They sat on the table and Sadik stared at the cross on Nikola’s necklace as if bewitched. It had hurt when Nikola had pulled it out. It hadn’t been a physical pain. But one that tore at his heart.

Nikola was afraid of him. And Sadik understood. He had been afraid of vampires, too, once. However, Nikola knew him…for a day. Scratch that. Nikola had all the sense to be afraid.

“Where do I start? I am a vampire. But, most of the myths about us are not true,” Nikola sucked in a breath at the word vampire and leaned back in his chair. Well, he wasn’t screaming, at least. Sadik could count his blessings.

“Such as?” Asked Nikola when he composed himself.

“Well, the myth about sunlight, as you may have guessed. When fed, we can go around in brood daylight for about five hours. You noticed how I sipped from something after we came back from the hospital yesterday?” Nikola nodded.

“I thought it was tomato juice,” Sadik supposed that Nikola must have seen the red on Sadik’s lips and assumed.

“Yes, no. It was blood. But, before you say anything, know I get my blood from the hospital. I have this arrangement with the director. I donate for repairs around the building and I get a liter of blood each day,” Nikola nodded again, face relaxing slightly.

“When you suggested that you can be a serial killer?” Ah, they were going back to that. Sadik attempted to smile, but decided against it. Least, Nikola thought him deranged.

“Sometimes, I kill. When famished, a vampire can’t control himself. But, I haven’t been to that extreme in about a century,” Nikola looked pale at the implications that he was talking to a murderer, but didn’t comment.

“Right, another myth that is unfortunately true is that we need to be let in by the owner of a residence to manage to get in,” Sadik watched as realization crossed over Nikola’s mind.

“So, the little ruse with the sugar the other day?” Sadik gulped.

“Yes, I needed you to let me in. I thought that you hacked me. Then, I read your mind, and you tracked the money to Abraxas and things got cleared,” Sadik’s smile was weak and Nikola didn’t return it.

“What were you going to do to me, if it had been me?” Sadik didn’t like the small voice with which Nikola was addressing him. It reeked of fear.

“I was going to make you into a food source. And I would have forced you to return the money. But I was not going to rough you up, I swear!” Sadik had thought how he was going to turn Nikola into a sex toy too. However, he didn’t want to tell Nikola that. Nikola seemed to have bought his explanation because he nodded.

“And, after you found out it wasn’t me, why did you stay?” Sadik relaxed in the chair. This was easy.

“I think I already told you last night. But you took it the wrong way,” Nikola’s eyes widened. His hands shot up to the necklace. Sadik groaned internally.

“Really? You think having sex is worse than getting enslaved?” Sadik’s voice was sarcastic. The timer for the banitsa pinged and Nikola let go of his cross.

“Just a second,” said the Bulgarian, and he took a pair of mittens. The circular pie like breakfast was soon cooling between them. Sadik had to admit it looked appetizing.

“So, you want sex and that is it?” Something told Sadik he had to be cautious with how he responded.

“I want a deep friendship with you. You are fun to be around, relaxing. And I think you have a beautiful mind and that we can be good together, yes. But, if you are not ready, I can wait,” Nikola’s face softened and Sadik whopped internally.

“There is something I have to tell you too, then. However, seeing as you can read minds, you might already know,” Sadik figured that Nikola would come clean about his mafia family now that Sadik had done the same about him being a vampire.

“I think I know what you want to say, but go ahead,” Nikola sucked in a breath to steal himself and then spoke.

“My family and friends and from the Bulgarian mafia. Well, apart from Ivan. I do jobs for them. With my program,” Sadik nodded. He had pieced together as much from Nikola’s mind and the confession.

“You should stop. Before they drag you to prison with them,” Nikola looked down at his hands and looked saddened.

“The last time I told them I am quitting, they pushed Ivan down the stairs,” Sadik read in Nikola’s mind that the man was concerned about him. How he didn’t want anything to happen to Sadik. But he was not brave enough to utter the words.

“I can take care of myself, don’t worry,” said Sadik with a devil-may-care grin. “I have my resources.”

“You don’t know a thing about them! It is not just drugs and money laundering with them. They do hired killings too. Sadik, if something happens to you…” Nikola then stopped talking. Afraid that if he uttered the words, what he feared will come to pass.

“Nothing will happen,” said Sadik, already making plans into getting the Bulgarian mafia in line. “And I will deal with your problem for you. You will never have to worry about your friends getting hurt ever again.”

Nikola’s eyes widened.

“I don’t want to see my family dead. And, while my friends consider me to be someone who can be pushed around, they are still friends,” Sadik wasn’t going to kill them. He was going to take the place of Nikola’s sister. He told him that, and Nikola stood up from his chair.

“You do such things?” Nikola sounded disbelieving and horrified. Sadik sighed.

“Look, Niki, you have to learn that sometimes a bit of gray has to mix with the black and white. I will disband the mafia. Sure, a new one will take its place. But, your…family and friends won’t be in it,” promised him Sadik.

“You will help them return to an honest life?” Nikola sounded disbelieving. Sadik smirked.

“No, they will just be under new management. Instead of ruining lives, they will better mine. I have been looking for more workers, anyway. And, this friend of yours. Tsvetan? He gave you a run for your money. I’d like to have such a hacker in my employee,” Nikola sat back down. Sadik checked his mind. There was relief in there. And a decent among of gratitude. But, above all else, Nikola was not judging him. Sadik thought he was in love.