Before long, Uta returned. He placed the bottle to my mouth, and I drink. Soon enough, I was back in his lap, curled in his embrace. Silence passed, and I pressed my lips against his. It was almost impossible not to feel at ease when I was with Uta. Almost. I placed my head on his chest while gently touching his smooth cheek. We sat on the couch passionately wrapped in each other’s arms. My hand was moving up and down Uta’s arm when I felt something strange. I pulled at his shirt-sleeve. He tried to stop me, but it was too late.

“What happened to your arm?!”

“It’s only a scratch,” he said, dismissively.

But it wasn’t. His wound was big enough that it had stitches. Vampires couldn’t self-heal, and like humans, it could take them days or weeks to heal depending on how badly injured they are.

I stared. “What happened?”

I knew he didn’t want to get into it. I wished he would since I intended to keep asking.

“I fell… on a knife,” Uta finished, and I burst into a foolish, hysterical laugh so loud it startled him.

It struck me as the funniest, the most absurd thing I ever heard a vampire say, not that I hear too much.

“I can’t believe you’re laughing.” He glared.

Vampires are one of the swiftest beings on earth. The odds of him falling on a knife are about the same as those of a cat falling from a five-story building and landing on his back. He was lying.

Uta’s life remained a mystery. I still didn’t know a lot about him. There were topics he refused talking about, which only light my curiosity more and gave me adrenaline to dig further in his life.

He sat me aside. “It’ll heal soon,” he remarked, covering it. “I’ve got you something.”

I stared excitedly. “What is it?”

His arm disappeared behind the couch; then he brought it back to view. Uta held a black gift bag filled with white papers.

“Dig in.”

I hauled the papers out and sent them flying all over. I chuckled when I saw a small box inside the big bag.

“Was a large bag for such a small box necessary?”

“I thought it might entertain me somewhat.”

I opened his gift with a gasped. The gold necklace was longer than most, with some pewter seraph in the centre and stones around it. The craftsmanship was astonishing. I felt my throat swell. My gut clench, twisting uncomfortably.

“I can’t accept.”

“Why?”

I handed his gift to him. “Please return it.”

“Why would I?”

I thought I was not worthy of something so beautiful. I was not even worthy of him, with my hidden secrets and lies. I looked away from his face, deliberately.

“I have nothing to give you back. Nothing at all. You keep giving me things. It makes me sad.”

“It was never my intention. I only desire you continuing to be mine.”

“That isn’t such a hard request.”

His facial expression changed. “Isn’t it? Sometimes you’re hard for me to reach. You’re close yet so far away.”

I sighed, troubled. Since we have been dating, I tried to put much effort into our relationship but sometimes I felt nearly engulfed by a sudden wave of void, even I did not completely understand what part of my soul that came from, and Uta present wasn’t enough to seal it, sadly. Those were the times I felt a great distance between myself and him. I put his gift around my neck, then buried my face in my hands to hide its embarrassing crimson colour. Why am I acting like a dork? Exhaling, I crossed my legs; rested the elbow of my right hand on my thigh, then lay my right cheek in my palm so that I’m staring at him now. It made me feel some worth when I could make him feel the way he did for me.

“What? You’re staring.”

“I’m just looking at your eyes.”

“Come here.” He brought me onto his lap after a moment and kissed me.

All I could think, Uta returned home, and we were weeks away from summer break. Although mine would surely differ from most because of Uta. Being a vampire, his tolerant for sunlight was at an all-time low. The effect was corrosive for him and others alike. It didn’t matter though, not able to do activities during the day with him. I was sure we will have fun either way.