Chapter 36 - A human and a vampire

Nicolai continued to cut the elk and smeared salt all over it. Raven was beside him, starting a small bonfire.

"So what happened there? I thought you were going to sell meat,"

"Change of plans. Someone saw me there. I'm pretty sure I would have wolves sniffing up my butt soon. We might have to try the other towns."

"The other town nearby is five days from here. You sure you want to travel that far?"

Nico paused. "I don't know. I'm not sure that travel will be worth it."

Initially, he had a great plan to start selling jerking to feed the young vampires but all plans got spoiled when he escaped the village with the new vampire twins. They both were hiding in the corner of the house refusing to let anyone close.

Their bodies still reeked so much of blood.

'I have to give them a bath... how do you convince a kid to bathe? With candy? I don't have candy at hand.' he thought as he was hanging the pieces of the met up the tree. He made sure it was right above the fire, getting all the heat. "Did they both eat?"

"No, one of them growled when I got close with blood. Let them be for a few days, they will come around,"

Nico worriedly looked at the hut. "Raven do you have any bright plans how to get more food? Do you think I should go work in a human village nearby? We can earn a bit of copper and with that, I can get us some blood."

"It won't work, Nico. Just leave it be. The elk's must have mated by now. We will hunt a few males and we can try to preserve the blood by cooking. It will last for a while."

"Not for long..."

The food disuse was getting a bog issue. For himself, he can easily find a lot of food options he can eat fish, and even the crocodile could make a meal for him but the vampires here could only drink blood. He had read somewhere that crocodiles have at least five liters of blood in their body.

It was just not enough.

Hunting one took a lot of strength and planning but the reward is menial.

He glanced to the side. Matt was silently helping the younglings cut the wood.

Nico sighed. 'I think he secretly hates me for messing it with the order of things.'

Before he came along, matt was in control and he seemed to be doing a good job keeping them alive. But the vampire children were all malnourished from lack of blood. They needed a lot of food to get back into shape.

If they are fed well, there is a high chance that they can even get their vampire abilities.

At least that's what he had hoped for.

He sighed once, again.

"Don't fret, we will work things out."

"Yes, I hope so. Raven... I'm sorry if I put your guy's identity and livelihood at risk. It was a silly notion to go to the human village."

Raven smiled at him sweetly. "no you did well. You saved the twins. Without you, they would have been burned alive."

The meat was cooking he did not have much to do with it now other than to check it occasionally. He walked into the house to check on the twins.

The other vampire kids tried to get close but one of them kept growling, hugging his twin.

Nico sat a little distance away. "You guys go play outside. I'll talk to them," he gestured for hunter, Avery and the others to go out.

The young ones regretfully walked out.

Nico sat there, peering at them. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"grrrrrr..." one of them growled.

"I guess that a good sign you guys are energetic. What about your brother? Is he doing good?"

The one who growled paused, peering at his brother. "He's....."

Nico took the small cup of blood and crawled close. "Here give this to him,"

"Don't get close!!" the kid shouted hugging his brother. "Don't get close..."

Nico was confused. 'Why is this kid getting so defensive about us meeting his brother.. there's something going on..'

In that distance, he smelled it. a human scent.

"Oh fuck, he's not a vampire isn't he?"

The kid's eyes went wide. He tightly hugged his brother. "Get out! Don't get close!!"

"Whoa wait, I won't hurt him. he is safe here."

"You... you're a vampire..."

"Yes, I'm a vampire just like you. But I don't hurt humans. To be honest human blood does not taste good," he said to reassure him, but that only made his efforts detrimental.

The young kid started to grow again.

"Look I really don't hurt humans,"'

"You tasted human blood! How then?"

"Well, my dad brings them in a small plastic bag. The blood is collected from live human who willingly sell it for money."

"M-money?"

"Copper, they sell it for copper,"

"Humans do that?"

"Yeah," Nico sat there conversing with this little kid. He could sense that he was hungry but he was refusing the food just to protect his brother. "Drink your blood kid, you're a strong vampire. If you don't feed in time, you might end up hurting your brother yourself,"

The child looked fearful. "R-really?"

"Yes really. Come on. Drink this. I'll get some meat for your brother," Nico stood up placing the glass close to him.

"The meat.... is it edible.. You'll not poison it right?"

Nico glanced at him shocked. "Did someone try to do that?"

"Ma dad did. I sniffed it out immediately... so don't you try to trick me. I will smell it," he said hastily.

Nico smiled. "For your information, I eat meat so I'll make sure to make it perfect for him,"

"You're a vampire...."

"yes a half-vampire. I'm half-human too,"

When he said that the other twin finally peaked up at him. his eyes were completely white. it was not normal… it looked like he had cataract.

"Can he see properly?" Nico waved slightly.

The kid did not respond.

It was likely he is half blind at this point. The cataract looked like it had progressed on both his eyes, fully enveloping his pupils.

'There is no surgery or such thing at this time right... gosh... he's going to live as a blind forever.'

"I'll get you some food okay," he whispered as softly as he can and walked out. the others were waiting for him. "One very powerful young vampire and an almost blind human...." he said.

Matt sighed disappointedly.

Avery on the other hand looked very excited. "a human, that's awesome!"

"yep, the vampire is very much protective of him. Keep your distance guys. He might take a chomp out of your hand," he said chuckling.

Even though their lives were not in order Nico did not wish to give up. There was a surprise waiting in every corner of their life. It was better to stay hopeful and hold onto that positive notion.

'Everything well get better. I know it..'