The moment I lay in my bed, I felt relief flood me. I had feared the night would take a dangerous turn, and it was more than I had bargained for. Somewhere at the back of my head, I was sure there were more people like me. And yet, discovering an entire world of supernatural creatures was still overwhelming. Vincent gave me some words of advice as he dropped me off. He wanted to be the one to take me home.

“Try and get some rest, Julian. I know you have many questions, but there will be time for that.” We just parked outside my house. The hour was late. Or early, depends on how you see that. “I’m going to drive you crazy. Aren’t I?” I smirked at him. “Do you’re worst. I have a lot of time for you. And besides, I like listening to you talk.” Oh. Here I go blushing again. Get it together Julian. He didn’t mean it like that.

“Thanks,” I said with a smile. A yawn escaped my mouth. “Okay, time for you to get some rest. I’ll pick you up tomorrow at seven, alright?” Seven was a little early. Tomorrow was my date with Jake, and I didn’t want to have to cut it short. “Can we make it nine? I just have some plans.”

“Yeah, of course. Whatever you want. She must be a very lucky girl.” Vincent said, and I felt a little sting in my chest. There wasn’t any girl. “It’s actually a lucky guy.” I glanced over to Vincent.

“Oh. Sorry for assuming. I didn’t want to assume you were gay and say guy, so I just went with the default. Not default! Forget I said that. The more common thing. God, you can stop my rumbling now, please.” I laughed at Vincent’s response. This was the teddy bear I met on my first day in the club. Not the cold person who dragged me to Ari’s office. “No worries. And I’m not really gay. I think I’m half gay? I mean bi. Well, I’m still trying to figure it out. Tomorrow is my first-ever date with a guy. Actually, it’s my first date with anyone. So yeah, I’m kind of excited.”

“I’m happy for you. And don’t worry, we don’t judge. I for sure don’t care. But if he breaks your heart, I’ll break his legs.” Vincent said, sounding very serious. “Please don’t break his legs. I really like those legs.” Shit, did I just say that? “I was just kidding. Or was I? Well, anyway, enjoy tomorrow. You need some normalcy in your life. I’ll pick you up at nine PM tomorrow.” I nodded and said my goodbyes. Vincent gave me his phone number and told me to call him if I needed anything.

I think he got the job of babysitting me. Which I was more than fine with. I really liked him. I remember Ari telling me he was a half-vampire. Well, not precisely telling. More like testing me with that piece of information. I wonder what it meant for him. Maybe it was rude to ask him that. Well, I’ll ask him either way. Right now, I just was very excited about my date tomorrow. And yeah, staying alive.

I fell asleep easily, relishing the feeling of having nothing to wake up for. There was no pressure to do anything other than sleep, and in a heartbeat, I was off in dreamland.

When I woke up, it was late in the morning. For the first time in a while, I really felt well-rested. I stretched and got the sleepy knots out of my body. Looking down, I saw Jaron’s bed was empty. He wasn’t in the room as well. He probably woke up early and was watching some TV. I got up and went to the bathroom to take a shower. I want to look good today. Well, as much as I can.

I blow-dried my hair and straightened it. It was the first time I had done it in a while. The straighter belongs to Grandma, but she won’t mind. My hair reached just below my shoulders now, after begin straightened. I thought it looked good. I hope Jake will like it too. Wow, I was really going all out for him.

We’d been friends for years, but it was different now. I wanted him to see me in a different light. As I went down the stairs, I smelled some pancakes. Which could only mean Grandma was home. I went down quickly. Going two steps at a time. Excited to see her. “Grandma?” I called from the bottom of our wooden stairs.

“In the kitchen, dear.” Entering the kitchen, I saw Grandma sitting beside the table, reading a book. Some romance judging by the cover. Jaron was snacking and watching TV on the couch. I took a plate and got myself some pancakes. “Thanks for the pancakes. It’s been a while since we had any. Oh, and good morning.” Sitting next to Grandma, I started to eat them. “Good morning, sweetie. At least put something on top of them.” I made a face. “I like them plain.”

“Well, to each their own. Thanks to you, I could buy all the ingredients for once. We also have some meat for the weakened. If you want, we can grill it tomorrow for lunch.” It’s been a while since we had any of those things. Despite everything, I’m glad I got that money. ”Yeah, I would love that. I’m sure Jaron won’t object.”

“I can hear you. Don’t talk about me like I’m not in the room.” Jaron yelled from the couch. “We were just saying you won’t object to grilled meat. Don’t worry. I only gossip about you behind your back.” Grandma answered him with humor in her voice. Jaron didn’t like that. “Well, don’t talk about me at all.” He got off the couch and went upstairs. He doesn’t enjoy our company and hides whenever he can on weekends.

“Don’t worry about him, dear. I’m sure he’ll come around.”

“Was I that bad at his age?”

“No, you were always too serious for your own good. Always have to do all the chores and take care of everyone.” Grandma was smiling, remembering those earlier years. “Yeah, if I didn’t do something right, Mom would beat me up. So I just tried to be good. I didn’t want to anger you at first.” Wrong thing to say. I’m such an idiot.

Grandma’s face fell, and she looked at me with pity. “Sorry Gran, didn’t mean to say it. It just slipped out. Forget it.”

“Julian, if you need to talk-“

“No, I’m fine. It is what it is. That’s the reason I was so obedient at first. Maybe it’s good that Jaron acts like that. He’s not scared to act out. It’s not good, but it’s good for him. Does that make any sense?” I asked her. “Not really, but I get what you’re trying to say. Either way, I hope he gets over it fast. Before I get too angry and give him my three-hour famous talk.”

That was Grandma for you. “Please, just not the talk. Have mercy on his young soul.” Grandma joined in the laughter with me. “Well, never mind all that. Any reason you look particularly good today? Going on a hot date?” She had a mischievous look on her face. I didn’t want to have this conversation with Grandma. “Nope, just going to hang out with Jake. We’re going ice skating.”

“You know, Jake does count as a hot date.”

“Grandma! He’s younger than you by at least thirty years.” Grandma just laughed and wished me to have fun. I finished my pancakes and went to the room to get ready. Jake would be here to pick me up in an hour. Jaron was there with his earphones, so I just tried to walk around him and not bother him. He seemed to be in a bad mood today.

I picked out some nice clothes. Wide low-rise pants that did wonders for my ass and a short shirt. It was short enough to be considered a crop top and was the most scandals item of clothing I owned. I bought it but never dared to wear it. I was feeling courageous enough now after everything that happened and thought, ‘why not.’

I relaxed and scrolled through my phone a little. Short funny videos were always a great way for me to calm down. Some would say it was a waste of time, but I liked it like the rest of my generation. Soon enough, Jake texted me he was here.

I went down the stairs and waved Grandma goodbye. Jake was standing in front of his car. Looking extra good today. Maybe he was excited like me. I walked up to him and gave him a hug. His hands wrapped around me instantly. “Hey Jules, you look… perfect.” I blushed and looked at him. “You’re not too bad yourself.” I shoot him a grin. “Shit, Jules, I really want to kiss you right now.” He murmured inside my ear. I shivered at his words. “Play your cards right, and you might just will.”

The ride to the ice rink was fun. We calmed down a little and sang our favorite songs inside the car. Jake glanced at me every few seconds. Catching my eye and smiling at me.

As we entered the ice rink, I was immediately struck with the pulsing beat of 80s music vibrating through the air. “Well, they didn’t lie about the 80s theme,” I told Jake. “Yeah, you like it?” He asked me a little nervously. “Love it,” I grinned at him.

I took my initial steps onto the ice and was immediately thrown off balance. “Whoa,” I gulp, trying to regain my footing. Shivering in nervousness, I look over to Jake, who managed to get to the other side of the rink.

“You alright?” He asks with a smirk on his face. “I don’t know if I can do this. It’s pretty slippery out here,” I reply with a nervous laugh.

“Don’t worry, just hold my hand. I’ve got you,” he extends his inviting arm toward me, coaxing me to come closer. Jake takes my hand, and we start skating, slowly moving around the rink. Our skates make a smooth swishing sound on the ice, and I can feel the cold on my cheeks. We laugh and tease each other, enjoying the moment. He has a way of making me feel so comfortable like I can finally be myself without any judgments.

We take a few more laps around the rink before coming to a stop. We make our way to the edge of the ice, settling in next to each other. “So, how was your day?” I ask him. He grins. “Not bad. You?” I laugh. “Same. There’s this weird guy that made me go ice-skating with him. Other than that, nothing new.” Jake laughed at my lame joke. I pause for a moment before continuing. “You know, I’m really glad we’re together now,” I say, looking into his eyes. His smile deepens, and he takes my hand in his own. “Me too.”

We decide to do a few tricks on the ice. I try several spins and jumps, but they mostly end in spectacular fails. Jake tries a few too, but his landings aren’t much better. We laugh at our silliness, and it’s a happy kind of laughter. We’re enjoying this moment together, and all the struggles and falls just make it even more special.

We finish off the day with a few romantic songs. We skate slowly around the rink, our hands intertwined and our bodies close together. I feel like I’m in a dream and almost afraid to wake up. We move together in perfect harmony with the music, the lights, and the expectation of something more.

As the day comes to an end, we walk back to the car. Jake puts his arm around me and pulls me close, and I feel a wave of emotion wash over me. I’m so grateful to have him in my life. I can’t help but smile as I think about all the fun days we will have together in the future.

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I glance up at Jake, and our eyes meet. There’s a spark there that ignites something inside me. I want him, all of him, and I can tell he wants me to. We stop by the car, and he leans in, his lips hovering over mine. I close my eyes, anticipating the kiss.

Our lips meet, and it’s like fireworks going off in my head. I wrap my arms around him, pulling him in closer. He deepens the kiss, his tongue exploring my mouth. It’s like we’re the only two people in the world, and nothing else matters. We pull apart even though I don’t want to. “We should enter the car,” I say. Jake nodes and opens the door for me to enter.

“So, did you have fun?” Jake asked me as we settled inside the car. “Yeah, thanks for that, Jake. It was the best first date ever.” I smiled at him. We hold hands as we start the drive. “Do you want to go back to my place? It’s empty. My parents are out of town. Not to do anything. Just to hang out some more.” He blushed at his own words.

I looked at the time. It was six PM. Still plenty of time until Vincent would come and pick me up to my first witch practice. “Sure, but I have to be at home by nine. I’m working today.”

“Cool,” Jake replied with a smile. We arrived at Jake’s house and entered the kitchen.

His house was huge in compression to my own. We sat on the high chairs and snacked on some chips Jake had brought out. “So I think I might be bisexual,” I say to Jake. Jake smiles and squeezes my hand in response. “That’s awesome.” We sit in silence for a few moments, both processing the revelation. “Me too. I think I like guys more than girls, though.” Jake finally admits. “Well, we spent a lot of time making out. It’d be a little weird if none of us were into guys.” I smirked up at him.

The two of us looked at each other for a few moments. Finally, I broke the silence, “Jake, I really like you. And I think I could really like you a lot. Wait, that came out weird.” Jake’s smile broadened as he replied, “I like you too, Jules. A lot. How about we continue this and see where it takes us?”

“I’m all in for that plan. Now can we kiss some more?”

Jake smirked at me. “Want to go to my bedroom? It’s just more comfortable there. We don’t have to.” My heart picked up as if it was trying to run a marathon. “Yeah,” I replied. My voice shook a bit.

We reached Jake’s bedroom, and he plopped on the bed. I stood in front of him, my heart pounding in anticipation. He slides up to me and reaches out for my hand. Our fingers intertwine as he pulls me closer. He leans forward to kiss me again, all thoughts of reservations gone from my mind.

Our kissing intensifies as we both give into our desires. His hands slide around my waist and down my back, making me shiver with pleasure at his touch. He puts me on his thighs so that I’m now on top of him and we continue to make out passionately.

Finally, it becomes too much for us both, and we pull away, panting heavily. “Do you want… to do something else?” Jake asks nervously, looking at me with an anxious expression on his face. “I mean only if you want to… if not, that’s totally fine,” he adds hastily as if he’s worried he’d gone too far.

I look into his eyes, seeing a mix of fear and desire. I know what he means, and I suddenly feel brave enough to take this step with him. “Yeah,” I whisper, my voice trembling slightly.

We both don’t move for a few moments before finally gathering the courage to continue. Then, very hesitantly, we remove our clothes and start to touch each other’s bodies. It’s my first time doing anything like that, and it feels both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

Jake kisses me again as he holds me close against him, helping me relax into his embrace. We explore one another in ways neither of us had ever done before, slowly but surely becoming more comfortable together with each passing moment.

His hands caress my body with such tenderness that it takes my breath away. Each new sensation increases in intensity. He turned me around and pushed me to the bed. He climbed on top of me a moment later and kissed my neck. He slowly made his way down. Continuing kissing me as he went. By the time he reached my lower belly, I had thought I would explode.

Finally, Jake leaned down between my legs and looked up at me. “Can I?” He whispers. “Yeah,” I answer, feeling more nervous than ever. He storks me a bit before taking me inside his mouth.

Jake’s lips are gentle and warm around me, and his hands are firm yet tender as he holds me close to him. His movements are confident and prepared but careful, as if he’s determined to ensure I enjoy every second of it. The sensation is overwhelming, each second stretching on for what feels like an eternity until I’m hit with a wave of pleasure, unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. I’m so overwhelmed that all I can do is hold onto him tightly and take in the moment.

I come fast. Can’t hold it in for very long. “Shit, Jake,” I say, breathing heavily. Jake looks at me. His cheeks are flushed, and his entire face is a mess. He looks so good like that. I feel like I could die from happiness right now.

“Do you want me to-” I start to ask. “No, you don’t have to. It’s something I wanted to do. And anyway, I already...” I looked down at Jake. “Did you come just from... this?” I asked, barely managing to contain the excitement in my voice. “Yeah,” he said and looked embarrassed. “That’s really hot,” I say, wanting him to feel better.

Jake smiled. He grabbed a towel and cleaned both of us. Then he climbed up the bed and wrapped me in his arms. We lay spooning together, content in each other’s company. I think we both feel relieved to have taken this step together and know that we can trust one another with our emotions and bodies.

“This was the first time for me. With a guy. I hope I wasn’t terrible.” Jake whispered. “it’s my first time too. With anyone. It was amazing for me. You blew my mind.” I said between chuckles. “Jules, you’re so lame. This must be your worst joke so far.” We were full-on laughing right now. It made me feel better and relieved. I really can be my stupid self around Jake.

“Shit, Jake. I need to get going. Vincent is going to come soon to pick me up.”

“I’ll drive you. But, wait, who the hell is Vincent?” Jake asked, looking suspicious. “It’s just one of the bouncers at the club. He was nice and offered me a ride. Are you jealous?” I asked and wiggled my eyebrows at him.

“No. Just don’t know him. I wouldn’t think a club bouncer is a good company.” Jake mumbled. “Trust me, he’s a giant teddy bear on the inside. He just looks like a bouncer. And don’t worry. You’re the only guy on my mind right now.”

“So there might be a girl on your mind besides me?”

“Jake shut it. You're such an idiot.” But it was nice to know he cared.

I leaned down and kissed him before we started the drive to my house. When we got back, we stayed in the car. Kissing some more. I really didn’t want our date to be over. “Well, I got to go. Jake, I had a blast today. Thanks for everything.” I noticed my voice was still shaking as I said that. “I had fun also. I can’t believe you actually want to be with me.”

“Stop saying that. Of course I do. I’ll see you soon.” Our lips met again for a final kiss. I got out of the car and watched him drive off. Almost instantly, another car drove up the driveway. It seemed to be Vincent’s car. When it got closer, I could see Vincent inside it. Shit, I didn’t have time to switch my clothes to something normal.

“Hey, Julian. I got here already, but I wanted to give you some privacy with your date. Ready to go?” I smiled at the sound of Vincent’s voice. “Sure. Do you think I should change my clothes? I can do it in two minutes.” I told him, feeling a little bit uncertain about myself. “Whatever you’re wearing now is good. You look witchy and hot.” I blushed.

I got into his car, and he started to drive. “So it was a good date then?” He asked with a wicked look on his face. Wait, did vampires could smell some stuff? Don’t tell me he could smell what Jake and I did. “Vincent, why do you say that? Can you… feel something?” Vincent burst out laughing. “Yeah. I can smell you had a good time. Don’t worry. By the end of the drive, no one could tell. My own smell will hide it. So, was it good? No need in breaking legs?”

“Yeah. It was amazing. Jake was so sweet. It was my first time doing anything like that. It felt so good. But now, for some reason, I feel guilt at the bottom of my stomach. I don’t know why I feel bad suddenly.” I told Vincent when I realized what I was feeling.

“It’s not guilt, don’t worry. It’s just normal hormones. You were in a very high place, and now that it’s over, what you feel is a drop. It’s very common.” Vincent explained to me. “Is that a witch thing?”

“It’s a human thing. A lot of people experiencing that. As I said, it’s common. You can even search that up. Its scientific name is Postcoital Dysphoria. Don’t overthink it. It will pass in a few minutes. And trust me, Jahha will keep you busy. Anyway, I’m glad you had a good time.” He smiled at me.

A drop, huh? I didn’t know something like that could happen. A sense of dread permeated my gut, similar to the feeling of bad butterflies but far worse. But by the time we reached the club, that feeling had almost faded away. I got out of the car and embraced Vincent, who seemed unprepared for it but hugged me back anyway. “Hey, Vince,” I said with a grin. “Hey,” he mumbled.

He led me to a room upstairs. The room was spacious, with muted reds, purples, and blues in the curtains that adorn the windows lining the walls. Plenty of pillows and blankets on the floor gave it a cozy feel. The fireplace crackles in the corner, casting an orange glow over the darkened room. An array of plants and wooden trinkets gave off a witchy vibe that only got amplified by the scent of burning incense. “Jahha is already here. She’s going through some things with Ari. So she’ll be right here.” Vincent told me. I nodded and flopped down on one of the soft pillows.

Vincent took a sit next to me. “Do you have any questions about vampires? I thought you said you had a ton.” I thought about that. “Can you maybe give me an explanation? I really don’t know where to start. And I don’t want to say anything offensive. Vincent laughed. “Okay, I’ll give it a go. So basically, from the earliest known books, vampires seemed to be living amongst humans. Then, as modern times came, we became a myth. I don’t know how we were created. I personally believe we developed into a new genetic brunch from homospiens somewhere in Africa.” He looked at me before continuing.

“Vampires are born and not made, despite popular belief. We can only procreate with other vampires or humans. When we reach adulthood, we stop aging. Around the time we reach twenty-five. By that time, we slowly develop all our vampiric skills. Strength, smell, hearing, speed, and mental strength. All of us are stronger than human beings, but not by much. Each vampire has their own gift in a certain field, from the list I just said. The most common one is strength. Those vampires are incredibly strong. Others are fast or have superior hearing or smelling abilities. But no one has more than one gift.” Vincent concluded.

“Which one are you?” I asked him. Genuinely curious. “My gift is mantel strength. I can compel humans, werewolves, and weak vampires.” He said. “Is that a common thing?”

“No. It’s actually pretty rare. That’s why Ari keeps me around. Usually, no one takes in half vampires.” Oh yeah, I remember that. “Why not?” I asked. “We are weaker. Most of the time, we won’t develop a gift and live a normal life with some craving for raw meat. But I always was leaning into my vampiric side. So Ari took me in.” Right, they needed blood to live. “So… about your diet,” I looked at him.

“Yeah. We do need blood. And a lot of it. The average vampire would need about a liter a day. The council prison keeps a lot of human prisoners in it. Part of their punishment is to draw blood every day. So there’s enough for everyone. These are human criminals we caught before the police. Or the one that the justice system let go when they are, in fact, guilty. I’m talking about terrible crimes. They deserve it, don’t worry.” Vincent finished.

I let all of that sink in. “So, no burning by the sun, garlic, or mirrors?”

“No. all of those are a myth. Our eyes are susceptible, so walking on a bright day could be overwhelming, even with sunglasses on. We prefer the darker hours. Garlic really does nothing for us, nor does mirrors. And as long as we drink blood daily, we won’t age. If we stop drinking the blood for enough time, we will continue to age and lose our powers.”

“Wow. That’s so different from what I thought vampires were all about. You’re pretty cool, Vincent.” He blushed and looked away. He really was adorable. “I’ll let Jahha tell you about your kind. She thinks my kind shouldn’t get involved in the supernatural world and just live as humans.” Yeah, I noticed the way Jahha looked at Vincent. She wasn’t fond of him.

“I didn’t mention that we can turn humans into vampires. They are called rough vampires and live for about two years after they turn. They can’t drink blood, and their body starts to attack itself after a while. They are powerful, though. It’s forbidden to create any. Just so you know.” I nodded.

Jahha finally entered the room. She looked stunning and well put together, as always. “Julian. It’s lovely to see you again. Shall we begin?”