"You know, Jen, if I didn't know better, I would say you are jealous of a dog." Mark smirked. I rolled my eyes. 

"And you know, Mark, that I have a stake in my dresser that I would not hesitate to use on you." 

"Ouch, that's harsh. You're murderous now." I glared at him for a few moments before we each started laughing. 

Mark and I were hanging out in my room after going out to dinner with my parents. Mark was right. I don't know if it was his vampire charm, or if we were just really good at lying, but whatever worry that they seemed to have this morning, any concern for my wellbeing, it was all gone. They saw what they wanted to see, I guess, and that was enough for them. I missed hanging out with Mark like this. I wasn't a fan of avoiding and arguing with him. It was much easier, and a lot more fun to be around him. 

"But seriously. It's just a dog. I'm sure your blood your blood tastes much better than Coco's. Therefore, the vampire that I am is bound to like you more. Don't worry a hair on that head of yours." I scoffed. It was odd to be talking about the taste of my blood, but it wasn't the kind of odd that bothered me. I was at the point where I was used to jokes like that. Blood didn't bother me. Vampires didn't bother me. And even the fact that they murdered to live didn't bother me. 

"Mark! Jen! Do you want tea?" My mother yelled from down the hall. Mark and I exchanged glances before I yelled back, 

"We'll be right there!" I sighed and got up from my bed. Mark was already at the door, holding it open for me. "So Jae asked me how this wasn't awkward." I said to him, making casual conversation.

"How what wasn't awkward?" 

"Us doing this whole thing with my parents. I couldn't explain it. I just said that it isn't. He said it was creepy." Mark frowned.

"I may be giving the kid a chance, but I'm still not his biggest fan. He smells weird." 

"You smell weird." I teased as we sat down at the kitchen table. 

"So, Mark." My mom started. "Where did you say you were from again? You went to high school in Los Angeles?" She poured everyone a cup of tea before sitting down herself.

"Yeah, I went to high school in LA, but we have moved around a lot. I've lived in California, to Taiwan, and Brazil. I've been around." Around is an understatement for how old he is. I would be willing to bet he's been everywhere. 

"Do you speak to your parents often?" I tensed at this question, I didn't know much about Mark's past, but what I did know led me to think that his parents were a touchy subject. 

"I visit them every now and then. It's been a while, though." He said with a smile. I guess living so long and lying so much makes you a fantastic actor.

"You should call them." My mother said, 

"Mom!" I whined, "Don't you think that's crossing the line a little bit?" 

"What? I know that if you went off from college and I never heard from or saw you I would get worried and upset!" I just shook my head, "If you saw it as me crossing the line, Mark. I am sorry. But at least think about it." 

"You weren't crossing any line." Mark assured her. "And I will make sure to call them." 

I had had enough at this point.

"Mark and I are going back to my room. Thanks for the tea, Mom." And before anyone could react I grabbed Mark's hand and pulled him out of the room and down the hallway toward my room. 

"Jen, it was fine. I get where she was coming from." Mark explained as I huffed down onto my bed. "When I disappeared, my mother was heartbroken. My father was to angry with me for abandoning them. Abandoning their family. Seeing as they figured I ran away with that e, I was seen as a disgrace. Even if I could go back to them. they wouldn't want anything to do with me." He said, staring off into space.

"And it was all for that woman?" 

"She made me feel alive. The thought that it was something forbidden. The thought that if we got caught they would try to kill us. And the thought that I could live forever."

"She was feeding off of you. That couldn't have been enjoyable." I frowned, remembering the time I was attacked by the vampire. 

"Oh trust me Jen, it was a feeling that I have never felt before. It sent me into a state of euphoria you couldn't even dream of." I avoided his gaze. "The , the blood, the bond. It was... To this day I have never felt something so enjoyable." He paused, "When you were bit, you were attacked. When you have a willing victim, and it's mixed in with a pure feeling of love or even a feeling of lust, the experience is one you crave and never forget." 

The silence that fell between the two of us was different. It was a silence like no other. We just stared into each others eyes. No words were spoken. Nothing else existed. Just me and Mark. 

"So show me." I spoke quietly. It came out of my mouth, and I didn't regret a single word. Something new flashed in Mark's eyes before he responded. 

"What?" 

"Show me. This experience that you say is so great. You loved your family. You cared about them. But it was something about all of this