Chapter Eight

While Blaine spent his Saturday evening with Cooper, Kurt went shopping. But not for clothes. He went to several stores that sold everything for cooking and household. He looked for a silver knife but he couldn’t find one.

Finally he asked a young man that was working in one of the shops.

“Are you searching for pure silver? I don’t think we have that but I’m going to look for it in the storeroom. Just wait a minute.” He went off and Kurt waited.

Why the hell am I doing this? This is insane. He wouldn’t hurt me.

But a small part of his mind just couldn’t be convinced. The man returned and had actually found a silver knife.

“Wow, thanks.” Kurt said. He paid for it and left the shop, still not quite sure what he was doing. What now? Where could he find ashes of an oak tree? There were oak trees in his neighbors’ garden. Maybe they would let him have a piece of oak wood.

So he went back home. He hid the knife in his room before going over to his neighbors’ yard.

He knocked on the door. “Who’s there?” Mrs. McHale asked.

“It’s me. Kurt. I just have a question.” The door opened and Mrs. McHale greeted Kurt with a big smile. The old lady was always happy to see him.

“Oh, my dear boy, how can I help you?”

“Well, I was wondering, if I could have a small branch from one of your oak trees. I need it for… a school project.”

“Of course, my dear. There’s actually one lying beneath that tree. The wind must have ripped it off the other day.” Kurt looked over to the tree she was pointing at.

“Thank you so much, Mrs. McHale.”

“You’re welcome, my boy, you’re welcome. I hope to see you again soon.” Kurt waved at her and she closed the door when he went to pick up the branch.

 Soo, now I’ll just have to burn it, right?

He walked over to the back door of his house and entered leaving the branch outside. Finn was watching TV.

“Hey, Finn. Aren’t carol and dad home?”

“No, they’re out having dinner. Sit down, dude.”

“Stop calling me that and I don’t have time right now.” He grabbed matches and a jar from the kitchen and went back to the garden. It was almost dark outside. He kneeled down, took the branch and broke it into smaller pieces. Then he lighted a match and tried to set a little piece of wood on fire. It took a couple seconds but then it burned and Kurt quickly dropped it into the jar.

As he was watching it slowly falling to ashes, Finn stepped outside. “Dude, what the hell are you doing?”

He’s right. What the hell am I doing? “It’s a school project, Finn.”

“A school project that requires you to burn wood? Interesting.” He shook his head.

“Whatever. It’s none of your business.”

“Okay, okay. No need to be grumpy.” He went back inside.

Kurt burned a few more pieces until the little jar was full. He carried it to his room and put it in a bag with the silver knife. He wouldn’t take any wooden stakes. He didn’t want to kill Blaine, did he?

Actually Kurt was hoping that Blaine wouldn’t be at Dalton. It would make it easier. He grabbed his phone that was lying on his bed to call Mercedes. He hadn’t talked to her since he transferred.

When he unlocked his phone, his display showed one missed call and a voicemail. It was from Blaine.

Acting on instinct, he threw the phone to the other end of the bed. He didn’t want to hear whatever Blaine was going to say. …Or did he? Slowly he reached for his phone.

He held it close to his ear and played the voicemail.

"Hey, Kurt. It's Blaine. I just wanted to say that I'm coming back to Dalton on Monday to get all my stuff. So, if you don't want to see me, just stay out of the room from… 5 to 5.30 pm."  

There was a pause but Kurt could hear Blaine breathing.

"I'm sorry, Kurt."

Kurt almost dropped the phone. And then he almost fainted. Why did he run away? Maybe he just needed to talk to Blaine. Let him explain everything. But now, Blaine thought that Kurt didn’t want to see him again.

Maybe Blaine was right. Kurt wasn’t sure about what he wanted. His thoughts were a mess. He thought about Blaine. About everything they had done together. About their daily breakfasts together and about the evenings they had spent together in their room. And about every kiss.

He remembered when he told Blaine that he was never going to leave him. And then he made a decision.

He was going to be there on Monday. He would wait for Blaine and he would talk to him.

There is absolutely no reason to be terrified, is there?

Kurt drove back to Dalton on Sunday. He arrived in the evening and when he entered the school, he immediately ran into Jeff and Nick – and they were holding hands!

“Whoa, whoa, what is that? What did I miss?” Kurt asked. Their faces turned red.

“Well, Kurt, Jeff and I are together now. He’s my boyfriend.” Nick said.

“Okay, well, I’m happy for you two. Really happy.” Kurt said quietly. He thought about Blaine who was actually still his boyfriend. They didn’t break up.

Okay, maybe I broke up with him, when I ran away.

“What’s up, Kurt? Where have you been all weekend?” Jeff asked curiously. “Blaine is gone, too. Did you spend time with him?”

“Ah, no. Actually I spent the weekend at home and I don’t know where Blaine went.” He answered. “If you don’t mind, I would like to go to my room now. I’m a bit tired and I haven’t finished my homework yet and it’s due tomorrow.”

“Okay, well, we’ll see you tomorrow then. And say hi to Blaine when he comes back.” And then they left.

Kurt walked upstairs and stopped in front of Blaine and his’ room. He told himself that Blaine wouldn’t be there and then took a deep breath before opening the door. He was right. Blaine wasn’t there. There was a note lying on the table, though.

I’m sorry.

He had been here.

On Monday morning Kurt went to have breakfast with Jeff, Nick, Wes and some other boys. He didn’t sleep well that night. He had kept thinking about Blaine and about what could happen, if he would show up in the room when Kurt was sleeping.

“So, Blaine didn’t come back yesterday?” Wes asked. Kurt shook his head. “No.”

“Well, maybe he’s sick. Maybe he went home, just like Kurt.” Jeff said with his mouth full of cereal.

“Jeff, you idiot! Blaine doesn’t have a ‘home’. He lives here.” Wes said and laughed. Then he became serious again. “I really wonder where he is.”

During the whole day, Kurt was really nervous. He knew Blaine would come here this evening and he wasn’t sure, if he should really stay in their room and wait for him or if he should just spend the evening somewhere else.

He didn’t pay attention in any of his classes but the teachers didn’t care. When the bell rang after Kurt’s last lesson, it was 4.30 pm.

He walked back to his dorm with a weird feeling in his stomach. It felt like he was about to throw up. It took him a few seconds to get the key into the door and turn it around but then he entered and looked around.

Of course, he’s not there yet. He said, he would be here at 5.

He glanced at the alarm clock on his desk. It was 4.50 pm. He grabbed the bag that he brought from home. In it, there was the knife and the jar with ashes. He took the jar and opened it.

What am I supposed to do with this anyway? Should I throw it at him? I don’t want to hurt him, right?

4.57 pm

He grabbed the knife and put the jar away. The knife he would only use, if he would have to defend himself.

4.59 pm

Kurt backed away from the door until his back touched the wall. His heart was pounding so loud that he could hear it. Would Blaine even come? And if yes, would he use the door?

At this thought, Kurt quickly moved away from the window and now he stood at the wall; as far away from the door as he was from the window.

5.03 pm

Then he heard it. Someone placed a key in the lock of the door. Kurt didn’t make any noise. The door opened and he saw him.

Kurt’s heart stopped for a second at the sight of Blaine. Kurt didn’t know if it was because of his fear or because of something different. Maybe both.

Blaine walked down the hallway where his room was and quickly opened the door because he didn’t want anyone to see him. When he closed the door behind him and turned around, he gasped.

Kurt was standing there at the wall, staring at him in fear. Blaine had never thought about that Kurt could be there. He had thought that Kurt would stay out of the room.

“Kurt…” He took few steps into the room.

Kurt raised the knife and Blaine stared at it.

“Don’t come any closer.” Kurt demanded. Blaine stayed where he was.

“I won’t.” He looked into Kurt’s eyes. “Would you take the knife down?”

“No.” Kurt swallowed. “It’s only for self-defense. Otherwise I won’t use it.”

“Okay.” Blaine said. “Don’t hurt yourself.”

Kurt glared at him. “Sit down on the couch.” Blaine did what he was told and sat down.

“I didn’t expect you to be here.” He said.

“I don’t know why I am here, either… okay, actually I do. I want to talk. I want you to explain.”

Blaine cocked his head. “Explain what?”

“You know what I mean. Explain everything.”

“Okay, why don’t you just sit down and then you can ask me anything you want. I promise, I won’t move at all.” Kurt looked suspicious. “Please.” Blaine added.

Kurt sat down on a chair about two meters away from Blaine, the knife still in his right hand.

“So… you are… you are a vampire.” It sounded like a question but Blaine knew it wasn’t.

“That’s absurd. How could you be? Vampires don’t exist.” He shook his head. Blaine sighed.

“Yes, Kurt, they do. Even, if there are not a lot.”

Kurt glanced at Blaine’s face and looked away again only to look into Blaine’s eyes once again. Then he cleared his throat. “Prove it.” He said.

“How?”

“I don’t know. Just do something.” Kurt moved in his chair and Blaine could tell that he didn’t feel safe.

“You already saw me doing something on Friday.”

“ No, I didn’t.”

“Of course, you did. Or didn’t you notice that I was a tiny bit faster than usual?” Blaine asked sarcastically.

“Doesn’t matter. I still want you to prove it.” He paused for a second. “… Do you have fangs?”

Blaine was surprised by that question. “Yes, I do.”

“Show me.” Kurt said and he sounded self-confident and scared at the same time.

“No.” Blaine said emphatically.

“Why not?” Kurt swallowed.

“Because I don’t want to.”

“Do it.” Kurt said and there was something in his voice that made Blaine give in.

“Okay. But don’t freak out.” He breathed in and so did Kurt.

Then Blaine concentrated on his fangs to show and he felt them growing in his closed mouth. He kept his mouth closed for a few more seconds looking at Kurt and finally opened it. Kurt gasped, jumped up and almost fell over the chair.

Blaine immediately retracted his fangs. “I told you not to freak out.”

“Sorry, but I guess I wasn’t ready for that.” Kurt sat down again breathing fast and staring at Blaine.

“Do you want to ask me anything else?”

“Yes. A few things actually. Do you kill people?” Blaine knew this question would come eventually and he sighed.

“Yes.” Kurt showed no reaction to that.

“How many did you kill?” He asked lower.

“I don’t know and even if I did I probably wouldn’t tell you.” Kurt nodded. Then he suddenly looked up.

“How old are you?” Blaine chuckled. “Do you really want to know that? I’m 245 years old.”

Kurt gasped. “Oh my god. That’s just… impossible.” He whispered the last word.

“Okay, Kurt. I know you probably don’t want to hear this but I need to say it. I still love you. I loved you since I laid eyes on you the first time and that won’t ever change. I know that I’m a monster. I’m dangerous and you hate me but I can’t live without you. And I don’t want to leave you. Ever.”

Kurt swallowed. “Did you ever want to hurt me?”

“Yes… And not just once.” Blaine looked down.

“But you didn’t. You didn’t hurt me.” “But I wanted to.”

Kurt’s blue eyes met Blaine’s. “I loved you, too, Blaine. But I don’t know if I still do.” He bit his lip. “What if you would hurt me? You know, I’m terrified that that could happen.”

“And I can’t promise you that it won’t happen. So, I think…” He stood up. “I’m just gonna grab all my stuff and leave.” Kurt stayed where he was.

“But, Blaine…” He didn’t finish that sentence. He didn’t know what to say.

His mind was screaming Okay, let him go. And just don’t ever think about him again.

But his heart said Don’t let him go. Give him a chance.

Of course his heart won. It was pounding faster and faster and Kurt knew why. It was because the boy that was about to leave would always be the only boy that he ever loved like this. Yes, Kurt knew it was love.

“Don’t go.” He whispered.

Blaine spun around. “You don’t want me to go?” Kurt shook his head.

“No, Blaine. I don’t want you to go. I love you. And I said I was never going to leave you and I meant every word I said… Yes, I’m afraid of you right now but maybe I can change that. You won’t hurt me, right? So, there’s no reason for you to leave.” Tears started to fill his eyes.

“I don’t want to lose you, Blaine.” And now the tears started falling from his eyes. Blaine was at his side immediately but he didn’t want to touch Kurt because he didn’t know how the boy would react.

“Hey, it’s okay. Kurt, I won’t leave, if that’s what you want but I won’t stay if, you are not completely sure that you can handle it.”

Kurt looked up at him. “Stay. Please.” He said quietly.

Blaine just nodded and sat down on the couch again while Kurt wiped away his tears.

“So, what now?” Blaine asked.

“I don’t know. Tell me about yourself.” Kurt shrugged.

“That’s not really the kind of story you would like to hear.” Blaine hesitated. “Okay, well, I grew up in a small town that is not far from here actually but it had a different name back then. My father was a rich man and my mother and my brother were always very kind. Until they found out that I was gay. My father refused to talk to me for two years. On the picture that you saw he forced me to stand in the back. I was a shame for him and he didn’t think of me as his son anymore. He tried to hide me from his friends and everyone in the town. One night, I went home from a friend’s house, when I was attacked by a man. A vampire. He almost killed me. I think it was an accident that he turned me. He left me lying in the streets and when I woke up, I felt different but I couldn’t tell why. I went back home. My father was still awake and sitting in the living room. He was angry that I didn’t come home in time and he yelled at me. I got angry without reason and you can probably imagine what happened.” He sighed and looked away.

“When I saw what I had done, I left home and lived in the woods somewhere. I tried to figure out what happened to me. But again and again I lost control and murdered more and more people and the worst thing was that I didn’t even care about them. I was stronger and mightier than them and for the first time in my life I didn’t feel like that little boy who was treated badly by his parents.  I became a monster.” Kurt swallowed but he listened to the story without interrupting.

“It took me a lot of time to learn how to control myself but I managed it. I tried only to kill when I had to feed. And that’s still very often. I never had any friends because I was travelling and I never stayed anywhere. When I got here, I wanted to live like a normal human but we both know how that ended.” He rubbed his forehead.

“There are also some other parts about being a vampire. It’s not like in the movies. Of course, I can walk in the sunlight and I can eat normal food but I don’t need it. My senses are better than human senses and I am fast and strong. I don’t age. I am not really alive.”

For the first time Kurt said something. “Do you… have a heartbeat?”

“No. And I don’t have to breathe either. So, you can’t say that I’m human. Not at all.”

“What about garlic and mirrors?” Kurt asked.

Blaine laughed. “No, none of that is true. And your little silver knife wouldn’t have done more harm than a normal knife. And I can smell that you got oak tree ashes somewhere.” He smiled. “That would have worked actually. Why didn’t you use it?”

“Because I didn’t know how.”

“Oh, you just have to make a circle with it on the ground and then stand inside of the circle. I couldn’t pass the line. The same with doorsteps. I can’t go into other people’s houses when I’m not invited in. It’s hard for me to cross floating water like rivers. I don’t know why, though.”

He cleared his throat. Then he went on.

“Apart from that, vampires sometimes have special powers. I don’t have any but some vampires can shift into an animal. However, I can transform into two different animals which is unusual. I wish I had another special power because I don’t really like shifting.”

“What animals can you shift into?”

“A wolf and a crow.” Kurt’s mouth fell open.

“So, you’re some kind of werewolf, too? That’s creepy.”

“Not really a werewolf. Werewolves are different. They only transform on full moons and they are so rare that some people even think that they don’t exist anymore.”

Kurt gasped again. “Are you telling me that there are actual werewolves out there?”

“Yes, there are some but like I said there are very few.”

“Well, that’s a lot to take in.” Kurt was still sitting on the chair.

“Are you alright with this? I mean, are you okay?” Blaine asked. “Maybe you should sleep.”

“No, I’m good but I’m gonna sleep anyway, soon. What time is it?” Kurt glanced at the clock.

It was almost 6 o’ clock. “Oh!” Blaine suddenly said and stood up. Kurt flinched and looked up at Blaine. He was still a bit shocked and he could clearly remember Blaine’s fangs. He shivered.

Blaine reached in his pocket. “Okay, may I borrow your phone? I don’t know where mine is and I told Cooper that I’d come back. Shit, I probably forgot my phone at Cooper’s.”

“Okay, who is Cooper?” Kurt asked confused.

“Oh, Cooper. Well, he is a relative of mine. My grand-grand-grand-nephew or something like that. I stayed at his house for the weekend. Okay, actually it’s still my house. It’s the house that I grew up in.”

“You have a relative? Does he know about you? I mean…”

“Yes, he knows that I’m a vampire. Everyone in my family knew. The story of the Immortal Anderson.” He sighed. “So, may I borrow your phone?”

“Of course.” He gave it to him and when their hands touched, Kurt was trying not to pull his hand back. I can’t be afraid of him forever.

“It’s okay, Kurt.” Blaine said sadly. “I understand that you are afraid and you got every reason. I’m sorry.” He took the phone and dialed a number.

“Cooper, it’s me… Yes, Blaine! Would you go into my room and see, if I left my phone in there?” He waited for a short time. “Damn it. I’m gonna come back and get it but I won’t with you stay any longer… I don’t know yet. Maybe. Please, if I have no other option, will you let me stay?... Thanks. I guess, I’ll see you tomorrow night.” He ended the call and gave the phone back to Kurt.

“Why do you want to stay with him?” Kurt asked.

“Oh, it’s just that… after this school year, I don’t know where to go and I was hoping to live in my old house. But Copper doesn’t really want me to because he’s, well, kind of afraid of me.”

“Oh.” was everything Kurt said.

“Are you okay with me staying here tonight or should I go?” Blaine asked.

“I guess, you can stay. I won’t be able to sleep anyway.” Kurt tried to smile.

“… I’m really sorry. I think, it’s better when I leave, though. I’ll see you tomorrow, Kurt.” He walked over to the window and opened it.

“Oh, and could you please open the window in the morning? I have to get back in some way.”

“What are you doing? Are you going to jump?” Kurt’s eyes widened.

Blaine chuckled. “Actually, I would, if there weren’t any cameras on campus. But I think, it’s safer to climb to the roof.”

He was already outside when Kurt whispered,

“Good night, Blaine.”

Kurt could hear Blaine’s laughter coming from the roof before he closed the window.