Part I - Moonbeam

Moonbeam...that's what they called her because she was like a night owl who loved to be outdoors, sitting on the grass at the back of her house staring up at the starry sky, absorbing the perfect glow of the moon.

She usually compared herself to that mass of rock in outer space that reflected the sun.

She was just that: a pale, milky, or iridescent light reflected to the earth at night. Who she was, what people saw, was a pale reflection of her true self.

She was simply living in a shell of protection from the outside world, hidden from everything painful and negative. She'd never get close enough, or involved enough to let someone in and get hurt. She liked it that way...being alone.

A lot of people were afraid to be alone, but not her. She was content with being alone, a shadow of her existence.

Yes, she was a bit weird and her outlook on life was well...unique, but she prided herself on her uniqueness; so again to her that was a positive part of who she was.

She grew up alone with a single father who spent more time working than being with her.

Her mother died giving birth to her and since she was the first, she had no siblings.

She wasn't sure how her mother could have predicted her personality since she never met her, but naming her Luna was the most amazing thing she could have ever done besides love her.

Luna knew, that with her name being defined as the moon in Spanish, there was nothing more important than staying true to herself, and her true self, though hidden as an attempt to protect herself from the outside world, was moonbeam, her nickname, her identity...

Part II - Guest For Dinner?

It was a day like any other...

Luna was out in the backyard of her home on the grass looking up at the night's sky, dreaming about all the supernatural figures she admired such as Vampires and anything that tickled her fancy.

She was alone as usual, her parental unit nowhere in sight since he was working late at the law firm like he usually did. Her dad never quite got over her mother's death and as a result he usually drowned himself in his work.

For Luna, that's been her entire life so she knew nothing of the man he was before she was born. They still loved each other unconditionally though and spent even the smallest amount of time together when they could.

Still, today was the same.

It was a peaceful night, with her alone just wondering about life on a whole.

It was supposed to be her regular nightly routine. If there was no moon in the sky, she'd focus on the stars because she could always depend on them giving off their bright glow.

However, something was different.

She couldn't quite place it, but she felt as though tonight, there was going to be a change in her life she never expected would take place and didn't want to be a part of.

As soon as that thought crossed her mind, her cell phone rang loudly throughout her quiet surroundings. Pulling it out of her pocket, she realized it was her dad. Smiling, she whipped the phone open, placing it against her ear, hearing him call out to her on the line.

"Luna sweetie I need you to do me a favor." Her dad spoke into the line.

"What is it dad?" She inquired curiously. He hardly ever asked anything of her but when he did, she knew he couldn't do it for his self.

"I need you to run down to the nearest grocery mart and pick up some pasta, cheese and the vegetables and chicken I usually buy." He explained.

"Can't you grocery shop on your way home?" She scowled.

"I'm running late and we're having a guest for dinner. Please sweetie, get it started for me. I would appreciate it deeply." He spoke and her scowl deepened.

They were having a guest over for dinner? Luna didn't even know that her father was taking any interest in women since her mother. It was always just him and her. His time was divided between his office and being home with her. When did he get time to chat someone up enough to invite them over for dinner?

"Oh?" She stood from her seat on the grass, brushing off her jeans in the process before she gave the moon one last glance and headed into the house.

"I'll tell you about it over dinner. Please sweetie." Her father begged and Luna decided that maybe this was a good thing for him. Not that she was happy, but it was a good thing. He needed to get out more.

"Ok Dad, get home safely; I'm heading out now." She voiced and received a thank you from her father in return before she hung up.

Well, tonight really was going to be different. But just how different it was going to be still remained a mystery to her.

*****

Luna made it to the grocery store in record time having grabbed the bus just as it was pulling out of the bus stop. The grocery store was a few blocks away from her home. It was a straight route and she could have walked it easily but she was on crunch time so she grabbed the bus instead.

Now standing inside the brightly illuminated grocery mart, she cautiously gathered the items she needed that her father requested, placing them in the shopping cart so she could leave and head back home.

It was a mostly quiet and peaceful night even in the small store and she was already missing her backyard where she was lounging. If she hurried, maybe she could grab some more alone time before her dad and his ‘guest' arrived home.

Standing in the line for the casher now, Luna was preoccupied with the magazines on the shelves next to her, completely oblivious to the figure that stood just a few feet away, looking directly at her, drinking in her presence.

Dazzling blue eyes latched onto her form, taking her in slowly as the individual licked his lips in anticipation.

She was perfect he thought.  She stood at average height with dark hair, a nice curvy build and pale caramel skin. She was young, she was newly twenty-one, and she was just...perfect. He wondered how long she would go without feeling the chill of his presence. He wondered how she would take it when he finally made his presence known to her. After watching her, watching over her all these years, he wondered what it would be like to finally have her, taste her, for her to be his and only his. He watched her grow into a fine woman, his woman to be precise and there was no way he'd let her get away from him now. But, how could he tell her the truth?

He had to be cautious so as he wouldn't lose her. Her twenty-first birthday was the week before. She spent it looking up at the moon like she always did. He admired that about her...her thirst for everything mysterious and dark. He loved that about her. But he knew, he knew that she didn't know her nature or why she was like this. She simply thought it was a hobby and that she was odd, but she wasn't...she was exactly like him. She was only half-moral, half-human, but she didn't know it.

Her dad didn't know either. It wasn't his place to know. But, it was soon going to be Luna's place to find out the truth about her past and what really happened to her mom.

She was undoubtedly a dark creature of the night, a pureblood, living a human existence because her full powers hadn't kicked in yet. But they would...soon. And when that time came, he'd be there...waiting.

Shutting his eyes briefly, he inhaled sharply, her scent, her sweet blood filling his nostrils from where he stood, sending him on a pleasure overload, threatening to drive him insane.

Then just like that she was gone, out of the grocery store, out of his sight and out of his life...for now. That is, until he caught up to her again. And tonight was the right time, the perfect time in fact.

After all, their dad was having a guest for dinner...and what type of guest would he be if he was late?

*****

"Tell me again dad who is this woman you have coming over?" Luna queried as she helped her father set their dining table for three.

Dinner was cooked and her dad opted to remain in his working attire since their dinner guest was due any minute.

"Oh, no sweetie. It's not a woman." Her father corrected, the gray streaks in his hair shining against his chestnut brown locks.

Luna eyed her father suspiciously and he chuckled.

"It's a new intern who started working with us not too long ago. He's still on a trial basis but if we like him, we might hire him full-time. He's a bright young lad. A little weird but bright and on point. I thought it would be nice to invite him over, get him situated and more comfortable since he's also new in town." Her father explained and for some reason that didn't sit well with Luna.

"So you're inviting a total stranger to our house. Nice dad." Luna quipped.

"He's not a stranger Luna. He's our new intern. He's a good boy and I thought since you don't hang out with kids your own age, it would be nice to make a new friend since he's around your age."

Luna's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Are you trying to set me up!? Dad!" She wailed, feeling a sudden dread and chill pass through her just when the doorbell rang, interrupting them.

Chuckling heartily, her dad shook his head at her in amusement. "Be nice Luna. It's not that big of a deal." He pointed out and she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her black wife beater with white skulls adorning it.

"Whatever...." She dismissed before disappearing into the kitchen to retrieve the last of the food they prepared to lay out on the dining table.

When she came out into the living room, she realized that her dad was talking to his new intern and she wasn't sure what it was, but she felt as though there was a massive shift in the universe and the energy surrounding her the moment she stepped foot into the room.

Standing frozen in place, her hands crawled with goose bumps as she eyed the tall, slender man, laughing with her father at the entrance of their home.

Snapping out of her trance momentarily, she placed down the bowl of food in her hand on the table as she continued to eye the two men closely.

The moment her dad invited his intern in, Luna gasped, feeling a surge of heat pass through her body which caused her to blush immensely since the light chattering died out and the young man's blues instantly connected to her brown orbs.

He held her gaze, an innocent smile gracing his lips as his pearly whites shone under the white lighting of their home.

"Luna, this is Justin. Justin this is my daughter Luna." Luna's father announced, ushering Justin further into the house.

Walking up to Luna, Justin held his smile, noting how much taller than her he was as he hovered, looking down at her baffled expression as she glowered at him with intrigue and awe.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Luna. Your dad's told me a lot about you." Justin grinned, gripping her hand in his and lifting it up to his lips to place a delicate kiss on the back of her hand.

His voice was deep and sultry and his gaze was unwavering.

Luna gasped in shock, Justin's grip ice cold against her warm skin. She felt shivers flow through her spine which caused her to instantly pull away from him. What the hell!?

This guy, she didn't know what his deal was, but he was a little more than weird to her.

"Uh, yeah...hi..." She muttered softly. It was all she could get out really, still a little stunned by his presence and the obvious way he worked the room, demanding attention even if he wasn't literally showing that trait in any way.

Justin wasn't even eccentric in the way that she found alluring. No, he was dark, mysterious and managed to make her skin crawl after knowing him for no more than a few minutes.

He was dressed casually in jeans and a red t-shirt. Nothing out of the ordinary she thought. He was tall, maybe six-two and he had short curls in his brunette hair which had a shine to it.

But his eyes, god his eyes were of an unnatural blue and the white parts of his orbs were almost glowing as he stared at her, his smile now gone as he seemed to practically be reading her.

There was a hint of concentration on his face as he studied her closely, almost like he was reading her mind or something. And it irked her. It made her uncomfortable and exposed. She felt, naked in front of him.

As if on cue, almost like clockwork, the moment that thought passed through her mind, the smile on Justin's face returned with a twinge of slyness to it which confused Luna. 

But, her confusion didn't last long when her father interrupted...

"Well, now that you all have finally met, shall we? We don't want dinner to get cold. Justin you can tell us all about your experience at the law firm and Luna I'm sure won't mind sharing something about herself." Patting Justin's back, Luna's dad was oblivious to the instant unearthly connection that sparked between the pair who seemed to be in a staring contest with each other.

Luna was the first to come out of her trance, looking away from Justin and towards her dad as she tried to shake the feeling of knowing Justin somehow. That was ridiculous though because she never met him until now, but still, as they followed her dad to the dining table, she couldn't help but think that dinner and the rest of the night on a whole was going to be quite interesting with their new house guest...

Part III - Home Alone

Well, dinner was quite bland and uneventful.

Luna had to force herself to stay awake as Justin and her father couldn't help but discuss everything they could think of that was related to law.

It wasn't that she didn't like hearing about how much they loved their jobs, it was just that after her awkward encounter with Justin, he practically turned out to be almost a normal guy.

Almost.

She couldn't get past the fact that he was still undoubtedly weird and she couldn't help the cold chills that kept running through her body every time their eyes met.

This wasn't like her. She never got crushes. She wasn't really looking at Justin as a crush but she was certainly getting more and more curious about him as time passed.

He was just so mysterious and unreadable.

His eyes and smile gave nothing away. He was completely blank to her.

Luna wasn't sure if it was because she had a thing for the dark, mysterious unknown, but Justin was slowly infiltrating her thoughts against her will.

She found herself zoning out through dinner countless times wondering about his background, where he was from and why he chose law.

She wondered about his childhood and family to how many relationships he had in comparison to the number of women he slept with.

The craziest thing was the moment he glanced in her direction when that thought passed through her mind.

It was like he was reading her and he clearly wasn't pleased with her trend of thought because there was a deep scowl on his face before her father reclaimed his attention.

All in all, dinner was still boring for Luna.

In fact, she was glad it was over because her father was so engrossed in conversation and topic change, she never did quite get the chance to quiz Justin or even really talk to him for that matter.

"Do you always wash the dishes so vigorously while you stare off into space?"

Jumping slightly at the deep voice, Luna scoffed, not turning around to see who joined her in the kitchen.

It was Justin. The chills running through her spine confirmed it. He was standing really close to her and she would easily say that she could feel his body heat with how close he was standing, but she couldn't.

"You could hurt yourself like that you know." He whispered again in a lower voice and the moment he said that, Luna jumped in shock, letting out a soft hiss when she felt a sting on her finger.

"Shit!" She snapped, dropping the soapy sponge and cutlery in her hands.

After washing her hands off underneath the warm water, she raised her hand to her line of sight to study the small cut on her index finger from the knife and other cutlery she was scrubbing.

"Wow, I guess you were right." She voiced, her eyes meeting Justin who was focused on her cut and the tiny bit of blood trickling out of the fresh wound.

"Do you need help with that?" Justin asked in a strained voice, finally locking eyes with her, his blues a darker shade than she remembered.

His body was suddenly visibly tense and when Luna dipped her head, she noticed that one of his hands had a tight grip on the edge of the counter to the point where his knuckles were turning palely white.

"Uh, no I'm fine. Nothing the first aid kit and a band-aid can't solve." Luna eyed Justin strangely wondering what was up with his sudden switch in demeanor as she slowly moved away from him and grabbed the first aid kit from one of the shelves.

As she grabbed the few items she needed out of the kit, a soft gasp escaped her when she felt a firm grip on her wrist, stopping her movements.

"Let me." Justin voiced softly, lifting her hand up to his lips.

"Uh what are you doing?" Luna asked stunned, trying to pull her hand away but to no avail.

Justin was unnaturally strong and cold to the touch. Her hand felt like it was shoved into a refrigerator from where he gripped her.

"Hold still. Relax." Justin muttered, putting his attention on her cut that was still bleeding.

He slowly licked his lips and without a second thought, he lowered his lips to Luna's index finger, sucking it into his mouth.

A loud gasp escaped her and she froze solid from shock.

Was he...was he...

Her eyes quickly flitted around the room for any sign of her father before they were back on Justin, taking in the almost pleasurable look on his face as he created a small suction on her cut.

Staring at him in awe, Luna waited on bated breath, too flabbergasted to say anything at the moment. This guy was getting stranger and stranger to her.

But, the feel of his cool lips against her skin was creating a stir of feelings in her that she didn't like or want to welcome. She didn't even know this kid.

And just like that, in the blink of an eye, they were separated with Justin standing a good ten feet away from her.

Justin breathed deeply, no air filling his lungs, but Luna didn't know that and he wasn't ready just yet for her to know the truth about their origin.

In time...soon...by the end of the night, she'd know.

But he had to stop. He was on the verge of swallowing her whole. Her blood was like a sweet addiction to him and the predator in him was almost unleashed before time.

Luna blinked slowly, paying close attention to the cut she had on her finger. It had stopped bleeding. The cut was completely dry. How odd.

She glanced at Justin stupefied. He was weirder than she thought. He just...he just tasted her blood willingly with no gagging reaction. What kind of person did things like that?

She wondered about him, if he liked those weird, dark, mysterious creepy things like she did.

Before she could ask him, he easily spoke up, his voice deep and even.

"Saliva helps stop the bleeding." He explained and Luna frowned.

"I've never heard that before." She countered and Justin smiled deviously.

"Let me rephrase then. My saliva helped stop the bleeding." He vocalized surely.

He was right. The light venom in his saliva helped dry up her cut but she also did not know that.

"Your saliva? So, you have a special kind huh?" Luna joked in disbelief before rolling her eyes and grabbing a small band-aid out of the first aid kit to place on her cut.

"Actually I do." Justin affirmed, not seeing the humor.

Luna gave him a firm glare, realizing that he indeed believed what he told her. Well, he was now officially borderline psychotic to her.

"O...k...right well, thanks I think. I'm going to go find my dad now." She voiced, suddenly nervous with Justin's presence and unwavering gaze.

"He's not here." Justin simply stated and her eyes widened.

"What do you mean he's not here?" Luna gasped in shock, slight panic taking over her.

"He went back to the office. Said he forgot some important documents. He'll be back soon." Justin nodded, trying to calm her down.

The rampant beating of her heart was as loud as a siren to his sensitive eardrums. He could sense her blood heating up as adrenaline pumped through her veins. She was scared...of him. Shit.

"Listen uh, you were in here cleaning up and he was in a hurry but he said he'd be back soon. I told him I'd let you know." Justin further explained but that did nothing to sooth Luna.

It was true what Justin said about her father. The fact that he planted the thought in her father's mind to leave wasn't relevant. Her father was gone and they were alone, just like Justin wanted.

Luna was glaring at him, seemingly calm, but Justin could hear her heartbeat, and he knew she was anything but calm. Plus, the endless thoughts running through her mind were hard to decipher since she was thinking so many things at once.

"Could you...stop thinking so quickly?" Justin blurted out, immediately regretting his statement.

It wasn't his fault. She was giving him a headache.

"Excuse me?" Luna huffed, folding her arms across her chest while glaring at him. "Look you're too weird even for me Justin. What's your deal?" She demanded.

"No deal." He shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"No seriously. I'm starting to think this little dinner wasn't just my dad's idea. So what are you? Some stalker? Have you been stalking me or something? I don't get it. I don't get you. You're confusing."

Oh if she only knew how right she was.

"Listen Luna. There are some things in this world that mere humans weren't meant to understand." Justin hissed. "But that fact doesn't apply to you. What my deal is, isn't important right this second. But, I will admit, I do want to have a word with you." He admitted and Luna shook her head, not believing a word that came out of his mouth.

"Well that's too bad because I'd like you to leave." She snapped at him, her vision darting to one of the kitchen knives.

Justin easily followed her line of sight, a soft eerie laugh escaping him.

"Trust me, using a knife to defend yourself is the least of your worries. I'm not the enemy here Luna." Justin voiced honestly, his stare softening a bit.

"Ok, then what the fuck are you? Because I know this is going to sound weird, but, I'm finding myself moving further away from the whole you being human scenario." She breathed deeply, holding Justin's gaze.

"Fine." Justin sighed, not knowing any other way to prolong the inevitable. "If I show you and tell you...you have to promise not to freak out. It'll make perfect sense once you give me a chance to explain." He voiced.

"I'm sure whatever it is, I can deal with it. This night has been strange enough already."

Luna waited patiently for Justin to get on with whatever he was going to show her. He was a complete stranger to her and they were alone in her house together.

The safe ship had sailed and she knew that just being around this young man was dangerous but for some reason she didn't care. For some reason she felt drawn to him and even though she was resisting him, she wasn't sure how long her resistance was going to last.

She wasn't oblivious to the massive amount of energy he carried with him. He was like a magnet and after only knowing him for a few hours, he was pulling her in hook, line and sinker.

"Ok." Justin muttered, not convinced that she wouldn't freak out but he decided to show her anyway.

He slowly shut his eyes and bit his lip as he straightened his posture.

Luna stood silently and anxiously as she awaited Justin's next move.

With a deep breath, Justin's eyes slowly fluttered open. Only, when he looked at Luna, his beautiful blues were gone and replaced with two orbs as black and as dark as the night.

He took a good look at her, noting the horror that flashed in her eyes and over her face before his lips parted and two very long, sharp fangs descended from his upper jaw.

No words were spoken between the pair because before Justin could get anything out, Luna went crashing to the floor in a heap, knocked out unconscious.

He quickly rushed to her aid, kneeling down to look at her as he tilted his head to the side.

Shaking his head in displeasure, Justin engulfed her in his arms and stood easily with her, her frame practically weightless to him.

This was just what he needed.

He finally revealed himself to Luna, his Luna, and he couldn't have even received a scream or even a gasp.

No, instead he got an unconscious girl lying in his arms because she had fainted from pure and utter shock.

Part IV - Truths Revealed

He stood in the far corner of the room watching her as he remained concealed by the shadow that was cast from the window curtains, blocking out the moonlight.

He blinked slowly, his eyes of an unnatural blue as he studied her body language while she remained unconscious stirring in the same spot he placed her to lie earlier.

They were no longer at her house.

He knew she was going to ‘freak out' when she awoke and became aware of her surroundings.

But, he didn't care.

He just stood there, watching and waiting and anticipating what her next reaction would be towards him.

Justin prided himself on many things. He was intelligent, strong, quick and flexible. He developed an awareness and sense of knowing far surpass the average human since he had the ability to live longer. He was wise, alert and still managed to harbor compassion.

But with Luna, something about her energy or her presence threw him off.

He knew who she was. He knew what she was. But, he still had a difficult time understanding her and many of the thoughts she held.

Even in her restless sleep now, he knew that she was dreaming of him and of his revelation to her earlier. Yet, in her dream, she knew him even before he made his identity known. She was even expecting him and asked what took him so long.

That made Justin smile for one reason and one reason only. Luna to him was like an enigma. And he loved that about her more than anything.

Watching her grow into the young woman she was made Justin's already existing love for her ensue.

But now that she was finally going to know her true nature, he was ecstatic and he seldom felt that emotion.

There was a light stir and a soft moan before silence engulfed the spacious bedroom once again.

Justin's interest peaked when he noticed Luna slightly thrashing on the bed.

He took a step forward out of the darkness and into the moonlight, his skin letting off a pale porcelain glow.

He stood beside her lying form on the bed.

Curiously, Justin leaned down over her sleeping form, his face mere inches from hers as he hovered, studying her intently.

Then, unexpectedly, his head jerked back when her eyes shot open and landed directly on his blues.

He frowned in confusion but before he could speak, a blood curdling scream pierced his eardrums.

Justin hissed and brought his hands up to his ears before he backed away from the bed.

His face contorted into a deep scowl as Luna shot up suddenly, nearly tumbling off the bed in the process.

Within seconds, she was on her feet and backing away from Justin in horror.

Well, that reaction was more like it. He could deal with that type of reaction.

Her fainting had him worried.

"Vampire!" Luna gasped in disbelief.

That one word sent chills through her spine as the events of what happened to her earlier in the night flooded her mind.

"Yes, that I am." Justin smiled, showing his pearly whites.

"Stay away from me Justin. So help me god..." But Luna drifted, now aware of her unfamiliar surroundings. "Where am I? Oh my god, did you kill my father and kidnap me? Are you going to kill me too after you drink my blood?" She inquired in horror.

Justin stared at her incredulously.

"Heaven's no." Justin raised his hands in surrender.

"Don't you mean hell no, considering your nature and all?" Luna quipped.

 "I'm not going to hurt you Luna. And your dad is perfectly fine." Justin stated before biting his bottom lip lightly as he ignored Luna's jab at what he was. He wasn't proud of his nature. He didn't have a choice in the matter. But he dealt with it. "I called and told him you'd be home later."

"Uh correction, I'm going home now. Goodbye Justin." Luna snapped, turning for the door.

Justin stood in his same spot in the room, eyeing her.

"You're just going to walk away even if you're dying to know what's going on?" Justin asked casually.

Luna whipped around to face him. "And how would you know?"

"The same way I know that at this exact moment you're thinking, ‘vampire or not, he's still a jerk.'" Justin curved a brow at her.

"So you can read minds, big whoop." Luna rolled her eyes, not impressed.

"You're nothing like what I initially expected. I'm glad." Justin smiled. "I see now that you'll make our lifetime spent together interesting."

"Come again?" Luna asked perturbed.

"Stay and I'll explain everything to you...but only if you stay." Justin requested.

"Look, Justin, I'm still wrapping my mind around the fact that vampires exist. It's late and I'm tired and can we continue this tomorrow or..."

"No." He interrupted her. "Now is fine to begin and we can pick up tomorrow. Sit and listen and then maybe you won't be so afraid of me."

"I'm not afraid of you." Luna defended.

"Yes you are Luna. I can hear your accelerated heartbeat as clear as day and the swishing noises of your blood rushing through your body. I can also sense the adrenaline." Justin explained. "I have heightened hearing and smell also." He explained with a shrug.

"Right...so what else can you do?" Luna asked, still keeping her distance. "And where are we Justin? Why did you bring me here?"

"We're at my place which is about half an hour away from yours. I brought you here so we could talk in private. I'm not some scary monster. I don't want you to be afraid of me. And, I can do a lot more but that's not important right now. I just thought it was time you knew the truth about me, about you and about this life."

"Um, what kind of truth?"

Did she really want to know? She didn't, but her curiosity was too strong. She needed to quell that thirst of knowing.

"Sit, please." Justin smiled, trying to ease Luna's fear.

He sat at the edge of the bed and tapped it for her to join him.

Luna hesitated at first but then slowly made her way to Justin since she really wanted to know what was going on. Not to mention she felt drawn to him.

"Ok, fine." She caved, taking a seat next to him. "Speak, but please, keep your human features. No fangs or weird eyes or any of that." She requested.

 Justin nodded. "Well, I should start off by saying you're not human either. Well not really. You think you are." He explained.

"Right." Luna laughed dryly. When Justin didn't crack a smile this time her laughs died out. "You're not kidding." She voiced.

"I'm not." He confirmed. "Haven't you ever wondered why you felt so different, so misunderstood, like you didn't belong in this world? Haven't you ever wondered why your fascination with all things dark and supernatural was so deep?"

"Well...yeah." Luna stuttered, frowning in confusion. "But I...I mean doesn't every kid growing up?"

"Sure, but the reason you feel this way is much more profound. Luna, you and I both know you've never been sick a day in your life. Don't you find that odd?"

"My dad always said I was lucky and a trooper. I never thought anything of it." She shrugged. "Then, what is it Justin? What am I exactly?" Luna finally asked, afraid to find out the truth.

"You're a half-blood." Justin told her simply.

Luna couldn't understand, she couldn't process what he said. So she just glared at him.

"What do you mean I'm a half-blood? What is that exactly?" She inquired.

Justin smiled slyly saying, "You're a half-blood...half human and half vampire."

Luna gasped, shaking her head in protest.

"It's true." Justin voiced. "The reason why you did not know is because when you were born, your mom casted a spell that you would not come into your full powers before she died. Not until the person who was meant to bring you into these powers came along. So, because of that, your human side has always been stronger. It was her way of protecting you and it worked." Justin explained. "She also casted a spell on your dad. They genuinely loved each other, but he didn't know her true nature. It was also your mom's way of protecting him since it's frowned upon when vampires and humans mix. Your dad only saw her as human in his eyes...that's what her spell did to him."

Luna laughed dryly, not believing Justin even if he was solid proof that vampires existed anyway. "Right. I think my dad would have known."

"A vampire's charm is the most powerful magic there is Luna." Justin corrected her.

"Uh huh. Oh, and I guess you're going to say next that the person to bring me into my so called powers is you huh?" Luna quipped.

Justin looked at her, his face void of any emotion. "Actually, I am that person. The prophecy foretold this."

And then there was silence, the both of them just staring at each other.

This man, this man who wasn't a man but a creature, this...this vampire had Luna's mind going crazy with all kinds of thoughts.

She had so many questions, so many things seemed off to her now. How could she believe him? But then again, how could she not? And what prophecy?

Justin sensed her distress but he wasn't about to have her doubt him or his words, so while looking at her, his eyes slowly faded into black.

Luna gasped, about to jump from her seat but Justin's hand flew out to grip her and keep her in place, the coldness of his touch causing goosebumps to form on her skin.

"Do not be alarmed." He said. "But look at me. Really look at me Luna. You don't have to be afraid of me. I won't hurt you. But understand that this is real. I'm real...very much so. I do not age like humans do. I breathe, but my lungs need no air. I have a heart, but it does not beat like a human's heart. Therefore, my body cannot sustain regular human heat. I crave, human blood, but, I've developed control over the years and an understanding of the preservation of human life. So, I feed off animals. Call me a vegetarian if you will. But I'm conscious; I'm sitting here with you not alive, but not quite dead either. Now tell me, how can you doubt this, any of this?" Justin asked firmly, searching Luna's wide, terror-filled eyes.

Sighing, Luna looked away from Justin, not able to bear the sight of him in that moment. She couldn't believe this, any of this but Justin was solid proof that she wasn't out of her mind, that she wasn't dreaming.

"If...if all of this is true...if I'm not dreaming, then tell me, how did all of this even come to be?" Luna questioned weakly, her voice barely above a whisper.

He was right. She had no choice but to believe him. Now, she wanted the truth. She wanted to understand why fate dealt her this hand.

Justin nodded, relieved that she was at least opening up herself and her mind to him. He knew it was hard for her, but he also knew that once she was pulled out of the spell she was in, she would embrace her new self, her real self without hesitation.

But first, she needed to know of their background, their history. So, he proceeded to tell her the story of their vampire origins.

"Vampires have been around for centuries." Justin began to explain. "We used to be a strong race, large in numbers, living in secret because we knew the human race wouldn't understand our nature. The first vampire was said to have been human but was changed by a medical experiment back in that time that was intended to cure some illness but instead had horrible side effects. These side effects caused DNA mutation hence the sensitivity to sunlight, pale skin and overgrowth of our incisors. It's still unknown how that first vampire infected others and caused this new string of DNA to spread. But, over the years, as the DNA continued to mutate and change with each passing generation our kind became less and less human."

"Then, we noticed the significant changes like a slower heart rate, slower aging process, loss of appetite for anything that wasn't meat or blood related like rare steak. We grew stronger, we developed heightened senses and back in those days, these significant changes didn't go unnoticed. People back in those times were very superstitious. They started speculating that people of our kind were not normal humans. Some said we were witches and sorcerers, others called us night walkers because of our sensitivity to sunlight, we usually came out at night to get our errands and other miscellaneous tasks done. It wasn't until the first kill that forced our kind into hiding."

"One like us for some reason was overcome with this urge that couldn't be contained. Since our smell was so sharp, the scent of blood was the perfect mix with our appetite for raw foods, preferably meat. So, unable to control the urge, one night, one of our kind cornered a couple and without hesitation sank their teeth into the woman's neck. The man escaped and when the town's people found out about what happened, they deemed us to be monsters and unsafe. That's how this whole thing started with us and the humans not understanding what we were and fearing us."

 "Over the years, there were humans who grew to hate us, mainly when our kind began attacking back and killing people as well as feeding off of them. Our bite is venomous. Like how I helped speed the healing of your cut earlier. The venom in my saliva is very mild, harmless. But on your open wound, it helped stop the bleeding. When we bite you, the venom in our bite travels through your blood stream, causing immeasurable pain, poisoning you...kind of like a poisonous snake bite. You may or may not die after we bite you; it depends on how much venom gets into your system and how much blood we drain from you which in turn leaves you weak. If you don't die and you get bitten by a pureblood, you'll eventually start to change, but you'll need the pureblood vampire who bit you to complete the process else you'll...turn into something else. A monster. But we don't allow that to happen. Most of our kind feed until their prey is dead to leave no witnesses. I know this sounds horrendous, but vampires are nothing like the way the world portrays them in some stories. They're callous and will not hesitate to rip you apart. Only a few of us care enough to harbor compassion for mankind."

Justin paused when Luna gasped, shaking her head sadly. He hated having to tell her all this, but she needed to know. When she made no attempt to interrupt him he continued.

"So, these humans we killed, there were others who were consumed with hatred who vowed to kill us. Some did it as revenge for loved ones lost, others saw us as an abomination to the human race. That's how the whole war began, between vampire hunters and vampires. Over the years, they trained and learned of ways to kill us as we continued to evolve and become less and less human.  We fought back of course but there were a lot less of us than there were hunters."

"Over centuries, our race diminished so much that now, today, we're on the verge of extinction. We're weak now, so we make sure to hide and remain concealed in the shadows. The tale and folklore of vampires have been around for many years as older generations passed the stories down to the younger generations. In fact, that's part of how we got our name. But, because we've become so scarce and the fight between vampire and hunter remains secret, people look at these stories and existence of supernatural beings as only fiction...something they see in the movies or read in books because none of our kind will dare come forth and make our existence known..."

"So what is this prophecy about? Where does that fit into the picture?" Luna asked, finally interrupting Justin since her curiosity kept building.

She was having a hard time digesting what he was saying but it made perfect sense to her. Their kind was a medical mystery that even today the world would not be ready for. To uncover the secrets of eternal youth, of immortality embedded in their DNAs? She understood why they didn't make their presence known.  They would be treated as lab rats, scientific experiments. She also understood that the knowledge of their existence would fuel a worldwide religious fight because they would cause confusion for people who believed in heaven and hell, the good and the bad. Not to mention the dark side of them...the killing, the bloodlust.

"Well that's where you come into play." Justin continued. "It was foretold that over the years our race would eventually grow weak and it has. It's also believed that in that time, there will be a half-blood born from one of the elite pureblood vampire clans who because of their mixed DNA of  human and vampire, will have great power and abilities that will help us in fighting the hunters off so we can live in peace for a while and repopulate our race. That particular vampire can only come into their full powers after joining with their soul mate...another pureblood." Justin voiced, reading Luna's expressions.

"So, let me get this straight Justin. You're saying, I'm that half-blood and you're my soul mate? How does that work?" Luna inquired, confused.

Justin glared at her, swallowing harshly before he licked at his cold lips. "Well, the only way to join our powers and essence together, the only way for us to become one is...if we sleep together. The whole point is procreation." He said surely, refraining from listening to her thoughts this time. For a vampire, he didn't do well with rejection. "But I'll leave the choice up to you."

"As in have sex." Luna laughed out and Justin nodded. "And this is not some elaborate, weird, creepy way of just getting into my pants..."

"I assure you, if that were the case, I would not waste my time explaining anything. I would just put you under my spell and you won't be able to say no to me." Justin voiced, frowning at her.

Luna gasped. "You can do that? Mind control?"

"That and I could wipe your memory clean afterwards where you wouldn't remember a thing or ever even meeting me for that matter." He shrugged, looking away from her.

"So how do I know I'm not under a spell now?" Luna inquired and Justin laughed. He actually laughed. And it was a deep, sultry laugh at that as he reestablished eye contact with her. Luna couldn't help but smile. His laugh was contagious.

"Well for one, you actually asked that question. When someone is under a vampire's charm, they don't think for themselves and tend to display zombie like traits since they're being controlled. They won't speak unless stated by their master, and they usually have a blank, lost look in their eyes." Justin divulged. "You're not under my spell Luna. I have no desire to control you. I'd like you to willingly come to me."

"But, wait, wait back up a bit. So, I'm a half-blood and you're a pureblood? Is that right?" She questioned and Justin shook his head in agreement. "So what's a pureblood?"

"A full vampire with no human bloodline. Over the years, like I said, the human DNA in vampires fizzled out and morphed into something completely different, different DNA, different genes...the miracle of science. So once that was so, all vampires who were born into families that didn't mix with any humans became purebloods." Justin stated. "Actually, I was born a vampire." He added in and Luna's eyes widened in shock.

"You mean...you mean you were never human? You were never changed? Oh my god."

"My parents were both vampires so I was born this way. My grandparents were vampires also. No, I do not know what it's like to be human, but I imagine it's filled with a lot of feelings and emotions I myself have learnt over the years that come naturally to your kind. The one thing I always wished for was the warmth humans possessed. Lucky for you, you get the best of both worlds." Justin nodded and Luna still couldn't believe it.

"How is that...but you seem so..."

"Years of practice which allowed me to exist in this world unnoticed. Believe me, I wasn't always this tame." Justin nodded.

"But, but you're grown, you're...an adult...how..."

"It's a mystery to me too, but vampire babies grow, they evolve like humans. Remember our original string of DNA was still originally from humans, even if it's not human DNA anymore. We just age slower. For example, I look like I'm in my twenties yes? Well, I've been alive for over a century. When we feed, it replenishes our youthful feature. If you look at a starving vampire, they will look their age. Their skin will become dry, hard and crinkled like an old person and eventually, if they don't feed, they'll shrivel up and die from starvation."

"And the bursting into flames?" Luna asked, fully intrigued with Justin now.

"Myth. Something developed to make the tales of our kind more interesting. We are sensitive to sunlight, and if we stay in it too long, our skin will burn, literally, like fourth degree burns, but we don't burst into flames. If you leave us out in the sun too long, we'll just burn to death and you'll have an unrecognizable corpse. I can walk in the sun, if I wear enough layers and sunscreen does help. But I can't stay in it long." Justin explained and Luna nodded in awe.

"Wow, crazy..."

"It's the only life I've ever known so I'm used to it." Justin reassured her.

"So what about your parents? Where are they?" Luna asked, noting the sudden switch in Justin's mood by her question.

His expression fell, his eyes darkening as he looked at the floor. "They were killed by hunters trying to protect me when I was only a few years old. I escaped.  I'm on my own, have been for a while. But it's fine. It gave me enough time to learn of this prophecy and track down your ancestry which led me to you."

"Oh...I'm sorry." Luna sighed heavily. She lifted her hand to place on Justin's shoulder to try and provide some form of comfort but she hesitated and decided against it.

"It's fine. But to understand, this prophecy was foretold by the elite vampire clan. They were among the first purebloods of our kind and the most powerful who developed abilities of being able to see into the future. I know this sounds very science fiction but they proved those abilities by predicting things that came to pass. People didn't have a choice but to believe them. Different vampires have different special abilities.  For some, their strengths lie in their speed, or psychic abilities like telekinesis or telepathy. When they mentioned what would happen to our kind and mentioned my family and yours in the mix, it was passed down my family line that the only pureblood son born of my mother would be the key factor in helping save our race along with a half-blood who would have new powers. I was my mother's only son, so, I had to find you. The prophecy also states that our powers would be transferred to a new born which in turn would breed a new type of vampire race, ones that carried the same traits but would be closer to human and would not be affected by sunlight among other things."

"Again...wow." Luna breathed, not knowing what else to say. She was stunned, the information Justin provided overwhelming her. It all sounded like crazy talk.

"I know." Justin whispered, shaking his head.

Suddenly he stood and in the blink of an eye he was on the other side of the room, looking out the window into the dark night and up at the sky.

His blues were focused on the moon, his desire to be anything but what he was eating at him like it usually did.  He hated this life. It was a curse and a blessing. He felt like he was cheated, cheated out of the ability to be human, cheated out of the ability to chose his path. Strangely, he believed in God, which meant, he also believed in the other side as well...the darker side. He lived far too long to not realize that there were greater forces in the universe at work. He just didn't know if he even had a chance. He figured he was destined for hell. Then again, he had no idea if he had a soul to begin with. When he died, would it be the end? Those questions to which he had no answers to plagued his every waking moment. Usually, he tried to not let them bother him, but after explaining everything to Luna, his demons were back.

"Justin...are...are you ok?" Luna asked, moving to stand behind him.

She studied him closely, noting how he stood frozen in place like a statue. There was no sign that indicated he was breathing. In that instant, Justin took in a deep breath before releasing a sigh.

"I don't need air remember?" he voiced to Luna, reading her thoughts.

"Right."

"Look, I'm sorry if this is too much for you to absorb. If you'd like, you're free to leave." He voiced, motioning to the door as he kept his back to her.

"No...no I...I don't have to leave yet. It's ok. I can stay a bit longer." Swallowing harshly, Luna proceeded to touch his back to gain his full attention.

The moment she stretched out her hand, Justin spun around to face her and she ended up touching his hard chest instead. She quickly retracted her hand, blushing. Justin smiled in return and gently griped her wrist, bringing her hand up to his lips so he could kiss her palm softly.

"You're not afraid anymore." He pointed out, eyeing her.

"Not really..." Luna affirmed.

"With all what I just told you, I expected you to be terrified." Justin chuckled.

"I think I more feared the unknown. You don't fall under that category anymore. You seem decent enough." Luna mused.

"I'm honored then." Justin grinned, releasing her hand. "But maybe you should get home before your father begins to worry..."

"No, there's so much more I want to know...need to know Justin. I mean if this whole prophecy is true then...you and I...we're supposed to...and my family..."

"It's ok shhh." Justin silenced her. "I'll let you sleep on it tonight. And tomorrow night, I'll return. In the end, it's your choice what you want to do. Tomorrow, I'll answer your questions and you'll make a decision. But for now, it's late and I don't want your dad sending out a search party to hunt me down." Justin smiled.

"Ok, tomorrow then." Luna agreed.

"Tomorrow, after you know everything else you need to, you'll pick your destiny. We have about twenty-four hours left before that spell your mom casted on you becomes permanent on the first full moon after your twenty-first birthday which is tomorrow night." Justin admitted.

"Wait what?" Luna gasped, not realizing how serious Justin stepping into her life was until now.

"Your mom was very specific...but only because she loved you. I'll tell you more about the spell tomorrow." He nodded and Luna cringed at the thought. She never knew her mother, now she was wondering if Justin knew her.

"Listen, Luna, I'll take you home if you'd like. But we're done for tonight. I think it's best you get home and get some rest." Justin decided, reading her thoughts, not wanting to deal with any of this anymore.

He was tired and the reality of their situation was weighing heavily on him. Luna wasn't ready yet. She needed a little time to digest everything. It wasn't time yet for him to get into specifics about her family.

He knew what he had to do if he wanted to save his kind, but he wanted Luna to agree willingly. He didn't want to force her and if she chose to keep her old life, then so be it.

Luna sensed Justin's hesitancy, but she also realized that their conversation was over for the night so she gave in and decided to leave things as they were for now.

"Fine, you can take me home." Luna said.

"Ok and I promise I'll find you tomorrow. Come on." Justin voiced, gripping her hand in his to lead her out of his room, the rest of their journey accompanied by absolute silence...