Sempiternus

Chapter 1

Jamie called out from Nathan's bedroom door in the early morning after the school reunion. Nathan's mind was clouded as he quickly got up and looked around to see his white shirt was stained with blood. He tried to remember what had happened and saw corpses scattered around his room. In front of his bed, he saw his reflection in the mirror - his fangs were out, his eyes were black, and his irises were red. It was another feeding frenzy.

Jamie struggled to open the door due to Nathan's dresser blocking it. Nathan moved with vampiric speed around the room, searching for a clean shirt to wear. He told Jamie to give him another minute and went into the bathroom to clean the blood off his mouth. Unable to conceal the bloodstains on his pillow, he cracked the door open and spoke to Jamie.

After learning about the press conference he was scheduled to attend, Nathan cancelled it and focused on the upcoming poker game he had been invited to attend. Jamie warned him about his behaviour, but he ignored it and promised to clean his room before leaving.

Once he closed and locked the door, Nathan surveyed the bodies on the floor, hoping they were still alive. He checked their pulses, relieved to find that they were all alive, although their heartbeats were faint.

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Nathan arrived at a rundown apartment in Chinatown, located in the business district of the city. He knocked on the door, and Mark's voice invited him in. As Nathan entered, he was hit by an overpowering stench that made him rush to the windows to open them up.

Mark stood in awe as he watched Nathan practically teleport across the room from the front door to the lounge. "Dude, that vampire shit is honestly too insane!" he said, applauding Nathan.

"Unfortunately, we can still die from choking smells. Get dressed," Nathan replied.

"Where are we going?" Mark asked.

"Do you remember Gio, the bully?" Nathan said.

Mark's face changed. "Yes, why?"

"Well, he's invited us to a poker game to reminisce."

"Us or you?" Mark asked, sceptically.

Nathan gave Mark a desperate look, but Mark refused to let Nathan use his vampire compulsion on him. Nathan then flashed the new Assassin's Creed for PlayStation 4, and Mark immediately pivoted into his room to get dressed. Mark drooled over his new game as they hit the streets, eager to finish it once they got back home.

The poker game was located near the harbour, and Nathan and Mark were already sceptical as they arrived. "I don't know, dude. I'm not really keen on this," Mark said as he got out of the car.

"It's cliché, I know. But if you think about it, gang-looking men playing poker in a casino... not going to sit well with authorities," Nathan explained.

"Yeah, great. There's a reason it won't sit well, Nate! 'Cause, they're fucking gang members! Why are we here!?" Mark protested.

Nathan quickly pressed a finger to Mark's mouth. "Look, if anything happens, I will take care of it," he assured him.

Inside the warehouse, five armed men stood by the entrance and searched Nathan and Mark before allowing them in. The poker room was well-lit, with a mirrored ceiling. Topless women in thongs served beverages, and Giovanni and other men were seated at the table.

"Nathan Deveraux and Mark Fenter! The dynamic duo!" Giovanni bellowed as he rose to his feet, towering over them as a six-foot-seven man. He offered cigars, and while Mark declined, Nathan accepted, knowing he was already practically dead anyway.