Content Warning: Domestic violence, panic attack, flashback.“I feel like that was probably a bad idea,” I said. My voice had become a distant, muffled sound, but at least that meant my eardrums were healing.Mateo’s shoulders rose and fell in a sharp, uneven rhythm. His hands shook, then clenched into tight fists. He stood facing away from me, staring out into the night as our intruder disappeared in the distance. I carefully ignored the smattering of old, shiny scars that... more

Mateo smoked redpax shorts. The brand had been around for decades, widely recognizable by its wine red branding and fanged logo on the butts. Cigarettes developed by and for vampires -- he swore it tasted like rich, warm blood somehow. Redpax marketed itself as a way for vampires to blunt the edge of our hunger; supposedly, they made it a little easier to control the monster it created. I thought it was a placebo effect, but Mateo swore by them.He was real particular about it, so I... more