"Why do you keep looking at me like that?" Skyler asked, his voice low and husky, as he gazed back at me with an intensity that made my skin prickle.
I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. The truth was, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off about him. Last night, he had vanished into thin air, and I had a nagging suspicion that he had given in to his thirst for blood.
"Did you kill someone, last night?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Skyler's expression changed, his eyes flashing with a mixture of surprise and wariness. "What makes you ask that?" he countered, his voice neutral.
I took a deep breath, my heart racing with anticipation. "Because I know you're not like other people, Skyler. I know what you are."
Skyler's gaze narrowed, his eyes glinting in the dim light of the bedroom. "And what am I, exactly?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
I swallowed hard, my mouth dry. "You're a vampire," I said, the word feeling strange on my lips.
Skyler's expression didn't change, but I sensed a flicker of surprise behind his eyes. "And what if I am?" he asked, his voice low and menacing.
I took a step back, my heart racing with fear. But as I looked into Skyler's eyes, I saw something there that gave me pause. A glimmer of guilt, of shame, that seemed to haunt him.
"You feel guilty," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "You feel guilty because you killed someone last night, didn't you?"
Skyler's gaze dropped, his eyes fixed on the floor. For a moment, I thought he wouldn't answer, but then he nodded, his voice barely audible.
"Yes," he whispered. "I did."
I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized the truth. Skyler had killed someone last night, and it had affected him in a way that I couldn't understand.
"Why do you feel guilty?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.
Skyler's gaze rose, his eyes locking onto mine. "I don't know," he said, his voice husky. "I've killed before, many times. But this time, it feels different. This time, I feel like I've crossed a line."
I took a step closer, my heart pounding in my chest. "Maybe it's because you're scared of how I'll react," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Skyler's gaze narrowed, his eyes glinting with surprise. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice low.
"I mean, maybe you're scared that I'll hate you, or run away from you," I said, my voice steady.
Skyler's expression changed, his eyes softening in a way that I had never seen before. For a moment, I thought I saw a glimmer of vulnerability there, of uncertainty.
But then, his mask slipped back into place, and he was once again the aloof, distant stranger that I had first met.
"I don't care what you think," he said, his voice cold. "I am what I am, Uresa. And if you can't accept that, then maybe you should leave."
I felt a sting from his words, but I knew that I couldn't leave. Not now, when I was starting to uncover the truth about Skyler. Not now, when I was starting to realize that my feelings for him went far beyond mere curiosity.