The door opened into a badly lit room. "Please, let me out. It hurts so much." A pale and sweat drenched man lay strapped to a stone table. "No. You need to complete more tests, however. To cure you of the parasite, but you keep all the enhancements," a man sucked his breath between his teeth, "that'll be my greatest achievement." The man on the table groaned in pain.
"Master... may I have some blood?" He asked hesitantly and weakly. A sharp bark of laughter rang out in the confined chamber. "No! You're an experiment. If you die I can just get another." "Yes, Master.... Sorry, Master." The man on the table said pathetically.
"Now, Dusk. Don't get upset. After this test I'll feed you," the man said in an effort to be nice. "I'll even let you choose what animal." The man walked over to Dusk, twirling a set of keys. He went to touch Dusk's hand but Dusk flinched away. He looked ashamed almost instantly and said hurriedly, "Sorry, Master." The man smiled sadly and untied the traps. "Now, if you try anything..." The man touched his belt and Dusk saw a vial next to his hand. Salt water, he knew. "Come." The man said harshly. Dusk followed.
"Doctor Roberts! Doctor Roberts! Floyd! Floyd Roberts, what is happening?" A shrill, hysterical voice shrieked next to his ear. He winced and replied," how do you mean?" His deep, accented voice sounded like velvet. "Your experiment. The vampire! He's loose! What do you have to say?"
"Sorry?" A slap hit his face, leaving a burning pain behind. He laughed good naturedly and said, "It's all part of the experiment. I want to know if I have total control over him." He smiled ruefully. "After he's tasted human blood." The woman's eyes widened in disbelief but she only said, "hurry up then. He's already killed several of our best doctors."
"Good." The doctor smiled.
"Dusk! Put him down and turn to me!" Vampire and magic fought in the one body. Magic prevailed. "Good. I did promise to feed you, no?"
"Yes." A harsh guttural voice said, ripped from a throat not designed to speak.
"I always keep my promises, do I not?" The doctor pressed.
"Yes."
"And I will always help you before myself." This got a different response.
"Master, no! If ever the time comes, save yourself, not me!"
"No, I could not. You are like a son to me. I couldn't loose you. Not in a million years."
"But, Master... I couldn't bare to think I was the cause of your death. Some experiments hurt and... and for for those moments.." Dusk's courage failed him. He took a deep breath and continued. "For those moments, I hate you. I'm ashamed to say it, Master. But... I hate you. But I couldn't be the cause of your death. I'll jump into the ocean before that happens!" The doctor smiled gently. "Child, I couldn't have you jump into the ocean. If you did, I would jump in after you," he said adding the 'to push you down' in his head. The vampires eyes widened and he mouthed something. Possibly a thanks. Floyd hated toying with the vampires trust but it was necessary. If the vampire learned that Floyd was his enemy, no amount of salt water would keep him from getting his revenge. The doctor with a PhD in biology looked at the impossibly graceful way the vampire moved, wondering what it would be like to destroy the blood thirsty part of the virus, leaving only the enhanced speed strength and senses. Stamina, too. And to keep the hard to kill and regenerative properties. He looked away. Suddenly, something became clear to the doctor. The vampire hadn't changed his skin. Throughout the whole encounter, the vampire still had its human skin. Everything else had happened from the fangs, to the forked tongue, to the eyes becoming completely black. But his skin hadn't come off.
He cleared his throat. "Dusk," he said voice gentle, "Dusk. Why didn't you change your skin? I'm not upset... just curious."
Dusk looked startled, as if he didn't want Floyd to notice. He licked his lips and said,"I couldn't. I tried but..." he trailed off.
The doctors resulting smile was kind, compassionate. "Child, that is a good thing. You are learning. Learning to control your blood lust. You may have thought you wanted to kill those people, but dep down inside you knew you didn't want to. Am I right?" He said, his voice betraying none of his hatred for this creature.
Dusk looked puzzled. "I-I'm not sure. Maybe. But wouldn't I know?"
The doctir kept his smile and voice gentle."Child, the lies we tell to others are nothung like the lies we tell to ourselves. You know what you are. Did you embrace it? No. You were better than that. You came to me for help. Now, I can fix you. You keep all the gppd things from the virus but the need for blood will be gone. You can eat food, proper food. Drink wine, beer, hot chocolate. Or do you want to stay like this forever?"
"No, Master! Someone would hunt me down and kill me. I dont want to live the rest of my life in fear. Well, un-life." Dusk said. He tilted his head as if something had just occurred to him. "Master," he said carefully, "Master is it the blood or the virus that keeps me from aging?"
Floyd thought for a moment, his eyes staring at nothing. "I do not know. You've not been in this condition long enough. Next month I might be able to tell. See, this is a difficult subject because no-one has hever done it before. Nit even in the days of the Sanctuaries. If Darquess hadn't revealed magic to the mortals," Floyd nearly spat the word, causing Dusk to flinch, "someone might have started this... but, alas, we do not live in a perfect world." Floyd shook his head slowly. His eyes snapped backnjnto focus and he looked at Dusk.
"I've upgraded your room. This is it." Floyd opened a door on their left. The door led into a luxurious room with a flatscreen TV, a gigantic bed and a bathroom with a shower, bath and toilet.
The vampire looked amazed and overwhelmed. "Master, I... I cannot take this room. It's too... too..." the vampire searched for the right word. "Too... it's too much," he said, failing to see the step. With in-human speed his hands shot out in an effort to steady himself. However, the doctor stuck out a foot, tripping the vampire fully. Dusk's head hit the floor witb a sickening CRACK! The vampire groaned and sat up.
"I feel dizzy. Can I ask to be alone?"
"Of course you can, Dusk. Dont even ask next time." Floyd walked out of the room and back to his quarters, whistling cheerfully.
It was in the early hours of the morning when Floyd Roberts was woken by alarms. "Code Red." He whispered to himself. Suddenly he sat upright, instntly awake. "Code Red! Why? Could it be...? No, it wouldn't be Dusk." He still got up and dressed as fast as he could. That's what you did with a Code Red. He ran to reception, noting that he was one of the first there.
"What's... what's happening?" He asked, breathless.
The lady behind the desk glared. "You are late," she said in a voice that sounded like nails being dragged across a blackboard. "Everyone else os in a safely sealed area. A vampire is loose." He tone was harsh and blaming.
Floyd shook his head in disbelief, his eyes widening. "No, not Dusk." His voice was still gentle and calming, even when he was in shock. It was something he had perfected over the years.
"Maybe, maybe not. I wpuld suggest leaving, however, Dusk-"
"Is just here." Floyd to his credit didn't even jump. The receptionist didn't do so well. She gave a loud squeel and sprinted towards the door. The vampire laughed and was besode her in the blink of an eye.
"Don't run. It makes the blood thin." As he finished speaking, he tore her throat open. He drank deeply and quickly. He threw away the empty husk as if it were a ragdoll. He turned to Floyd, smiling. He said five words that would haunt the doctor for the rest of his life; "I'll be back for you."
