Emmaline's POV:
My parents took Eddie being alive really well. Hopper had spun quite the tale. Eddie had been found alive and was kept in a facility to heal and make sure he would improve but everyone had to think he was dead. My mom let him stay at the house, overriding my father who said he should go stay with Wayne. He eventually would have to go stay with Wayne but for right now, my mom said that I needed Eddie and Eddie needed me. Which was true. Eddie had been back about a week now and it seemed like he was acting weird. I couldn't put my finger on it though. He wouldn't get close to me anymore. Doubts and sadness seemed to fill my body and I was doing my best to hide it. Like right now. I kissed Eddie's cheek, his jaw and then his neck. All the kisses were sweet. Nothing more. Eddie then moved away from me. "I'm not in the mood." He mumbled. I sighed softly and said "I wasn't trying to do that and you know it." Eddie shrugged and said "whatever." His nose twitched and he took deep breaths, not looking at me. I didn't say anything as I left him alone. This had been going on for a couple of days now. I was wondering where my sweet Eddie was when he came back. I then started to think about what Alyssa said. Something was wrong with Eddie. I looked over my shoulder and saw him grimace at nothing. Later that night, I woke up in the middle of the night and he was gone. Not sleeping next to me. "Eddie?" I called out in a small voice. He wasn't in the bathroom so I went downstairs. Eddie was in the kitchen, stuffing himself with snacks. "Why aren't you eating leftovers?" I asked. Eddie shook his head and said "didn't want any. Didn't really taste good." I was so confused. I didn't question it and left him alone again. The next night I woke up in the middle of the night and he was gone. This time he was in the bathroom, washing what looked like blood off his hands. "Eddie?" I said fearfully. Eddie looked at me and said "m'fine, sweetheart." His tone was sweet and wasn't cold like it had been. "Are you ok?" He nodded and said "yeah." Small tears filled my eyes and I said "ok." I went back to my bed, making sure I wasn't facing him. As much as I didn't want to impose on him, I wanted to know what he was going through. I felt like he was falling out of love with me or because he was going through something that I couldn't help him with. I felt the bed dip behind me and I held in the sob that wanted to leave my lips. Tears rolled down my cheeks and Eddie said "sweetheart? Did you fall back asleep?" I swallowed another sob and said "no." I prayed he couldn't tell I had been crying. Eddie wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me to his chest. I shakily reached for his hand that rested on my stomach. "I gotta tell you something." He said. I squeezed his hand and said "Eddie, I know something's wrong. And maybe it has something to do with me. Maybe you don't love me anymore." Eddie immediately sat up and I looked at him, Eddie seeing the tears. "No. Em, I love you. That has nothing to do with it. It's not you. It's me." I scoffed and said "cliche. Fucking cliche, Eddie. Just leave if you want to leave so bad." Eddie narrowed his eyes at me and said "I don't want to fucking leave. There's something wrong with me, Emmaline. I've kept it a secret and I can't anymore because I'm in pain. I'm hurting every night. I'm starving." "What are you talking about, Eddie?" Eddie wiped my tears and said "when I crawled out of the Upside Down...I was in pain. This burning in my stomach. I didn't know what it was then but I know now. I killed some deer that night. And I drank their blood. I sucked them dry, Em. Vecna did something to me. I think I'm...." My eyes widened as I realized what exactly Eddie was saying. My boyfriend was a vampire. "Are you hurting right now?" Eddie nodded and held his stomach. "It burns?" "So fucking bad. I just need something." Eddie's eyes went to my neck and I watched his canines get sharp. He backed away from me, falling onto the floor. "Fuck, Em. Stay over there." I gasped softly and said "we gotta get you something." Then it clicked in my head. Me. He could feed off of me. "Eddie, you could..." "No. No. You smell so good. I won't be able to stop. I'd kill you." "Go to the woods. Find another deer or something else, Eddie. You can't starve like this." Eddie groaned softly and said "it'll pass." "Is this why you've been staying away from me? And why you're moody?" He nodded and said "yeah. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." "Maybe we should call Alyssa in the morning. Maybe she can bring you something." I said. Eddie stood up slowly and said "I'll be right back. I'm gonna...I'm gonna..." He then passed out. I tried to catch him but failed miserably. I pulled Eddie back into my bed and stroked his head. I called Alyssa and told her she needed to come over in the morning. She agreed. I remembered the very bloody steaks my parents had downstairs. I rushed downstairs, noticing that one of the steaks was no longer covered in blood. That must've been what Eddie was washing off his hands. He attempted one. I grabbed the rest, trying to get all the excess blood into a cup. I grimaced at the smell and got only about a quarter of it in the cup. I went back upstairs into my bedroom, locking the door. "Eddie?" I said. My boyfriend's nose twitched and his eyes shot open. He looked at me and I handed him the cup. "What is this?" "The blood from the steaks downstairs. I saw you tried to get some blood off the one. This is the rest." Eddie looked at the cup and then at me. He brought the cup to his lips, gulping it down as quick as he could. It was only a small bit so it was gone quickly. Eddie set the cup on my nightstand and he licked his lips. He exhaled and groaned. "Eddie." I said as I tried to hug him. Eddie pushed on me and said "n-no." "It's ok." I reassured him. Eddie then shoved me off of him. I gasped as I hit my mattress. "I'll hurt you. Please." "Eddie, please. You could get what you needed from me." Eddie shook his head and said "no." I frowned and looked down. Eddie's head then snapped up, he looked towards my backyard and said "stay here." Before I could ask him where he was going, he rushed out of my bedroom and downstairs. I heard the doorknob to the back door snap. My dad had just gotten that fixed. Eddie most likely broke it again. He was gone for a few minutes. I didn't move from my spot on my bed, terrified. The backdoor clicked shut. I heard footsteps approaching me. Eddie walked into the room, blood covering his face and chin. He went to the bathroom, trying to get it all off. I stayed on my bed, giving Eddie space. Once he cleaned himself of all the blood he approached me. "How're you feeling?" I asked. Eddie shrugged and said "a little bit better." "Is it safe for you to be around me?" Eddie nodded and sat down next to me. "Will you....hold me?" Eddie opened his arms and I immediately got into his lap. Eddie squeezed me tightly and I buried my face into the crook of his neck. Eddie hummed and said "missed holding you like this." "Imagine how I felt." I whispered. Eddie rubbed my back and squeezed me again. "I'm so sorry, Emmaline. I was afraid I'd hurt you. I'd never forgive myself if I end up hurting you." I kissed his neck and nudged my face against his neck. "Are you scared of me?" Eddie asked. I pulled away from him and said "no." "You're not?" "Should I be?" Eddie nodded and said "I'm a monster." "No, you're not. You're not going on a murder spree and you haven't tried to hurt any of us. You're still you, Eddie. You just have a different diet now. And that's ok." Eddie chuckled in disbelief and said "a different diet? Babe." "What? You're still my Eddie. Alyssa can help us in the morning. Maybe she knows something about vampires in the Upside Down. Or maybe Dustin? What if it's a D&D thing?" Eddie furrowed his eyebrows and said "D&D?" "What if you're like Kas?" Eddie gulped and I immediately grabbed my walkie. "Dustin, come in." Eddie tried to stop me and I said "I'm not going to tell him. I'm asking him a D&D question." "What's up, Em? Over." "I was looking at pictures in one of the D&D books that was in Eddie's box. Kas is a vampire, right? Who's supposed to kill Vecna? Over." The walkie hissed before Dustin's voice came through. "Yeah. Kas the Bloody Handed. He defies Vecna and takes his left arm and left eye. Don't you remember in Eddie's campaign?" I thought about it and he was right. I had forgotten. "Oh yeah. That's right. Thanks, Dustin. I was so mad at myself trying to really think about it." "No problem." I then turned off the walkie and looked at Eddie. "Eddie the Bloody Handed." Eddie shook his head and said "no, Em. It's a curse." "Can I see them?" He furrowed his eyebrows again. "Your fangs." Eddie sighed softly and I watched his canines extend, becoming sharper. "How sharp are they?" "Pretty sharp, princess. I tore into a deer's throat like it was nothing." "Tonight? Or the night you came back?" "When I came back." I nodded and said "what did you get tonight?" "You don't wanna know, babe. It wasn't a deer. I was desperate. But I'm ok now." "You sure? You could literally feed on me." Eddie shook his head and said "no. I can't. It's better if I don't. If I get addicted to you..." I nodded and went to kiss Eddie's lips. The taste of iron entered my mouth. I made a face and groaned in disgust. Eddie smirked and I said "you taste like blood. That's gross, Eds." "Maybe don't kiss me after I fed, baby." I pouted and said "but I wanted a kiss." Eddie frowned playfully and said "awe, poor baby." I pushed him and he laughed. "You taste amazing, Elionwy. Even better than before I was a vampire. You taste and smell..." Eddie put his face in the crook of my neck, inhaling deeply. "You smell so good. That's how I found you, when I crawled out of the Upside Down. I could smell you from all the way in the woods. I crawled out of a gate by Lover's Lake. But wasn't the water gate. It was kind of around where we used to take my van and hang out. I could sense your heartache too. I could feel you." I looked at Eddie in shock as he pulled his face from my neck. "Really? You could feel me?" "Yeah. You were so heartbroken, baby. I had to get here and mend you back together. Am I doing a good job?" "You're doing an amazing job. You're here with me." Eddie kissed my forehead and I said "I have another question." Eddie nodded and I pulled my hair up into a ponytail since it was bothering me. "Does human food still taste good?" Eddie covered his mouth and sniggered. I immediately became embarrassed and said "is that a stupid question?" Eddie laughed as he removed his hand from his mouth. I pushed him harder than I had earlier and said "don't be a jerk! I'm being serious! Sorry if that was such a stupid question!" Eddie continued to laugh and I went to hit him in the shoulder and he grabbed my hands. "You're an asshole." I said. Eddie frowned and said "me? That's not nice." "You're being mean." "Am not." "You laughed at me, Eddie. You're mean." "Babe, I only laughed because you were so adorable. Yes, human food still tastes good but I can't live off it like before. It'll help minor hunger pangs and I still get cravings for it but I think I gotta have blood." I nodded and said "ok." Eddie kissed my cheeks and said "I'm not being mean, babe. Ok? You're just adorable. And if you ever tell anyone what I'm about to tell you, I'll bite you." "Biting me would actually be nice because then you wouldn't be hungry." I retorted. "Ugh, Em! You make my heart feel all fuzzy." I blushed and said "really?" Eddie put his hands over his heart and said "of course, sweetheart."

-

The next morning was a stressful one. Alyssa was scolding Eddie for not telling us he had a taste for blood. And that he was a vampire. I tried my best to defend Eddie and tell her that he was scared to tell us. Which he was. "Eddie, you should've told us. How do I know that Emmaline is safe?" Eddie looked at her in shock and he said "this is the exact reason I didn't. I didn't want anyone to know. I'd never hurt Emmaline. Ever. I thought I was protecting everyone if I didn't tell you all. I also wasn't sure if it was real. I crawled out of the Upside Down and drank blood from some deer. Like I was starving. I wasn't sure if that was a hallucination or not. I was covered in god knows what and I was in pain. Emmaline helped me. And I could smell and feel her but I didn't know why. Alyssa, you have to believe me. I didn't know what was going on at the time. And when I started craving it, I tried to distance myself from her and I didn't want to hurt her so I did what I had to. It might not seem like a lot but I did." Alyssa sighed and said "does the sun burn you?" Eddie shook his head and said "no." "Have you been outside since this whole ordeal?" "No. But I've stood in front of Emmaline's window and the sun has shined on me multiple times. I'd burn up eventually right?" Alyssa nodded and said "so, you haven't had the taste of human blood yet?" Eddie shook his head again. "No. I haven't." Alyssa nodded and I said "I told Eddie he could feed off me worst case scenario. If he didn't have anything. Just a little to get him through the day." Eddie looked down at his lap and Alyssa said "are you considering it?" "The more she says it? Yeah. It sounds so tempting but I'm afraid I won't stop once I latch onto her. I'll suck her dry like those deer and I won't know what to do if I hurt her." "It's probably best you don't then." Alyssa said. She motioned for me to walk out of my bedroom and into my bathroom. "Emmaline, you cannot be serious. You were going to let a vampire bite you? Drink your blood? I don't think that's a good idea. And what if you become like Eddie?" She stood in front of me, all seriousness on her face. I gulped and said "what if I wanted that?" "You don't. You don't want to be like Eddie." "I want to help him. We don't even know if Eddie biting me would turn me. It's just not something we're familiar with." "Emmaline, this is serious. Just please don't let him bite you. Please. I just don't think it's ok. I don't know if it's safe. Just please don't." I nodded with a sigh. "Ok. I won't." Alyssa narrowed her eyes at me. "I won't." The two of us went back into the room and Eddie scratched the back of his head. "I didn't want to cause any problems." Alyssa shook her head and said "you didn't, Eddie. It's just new territory. We need to be careful." Eddie stood up and ran a hand through his hair. "I won't do anything to hurt Emmaline. I promise." Alyssa half smiled and said "I know, Eddie. Take care of him until I can figure this out, ok?" I nodded at her and Alyssa left. "Can we have that spaghetti again?" Eddie asked me. I looked at him and said "my mom makes it better. Why don't you ask?" "Mrs. Brooks!" Eddie headed downstairs. I shook my head at him, following him.

-

It was only a couple of days later that Eddie would have to feed again. I woke up to him sitting at the edge of my bed, holding his stomach. He groaned softly and I slowly approached him, crawling on my bed. "Eddie?" I said. Eddie put his hand out and said "stay back." "Is it bad?" Eddie exhaled and said "a little. Please stay back." I made my way to sit next to him. Eddie panted softly and I said "Eddie....I'm here. Take what you need." "I can't. I can't, Em." I cupped his cheeks, making him look at me. The red glint that shined in his eyes was slightly terrifying. I tilted my head and said "if it starts to hurt I'll tell you. I'll get you off of me. Ok?" Eddie's eyes went to my neck and he took my hands off his cheeks. He groaned and went to my neck but then pulled away. "Em." He shook his head and I said "do it, Eddie. You can't live like this." "I haven't had human blood yet. I'm scared. God, you smell so good." He whimpered. "Come on, Eddie. You can do it. You won't hurt me. I know you won't." Those words seemed to encourage him to lean over. "It might hurt. The initial bite." I nodded, wishing he'd satisfy his hunger. "You won't hurt me." Eddie's eyes went to me before going back to my neck. He wrapped an arm around my waist and his other hand rested on his lap. The moment I felt his teeth in my neck I yelped in pain. I reached for Eddie's hand, squeezing it. I felt the holes in my skin and could feel my blood oozing into Eddie's mouth. Once the shock of the pain started to die down, Eddie sucked on my neck harshly. I blinked a few times and he moaned contentedly. I felt myself getting weaker and I said "Eddie." His hold on my waist got tighter and he seemed to pull me into his lap, all without detaching from my neck. I pushed on his shoulder and said "Eddie, I'm gonna pass out." My boyfriend didn't stop. I hit him on the shoulder and that did nothing. All it did was make an annoyed noise come from him. I weakly reached up towards his unruly curls, pulling hard. "Ow, what the hell?!" Eddie said. Eddie was then not attached to my neck anymore. I exhaled and fell back, Eddie catching me. He cradled me in his arms and I looked up at him, my neck stinging. "I didn't wanna..." Eddie licked his lips and I looked at my blood coating his lips. "Hey." Eddie said as he held me up. I slowly reached up towards my neck and brought it towards my face. Blood was on my hand and Eddie leaned down to my neck and I said "Eds, no. I feel really woozy. Please." I felt his tongue lick over the wound, slightly easing the pain. "Don't want any of this to get on your bed, sweetheart." I hummed in response and felt my eyes fluttering closed. My breaths were long and deep, I felt weak and dizzy. "Emmaline." "I'm dizzy." Eddie jostled me in his lap and said "stay awake with me." I nodded weakly and he stroked my head. "Em, I'm sorry." "You had to...." Eddie's voice got muffled as I passed out in his arms, not being able to stay awake.

-

I woke up the next morning, still in Eddie's arms. My boyfriend was slumped against my headboard. I sat up, feeling the pain shoot through my neck. I stood up and made my way to the bathroom. I quickly used the bathroom and saw the bite in the mirror. My eyes widened as my neck looked like it had been mangled. "Oh my god." I mumbled. I'd definitely have to attempt to cover it up with makeup. I slowly walked back to my bed and grabbed Eddie, making him lay down on his back. He groaned softly and rolled onto his stomach. I brushed some of his curls out of his face that was smushed up against his pillow. I then kissed his shoulder blades and his upper back that was currently exposed. I laid down next to him and his arms immediately went around me, pulling me towards him. Eddie laid his head on my chest and sighed. I ran my fingers through his hair and Eddie's eyes slowly fluttered open. "Emmaline?" He mumbled. "I'm here, Eds." He looked up at me and said "how're you feeling?" "I think I should be asking you that. Do you want to kill me? Did my blood satisfy you?" Eddie looked down shamelessly and said "well, it really helped me. I feel so much better. I feel great actually." I continued to stroke his head and play with his hair. "What about you?" Eddie asked. I shrugged and said "I'm fine. I don't feel any different. Do I look any different?" Eddie sat up a little bit and shook his head. His eyes went to my neck and he said "Jesus Christ, I mangled you!" He ran his fingers over it softly and I winced. "It's super sore." "M'sorry, baby. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you...pass out. I felt so fucking awful. But, you're ok? You're feeling ok?" I nodded and said "I feel fine. I just have to hide my neck from everyone now. Which won't be hard. I think." Eddie kissed my neck and said "I'm sorry you got woozy and passed out. I'm really sorry, princess." I cupped his cheek and said "it's ok, Eddie. I promise." My bedroom door opened and my mom stood there. Eddie jumped and mom said "sorry. Didn't mean to scare you both." I shook my head and said "it's ok." "Yeah, Mrs. Brooks. It's fine." Mom smiled and said "I was going to grab some of your guy's dirty clothes and wash them. I'm also making breakfast and would appreciate it if the two of you came down." I nodded and said "of course, mom." "That's a very large hickey on your neck, Emmaline." "Mom!" I said as I covered my neck. My mother laughed softly and left the room. Eddie smirked and said "your mom didn't freak out." "My dad will and if they knew the true meaning behind this wound on my neck, they'd kill you."

Here's the update!! I kind of wanted to have this book finished before A Quiet Place Day One but I'm not sure if I'll get it done before it comes out because I've been so busy but it doesn't matter cause this book is almost over! I have a couple of more random ideas that I'm going to put in here and then y'all will be waiting until ST5!
~skylar🦇🖤🦇🖤