UntitledV- Chapter 1

         “Two hundred years.” Iru sighed, sitting on the wall of the castle, his legs dangling over the side in front of him. The sky was cloudy and threatening, stretching out over the plain across from the castle. Thunder rumbled somewhere in the distance.
         “Five hundred since your race dropped out of existence.” The young girl beside him leaned forward on her elbows, starring across the same plain as her vampiric companion. Her lips hinted at a small smile.
         Iru turned his head slightly, so she couldn’t see his quickly spreading smile. He was a rarity among his kind, in that he chose not to feed on random humans, but one or a few that he became especially close to. Amber was the newest such familiar, and easily the most striking human he’d met in his lifetime.
         They trusted each other completely, something Iru wasn’t initially comfortable with. She didn’t so much as flinch we he told her what he was, nor the first time she allowed him to feed off her. She had come with him to his ancestral home in Germany for two weeks. His family hadn’t come with him this time, and he didn’t want to stay alone; from her actions, Amber didn’t want him to be alone.
         Now was as good a time as any.
         Iru forced his expression to remain stoic and turned to face her. “Amber?”
         She remained leaning forward, but shifted a little to look at him. “Hmm?” He wondered what she was thinking about to give her the lost, dreamy look on her face.
         Iru couldn’t completely hide his own smile, but at least managed to divert it into a smirk. “You’re totally in love with me, aren’t you?”
         She sighed and closed her eyes, remaining quiet for several minutes before straightening up and looking Iru in the face. “You told me over and over that I can’t, that we can never…”
         Iru held his breath.
         “But I do. I am. I’m so-“
         Iru quickly interrupted her. “Don’t. Ever. I do too, but you’re… this…” He put his hand on hers, averting his gaze to it. “This is something I’ve… tried… before…” He hung on the last words, almost wincing.
         “I never… Iru… you never told me…”
         He could tell Amber was staring at him, trying to form something to say. He gently moved his hand to her shoulder and looked up. “I’m sorry I can’t give that back. But it’s better that I hurt you a little now, than lead you on for half a lifetime and vanish when you need me most.” He retracted his hand and swung around, stepping down. “Maybe a long time ago.” He quickly glanced away again, unable to look at Amber, lest her pain cause him to betray his own. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, and I don’t really care. I can’t do that to you, and I’m sorry that I haven’t said this earlier.” He closed his eyes. This sucked.
         To his surprise, Amber stepped around him and hugged him tightly. He put his arms around her, relived she didn’t hate him.
         “When’re you gonna go away?” Her voice was small, strained.
         “When you tell me to.”
         “Never.”
         “Never,” he repeated.
         The rain had started, and was moving in their direction pretty quickly moving in their direction. Iru gently tilted Amber’s head back, kissing her forehead and wiping away the tears running down her face. With a silent understanding, they turned and walked hand in hand back into the castle the way they had came.