Veil of Vladikovo ✓ (BxB)

Three

"I'm waiting," the voice seemed to echo.

     Eviirs, Sean, and Ferox all remained completely frozen still.

      Do something, you idiot!, Eviirs' mind shouted at him as if it was trying to break him out of this statue-like state. His fingers gripped onto the insides of his pockets, tightly. "Uh…" Eviirs was able to choke out, before raising his gaze to meet Aayan's.

     Aayan raised a jet black eyebrow as Sean and Ferox slowly began looking at him as well.

   After noting the look in Aayan's bright yellow eyes, every rational thought it Eviirs' mind to him to lie—-alas, he didn't. "I'm Eviirs Rousseau, sir…" He inhaled, deeply. "These are friends of mine… Ferox Ma'sud… and Sean Ó Breacáin."

       Aayan took a step closer to the group. "Uh-huh…"

      "You are Aayan Shtayyeh, right?" Eviirs began in his French accent.

      The Palestinian man nodded. "I am. Why do you ask?" His gaze still seemed somewhat cold.

       Eviirs shivered. "I… I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions."

       Aayan's eyebrow raised again. "About what?"

      "Well… You see, I've always been interested in Vladikovo and its history," Eviirs responded. He swallowed. "And I was wondering if…"

       "I'll stop you right there," Aayan interjected. "You're talking about the 'hunting accident', I'm assuming?"

       Eviirs nodded. "I am."

      "Well… There's not much to say on the topic." Aayan leaned against the wall before running a hand through his fluffy, dark hair. "There's no odd… no mysterious, sinister outcome connected with it…" He cracked his neck. "So… You kids can run along… Back to where you came from."

      "We're not kids," Ferox spoke up.

      "Oh?" Aayan seemed a little amused by this. "You aren't?"

      "I'm eighteen," Ferox replied. "Sean and Eviirs are nineteen."

      Aayan laughed faintly to himself. "Okay. You're adults. Congratulations." He moved himself away from the wall and closer to the group as if he was ready to usher them out the door.

     Ferox, Eviirs, and Sean were quickly pushed toward the door—-soon, they were outside.

     "There's nothing odd about Vladikovo," Aayan insisted, gripped the door as if he was preparing himself to slam it shut. "There's nothing more to the 'hunting accident'... It was just a mudslide. I was lucky to make it out alive… There's nothing to see here; so do yourselves a favor and go home."

     "Wait!" Eviirs shouted as Aayan began to close the door. "I'm a vampire!" He blurted out.

       Aayan stopped what he was doing, peering through the opening in the door. "What?"

       "I'm… a vampire," Eviirs repeated; he wasn't fully sure of that fact though. "Yeah… A vampire," he then said with more confidence than before. "So are Sean and Ferox…" That part wasn't a lie.

       Aayan inhaled. He fell silent for a moment, thinking about what was going on; he exposed his fangs a little bit.

      So, he's not human?, Eviirs began to think to himself. Just as I suspected…

      Aayan finally sighed, opening the door again. "Come on." He tilted his head inward, beckoning them back inside. "I'll tell you about Vladikovo."