Even in Life and Death
an excerpt

“How are you feeling today?”
“Dead,” I answer, crossing my legs as I do so.
My therapist gives me a look of clear disapproval, and waits for a real admission of emotion to fall from my lips. He sighs and I am awash in the scent of his last meal. Whole wheat bagel with ham and peppery cheese, all mixed with the acrid smell of cola. I must wrinkle my nose because he cups a hand to his face and checks his breath.
“I brushed before you came,” he tells me from behind his hand.
“I know,” I tell him softly, “I can smell the mint, too.”
“I’ll not eat next time,” he offers, but I wave my hand.
“No, don’t do that. Stomach acid smells worse.”
Nodding he waits a minute before continuing.
“Besides your heightened olfactory abilities, have you discovered any other side effects of your condition?”
He says condition easily now where he stammered over the word before, pausing as if trying to find the gentlest way to address my issues.
“Well, I’m not turning into mist and floating through keyholes, if that’s what you mean,” I laugh.
“Have you always used sarcasm to avoid questions?”
“I’m human, Doctor,” I shrug. This causes him to stare at me a moment.
“Everyone uses sarcasm to ease tension,” I explain, “My being a vampire changes many things, but not that.” Phillip cringes at my choice of words, but nods.