Bailey Meets Someone

   Bailey pushed open the door to the room where Thomas was being held and peeked inside. He lay there on the floor as she had last seen him, weak and bleeding. At the sound of the hinges squeaking, he looked up slightly and managed a smile.

 "Bailey, is that you?" he asked. She nodded and smiled back. 

 "Yes, Thomas it's me. How are you feeling?" she asked, and then immediately regretted it. Obviously he was feeling terribly and had been for quite some time. How could she not have known till now? She could have done something. Could have saved him.

"I have had better days to be honest," he said, lifting himself up carefully on one elbow. He looked through the darkness at Bailey blinking slowly.

"Why are you here? Did the vampires find you too? Have they hurt you yet?" 

Bailey swallowed a lump in her throat and awkwardly twirled a piece of hair between her fingers. How was she supposed to tell her friend that she was not in fact a victim of the monsters who had attacked him but a member of their kind? 

"No, Thomas. They haven't hurt me," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

"Really? Not even a bite?" 

"Well no not exactly, I-" 

"You're one of them aren't you?" Thomas said suddenly, his voice cold and accusing. "I can see it in your eyes and I feel the energy in the room. You can smell my blood and you want it." 

Bailey took a step back and pressed herself against the wall of his room. He was right and she had not realized it till just now. She did want his blood and now that she was aware of the urge, it was only becoming stronger.

"Thomas I-I have to go," she stammered, running her hands along the wall till she came to the door. 
"I will get you out of here, though I promise. No one else will hurt you." 

As quickly as she could, Bailey made her way down the hall until she came to the stairs. Descending them two at a time, she made her way through the darkness of Stephen's house to the front door and swung it open. 

Twilight was settling in as the sun retracted its warm rays and the nighttime song of crickets replaced the cheery chirps of the birds. Bailey stepped outside onto the grass and looked around. A squirrel ran across the yard and up into a tree and for a second, she found herself wondering if squirrel blood could satisfy her the way a human's did. 

"They don't taste as good as you'd think," said a voice from the growing darkness. Bailey gasped and looked around. 

"Who said that?" she demanded. "Who is here? It's not safe, you should leave." Bailey wanted to sound threatening but her words came off as more of a suggestion.

"You're right, it isn't safe. At least not for that squirrel. You were thinking about eating him weren't you?"

"No," Bailey lied. "Why would I do that? No normal person eats squirrels."

"That's true," said the voice again and this time it was joined by a tall dark figure. He had dark skin and shoulder length wavy black hair. His shirt was linen and he wore long jeans that flared at the bottom.

"But you're not normal and you're also not a person." 

"I take offense to that," Bailey said, stepping up to this stranger and frowning slightly. 

"I certainly am a person and this is my home and you're trespassing."

"Your home? So Stephen has finally moved on?" 

"You know Stephen?"

"For some time now, yes." 

"So then you know what he is. What I am."

"Yes I do," the tall man replied. 

"And you're not scared of us?"

"Why would I be? I am one of you as well."

"You're a vampire?" Bailey asked loudly, then thought better of it and covered her mouth. The man smiled and nodded.

"Stephen must have turned you then and that's why you're friends," Bailey said, pleased with herself for putting the pieces together. 

"Not exactly," the man answered. "But enough about me for a minute. Why are you walking around by yourself looking sad and thinking about draining squirrels?"

"I found out one of my friends is locked up in the house and Stephen has been draining him for meals. And when I went in to help him, he said he could tell I am a vampire. He is going to think I'm a monster and I am." 

Bailey collapsed on the ground and put her face in her hands. 

"Did you bite this friend?" the man asked. Bailey looked up in shock.

"Of course not!"

"Then maybe you're not as monstrous as you think you are. 

"I am. And if I am not now I will be soon. Stephen and Darby will make sure of it."

"Darby is here?"

"Yes," Bailey answered, raising an eyebrow. "How do you know Stephen and Darby?" 

"That is a story for another time," he said with a smile that lit up his friendly brown eyes. 

"Do you want to come inside and talk to them? I can get Stephen to invite you in."

The young man smiled and shook his head. 

"Stephen would never let me set foot in his house. But I would like to talk to Darby. Do you think you can bring her outside?"

"Yes of course," Bailey told him. "Who should I say is asking for her?"

"Did I not introduce myself yet? I'm sorry. It's nice to meet you. My name is George."