13. Chapter Twelve
Chapter Twelve
Marcus
An obnoxious yawn falls from my mouth as I rub my hands over my eyes. Uhh, I do not get paid enough for this. A little snort escapes me at that thought because I’m not even getting paid at all right now. I’m doing this as a favor for Calder, even though Aiden hissed at me the last time I saw him. Little shit.
I should be in my bed relaxing after the hellish week leading up to Halloween. It’s always the busiest time of the year for me, and Calder full well knows it. I let out a grunt of irritation, running my hand along my brow to try and stave off the migraine that I felt coming on.
Instead, here I am trying to figure out what could be causing Aiden’s body to reject the vampirism virus. Like I have nothing better to do. Bleh, whatever. I pause my movements and cringe internally. I’m getting cranky, I can feel it in my bones. Spending countless hours staring at old dusty books with no answers is starting to put me in a rather foul mood.
I probably wouldn’t be able to relax knowing something weird was happening to Aiden anyway. The look in Calder’s eyes told me it was serious, and I couldn’t just ignore something like that. Along with the fact that neither Calder nor I know him very well is irrelevant. It’s about having humanity and common decency. But seriously, sometimes going the right thing really sucks.
I drag the old grimoire across the desk halfheartedly and open it to a random page. There’s a tingle in my fingertips, and my brow scrunches in confusion. I shake my head as I peer at my desk with an exhausted sigh. My desk is currently stacked with books and littered with random papers. If I’m being honest with myself, it’s a hot mess. I’ve been sifting through research and spell books nonstop for the better part of the last twenty-four hours now, but really, who’s counting? This guy, obviously.
I narrow my eyes, trying to read the blurry words as my hand pats around my desk, searching for my glasses. I let out an exhausted chuckle when I realized they were on the top of my head. I roll my eyes at myself, pulling my wireframe glasses down and settling them on the bridge of my nose. That’s better .
I took out my contacts several hours ago because they were irritating the hell out of me. I couldn’t stop rubbing my eyes for at least half an hour.
“Huh, interesting,” I murmur out loud to myself as I finally take in the page in front of me.
I pull my age-withered book closer to my face as if that will somehow help me see better. I drum my fingers on the desk as I scan the content. It’s a passage about the original vampire. Dracula. Not just any passage, though. This one seems to be referring to his blood and the special properties that it holds.
He’s known to be the blood that holds the strongest strain of the virus. I would expect so since he was the first vampire in reported history. Maybe… no, that would be insane… right? What if that’s what Aiden’s body needs, though, to complete the change?
It could be a possibility. At least it’s something. I haven’t been able to find anything else remotely promising. It’ll have to do. I rub my chin for a moment, rereading the passage as if it will somehow give me the answers I’m seeking.
I glance at the clock only to realize it’s three in the morning. Fuck my life. I can’t keep going, or I’ll drive myself insane. I do still need sleep, no matter what others may think. Making the rational decision to sleep on this instead of being a crazy person and rushing over to Calder’s in the dead of night sounded like a solid plan. I mean, I’m eccentric, but I try my best not to come off too crazy.
I shake my head at my internal ramblings. Even I tend to get on my own nerves every so often. I need some rest, and then I’ll pick this up in the morning with fresh eyes. I sit back, stretching my arms over my head until I hear a satisfying pop and sigh. I rub my neck for a minute to try to get rid of the knot that formed there.
I stand up without closing the book and click off my desk light. I close the door on the way out of my study and head down the hallway to my bedroom. I pick up my phone from the side table just to check and make sure I didn’t miss anything while I was busy. Na-da damn thing. Bleh, whatever . Was I possibly hoping for that hot guy from the bar to text me back? No, never, but it would have been nice.
I set my phone face down on the table with a grimace before grabbing my pajama bottoms from my dresser drawers. I step into the bathroom and look at my skincare products with a sigh before turning away. I’m not dealing with that shit tonight… morning… whatever.
Instead, I rush through, just brushing my teeth and changing into my pajamas. I snuggle underneath my fuzzy pink cheetah blanket and close my eyes before anything else can grab my attention.
In the cold, grey morning light, nothing has changed much except for the fact that I managed to sleep for a few hours. I didn’t get enough sleep, and all I wanted to do was crawl back into bed. Instead, I walk into my study to find nothing has changed. Everything is in the same place where I left it. I’m still no closer to figuring out a definite solution. Expect for maybe the whole Dracula theory that I have running through my mind.
It’s the only thing that sounds like it could work. Maybe if they can find him, they can find more answers. The problem is that I have no idea where Dracula could possibly be. From what I do know is that he hasn’t been seen for almost a century. That’s the part that makes me nervous.
He could still be out there somewhere in the world for all I knew. He could possibly be in his last known resting place. I have no clue, and it’s driving me up the walls, not knowing. I’m left with questions more than anything else. It’s frustrating, to say the least.
I pull my phone out of my pants pocket and text Calder.
Me: I think I got something
Calder: Gods, thank you. It happened again last night
Me: the vomiting or the heartbeat
Calder: the heartbeat
Me: what was he doing when it happened?
Calder: …
Calder: …
Me: fuck, Calder, just get on with whatever the hell you’re going to say already
Calder: rude much… we were kissing
Me: I doubt that’s all, but I’ll take it at face value. Anyway, I’m coming over.
Calder: I’m not home
Me: where the hell are you?
Calder: Aiden’s
I press my palm over my eyes and let out an exasperated sigh.
Me: can I come over?
Calder: let me ask
What I believe should have been a two-second question literally takes him ten minutes to get back to me with a damn reply. It wasn’t even really a reply, just a location to where he is. Guess I’m headed over to the boyfriend’s house.