CHAPTER 7

The rest of the school week went by, rather too quickly for Daemon, as he looked forward to a second worth of glance at her at the end of each school day, even as she was about disappearing inside her Kia Seltos into the streets of Albany. Thoughts of not seeing her for two more days were suddenly agonizing as he stared at her reversing car in the parking lot.

"How are you enjoying the school, Mr Daemon?" Mr Moore's voice suddenly interrupted his focus, as he cursed under his breath before sparing him a glance.

"It's nice." He replied as emotionlessly as his gaze.

"Hope you're not finding it uncomfortable in any way?" The ever persistence Mr Moore asked, ignoring the coldness in the young lad's voice.

Young lad?

If only he knew he (Daemon) was older than his great grandfather, just maybe he'd talk to him even more respectfully.

"If you need even the slightest of help, please don't hesitate to come to my office and if peradventure there's anybody or thing giving you any form of discomfort, just bring it to my notice and watch me handle everything." He continued talking but all Daemon heard was the sound of his heart beating softly against his chest walls and the sound of his blood travelling round his body. He could clearly see the carotid artery vibrating to the rhythm of his voice, as he felt his canines growing sharper and longer.

Should he just pull him into a classroom and have a drink?

It'd be his first human blood after about 400 years of willful abstinence.

He could hear the monster in him struggling to be awakened, urging and begging him to finally accept his true self.

He could already taste the sweetness of his (Mr Moore's) blood in his mouth, nourishing and strengthening his already weakened self.

He was becoming too hungry and unsafe to be around, and he decided that, for Valerie's sake, he'd better tame his monster, as he wouldn't want to start feeding on human blood which might eventually lead to him hurting her one-day.

He was going with Seth to Russia to have a good long fresh drink of wild animals, untainted by human food or presence, but who really gives a fuck about that when there's juicy delicious drink right in front of him.

"One good drink from a human blood can last you up to a month, unlike animal blood that only lasts for 15 days." He could hear Ramsey's voice, setting his entire being on fire, but he had always been the one with great self control, and today wasn't going to be any different

"Daemon, are you okay?" Mr Moore asked the young man who stared blankly at him, as Daemon tightened his fist, unwilling to go rampant, at least not yet.

"Uhmm yeah!"

"Are you sure you're okay? Do you need me to..."

"I already said I am fine. I have to go now." Mr Moore jumped out of and back into his skin. He wasn't just cautious around this boy because of his family's wealth, there's was something unusually dangerous about him that makes goosebumps pop out on his body whenever he's close to him.

"Okay. My regards to your brother." But he was already out into the compound, though he heard clearly what was said to him. Mr Moore remained motionless, staring at the young man with eyes that said 'what a weird kid he is.'

Hastening his steps towards the main gate, he kept his head down and hands in his pocket. He was already getting too thirsty and needed to be fed but for now, he knew he had to leave the streets and stay away from human as they reek of blood, which was increasing his hunger and getting him out of control.

Not willing to use his superhuman speed until he was safely out of sight, and focusing on getting as far out of sight as possible, he bumped roughly into Valerie.

"Excuse you! Are you blind?" She yelled angrily at the person in front of her, with his hoodie over his head. That's when it hit her; there's only one guy crazy enough to wear an hood at this hour.

"Daemon, is that you?"

"Yeah." Caught already, he just pulled down his hood, "I thought you already left for home?" He replied, quietly telling his monsters to behave as he was in front of the man he could give everything for.

"I forgot to relay a message from my dad to Mr Moore. I'm just about deli-" Her eyes suddenly caught glimpse of the dark circles around his eyes. Everything about them spelt unusual and strange.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Her voice was laced with concern, as she took a step towards him while he took a step away from her. His senses were already alive and he didn't want to hurt her. He could live with hurting any other person, but not her.

"Yeah. I'm fine"

"Your eyes are becoming a little darker than usual."

"Can you give me a ride. I don't feel too well." Uncomfortable Daemon asked, a way of changing topics and freeing himself from her hold.

"Okay. Just stay here for a minute let me drop the message with Mr Moore." She said walking away towards the school building, as Daemon sped out in a second.

"Or would you take the..." She turned around but he was no longer standing besides the car. Or did he faint?

Running around the car, she searched for his body as though it were a needle lost in a hay stack.

"Daemon?" She called out, hoping the streets would atleast give a response as to where he was hiding.

Hiding?

Why would he be hiding from her?

"Where did he go?" She asked no one in particular, still searching around the vicinity, like a crime detective, for any clues left by mistake.

"Valerie?"

"Oh! Mr Moore!" Hands on her chest as she caught her breath, an uncomfortable smile curving on her face.

"Are you looking for something?"

"Not exactly."

"Why are you back here then?"

"My dad asked me to give you this..." She said, handing him a parcel, "I almost forgot but thankfully I didn't." A genuine smile was now seated on her face.

"Tell him thank you for me. I'd call him later on."

"Okay then. Let me head back home now."

"Drive safely."

"I will." She waved at him, getting into her car as she drove off.

*****************************************

"Daemon, are you okay?" Seth asked the extremely pale looking Daemon, who could barely stand on his own feet, as he sat uncomfortably on the sofa.

"Are we going to Russia now?"

"Get a grip on yourself, D."

"I am getting a grip on my fucking self!!" Daemon yelled at him, his weak body unable to do the damage he had intended.

"Get your stuffs ready."

"Hope it's a chartered plane? 'cuz I don't think I can survive being in a plane reeking with the smell of human blood." He was more calm now, probably realizing the fact that anger wasn't going to help take away the hunger.

"I already saw the dark circles forming from two days ago and I'm always a step ahead of you in everything." Seth smiled reassuringly at him, handing him a passport. "10 hours from now, we should be in Russia. You look like you can still hold up more for 24 hours. You're just growing weak because you've refused eating well and living to the fullest because of that woman." Daemon kept quiet, his eyes closed, trying to calm himself for some few hours more.

"Here! Have this reserve I had kept for emergencies like this." Seth handed him a bag of blood, as Daemon immediately tore it open, pouring the last drops into his mouth, as he felt like surging back into him.

"Thank you, Seth. You've proven to be the most loyal friend under the sky." A genuine smile curved on his face.

"No need to thank me, even after I promised to always take care of you as a brother and somehow make the burden of this existence bearable." Somehow, his voice was laced with guilt, as he stared down at him. He still blamed himself for pulling him (Daemon) into this life of misery.

If only he had had the will power to say no to a dying friend's wish, just maybe he'd feel less guilty even after half a millennium.

If only he had said no, he would not have met the woman that ended up being a curse he could not avoid.

Choosing this life to punish mankind for his injustice towards him, but the universe had other plans for him, as he brought a woman from the same human world he so desperately hated to bring pain and anguish to him.

"Even if everything must be changed and undid, I wouldn't change the day I met you. Thank you for being my Maker, Seth Vladamirovich." As though listening to his deepest thoughts, Daemon, whose face was now a little bit back to normal, smiled reassuringly at him