The Immortal Blood

Chapter 20

The morning after, Adam woke up half sore but enough rested in a bed that he had struggled to recognize: fortunately he had avoided nightmares, and apparently Todd had chivalrously slept on the couch, instead of harassing him.
"You're awake!" The vampire had told him, while he was still stetching lazily under the sheets.
"I think so. . . "
"Are you hungry? There's a diner and a Mini Market across the street, we can stock up before hitting the road."
"Where are we going?" He'd joined Todd at the table, suddenly interested.
"I found a place." The other one had smiled at him, satisfied. "Get ready. We're leaving soon. How are you feeling?"
"Ah, better. . . " he'd walked to the tiny bath, studying the wound in the mirror: his shoulder was swollen, but at least the cut had stopped pulsing with pain.
"Good. . . " Todd watched him take his shirt off, making him blush.
Adam had closed the door, to avoid further embarrassment, washing himself in the sink not daring to touch the shower, gray with filth. Once cleaned, they had collected the few things they had fled with the day before and had bought some clothes, food and medications for his injuries.
Cell phones ended up both in the trash, to be replaced with ones with disposable numbers: the blonde would use his own to contact his closest colleagues and keep up to date with the situation, while he would only contact his wife after the ordeal with Vernon was over, so as not to put her and the girls further at stake.
Todd was counting on not having to use his own, except in case of emergency.
At the diner, Adam had eaten with much more appetite, but always with a certain anguish that tightened the mouth of his stomach: it was not simple, he felt hunted, running from a monster that they were not certain to be able to defy.
Once back on the road, Todd had remained silent, but evidently satisfied.
It had taken them almost two hours, but in the end they had parked in front of a dilapidated-looking farmhouse in the open countryside.
"Don't let the outside fool you. Come on in." The vampire had walked up to the door, splitting a large deadbolt hanging from the entrance handle as if it had been made of butter. The interior truly seemed to be part of a different world, clean and freshly restored, furnished in a spartan but sober way.
"All right, explain to me."
"It was a real fluke! I came here to take a look some time ago, when we were still searching for a new house, but it hadn't particularly impressed me, we wanted to be closer to the city. . . anyway, I found out that it's currently out of the market because of a pending lawsuit on the former owner."
"Ah, I see. . . "
"It should be vacant and no one should come and bother us for a while. At least until we find a way to off Vernon permanently."
"Okay." Adam had helped him check that water and light were still connected, then he had placed food in the pantry, familiarizing with the unknown surroundings: there were three master bedrooms, so they would not have problems with privacy, even if the only one that seemed to be concerned with it was him, certainly not Todd . . . bathrooms were complete with modern facilities, all in all the vampire seemed to have conceived a good plan.
Adam had spent the rest of the afternoon washing himself thoroughly under the pleasantly hot shower spray, sleeping and preparing himself a quick meal in the evening. It was strange to eat alone, especially when it was clear that Todd wasn't eating at all.
"It's a little. . . you know. . ."
"Hm, yeah. I'm not used to it, either, it's been a long time since I've shared a meal with a. . . human. "
"Yet I've seen you drink more than once..."
"Alcohol and beverages in general are not a problem. Of course, it's not ideal. . . we have a rather monotonous diet." He'd smiled, sipping a beer.
Adam had felt his appetite disappear. "How did you. . . get used to. . . "
"Drinking blood? Physically, the change was instantaneous, as for the rest. . ." he had sighed, his face taking a dark twist. ";. . . I told you, I don't remember much. The first chapter of my vampiric life was. . . complicated."
"Todd. . . "
"See, it's easy to put all the blame on Vernon: he's always been a huge asshole, but the truth is, I'm not more innocent than he was. I. . . don't have excuses for what I did, I'll carry this weight inside of me forever, and. . . that's okay." He'd turned to the side, his eyes lowered to the ground.
"You know, I just don't understand you!" Adam had tried to lighten the mood. "When you talk about your past, you seem so different... then you start acting like a pig again, and..."
"HA!" Todd had burst out laughing, despite himself. "It's your fault, though."
"Shut up! It's not me, it's my blood."
The vampire had observed him for a few seconds, in silence: "No" he had finally murmured. "It's not just that."
Adam had blushed visibly, taken aback. " We better clear the table, I'm tired."
"I'll take care of it, you go and get some rest."
"All right. Thank you."
The blonde had climbed into one of the rooms he had previously chosen as his own with a plain single bed that he'd hoped would keep Todd away from him.
He had not taken into account one fundamental thing by following him here: they would be alone, in close contact, for God only knew how long. . .
Adam bit his lower lip, uncertain. How long could it last before the balance they had achieved was broken?