Read Being Human for Free Online

escaped through closed curtains. In the distance, tall, dark buildings rose into the night sky. At the end of the street, twin lights appeared and a familiar drone grew in the night, one I learned to recognize as a Vampire Forces car.
    I froze, pressing against the side of the house. “Turn the light off and shut the curtains.”
    “Why?”
    “Just do it!”
    The light died and fabric slid along metal. As quickly as it came, the car disappeared around the corner, the drone fading.
    “Okay, you can turn the light back on.”
    “What was that about?”
    “Another vampire told me to watch out for Vampire Forces. She said they'd follow until sunrise, finding where I rest,” I explained.
    “You know other vampires?”
    I shook my head. “I saw her on the street while looking for you. She said to avoid certain areas because of Vampire Forces.”
    “So you aren't freaked out because you decided cops looked tasty?”
    I looked at my brother. “Humans look tasty?”
    He shrugged. “I dunno, do they?”
    “I go on smell.”
    He nodded, looking thoughtful. “Did you see many vampires in the city?”
    “Too many. This one was shocked I wanted to find you. He was no help either.”
    “You told another vampire about me?” He chewed on his bottom lip – gnawing almost – the video game forgotten.
    “Was that wrong?”
    He was silent for a moment, then he forced a smile, meeting my gaze. “Naw, it’s fine. You sure you don't want to play? It was our favorite.”
    It'd make him happy, so I slowly nodded. He popped the screen out, setting it aside and handed me a controller, the cord stretched tight. I leaned my elbows on the window sill, feeling energy crackle at me.
    “What do I do?”
    “Try to defeat my character. B is punch, A is kick and joystick moves you around. And don't push the buttons too hard or fast either. I'll kick your ass if you break it with your vampire strength,” he teased and started the game. It took him only a moment to send my character flying out of the ring. The next round ended with the same results. He laughed the third time my character flew out of the ring. “You used to be good at this. Played it non-stop. Mom always said she regretted getting it for your birthday.”
    “Don't you mean our birthday?”
    He chuckled. “No, I was born at 11:57 and you 12:32 the next day. We gotta be the only twins in history born on different days.”
    He started another round and I watched him out of the corner of my eye. He smiled, laughed and poked fun each time my character was knocked out.
    “What?” he asked when he saw me watching.
    “What's the point of this?”
    His cheer died. “What do you mean?”
    “I don't get why we're doing this. What's the point of playing a game?”
    “You're kidding, right? To have fun. Get together with friends and kick each other's ass,” he replied awkwardly.
    “Why would I want friends when I have you?”
    “You serious?” he asked and I nodded. “But aren't you curious about our other friends? What we used to do? Where we hung out after school?”
    “No.”
    He slumped back against the window frame with the same look he gave me after I murdered our parents. Like what he saw before him was something he didn't know, something strange and unfamiliar. Something that was horrifying. I was horrifying.
    “What's wrong?” I asked. “What did I say?”
    “Everything,” he sighed. “You're so empty. Your eyes, your voice. It's like there's nothing in you. Even when you show emotions, it's like a ghost of who you were. And I wonder, do I even know you? Are you still my brother?”
    Panic flashed through me. “Of course I'm your brother. Don't you feel it?”
    He crawled through the window and sat next to me. “I know you're my brother. Kinda hard not to notice we look exactly alike. Well, you look like a dead person. It's just, you say these things and they sound so empty.”
    “Am I that different?”
    “Yeah.” He nodded. “Before... well, you know