Centuries Blood

Two young men walked down the streets of Miami with a moderate pace under the leaves of the swaying palm trees.

It was summer, meaning that men and women of different ages took the opportunity to flaunt their chiselled and well tanned bodies with the revealing summer wear, whilst also resisting the morning heat.

Of the two, one was wearing a pristine white office shirt with the collar unbuttoned, a lavish pair of black flat front pants with an elegant black leather belt and well polished black loafers.

He was slightly taller than the other man, with dark hair made into an undercut, honey coloured almond eyes, a straight nose and clean shaven face.

His right hand was in his pocket and the way he walked exuded a gentlemanly elegance, further elevated by his muscular figure.

"Do tell me, brother. Why choose such a lavish city to reside in? You've never been the type to live in such....lively places," he said to the other man.

"Before I answer that idiotic question that seems to poke at my ability to handle fun, I must strike you back with another question, brother. Why in the blazes would you wear your trade mark attire even in the scorching sun?" asked the other man as he glared at his counterpart with exasperation.

He wore a long sleeved polo shirt and tight black jeans of the same colour. On his feet were navy blue running shoes.

Sparkling amber hair made into a modern quiff, brown eyes, a raised nose and a neat stubble could be seen on his face.

"Truthfully we are both oddities in this weather. Your choice of clothing is no better than mine. It hasn't changed either," the man in the white shirt said.

"Fair enough, you never took jokes well anyway. As for why I chose this place, the reason is quite simple. Enjoyment. After 4 whole centuries I simply chose a city that embodies the fresh, cool and fun atmosphere I was looking for. I have no doubt that if you look around you'll be pleased by what you see."

A young lady passed them going in the opposite direction, donning a yellow off shoulder crop top and sexy tattered studded shorts.

She had exquisite smooth curves, honey coloured skin that glistened in the sun, accentuating its flawlessness and when she walked with the healthy bounce of energy, one couldn't help but admire her long legs.

The man in the white shirt turned and perused from behind admiring the view with a slight smile.

The girl, as if sensing his gaze, turned and gave him a wink.

"Indeed," he said, much to the other man's delight as he wore a triumphant grin.

"Yet I find myself more interested in the news that made me hurry all the way here. Are you sure it was 'him', Cole?"

The man in the long sleeved shirt wore a grim expression and answered.

"Yes. I'm no fool. I had my loyalties scour the entire country. There have been four victims so far with six bite marks on their necks. I'm sure that's worth being vigilant brother."

"That proves nothing. Over the centuries we've discovered that there is more than one Progenitor. This could be another and it'd be best if we stay out of his way," the man in white said.

"Don't tell me you're still on this path of letting go, brother? Have you forgotten so easily the pain we have suffered for centuries?" Cole asked in a irritated tone.

"I hardly have the capacity to forget, brother, even if I wanted to. But what's an eternity of life if you can't enjoy it. I'm not about to spend the rest of my endless life searching for an all powerful immortal just to ask him the question 'Why?'."

"Enjoy? When was the last time you enjoyed life brother? I recall every detail. You were strangled by the binds of love only once and when it fell apart you've been too much of a coward to try again. That woman was a blot in your life anyway and I'm happy she was taken away," Cole said.

The man in white stopped, hand still in pocket.

However, when he stopped everything seemed to stop along with him.

The people on the street kept walking but the sound of their footsteps vanished. The sound of the engines of vehicles on the road dissipated leaving a great silence.

Cole stopped a few steps ahead and a took a deep breath.

"Take that back," the man in white said.

"Brother, I-"

"Take it back."

Cole slowly turned and saw the casual gaze his brother was giving him. There was no frown, no anger, no rage. Only the slightest of smiles perched on his handsome face.

"Sorry," he said.

"Good."

The man in the white shirt resumed walking and sound returned to the world.

"Where shall we dine while we wait for Gillian to arrive?" the man in white asked.

Cole sighed.

"First I want you to meet someone," he said. "And just in case, take these."

He handed keys to his brother that had a tag with the house number.

The two walked onward and turned to another street facing a cafe with an outdoor extension.

There were circular particle board tables arranged in a neat fashion, white umbrellas overhead to give a nice shade and elegant wooden chairs that perfected the view.

On one of the chairs was a young lady drinking coffee from her cup while enjoying the view of the street with a light smile.

She had chocolate brown hair made into a choppy bob, sand coloured skin and hazel coloured eyes.

She wore a multicolour skater dress and had one leg on top of the other, giving her carefree nature a highlight.

Cole walked up to the lady followed by his brother.

On seeing Cole, a radiant smile appeared on the lady's face as she stood up and embraced him, giving him a passionate kiss thereafter.

The man in the white shirt raised an eyebrow and took a deep breathe while looking sideways.

After the kiss, Cole gazed intently at the lady and smiled.

"Someone's in a good mood. Are you happy about something?" he asked.

"Playing dumb won't make me forget about tonight, Cole," she said, her smile still on display.

"Indeed. Though, I wouldn't dream of making you forget."

The lady shook her head and peaked behind Cole to see the man with his hand in his pocket, looking through the cafeteria window.

"Who's your friend?" she asked.

Cole turned to the man in the white shirt and smiled.

"This is-"

"Daniel Malborne," the man said with a slight smile as he extended his right hand.

The young lady obliged and shook his hand with surprise.

"He's your brother?"

"Indeed," Cole said. "Daniel, Margaret. Margaret, Daniel."

"Such a succinct introduction, brother," pointed out Daniel.

"Yes indeed. Margaret is my girlfriend. Forgive me for being nervous about giving such an introduction to my older brother."

Margaret started laughing, much to the two brothers' confusion.

"The way you two talk is the strangely similar. I thought it was a unique trait of Cole's but turns out it runs in the family," she said.

"Yes, we both do share.....ancient tastes," said Daniel with a smile. "Let me not intrude. I'll be waiting for Cole at home. It was pleasure meeting you, Margaret."

"Indeed," Margaret mimicked Daniel's aloof stature as she said, jokingly.

Daniel only smiled and walked away.

Once he reached a corner he vanished.

"Don't tell me you're falling for him already?" said Cole with a smile as he directed Margaret to sit.

"No. He's too beefy for me."

"And you're too carefree for him," Cole said.

"Hmmm, it definitely seems that way. I must say I'm a little disappointed that you never told me that you had a brother. I thought 3 months was the threshold where I get to know more about you. Are you on bad terms perhaps?" Margaret asked as she sipped her coffee.

"I'm sorry about that. It's complicated. It's certainly not a matter of conflict. Its the opposite. Our bond is too strong and too enduring to allow that. Now that my brother is here, we can start from there. And I'm sure you'll love my sister."

"There's a sister too? And here I thought I needed to get some new 'techniques' to get it out of you."

"Oh don't be modest. However, if you did learn a trick or two we can find out tonight. I have made reservations for us at a very nice place."

"Hmm. I was hoping we could go to my house and have a regular dinner."

"Why is that? Shouldn't a special night be celebrated in a fancy establishment?" asked Cole.

"Well, yeah. But..." Margaret said holding Cole's hand. "I tend to cherish moments when there is nothing to distract them. No fancy clothes, chandeliers, food or people in the background looking all judgey because we're being intimate.

I'd rather be with you, sitting on my couch and cuddling, watching a cheesy movie. Nothing too extravagant."

She looked at Cole intimately, a smile blooming on her face as she saw his reaction. He seemed both surprised and pleased.

"You should have told me to stop trying so hard all those months ago, then."

Margaret burst out into laughter.

"Maybe."

"Alright then. What milady wants, she gets. Though I wish you'd be the one picking me up as an offering of peace. I have to cancel my reservation and lose face."

"Dream on! What face could you ever need other than this one," Margaret said, pointing at her face.

"Point Margaret."

***

Daniel stood before a black and white contemporary style house. It was neat, with a nice lawn to the left and a driveway that looked to be well maintained.

He stood by the door running his hands along the walls.

"I'd say his tastes have improved," he said.

A shadow rushed from the street and stood beside him in the blink of an eye.

"Has my taste ever been bad, brother?" Cole asked with a smile.

"You have no idea," Daniel replied.

Cole opened the door.

"Please do come in," he said.

Daniel walked in and scanned the house.

What faced the door was a sizable lounge with four black couches and a circular glass table.

Open lights were on the ceiling, alongside a mini chandelier. In each corner of the room was an exquisite sculpture; two made of stone and the others, of wood.

A massive TV was plastered on the wall, which didn't have any decorations.

"What do you think?" asked Cole with a hint of pride in his voice.

"I shall reserve my opinion. We have other matters to discuss," Daniel said as he sat down.

"What a fine lady you've caught for yourself. You were always into the wild ones."

"What's life for, if not to be lived on the wild side?"

"Yet you're still searching for 'him'."

"I wasn't searching. Given that I've settled now, I'd say it's best to keep a lookout."

"Fair enough. But for you to say that means there was a reason for you to be vigilant."

"Yes. There were some wolves in this city when I arrived. They refused to have a Royal Vampire sharing their turf, so I removed them as the competition. They fled with their tails between their legs."

"Quite fitting. Though if I were you I'd make sure the threat was gone altogether."

"I would, but..."

"Margaret."

"Yes."

"I see."

Right then, there was a knock on the door.

Cole went up and opened it, only to see a girl who looked to be no older than 19 years, with leather black hair and grey eyes wearing a purple floral romper as well as sandals.

"Heeeeeey~!" she said with a smile, revealing a bottle of wine she had hidden behind her back.

"And here is the only one among us with an appropriate sense of fashion," said Cole hugging the girl. "Welcome sister."

"Hey bro. I really missed you," she said as she embraced him back. "You got me wishing I was a Royal Vampire too. Do I really need stand outside till you say so?"

Daniel stood up and went up to the door as well.

"Trust me, no one is exempt from our brother's.... insecurity. I was wondering why I took those keys myself," said Daniel.

The girl released Cole and rushed up to Daniel giving him a bigger hug.

"Well, what a lovely show of favouritism," said Cole with an annoyed look.

"Good to see you, Gillian," Daniel said as he embraced her.

Gillian gave Daniel a peck on the cheek and then sat on the couch with a bounce.

"Argh.. the comfort! Spoil me brothers!" she said as she relaxed.

"That can be done later. Let's talk about this now," Cole said as he sat on the opposite couch.

Daniel remained standing, hand in pocket.

"I made a few hundred humans my loyalties and had them scour the city and other nearby towns and settlements, giving me reports on a daily basis. That's how I found the information," Cole said.

"Wait, what are you talking about? Didn't you invite me for a get together or something?" asked Gillian.

"No, I didn't want our first chat in a years to be so bleak. There's a problem. 'He' is here," said Cole.

Gillian's eyes constricted and she sat up with a grim expression.

She took a deep breath.

"Are you sure it's him?" she asked with a shaken voice.

"He's not," said Daniel. "I advise that we stay clear of this. Its not worth it to investigate further. Like I said brother, there's more to life than seeking revenge or answers we already know."

"Why do you insist on not getting to the bottom of this? I understand Gillian hesitating as she was not with us from the beginning, but you?!" growled Cole.

"I'm not hesitant!" Gillian said with a firm expression. "I'm not. We're family, right? Besides if you die, I die."

Cole smiled as he looked at her. Then he looked at Daniel.

"Well?"

"You know what? Time is the one thing we have. We'll overstay our welcome for a bit as we resolve this...again," said Daniel as he shook his head.

"Fine. I have a date tonight anyway. I want to be in the right mood."

"Wait, what?!" Gillian exclaimed.

"Don't act so shocked. I have a considerable amount of charm after all," said Cole.

"Does she know?" she asked.

"No. Its better if she doesn't..... for now. Preserving her humanity is something I want more than anything else. I don't want her to see the dark side of me. She doesn't deserve it."

"Then why are you with her?"

Cole was silent for a few seconds and then he spoke.

"Because I need her."

Gillian smiled teasingly and jumped up from the couch.

"Alright then. Let's help you dress up!"

Daniel shook his head, watching Gillian push Cole.

***

A shadow darted and appeared before a beige craftsman style house. The lights inside and outside were on, making for a beautiful view of the whole space outside in the night.

Cole was standing at the door wearing a casual shirt and jeans that accentuated his slim but chiselled figure. Recalling the battle that he had to walk out his front door with his siblings while wearing this get up for a special anniversary date made him smirk.

Nighttime was Margaret's favourite time of the day and for every celebration, she always chose a time after sundown.

Cole rang the door bell and waited with a feeling that he seldom experienced.

Anxiety.

He really liked Margaret. She appreciated the simple things above all else, choosing casual chats above extravagant boasts.

She made him nervous. He wasn't used to the kind of girl she was. It had been a long time since he felt serious towards a woman.

She vaguely made him recall how it was to be .... vulnerable.

For that, he was drawn to her.

After waiting for a few seconds, he rang the door bell again, getting increasingly nervous.

Still. No answer.

He put his hand on the doorknob and turned.

The door opened.

Cole became vigilant.

"Margaret," he called.

No answer.

"Margaret!" he yelled.

In desperation he pushed his foot through the door and...

It passed through.

Cole's heart pounded.

'That's impossible unless....' he thought and sped at lightning speed into the house!

He checked the lounge, the kitchen, the first bedroom, the second and then....

He finally founded her.

She lay in a pool of blood at the door of the third bedroom.

Cole rushed up to her and held her in his arms.

"Margaret!" he yelled, and tried to feel for a pulse.

However, she was cold and her heart had stopped.

Cole didn't know what to do. When he looked at her neck, he was all the more devastated.

Six bite marks.

He couldn't feel strength in his bones for a minute and just sat there while holding Margaret in his arms.

He shed no tears.

He only breathed slowly as he stared at her for a long time.

Even the blood that he sat in meant nothing to him at this moment. He felt he had lost it all.

He caressed her cheek and pulled back her hair.

He was familiar with the stench of death and with the number of years he had lived, he knew no amount of screaming or crying would bring her back.

So.... he sat in silence and allowed the demons within to eat him up. He pain, the rage and the hunger. The demons that had become one with him over the four centuries he had been alive.

Three hours passed as he sat while holding the woman's corpse.

A sharp cough broke the silence, followed by a sharp draw of breath.

Cole was flabbergasted.

It was Margaret!

She coughed and struggled to breathe as she tried to regain her senses.

Cole's eyes went wide.

'No! Please! No!' he thought as he looked at her.

The woman's colour started to return and her heart started to beat with a different rhythm from before.

Cole gnashed his teeth as he looked at her kneel and stare at her bloodied hands.

Margaret looked at Cole and then at her hands, then at the floor.

"C...C..Cole... whats....what's happening...Arrrrghhh!.." she screamed and covered her ears.

Her eyes flashed with different colours; from hazel to a deep red!

She screamed and tried to reach for Cole!

Cole looked at her with a bitter expression, looking as if he wanted to cry.

'Not her too,' he thought.

Margaret screamed and held onto him as she screamed.

"COLE...PLEASE ...help me.... My Ears ...my eyes.... It hurts.... My Chest!!" he screamed looking at him.

Cole couldn't take it anymore. This was unfair.

He looked at her gently as she started crying and ended her suffering the least painful way he knew how.

He held her jaw and neck, and with a great strength..... twisted.