We stepped back from the edge and Ira led us to the bridge.

He squeezed my hand. “Ready?”

I nodded.

We started to cross, and I felt a little silly. Of course it was no big deal, just a bridge. A hint of spray misted over us, the bridge just close enough to the waterfall. Quite refreshing, actually. Ira kept his fingers through mine as we walked.

“I think it’s my question,” I said.

“Ask away.”

“Do you have any siblings?” I asked. “Or step-siblings, I guess?”

“Just me.” He grinned. “We’re both only children. Wonder if we’d fight a lot.”

“To the death,” I said solemnly.

He laughed, but only time would tell if I was joking.

“My question.” His grin turned sly. “What’s your type of guy?”

Evan’s face floated through my mind. “Hmm...tall, built, dark hair, nice eyes.”

Ira preened. “Oh, really?”

All casual, I said, “Wow, this is a long bridge.”

Ira could think I was talking about him all he wanted. Worked to my advantage that way. That was the best way to lie to vampires: make everything you said technically true. Most people produce biological clues when they lie. Tell as much truth as you can, and this problem is avoided. Though, I still didn’t know if he even was a vampire.

“What’s your type?” I asked.

“Hmm...tall, blond, sassy, cute.” His thumb stroked over mine as he answered.

“What are you doing with me then?” I quipped.

“Hey, don’t do that.” He stopped walking, using our entwined hands to pull me so close to him our chests were almost touching.

“Don’t do what?” This close to him I had to tilt my head back to talk to him. For the first time I realized he was a slice taller than Evan.

“Be down on yourself,” he said. “I notice things, too. Both times I’ve complimented you, you’ve tried to deny it. You are cute, Seth. If you can’t agree, at least don’t disagree.”

As we stared at each other, I allowed my cheeks to heat. (As a character beat, of course.)

“Okay?” He rasped.

Caught by his eyes, all I could say was, “Okay.”

He was looking down at me. I was looking up at him. Even with the few inches of height difference, our faces were so close. His eyes were much richer than I’d originally thought, the chocolate flecked with amber.

A lightning bolt of certainty shot through me. If I kissed him, he would kiss me back.

Flush deepening, I had to look away to get a grip. This isn’t a real date, I reminded myself. I couldn’t kiss him because I wanted to, only if the mission called for it.

The mission. That’s what I was here for. No more messing around. I needed concrete proof of vampire powers.

I stepped back. “Bet I can beat you to the end of the bridge.”

“That’s never gonna--hey!”

Releasing his fingers, I shot toward the other end of the bridge like an arrow from the bow. But even before I reached the end, I knew this wasn’t working. Behind me, I could hear Ira’s feet pounding. He was only moving human fast. The speed of the Damned is silent.

I stepped off the wood back onto the dirt of the trail, and turned to face him.

He was smiling. “Well, damn. You w--”

“You cheated,” I said.

He stared at me. “I...lost.”

“Underperforming is cheating, too.” My eyes narrowed. “Did you let me win?”

“Would I do that?” He said, way too smooth.

I crossed my arms. “That sounds like a yes to me.”

“Are you...really mad?” He asked.

Turning away from him, I said, “No-one likes being condescended to. I get that enough from my people.” (I hadn’t meant to say that part.) “I like to deserve victory.”

As I stared out toward the falls, an idea began forming. The exposed rock was cracked and carved, not all of it smooth from years of water.

“Didn’t realize you were so competitive.” Ira came up behind me and laid his long-fingered hands on my shoulders. “I didn’t mean to be condescending. I’m sorry.”

“Wanna make it up to me?” Maybe I made the question just a bit flirty.

“Of course.” The husk of his answer let me know he was about to agree to anything.

I turned beneath his hands so we were face to face again. “Ever been rock climbing?”

“Rock climbing,” he repeated.

“Mhh-hmm.”

“Well, yes,” he said. “But we don’t have any equipment.”

I tossed a thumb over my shoulder. “There’s a big rock right there. What else do we need?”

“Ropes, carabiners, harnesses--”

Conjuring my best Beni, I batted my eyes up at him. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.” Without waiting to see if my hit landed, I spun and strode toward the cliff.

After a beat, I heard him follow and allowed myself a triumphant smile. (Only because I knew he couldn’t see it.)

The waterfall pounded down the mountain into oblivion, but the mountainside above where we were standing should be dry enough to grab on to. Exposed and weathered, the rock provided plenty of hand holds. All I had to do was climb up high enough that Ira would feel the need to catch me if I ‘fell,’ but not so high I’d really get hurt on the off chance he wasn’t actually a vampire.

“I’m not so sure this is safe,” Ira said.

Ignoring him, I stared up the mountain. Then I stuck my hand in a crack and pulled myself up. My foot found a gap to step in automatically.

“See?” I said. “Easy.”

He sighed. “You’re really doing this, aren’t you?” Almost reluctantly, he stepped up to the rock.

I found my next perch, then the next, and the next. Slowly, but surely, the ground fell away.

“How far are you going?” Barely off the ground, he hollered up to me.

“Far as I can,” I called back, actually enjoying myself.

Soon I was high enough up that the spray from the fall was wetter, misting down from above where the river poured over the mountain.

Then something moved in the corner of my eye. Sharply, I glanced over at the falls, and there, half-formed in the water vapor, sparkling through the droplets, a pair of eyes, a dark face in the mist!

But I had turned my head too quickly, reared back too far in shock. My hands scrambled at the rocks--

Screaming, I pitched backward through the air.

“SETH!” Ira’s yell held honest fear in his timbre.

And then his arms were around me, and my own went around his neck as my freefall slowed. We came to a stop gently. Ira landed in a crouch from that fall like no mortal creature could.

So it was confirmed.

Ira was a vampire, after all.