Sweet Blood (boyxboy)

Chapter 4: Looking for help

"Well if you lick me again, you're fired!"
☆

John wastes no time in settling down to read the chapter. He begins to learn about how the first vampires came about in England, during the mid century, due to the black death and the cross contamination between humans and animals. Their DNA latching onto the human cells and creating a virus, a new species. The habits of these species became increasingly nocturnal, with an aversion to sunlight and a sensitivity to smells, but an overwhelming thirst for human blood, with animal blood not containing the same nutrients. But they survived the outbreak, their bodies adapting and lived a long, long lifespan.

John thought about how he hated the smell of certain foods but could at least tolerate the sun. The human side of him being the dominant gene in that case. But there was no escaping the fact that he needed blood. Human blood. It was written there in black and white.

There was so much information that John soon lost track of time. He was only aware of it when his phone started to vibrate. He looked down to see he had a message.

Where the hell are you? It's nearly 2.30!

John quickly slams the book shut and pulls it under his arm as he gets to standing. He's late for work. How did time go that fast? John hurries to the ground floor with the book and races it to the counter. "I...I wanna take this out please!"

"Do you have a library card?" The lady with a sharp bob questions behind the counter.

"No...what do I need to get one?" John tries to stay calm, but time was definitely against him.

"Two forms of ID, one with an address" she sighs as she speaks.

"I don't have that right now....can I save the book so no one else can take it out?" John tries to put on a cute face, which just goes over the lady's head.

"Name...what's the name of the book? I can see if anyone else has reserved it"

John pushes the book across to her over the counter. "Sir, this is a reference book. You cannot take this out!" She looks at him over her glasses.

John can feel his temper getting short. He is about to blow a fuse at the ridiculousness of anyone else actually wanting to read a book which clearly had age old dust on it when he gets distracted. "It's ok Christine, I've got this."

The lady called Christine forces a smile under her harsh facade before returning to her desk, piled high with true crime books. John is now facing a more pleasant looking Toby before him. "I'll keep it by for you." He says with a smile.
"Did you find it useful?"

"Very!" John smiles back, before another text comes through. "I need to get to work. Thanks again!" John hurries out of the library and jumps onto his motorbike. He was now 45 minutes late!

---*---

"What the hell man!" Were the first words greeting him by his boss and thankfully understanding friend Shawn.

"Sorry, I was at the library." John said, his breathing heavy from the rush to get there.

"Excuse me? The library?" Shawn finding this very amusing starts to chuckle. "What the hell were you doing there?"

John brushes over the insult in which Shawn is implying. "Just needed to do some research...that's all!"

"You're not quitting are you? Thinking of uni?" Shawn genuinely sounds a bit concerned now.

"No nothing like that I just..." John lowers his voice. "My condition...I needed to just find some stuff out!"

Shawn was one of a few human friends John had who knew he was a being. It happened by chance when Shawn sliced his arm by accident when working on an old truck. The sight of the blood made John react the only way a vampire would and John couldn't hide the fangs...and the fact that he was suddenly licking Shawn's arm. John was 17 at the time and his control was still unstable.

Shawn took it pretty well. Thought it cool his new apprentice was a vamp. That's when John had to correct him, he wasn't a vamp, he was a being.

"Is everything ok?" Shawn asks.

John takes a sigh. "I'm struggling a little with my blood intake. I just want to see what I can do about it!"

"Well if you lick me again, you're fired!" Shawn says seriously, but with just a hint of a smirk.

"I promise I won't!" John laughs before getting set to work.

-----*-----

Jamie opens his work locker, pulling out his own clothes to change back into. The thoughts of last night playing on his mind. He didn't show it to John, but Jamie was scared. Scared of John's reckless behaviour. John needed to keep a hold of his urges or they would both be in serious trouble.

He takes his clothes and sits on the nearby bench, placing them by his side. He leans forward resting his face on his hands. Jamie was tired. Tired of feeling the urge to feed all the time, tired of worrying about his brother. He just wanted it all to end.

"Hey, you ok?" Jamie looks up to see a senior colleague looking at him with a concerned look on his face.

"I'm fine Doctor Kelly, just tired that's all" Jamie fakes a smile at the young doctor stood in front of him.

"We're off duty now, call me Rowan!"

Jamie chuckles. "I'm ok Rowan, just tired."

"Well if you need to talk, you know where to find me!" Rowan smiles.

Jamie smiles back as he watches Rowan turn to walk away. Jamie wonders momentarily if he should say something... well not the exact truth but he couldn't carry on this way, for John's sake as well as his own. "Uh Doctor Kelly...Rowan!" Rowan turns around again, looking at Jamie. "What do you know about blood disorders?"

Rowan sits next to Jamie, with a look of intriguing on his face. "A bit, why?"

...Because I'm a being. Half vampire and half human, so is my brother. We inherited the vampire part from our father. And now my brother's thirst for fresh blood is making him a murderer as am I...

Jamie wishes he could say... but instead he goes with, "I have a rare blood disorder and my brother too. He isn't managing it well at the moment. I'm worried about him."

Rowan suddenly pulls out a notepad and pen from his white doctors jacket. "What's the name of this disorder, maybe I could research a bit for you, ask some of my colleagues?"

...Well Rowan, its called being blood thirsty!...

"I... I can't remember the medical term for it." Jamie looks at Rowan a little sheepish.

Rowan stuffs his notepad and pen back in his pocket. "Well find out and as I said, I'll try to help if I can."

"Thanks Rowan." Jamie smiles, watching Rowan turn and walk away a second time. This time, he doesn't stop him. Jamie reverts back to his sighs. There is nothing anyone can do about their situation, he would have to work it out himself.