Vampire Days

Chapter 54.2: Raging Bee

The way he said it, I expected lightning ripping the dark sky behind him. But the weather was good.

"He's pissed," Clifford whispered, shuffling closer to Lorenzo. "He's finally pissed."

Mossberg stared at Lorenzo who didn't back down. Right at that point I could no longer tell what Lorenzo was thinking behind his thick square eyeglasses. He fucking broke.

"No, I'm not pissed. Look, I'm with you because unlike them, you assured me that you're not gonna push me off the edge. With you it's safe space. But telling me to stoop down to their level sounds like you're tired of me being around, like I'm supposed to get rid of them so I wouldn't have to always tag along."

"What are you talking about, Moss? You're part of this group," I said, reaching out to pull his arm but he towered on Lorenzo without budging. It was like watching an overgrown child, his fists on either side of him doing what a child thought was a threatening pose.

"Enzo was just joking, dude. Calm down," Clifford said.

Lorenzo stared at Mossberg for a long time before he blinked slowly.

"Good job on intimidating me," he slowly said, almost robotic, but I could hear his heart hammering loudly inside his chest. "You learn fast."

"Don't ask me to be like this."

"What?"

"Mean. It scares people and I don't like how it's making me feel. This is not how I am."

"Sorry, Moss. I'm sorry for pushing you," Lorenzo said and I stopped worrying about his heart. "Magno is right, you're a part of this group. I'm not trying to turn you into a bully. I have no excuse."

Mossberg stuck his lower lip out in his usual child-like way and it's funny because we were all looking up at him. 

"I don't want to spend any effort to get along with them. That's why I avoid."

"Noted, Moss."

"And I can't scare every single person who make fun of me because I am expecting a long life for myself and I would definitely meet a lot of people who would surely find my condition amusing."

"Okay, Moss. Sorry too, for being insensitive," Clifford said and he gave Mossberg a hug. "Let's not break up, guys. Come on, Magno, let's have a group hug."

I was about to open my mouth when I caught a whiff of a distinct familiar scent. At first I thought I was just hallucinating because of hunger and because deep inside I've been wallowing in my insecurity again. Nurgis and Champion could summon me in a snap, with the tiniest suggestion, and even in a passing thought, but I've never appeared in front of Austin in so long it's driving me into a maelstrom of self-doubt and frustration. 

I sniffed again. I just knew it's his scent. It's different from the rest because I've tasted that smell and I've imprinted it inside my head. I turned my back on my three friends, crossed the whole floor in quick strides and started down the wide staircase. They were hot on my heels but I already zeroed in on Austin's scent and my mind was frantically asking why such coincidence is taking place right now. There's a lot of restaurants in this city but why here and why now?

"Holy fuck?" I heard Clifford right behind me and Lorenzo bumped on my back when I abruptly stopped after finally spotting Austin, eating with his mother and father.

"Stay here," I said, running towards their table. It was the first time I saw his father in person. He must have felt something coming because he raised his head to look at me and I immediately knew why Austin didn't dare to defy him. He's a scary-looking man. If Austin was an angel in terms of physical appearances then his father was the ogre. Even his smile caught me off guard.