Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Chapter 4

Seymour starts shifting uncomfortably, which is quite an unusual behavior for a vampire. We are usually perfectly coordinated and completely composed, the benefit of having a mind with the capacity to process things quickly. However, I am not surprised by his fumbling since this is quite an awkward situation.

As I take a closer look at Alarcos, I can understand what Seymour saw in him. He is quite stunning, even by vampire standards.

He has silky brown hair which looks sexy and unruly; piercing blue eyes and flawlessly carved face. The rest of him is perfect as well, lithe body and strong muscles.

"It was a long time ago," Seymour says as if that explains everything.

"Was that before or after you started missing my magnificent and powerful self?" I say bitingly.

I don't mind that he was with Alarcos, we weren't together at the time, and he was allowed to date whomever he chose, but I am angry that he would pretend to have missed me when it's obvious that he had quickly found me a substitute, a handsome, smirking substitute at that.

"After. I realized that I didn't want to be a sadistic vampire, or at least, not only that.

You were gone, I couldn't find you.

Then I met Alarcos, and he showed me that we could be vampires without being monsters." Seymour says, looking uncomfortable.

I don't want to pry, he seems uneasy talking in front of Alarcos, and I feel I owe him after almost murdering him, but I can't stop myself.

"Then why did you abandon him? Did you get tired of him the same way you got tired of me?" I ask.

"That's an excellent question, I would like to know the answer to that as well.

Everything was going great, until one day you were just gone. No goodbye, no explanations, the cold side of the bed was my only clue that I was dumped." Alarcos says.

His whole posture changes. He is trying to look more imposing, prouder, to avoid showing his pain, but having already been in the same place, I can easily tell that he is still hurting.

Seymour, on the other hand, is too distracted to notice Alarcos' pain.

Maybe it's because he was never the one who was left, he was always the one leaving. Perhaps it's easier for him that way, but the ones left behind are broken, and it seems like he doesn't even consider how it is for them. For us. For me.

"No, of course not. I didn't get tired of you. I was tired of myself, of the things I was going through to keep at least some small shred of humanity.

I didn't want to hurt you, either one of you, so I left." Seymour says.

It is the first time in a long while that he doesn't sound confident.

I can't help but wonder if I might have been wrong in judging him so harshly. Maybe he did leave me to protect me.

It was a stupid and hurtful way to break up, but maybe that was what he thought I needed to move on. That I needed to hate him.

If that was what he had in mind, then he was right, it worked.

I was crushed, but anger kept me going, and I learned from the pain. It made me who I am now, and I happen to like myself as I am.

"So what? You learned from your past mistake, and decided to leave me with no explanations?" Alarcos asks.

"Yes. I thought it would be easier that way, for both of us.

My blood lust was getting out of hand again, and I didn't want you to be disappointed in me, to suffer because of me and the choices I made, so I left.

Look, guys, I don't think this is the best time to talk about this." Seymour says.

"Just one more question.

How did you end up in that horrible clan where I found you?" I ask.

That question has been bugging me for a while, and after hearing about the time he spent with Alarcos, it makes even less sense. I might as well take advantage of his honesty and satisfy my curiosity.

"I was desperate. I needed to belong somewhere, and I knew I blew my chances of having love, two times. So I thought that maybe having some companionship would help make me feel whole again.

It didn't.

However, it did show me that I didn't want to be like them, that I wanted more.

When you approached me, after all that time, and asked me to help save Cecilia, I was eager to help.

I thought that if you trusted me enough to ask for my help, I had a chance to have you as a friend. After years without you, I thought it would be enough.

Then you allowed me to stay with the three of you, and I assumed that it meant I might have another chance at love.

Now, I understand that I was wrong. I apologize for being presumptuous." Seymour says.

"Ain't that nice," Alarcos says bitterly.

"I have spent years, decades, trying to track you down, and I find you here, trying to get back together with your ex. Great." Alarcos says sarcastically.

"I..." Seymour starts to say.

"Save it. You are right. Now is not the time to deal with all those pesky emotions. It's time to go back to business." Alarcos says.

Honestly, I feel sorry for him, but I agree that it's getting too awkward and that it would be best for all involved to change the subject.

Maybe focusing on the task at hand might lower the tension that lay around us like a thick layer of fog.

"You are going to the Cemetery of the Ancients, as well? Or did you follow Seymour? Does anyone know where we are? " I ask, doing my best to contain panic rising in my chest.

When he turns to talk to me, Alarcos' expression softens, and he is much politer to me than he is to Seymour.

Probably because we share similar pain, because we loved the same man, who may or may not have deserved our love.

"Yes, I am going there. I need answers to some of my...personal questions.

It is funny that the one quest that wasn't about finding Seymour ended up leading me to him.

I had no idea either one of you will be heading there. I just happened to be nearby, on my way to the Cemetery of the Ancients, when I heard the commotion.

It's rare for vampires to attack each other on their way there, so I thought it would be better to intervene.

None of us want any mortal attention on the one place where all answers lie." Alarcos says.

It's funny to note, but I trust him. I trust him more than I trust Seymour at the moment.

Maybe it's because I can see part of my pain reflected in his eyes, or maybe I'm blinded by his good looks. Still, there is no denying it, I believe him.

"Okay, then. Let's go, the more the merrier." I say.

Seymour grudgingly agrees, and the three of us continue the journey together.