A VAMPIRE's BLOOD

"How was it?" He gave his co-doctor s***h friend a disappointing response, "I don't know if I'll continue all these, Ron." He roamed his eyes around in every corner of the laboratory. "But..." There's always a but; for there's always a reason... for him, perhaps. "But I have to keep going for Elizabeth. It's her life at stake, so I have to keep going." Just like their former formulas, the current one was another failed test. "I understand, Marco, believe me..." Ron stopped as if the next words would be a matter of life and death. "Believe me if I say we understand your situation but... But Elizabeth is getting weaker and weaker. We know how much you love her but maybe it's about time to…” His friend's voice cracked but trying to elaborate on what was he's trying to tell. "Maybe it's about time to let her go?" He said the last words full of agony. Marco didn't bother to utter even a single word. His attention is currently on his failed project! The Project Elizabeth. One year ago when he started Project Elizabeth when his fiancé was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer. From that day, he started looking for any remedies to her illness. How could he forget all the sacrificial rats and even those naked mole rats? Every formula that they created—he and Ron—they injected it into those lab rodents but after a few minutes, they died. "I don't know what to do anymore, Ron," he said a few minutes later. He headed towards the lab freezer. He opened it and took the only thing that was inside—a container containing the F29EP—the only experiment that could help them to create alternative biological cells that help to control or even defeat the cancer cell. "Maybe there's a missing piece in this nanotechnology? Maybe if we could figure it out, it'll work?" "Hmm, maybe, yes?" The F29EP was the only thing that kept the rat alive for almost two days. They tested it on five more rats and they had the same results. They gathered more pieces of information, research, references, and everything but up to this day, the F29EP is a failed subject. "But there must be something, right?" Being optimistic is the only way to keep his heart burning. "We should go home. Elizabeth is waiting for you. I told her that you'll be coming with me, so no one will be working here. And for tomorrow, I'll be working with Chad and you're going to take Elizabeth to church, okay?" "Ron, please, we don't need to waste another time." There is a plea in his voice but he knows that when Ron says a word, it'll not be undone. "So, you are saying that being with Elizabeth is a waste of time?" A smirk curved his friend's face. Ron was joking and Marco knew that, so he smiled. "Oh, come on, man! You're starting to use your authority again." "And if you don't come with me now and not take my sister to church tomorrow, don't bother to see your face for two weeks." "Are you blackmailing me?" "If that's what you call it, then, it's blackmail. So, let's call it a day?" He nodded. "I'm leaving my car here, so I need a lift. You'll drive and I'll sleep." "Where's Rob?" They were on their way to Augustus' residence when he asked. "Madagascar." "Madagascar?" He repeated what his friend's told. "You mean across the Mozambique Channel? Madagascar rainforest?" Ron gave him an absurd look. "Of course, Is there any place on your mind?" "Nah, I thought you were talking about the movie. I mean, the lion with a tiger, so on and so forth." He laughed as if Ron's identical twin was in front of him. Between the two, Ron is the serious type while Rob is childish even in his 30s. "What is he doing there?" "As usual, doing what he does best." Photography! Rob is free-spirited and adventurous, unlike his brother. Elizabeth used to travel with Rob before she got sick. "His pictures help Elizabeth not to entertain negative energies. It serves as a therapy." "Ron, I want to marry your sister next week." "Holy s**t! What did you say?" "I want to move our wedding day. I want her to be my wife as soon as possible. Five months is like waiting for forever and I want to spend her last days with our home." "You should have told us that earlier so that —" He prevented his friend from talking. "Calm down, Ron, everything is already settled. Help me talk to your parents about the arrangements instead. When will Rob be coming home?" "I'll call him later. My, why I'm feeling so excited to be your brother-in-law? You two could make a genius little kid. With your genes and Elizabeth combined, no doubt about that!" "We can make a good little one, Ron. We'll continue to find remedies while she's relying on her medications for now." "Yeah, maybe this news will help her to create happy hormones in her body. Dopamine." He chuckled. "Thank you!" "For what?" "For not giving up to our sister. For finding a solution to solve this problem." "I'll do anything for Elizabeth, Ron. If I was given a chance to take her position, I would do it without any second thoughts. We are here!" he announced. "Look who's here waiting?" "She's so beautiful." "Of course, it runs through our blood!" They laughed together as if it was their first time to laugh after a year. "Love!" It is the only lyrics that he knows about a certain song that only the two of them could understand. "Love." He gave her a lightning-fast kiss. "Why are you here?" "Nah, I'm eager to see you, that's why I'm here, isn't it obvious?" Even without her hair and with her pale skin and pale lips, Elizabeth managed to be beautiful as ever. "You'll push my wheelchair as my price." She winked. He called his friend who's now entering the door with his things. "Ron, have you heard what she said? Your sister is so sweet. You probably have to find a partner to experience what I'm feeling right now." "Tsk! You two, get a room but we need to eat first." "We'll leave this thing here," he said while eyeing the wheelchair. "I'll carry you." As he holds her, he can feel her soft-like-feather skin on his flesh and smell the sweet midnight-mist on her breath. "Ohh!" He heard her gasping. "I love you, Marco." "And I love you more, My Queen!"