Chapter 212 Vampire Luna

Chapter 212 Vampire Luna
I froze, staring at her for a long moment while my brain raced to find a way out of the situation. Mary sat across from me with her mouth stuffed completely full of food, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel. Her dark eyes were bright and innocent as she kept her hand extended across the small table, genuinely wanting me to taste the delicious meal she was enjoying so much.
Panicked thoughts slammed through my mind. How on earth was I supposed to escape this without giving myself away? If I ate that solid food, my stomach would violently reject it. I couldn't afford to throw up all over the diner floor or do anything else that would look suspicious to her or the people watching us.
"No, Mary," I lied smoothly, forcing a weak, apologetic smile as I gently waved my hand in refusal. "I can't. I've been dealing with a terrible running stomach since early this morning, and I've been running back and forth to the bathroom all day."
I tapped my warm cup of coffee, letting out a soft, miserable sigh. "My stomach is completely wrecked right now. Until I start feeling better, I have to strictly hold off on eating any solid foods for a while."
Mary frowned slightly, her thick eyebrows drawing together as she lowered her hand an inch. "Oh, come on!" she insisted through her full mouth, waving the crispy onion ring closer to my lips. "It's literally just one tiny taste! Taking one small bite isn't going to change anything or ruin your stomach."
I stared at the garlic-drenched food hovering inches from my face, knowing she wasn't going to drop the topic until I gave in. "Fine," I muttered, exhaling a long breath.
I reached out, taking the greasy onion ring directly from her fingers, and tossed it into my mouth.
The very second my teeth sank into the food, my tongue went completely numb. My mouth, which had been perfectly fine a moment ago, instantly filled with a foul, sour taste that made my skin crawl with pure disgust. The sharp irritation burned against the inside of my cheeks like acid, making every instinct in my body scream at me to spit it out. But as terrible as it was, a small part of me realized something incredible—the physical reaction was nowhere near as violent as the last time I had attempted to force human food down my throat. My body was reacting much less harshly than before.
I locked my jaw, gritted my teeth behind closed lips, and forcefully swallowed the bite.
The second the bolus hit my belly, a dull, hot burn flared up in the pit of my stomach. Pain twisted through my gut, but it was surprisingly small compared to the agonizing cramps I used to suffer. A strange sense of relief washed over me. It was actually becoming easier to handle. I thought to myself that if I kept forcing myself to eat bit by bit every day, maybe my hybrid body would eventually adapt and get used to human food again. Though deep down inside, a heavy weight settled in my chest, carrying the bitter realization that human meals would never, ever taste the way they used to before my life turned upside down.
I quickly wiped my mouth with a paper napkin, licking my lips and giving my fingers a light lick to play along.
"Wow!" I exclaimed, letting my eyes widen in fake amazement as I looked across the table at her. "That actually tastes incredible! Wow, Mary, you really have amazing taste in food! How did you even manage to pick out all these specific dishes from the menu? I have to admit, you have a top-notch palate, and I definitely give you huge credit for that!"
Mary’s annoyed expression instantly melted away, replaced by a proud, beaming smile. She puffed out her chest slightly, tossing her hair over her shoulder with a small, satisfied chuckle.
"Thanks!" she chirped, beaming as she took another massive bite of her double-bacon cheeseburger. "And yes, I am very much aware of my great taste! Honestly, this diner is like my absolute favorite spot in the entire pack territory. And don't you worry, there are so many other amazing dishes on their kitchen menu that we haven't even touched yet! As soon as your stomach recovers and you get completely well, I am going to bring you right back here and make sure you order the absolute best items they have to offer."
I offered her a tight, polite smile, swirling my spoon around in my sweet coffee. "Wow, thanks... I guess I really can't wait for that day."
"I won't give you any major spoilers," Mary added with a playful wink, leaning closer over her pile of French fries. "But I will tell you that their beef burrito is ridiculously good! I'm keeping the rest of the menu a total secret until we come back, though."
I just smiled softly, shaking my head at her enthusiasm.
Suddenly, the cheerful mood in our booth vanished into thin air. Mary’s smile instantly snapped out of existence, her entire face hardening into a dark, sharp frown. Her eyes narrowed into suspicious slits as she froze in place, her half-eaten burger dropping straight back onto her plate. She sat up bolt upright, her head tilting slightly as her nose twitched in the air, sniffing the atmosphere of the diner with intense focus.
I paused, my heart missing a beat as I watched her sudden shift in posture. "What is it?" I asked, my voice dropping into a low whisper. "What's wrong?"
Mary didn't look at me. Her dark eyes darted frantically around the dimly lit room, scanning every quiet patron sitting at the surrounding tables.
"Do you smell that?" she whispered darkly, her voice trembling with a sudden, dangerous edge.
I swallowed hard, a cold sweat breaking out across the back of my neck. "What are you talking about? What do you smell?"
Mary leaned across the table, her face pale with absolute certainty as her top lip curled back into a snarl.
"I smell a vampire..." she hissed under her breath, her eyes locking onto the front entrance. "A bloodsucker is right h
ere inside this diner."