Comfort, support, and invitation

There were too many deaths in one day for a family to handle. Ben sent you Leonard's words before he asked you to leave. The mayor and his wife stayed behind to help, while George, Grace, Fran, and you left the mansion at around 10 a.m. and returned to the town. You parted with George and Grace and went back to the hotel with Fran.

For the rest of the day, you just stayed in the room with Fran quietly. You have been lying in bed, thinking, with Fran sitting beside you, reading books. You didn't want to say anything, and she understood that.

Deep down you knew that nothing could be changed by doing nothing, but you just didn't know what else you could do. You originally thought that Shannon was the pure werewolf that attacked you, that she was the key to solving all the problems, but she wasn't. And she was put down before you could get anything useful from her. You felt lost.

"Fran..." You whispered. You didn't turn around, but you knew she was there.

"Yes?" She put down the book and looked at you.

"If I become a monster like that... what will you do?" You sighed. You didn't have much syringes of monkshood solution left. Your time was ticking.

"Well, let's see..." You didn't look at her face, but she sounded optimistic and relaxed. "I'll lock you up in a basement until the next full moon. I'll buy you raw meat every day until you revert to your form. I'll be happy to help you deal with the urge whenever you like, as long as you don't hurt other people. And then, I'll do all this again during the next full moon, and every one after." She replied with a smile, like she wasn't answering a tough question.

"I'm not joking." You said.

"Neither am I." She gently held your arm, "What do you expect me to do? Put you down without a second thought?"

"Maybe you should..."

"Will you kill me if I'm turned into a monster?" Fran asked.

You didn't know the answer. You had staked Melissa when she became a vampire and attacked you. But if it were Fran? Could you really do it? You wished that the day would never come when you had to answer that question.

"I know I couldn't do it." Fran answered before she took a deep breath. "I can't live with the guilt of killing the man I love the most. I'll stay by your side, whether you are a monster or not. You're stuck with me for the rest of your life, I'm sure."

"You'll get hurt... and..." You didn't dare to continue.

"Then make me a monster like you, so that I can feel what you feel." Fran lay down and wrapped her arm around your waist from behind. You could feel her warmth, and it comforted you in more ways than you thought.

"Please don't say that..." You whispered.

"Then don't give up. Fight, just like how you fought the vampire blood in your body back then. I haven't given up, and neither should you. Remember, whatever you do, I'm right behind you." Fran leaned against the back of your neck and smiled.

You turned around and looked at Fran. Her black eyes, deep and shiny like pearls, were as beautiful as they always have been, and they could always bring you peace. You carefully touched her face, and she just grabbed your hand, smiled slightly, and landed a brief kiss on your lips. The lingering feeling of her soft lips made you want more.

You kissed her back, more passionately this time. When your lips intertwined and you got yourself drowned in this intoxication, you knew what you had to do. You might fail, but not without fighting. You were not only fighting for yourself, but also fighting for a better future for Fran. She deserved better, and you had to make sure of that before you lost.

"So, how are you feeling?" Fran asked after you pulled away.

"Better now." You smiled, "Are you hungry?"

"Let's get something to eat." She got up and said it before you did.

You went to the restaurant at around 5:30 p.m. and had dinner with Fran. You hadn't had anything the whole day, and you almost wolfed down three steaks in minutes. Fran just looked at you adoringly for most of the time. She always treasured the time she spent with you.

When you came back from the restaurant, you were surprised to see that someone was waiting outside your room. It was Grace.

"Hey, Grace. I didn't know you were coming." You stepped up to greet her.

"Hi, James... Well, May, my sister-in-law, wants to meet you now. In the bookshop. In private." Grace took a glance at Fran and said awkwardly.

Grace looked very uncomfortable, but you couldn't tell why. And why does George's wife want to meet me? We haven't met... Wait, we have, right? According to Fran, She and I went to the bookshop and had dinner with them the day before yesterday. You frowned with suspicion. You'd always doubted the real reason behind your mysterious memory loss, and this was a chance to find out why.

Maybe I should go with her, you thought, and turned to Fran.

"You should go. I'll just wait for you here." Fran looked nervous, too, but she gave you the courage to accept the invitation.

"Okay." You looked at Grace firmly.

You followed Grace to the bookshop at around 7 p.m.. The sun had set and the shop was closed. You didn't see George, and you had a strange feeling when you stepped inside with Grace. It was like you were walking into a trap. But there was no going back now.

Grace guided you to the reading room. The room was surrounded by bookshelves. You felt familiar with this place. You must have been here before. There were several sets of tables and chairs, and even a sofa, in the room, where a lady in a black dress was sitting and reading a book. She was also wearing a black fleece scarf, even though the room was warm. And that must be May, you thought to yourself.

"May, James is here." Grace said quietly beside you.

The lady raised her head and looked at you. She was an Asian, with slightly paler skin and soft dark hair. Her deep black eyes with a mole under the left one, her rosy lips, and her elegant smile almost sucked your soul out of your body. You didn't want to say anything or step further, fearing that you would lose this opportunity to admire her beauty.

"Thanks, Grace." May put the book down onto the table in front of her, "Please have a seat, Mr. Wilson." She pointed at the chair opposite her.

You were happy to do so as you quickly walked toward the chair and sat down. Grace remained silent as she turned around and was ready to leave.

"You could stay, Grace. This is important to you, too." May looked at her husband's sister and said.

Grace paused for a moment, and then she returned and sat in the chair next to you. The tension in the room was weird. You felt a mild sense of danger, but you didn't know where it was coming from. It made you extremely uncomfortable.

"Do you have something to ask before we talk, Mr. Wilson?" May leaned against the back of the sofa and crossed her legs, while she stared into your eyes with a gentle smile.

You remained in thought for a few seconds. "Who are you?" You asked. Yes, she was May Clark, Grace's sister-in-law. But something about her told you that she wasn't just a regular lady who liked to read books. Why did she want to meet you? And more importantly, why now?

"It's very close, Mr. Wilson, but it's not the right question." She just looked at you calmly.

Her eyes turned red in two seconds. All the cells in your body were trembling, your blood pumping, and your mind screaming. You wanted to immediately run away, but you couldn't move your arms and legs anymore.

She's a...

"It should start with a 'What'." May parted her lips when she spoke, and you saw a pair of half-an-inch long fangs where her upper canines used to be.