Nightmare

The room was dark except for the dim glow of the television, which I'd muted as soon as Layla started to drift off. She was curled up against me, her breathing soft and even, her head resting on my chest.

Her hand was still loosely gripping my shirt, like she didn't want to let go even in her sleep.

I looked down at her, my heart aching in ways I wasn't entirely prepared for.

Layla.

She'd somehow managed to worm her way into every corner of my life, filling spaces I hadn't even realized were empty.

I ran a hand gently through her hair, careful not to wake her. The trust she had in me, the way she allowed herself to be so vulnerable, it was overwhelming.

And yet, it made the weight of the secret I carried feel heavier.

I'd been thinking about it more and more lately—telling her.

The truth about what I was.

Half-human, half-vampire.