Should Have Walked Away | Aarmau Vampire AU

𝔣 𝔦 𝔳 𝔢

"Hybrids."

"What are hybrids, Aphmau?"

I swallowed and didn't miss the guards exchange glances. Even Cadenza looked up.

"Hybrids are. . . I don't know how to explain it. . ." I trailed off and bit my cheek trying to think. They gave me the time, but definitely gave off an impatient energy in the room. "Dangerous. I didn't know that was still happening." My hand Cadenza hadn't touched yet clenched into a fist and I glared at the sun-lit ground.

Aaron and Garroth exchanged glances and turned back to me, Garroth stiffening.

Aaron searched for words and finally found them. "Didn't know what was still happening?" He spoke slow and hesitant.

I swallowed in rage toward the scientists back -where I grew up. Not home. "Combining DNA from basically everything to try and enhance humans or vampires into soulless machines." I'm pretty sure I was drawing blood from my palm now. Garroth looked sick at my words and mumbled that vampires have no soul anyway. I bit my cheek to stop a remark.

"Who? Who was doing this?" Laurance asked sternly.

I didn't reply and he leaned closer with a glare, trying to be intimidating. I didn't look away from the rug, relishing in the light from the window.

Laurance slammed his hand down. "Who!" It didn't make me mad. He was being a guard. "Laurance!" Cadenza scolded.

I finally looked at him, glaring. I didn't make it too bad, if I did even he would run for the hills.

"What do you think? What was the attack?" I said that last question to Emmalyn and she understood quickly, answering. "Vampires."

"Exactly. Vampires. They're not completely barbarians you know. Yes, they can be sick, twisted, and insane but they have scientists. And in my opinion, mad scientists because hybrids loose all humanity of their former selves." It was true.

"And how would you know?" Garroth spat.

I fixed my glare on him now. "Because I encountered one. I've made it my business to know."

He scrutinized me for a minute as I looked back to my nails and Cadenza and sank back in my seat.

She continued working and handed my a tissue for the blood on my fingernails on my opposite hand she was paying attention to. I took it and pretended to wipe off the blood under the table using my hand and knees. Really, I was waiting for it to heal and once it did, I crumpled the clean tissue into a ball and into my pocket.

I put my hand back on the table, palm out of view and leaned my head back, shutting my eyes and breathing calmly. It was thankfully quiet.

A few minutes later, I felt my upper knee and thigh heat up, so I moved it farther from the sun.

But it was relentless.

I continued to move my legs out of the way of the light until it softened and began to fade. Curious, I looked back down and saw Zoey sitting beside Laurence, acting like she hadn't noticed me.

She paid great attention to my nails and used her body, limbs, and chair to block me from the sun.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when my jaw started to ache a bit, and my internal clock ticked down.