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“I ask myself the same thing. I’m still wondering why I spent my time with him.” 

She cracked a smile. “Interesting though it may be, it can still be lonely.” The little vampire shrugged then and extended her hand for him to shake. “Sophia McClintock.”

“Athanasius Haidos.” He took her hand, clasping it rather than shaking it. Her cool hand felt odd in his, but it was not an unpleasant sensation. Just odd.

“All statements are debatable.” 

While the the story of the Trojans rang a bell, this man’s name did not, though his mention of the Underworld immediately got Sebastian’s hackles up. His brow furrowed. “So, what, you’re telling me that hell is real then?” he asked. “Jesus, maybe I should’ve actually paid attention during those church sermons at Eton.”

He’d never given much thought to religion. Despite the amount of lives he’d taken, he wasn’t at all worried about ending up in hell once he’d died–until now. If this Athanasius bloke had any designs at all on dragging him to the underworld, he’d have another thing coming.

“Not hell in the Christian sense,” he corrected. “But yes, the realm of Hades does exist, sorry to break it to you.”

He always found it interesting to see how mortals accepted that truth. Most never believed him, but this one...this one seemed to be accepting his words without much in the way of protests. 

“Unless it’s not spinach.  Please tell me it’s a leafy green because otherwise I am afraid.”

She crinkled her nose.

“Look pal I’ve met all kinds of people with all sorts of eating habits.  Did you know the Swedish like rotten fish?  ‘Fermented herring’ is still just rotten fish.”

“Apologies. It must be thyme.”

This time he did lick at his teeth and much to his amusement, she was correct about the greenery. 

She cut her eyes towards him then. So he was onto her too, evidently… There wasn’t any use playing coy now. 

“It makes for a rather lonely existence, don’t you think?” 

“I haven’t been called ‘young lady’ by anyone but old people in ten years.  I was uh… trying to think of a way to tell you you have spinach in your teeth.”

“Much obliged.” His hand reached up to touch his lips, but he made no move to check if she was bluffing. “But really, why are you staring?”