“You’re a vampire?”
“Yes.”
“Yeah…right.” Justin turned away from Jana and began gathering his things.
“Justin, you know you believe me, just face it.”
“NO Jana! Vampires aren’t real…sure I was intrigued by Brad Pitt’s performance but they aren’t real!”
“What the fuck am I then? I sucked your blood Justin, my blood healed your wound…”
“I don’t know…I just need to get out of here.”
“Wait!” Jana went up to Justin and looked him square in the eyes. He watched as her eyes once again turned red and she instantly grew fangs.
“Wh…what’s going on Jana?” Justin mumbled, just above a whisper.
“I’m not human Justin…I haven’t been since 1473.”
Justin slowly sat down on the edge of the bed. Jana sat beside him and put her hand on his shoulder. He flinched when she touched him…just that, made Jana feel ashamed of what she was.
“Who are you Jana…the real you?”
Jana sighed and crossed her hands in her lap. “Well it’s hard to sum up almost 6 centuries of information but I’ll try.” She took a breath and Justin continued staring at the floor. “I was born in 1454, in a small village right outside of Paris. I was a gypsy and grew up feeling like I was worthless because the rest of society labeled us as thieves. I finally found the strength to live my life the day JC entered my life…he was or is the best thing in my life. We traveled the world and he taught me everything I would ever need to know. We came to America for the first time in 1813. We set up our life here and after JC became Prince of LA, we never really left again.” Jana stopped to see Justin’s reaction. He was now looking at her, his eyes full of confusion.
“So you just became a...what you are, and went on your way…what about your family?”
“Well, I missed them very much for a long time and I still do to some extent…over the years it’s gotten harder and harder to remember…”
Justin sat silently and watched as Jana’s face soften. He knew he had touched a soft spot but he was glad. He wanted to see the softer side of Jana that she tried so hard to keep hidden.
“I know I had parents and a little brother and sister, but my mom died when I was still a kid and my father followed her shortly after. My grandparents raised us. I remember the day when my distant aunt came. She was a duchess or something. I was 15, my brother Aidan was 11, and my sister Ceire was 9. She said she was taking us to live with her in England. I couldn’t leave my grandparents so I watched as she took them away…I never saw them again.”
A tear streamed down Jana’s cheek and Justin reached up and gently wiped it away. Jana turned to him and buried her face in his chest, crying into his arms.
“They were all I had and I never got to tell them how much I loved them…now they’re gone and I’m still here!” Jana pulled away from Justin and stood up, wiping her face. “But there’s nothing I can do now so…”
“Jana,” Justin stood up and cupped her face with his hands, “I don’t care what you are…you’ve shown me that you still have a heart and that’s all that matters.” Jana smiled slightly and they embraced once again. “I…I love you,” Justin whispered.