Two Beasts | Mikael

Chapter Eleven

 It was then that Radu knew he and Mikael would be friends. They now understood each other in a way that perhaps others didn't. They were two vampires who both lost their families and wanted vengeance on the same man. But for the time being, they were simply two men who needed time to think about things other than revenge.

 Radu offered to give Mikael a tour of the whole castle that day, but Mikael politely declined. He wanted some time alone for the day, just to think. Radu understood, and left him alone.

 As he went up the stairs, he caught sight of the portrait of Camelia in its place in the hall just at the top of the stairs. The sheet still lay on the floor where Mikael had dropped it the night before.

 "I'm sorry, my love," he said, and threw the sheet over her face.

~~~~~~

 Radu saw very little of Mikael for a few days after that. It seemed like he was always wandering off somewhere, exploring a different part of the castle. Perhaps he just didn't want to talk. Radu could understand that. It had been a long time since he himself had had a friend to talk to. He wasn't sure what he would say to Mikael, anyway.

 Radu had not gone out to feed since before Mikael's arrival. Every night, he had an opportunity to, but every time he didn't take it. It suddenly felt wrong to go out every night and prey upon unsuspecting people. He shrugged the thought off at first, figuring it was just Mikael's words getting to him.

 But then he began to think more about it. It wasn't really fair, was it? Just to take all of those lives?

 In this case, it is, Radu thought. This is survival, man. The way of the world. Mikael's already half-mad, so why are you listening to all his ideas?

 The thought wouldn't go away, however, and he found himself skipping opportunities to go out and feed, instead drinking from his stores.

 Well, I'll just stick to the rotten ones, he thought. They probably deserve it, anyway.

~~~~~~

 It had been exactly one week since Mikael's arrival. Radu was sitting up in his study by himself, leafing through an old grimoire. He was muttering a few spells to himself for practice when he heard the door to the open. He looked up to see Mikael standing in the doorway, his hand still in the doorknob.

 "Oh. I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't know what room this was."

 "It's no problem," Radu said, closing up his book. "You've only found my little study. Come in."

 Mikael stepped in, closing the door behind him. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

 "No, nothing important. How has your exploring been going the last few days?"

 "Not bad. You have a beautiful home." He went over to the telescope. "You can...see so much with this, can't you?" He peered through it curiously.

 Radu smiled amusedly. "I take you like it, then?"

 "Yes, I do. It must useful for seeing anything that's happening nearby. Any of the villages."

 Radu sighed inwardly. Of course Mikael wouldn't have forgotten what he originally came for.

 "I haven't been out murdering anyone, if that's what you're wondering," Radu said. "I have some blood stored away. I don't have to murder anyone. Well, at least not until it runs out."

 Mikael nodded. "I see. Radu, are you sure there are no other vampires in the region? Did you murder every single vampire in Romania?"

 "Perhaps not every single one in the country," he replied. "But I did my best. Why-oh. You need to feed."

 Mikael looked away, towards the window. "I don't to go back to feeding on living things. I drank human very reluctantly until I discovered that I could drink from other vampires and not desiccate. I don't want to be like...like him."

 "Ah. That's it, isn't it? You do care about humanity, but more importantly, you want to be different from him." Radu rolled up his sleeve. "Take mine."

 Mikael shook his head. "I couldn't. You already gave me your blood once. I couldn't ask you to do it again."

 "Mikael, you are my guest, and I insist that you need have nourishment. If you're not going to drink from my stores, then take mine. It won't hurt much, I promise."

 Mikael stepped over to Radu, and took his outstretched arm in his hand. It was the first time Radu had ever been the one to be fed upon, and Mikael's teeth seemed to sink into his arm a lot more gently then he would have thought. Or perhaps Mikael did that on purpose. 

 Radu felt fine once Mikael had finished feeding. Sure, there was some pain, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

 "You were surprising gentle," he said.

 Mikael smiled a little. "Well, I don't think anyone has ever called me gentle before. I'll...leave you to your books."

 Radu watched Mikael go, having half a mind to ask him to stay a while longer.

 He would have remember not to skip breakfast in the dining hall from then on.