Chapter Six

Dreams so real they grow wild on the vine
We'll burn like falling stars tonight
And hide like vampires from the daylight
And our world comes alive at night
And like the stars, we'll shine so bright
As long as you are mine
- Fastball, Vampires

"Why did you come back?"

It was the following evening. Alice had spent most of the day in bed, recovering from the vampire bite. She had lost a lot of blood, but Theo had promised she would be fine in a few days. Now she was lying on the sofa, the TV on and turned to Neighbours, although neither of them were watching it.

Theo was by the window, staring out at the darkening sky. Dusk had fallen, the sky a beautiful lapis lazuli, bathing everything in a dark blue light. He didn't turned around when she spoke. "What?" he asked, his tone wary.

"You know what. Why did you come back and rescue me?"

He did turn around then, and approached the sofa until he was standing right beside it. He crouched down so that their heads were level. "Why do you think?" he said softly.

She gazed at him levelly for a moment before replying. "I don't know what to think. You left. You lied to me. You were going to let me die...but you didn't."

He glanced away briefly before forcing himself to meet her eyes again. "I had every intention of letting you die. Going against my master's wishes was not in my nature. But with every step I took, taking me further away from you, the more the pain in my heart increased." He held her hand gently, the uninjured one, and pressed it against his chest. There was no heartbeat. "My heart doesn't beat, Alice, but it still feels pain. I knew then that I couldn't allow you to die."

"I'm very glad you couldn't," she said solemnly.

They spent several minutes like that, her hand on his chest, his fingers covering hers, neither of them moving or willing to ruin the perfect moment.

"You said you loved me," said Theo unexpectedly, as something occurred to him.

Alice snatched her hand away. "What?" Now she was the wary one. This wasn't something she wanted to talk about, not if it was going to cause her more pain, more heartache. She'd had enough of that to last a lifetime.

"You told me that when we were dating, you were in love with me." His clear green eyes, holding all the warmth she remembered of them when he'd been human, bored into hers. She couldn't tear her gaze away. "Did you mean it?"

It would be easier if she could lie and say no. Instead, she steeled herself and took a deep breath. "Yes, I meant it."

Theo rested his forehead against hers and sighed. It was a sigh of happiness, not one of sorrow. "I loved you too." He paused a moment before continuing, his voice soft. "I love you still."

"Despite everything?"

"Despite everything," he confirmed.

"I love you too," she said in a tremulous voice. Hope blossomed in her heart. She had never imagined things could be like this - never imagined she would be reunited with Theo, never imagined she would find love with a vampire. "I...I know how things are, though. Logically, a relationship between a vampire and a human can never work. But..." She hesitated. "I'm willing to try."

He smiled. "I am, too."

They kissed, gently and then more passionately, both of them clinging to each other with an almost desperate need. When they broke the kiss, Alice's breathing unsteady, they rested their foreheads against each other and stared into each other's eyes.

"Alice, would you ever consider..." Theo trailed off and glanced away, then looked back at her with determination in his eyes. "Would you ever consider becoming a vampire for me?"

Alice stilled. She honestly didn't know the answer to that question. She knew of only two vampires: one, whilst dead now, had been evil personified; and the other was...well, he was simply different. Theo was changed from the man she had once loved, but that hadn't made her stop loving him. He was still a good person, albeit in a different way. He was mercurial and could be mean, but wasn't that true of everybody, vampire or not? He claimed to have retained his soul, and Alice was inclined to believe him.

But was she really willing to become a vampire like him? If she did, they could potentially be together forever. The idea of being in love with someone for eternity was undeniably appealing, but it wasn't that simple. She would be giving up so much, perhaps too much. There would be no more idyllic sunrises; no more sunbathing on beaches in the summer. She would have to drink people's blood. She would have to leave her family, and could never settle in one place for too long for fear of her identity being discovered. Most of all, she would be giving up her life.

"I don't know," she said finally, knowing her answer was lame but unable to come up with a better one. "I just don't know, Theo."

She caught the look of disappointment in his green eyes before they glassed over, replaced with his now-familiar indifference. "I see."

To soften the blow, she kissed him quickly on the lips and whispered, "Ask me again when I've got used to the idea. I just need a little time." She smiled tentatively, and to her relief he smiled back at her.

Theo moved to lie on the sofa behind her, his arms going around her waist to hold him against her. She snuggled back against him. His body was cold, but not unpleasantly so. All that mattered was that she was close to him, would always be close to him. Together they watched television, Alice and her vampire lover, on what promised to be the first of many vampire nights.