The Immortal Blood

Chapter 9

Todd had waited for the others to join him on the park bench: it was almost deserted at that time of day, with people at work and children at school.
He had once again recalled with his mind the memory of Adam's body under his own, the warmth and scent he emanated, then he had thought about his blood, the texture. . .
A sound of footsteps had reluctantly drawn him from his thoughts.
"Todd. Am I to assume that you have good news?" Vernon asked, behind his back.
"Absolutely. " He had smiled, standing up to look at his three companions in the face. He'd put his hand in his pocket, pulling out three vials.
Vernon's face had lit up full of expectation, while Axel and Dimitri's had stared at him, confused.
"What is it?"
"The Holy Grail for all vampires. "
"It's blood. . . "
"Not just any blood. This is THE blood, my friends. "
"Do you mean. . . ?" Axel and Dimitri had exchanged an incredulous glance.
"Yes. It exists, and we're all going to take it. Thanks to this. . . " he had distributed the vials to each of them. ". . . we'll be immortal. "

The next day, Todd and Vernon had a violent altercation about Adam.
Todd had hidden the boy's identity for obvious reasons, but Vernon strangely disagreed.
"His blood can heal us all, Todd, you can't keep the truth from Axel and Dimitri!"
"Axel and Dimitri would suck him dry in a minute, Vernon. No way! And you'll keep it a secret, too. I'll get the blood for you, and if you don't like it. . . if you try to get your hands on Adam. . . " he had smashed the glass he held in his hand.
Vernon was obviously disappointed but had kept quiet, even though Todd had seen him break his favorite walking stick in two.
He had spent the rest of the day trying to avoid him, but when he returned to his hotel room where they were staying, he found Alexandra inside.
"What are you doing here?" He had asked her, furious, stopping short when he had seen what she was holding in her hands: the fourth vial with Adam's blood.
"What a lovely thing, I didn't know you liked to keep souvenirs of your victims. . . " she mocked him, picking up a drop from the edge with her finger and carrying it to her lips. "Mmm, how delicate. . . who is it?" She asked him with a menacing grin.
"No one. " He answered her, ripping it out of her hand. He couldn't let her understand more, nor did he intend to make his sister an immortal.
"Really?"
"Really. It's just a memento, nothing more, Alexandra. What did you come here for?"
"I met Vernon. And now that I look at you, I notice it in you too. "
Todd had frowned, trying not to give himself away.
"You are different. Vernon even stopped limping! I thought the wound was from before his death. . . "
"It is. "
"Interesting. How did you do it?"
"Done what, I don't understand you. " He gave her his back, cursing her with his mind.
"You don't want to tell me. . . well, I shouldn't be surprised, I guess. . . " Alexandra had shaken her ginger curls with grudge. "You know I'm gonna find out anyway, don't you?" She smiled at him threateningly, passing by, walking out.
Todd hissed enraged: he was a fool to make an extra vial! He never intended to give it to his sister, he simply wanted it for himself, because he was a damned idiot.
Now he'd put Adam in an even more dangerous position. . . he had to do something about it.
His mobile phone rang, and he had answered without paying particular attention to the incoming number.
"Mr. Valentine. " That was Adam! "I wanted to ask you if Tuesday would be good for the delivery of the keys. . . "
"Ah, Tuesday. . . of course, of course. . . "
"Good. I'll see you Tuesday then. What about the Corner café on High Street? Come alone. " He closed the conversation.
Todd had stared a few moments at the screen, uncertain.
Adam wasn't avoiding him, on the contrary he clearly warned him that it would be a meeting between the two of them. He had probably figured something out... maybe not the whole story, but at least part of it.
He had settled on the bed with his hands behind his head: this unexpected development could be to his advantage, after all. . .