Fatal Scent

"What is this thing?" He was masked up by utter confusion while holding a bag full of red liquid in it.

"It's a blood bag." Conrad responded, looking at him with ridicule as if he was asking the stupidest question that has been ever asked yet.

His brows curved. "Don't tell me?"

"Yes, it's blood that came out of a human. Also, it's not harmful for any being at all. Humans donate this themselves without us forcing them to and we keep them in stock in our hospital. A whole bunch of them there. We don't just suck it out of the human body, no, it doesn't work like that. So, safer to say that you can drink that. The animal's blood won't feed your thirst at all, you do know that, I'm sure." Wearing his lab gown on top of his scrubs as he said these statements.

They were inside a hospital just located in the city, Conrad brought him here after he had spent the night at that hotel. Quite frankly, he could not sleep very well as he did in that bus, thinking why was he exposed by another kind just when he planned to move out? These coincidences left him drowned in his own reverie, numerous solutions he had come up with to avoid this man, but as he went on with his night. He realized that having someone of the same kind may not be too bad at all. Taking into consideration that they are basically strangers, there's nothing wrong with getting to know this guy.

"Huh, so then what's the use of this? Why do they donate just like that? What for?" He started investigating the bag, thinking on how he could drink out of it? Should he just rip it open? But then, if he does that - all the blood will be scattered on the ground.

Conrad heaved a sigh. "Makes me wonder how long you were isolated in such an old place. But to tell you, people donate blood for other people as well. As much as we need them, a lot of people suffer from anemia as well. A condition in which you lack enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your body's tissues. Having anemia, also referred to as low hemoglobin, can make you feel tired and weak-"

"Uh, English please?" He interrupted him.

Conrad halted and cleared his throat. "What I'm trying to say is, a lot of humans suffer from extreme lack of blood. So they need the healthy ones to support them in terms of blood. How about that? Click some sense in that premature senescence of a brain of yours?"

"I get it, now how do I drink this?"

Conrad snatched the bag out of his hands and opened the white cap that was holding the blood in. "Here, and don't you dare waste a droplet of it. Drink all of it. I swear, I don't like to put all that hard work to the bin." He said and muttered the last words.

He, on the other hand, attempted to sip that bag of blood and once the blood rushed his insides, he felt his heart loudly thumping, as his veins tensed, and his hands trembled. His canine teeth itched as he gritted them together, he almost lost his balance yet because of the sudden energy making him recover very snappily.

"Look at you, as if you revive from the dead." Conrad smirked, then he realized what he had said and quickly backed it up. "I mean… Not like really revive from the dead since we're already dead inside and out, but you know, it's like an expression, mostly used in modern times, conveying that someone has woken up after such a boring and depressing slumber, you know? Well, whatever."

He sipped every inch and corner of that bag until none was left inside, not even remnants of it, he even almost split that bag apart with his tight grip. He was that desperate. The urge of completeness barged in and he felt alive again.

So this is how it feels like when you drink human blood? He was in ecstasy, more aware, and his skills to hear people further away strengthened a bit.

"Don't take me for a fool, I'm not that gormless to not comprehend a word you say." Wiping the side of his lips.

"Right. Although, drinking blood out of those animals is one reason to take you for a fool."

"Back in my town, bags like these are impossible to find. And, I don't like fretting over innocent humans. Being a vampire is itself the most horrifying thing to ever be."

"Huh, wait till you hear that this hospital is also popular for reviving humans - turning them to a complete vampire when they are almost on the verge of dying. Sometimes, we arise with the needs of these selfish humans. It's not as if we're all that bad, you know? You might not know it, but we're heroes in disguise."

Suddenly, with what Conrad said, he charged in his direction - looked so fuming mad. "Heroes? What type of crap are you saying? You don't know what happened to me. How I turned this way and how this has affected me in so many ways. If you're such an all-knowing guy, then I guess you know they murdered my mother in front of me when I was just a mere ignorant also vulnerable child and turned me into this vicious, disgusting, and never to be seen creature."

Conrad was taken aback. The way it is, he guessed that he must have said the wrong words this time. Luther was intensely meeting his eyes like how one would look if they had the urge to kill someone. He was threatened, yet regret rose from his body. The conscience had him wrapped around its fingers.

This guy, he must have been in such a sh*t hole for so long. Now he knows why he refuses to feed himself. Must be traumatic for him.

"Pardon me, I didn't mean to pull out the wrong set of strings. You may be right, there. We vampires truly are one viscious creature. However, now that we're here, there's nothing else we can do but to survive. As I am now a doctor, taking care of people is also my passion. If you would ask me, I was once a human too, turned into a vampire when I was in my 20s, you turned into this way older than me, I supposed. A certain pure blood had turned me into this, I begged to be alive, I suffered such loss back then, yet I never regretted this fate."

Luther had calmed down after hearing someone's perspective of this. He was stunned, someone who actually liked being a vampire.

"Even so, I still hate it." He stepped back and avoided his gaze from Conrad.

They both were engulfed with silence when Conrad approached him again after he fixed his things. "Here. This is the address to your new apartment, don't worry about the bills and such, I already covered it up last night. You can stay here for as long as you like, come here if you need a refill of blood. I don't really care what your next move in this city but as long as you won't reveal our kindness, then everything's good." Said Conrad with a small smile on his face. He turned his back after giving him the key and the address.

Luther stood up and placed his hand on Conrad's shoulders. Conrad turned his head and raised a brow, indicating a question.

"U-uh, Luther."

"Hmm?"

"My name's Luther." This time, he said it while gazing at another area. His face was marked with embarrassment.

He then heard Conrad chuckled. "I know it already."

"Huh? How? I don't remember telling you my name at all."

Conrad had a face that conveyed an 'oops'. He was accidentally exposed by his own stupidity. Scratching his head as he heaved a loud sigh. "I didn't want you to be wary of me, so I pretended not to know you and all, but to be honest? Darrick already told me about you. Every driver that has led you up to this point, was all but vampires."

"That sneaky bastar-"

"Oh, but don't be too mad at that old guy. Darrick was the one who turned me into this, and he did not mean any bad intentions upon sending you here in New York. Besides, the old fella has decided to not bother you again. He even bid me a farewell, not so sure where he's going but he said that that was the last time we'll ever see his face."

"Whatever he said, I don't give an ounce of care. Just because you gave me shelter doesn't mean I trust you nor that Darrick." He pointed at Conrad's face.

The man had raised both of his arms to say the least, he was just admiring this guy. So tense yet so innocent. "Sure, sure, not like I aim for you to trust me anyway. Do whatever you want. Or, do whatever you please, seems like my vocabulary is put to test once I'm talking to you, huh- eh? Where did he go?" After he turned his back, looking behind him once again, he discovered that Luther was no longer there. "What a rude one. Nevermind, he must be best off for now anyways. Can't flirt having him around, haaah."

Luther had immediately gone to that address. Silently, he was grateful for that bloke. Even after all that fuss, he can't help but think that he helped him. He would probably be still searching for a place to stay if not for him.

"This place… Why is it so big?" Complained after he opened the lights and revealed before his eyes it was almost to be called a huge mansion, if not for it being called an apartment. To top that, it's on the toppest floor. Which made the city visible to his eyes. He was astonished. Such a futuristic place.

He spent the day just roaming around his apartment, fixing things his way, and he saw a bunch of bottled inside the refrigerator.

"Wonder what that is?"

He took one bottle and opened it effortlessly. He closed the gap between its opening and his nose, and he almost snapped his thirst just when he already had his fill.

"It smells like a slaughterhouse in there, as if someone busted a vein."

Turns out that Conrad already had everything planned. Even bottles filled with blood were restored in this building. If a human had seen this, it wouldn't be a surprise if they reported it to the security. With that being said, he finished one bottle and continued with his general chores.

THE NEXT DAY.

He woke up and someone knocked on his door. Food service was being sent and not but frizzled meat was in there. He enjoyed his fill thinking that Conrad must have done this again to him, not like his complaining.

"With this, I won't worry about ever sucking blood to humans ever again. After I have my fill, that much will sustain me from these urges. Benefit me and humanity." With his hand, he dug in. Not even using the spoon or fork, both were silver utensils. Conrad must have forgotten about it.

The same day, he decided to visit the vast city again. There are a lot of various things he missed out while he was being isolated in that horrid valley, a lot of foreign memories failed to embark as he continued to suffer in that place, now that he's here, he can do anything as he pleased. Just as what that guy said to him.

"If I find the right timing, I must thank him." He had a full coverage of clothes. It was comfortable and just perfect for his skin to be hidden.

He called this vehicle that had "Taxi" written on top, paid for it using Conrad's card, and went to stop by the city center. Just as he thought, there were a lot of people there. Just passing by with their busy schedule, he could sense the rush, happiness, and overall emotions in there. As he inserted himself, he was proud of himself for not being wary of the human's smell.

"This feels great-"

He halted and shuddered when a woman with honey toned golden hair passed by, he wasn't able to recognize what exactly she looked like but her scent almost made him faint. His nose scrunched and he was captivated by her smell.

"That woman… Her blood smells so… good."