I was still busy thinking when I noticed how slim Valentin looked. He felt pale, almost fragile. "What's wrong, you look tired," I said, concern etched in my voice.
Valentin smiled weakly and said he was fine, but I knew better. "Have you been eating well?" I asked, my mind racing with possibilities.
He hesitated before answering, "I've stopped for a while now."
My eyes widened in alarm. "Stopped what?" I asked, but deep down, I knew.
Valentin's gaze dropped, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've stopped feeding, Ava. I couldn't bring myself to do it after what happened."
I felt a shiver run down my spine. Vampires needed blood to survive, and Valentin had stopped feeding? For me?
"Valentin, you need to feed," I said, trying to sound calm. "You're weakening yourself."
He looked up at me, his eyes filled with determination. "I'd rather die than hurt you again, Ava. I'd rather die than be a monster."
My heart broke at his words. He was willing to sacrifice himself for me, for our love. I didn't know what to say, what to do. All I knew was that I couldn't lose him, not now, not ever.
 I looked away since I had nothing to say again, "You should go back to college, it's getting late".
He said and was about to leave when I suddenly called out.
"Do you want to have dinner with me at my apartment" I asked.
Valentin stopped in his tracks, his back still turned to me. For a moment, he didn't move, didn't respond. I wondered if I had made a mistake, if I had overstepped.
But then, slowly, he turned around. His eyes searched mine, filled with a mix of hope and caution.
"Dinner?" he repeated, his voice low and husky.
I nodded, trying to sound casual despite the racing of my heart. "Yeah, just dinner. I'll cook something. It's been a while since we've talked, and I...I miss you."
Valentin's gaze lingered on mine, as if searching for hidden meanings, hidden agendas. But then, a small smile played on his lips.
"I'd like that," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
I felt a rush of excitement, of nervousness. What was I doing? Inviting a vampire to dinner?
But as I looked into Valentin's eyes, I knew I couldn't take it back. I wanted to spend time with him, to get to know him again. To see if there was still something between us.
"Great," I said, trying to sound calm. "I'll text you my address. Come over at 7?"
Valentin nodded, his smile growing wider. "I'll be there."
It was 7:00pm, I opened the door to find Valentin standing there, looking more handsome than I remembered. He smiled when he saw me, and I felt my heart skip a beat.
"Hey," I said, trying to sound casual. "Come on in."
Valentin stepped inside, his eyes scanning my apartment. I had tried to make it look nice, had lit some candles and played some soft music.
"Dinner's ready," I said, gesturing to the table.
But as we sat down, Valentin didn't touch the food. He just watched me, his eyes fixed on me as I ate.
I felt a little self-conscious, but I tried to ignore it. "So, how have you been?" I asked, trying to make conversation.
Valentin shrugged. "I've been okay. Just trying to stay busy."
I nodded, taking a bite of my food. "I know the feeling."
As I ate, Valentin continued to watch me. It was a little unnerving, but at the same time, it felt kind of nice. Like he was really seeing me, really paying attention.
After I finished dinner, Valentin helped me clear the table. We stood side by side at the sink, our hands touching as we washed the dishes.
It felt like old times, like we were back to normal. But I knew we weren't. There was still so much between us, so much unresolved.
As we finished up, Valentin turned to me. "Thanks for dinner," he said, his eyes locked on mine.
I smiled. "You didn't eat anything."
Valentin shrugged. "I wasn't hungry."
I raised an eyebrow. "For food, maybe. But what about...other things?"
Valentin's gaze dropped, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm trying to control myself, Ava. I don't want to hurt you again."
"That's not what I mean!" I screamed, my frustration boiling over.
Valentin took a step back, his hands raised in a calming gesture. "Oh, sorry. I guess I misunderstood you."
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "I meant...I meant that you're not eating because you're a vampire. You need blood to survive."
Valentin's expression changed, his eyes clouding over. "Ava, I...I don't want to talk about that."
But I pressed on, my voice shaking. "You can't just ignore it, Valentin. You can't just pretend like it's not a part of who you are."
Valentin sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "You're right," he said quietly. "I'm a vampire, Ava. And I need blood to survive. But I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to lose you again."
I felt a pang of sadness at his words. I knew he was struggling, trying to find a way to be with me without putting me in danger.
"Valentin," I said softly. "I don't know what the future holds. But I do know that I want to be with you. And I'm willing to take that risk."
Valentin's eyes snapped up to mine, filled with hope. "Really?" he whispered.
I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. "Really."
He followed me to my room and I ushered him to seat down as I offered him a cold juice.
As he sipped the juice, I sat down beside him, trying to make small talk. But Valentin's attention was elsewhere. He gazed out the window, his eyes fixed on the night sky.
"Tonight's full moon," he said quietly, his voice tinged with a hint of unease.
I followed his gaze, noticing the bright moon hanging low in the sky. "Yeah, it is," I replied, wondering why he seemed so concerned.
Valentin's eyes snapped back to mine, his pupils dilating slightly. "I...I didn't realize it was full moon tonight," he stammered.
I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized why he was so worried. "Valentin, are you...are you going to transform?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
Valentin's face twisted in a mixture of fear and anxiety. "I don't know," he admitted. "I've been trying to control myself, but the full moon...it's always harder to resist the call of the wolf."
I took his hand, trying to reassure him. "It's okay, Valentin. I'm here for you. Whatever happens, I'll be here."
But as I looked into his eyes, I saw the fear and uncertainty there. And I knew that I had no idea what the night might bring.