Anri was a zoo tiger, pacing a small, featureless cage. He was really ready to go to work tonight for a change of pace. He needed something to do that wasn’t pace around the house and think about what he should have said to Seth to make him stay.

Maybe this was better, letting Seth leave and never come back. He was too good for Anri, anyway. And…they were both men. Seth could find someone better, a better vampire than him.

The thought had him seeing red. He knew it was irrational, but it didn’t matter. He wanted Seth so much it was dangerous.

Was Seth okay? Was he feeling okay? Did he make it home alright? He was still not fully healed, what if he was unconscious somewhere, freezing to death, all because of him?

He was fine, though. Anri knew it, somehow. He could feel it. He had to stop thinking about Seth before he drove himself crazy.

He tried to lurk on vamp forums. He speculated about who shot him, though he had a good idea of who might have been behind the attack. He tried to watch anime, tried to read, tried to sleep. His mind kept circling back to Seth. Of the look of pure bliss on his face when he passed out in Anri’s arms. Of the look of hurt and betrayal on his face when he left. Of how it felt to wake up pressed against his heat. Anri’s head and heart both hurt. He was more exhausted now than he had been in ages.  

Hope seemed to spring eternal in his chest, and he hated it fiercely. He hoped Seth was okay. He hoped Seth would forgive him. He hoped Seth could avoid getting involved in his life. He hoped (and dreaded) that Seth would come to see him tonight. He hoped Seth still wanted to…

Goddamnit, what was he thinking? He needed to apologize. He had almost killed Seth. He had fucked everything up, like usual. He had to tell Seth he was sorry. It was totally not an excuse to see him again. He needed to beg forgiveness for nearly killing him.

He wanted to see him again, he definitely didn’t need to see Seth again. Nope, and he most definitely did not long for another taste, or long to feel him against his body again. That was definitely not the case. He had to apologize. Later.

Right now, he was driving Simone crazy with his craziness. He knew this because she had already chased him from the kitchen by throwing beads at him. As soon as Seth left she grilled him relentlessly about what they were now referring to as ‘the shooting’. He told her the story, as much as he recalled, now feeling a bit sheepish that he hadn’t realized the guy was there. In his defense, he had been a bit distracted with Seth. She asked half a bajillion questions, going over it from every angle. After she was sure she knew the whole story, or at least his version of it, she threw on her coat to go investigate the scene. Neither of them were actually surprised when she didn’t find anything.

He searched the local conspiracy theorists and fang-banger Reddit threads for clues or bragging, but came up empty handed. He did find a pretty funny story about some girl pretending to be a psychic vampire. That was amusing for a few minutes, but then his mind returned to Seth, and too the events of the last week.

He couldn’t tell Simone his real theory about ‘the shooting’, about the very likely candidate he assumed might have been behind it. He had spoke truthfully when he said he didn’t know the shooter, he really didn’t. But…he also didn’t think it would have been hard for a woman like Angelina to have used her powers of persuasion on the would-be assassin. The guy hadn’t seemed too bright.

How did she find him?! He was climbing the walls with worry about it when he wasn’t thinking about Seth. A small part of him that he had been hiding deep inside was relieved that she wasn’t dead. He wasn’t a murderer. A weight he didn’t even realized he had been carrying on his shoulders lifted at the realization.

Unless this was revenge? Maybe he was overreacting and it was some dumbass vampire hunter wannabe who got lucky. Or…maybe someone was after Seth?

No, probably not. That seemed pretty unlikely. It was more than likely an attack aimed for him. It was more than likely his past coming back to haunt him.

The thought of someone hurting Seth had him clenching his fists, his adrenaline surging. What if Seth had been shot instead of him? Seth could have been critically injured. As it was, he had nearly died. His anger was irrational. If someone was after Seth…he would…his vision turned red and he had to force himself to take a deep breath and calm down.

This was another reason he needed to make Seth see reason, to leave now while he wasn’t involved. This crazy shit with the shooting, what if Cloak Dude had hit Seth instead? The thought of Seth dying in the street in his place pierced him deeply, bringing the sting of tears to his eyes. He had to keep Seth out of this, it was for his own good.

Part of him was sure that pushing Seth away was the right thing to do. He didn’t need another Wren messing up his life, even if the situation was completely different. Seth was different from Angelina. He knew it. The time with Angelina was…he veered hard away from that line of thought. He still wasn’t ready to think about it.

For his own safety, for his own good he had to somehow get rid of Seth. Even if he had to hurt his feelings, make him think that he hated him, whatever it took to make him leave and never look back.

The thought of hurting Seth, of never seeing him again twisted his heart painfully. Why did it hurt so much? He didn’t know Seth at all, but, somehow, impossibly, Seth had found a way into his heart.

“Jesus, Anri, just go in early!” Simone barked at him, startling him so badly he jumped.

“What?” he asked, turning around quickly as he resumed his pacing.

“Get out of the house, you are driving me up the wall,” Simone snapped. He stopped mid-step. “You’ve been pacing forever. My apartment is non-pace-able. Get out! I need to get some work done and you are making me feel cagey with your cagey-ness.” She had set up her work on the coffee table in the living room, moving from the kitchen after the bead throwing. She sat on the floor today, working on the low coffee table. Glaring, she waved a pair of pliers in his direction.

“Sorry,” he said softly, trying to force himself to stand still and failing. He felt like a hive of bees.

“Don’t be sorry!  Stop sulking and fretting. Just go to work or something. He’ll come back when he’s ready. Seriously, it hasn’t even been a week.”

Anri didn’t say anything. He went to resume pacing but one look from Simone had him standing as still as he could manage. The guilt he felt over avoiding Seth, despite his overwhelming desire to see him again, ate at his stomach. Every night he wished Seth would come to the bar, and the one night he had…he had ran into the back, begging Red to lie that he was off. He hid until Seth left in the backroom, a feeling worse than low about his actions. He didn’t know how to see Seth, or what to say to him. Goddamnit, he was so fucked up.

“Oh my god, Anri, pout much? That boy, he’ll be back. Soon, I bet,” she continued confidently.

“He came to the bar already,” Anri mumbled.

“Huh?” Simone looked at him angrily. “He what now?!” she snapped.

“Well, uh, I’ve been…avoiding him…uh…maybe a little bit?” Anri looked away guiltily, resuming his pacing.

“Geez, Anni, what is wrong with you? Why are you still pacing!” He could feel her judging him with severity. “You are the worst, Anni, stop being a wimp. Stop avoiding him. You need to talk to him. You owe him. Clear things up. He deserves it. Even if you don’t want to, you little baby.”

“I’m not a baby! And…it was just the once…” he said, cringing at his own cowardice.

“Anni, don’t make me come to the bar…” she warned. “You know I will. Stop avoiding him and talk to him.”

“I have to make him leave. For his own good! If I talk to him I will want, I mean…I thought maybe I could just avoid him and he’d go away…” Anri mumbled.

“That’s not what you really want,” she snapped certainly.

He cringed as she hit her mark. “This isn’t about what I really want, Simone!” he barked defensively. “This is for Seth! He almost…I almost killed him. He will give up, move on, and not get involved in my fucked up life.”

She frowned, narrowing her eyes accusingly at him. “You really don’t understand people at all. You’re only going to make him more interested in you if you avoid him. And what about the shooter? What if he runs into Seth? Recognizes him and decides to tie up loose ends? Are you okay with that?” she needled him ruthlessly.

His vision turned red again at the thought of the shooter going after Seth. Simone was right, she always was, and he hated her for it. Still, he couldn’t avoid Seth again, it wouldn’t help. It was his job now, to protect Seth, at least until he figured this shooter thing out.

“I hate you, Simone. Why are you always right?” Anri muttered.

“Because I am wise beyond my years.” She fiddled with a metal file for a minute, then continued, “Since we both agree I’m always right, I’ll say this. I think you are supposed to be together. You know, I’ve thought about it, and I’m okay with you being gay. You two would be an adorable couple. You have my full support.” She grinned mischievously at him over her chunky pink glasses.

“What the!? Simone! Jesus! I’m not gay! He’s not gay! What…I mean, really, I’m not…it’s not like that! I’m not gay, Simone. I like girls. Girls are great! With all their soft lady parts and stuff. Seth is…Seth is different. It’s just because he’s a Wren. That’s all. He’s fucking me up, mentally and emotionally. That’s all. I totally don’t want to, ah…you know…do weird stuff with him or anything.”

“You don’t have to be gay gay. You are just gay for Seth,” she teased. Anri frowned, his face darkening.

“I’m not gay for anyone, Simone. Don’t be an ass,” he said coldly.

She sighed. “For real, Anni? You know what? You probably shouldn’t think about it. You can’t deal with more than one thing to worry about at a time, anyway. Just go to work. I’m officially kicking you out of the apartment for today.” Waving her metal file in his direction, she dismissed him without another word.

She went back to her work. He brooded sullenly, glaring at her and she ignored him. After a moment, without looking up from her work she said, “I think you should drive, today. You can take my car. Or, I can drop you off. You shouldn’t go out alone until we figure out this whole ‘shooting’ thing. I asked a buddy of mine to ask around about it.” She pushed her glasses up onto the top of her head, her hair sticking up in odd directions behind them.

He didn’t say anything, just continued to stand there and focus his brooding in her general direction. Finally he said, “I’m not gay, Simone.”

She looked at him, skeptical and annoyed. “He doesn’t do that to me, what he does to you. I can see it in your eyes, Anni. When he walked into the bar. When you two were talking here. He’s your Wren, like some crazy destiny thing or something, and I don’t even really believe in that kind of stuff. That’s what it feels like with you guys. I just have this hunch about him. Call it women’s intuition. The two of you, it feels right for you to be together.” She pinched her lips together then continued gently, “you know I wouldn’t push you into another relationship that I think would, you know, turn out like…well, you know, the crazy bitch. She-who-will-not-be-named.”

Anri tried to find something to say, but he came up blank.

“Am I driving you?” she asked after a few moments of silence, pushing off the floor by bracing herself on the couch. She didn’t bother to clean up her work and he knew she would be back at it as soon as she got rid of him.

He sighed dramatically, “Yeah, if you don’t mind. Seth is…” Anri started, then changed his mind. “You know what, never mind. I’ll be ready to leave in 20 minutes.”

As Anri got ready for work, he thought about Seth some more. He wanted to stop thinking about Seth, how comfortable he had felt, and how good he had tasted. Really good, kind of like expensive chocolate or rich, fine wine.

Smelling Seth’s scent around the house the last few days had nearly driven him crazy. Anri caught whiffs of the scent here and there, teasing him with the fleeting thought that Seth might nearby.

This obsession with Seth was a new experience for him, his desire just to be near him was astounding. Something inside him felt…empty, like there was a missing space. A hollowness that didn’t exist before Seth, or maybe he had only started noticing since Seth.

Maybe if he hadn’t been with Angelina he wouldn’t be so afraid of Seth. Maybe if he hadn’t already done the Wren thing, and vowed to never ever do it again. Maybe if Seth was a woman. Too many maybes.

He didn’t want to admit it, and especially not to Simone, but he was incredibly attracted to Seth. He didn’t feel gay, Seth was different, special. His.

Shit, he needed to get Seth out of his system. He scraped his hands through his hair, running his nails over his scalp almost painfully. These obsessive thoughts couldn’t be healthy. He shook his head. He had to stop thinking about how much he wanted to be around Seth, how addicted to Seth’s blood that he already was. He shook his head, trying to clear the thoughts of Seth that circled like vultures.

He headed out to the shared living area after he finished dressing, pulling his hair back into a ponytail as he walked. “Hey, I’m ready.”

Simone was concentrating on a small wire she was bending with a pair of really small pliers. “Justa…okay.” She put the small silver earring down on the table, still pinched in the pliers.

It almost wasn’t worth warming the car up for the five minute drive to work. The radio played lightly in the background, some classic rock song on the radio about how many steps a guy might need as a head start for hitting on another’s girl.

Simone said gently, “Hey, I know you are still fucked up from the Angelina thing. You…that was fucked up. I don’t know the details, you never really talked about it, and I respect your privacy enough to let you have your secrets. But…you’re safe with me. You left her, and it’s time to move on.”

“I’m…” he hesitated. Sighing he said, “yea, you’re probably right. I’ll….I’ll try. I mean, I will. It’s just fucking hard.” Anri said, deflated.

“It’s been, like, a year, right?” Simone asked.

“Eleven months. A little over eleven months.” Anri said distracted, trying not to think about Angelina, and especially not her basement.

“You know, cause who’s counting?” Simone said, lightly teasing as she pulled up to the bar. When he didn’t reply she went to say something else, but nothing came out. Instead, she sighed heavily, then said, “Have a good night. Call me when you need picked up. Please, Anni, please don’t walk home alone.”

He nodded and got out of the car. He walked to the door, using his key to open the door and locking it behind him as he went into the comfortable darkness. She didn’t drive away until after the door was completely closed.

The main lights were off, the room illuminated only by the red track lighting under the bar. The familiarity of the space calmed his nerves, and soon he dropped into the rhythm of opening the bar, only thinking of Seth every other minute or so.

His phone vibrated in his pocket as he was cutting the citrus, curling bits of peel for martinis with a paring knife. He finished up the lemon he was slicing and put the paring knife down on the counter. He wiped his hands on a small bar towel and pulled his phone out.

He had a text message from a number he didn’t recognize. Panic gripped his heart, his first thought that somehow Angelina had found him. He didn’t want to, but he still swiped to view the message. He had to know.

Hi Anri, this is Seth. Please stop hiding from me. You owe me some answers. When can we meet?

First, incredible relief, followed by dread and anticipation mixed together, causing him to almost drop the phone. Inhaling deeply, he started a response, then erased it almost immediately. He started again, then erased that, too. He gave up trying to run away, trying to be clever. Tonight. I’m sorry. You’re right. Someplace private? As soon as he sent it he typed away furiously, following it up with, not here. Where can we go?

Had he really just asked Seth to go someplace private? What the fuck was wrong with him? He was too close to his hunger to be alone with the most handsome, intoxicating, intelligent, delicious Wren he had ever tasted…

Seth texted back during his contemplation. My place?

He was smiling like an idiot as his heart flew to his throat. Seth wanted to take him home. The staccato of his heartbeat seemed to fill the room, it felt so strong. No car. I don’t know where you live, either. Can’t go to my place. Simone’s home.

He stared at his phone expectantly and Seth did not let him down. I’ll pick you up. What time you get out of work?”

His finger traced over the text as a war waged inside of him. His reason quickly lost out to the anticipation of seeing Seth again. I’ll leave early, can get G to cover for me.

What time. Who’s G?

He opened a text conversation with Red and begged her to come in and work for him tonight. He stared at the phone for what felt like thirty minutes but was probably closer to two, or maybe three minutes in reality. You are lucky I owe you. be in 2 hours. You better do ALL the prep.

A quick text back to Seth and he was smiling like a fool, he knew it, but he couldn’t hide his excitement. Feeling like a teenager again, he tucked his phone in his pocket. He had to get the bar completely ready for Ginger. He didn’t want to owe her more than he already knew he would for this favor.

He felt every second of the 7,200 that passed before Red’s arrival. Red took her time, slowly sauntering back to the bar, tying on her apron in slow motion, driving him insane. She nodded at him and he knew she was doing it on purpose.

“Thank you, Ginger! I really appreciate it, I really do. I know it was super short notice, I got something I have to do tonight. You’re a lifesaver!”

“Uh huh. You’re lucky I owed’ja one from when I was sick a few weeks ago. Get out of here. Your favorite regular is sitting in his car out front.”

“Huh? My favorite regular?”

“Cute boy, lip ring?” Ginger said, her eyebrow raising up.

“Seth?” Anri said, feeling slow. He pulled out his phone and saw he had missed a text. I’m out front when you’re done. No rush.

“Is that his name?” She said coyly.

“Wait, what? Who? I have no idea what you are talking about,” he replied demurely, trying his best to pretend he wasn’t outrageously excited Seth was out front.

She shook her head at him, her red hair pulled back in a swishy, playful ponytail, completely seeing through him.

“Uh-huh. Whatever you say,” she said noncommittally.

Anri pulled his coat on and ducked under the hinged lift of the bar. “Bye Ginger! You’re the best!” He was careful not to say that he owed her one. The last thing he wanted to offer her was a freeby.

“You two play nice!” she called after him as he let himself out. He laughed to hide his blush.

Seth sat in a worn down little Toyota that was probably manufactured the same year he was born. He smiled as Anri approached, reaching over to throw his backpack into the back seat. Anri opened the door, hesitating before he climbed in.

“Sorry my car’s a mess. I kinda live in it when I’m in school,” Seth apologized.

In the dark it didn’t seem like it was a mess. He shrugged. “Okay. Um…hi,” he said shyly. He looked for the buckle until he realized it was an automatic buckle. He hadn’t seen a car with an automatic buckle in ages.

“Hi,” Seth said. Neither of them looked directly at the other. Seth studied his steering wheel, his fingers tapping nervously on the worn rim. The car was on, and once Anri shut the door the automatic buckle whirred over his chest stiffly. Seth placed the car into gear and pulled away from the curb.

It was silent for a moment, then Seth asked, “are you sure going to my place is okay? You’ve been avoiding me for almost a week now.”

He did not think Seth was cute when he sounded sulky like that. He didn’t.

“Well, we, uh, can’t exactly talk about this stuff at a diner or something, and Simone is home tonight. I thought it’d be easier to talk without her around. Shit, I have to text her. She’ll freak out if I don’t tell her I’m going with you.” He sent her a quick text.

Simone’s near instant reply was just a winky-eyed smiley face emoji. Anri looked at his phone skeptically. “How did you get my number?”

“Simone gave me her card. Told me to contact her when I got my new phone so she’d have my number,” Seth said warily.

“So, Simone gave you my number. She’s such a meddler.” Feeling like he was missing something, he asked, “you got a new phone?”

“Yeah, um, to replace the one I lost that night?” he replied quizzically.

“That night? Oh, yeah…” Anri said, feeling a bit guilty. “I’ll pay for it. I’m sorry, that’s my fault. How much did it cost?”

“Nah, I told them it was stolen and it was covered by my insurance. Usually insurance never covers anything, so I was surprised. Finally worth my money, I guess. So, it’s all good.”

Silence stretched between them for a few minutes as Seth approached highway speeds.

Feeling the need to talk, Anri asked, “Do you live far?”

“About twenty minutes from your bar.”

More silence. Seth tapped the steering wheel. The interior was silent and Anri looked for the button to turn the radio on, then realized that there was a dark hole where the radio should have been. Seth saw him looking. “It was stolen a few months ago and I don’t really have the money to replace it. I want to buy a new car, anyway, so I figured I’d just wait until the whole thing falls apart. Even if I bought a new one, it’d probably get stolen within a week.”

“Oh. I’m sorry,” Anri said, feeling really awkward.

“Why are you sorry? Did you steal it?” Seth asked playfully.

“What? Of course not. I don’t know. I just, well, I guess I’m sorry for avoiding you. I know…I know I haven’t treated you…I don’t know how to start. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for almost killing you, too, for what that’s worth.” At some point he had begun wringing his hands in his lap, and he focused on them with intensity.

Seth didn’t say anything. He kept his eyes on the road, his fingers still tapping on the steering wheel as he drove.

Anri continued, “I have some kinda fucked up stuff I’m dealing with. And then, you know, I wasn’t going to tell you about my, um, being a vampire. I didn’t really want to get you involved. And then the whole thing with the shooting. God, I wish you were a Norm.”

“A what? What’s a Norm,” Seth asked quietly.

“Oh, a normal. Like a regular person. Not supernatural,” he explained offhandedly.

“And…I’m not a Norm?” Seth questioned, his tone overly neutral. He put on his right blinker and turned onto the highway off ramp.

Shit, this was not going how he had wanted it to go. Actually, he had spent the whole night too busy checking the clock and acting like a giddy teenager to think about how this conversation should have gone. Did Seth really not know what he was? Kicking himself mentally he replied, “Not…exactly?”

“That’s not vague or anything,” Seth said sourly.

He ran his hands over his hair and sighed. “A norm is like a regular person, but you are not a regular person. You are a Wren.”

“Wren? Like the bird?” Seth asked. He really didn’t know? How did he not know?

“No, no, not the bird. Wait, you really don’t know?” Anri asked skeptically. “You aren’t just messing with me, are you?”

“Know what?” Seth asked testily. “Know that you were a vampire? That I’m supposed to be some type of supernatural something or another? Or anything else in the big long list of ‘stuff Seth is kept in the dark about’?”

He couldn’t respond at first. He didn’t know where to start. Seth huffed.

“Seriously?” he asked incredulously. “You are serious that you didn’t know you were a Wren? How is that possible?” How could he not have known at his age? How had he never met another vampire before him? “You tested me!” Anri accused. “I thought you knew. I thought you…”

“I didn’t know at first. But, you have this…feeling, this presence I can sense whenever you’re around. And then, because of the time with my finger, which was weird but even then, I could just let it go as you were just a little strange. But, then I had a dream, and it was, ah, convincing to say the least. It all sounds really dumb and kinda moronic now, but it felt like there might be something to it at the time. I guess I was right all along, but, you know, when I say it out loud, it sounds ridiculous,” he said defensively.

“You tested me because you are a Wren. It’s your nature. Wait…you said a dream?” he asked. He had been having dreams about Seth, but there had been one in particular that had felt almost real. It was…no, that was just in his head. “God,” Anri said, running his hands over his hair carefully. “You for real didn’t know. How is that possible? You thought you were a Norm! That’s practically impossible at your age.”

“You tell me.” Seth sighed. “What’s a Wren, then?”

  “It’s short for Renfield. Like from Dracula, you know? The human servant to Dracula’s name was Renfield. It’s just what we call people like you.”

Anri still wasn’t sure where to start, but he knew he was doing this wrong. He was still in shock over the fact that Seth didn’t know about vampires. How could he have avoided them? How had he avoided them? He was obviously attracted, as Wrens were, to vampires, and to Anri.

“People like me?” Seth lead carefully.

He looked away from Seth, out the window. He scrunched up his face, trying to think of a way out of this, of how to explain it without messing it up even more. Taking a deep breath he said, “Wrens are…Wrens are humans who are potential partners for vampires?” He said it like a question. “Remember how we told you our dad was human?”

“Yeah?” Seth replied, slowing the car to a stop at a red light.

“He was a Wren. It’s kind of hard to explain. Like, a genetic thing or something. Wrens and vampires are attracted to each other kinda…instinctively, I guess. It’s easier for a Wren to know a vampire than for a vampire to know a Wren just from being around one. Wrens can feel vampires, I’ve heard, but vampires know a Wren by taste. When I tasted you, well, you’re too intoxicating to be a Norm.”

“So, a Wren is a human servant? You said Renfield was Dracula’s servant?” Seth asked neutrally, eyes totally focused on the road.

“No! No, nothing like that. That’s just where the name came from. Gah, no, we don’t enthrall you or anything. I can’t do that to you, actually, it’s one of the perks of being a Wren. You don’t get enthralled by vampires,” he explained quickly.

“You can do that? Enthrall, um, Norms?” Anri was getting more nervous with how calmly Seth was taking all of this in.

“Yeah. Vampires can attract people, and then enthrall them. But I can only enthrall someone if I’ve drank from them. I just make their memories a bit fuzzy, so they don’t remember being a donor.”

“And, it doesn’t work on me?” Seth inquired indifferently.

“No, it doesn’t,” he agreed. “I couldn’t enthrall you, and I can’t fuzz your memories, either.”

He pulled into the driveway of a small house that looked like every other house on the street. They were all really close to each other, postage stamp yards and houses separated by the driveway to the next house. He parked the car and pulled the keys out of the ignition.

“Welcome to my home.”

“This is your house?” Anri felt dumb as soon as the words left his mouth.

“I’m renting it from a friend’s grandma who moved to Florida. She lets me live here cheap so I don’t need a roommate and I take care of the house for her. It’s a nice deal. You coming in?” he asked as he got out of the car.

Anri followed Seth as he walked up to the front door and unlocked it. Seth stopped before he opened the door. “Do I need to invite you in?”

Anri smirked at him. “Only if you are being polite.”

Seth smiled back, one eyebrow raised playfully. He smiled despite himself. Seth stepped through the door and turned around to watch him step through the door. He continued his smirk as he walked into the house, giving Seth a look that screamed ‘I told you so.” He shut the door behind himself. Seth kicked off his shoes and probed the wall for a light switch. A small table lamp light up as when he found it.

Anri looked around the small front sitting room. The interior design screamed old lady. All of the couches were beige with obnoxious oversized flowers printed across them. There were lacy crochet doilies on every surface. Literally every surface. A curio was filled with pictures of grandchildren, who most definitely did not belong to Seth, and small porcelain figurines of children and animals with cartoonishly oversized heads and eyes.

“So, I’m a Wren. What does that mean, other than I’m not a Norm?” Seth asked once he settled in.

Anri pulled off his shoes and coat, putting his shoes next to Seth’s. He held his coat. “That’s kind of an awkward question to answer.” He sighed for at least the dozenth time that conversation. “You’re blood is addictive. Wrens are…this sounds dumb now when I say it out loud, but…well, they are vampire mates. Vampires never, um, marry? I guess that’s right. Vampires don’t marry other vampires or have babies with them. They can’t, actually.”

“Vampires can’t have babies with other vampires?” Seth seemed skeptical.

“No. Also, vampires almost never choose to partner with other vampires. It’s like really really rare. Vampires and Wrens tend to be committed partners. Wrens can pick vampires out of a crowd. Like a sixth vampire-sensing sense. A vamp bloodhound.”

Seth nodded. “That makes sense. The first time I met you, I felt compelled to talk to you. It hasn’t changed, actually. I strongly feel the need to be around you. I really want to touch you, pretty much all the time. It scares me a little bit, how strongly I want to be around you.”

“Me too. I think it’s the same kind of feeling between Wrens and vampires. Or something. I don’t know. I don’t have a good track record with Wrens, so…” Anri trailed off.

Seth seemed to be lost in thought as he opened a small closet door. He pulled off his coat and hung it side, remarking, “I don’t feel the same way I do around Simone as I do around you. I can…feel her, kinda the same way I can feel you, when you’re around. It seems like that amplified about a hundred times since I…um…had your blood, by the way.” Seth blushed. It was not adorable, Anri told himself. Seth began to unwrap the thick scarf from around his neck.

Anri blushed, too. “Yeah, that’ll happen. Vampire blood in your system has different effects depending on the person. But it pretty regularly enhances your senses for a while. It might make you a bit more sensitive to sunlight, too.”

Seth turned to face Anri, hand extended to take his coat. “I thought you said that you could go out in the sun.”

Handing his coat to Seth, he replied, “I can, but I need to wear sunblock if I’m going to be out for more than like fifteen minutes, though. I burn super easily. Oh, God, Seth…you’re neck…” Anri trailed off in shock.

Anri could see the left side of his throat, where he had bitten him. Now that Seth was clean shaven, Anri could see the damage he had done when he had succumbed to bloodlust. Scars marred his skin, long marks where he had dragged his fangs. He hadn’t just fed from Seth. He had claimed him in his bloodlust, marking him in a way no other vampire would misinterpret.

The scars were thicker near the base of his throat, pale silvery rivulets disappearing under the collar of Seth’s shirt. Gashes which Anri now remembered making, the feeling of flesh tearing as he opened Seth’s throat that night. Anri’s hand went up instinctively and he leaned forward to touch Seth.

Confusion crossed Seth’s face, then understanding as Anri drew closer. Seth froze and Anri pulled back as if he was stung. “Oh Seth. Fuck, I’m so…I did that to you. I’m so sorry. I messed up. It’s not supposed to be this way. This,” he pointed to Seth’s neck, “is why, Seth. Why I can’t be around you. I can’t control myself. I can’t.”

Seth’s face scrunched up. “Anri, it’s-”

“Don’t you dare say it’s okay. It isn’t okay. No one treats their Wren like that. I’ve…I’m ashamed. I should have healed you. I shouldn’t have marked you. Every vamp will see this and know you belong to someone, like you are property. I shouldn’t have drank from you…” Anri put his hands over his face, then pulled them back over his hair, full of self hatred.

“But, Anri,” Seth said slowly, “You’ve made it very clear that I’m not your Wren. That you don’t want me around.” The intensity in his eyes forced Anri to look away.

“It’s not because I don’t want you around!  It’s…you know!” Anri’s response was surly. “Because of this!” he said heatedly, pointing to the damage to Seth’s neck. The damage he had done. Seth wasn’t in danger from the archer. Seth was in danger from him. He was the monster. “I didn’t want to get involved with another Wren. I didn’t want to hurt you like this. I almost killed you! I can’t…you don’t understand…”

“Anri, if you don’t tell me, how am I supposed to understand?” Anger played on Seth’s face and Anri realized it was the first time he had ever seen him mad like this. “You don’t tell me anything. You string me along, then when I’m tired and ready to stop, you do something to give me hope again. I’m getting really exhausted always chasing after you. Stop running from me!”

“I don’t want to get you involved in my mess of a life!” he nearly shouted.

“Well, it’s a bit too late for that,” Seth countered.

Anri cringed, both at the truth of his statement, and at his cold delivery. “I’m…sorry.”

“Goddammit, Anri, stop apologizing. The scars, well, I was upset at first. I…kinda talked to Simone about it a little bit.” He held his hands up in front of his face, trying to stop whatever Anri was preparing to interject. “No, she didn’t tell me a whole lot. She said I’d have to talk to you. She told me a little bit about what happened, how she found us heaped in the doorway, me passed out and you sort of delirious. You would have died, Anri. I’m glad you are alive. I will gladly wear these scars if it means that I was able to save your life.”

“I…” he was speechless.

“I know we haven’t known each other for that long, but, well, I think that I won’t ever be the same. I want to be around you. I need it.” It was Seth’s turn to be embarrassed. “I…really hoped you felt the same.”

He sighed. “You only feel this way because you are a Wren, you can’t help but be attracted to vampires.”

“Bullshit, and you know it, Anri. You don’t get to tell me how I feel. You don’t get to decide if my feelings are valid or not. I don’t feel this way when I’m around Simone. Hell, this would be so much easier if I did. Seriously! Do you think I want to feel like this for a man? It’s because it’s you. I don’t understand it, but I know what I feel. I want you,” Seth said passionately.

The look of frustration on Seth’s face sparked the powder keg that was his guilt. Anri’s throat felt too tight and he was unable to respond.

“Not because I’m a Wren. Not because you are a vampire. Maybe that has something to do with it, I don’t know, but I know how I feel around your sister and I know what I want to do with you, and I know I’m not interested in her in the same way. She doesn’t haunt my dreams like you do.”

“Seth, you don’t know that!  You just found out you were a Wren. You need time to adjust, to understand. To meet other vampires,” he said, but as soon as the words were out of his mouth, a wave of jealous rage at the thought of Seth meeting other vampires had him seeing red. He took a deep breath.

“Anri,” Seth interjected. “I don’t want to meet other vampires. I’ve met your sister. She looks a lot like you, you know. But I don’t feel this way for her.”

Anri knew he was being set up, he knew it, but he took the bait regardless, helpless to stop himself. “What do you mean, you don’t feel this way for her,” he whispered, his traitorous heart pounding in anticipation of Seth’s response.

“I don’t want to be with her the way I want to be with you, Anri. I want…I want to touch you. To feel you. God, I want to run my hands through that hair of yours and mess it all up, Anri. Do you understand?”

“You’re confused, Seth. This is all too new to you,” he said despite the thrill from Seth’s admission running rampant through his heart.

“Are you trying to tell me how I feel again?” Seth demanded incredulously. “I want you, Anri. I’ve thought about it for weeks. I want you, not Simone, and not because I have some type of Stockholm Syndrome kind of thing going on. I’ve wanted you since the first time I met you.”

Anri felt his cheeks burn. He turned away from Seth, his heart beating with joy over Seth’s declaration but his mind poisoning every moment of it with his lack of self worth. His hands tensed on the back of the couch and he held it for support. “Seth…I-”

“Anri,” Seth said, his voice lowering a little, cutting him off. “Enough. Enough lies. Your mouth, it lies. But…I think your body is honest. I…I think I’ll ask your body. Come on, Anri. Come with me.”

Seth turned away from him and walked out of the granny-themed living room. He didn’t look back. Anri followed him, unable to stop himself, past a dining room and into a kitchen lit with only a small nightlight. Seth didn’t slow down to turn on any lights as he made his way through the dim room. He followed carefully as Seth maneuvered around a wooden kitchen table in the center of the room, stopping when he came to a white painted wooden door.

Anri didn’t want to admit it, but he wanted to follow Seth, wanted to allow him to take the lead. He knew he should resist, his pride told him he should, his rationality screamed at him to turn around and leave while he could, but his body and heart followed Seth without hesitation.

Seth glanced back at him as he opened the door. The lights were on inside and Anri saw that it was an entrance to the basement. Fear ripped through Anri and froze him in his tracks.

“No!” His chest hurt and his breathing became shallow as he stopped understanding how to breathe normally. He couldn’t look away, staring into the open door, down the steps. Dreading the decent down those steps. It didn’t look anything like Angelina’s basement but…oh god, he couldn’t. He couldn’t go down the steps.

Seth looked at the door, then at Anri, and closed the door. “Okay, Anri, calm down. It’s okay. I’m sorry, we don’t have to go to my room. We can go back to the front room. Calm down, I’m sorry I pushed you too fast.”

Anri whined wordlessly in fear. His heart beat wildly in panic even after the door was shut. Seth had seen him lose his cool. He couldn’t breathe, shame, embarrassment and terror constricting his lungs painfully. He tried to suck in a deep breath but his lungs forced him to puff in wild, panting breaths, barely getting him enough air. The world was narrowing down to the basement and his shame and his lack of oxygen. He wanted to run, to go anywhere but those basement steps. The basement, the chains and Angelina’s knife and, no, he couldn’t. Never the basement, not again. She wouldn’t trap him again.

“Anri,” Seth’s hand was on his arm now. When had he gotten so close? “Anri, I’m sorry. Please, I’m sorry. Calm down. You need to breathe, to calm down. Let’s go sit down, I’m sorry I forced my feelings onto you. I thought-”

“No-no-no-not that,” Anri struggled to say. He wanted Seth, and the intensity of the emotion was enough to relax the constriction on his lungs enough to draw in a few quick breaths. “I can’t…I want to go with you. I can’t, I can’t, not the basement. I just, I just can’t,” Anri said quickly, the words running overtop of each other.

“It’s okay,” Seth said, grabbing his hand. “Please come back up front. We can talk some more.”

Anri tried to pull away but Seth’s grip was strong. “I…I have to leave. I need to go. I can’t!” he cried, trying again to pull his hand away and failing.

“Anri, calm down,” Seth said firmly. “I’ll take you home once you calm down. I’m sorry.” He stepped closer to Anri, still holding his hand. Another step, and Anri stepped back, too. Seth continued to slowly step him backwards until his back was against the wall, away from the basement door.

Seth smelled so good. Anri’s dread and terror fled on wings, desire and arousal quickly replacing them. The switch was so sudden in him that he nearly staggered, and probably would have fallen if his back weren’t up against the kitchen wall. He breathed in deeply, his lungs filling with Seth’s enticing smell. He did it again, leaning closer, memorizing this scent.

“Not yet, I don’t want to go home yet,” he heard himself whisper.

Something flashed in Seth’s eyes, there for only a second. Anri couldn’t identify it, but it made him writhe in anticipation. Seth wanted him, he knew this, and now he saw it, too, there in his eyes. He could smell Seth’s lust, and it smelled musky and spicy. A pure aphrodisiac, and Anri breathed it in deeply.

He gulped. He was no longer concerned about the basement. Those worries faded away easily, more easily than he would have thought possible. It was the look of determination on Seth’s face, and that look had his heart racing for a completely different reason.

Chapter 10: Just Couldn’t Leave It Alone

Chapter 12: Stop Running