Hunter

Chapter 5

          Exhausted, I went through the door, careful not to make a sound. Arthur was probably in bed now. At least I hoped he was. Lately he had taken the annoying habit to wait for me on nights of missions. That night was no exception, I understood it, when I saw the light in the living room.

"Dad! Your bleeding!"

I turned my head. Arthur was coming out of the kitchen with a half-eaten slice of pie in his hand. He stuffed what remained of it in his mouth and took a step toward me. I motioned to stop him.

"Nothing to worry about. Go to bed."

He looked at me and I saw in his eyes how worried he was. Despite my fatigue, I forced a smile on my face to reassure him.

"Come on. Go."

"What is it that did that to you?" he asked.

I sighed heavily. I did not want to talk about such things with him. Although he new the truth about my job, he knew very little of the creatures my colleagues and I were facing.

"Go to bed." I insisted.

"Oh, no! Don't tell me it was a vampire! Was it?" He asked, shocked. "Putain, are you going to turn?"

"No. To turn me he would have had to kill me after the bite or to empty me of my blood."

I had talked without thinking.

"Why am I telling you this? Go to your room and sleep!"

I had talked a bit too loud. Cries came down from upstairs. Agate was up.

"Daddyyy!!"

She cried heavily. I turned back to Arthur.

"I cannot go like that" I said, motioning to my bloody neck. "Can you go, please?"

Without a word, Arthur climbed the stairs and I heard him whisper a few words to his sister.

I headed for the bathroom. Once there, I took my shirt off. No wonder Arthur had looked so startled. The bite had left two big holes in my neck and blood had gushed out. I did put a pack on it, but had not clean myself up. There was blood everywhere on my neck. I could have died. Less than an inch on the left and I would have bled out. I cleaned the wound, tried clumsily to stitch myself up then gave up. A pack would do for the night. From the door came three hesitant knocks.

"Dad? Agate's asleep. I'll be in y room if you need me."

"No, it's okay. Just sleep."

I looked in the mirror. I had rings under my eyes. Time to sleep had finally come and I was happy it had.

        I painfully got up. The bite hurt awfully. After dressing up, I went down stairs to the kitchen for breakfast with my daughter in my arms. Arthur was already seated at the table and literaly devoured his spreads. I put Agate by my side and we started to eat too.

I felt the compress with the tips of my fingers.

"It still hurts?"

I nodded.

"I can't believe vampires do exist!" Arthur exclaimed.

I dropped my spoon and rose my eyes on him.

"Arthur! I whispered pointing at my daughter.

"She doesn't understand what it means." He replied. "Besides, she's not listening anyways."

It was true that she was eating with as much energy as her brother. I shook my head with resignation. Then, I smiled and looked at Arthur again.