Night had fallen on Asher's house.
A deceptive calm reigned, disturbed only by the discreet ticking of a clock.
There was a knock at the door.
Miria, who was walking down the hall in her socks, stopped. She glanced around: the house was silent.
— I'm coming...
She opened.
Marlie stood there, nervous, her hands clenching the straps of her bag.
—You said you had something important to tell me? Miria asked softly.
Marlie nodded.
— Yes… but not here. Can we go somewhere else?
Miria frowned slightly.
— Sorry, but no. I'm not going out tonight.
Then, more reassuringly:
—And if it can reassure you... I'm alone.
Marlie hesitated for another second, searching her friend's face for the slightest trace of danger. Then she took a deep breath.
- All right.
They went up together to Miria's room. As soon as they entered, Miria locked the door, a sharp click echoing through the room.
"Okay," she said, turning around. What is so important?
Marlie sighed deeply, as if she were preparing to jump into the void.
—First… I need you to promise me something.
—What then?
— Promise me that what you find out about me... will not change anything between us.
Miria stared at her, serious.
—I swear to you.
— Miria… I'm serious.
Miria rolled her eyes with a small smile.
— I swear to you on anything you want.
Marlie closed her eyes for a second.
—Okay…
When she opened them again, her claws sprouted, long and shiny. His fangs appeared, sharp, inhuman.
Miria remained motionless.
After a few seconds, Marlie made her supernatural attributes disappear.
— Miria... listen to me carefully. I am a werewolf. But don't get me wrong, I don't harm humans. There are bad ones…and good ones. And I'm on the side of the good guys.
A silence.
Then Miria smiled.
— Okay.
Marlie blinked.
—Is that all? You… you're not afraid?
— Should I?
Marlie was speechless.
"And then," Miria continued calmly, "if you had wanted to hurt me… you could have done it a long time ago. You had plenty of opportunities.
Marlie's eyes misted.
She threw herself into his arms, bursting into tears.
— You can't imagine how much I hoped that you would accept me…
Miria held her tightly, without hesitation.
When Marlie finally broke away, she wiped her tears and resumed a serious expression.
— But that's not all. You need to know something. Asher is not what you think. In reality, it's a—
"A vampire," Miria finished with a big smile.
Marlie remained frozen.
—…You know that?
- Yes. And to be precise, he's a vampire wizard. He was born a wizard, but because of an accident that he refuses to explain to me... he became a vampire.
— Wow… and that doesn't matter to you?
Miria sighed softly.