“Well, then we’ll start with the existence of dearg-duls. I can prove that to you,” Molina replied. “Because I’m one also.” Arianna unconsciously moved towards Devin as Molina’s face slightly changed. Her features grew more refined and elegant, her dark hair lengthened, and her incisor teeth grew longer. It was the face she saw in the dark cell moments before. Devin placed his arm around Arianna as she began to slightly shake in fear. Molina instantly reverted back to normal as she could also tell she shocked Arianna.
“You asked this morning, when you woke up, about last night. I was told not to answer those questions before you met with your grandfather, but I guess I can now,” Devin said, as Arianna finally noticed he was holding onto her to calm her down. Arianna moved away from him too, still unable to trust him. “On the eve of a dearg-dul’s sixteenth birthday, a celebration is held. It’s held then because all dearg-duls complete their transformation on that day. We were all under the impression your birthday was tomorrow, and that’s why there’s a dinner and dance being held tonight. It’s to honor you joining society beside your grandfather.”
Arianna leaned back against the couch. She could see they weren’t crazy, but it was still too much to take in.
“Wait,” she said as a thought came to her. “My birthday isn’t tomorrow, it’s today.”
“Correct,” Devin replied.
“But I’m still me,” she replied. “You guys must be mistaken about everything.”
Molina picked up a mirror and handed it to Arianna. Arianna hesitantly took it from her. Arianna stared at her own face in the mirror. No long teeth, Arianna thought. Arianna quickly turned to Devin as she smelled the scent of his blood. Devin gently pushed her hand to position the mirror back in front of her face. Arianna dropped it when she saw the face staring back at her. Gently, she touched her own face. It was different. Her teeth were a bit longer and slightly pointed, her skin cleared to perfect peaches and cream coloring, and her features refined to that of almost perfection. She looked more like a supermodel version of herself, than her real self. The mirror was not lying. She physically changed. With the scent of blood fading, Arianna stared at the broken glass on the floor.
“But,” she began, not knowing what to say.
“It’s not a life I wish upon anyone,” Molina said quietly. “Like us all, you are now trapped by the need for blood. Do you remember how sick you felt last night?” Arianna nodded. “Every time, when you need blood, you will feel that way.”
“But vampires in the movies are always evil. They kill people for blood,” Arianna complained. “I don’t want to be that.”
Molina smiled. “I only said the movies are based on truth, not that they are true. There’s a lot we need to teach you, but we don’t have time tonight. This is why Lilly and Dean brought you here to live.”
“To live? So, I’m not going back?” Arianna asked. She already knew the answer to her question. There was no way she could now live amongst her friends in her hometown. She finally understood why Aunt Lilly wouldn’t give her date of return.
“You need to stay here. For now, this is the best place for you. Everyone here, humans and not, know about night humans,” Molina replied.
“There are more?” Arianna asked, now looking at Devin.
“I’m human,” he replied, holding his hands up in surrender.
“I wish we had more time to explain everything, but we need to get you to the dance.” Molina replied.
“She needs to feed first,” Devin replied, digging in the winter coat Gabriel had draped over Arianna earlier. He tossed a plastic packet to Arianna. “Drink that before we leave,” he ordered, all joking gone; he was serious again.
“What is it?” she asked.
“You don’t want to know,” he replied, knowing she would reject his order. Arianna stared at the packet in her hands unsure what to do with it. Devin took it from her and pulled at it until a flexible tube hung from it. He handed the packet back and disappeared into the additional room with Mori and Molina.
As Arianna pulled the top off the tube, she immediately knew what she had been handed to drink. Arianna recapped the tube and stared at it. The scent was similar to Devin’s blood, yet somehow different. Dressed in a tux, Devin returned to the room to find Arianna still holding the full bag.
“Are you still having problems?” he asked.
“It’s blood,” she replied, disgusted.
“And?” he asked, impatiently.
“I’m not going to drink blood,” she replied.