
"Lilith?! How'd you get here?! I never even gave you my address!"
"Oh that's simple, I could smell you." She stated rather bluntly. "All humans have a distinct scent, and I remembered yours."
He blinked. On a normal week he would've been surprised by that, but this had been anything but a normal week. "Well, uh...what are you doing here?"
"I wanted to discuss something with you, and it felt inappropriate to do so over the phone. May I come in?"
"Oh, of course!" Pleasantly surprised by this visit, he invited her in. It was then he realized that he hadn't done any cleaning since he wasn't expecting guests. Not to mention how small his one-bedroom apartment was compared to her mansion. As she walked in, he felt just a bit sheepish. "It's not much." He said, scratching the back of his head.
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. I rather like it; it's cozy." She sat down on the couch.
"So what did you want to talk about?" He asked, joining her on the sofa.
"Well, I had to do some thinking myself." She started, fidgeting in her seat. "And I've decided that I should be honest with my feelings. I was interested in you from the start, and though I didn't realize it at the time, I only offered you the job at my manor so I could spend more time with you. However, thinking it over, I realized that perhaps I was pushing you into something that you weren't prepared for. If you ever felt forced into working for me, I apologize."
"Not really. I mean, you gave me time to decide and a place to sleep. I feel like you were generous through that whole thing."
"Oh good, because I was worried that I'd messed up. But no matter, thinking on things more I believe that whole ordeal was unnecessary." She looked him in the eyes with her piercing red gaze. "Would you like to go on a date with me?"
"A date?!" He blushed at the proposition. "With you?!"
"Do you not want to?"
"No, it's not that, I'd love to go on a date with you! I'm just surprised is all!" No, perhaps that was worded poorly. He was less surprised about the concept of it, and more surprised that she would suggest it before him.
"I see. Well, remember when I mentioned that marrying you into the house was a possibility? If you wish to become a vampire, then I think that might be the better route in this case. I know I said I was joking but..." she shifted her gaze to avoid eye contact with him "a small part of me was serious about it, and I've only grown more fond of you since I said that."
