Bad blood – B2/C1
When a vampire visits a young couple in love, can they – and their love – survive?
David and Emma gazed at each other across the table. The young couple were content: the meal was delicious, the candlelight was soft and the music captured the moment perfectly.
David looked at Emma's beautiful smile. All the pain of his last break-up, all his doubts and fears about love melted away. His hand reached out and touched hers nervously.
'I have something I want to ask you.' David searched her eyes to see if she guessed what was coming.
Her smile was reassuring. She squeezed his hand. 'You needn't worry. Whatever it is, I'm sure I'll say yes!'
A huge wave of excitement went through him as he prepared to ask the most important question of his life.
From the corner of the restaurant, a strange man watched them. He sat, stiff and unmoving, at his table, pretending to read a menu. But all the while, he stared with cold eyes at the young couple.
Back at their table, David suddenly felt his nerves return.
'Excuse me,' he said to Emma. He pushed his chair back and went to the toilet. As he looked at his reflection in the mirror, he took a deep breath and told himself: 'Come on, David, come on! You can do this, mate! She's crazy about you!'
He nodded at himself and, feeling braver, he stepped outside the bathroom. He bumped straight into the extremely tall man, who was waiting by the door. The man's eyes were a cold, bright blue and his face was pale with a sharp, pointed nose and thin, pale lips.
'Oh, sorry!' said David.
'Which one?' the man hissed. He spoke with a strange, heavy accent that David had never heard before.
For a moment, David was confused until he realised what the other man meant.
'Er ... oh! This one!' said David, helpfully. 'This is the men's toilet!'
David went back into the restaurant, reaching into his pocket for the small, square-shaped box. He was now filled with courage. He was going to ask her.
The taxi ride home was heaven. The happy pair discussed their future life together and shared sweet words of admiration.
'The night I proposed!' said David.
'The night I accepted!' replied Emma.
'Just think, a whole life together!'
'Caring, sharing, …' he began.
'... loving, giving!' Emma finished his sentence.
They smiled at each other in love and excitement.
'You are so wonderful!' sighed David.
'And you're absolutely gorgeous!' said Emma. 'I've never met anyone so lovely and kind! I'm so happy I could sing!'
But as they entered their block of flats, holding hands, a tall figure watched them from the shadows.
'Which one?' he whispered to himself.
He watched the building, waiting for a light to come on and give away which flat was theirs. One minute went by … two … there it was! The light went on in a third-floor window. Emma was briefly visible as she closed the curtains.
How often had the sharp-toothed watcher stood on corners like this observing his victims? Many corners! Many windows! A thin smile spread across his pale lips. He moved out of the shadows to the door and pressed all the doorbells. The vampire was always grateful for these modern flats. Sooner or later someone would let you in, thinking it was a pizza delivery. Silly humans! It was a kind of invitation – and that was all he needed to enter a home.
As he climbed the stairs to the third floor and walked soundlessly down the hall, he could hear the young couple's laughter and conversation. As he pressed his ear against the door, he could hear their conversation. Young love made for the sweetest blood; it was so full of life and energy.
'I feel as if I'm in a film,' she was saying.
'More like a dream,' he replied.
'Yes, a dream. How lucky we are!'
'Guess who I'll be dreaming about tonight!' he teased.
'Who? Who?'
'Her hair smells of roses! She's like an angel!'
