The Lost Boy

“What do you want, Nora?” Harry hisses and he closes the door behind him.
Nora doesn’t seem as teasing as before, though. She looks away, unable to meet his eyes, and fiddles with the hem of her shirt.
“Please come back, Harry.” Her voice comes out very quiet and Harry leans in a little closer to hear what she said.
“What?”
“Please, Harry, I’m begging you. Just…” She peers up, her eyes pleading. “It’s safer with the vampire court, you know that. And you drank from a human finally, so all is forgiven.”
“Nora…”
“Harry, please.” She interrupts.
“Why did you go from ‘I’m going to kill Monica’ to ‘oh, dear Harry, please come home with me’?” Harry demands, suddenly angry. “Leave her out of this.” Nora glances away with a sigh before answering.
“You can come back now. The vampire court will welcome you home with open arms. You can leave this human behind.” He shakes his head.
“You’re not answering my question, Nora.”
“Why do you care so much a-about a silly human?” She cries out. “She’s just a mortal, Harry. You know whatever connection you have with her won’t last.”
“I don’t care what you think about her.” Pause. “Just answer the question.”
“Fine.” Nora snaps angrily. “You really want to know why?”
“Yes.” Harry responds in frustration.
“I fucking miss you, okay? That’s why I fucking came here. Are you happy now?” Harry scoffs, shaking his head.
“You never changed, you know that, right?” He leans in dangerously close. “Why did you really come here, Nora?” He says in a low voice. Nora swallows but doesn’t break eye contact.
“It’s about Zayn.” She admits.
“What? What about Zayn?”
Harry momentarily loses his composure and gives Nora the space to casually back away. She leans against the peeling railing of the balcony.
“He’s decided to pay you a visit. Congratulate you on drinking from a human.” She shrugs, looking out amongst the buildings. Harry grits his teeth.
“You told him? He doesn’t need to know about this. I left for a reason.” Nora meets his eyes. She scowls at him.
“We were all friends, Harry. He wanted updates, wanted to know how you were holding up on the ‘outside’.”
“How generous of you to actually help someone for the first time in your life.” Harry says coldly.
“Don’t patronize me, Harry.” She glares back. “But since you brought it up, did you tell your little human girlfriend that you left or did you give her the ‘I was kicked out’ sob story?” She sneers mockingly at him.
“That’s none of your business.” He says sharply.
“You lied to her.” She scoffs in realization. “What else have you lied to her about? Your father?”
“Stop it, Nora.” He snaps, stepping closer to her.
“Did you even tell her who you really are?” She gives him a look of disgust, breaking his eye contact to look him up and down.
“No.” He grits his teeth.
The two glare at each other in silence.
“I’m doing the best I can without you.” Nora says slowly, breaking the silence.
“Why are you so dependent on me, Nora?” Harry cries. “We dated for a few months and, if I can recall correctly, you dumped me for some ‘older, more attractive vampire’ -as you phrased.” Nora pouts, her arms folded.
“That’s not fair, Harry.”
“That’s completely fair! You had your chance, Nora, and you ruined me. And then I left the vampire court. You know what I did after that? I put on a smile and tried to make the best of it but you just had to follow me, didn’t you?”
“I was looking out for you, Harry.” Nora says quietly. Harry lets out a loud barking laugh that startles her.
“That’s bullshit and you know it.” He growls. “You never once helped me. Especially two weeks ago when I came in looking beat to hell because it isn’t easy surviving off of animal blood. You know who actually gave a shit about me for once in my life? Monica. She helped me. She fucking cares.” He snarls at Nora.
“I-I care.” She stutters quietly.
“If you did then we wouldn’t be here right now.”
There’s a long pause before Nora speaks.
“Does Monica know? About us? The vampire court?”
“She knows enough for now.” He finally decides. Nora sighs, frowns.
“Well I hope you can keep her safe. You know Zayn. Unpredictable.”
“He’s not the only one.” Harry replies coldly. Again, Nora sighs, appearing saddened.
“He’ll be here soon.” When Harry doesn’t respond, Nora speaks again.
“Goodbye, Harry.”
Harry watches as she walks down the stairs and disappears into the darkening shadows. He remains outside on the balcony to clear his mind before returning to Monica.
Before the door clicks shut behind him Monica is already asking questions.
“Who was that? What did they need? You were out there a really long time. Are you okay? You look kind of shaken up.”
Harry wordlessly heads to the kitchen to clean up.
“Harry?” Monica asks, softer now. “Who was that?”
Harry stops what he was doing but doesn’t look at her.
“Nora.”
“What?” Monica stands completely baffled beside him. “What did she want?”
“She wanted me to return to the vampire court.” Her stomach drops.
“Are you going to go?” She asks anxiously.
“I don’t know.”
One thing Nora was right about was that if I return to the court, Monica will be safe.
“It’s better for you there, though, right?” Harry peers down at Monica in surprise.
“Kind of.”
She smiles up at him but the smile doesn’t quite meet her eyes.
“Then you should go.”
“Why?”
“You’ll finally have the care you need after being neglected for so long.”
“Yeah, from the very vampires who neglected me in the first place.” Monica frowns, realizing his point.
“Besides,” He says gently,” I’d rather stay with you.”
Monica’s heart leaps in her chest and she can’t help but grin.
“Really? But why?”
“You’ve helped me more than they ever have. Who would want to hang out with hundred year old vampires, anyway?” Monica laughs, blushing.
“I see your point.”
The front door creaks as it slowly swings open. The two stare at the open door in confusion until Harry realizes what’s going on.
“Shit, he’s here.” Harry growls under his breath.
“What? Who?” Monica asks frantically, matching his quiet tone.
“Get behind me.” He instructs, scanning the area. “Monica?”
He hears muffled cries and whips around, fangs displayed.
“Hello, dear Harry, my old friend. It has been a while, hasn’t it?”
Monica squeaks under Zayn’s hand, terror in her eyes.
“Zayn, let her go.” Harry instructs calmly, though fear is apparent in his own eyes. Zayn holds Monica close to his body, locking her in place.
“Harry,” Monica wriggles free of Zayn’s hand, ”what’s going on?”
“Zayn, let her go and we’ll talk, okay, buddy? She has nothing to do with this.” Harry reasons.
“She is the entire reason I’m here. So, actually, she has everything to do with this. Besides,” Zayn hums, “doesn’t she just smell delicious?” He grazes his fangs along Monica’s neck and she whimpers, her breathing quickening.
“What are you talking about? Nora said you were coming to congratulate me on drinking from a human.” Harry says, partly to divert the conversation. Zayn throws his head back in laughter.
“And you believed her?”
“Then why did you come?” Harry quickly adds.
“Because you belong with us. You’re a vampire, Harry. I don’t understand why you are hanging out with mortals. They’re so boring.” He licks his lips. “Although, humans are so easy.” He drawls. Monica breathes heavily, obviously scared. “Can’t you hear that delectable blood circulating through that fragile heart of hers?” Monica watches Harry with pleading eyes. Begging him to get her away from him. “Let’s drink together, Harry. In celebration of you returning to the vampire court.”
“Zayn, I’d rather you let her go and step away, okay?” Harry says calmly.
“Are you seriously trying to use your fucking powers on me?” Zayn roars, scaring Monica, who in turn, begins crying. “Fine, I’ll just drink from her myself.”
And before Harry can make a move, Zayn’s fangs are buried deeply in Monica’s neck. Monica cries out in pain and attempts to wiggle away. Zayn drinks quickly, gulping blood and Monica already appears weakened. Harry quickly leaps at Zayn but he pulls away, shouting.
“It burns!” He shouts angrily.
Monica slips out of his grasp, hitting the floor with a heavy thud, no longer conscious.
“Is that fucking garlic?” Zayn roars.
He swings a punch at Harry but he dodges it and throws one of his own, hitting him square in the jaw. The garlic has already taken effect in Zayn’s body, rapidly weakening him.
“You should leave while you still have the chance.” Harry advises with steely eyes.
Zayn hisses in return but in his condition he can’t do much fighting. So instead, he hobbles out of the apartment and into the shadows.
Harry hurries to the door and latches it shut. He turns to find Monica sprawled out on the kitchen floor, her chest visibly rising and falling.
“Thank god.” Harry murmurs, kneeling beside her. Scooping her up in his lap, she moans quietly. “Monica?” Harry breathes, brushing her hair away from her face.
His hand comes back painted in blood. Harry sucks in a harsh breath. His fangs begging to come out. Her hair is already sticky with her own garlicky blood. Harry takes in a deep breath; the smell repulsing him yet makes him thirst for her blood.
“Harry?” Monica croaks quietly.
Harry forces his gaze from the blood on his hand to Monica’s face. Her eyes flutter open but she squeezes them shut again.
“My head hurts, Harry.” She whimpers.
“I know, I know. Let’s move you to the couch, okay?” Harry begins to lift her but she grabs his arm, wincing.
“Stay here.”
“O-okay. I’ll clean you up here, then. Where is your first aid kit?”
“Bathroom.”
Harry carefully lays her back down before making his way to the bathroom and then swinging around to the living room. He gently lifts her head and places one of the colorful throw pillows beneath her head before cracking open the first aid kit.

Notes