Alexis’ Pov:

Standing in front of a literal vampire whose lips are stained with human blood. I wouldn’t think I’d have the self-control to respond in the way that I do. I thought fear would grip me so tight I would be rendered speechless. Or the fear would urge me to run for my life while not looking back.

Yet, in reality, I arched an eyebrow in a sassy way as I asked in a confident almost mocking tone, “I thought vampires have excellent hearing?”

“Look if you’re a fangirl, all you need to know is that no one will believe you so get out of my face before I take you up on your offer”, She scowled at me as she took a few steps back as if she was trying to get away from me.

If a part of me wasn’t aware that this woman could definitely follow through with her threat, I would have laughed. How could you not laugh at the mental image of a vampire that just killed a human deciding that you, a different human was something to run away from.

I followed after her as determination filled me, I found my voice coming out full with conviction, “Look I just want to die in a way that is unique. What’s more unique than dying by a creature that is supposed to be fictional?”

“You need therapy”, She spoke in a matter of fact tone that also somehow sounded completely deadpan. Her eyes danced around taking in the passing people, she lifted her sleeve up and wiped away the drying blood from her lips.

I laughed at her delivery of those words, along with the fact she wasn’t the first person to tell me that. I opened my eyes as my laughter died down, taking in the sight of her face.

I wondered how could her lips still look so kissable, without the blood on them. I mentally sighed as I thought, there is something wrong with me. I shook my head lightly so that I didn’t get stuck in the train of dark thoughts.

I thought about the next best thing and just said it, “How about changing me then?”

“So, it’s going to look like I’m leaving but that’s just because I am. You should get out of here”, She placed her hands in her hoodie pockets then she was gone. It was as if she was never there in the first place.

“Wait”, I called out in a mix between annoyance and desperation, I scowled as I realized that she was just gone.

I reached down, grabbing a hold of my bags before I continued on my way to my friend’s house. The familiar walk to my friend’s house took on a creepy edge in the dark. Without the light of day, I felt my paranoia spike up. I gripped my bags tighter as I looked around me, there were spots on the block too dark to make out. Barely anyone was walking the streets as I am. Cars speeding down the road boldly, as the drivers assumed the night could prevent them from being seen by the cops.

The footsteps of someone behind me, caused my hair to stand on end. I clenched my bags strap even tighter, ignoring the dull pain forming in my hand. I looked behind me slowly, I took in the sight of a grown man walking quickly in my direction. I only had seconds to decide my action before he got too close. I slowly started to move the strap of my bag off my shoulders, preparing myself to use it as a weapon. I would hit him in the gut, turn using the momentum of my bag and run the last few blocks to my friend’s house.

Step after step, the man got closer and closer, I lowered my head, trying to control my breath. My heart beating loud in my chest as I prepared to fight for my life again. I waited for when he walked past me. I lifted my head a fraction, keeping my eye on him as he got further and further away. I slowly let out a breath as well as a small chuckle. I was just being paranoid, yet I speed up my pace, more determined to get to my friend’s house sooner rather than later.

I adjusted my bag strap as I walked up the steps to Lilith's apartment building, I pressed the button that would connect me to her apartment and waited for her response through the speaker, her naturally sultry voice sounded off loud and annoyed, "Who is it?"

"You're main bitch, open up and let me in", I told her with a bit of sass, just hearing her voice, helped calmed me down from the craziness that is today.

The buzzer went off, letting me know that she did open up. I quickly entered the apartment with my bags and hauled everything up two flights of steps, since this building didn't have an elevator. I pushed open the door to her floor with my shoulder that wasn't weighted by my bags.

I walked over to their apartment door and opened it harder than necessary. The door banged on the wall which caused Lilith to jump up from her seat in the living room that's visible from the front door. She walked over to me in the little nook/hallway, her hands on her hips as she took in my current state.

Her dark brown eyes were wide with surprise, she lifted a hand from her hip to cover her mouth in disbelief. Her dark blue nails complained her warm umber skin well, her thick hair was out in its natural curls like a lion's mane. Her outfit consisted of a tank top that showed off her toned stomach and a pair of short shorts, that looks as comfortable as a cloud.

"Are you going to keep perving on me, you fucking lesbian or are you going tell me who I need to kill for fucking with you?", She asked with a perfectly manicured arched eyebrow and a curl to her cupid's bow lips that let me know she was only half-joking about the last part.

I raised my own eyebrow at her as I stepped into her apartment, speaking with the same sass as I did earlier, "I'm bisexual, get it straight. You fucking nympho."

Lilith grabbed the bag from hanging off my shoulder with a roll of her eyes as she spoke with sass, “Bitch, I'm a succubus. Get that straight”.

I let out a laugh while I followed her to the room that is basically mine. I followed after her retelling the events of today without leaving anything out. I never lied to Lilith and she never lied to me. So I knew she wouldn't freak out when I told her that I met a vampire since she isn't human herself.

She helped me put everything away as I spoke about what happened, "Then she snapped my phone in half like it was an uncooked noodle"

Lilith's sudden laughter made me stare at her with wide eyes, I felt way too sensitive right now to take the fact that my best friend is laughing at me with a smile. Once her eyes opened again, she took a quick sobering breath, before she explained herself, "It was the way you said it, it made me laugh. My bad, keep going"

I gave her a small smile as I nodded in acknowledgment of her apology. I continued to speak about what happens. That is until I got to the part about the vampire. She looked freaked out as she gripped my shoulders and shook me lightly, “Alexis, you crazy bitch. Not all monsters are friendly, you could’ve been killed.”

I leaned forward and planted a kiss on her cheek, “Awe you do care. I feel so loved right now.”

She took a deep breath before she shook my shoulders again, “You are so lucky, I love you too much to murder you.”

“I love you more. I ain’t ever gonna stop loving you bitch”, I told her with a wide grin and I hugged her tightly against me.

We finished putting everything away in silence after that. We were like a well-oiled machine, with the way we got everything done. I guess that is what happens when you have years of friendship under your belt.

I remembered the day we became friends, I went to the park to just relax and have fun as a 10-year-old kid, with an older cousin who was watching over me. Lilith came up to me and immediately declared that we were friends. I told her that she was crazy and that we’d get along well.

"You want to die that badly?", She asked me as she dragged me back into the living room and sat me on the couch.

I relaxed on the couch as she put one of my favorite childhood movies on her smart tv. I felt myself smile at the title screen as I answered her, "You know my mom makes me feel like I'm nothing when she's angry which is most of the time."

Her voice sounded distant from her being in the kitchen, "That doesn't really answer my question but ok. You're staying here from now on and I don't want to hear any arguments."

I looked around for the remote and didn't see it anywhere. I got up and went into the kitchen to see Lilith pulling out the cookie and cream ice cream, as a bag of popcorn popped in the microwave. I walked into the kitchen and pulled out two bowls and two spoons, I spoke with tiredness in my tone, "I can't just live here for free, that's why I was waiting until I had enough money from my writing to help you pay rent."

"Put the bowls back, this is an eat out of the bin kinds night. You don't need to pay to live with me. We family, bitch", She slapped my ass as she walked past me into the living room with the bin of ice cream, ignoring the gasp I gave from the impact.

The microwave binging stopped me from running out of the kitchen and tackling Lilith onto the couch. I opened the little door and grabbed the ends of the puffed up and hot bag. I held the spoons awkwardly in my hand.

All while, I shook the bag of buttered popcorn while making my way into the living room. I dropped the bag on her lap as I moved past her to get to my spot on the couch. I moved the blanket that Lilith brought into the living room for me before I sat down and draped it over my lap.

The smell of the popcorn grew stronger once she opened the bag, I handed her a spoon as I spoke, "I'll feel like a burden if I don't help pay, Lil"

"Well, you could become my little housewife, Lexi. That would make us even", She gave me a mischievous smile that made me shift in my seat.

I snatched the bag from her and grabbed a handful of popcorn. I spoke quickly before I stuffed my mouth, "Wouldn't your friend be angry if he found you flirting with me like that?"

She rolled her eyes at me as she reached for the bin of ice cream, popping the lid off of it, "What he doesn't know, won't get me killed."

"Is he really that ruthless? you are very vague when you talk about him", I questioned her with a raised eyebrow after a swallowed the salty buttery goodness.

She scooped some ice cream in her mouth and shrugged her shoulders in a quick jerk. I narrowed my eyes at her which caused her to flash me a wide grin as she started the movie. I immediately started to hum the opening song to the Disney classic, the little mermaid, forcing myself to forget about the horribleness that was today.