The Vampire's Apprentice

"Okay," said Eric, stepping back. "No probes. You're fine."
CLancy straightened and smoothed his hair. "Excellent. May we go in?"
"Wait!" Eric's hand jumped up like a traffic cop's. He peered at Kitty suspiciously. "She must be checked next!" He reached out for Kitty's head.
Clancy resisted the urge to roll his eyes and tried to indicate to Kitty to go with it. It would only take a second, and Eric was harmless.
 
Kitty blinked, but went with it. She knelt down on a knee as opposed to leaning over, having a resentment for hair hanging in front her face.
 
Eric examined her head, as well, then nodded in satisfaction. He let her go and stepped back. "Did you bring it?" he whispered, almost quivering in excitement.
"Yes, and here they are, all eighteen of them," Clancy said, handing over the cookies.
Eric grabbed them and sniffed the boxed before giggling. "Thanks! Homemade! These are brilliant! The place is yours, just, you know, things." He scurried off.
Clancy waited until Eric was gone then turned to Kitty. He handed her a flashlight. "After you."
 
She took it and flicked the light on, wincing at the sudden brightness. The girl didn't exactly know where they were going, but shuffled in the assumed direction and hoped he would correct her if she was wrong.
 
Clancy put a hand on her arm. "Kitty," he said quietly, "there is no right or wrong way. This is for you. Go explore and pick out some books. Just remember we have to carry them home, so keep the number down."
 
Kitty flicked the light off again. That didn't make sense. His words didn't make sense. Why didn't they make sense? "You're serious?" She asked back.
 
Clancy inclined his head. "Go. Look around. I will be over in the garden section, I believe, or perhaps the nonfiction." He turned and started wandering away, not needing light to see his way.
 
There was a moment of stillness before she decided on using the flashlight again. Books made her happy, despite lingering confusion. Nothing was better than being able to brush one's fingers against the worn spines of beloved novels, accidentally stepping on squeaky floorboards and kneeling down to examine hidden gems tucked between lower shelves. Without restriction, she could have taken the whole bookstore with her, so she made effort to find no more than three.

In the end, "three" was more like seven, which she whittled down to five. Five books. Five new adventures just waiting to be uncovered. And one extra—a big, dull, brown-covered book without a visible title—but that was for something else entirely.
 
Eric spied on Kitty. He wasn't very good at his spy attempts, but he stayed out of the way, apparently just interested in keeping an eye on her than interfering.

Clancy browsed quietly, not really in need of any new books, but Kitty inspired him. So, with great trepidation, he went out of his way to pick up a fiction book that did not immediately seem like his usual choice. It was some kind of mystery book, a cozy mystery according to the cover, and there were two cats on the cover. He half-hid the cover, feeling embarrassed as he moved slowly toward the front and picked up a travel brochure for Alaska and Minnesota on his way.
 
Adjusting the small-ish stack of books in her arms, Kitty made her way back to Clancy, noticeably in a much better mood than she had been previously. "Did you find anything interesting?" She asked, stepping up beside him.
 
"A couple of future moving destinations," Clancy said. "I see you found a decent stack. Now where is... Ah, there. Eric, we are ready."
Eric scurried over behind the counter and booted up the computer. He scanned their books painfully slow while Clancy waited patiently, wincing at each high-pitched beep. Finished, he bagged their books and handed them over. "It was nice to see you again. Come again?"
"Yes, and I will bring you the goods again," Clancy promised. "Thank you, Eric. Have a good night."
Eric let them out and locked up behind them.
 
She followed after Clancy, not speaking until they had been walking for a minute.

"Heya, Mr. McCleary," Kitty began.
 
"I'm sorry I threatened you, back there, at the therapist's office." She apologized. "I shouldn't have said it, even though I was angry. I wouldn't do something like that to you."
 
"I know," Clancy said softly. "I... trust you. I am sorry I tricked you into going. I felt it was important, but I knew you wouldn't agree to it. I still should have at least warned you, I think."
 
Clancy impulsively touched her shoulder. "Nor do you." He sighed. "Now please don't make this be a step back when I say I have made standing appointments for you."
 
"Clearly I would rather you talked, but that is your choice," Clancy agreed. "Sit in silence, if you prefer, but personally I would take advantage of having completely uninterrupted time to speak with an unbiased person. You can complain about me."
 
"I wasn't complaining. I was making a point." She had said what she'd said about him knowing full well he'd probably been able to hear her. "Besides, if I was to speak to said unbiased person, I'd be in a psyche ward long before any problems of mine were solved. Who would ever believe I was living with a vampire? Much less, why would you want me talking about it in the first place."
 
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