"Watch." It was a simple charm, creating a ball of light in her hand. She kept it small, but showed it to the boy. "I can do magic. And you," she said softly, "are very strong, and very fast. And unless something happens, are going to live for a very long time."

It suddenly occurred to her that maybe this boy had been a vampire for, well, a very long time. She hadn't even considered the thought, despite knowing first-hand how deceiving the physical ages of the supernatural could be.

"And maybe, you'll even be able to read minds." She taps the side of his head, all the same. Until they learned otherwise, he was only his physical age.