When Darkness Shines The Brightest

I killed some time in the Holiday Seasons of December with my brother. That is supposed to take exams in Baguio City of the Philippines, extremely far from our province of Pampanga. But instead, he took some of the money I earned from the Yakuza to start a business in America with me as he took me with him.

"Hey little vampire lil bro, how's you been lately, huh?"

"Feeding on people's blood."

"HAHAHA! Classic Klei."

"I owned an underground cabaret called the Danse Macabre Cabaret bar in Guagua only for vampires after I infected half of Guagua. And after the incident of the Level E vampire raging in blood went crazy killing all the others, I had to kill him myself."

"Delusional as always, but it's a good thing you don't talk like that to other normal people."

I sighed and took out my phone to get on the internet.

"See for yourself. Vlad VI Tepes AKA Klei, the real name of the owner of the Cabaret incident about real life vampires. However, the government hid this as a secret not to alarm the people and the Federal government took over the vampires of Guagua to keep them well fed humanely and don't cause any more trouble."

"Yeah, I heard about it, but I didn't know you owned the place. Dad said you only worked at a bar in night shifts. I didn't know you were the owner."

"If I told him I'm the owner, he'd be too surprised enough to get a stroke."

"HAHAHA!!! Well, you can run a cabaret bar for both humans and vampires, include the werewolves too."

"I have the money to run that, but… vampires are a bad idea to put into a risky cabaret."

"Why not own a business that's not going to cause trouble like a café?"

"Good idea. I'll do just that."

We were unknowingly in the countryside of America, which state we had passed already the past few days did not know where my brother was taking me.

We agreed that he could only take me out in the nighttime and not the daytime since I get too sleepy and take my sleeping pills a day.

"We're here. Wake up, vampire brother."

"…"

"He looks lifeless, as if he's not breathing. I'll wait for him to wake up and play some tunes."

He played the radio and waited for me to wake up the whole day.

I woke up at 5 PM.

"Kuya Regie…"

"Oh, you're awake."

"Yes, it seems so. Let's go inside the mansion?"

"It's just a small house in the neighbourhood don't overact."

"Of course. Let us go inside."

I helped get the luggage and things we needed.

"You said you wanted a tattoo, not a yakuza one you'll- "

""Regret it, I know. I'll have a Khan symbol tattoo that means life."

"The Egyptian one?"

"Yeah. It's the main symbol for vampirism back in the days. People just forget about their histories. Khan means Life. Look it up on the internet."

"I'll go check it out later. Let's fix our stuff. There goes your room. I made a special casket like you wished it."

"Thanks."

The next night…

"I left to go to my daily shift as the main chef of the restaurant I own. I left some money for your nightly feeds." -Sincerely, Big Bro Gie on a note in the fridge.

I opened the fridge, grabbed a Gatorade, and headed outside, locked the doors.

I walked around in the neighbourhood.

"Hey new neighbour."

"Ah, I bid a pleasure of my greetings to your neighbour!" I bowed elegantly.

"Ah, yes. What's your name?"

"My brother calls me Klei. You should too."

"Sure, Klei it is. We heard you're from the Philippines."

"Yeah."

"So, what do you do? Especially at this time of night?"

"I just smoke and, you know, the usual."

"Like what?"

"I drink pig blood fresh from the butcher's house to keep me sane."

"Are you a vampire?"

"Maybe I am. Maybe I just have a mental disorder that loves eating blood and all that shit."

"You seem crazy to me."

"I don't even drink medications anymore. I'm cured."

"I see. Want a beer?"

"You live alone, neighbour?"

"Well, I have my wife and daughter, and my baby son."

"Your family must be glad to have you."

"Nah, I just work at my garage and all, nothing special."

"I see, I see. America is… astonishing."

"From an outsider, yeah, but it's not what it seems until Biden took over the country everything went perfect now. By the way, are you Japanese? Nice tattoo on your left arm."

"Yeah, it means SHI, but in Kanji it means Death."

"Woah cool it."

"I just love everything, dark and all."

"Well, are you from Japan? Born in there? Perhaps half blood of mixed races?"

"I'm not sure. I just like the tattoo on my forearm."

"You want a cigarette?"

"Of course. I ran out."

"Here."

"Thanks."

I opened my lighter.

"So… are you really some sort of voodoo magic creature, some shit?"

"I used to own a cabaret for vampires."

"So, you're… Vlad Tepes? My daughter loves dark things like Creepypasta stories and Slenderman Jeff the Killer the Rake all that stuff. But she did her research about Vlad the Impaler once."

"Vlad the Impaler… in my past life, he was my true father."

"How do you even know your past life?"

"Tarot cards."

"I call bullshit."

"Oh yeah, it's true. I just don't want to show you my powers to creep you out."

"Sure, man, whatever floats your boat. Oh, hey is that your brother?"

"He's surely half Japanese for sure."

"How did you know?"

"We have different fathers, same mother."

"Oh shit… that sucks. I'm sorry."

"Nah, it's. It's fine really. Don't be sorry."

"So… blood, what does it taste like?"

"Sweet. When you feed enough, it becomes darkly bitter and you get some sort of heroin high."

"Jesus, that makes me want to be a vampire, too. But it seems that you're telling the truth. I don't know. I'm just a little drunk."

"I guess you already made some new friends, Klei boy~!"

"Kuya Gie!" I hugged him

"You two seem close."

"He wanted to talk to me, so we sparked up a good conversation."

"Is it true your brother is a vampire, um? Sir?"

"I'm not sure myself. I know it's just mental,, but he does have sensitivity to sunlight. Even on his skin."

"Well, I do see a glimpse of his… long canine teeth when he talks."

"Why won't you go out in the city? This is New York, but we're at the side of the villas. A subdivision. Klei."

"Like I could hunt people there, sure. I just want to relax with some beer."

"Well, you don't drink medications anymore, so you can drink if you wish to. Just don't be an alcoholic."

"How old is your little brother's neighbour?"

"He's 23 years old."

"No shit, he looks 13."

"Yeah, I'm not sure either. Anyway, maybe you could tour him around the city of New York. He came here to be the bestselling author."

"Well, yeah, I'm still sober. I can drive him to the city. I'll take my daughter as well, too. I already like this guy. As long as he doesn't bite my daughter's neck, HAHAHA!!"

"HAHAHA!"

"I promise to protect her. Don't worry. Soon you'll be my father-in-law."

"HAHAHAH!!!"

"KLEI! Stop joking like that Bahahaha!!!"

"So Klei, Count Vlad Dracula, let's go on for the ride, hm?"

"Remember, I get drunk easily so… maybe I could use some vodka right now or red wine."

"We already have red wine at home, but if you have money, you can already treat yourself at the bar in the city."

"Sure. Let's go, bye Kuya Gie!"

"Be careful vampire!"

EXTRA CHAPTER - Dusk Until Dawn

"So, are you really 23 years old, Klei?"

"Here's my ID."

"Oh, you are almost the same age as me, but older. How do you even look so young?"

"He's a vampire sweetheart. You'll love him, I swear. He's a good jokester."

"Oh my god really? Let me see your fangs."

I showed my canine teeth to her.

"OOO!!! It's legit!"

"What's your name?"

"Like from Nemo?" "Dory."

"Yeah. So, you want to go on a drink?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe we can go on a date with you and me in the city and you'll just call your dad to pick us off back home."

"Sounds good to me."

"Don't bite her, okay Klei?"

"Don't worry about it. I promised to protect her, didn't I? Even if I had to face the Yakuza for it."

"The Yakuza, huh? Sure, I trust you. New York City is the best city in the world for a night life like a nocturnal owl like you."

He dropped us off. Dory and I went to walk around as I smoked my pipe with tobacco.

"So Klei. I saw your… manuscripts in Creepypasta articles. They were great. Klei Nightwriter right?"

"Yep. I was into psychological gore."

"I love reading them. I never thought I could meet you someday."

"Don't sweat it. Miracles happen once in a lifetime."

"Where do you want to go?"

"That's what I'm asking you."

"Well, how about a fast-food restaurant?"

"McDonald's, we can just go buy samgyupsal exclusive Korean restaurants around here."

"Really?!"

"Yes really. But I won't spoil you too much. Don't even bother."

"OKAY!"

I took her to a Korean Restaurant.

"I noticed, you just cook them so quickly, as if you're heating them up and eat them raw?"

"It's called a RARE STEAK for a reason."

"Oh, I see. They're pretty good."

"Yeah, no shit."

Later…

"Where to next?" she asked.

"Are you tired? Tired of running around my mind all night? Just kidding, let's go get you some Lipovitan."

"What's that?"

"It's like an energy drink. Trust me, it tastes good."

"Where do you even get to buy that?"

"Easy, convenience stores and all pharmacies have those legally for sale. It's just liked a vitamin drink that keeps you awake for 6 more hours."

"Okay!"

I took her into 7-11 stores and bought her some Lipovitan.

"It tastes good!"

"I know, right? Japan has this shit really sale for a good price. Even in the Philippines."

We had so much fun all night, and we ran around in the rain. And we kissed in the alleyway.

Not a single droplet of alcoholic was drinking.

When it was getting really late, I told her to call her dad, and she told me to run away with her from home and told her I couldn't do that.

So, I called her dad. I have his number already since back at the conversations we had.

"Yeah, okay, where are you?"…

...

...

…

I went back home sleeping as she was asleep in the car with me.

The next night…