Chapter 23

Joseph’s POV

Talking to Tessa had become somewhat natural. It was a strange feeling and everything in my body was telling me to continue this conversation.

She stared at me with wide eyes and for a moment, I wondered if I had said too much.

“What do you mean by that?” She finally asked after what felt like a lifetime of silence. “You are attracted to my blood? Like a mosquito?”

Her comparison took me by surprise, and I almost burst out laughing.

“No,” I said, trying to hide the amused smile that surfaced on my lips. “I don’t go around biting humans and leaving annoying and itchy little bumps on them.”

“Then what do you mean?” She asked a little more firmly and clearly annoyed by my teasing.

“I mean I’m attracted to it. It’s akin to human love when they are alive. As long as the same blood flows through you, I would harbor feelings for you akin to love.”

She looked alarmed by my explanation. I had definitely said too much that time. It was as if she had never heard those words before. She appeared to be speechless. Maybe she was worried that I would drink from her again.

“I’m very good at controlling myself. You don’t need to be worried about it,” I assured her, hoping that would ease some of her discomfort.

It didn’t.

“I’m not worried about it,” she said quickly, giving him what sounded like a nervous chuckle. “It’s not every day that someone tells me they have feelings akin to love for me.”

“As of right now, we are professor and student. I wouldn’t do anything to cross that boundary.”

She was quiet for another moment before asking, “What about after I graduate.”

Now, I was the one speechless. I hadn’t expected that kind of question from her. Did she want to pursue a relationship after she graduated? I wouldn’t be completely opposed to that considering the affects her blood has on me.

Then again, I haven’t been in a relationship in a long time, and certainly not with a human. If I were, to be honest, I’m not entirely sure how it would work.

But something about Tessa made me want to try.

“We will have to see, I suppose,” I finally answered.

Her face grew red, and she looked down at her hands.

“So, you came to the city to investigate these new vampires as you call them? How many others are there?” she asked, furrowing her brows together as she became consumed by fear.

“That’s a question I’m not entirely sure the answer to,” I said with honesty. “With the frequency and amount of attacks, I would say at least two. But maybe more. They hide in the shadows most of the time. But if spotted by humans, they appear normal. Hiding in plain sight. They are ridiculously fast. It’s taking longer than planned to find them.”

Tessa was quiet as I explained, and I could see her mind being boggled.

“All those animal attacks—”

“Were actually vampire attacks,” I confirmed.

“I don’t understand.” Tessa breathed, still lost in her own mind, but this time, she managed to meet my eyes. “If vampires don’t need blood to survive, then why are they drinking and killing us?”

“As already explained, these specific vampires are new,” I answered. “They lack training and restraint. Once I capture them, I will bring them to the vampire academy so they can learn to control themselves.”

“If they are new vampires, that means they were recently turned. Didn’t you say it’s almost impossible to turn a human into a vampire without killing them?”

I nodded.

“Yes. But I am proof that it can happen.”

“But there are multiple new vampires?” She asked.

“It’s to be assumed. There have been many attacks in different parts of the city. One vampire couldn’t pull something like that off.”

“Then, that would mean there is a vampire out there that’s so powerful that they are able to turn humans without killing them,” Tessa gasped. “Who could be that powerful?”

“I wish I knew,” I replied.

“Has anyone else’s blood ever been addicting to you like mine?” She asked, changing the subject from the new vampires.

“Never,” I answered with as much honesty as I could. “No even my wife.”

“What makes my blood so special?”

“I don’t have an answer for you because I’m not sure of that either. I can’t imagine that I’m the only vampire that would be attracted to your blood though,” I answered.

I saw the color draining from her face.

“You think others are attracted to it as well? Should I go into hiding? Am I in danger??” She was beginning to spiral into panic, and I knew I had to say something quick to calm her down.

“As long as I’m around, you have nothing to worry about.”

“What if they catch me when you are not around?” She asked, worry clear in her eyes.

“The only dangerous vampires are the new ones. They are the ones that lack restraint. I’m tracking them as we speak.”

“But you still don’t have them in custody,” she said, shaking her head.

“But I will.”

She looked like she wanted to say more, but she also looked tired. I knew this was a lot of information and it was a lot to wrap her mind around. I wouldn’t blame her if she wanted to run away and never look back.

“It could have been me…” Tess finally said softly. “Instead of that motorcycle gang… I could have been the one to die…”

“I wouldn’t have let that happen.”

She peered up at me through her long and dark lashes, a little redness appearing around her nose and cheeks. Making her blush made me feel something unfamiliar, but I didn’t particularly hate it.

Neither of us said anything for a long while, but soon, Tessa stood up.

“Thank you for your honesty. I think I just need to sit with it for a little bit,” she said thoughtfully.

“I have a question for you before you go,” I said, meeting her eyes. “Does anyone other than Ruby knows about what happened between us?”

This has been weighing on my mind for some time, but I wasn’t sure of the right moment to ask her.

“How did you know she knew??”

“I’m a Vampire,” I pointed to my ear. “I can hear your conversations very easily.”

“Nobody else knows,” she said, lowering her tone. “Ruby is my best friend…”

“I understand that you need someone to talk to about stuff. But please keep this vampire thing to yourself.”

“Of course,” she answered quickly.

She grabbed her purse off the coffee table but accidentally dropped it and her phone fell out. The scream to her phone lit up with life and Ruby’s name appeared in her notifications.

She also noticed the notification and frowned as she checked her messages.

“Ruby texted me 911,” she said, peering up at me with a worried frown. “I wonder what that’s about…”

I frowned, grabbing my own phone from my pocket. I kept it silent so I could speak with Tessa uninterrupted. I didn’t think anyone would need me at this hour anyways. They usually don’t.

But I saw an unfamiliar number appear on the screen and it seems they’ve called several times.

Tessa was already calling Ruby back, so I decided to find out who this number belonged to.

As the phone rang, Tessa finally got a hold of Ruby, and I could hear her frantically on the other end of the phone. She was crying, but even with my vampire hearing, I couldn’t make out what she was saying.

“Hello? Professor Evergreen?” A girl said on the other end of the line.

It was one of my students. I recognized the voice immediately and knew that she was part of the group that was just there.

Reece was her name.

“Yes, what is it?” I said in return.

“I’m so sorry to bother you, sir. But something tragic happened as soon as we left and I didn’t know who else to call,” she cried. I waited for her to continue, just as I saw the color in Tessa’s face disappearing. “After we left your house, there was an attack.”

“Attacked?” I asked, furrowing my brows together as I met Tessa’s eyes. “By whom?”

“I don’t know!” She sobbed. “I didn’t see them. I think maybe an animal. It was so dark, and it happened so fast… but Professor Evergreen…” she continued to cry, and I waited for her to continue speaking. “Morgan was murdered.”