The one benefit of being compulsively honest was that Sofia could lie with impunity. Her parents would believe anything she told them, after all, they had no reason to doubt her.

As her father had said they would, the following day involved an uncomfortable family conversation about what was going on with Sofia’s health. Jackie was smart enough to occupy herself.

Maria’s mother had closed every blind in the house and turned off all the lights. This resulted in Charles nearly tripping and face-planting because Sofia was the only one who could really see anything.

Sofia kept her lies as close to reality as possible. Doctors weren’t entirely sure what was going on. She needed to protect her eyes and avoid UV light. She mixed that up with a cocktail of bold-faced falsities that Sofia wasn’t entirely sure how to back up, such as currently waiting for her referral to go through to a specialist.

Both of her parents wanted her to go to the doctor in Gem Creek. But its small hospital had far fewer resources than Toronto so she was able to get out of it. If it did become necessary then hopefully she could just eye-blast the doctor until he went along with it.

Thankfully the conversation was cut short as Hector stomped into the house.

“Mamá, why is it so dark in here?” He called out.

“Ven aquí, Hector. Your sister is home!” Maria called out to him.

Hector picked his head in the living room. “Sofia, hey.”

She gave him a tight-lipped smile. His smile faded as he took in the mood.

“Have fun at Angie’s?” Charles asked, trying to lighten things up.

“Sure,” Hector offered, “what’s going on?”

While Sofia took more after her mother, Hector who was the youngest, at 17, took most after their father. Miguel, who was 23, was the only one who seemed to have a balanced mix of features.

“Sofia is having some health complications,” Charles offered Hector. “She needs to avoid straining her eyes.”

“Damn, that sucks,” Hector offered.

Sofia shrugged it off and turned back to her parents. “I appreciate the blinds being closed but really you can keep the lights on, my glasses can handle that,” Sofia clarified.

“Are you sure?” Maria asked suspiciously.

“Yes, Mamá, I’m sure,” Sofia repeated.

As far as things could have gone Sofia was fairly content with the outcome. Hector’s sleepover with his girlfriend got just enough quizzing from their parents that Sofia could slip away back downstairs.

The house was so loud all of a sudden. Four pairs of heartbeats. Five once Miguel came over for dinner. It was so warm and familiar, it still smelled like home even if it smelled like so much more.

It hurt that this wouldn’t last forever. But then again it never would have, it was just she wouldn’t last with it. Now in ten years, she would still look 21, she had no idea what she would even do then. Either her family would have to accept her or she would have to leave them behind for good. She didn’t want to think about either right now.

She headed back downstairs and slipped into her room.

Jackie was sitting in her bed sipping tea and typing on her laptop. Her pyjama tank top proudly left her nipples visible. Sofia didn’t let her eyes linger.

She was interested in sex, she was fairly sure Jackie was too. But they had yet to really discuss anything and honestly Jackie was terrified. Not only the nerves of a potential first time with a new partner but also the first time… dead.

Unfortunately up until this point she had been considering herself a walking corpse… because she was. It also made any idea of sex… extra weird. Even if her flesh wasn’t cold and she was thinking and feeling… she was still dead.

Worse was the knowledge that it wouldn’t compare. Fucking someone would never be as satisfying as feeding from them. Arousal and hunger intertwined within her. Sure when she was warm she could feel the pleasures of the flesh, but there was also the knowledge that what she craved most in a partner was not even a partner, it was just their blood.

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She could fuck people but making love was off the table. She wanted to believe she could, believe that she really did love Jackie… but how could you love someone you wanted to drain the life out of?

You didn’t hurt the people you loved. Sofia didn’t need a philosopher to tell her that.

“Something wrong?” Jackie frowned, putting her mug down.

Sofia sighed and shook her head. “Just… brooding. Your nipples sent me spiralling,” she added to lighten the mood. It didn’t work.

Jackie pulled the blanket back and patted the mattress. Sofia obeyed and climbed into bed beside her.

“You may need to walk me through it,” Jackie coaxed with an amused quirk on her lips.

Sofia didn’t want to talk about it. But she never wanted to talk about it and talking about it always helped.

“Nipples led me down a… sexual direction which would be kinda weird cus… y’know. Then I kinda came full circle with what we talked about at the hospital,” Sofia sighed, too weighed down by everything to be remotely embarrassed.

Jackie gave her a puzzled frown. “Ok, firstly. Nothing weird about the idea of having sex with you.”

“I don’t have a heartbeat, Jackie,” Sofia laughed though she found no humor in it.

“If you were entirely limp and didn’t talk then I would probably be weirded out. Thankfully that’s not the case so… I really don’t care,” Jackie retorted.

Sofia shut her mouth. It was definitely weird but if Jackie didn’t care… well there wasn’t really anything to even debate. How was it possible that Jackie was just cool with shit, stuff Sofia obsessed over.

“Ok, secondly, don’t rehash things we already figured out. That’s just lazy,” Jackie sighed, more in annoyance than anything else.

“I’m not… I… I will want your blood more than I can ever want you,” Sofia forced out because that was the ugly truth of the matter.

Jackie blinked at her and shrugged. “What’s that triangle thing of people's needs?”

“What? Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?” Sofia frowned.

“Yeah, you can’t reach the next level unless you’ve filled out the ones below. If I was starving I would want a sandwich more than you,” Jackie summarized.

“You’re the fucking sandwich, Jackie,” Sofia snorted. How could she not understand this? Was she just trying to piss her off again? Jackie was actually impossible to figure out.

“Bad analogy then…” Jackie sighed. “Look if a husband has anger issues… that’s a bad analogy too. Fuck ok,” Jackie paused to gather her thoughts as she shut the laptop and put it on the table. “You are putting expectations on yourself, if we’re… together the only fucking thing that matters is what we want and what works for us. If you’d rather taste my blood than I taste your cunt, that’s fine, I like being the centre of attention anyways,” she winked.

Sofia swallowed. Trying to process her words that were being drowned out by images. How could she possibly be so easily flustered? It just wasn’t fair. Her core pulsed, and her teeth ached. Actually fucking unfair.

Jackie smirked at her despite Sofia’s best attempt at a poker face. She couldn’t even blush, actually, maybe she could. Sofia didn’t have a reflection to check.

Sofia took a deep breath and focused back on the conversation before Jackie’s seduction. Emotions quickly overtook her, heavy and hard. Sofia’s eyes stung but she wasn't warm enough for tears. “I’m not scared of my urges, I’m disgusted, and that's ever so much harder to move past.”

Jackie pulled her into a hug. “Just know this isn't me, yeah?” she offered, gently rubbing Sofia’s back. “All these issues, they're in your head, Sofi. I know that doesn’t make them any less real but I don’t hate you, I’m not disgusted by you, and in my own sick way I love you just as much as you love me.”

Sofia nodded, resting her head on Jackie’s shoulder.

“You’re new to being a monster but you’re not the only one,” Jackie continued. “I have all sorts of fantasies. I mean… I can't even count how many times I’ve imagined killing you. But I don’t want to kill you, I won’t kill you.”

Sofia pulled back slightly, the hug suddenly less reassuring, but not entirely. She had no right to be freaked out by that. Weirdly it was more reassuring than anything. She wasn't alone.

“We’re not so different, Sofi. Hell, you even called a hunt,” Jackie chuckled with disbelief, wrapping an arm around Sofia’s neck. “It’s only been two months, you’re allowed to still be adjusting,” she added before gently kissing her.

Sofia kissed her right back. They really were meant for each other, how fucked up was that?

Jackie broke the kiss and tilted her head to the side, barring her throat to Sofia. “Do it, bite me,” she breathed heavily. “I know you’re as fucking pent up as I am and dying for a taste. I’m right here, Sofi, do what you want with me.”

On second thought, maybe Sofia wanted Jackie just as much as she wanted her blood. Jackie’s heart thudded, her veins pulsing in her neck. Truly biting her would kill her within minutes, but a little nip couldn't hurt. Jackie wanted it as much as Sofia did.

Sofia took a shuddering breath as she traced her fingers under Jackie's pyjama top. Jackie took a pained intake as Sofia’s fingers crossed the scabbed wound. “Shit, sorry,” Sofia cursed, pulling away.

Jackie grabbed Sofia by the throat with surprising force. Panic made her want to react, the fact she didn't need to breathe stopped her from actually lashing out.

“You are so fucking sickeningly sweet, Sofi. I mean seriously, I’ve never met someone so gentle and caring and God, you fucking drive me insane. But you need to stop treating me like I’m made of glass and totally helpless,” Jackie hissed, both seemingly in anger and arousal.

Sofia was very turned on and also very confused. Compared to her, Jackie was practically made of glass. Simply to prove a point she removed Jackie’s arm from her throat. Jackie struggled to fight against her, her arm shaking with the effort, it was like fighting a toddler.

“Jackie,” Sofia sighed.

With surprising speed, Jackie broke Sofia’s hold and punched her in the face. Sofia felt her nose crunch then…

----------------------------------------

It wasn't that time had passed so much as there had been nothing. A moment of pain as her nose broke before… nothing. Nothing was too much of a word, Sofia briefly stopped existing. She was back now. Not that she had ever left. She had been there… and then now was here.

Jackie looked down at her with a genuine look of alarm.

Sofia was entirely stunned as she reached up to feel her face. It was back to normal. Her glasses were broken, and the bridge over her nose snapped. For the first time ever with Jackie, she felt genuine anger flare.

“Y-You killed me… it takes two pounds of pressure to push someone's nose into their brain and kill them. You fucking killed me!” Sofia snarled.

Jackie opened her mouth to reply.

“Off the bed,” Sofia growled. Jackie dragged herself off the bed, sprawling on the floor as Sofia stood.

It was one thing to play fight, to try and rile her up so she would be a little rougher. But had Sofia been human Jackie would have killed her. She held her glasses in place as she searched for a jacket. She needed space, it was the middle of the day but she needed to be anywhere but here.

“I’m sorry,” Jackie began, climbing to her feet. “It was an accident, I didn't mean–”

Sofia had never really thought of herself as a violent person. She was calm and controlled, unlike Jackie who was very much a free spirit, brutally honest and did what she wanted. Sofia spent so much time restraining herself that Jackie simply didn't do. That was the difference between Jackie killing her and Sofia now simply holding up her hand to cut Jackie off before marching out of the room without another word.