Virginia’s mother called again today. She’s been calling at least once a week since Virginia told her parents she had moved – since she had to admit she was living with a man.

Virginia is always tense during these calls, and very careful about what she says. She told me her parents were very conservative and would probably be very vocal about their disapproval if she told them she lives with a vampire. I can understand that, and it’s her choice what she wants to tell them, or anyone else for that matter.

Even without trying to eavesdrop, I can easily hear the other side of those conversations, and I can tell how much her mother wants to know more. It’s more than curiosity, I think, when she asks about me or the house. She has guessed there’s something Virginia isn’t telling her and she’s worried about her daughter. What does she imagine Virginia’s secret is? Is ‘my daughter’s boyfriend has fangs’ a possibility that could even cross her mind?

I have a feeling that, one of these days, she’ll tire of Virginia’s evading answers and cross the country to come knock on our door. After all, Virginia did the same thing when I tried to hide from her. The explanation that will ensue will certainly be something memorable, but I’m sure in the end everything will be fine. She sounds like a lovely woman on the phone, and I’ve always been very good at charming ladies when I put a little effort into it.

No, I’m really not worried about Virginia’s mother.

Her father on the other hand…

I invited my closest friends to our housewarming party today. I told them about the pool and Jacuzzi so they’d bring their swim suits. I told them I was very, very much in love and very, very happy. I told them that Anando is amazing and treats me like a queen, and even hinted that our bed life is beyond words. And while I was at it, I told them about Anando being a vampire.

I had been very nervous about sharing that one piece of information with anyone. I’m not ashamed in any way of my relationship with Anando, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with me being in love with a vampire. But I know not everybody feels that way: for a lot of people, vampires are scary predators, and whoever associates with them must be deranged or suicidal. I’d never talked about vampires with my friends before, so I didn’t know how they would react.

I guess the one thing I did expect was that they’d be surprised. And I was wrong about that.

“We’ve been waiting for you to ‘fess up for months,” Lea said with a roll of her eyes.

“Honestly, we’d have needed to be blind not to notice your neck,” Jane added. “And that you’ve been distracted and smiling like a loon for no reason. Why didn’t you tell us sooner?”

Why indeed is the question, and I have no good answer for it. I didn’t know what their reaction would be, but I wasn’t afraid of it either, so why not just tell them and get it out of the way?

As I think about it, I keep coming back to the same thing. I liked that Anando was my little secret, my forbidden pleasure, the one aspect of my life that was mine and mine only.

All of that changed at the moment he suggested having this party. It was his way of publicly making me a part of his life, of saying to everyone he knows, “This is the woman and live with and love.” And if he was going to shout it for all to hear, I suddenly wanted to do the same thing and have everyone who is close to me know about him.

Well… everyone except my parents, that is. I am not ready for that conversation.

Anando came back to New York almost two months ago. He didn’t bother announcing his presence, and I wouldn’t even have known he was there if Lizzie hadn’t asked me whether she ought to procure blood for him too. She didn’t ask who he was, but then, I guess she didn’t need to. She’s been dusting his portrait in the dining room for almost thirty years, I would have been more surprised if she hadn’t recognized him.

I went down to the guest suite that first evening, and found him redecorating. That’s when I knew he was going to stay for a while. We bantered about his lack of taste – honestly, I will never understand how he can appreciate such a minimalist style after spending so much time with me – and it felt just like old times.

Except for his eyes. He smiled, he laughed, but his eyes remained dark and dull. Wounded.

I asked him why he had come back. He didn’t answer. I didn’t push. I already knew the answer. There’s only one reason why he ever comes back to me anymore, and that’s when he’s hurt. I understand why, I understand it’s my fault, but I still wish he would come back more often. Come back to see me, rather than come back to hide from someone else. If I could take it back…

But the past is the past, and better left behind.

I took him out every night to party, and I’ll admit it was as much about distracting him as it was about having him on my arm again. We always drew everyone’s eyes when we were together. It used to be shocked looks; nowadays, they’re envious. It’s nicer this way.

A week ago, something changed. His phone started ringing. Once a day, sometimes more. He always picks up, always walks away as though to get some privacy, but I never heard him say anything more than ‘goodbye.’

Whoever it is doesn’t seem to understand the meaning of the word since she keeps calling. Or maybe Anando isn’t all that convincing when he says it. He certainly doesn’t sound like he means it. Knowing him, he left without a proper goodbye.

I’m going to have to do something about it. I never could stand to see my favorite Childe sulk. Always so stubborn… and always so easy to hurt, even after all this time.