2: We Met Again
Jarvy was a great acquaintance.
The man knew the truth about Calderon, but he never freaked out and instead was so cool about it. He was amused instead, and has promised to keep it.
If Jarvy betrays Calderon, it would only mean one thing, the death of his whole clan, even the innocent ones.
Jarvy knew what Calderon was capable of. In less than an hour, the slaughter could be done by him, and no trace of the killer would be found.
The man knew he should be scared for his life because Calderon can lose it anytime with him. But Jarvy trusts the vampire enough.
When the morning came, he has found himself standing in front of Jarvy, while the latter smiles sweetly. He nervously gulped, and then took the small bottle against his lips. In one hard swallow, he has drunken all the cold liquid.
His light-brown eyes darted into Jarvy, who waits for his reaction.
“How about it? Will I be fine?”
Jarvy giggled, thinking he looked like a terrified child just now, and it was funny because he is literally a thousand-year-old man. Jarvy then nodded at him with a grin, and the man has motioned Calderon to lay his bare hands on the sun to try if it's factual and for real.
His excitement skyrocketed. He didn't burn.
It felt hot enough to irritate his skin, but he didn't turn into ashes.
Finally, one miracle has taken into life! It's finally happening!
He held his breath and pulled Jarvy into a tight hug, whispering a silent thank you for all these help.
“Sir, try stepping out. It would be okay.”
When Calderon did, his happiness soared up high.
“This is so cool!” He teared up in bliss. But it only lasted for a while because when he looked up to the sky, his eyes felt like being caught in fire.
He heard Jarvy click his tongue in dismay, from meters away. “Don't look directly, Sir. You still have to take measures, the dose wasn't enough to totally protect you. It will surely hurt your eyes if you stare straight in the sun. We have only worked for your skin, the other application wasn't certain. Protect your eyes, or you'll be blind.
“Alright, alright. Sorry, what a waste, I couldn't see the morning star. Even during its rise and set.”
“That's why you still need to have head wears and caps to cover your sight and face. Don't be so complacent, Sir.”
“I know, Jarvy,” he winced and stomped his feet, “you're like my mom back in the ages.”
“I'm just concern, Sir.”
“You are concerned for a demon? You must be joking. Jarvy. Let's be real here. You should hate my kind, I might have killed one of your ancestors back in the days.”
“The formalities aside. Calderon, you are a great friend of mine. I'm not concerned with who you are, if you are a monster and a literal vampire. I don't have any reasons to resent you, and having killed a few people in the past, I know you won't do that without enough reasons.”
“And about your need to suck human blood, it should be done, it's inevitable. It was like the instinct of snakes to bite for survival whenever they feel danger, or the hunger of lions to attack a deer to feed on. You can't control that, and it's acceptable.”
“You are valid. And for as long as you don't kill, it's okay, I trust you. I will be your ally.”
His heart swarmed at Jarvy's statement. He never knew that the boy thinks of him like that. He was deeply grateful to have met Jarvy in the man's lifetime.
“Yeah, I thought you forgot that we are friends. You keep on calling me Sir instead of Cal or Calderon.”
“Weren't you supposed to be the one to easily forget, though?” Jarvy giggled. “You are a thousand years old, more than one thousand one hundred even.”
“My memory is still better than yours despite this age, Jarvy. I can still remotely remember my life as a human, even if it's been thousands.”
“That's so cool of you. I can't even remember my childhood,” Jarvy smiled sadly, “I wish I have lived in the same era as you, whereas vampires aren't distinct.”
“You won't like having yourself bitten while you have a peaceful walk with your date, yeah?”
Jarvy grinned, “but if my date is the gorgeous vampire to give me a bite, then why not? I might even be glad to offer this neck.”
He shook her head, laughing, finding it hilarious how Jarvy thinks it's all light, fun, and games.
“I can turn you into one, if you ask me. And then, bite anyone you want, let's have the curse spread again. What do you think?”
“That would be the start of another dark age, Calderon. That's evil,” Jarvy frowned. “And I never want to be immortal. For some reasons, I wouldn't wish to be immortal and live forever to see everyone come and go, while I'm stuck.”
“Right, this kind of life sucks. Can't even die in cuts and normal bullets, very unfortunate.”
“If you… hate living that life, why don't you just…”
“Kill me, step on the sun, strike my chest with a silver blade, blow my head off, or burn my flammable body?”
“That's overdramatic,” Jarvy winced, “but great suggestions on how to kill you soon. So, yes, that's it.”
He shrugged, “I'm waiting for someone, eh. I have to fulfill my promise, I should wait for her. She must come back anytime soon.”
“How were you certain that reincarnation is real?”
“I've seen a few familiar people, I'm almost confident that they were the same humans I've met before. I even recognized my parents, just once… and they didn't have a kid, ever. Maybe because… my soul is still here, stuck in a dead body, unable to move on and go through the process.”
Jarglbt blew the air he has refrained to let out in thirty seconds. “I wish you find her sooner or later.”
“Hopefully,” he beamed a smile. “Anyway, I might want to leave now. I should travel around, and the possibility to meet her in the streets during broad daylight was high.”
“Take care, Sir.”
“Jarvy, I told you already that Calderon is fine. Call me just Cal,” he mumbled before he vanished from the man's front.
With his two hands inside the worn blazer's pocket, his feet stepping slowly and interchangeably, with a smile in his red lips, and pale cheeks puffing in joy, he enjoyed the feeling of warm sun rays in his skin. For the first time in a while, he is feeling it against his, without burning and turning to ash.
The much better Ultraviolet Protection formula he has drunk has been newly developed, thanks to the great group of scientists that works for him. They were tasked to make an experiment for humanity to be totally free from sunburn and direct skin damages. The team received the instruction, to make researches and experiments for the future generation because the ozone is constantly depleting, and the amount of UV to enter the atmosphere might soon cause deadly diseases.
The tests for it were continuous and blatant. When one researcher dies, he'll find an exchange. It has almost been a hundred years now, and he was glad that the hard work was all paying off beautifully.
It's slowly getting there, and soon, he will live more freely like a normal human being.
Not just that, but it would also benefit the future of human race, the kind he has once belonged to.
He walked through the alley where he came from last night. There wasn't anything suspicious. The girl he attacked wasn't there anymore, and he was sure that the poor human has already forgotten, thinking she simply fainted and bumped her head.
Calderon smiled to himself. One bitter, guilty, and sad curve.
He hasn't killed much for hundreds of years now, except on necessary situations. He remembers the last time he has lost control, and it happened during the second world war.
It was to defend huns3lt from the hunters that happened to slaughter their kind. Subsequently, he has vowed to live in peace, secret, and silence, only with freelance businesses every night.
He looked down to the ground in shame.
If his parents learn that he has become a monster, will they still be proud to say that he was the kid they raised to be a fine man?
If Macey learns that he has killed more than a thousand after the girl died, will Macey ever regret loving him once in her life?
He was pretty sure that they will resent him, despise him even.
He stepped forward, and it is when he bumped into a smaller body frame. With a quick reflex, he has grabbed the figure's waist with one strong arm, turning them over for balance.
In one sniff, he felt the monster in him being awakened by the inviting scent, the rush of human blood inches away from his nose, and the loud sound of a ragged heartbeat. He hasn't stopped inhaling, and now, he couldn't.
He closed his eyes tightly. He fought the urge the best possible, refraining herself from latching down, stopping his teeth from burying in the waiting flesh.
“I'm sorry…” he has heard someone breathe out. Even if he doesn't look up to see, he already learned by the voice that it was a woman.
“So… sorry,” he mumbled, stepping out and grabbing his aching head, letting go of his firm hold on the thin waist.
The body fell on the ground with a loud thud, and the voice winced in pain, groaning in annoyance, almost yelling because of the sudden fall.
He backed away a few more steps, trying to even his breathing before he keeps it off again. He kept his eyes tightly shut, not to let his crimson and hungry glare in the girl's sight.
Too bad. He still couldn't take such near proximity. His bloodlust is still taking over. And he couldn't stop inhaling and blowing it out with satisfaction. For random reasons, the girl he bumped with smells so good, sweet, the best ever
He told herself that he should master his control much more, maybe soon.
“Mister, are you fine?” The voice asked once more.
“I… am. Please don't mind me, don't go near—”
“Hey? Should I bring you to the hospital?”
A warm hand has moved forward, it descended above his left shoulder, and he shuddered at the touch.
“Don't—” he slapped the hand away, lightly pushing the body away.
When he opened his eyes upon making sure that it won't be blazing red, it immediately widened in surprise. His gaze softened, his hunger died down, and his walls broke so suddenly.
Just like the first-ever latch of Macey's eyes on his, while she devours the fifth human he had killed the first time he experienced this same killing thirst one thousand one hundred eleven years ago, the girl's presence has made him calm down.
A tear has escaped his eyes, unusual, and the first time since Macey died one thousand forty-seven years ago. But it did when the familiar name slipped off his tongue again, “Macey…”
