He's a hunter, I'm a monster

-5-

Pov Josh
I sit next to the blacked-out boy while the taxi is driving us to my home and once we get there I carry him inside. I set him down on a chair and tie his arms around the back of it, just to make sure he doesn't fall on the ground or attack me as soon as he wakes up.

I know it will take a while before he will wake up again so I start preparing for when he does so I can have some... fun, well fun for me. Someone's blood is getting spilled tomorrow.. and it won't be mine. Why now? Well.. so I can have the rest of the vacation to recover since I consider this boy as a close friend.

I put a blanket over the boy's shoulders when I notice him shivering, I'm not heartless. I already took off his shoes and set them down next to his coat and bag, too bad he can't reach it. After preparing stuff I go to bed and wait for the next morning to come.

*

'Knock knock,' I say jokingly when I enter the attic. 'What the fuck did you do!' 'Don't be so loud I just woke up.. such a shame, I kind of liked you,' I say annoyed, and sit down on a chair facing him.

'What did you make me drink?'
'You shouldn't trust people when they offer you a random drink, I've told you that so many times before, and to answer your question it was poison. I already knew you wouldn't drink much of it but that little sip was enough to make you blackout,' I state.

He hisses at me when I come close.

'I was about to untie you,' I say while shaking my head. 'You shouldn't.'
'Why not?'
'Because I'm thirsty,' he answers.
'Well, I guess we're both hungry for blood.'

He looks at me in confusion. I see how his eyes are slowly changing into the beautiful blood-red colour, every time he blinks the more valid the colour becomes.

'Guess you really are thirsty, what a shame.'

'My mom will find me.' 'Oh Teddy, sweet little Teddy, your mom believes I'm one of you. She thinks you're just staying over for a few nights.'

A smile appears on my face when he stares at me with aggression in his eyes.

'About what are you upset?' I ask.
He ignores me and stares at the window. 'Sounds like you're having visitors.' I sigh and walk up to the window to see a car I recognise park just across the street.

'You're not going to make any sounds.' 'Why would I listen to you?'

I quickly grab a sharp metal object and press it lightly on his chest, making a little hole in his shirt.

'Because those guys are hunters and you're in the minority, if they discover you are here, they'll murder you.'
He doesn't say a thing and acts like he didn't hear me. 'Do you understand?' I ask him pressing the knife harder against his skin. 'Fine.'

I lock the attic door while walking downstairs waiting for the doorbell to ring. Ted better be smart and hold his mouth shut, otherwise, his death will be a lot more painful.

A group of men I now have known for so long, some even since birth, are sitting on my couch.

'What is this unannounced meeting for?' I try to ask as politely as possible, those guys are dangerous not only for vampires.

'We have found your mother.'
'Her body or?' I ask. 'No, she's alive.' 'What? How? She got killed by one of the strongest vampires we've ever met.'
'Turns out he saved her.'
'And we killed him?!' I ask getting angry. 'Well, he still hurt her before saving her.'

This isn't fair, it's wrong.. just wrong. What about Teddy he.. my lord he lost his dad for nothing.

'Why are you telling me this? Does this mean I'm switching victims?' 'No.'
But Teddy... 'But his son has never killed someone and..' 'Are you protecting a monster?'

But he isn't a monster. I start to feel dizzy, it's too much to handle. He didn't do anything... He...

'We just wanted to let you know you can come and see her in a few days, we will be leaving again.'

The man gets up and the others follow making their way to my front door. My father stays behind a bit and takes his chance to talk to me while the others can't hear us.

'Josh, why are you taking your sweet time with killing that boy?'
'Because he did nothing wrong!'
'It's still a vampire and vamp..'
'No dad, not all vampires are bad. If his dad didn't kill my mom I'm not killing him,' I interrupt him.
'You know I will get the job if you won't do it. It's better for him if you do it.'

I'm not the one to beg for anything but...

'Dad please try and convince the others he doesn't have to die,' I say while looking into his eyes desperately.
'Why would I do that.' 'Because... Because I like him, dad, I like him a lot,' I blurt out.

'That's even worse than not killing your victim,' he says coldly before walking out the door.

'

'I don't know what to do,' I say to the extremely thirsty vampire in front of me. 'Well, I would enjoy a plasma pack.'
'I know you're thirsty, the problem is I don't have any. You weren't supposed to be alive at this point.' I admit.
'Go get them, I don't deserve to starve.'

He's right, he doesn't deserve that, he doesn't deserve to die in the first place.

So I end up going to his house and asking his mom for enough to last a week. I give her the excuse of not having enough myself. In the end, it only takes me 15 minutes before being back home.

I grab the small knife I had used to threaten him with this morning and cut the rope. He starts drinking the pack I handed him immediately. He's drinking crazily fast making a mess of his mouth.

'Dude chill, I'm not taking it away from you.'

He looks at me in distrust and doesn't slow down. I sigh and grab a tissue to clean him up.

'Sit still and don't you dare bite me,' I say as soon as he finished drinking.
I carefully clean the corners of his mouth.
'And what if I do bite your fingers?'
'You have seen the number of weapons I have up here right?'

And with that he keeps his mouth shut waiting for the next thing to happen to him.

'I didn't actually hurt you with that knife right?' 'Why do you suddenly care?'
I fucked up the relationship I had built with him and I did it all in one day. 'Teddy come on.'

He rolls his eyes and stubbornly stares at the door behind me.

'Why aren't your eyes turning back?'
'And I thought you knew a lot about vampires.'
'Do I need to threaten you to get answers?'

Because I wouldn't want to do that, not anymore.

'No my chest doesn't hurt, you just ruined my shirt and..' 'I just did you a favour.' 'And my eyes don't turn back because I want to keep my fangs out,' he continues ignoring my comment.
'Why? You aren't scaring me with them.' 'So I can use them when I need to,' he mumbles.

I decide to ignore his remark and move forward to see the damage I did to his chest.

'Off!' Shocked I pull my hands away. 'What, do you really think I'm letting you touch my chest?'

Originally published on: 17/3/20
Rewritten on: 25/3/22