Black Blood

Totally bewildered, I turn to the boy behind me. Novak is looking at me with his expressive smile and sparkling eyes. The only reaction I can give to this incredibly sweet gesture is to fly around his neck. I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him close to me. He wraps his arms around my waist. Because of Novak’s vampire square, he does not give off much body heat, but the little bit is enough to make me feel warm.

The past few months have been so intense and hectic that I have not thought about the date we live on. I could not tell you what day it is today. That today is my twentieth birthday, I only realised this morning. Nelly’s calendar was lying open on the counter when I went there this morning. As soon as I saw the 21st of February the penny dropped, but I didn’t think about it any further.

My birthday had not been celebrated in a big way for years. My mother upheld the tradition of celebrating birthdays but it went down with her, along with many others. My eighteenth birthday was celebrated with my wedding, my nineteenth completely ignored. If I had thought about it earlier, I would not have had the intention of celebrating it either. For me, it is a day like many others, a day without meaning.

Yet Novak’s gesture is welcome and I appreciate it very much. The fact that he found out about it without hearing anything from me and did something about it means a lot to me. That his gesture is also in this way makes me much warmer inside than I had ever imagined. My first reaction is pure, sincere.

Novak is the first to pull back. His pink lips have formed a smile.

‘Does this mean you like it?’ he asks. I let out a small laugh and nod my head. I turn back to the bed.

‘Of course I like it that mattress was anything but comfortable,’ I say as I begin to walk towards the bed. I let my hand slide over the white sheet. It feels soft and smooth under my palm.

‘I just don’t understand how you got it here without me noticing,’ I say before taking a seat on the bed. Novak walks slowly in my direction, his hands tucked away in his trouser pockets. He comes and stands in front of me. He places his hands on the bed on either side of my legs. He bends forward until there is less than five centimetres between our noses.

‘I’ll be honest, it was quite an undertaking, but with a little help from Nelly, everything works out,’ he says with a grin. I expect him to lean forward to give me a kiss, but on the contrary, he stands up straight.

‘That reminds me, Nelly has a present for you.’ He walks towards the only cupboard left in the room. The wooden cabinet has several shelves, made of shelves that are placed one above the other. He picks up a small white box from the third shelf. I hadn’t noticed the box until now. Novak walks back in my direction and hands me the box.

I take the box and look carefully at the packaging. On my birthday, which was never celebrated in the castle, I didn’t get any presents either. This is the first present I have received in maybe three years.

On the top of the white box is a white ribbon tied in the shape of a bow. The rest of the box is the same white colour. My fingers grab the end of the ribbon and pull the bow apart.The ribbon falls open so that I can open the box.

As soon as I take the lid off the box, a necklace catches my eye. The silver chain has a subtle shape. Attached to the chain is a pendant with a black stone in the form of a raindrop.

Perplexed, I look at the gift, not knowing how to react.

‘Nelly told me that the stone is an Onyx. It comes from the Andes and brings support, perseverance and strength. It also attracts forces. I don’t know much more about it,’ says Novak. I carefully pick up the black stone between my fingers and take it out of the box. I haven’t said anything, purely because I don’t know what. I am so overwhelmed by the beautiful gift. It’s thoughtful, sweet and personal, everything I’ve missed in recent years.

‘Let me,’ Novak said softly. He has put his hand in my direction, his palm pointing upwards. Carefully I place the necklace in his hand.

‘Turn around,’ he instructs me. I do as I’m told and sit cross-legged on the mattress. Novak brings his hands forward, the necklace hanging in front of my chest.I pull my hair out of my neck to give Novak more slack. He puts the necklace around my neck, closes the clasp and puts my hair back into my neck. My fingers slide to the black stone dangling around my neck. I couldn’t be more grateful than I am right now.

It gives me a small glimmer of hope in humanity, one that was extinguished long ago. That a woman I knew barely a week before we went into hiding here is willing to do all this for us seems almost too good to be true.

I turn back so that I can look Novak in his blue eyes again.

‘It looks beautiful on you,’ he says with a smile. The necklace and Novak’s gift make me feel more grateful than ever. I want to do something for them, but I don’t know what. What do you give someone when you have nothing to give? Nothing material in any case.

As soon as those thoughts cross my mind, I get an idea. I know a way to please men. The only thing I was told about men during my childhood was how to please them, never did I think that knowledge would come in handy. If I am honest with myself, I don’t know if I am in favour of this gift myself. However, I can’t think of anything else and I want to give something back.

What are you thinking about?′ Novak asks. He hasn’t moved since I turned around. I push myself off the bed and face him. I don’t answer his question, putting my fears and pride aside. My arms are wrapped around Novak’s neck. The two blue eyes look at me in surprise. Before he can say anything, I press my lips to his.

Before he can say anything, I press my lips to his.