Once upon a time, in a little mountain village, there lived a vampire named Damien. He had lived for almost two centuries and had witnessed the world alter in ways that few could have predicted.
Damien was a night monster, a nocturnal entity who needed on blood to thrive. He had adapted to his situation and had become an expert at concealing his actual nature from people.
Damien, despite his age, has always been a curious person. He was interested in science, with a special interest in biology. Damien had spent years studying on his own, but he realized that he needed to enroll in college to properly comprehend the topic.
Damien had heard about a prominent institution in the surrounding city with a reputation for scientific prowess. He decided this was the place for him and began the application process. That was difficult since the college has stringent rules and restrictions.
Furthermore, it required him to attend lessons during the day, which was difficult for a creature of the night.
Damien had been preparing for his enrollment for several weeks. He studied the institution’s prerequisites for hours, took preparatory classes, and even consulted a vampire buddy who had previously attended the college and given a vampire interview.
Eventually, the day of registration arrived. Damien came early in the morning, shielded from the sun by a huge hat and sunglasses. He arrived at the enrolling office and was met by a pleasant human administrator.
Unaware of Damien’s actual identity, the administrator aided him with his enrollment, issuing him a schedule, student ID, and other essential documentation.
Damien couldn’t help but feel both delighted and worried as he walked to his first lesson. He knew it would be a difficult voyage, but he was determined to succeed. Damien came into his first biology lesson feeling out of place.
He was the only vampire in the class, and the room was full with humans. He took a big breath and sat down, ready to embark on his collegiate career. He was asked some questions and it sounded like a vampire interview.
Damien walked towards the dorms, lost in thought, as the sun fell and the campus began to empty. He couldn’t take his mind off Ava, the lovely human girl he’d met earlier that day. He was aware that getting too near to a human was risky, yet he couldn’t help but be pulled to her.
He could hear footsteps behind him as he moved. He turned to see Ava approaching him, a smile on her face.
“Hello Damien,” she replied, “I was hoping to catch you before you vanished into the night.”
“Hi, Ava,” he said, trying not to seem too formal.
Walking towards the dorms, they fell into step with one another. Damien was immediately aware of her warmth, the perfume of her hair, and the sound of her voice. He knew he should keep his distance, yet he couldn’t stop himself from being pulled to her.
“So, what are you studying?” Ava broke the quiet by asking.
Damien responded, “Biology.”
“That’s rather remarkable. What do you intend to accomplish with your degree?”
Damien hesitated, pondering his response. He’d never given any attention to what he intended to do after graduation. For millennia, his life had revolved around evading discovery by humans and other vampires having Vampire Interview. Yet now that Ava was by his side, he understood he needed more.
“I haven’t given it much thought,” he said. “But I want to accomplish something that will have an impact. Something that benefits others.”
“That’s quite honorable,” Ava remarked, smiling.
They kept conversing as they went, discussing everything from their favorite lessons to their favorite novels. Ava glanced to Damien as they reached the dorms, a malicious glint in her eye.
“Would you want to come up to my room? We could watch a movie or something if I have any leftover pizza “She stated.
Damien paused. He knew getting too near to a human was a dangerous idea, but he couldn’t say no to the invitation.
“Yes, that sounds fantastic,” he responded as he followed her into the building.
Damien couldn’t help but feel both delighted and apprehensive as they took the lift up to her floor. He knew he was playing a hazardous game, but he couldn’t stop himself from feeling this way.
Ava welcomed him into her room when they arrived, and they settled up to watch a movie. Damien felt a sense of tranquilly he had never felt before as they sat side by side on her bed. He felt for the first time in his lengthy life that he had discovered someone who genuinely understood him.
Damien knew he had to be cautious when the movie concluded and they said their goodbyes. But he also knew that no matter how hazardous it was, he couldn’t stay away from Ava.
Emily and Damien continued to enjoy each other’s company over the following few weeks, studying together and touring the campus. They went to the movies, to parties, and even took lengthy nighttime walks together. Every hour they spent together solidified their bond, and Damien felt himself falling more in love with Emily.
Nevertheless, as much as Damien wanted to give way to his emotions, he couldn’t ignore the risk he posed to Emily as a vampire penguin. He was aware that their connection was illegal and that he had to conceal his actual nature.
Emily saw that, despite his doubts, Damien appeared aloof and focused. She questioned him about it one day.
“What’s up, Damien?” she said, peering into his eyes. “You’ve been behaving strangely recently.” It sounded like some sort of vampire interview.
Damien paused for a time, wondering what to say. He wanted to tell Emily everything in the hopes that she would accept him for who he was. Yet he was also aware that doing so may endanger her.
“I just…I don’t want to hurt you, Emily,” he eventually muttered, hardly raising his voice above a whisper. “There are things about me you don’t know about, things I can’t describe.”
Emily stretched out and held his hand, understanding his distress. “Whatever it is, Damien, we can face it together,” she stated with conviction in her eyes.
Damien was moved by her remarks, yet he felt torn. Could he truly confess his actual identity to her and jeopardize everything they shared? He realized he needed to give it more thought before making any judgements.
Damien felt a sensation of dread developing in his chest as they headed back to Emily’s room. He realized he couldn’t keep his actual nature disguised forever, and that he would have to make a decision at some point. Yet for the time being, he would cherish every moment he had with Emily, knowing that their time together was precious and limited.
After weeks of searching, Damien discovered Emily in a little village on the city’s outskirts. She was working at a nearby coffee shop when he came in, and she was shocked to see him.
Emily was first hesitant to speak with Damien, recalling the agony of their breakup. Damien, on the other hand, pleaded with her, telling her how much he missed her and how much he still loved her.
Emily was torn between two options. On the one hand, she had never stopped loving Damien, but she also realized that their relationship was risky and difficult. She was also scared to bring him back into her life for fear of him abandoning her again.
But Damien persisted, and Emily ultimately agreed to see him for tea. They sat across from one other for hours, catching up on everything that had transpired in their lives since their last meeting.
