The Little Boy's Innocence

Aiden turned pale as soon as he caught sight of the two fangs. His tears stopped abruptly and he crawled backward in an attempt to escape the vampire.

His excessive reaction caused the handsome man to laugh. The laugh ceased quickly when a stabbing pain shot from his wound, replaced with a pained hiss.

The vampire lifted his eyes at Aiden and spoke in a very calm tone as if he were telling the child how to tie his shoelaces.

"Little one, why don't you find a safe place? It is not safe with me. Did you not see all those houses with glowing lamps? Knock at one of them, they will surely let you in."

Aiden shook his head.

"They won't. Not with so many rabid vampires after me."

No family would harm their own members by letting in a child whose background they knew nothing about. It did not even count toward selfishness. It was self-preservation, and it was not wrong in the face of the law.

The vampire in front of Aiden chuckled. Aiden looked up at the handsome face in confusion. What was so funny about that?

"Don't flatter yourself," he said with a smile. "It is not you they are after. They are after me."

Aiden widened his eyes in disbelief.

"B-But why? Mister, you..."

Aiden wanted to say that the stranger was a vampire and not a rabid vampire. Why would rabid vampires chase after vampires? Vampires exterminated rabid vampires like sewer rats. By right, no matter how dumb they were, no rabid vampires would ever go after a properly transformed vampire.

The vampire seemed to read his mind. He cocked his head to the side arrogantly before answering.

"Why, don't you know the myth?

It was said that when rabid vampires drank the blood of a vampire, then they too would transform and become real vampires."

Aiden had never heard of this myth. How likely was a wounded vampire such as this man to jest? Aiden drew his childish conclusion and said with a desperate tone, "But then Mister, you are in danger."

The vampire calmly glanced at the little boy who was on his hands and knees before him.

The rabid vampires knew which one of the two added more value when consumed. Aiden's tiny body did not have enough flesh and blood to sate a single rabid vampire.

An adult vampire though, served a completely different purpose. The rabid vampires did not need to eat and drink until they were full.

They only needed enough to be able to transform into proper vampires. A follow-up transformation attempt after an initial failure, so to say. No rabid vampires would pass this opportunity.

"The rabid vampires will come soon," the vampire said coolly. He could smell their disgusting scent from far away.

"At that time, you must run as fast as you can, away from here. I cannot help you beyond that. If you are lucky enough, you will survive. If not, well I will see you in hell. Although," the vampire sneered at Aiden.

He reached out to pat Aiden's head. When his cold fingers touched Aiden's scalp, the latter had to flinch. The tall vampire let his fingers drift on the soft blonde curls on the little boy's head. A little regret flashed across his eyes.

"You look so adorable that God might just let you enter Heaven's Gate if you knock loud enough."

The deep blue eyes were gentle when they met the big hazel eyes. For a moment, Aiden thought that someone with eyes that gentle could not be a bad person.

Before he could make up his mind, the gentle hand left Aiden's head. The vampire pulled his brows together and panted slightly. He curled up in his sitting position and grunted from pain.

Aiden thought that they were two very unlucky souls. A little human boy and an adult vampire.

If those people who were safely hidden behind the protective walls could not be bothered to care about them, then it was only right if these two unlucky souls helped each other in a dire situation.

The adult vampire was kind enough to give Aiden a chance to survive by playing the bait for the rabid vampires. While the little boy had nothing to give, he was not willing to be selfish and leave the vampire on his own to be devoured by the unholy beings.

Full of determination, the little boy stood up, approached the vampire, took one of his hands, and pulled at it.

"Come, Mister," he said. "Let us go somewhere safe, together."