Chapter 03: Searching for the right snack

Their final exams were to begin in ten minutes, all the science students were in the laboratory, and it was filled with serious faced students.

Leon held up a slim test tube filled with soapy, greenish substance "yeah.., hey Strahd this would be an alkali solution right?" He asked

"Hmm, it should be" Strahd replied absentmindedly without looking up

"Really, you didn't even have a glance at it!" Watt said wrinkling his face

Strahd jerked his head up" I was sure it was, I perceived it", he truly wasn't even focused on anything, his ear has been on alert all morning listening for his final call back home now that he had completed his punishment, initially he thought staying with the humans wouldn't be so tough, but now he knew staying with them was the hardest thing to do, but sending a seventy years old man to college was what he could never understand, he was already naturally brilliant and with his numerous abilities he could know anything he wanted to.

He looked at the far end of the laboratory and saw Gabriella pipette a white substance her eyes laser focused in concentration, he suddenly had the urge to approach her and question her attitude towards him the other day.

It seemed as though she felt someone staring at her, she looked up and their eyes met, she murmured a little then glanced away

"Hmm, seems someone has been staring again" watt said narrowing his almond shaped eyes

"What do you mean?" Strahd asked letting out a knowing grin

"You have been absent minded since the practicals begun"

"Don't mind him, Leon shot at him, but you know one annoying fact, he would still score a higher mark than us, that's so discouraging"

The laboratory attendant walked up to their table

"How are things going on here?" He asked

"Just fine sir" They both answered....

It was few minutes past five when they concluded their practicals, their department were the only ones in the college, the whole campus was empty. Strahd was strolling alone when Leon and Watt approached him then they headed back to the dorm together.

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"Strahd it's a weekend, how about we head to the queens tonight "Leon said throwing his bag across the room and slouching on a couch

"Count me out am drained" Strahd said pouring himself water in a glass

"Why not?" Leon asked frowning

Strahd was getting irritated, he hated having to explain things for his curious friends

"Am....." The door burst open and Watt came in holding a news paper with fear, his palms trembling

"Guys look what I found in the mass communication department!"

"Geez what the heck is that!" Leon asked with astonishment"

Watt read the caption { LADY FOUND DEAD IN HER APARTMENT, BODY PARTS SCATTERED IN THE LIVING ROOM }

Leon made a puking noise" this is so barbaric, he said as he wrinkled his nose, is that her ear!" He asked his eyes wide open

"Seems so" watt shuddered

Strahd stood there mute , staring at the mere paper made him hungry for some reason

"What do you think might have done this Strahd?" Watt asked him

"Err, he blinked twice, maybe some wild animals"

"Really, you think it might be a lion or wolf?"

"Yeah, it's possible, you see that area was underdeveloped so some strange animal could be living around there" he shrugged, he knew for sure that was the work of some mythical creature, definitely one different from them cause they don't feed on flesh only when they needed to reincarnate someone.

"Yeah you're right, only a werewolf can do this"

"Do they exist?" Leon asked

"Heyyy, guys, he interrupted them, forget about that okay, how about we head down to the queens right Leon?" Strahd said nervously

"Err sure, I see your mood is lifted after that death information, I like that" Leon said and headed to the wardrobe to change his shirt

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The crescent moon made the night partly visible, as loud music was heard blaring from the pub as the stepped inside queens, half of the people inside the pub were from their campus and everyone seemed to have a swell time, guess all work and no play makes Jack a full boy, Strahd thought

"Hey yo " someone approached Leon and gave him slappy handshakes, a group of tall looking guys also approached them giving them slappy handshakes to Leon again, one handed Leon a bottle of beer

"Hey, I haven't seen your face around, you a freshman?"

"Ohh no a final year student, he's just a nerd" watt said with half smile on his face.

Strahd said nothing he was feeling cranky right now, he stood up and headed to the bar and sat on a stool

"Hey hottie can I help you with something?" The waitress asked him staring sexily at him

"No thanks" he said feighing a smile and averted his gaze from her disgusted, [what was that weird thing she kept doing with her lips, hottie? what does that even mean] he thought as he perceived a familiar scent and turned towards the direction, he saw her there, she was dancing very closely to an unfamiliar guy, he hated himself for noticing them. But there was something he realized about her, he wasn't able to read her thoughts as the seemed to be covered by a dark cloud and her blood smells quite different from all the other humans he's met, he made a mental note to ask Martin's when he returned home.

He was so hungry as his stomach rumbled, it's been eight bloody hours of terror in his stomach, he could only go seven hours but now he was beginning to drool, as his eyes began to lit red torch on every human head he stared at. He began to hate the place as everything made him uncomfortable, the smell of cigarettes and alcohol and the music which was getting too loud for his ears.

"I think I'll step outside for a while" he said to no one in particular

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Outside, he was slouched down by the road side,how long would he keep living like this, he can't keep killing innocent humans, he was beginning to see red as his body began twitching, he needed to eat....

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He hid in a dark corner out of the light as he saw a couple making out half hidden in the dark corner beside the pub, he then noticed that the male was the man Gabriella had been dancing with earlier, his temper rose as he began taking slow steps towards them. The sound of an empty can been kicked alerted them

"Hey what the fuck!, go get your own girl! The girl said his hands still on the girls ass, hey creep, he shouted as the stranger kept on approaching them, I have a knife am not scared to use, he said as he brought out a small blade from his chest pocket, the lady scurried and his behind him

He sped towards the guy and rammed into him slamming him on the wall, Strahd felt him puncture his skin with a blade with so much effort, he sent him flying and crashing hard on a trash can. He then took out the blade and examined it "steel, what a bastard" he spoke through his long canines

He then sped to the guy picked him up without so much effort, then twisted his neck and then smashed his skull against the wall, creating a hole in the building in the process, his blood and brain part spluttered everywhere. He looked at his punctured skin, it was still exposed, he was supposed to heal by now, but he hasn't, he was still bleeding, he needed to find a victim to heal himself with, quick enough.