By the time Maddy made it back to Bill’s place, he’d eaten all of Dee’s cupcakes in search of more blood capsules, but when the container was nearly scrapped clean and his fingers were sticky with cream cheese frosting, he found himself still hungry for more capsules.

“Hey you,” Taiyo said once he walked through the door. Taiyo had changed from his baggy painted clothes to a plain shirt and jeans.

“Yeah?” He replied, practically holding his breath, unsure if Taiyo might suddenly decide he wanted to fight him.

“If you’re going to stay here, shower. Your scent is way too strong.” Taiyo scrunched his nose and grabbed the keys off the kitchen counter.

Maddy put the bag Doug gave him on the table and sniffed his shirt. He already showered this morning.

“I’ve got to head into work for a bit and then to the gym,” Taiyo added. “Bill should be back before me, but in the meantime, the TV remote is on the couch.”

Taiyo hurried out the door and Maddy once again, found himself alone. He walked toward the living room, turned on the TV, and changed to the cartoon channel, the voices on the screen made the house feel less empty.

Settling onto the couch, he wrapped the comforter around himself and called Dee. She answered after his first attempt for a change.

“So you think Mr. Nanabo was one of us?” She asked once Maddy was able to fill her in on what happened last night.

“He called me a Belvie,” He said suddenly standing up and pacing around the couch, like a toy soldier with wooden legs. “Maybe we should tell your parents.”

There was a long pause and then she said, “No. Daddy is already stressed with Greyson being here. And if he sees you he’s definitely going to want to zap you.”

The thought made him pause mid-step.

“What do you think he was so freaked out about?” She asked her voice echoing and Maddy realized she must have been hiding out in the bathroom.

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“I don’t know.” He answered his voice cracking as Mr. Nanabo’s dull eyes came through his thoughts. “But he was so scared, Dee, and I-I- couldn’t do anything.”

“It’s okay,” She said softly. “You’re going to be okay.”

Maddy’s entire body tensed and then all at once the pressure eased with a heavy sigh.

“I’m sorry,” Her voice, was barely above a whisper now. “I should have snuck you in last night.”

“It’s alright. You were probably overwhelmed. I know how Dr. Tarkirk can get.”

“I was overwhelmed!” She agreed.

“Do you think…” Maddy said slowly, afraid he was going to sound silly, “Do you think I’m in danger?”

“Nah,” Dee brushed off. “If you were in any real danger something would have happened to you by now.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“How about this,” She offered, “Once Greyson is gone, we can talk with my dad about what happened. He’ll still definitely want to examine you, but we can deal with that then. I’ll make you more cupcakes.”

“Without much hesitation, he said, “Deal.” And a smile crept on his face, “But you can cut the cupcakes.”

“What you didn’t like the ones I made you today?” She gasped.

“It was awful.” He joked. “But I appreciate the blood capsules. They made me feel a little better.”

“You know I’ll always look out for you, right?”

Even after twelve years of friendship, he still wanted to ask why. Instead, he said, “I do.”

Dee did her best to cheer him up. They steered away from the conversation a few times, finding it easier to slip into normal topics. If she really believed he was safe, then he believed it, too. She offered to come over, but Maddy worried if she skipped the rest of her classes, Dr. Tarkirk would figure out something was going on. And the last thing he wanted was for her father to show up at Bill’s door.

When the call ended, Maddy found himself regretting his choice. As darkness pooled into his thoughts, he stared at the screen but found it hard to pay attention. How was supposed to pretend everything was fine when he so clearly didn’t feel fine? The blood capsules may have made the aches in his body subside, but they didn’t do much for his need for more.

He curled into a ball and squeezed his eyes shut. He tried to recall the last time he was this hungry for blood, but his mind went blank. He growled in frustration and then gasped.

Why the hell did he just growl? Humans didn’t growl. He’d have to keep that in check.

He shut his eyes once more and tried to take a deep breath. This day was hardly half over and he was already so tired. Tired of thinking about last night, of Mr. Nanabo and his cold gray eyes, of Greyson’s eyes, of his stupid good-looking face.