Vampire King’s Little Killer

Loss: the state or feeling of grief when deprived of someone or something of value.

Emilian

I did not expect help from a stranger. Mom and I had been surviving without anyone’s help since the day Dad passed away. We use to be a small happy family until we were not. Losing Dad had taken a great toll on Mom’s health until she too passed away and I was alone in the world.

I didn’t know how I’d cope if it wasn’t for Tessa who took pity on me. She adopted my grown ass and moved me to their castle. I was ashamed for a few moments before I told myself what the hell and let them take me in. I was nineteen, I should be able to defend myself, be independent, and just… live. But I was so damn tired, it felt good for once to have someone taking care of me.

When the third day came, I was wondering why haven’t I ever seen them in the daylight. Yesterday I thought that they were working, but when I asked the cook who was preparing breakfast for me, she basically said to ask Nero and Tessa myself when evening came. I shrugged at her words and started eating my sandwich. It was just after lunch when I started getting bored and wandering around the backyard. I took out my trustee knife when I found a mountain of firewood and picked the best one out of the bunch and started carving.

The sun was still shining when I started, I was smiling when I thought that I was going to carve Tessa a thank you gift for taking me in. When dad was still alive he would let me hang around while he worked then he would start teaching me to carve wood. I was supposed to be his apprentice, we talked about it when I was growing up. He would talk while working and I would happily sit in my little stool while watching him work on various parts of furniture.

To date, my hand was still working under muscle memory. It was an easy thing for me. The early months after Dad’s passing I’d sneak out to his workspace and just get lost in his world. But when mom and I moved to a smaller place we let his memory go. I kept his favorite carving knife, which was now my favorite carving knife.

I didn’t notice when my surrounding was getting dark after I move inside because of the heat. And of course that was when Nero and Tessa emerge from inside their home just like clockwork. But when I turned my head around to greet them my hold on the wood slipped and my knife cut into my palm. It was not that deep but it was bloody.

“Excuse us,” it was Nero who reacted first when Tessa was more than eager to quicken her step toward me. Probably to try to help me with my wound, because I did hear her hiss and I could swear I saw Nero was holding her waist with more strength than necessary.

“Um yeah, I need to clean up.” I put the carved wood aside and sheathed my knife before walking to the nearest bathroom. There was no first aid kit so I took a bunch of tissue and put pressure on my wound. Fuck… I need a bandage.

I eventually went back to my room knowing I had packed a bandage inside, my emergency kit somewhere under my clothes. It took me a few moments but I did find it hurriedly, then went to the ensuite bathroom to change the bloodied tissue and once again clean the cut and covered the wound with the small bandage. It would have to do until I find a larger bandage, preferably a gauze. Ugh… I think I need stitches, though that wouldn’t be visible for maybe ever, since I still need to pay for mom’s hospital bill. Maybe I should lie down. Maybe the blood will stop flowing.

“Come in,” I replied when there was a knock at my bedroom door.

“Hey, sorry about earlier.” It was Tessa.. she looked relaxed and now looking concerned at my cut.

“It’s okay, it was my fault, I didn’t look at the knife. It was really sharp.” I smiled and she told me that it must’ve been so when she saw the blood trickling down my palm.

“You need a bigger bandage for that. Can I?” She asked for my permission and I gave her my hand for her to take a look.

“Okay. On second thought, I need Nero. You should stay, just lay back okay?”

“You don’t have to, it’ll be fine by tomorrow.”

“No, you’d need stitches for that.”

“No, please. It’ll be okay. I owe you so much already.” The back of my eyes stings with heat. My chest tightened as I felt embarrassment overwhelming my senses and I couldn’t take it anymore. I let it all out when I cried and let her wrap her arms around me. It felt good. Mom usually hold me, and just the mere thought of her had me sobbing until my shoulder shook and I kept on wiping my nose with the hem of my t-shirt.

“I’m sorry…”

“Emilian, don’t. I will help you okay? Let me do this.”

“I was… I was carving you a wooden puppy. I just feel like you’re a dog person.”

“Well, I did grow close to Lucius’ dog back in Transilvania. Lucius is one of our sons and um… I don’t know how to word this but I’d like it if you would consider being one of us. There’s this pull I have towards you. I couldn’t explain it.”

She did? Huh? That was strange…

Because I did feel a pull towards her too. Her care felt maternal and somehow I felt safe and taken care of around her. It was stupid since I was nineteen years old. I was too old to be adopted and too old to be taken care of by a young rich couple with a beautiful-looking castle as their home.

“Okay, I need to stop babbling and actually get Nero to tend to your wound.” She kissed the top of my head before retreating towards the door and walking out.

I sat up while I wait for her and Nero, and when he came with her behind him the older man looked serious. I didn’t exactly know how old he was but what I know was that he looked expensive. Probably old money and I still couldn’t get why they wanted me around. Then I remembered that Tessa wanted me to be one of them, whatever that means. But yeah I will need to think about it. Hard.

“Emilian, let me take a look at your cut. I can have our doctor come here and stitch you up. And don’t worry about the cost. Please, what Tessa wants she’ll get.” He looked at his wife with pure adoration. It reminded me of my parents, both who had passed away, leaving me… oh, fuck… It was too late to hold back my tears when I felt my wet cheeks and saw Tessa’s hands reaching out to wipe them and I let her. God, what was wrong with me and the crying?

“I’m sorry, both of you looked so much in love. You reminded me of my parents, and they’re both gone. So… yeah,” I’ve never felt so warm after losing both of my parents but to be in her arms… and that was when I know.

“Yes,”

“Sorry?”Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

“Yes, I’ll be a part of you. I was thinking you mean your family?” I watched as Tessa’s smile grew and I started grinning.

Nero raised his brow and I was suddenly afraid that I have mistakenly understood her words.

“I asked Emilian if he’d like to be one of us. And yes, that means part of our family. You know you’ve been waiting for me to spread my wings.” I heard her say to her husband and my shoulder relaxes instantly.

“But first, please let me call our doctor, I think it needed a couple of stitches,” Nero stated after he took a look at my palm and carefully cleaned the cut before properly putting a larger bandage to cover the wound perfectly. “There, that should take care of it until the doctor is here. Why don’t you rest while Tessa explains what she meant by making you one of us.”

I didn’t understand what he was referring to but I nodded anyway.