other side of the bed and saw Ben asleep. I wanted to check his pulse, because he looked dead to the world. I looked down at his clothes, which consisted of a nice pair of boxer briefs, and I gave myself a once-over. I was completely dressed with everything, including my Converse sneakers, still intact. I must have fallen asleep downstairs and he brought me up here, I thought. I looked at my watch; it was five in the afternoon on Sunday. My stomach growled in hunger so I felt my way out the room and to the kitchen. I found only a few items in the kitchen which included some bread so I made toast. The only drinks in his refrigerator were wine, water and the tomato juice he had been drinking yesterday in a solid white carafe.
I picked out a cup from the cabinet that held a sea of coffee mugs. I searched for the coffee to find none in sight. I poured a cup of the tomato juice without paying much attention because my toast was burning. I took my juice and toast into the living room, and flipped on the TV, hoping to catch a Bridezilla episode. The brides were at it, as usual, and I bit into the toast. Then I picked up the mug, eyes glued to the irate bride, took a sip, and gagged on the drink
My eyes darted to the fluid inside the cup as my brain registered what it was. Blood.
I shrieked in horror, as I felt disgusted. The blood had the same metallic flavor that I’d tasted on Ben yesterday in the break room. I had to wonder if he knew he was drinking blood.
My shriek must have woken Ben from his slumber, because he was at my side in no time.
“ What happened? Why did you scream?” he said, in a defensive stance. Ordinarily, I would have marveled at the handsome man with perfect abs as he stood in his boxers next to me, but I was still gagging from the blood that settled in my mouth.
“ This is blood! Not tomato juice!” I held the cup up in front of him.
He was silent for a moment, apparently waiting for my reaction to end. Then he dropped the defensive stance and casually said, “I know.”
My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open. He took the cup from me and placed it on the table next to us.
“ You know! You drink blood?”
He took a step forward as I took a step back. “Can you sit down for a moment?” he said. He was calm, which scared me.
I shook my head. “Hell no! Now answer my question. Do you drink blood?”
“ Yes.”
Fear flooded over me. I picked up my bag that was on the couch and turned toward his front door. Instantly he was in front of me, blocking my way.
“ How did you do that?” I asked with a shaking voice. Terror had now taken over.
“ If you sit down, I will explain everything!”
“ No, I can’t do that!” The next thing I knew, I was in his arms and upstairs in the study. We had moved from one room to the next in nanoseconds. I had no clue as to how and was at the point of fainting, but I was too afraid of what might happen to me if I did.
“ I need you to listen to me.”
“ HELP!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.
“ The house is soundproof; no one can hear you. Now will you please sit down and listen?” He pointed to a chair in his study.
“ Are you going to kill me?” I asked, beginning to cry.
“ What? NO! If I wanted to kill you I could have done so a long time ago — like last night.” I sat because his reason made sense, but I knew I needed to get out of there.
“ Then why do you have me here and why do you drink blood?” I felt more tears welling up in my eyes.
“ You are here because you wanted to be. Last night you even tried to seduce me, and yes, I drink blood. That is the only way I can survive.” He began to pace the floor of the study.
With my tears blurring my vision, I looked at him skeptically as I thought about me trying to seduce him. I don’t remember that.
“ So are you a sanguinarian?”
“ What? No.” He looked as
Learning to Kill: Stories