The Quest for Truth: Unraveling the Enigma of Professor Cormier

"Are you Professor Cormier?" Carlos inquired as he stood at the doorway of the linguistics building, his eyes locked on the pale figure before him.

"Carlos?" the professor responded, extending his hand in greeting. Carlos briefly glanced at the outstretched hand, hesitant to shake it, but he didn't want to come across as rude.

The touch of the professor's hand was slightly cool, but it lacked the cold, lifeless quality that Carlos had associated with vampires. It certainly didn't feel like a dead chicken, as his vivid imagination had led him to believe.

To Carlos's surprise, the professor held onto his hand after the initial handshake, an action that felt overly forward. As seconds ticked away and Carlos's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, Professor Cormier finally released his hand.

"Hello. Nice to finally meet you," he said, his soft accent hovering somewhere between continental and Cajun French.

"Finally?" Carlos couldn't help but quip in response, puzzled by the professor's choice of words. He had only exchanged texts with him about this meeting an hour ago.

A subtle smirk, or perhaps just a peculiar smile, graced the professor's face as he responded, "Hello."

Carlos attempted a polite smile, a mask to conceal his internal wariness, and raised the manila envelope. "I have the manuscript for you to translate."

"Please, come in." Professor Cormier held the door wider, inviting Carlos inside.

"Thank you," Carlos replied with another forced smile, masking his desire to flee from the situation. He squeezed past the professor, who was still blocking the doorway. In doing so, he caught a whiff of a distinct scent, something masculine that deviated from the usual cheap cologne worn by university guys. It was more like sandalwood or incense, a fragrance that intrigued Carlos. This detail struck him, especially given his future career path and the shadow of suspicion he cast over everyone.

Inside, the office appeared much like any other at Boston University—a desk in front of a large window, bookshelves lining the walls, and research papers and books strewn across every available surface. A chalkboard displayed words translated between different French dialects and into English.

Carlos turned to find Professor Cormier's intense gaze fixed on him. The professor's blue eyes were unnaturally large, and his dilated pupils gave his stare an almost hypnotic quality. "Please, let me take your coat," he offered.

Carlos handed over his coat, which the professor promptly hung on a coat tree by the door. "Have a seat," Cormier suggested, gesturing to a black leather sofa.

Carlos hesitated to accept the offer. "Can I get you anything to drink? It's a damn cold night. There's fresh coffee in the pot."

"No thanks," Carlos replied as he took a seat, his nerves getting the better of him. Professor Cormier's gaze remained fixed on him, oscillating between amusement and puzzlement. His attractive appearance made Carlos wary of blushing, a nervous habit that often betrayed his anxiety. Still, he couldn't resist a discreet, sidelong glance at the professor's appearance.

The professor was dressed in black jeans cinched with a thick black belt, paired with a white button-down shirt. The contrast between his midnight hair and pale skin emphasized the depth of his vivid blue eyes. His hair, just below chin length and tucked behind his ears, framed his angular face, while thick black lashes outlined those eyes.

With a sudden shift of his gaze, Carlos looked away from the professor, who continued to scrutinize him with a blend of amusement and curiosity. The young man understood the peculiarity of the situation and wished he could maintain his composure.

He picked up the envelope containing the manuscript, clearing his throat to ensure his voice wouldn't crack when he spoke. "Here it is."

Professor Cormier accepted the envelope but didn't immediately inspect its contents. Instead, his too-blue eyes remained fixed on Carlos. "Carlos," he repeated, savoring the name. "That's such a lovely name. Is it short for Spanish and English?"

Carlos shook his head, taken aback by the personal question. "No, I was named after the biblical Carlos. My mother wanted to name me Lilith, but my dad said no. Lilith was too defiant, too opinionated, and too independent, and he was hoping for a sweet-natured girl."

A surge of anxiety coursed through Carlos. He didn't understand why he was divulging this information to the professor. It was as if his nerves were unraveling, exposing personal details he would normally keep secret. The professor's French accent added an additional layer of intrigue.

The professor continued to press with personal questions, asking, "And are you? Sweet-natured or defiant, opinionated, and too independent? Was his naming you after the biblical Carlos successful?"

Carlos frowned at the professor's audacity in delving into his personal life. "I don't know," he replied, irritated by the intrusive inquiries. "That's for someone else to say, not me."

"Don't you know yourself?" The professor's lips curled into a lopsided grin. "It would be ironic if you turned out exactly as he feared, despite the more innocuous name. Besides, Carlos ate the forbidden fruit and led Adam to his downfall."

Carlos raised an eyebrow at the unexpected biblical reference. "It sounds to me as if Carlos was a bit too independent as well."

Their exchange delved into an enigmatic territory, filled with curious questions and answers that revealed more about Carlos than he had intended. The professor's probing left him feeling somewhat exposed, but the allure of the mystery and the manuscript pushed him to focus on the task at hand.

Professor Cormier, still with a hint of amusement in his eyes, diverted the conversation back to business. "Shall we proceed with the manuscript, Carlos?"

Carlos nodded, and the professor finally opened the envelope, preparing to embark on the journey of translation. As the professor's eyes scanned the text, Carlos couldn't help but feel a mounting tension in the room. The cold rain outside the window mirrored the chill that crept into his bones as he delved deeper into a world he had only scratched the surface of—a world of vampires, secrets, and the quest for the truth.

The path ahead remained shrouded in uncertainty, with the manuscript serving as a gateway to answers that could change everything Carlos thought he knew. The air seemed charged with unspoken mysteries, and Professor Cormier's presence, though beguiling, held an enigma that left Carlos questioning what lay ahead on his quest for justice and understanding.