Veins of Desire

CHAPTER 9

From what Haliya believed, only humans, animals, and other microscopic organisms existed in the world. No other creatures existed, such as aliens, mermaids, werewolves, or vampires. There was nothing more… until now.

"And what exactly is that? You're some sort of a scientific experiment or what? You're kidding, right?" The chuckle that came off her mouth almost didn't sound like one. She was nervous and tired. Beads of sweat started to form on her forehead.

The tension between Wendy and Haliya was suffocating. One needed answers, and one just wanted to attack the other. If Martin was not between them, Wendy would have hurt Haliya, and they will start to rumble.

"I think we could talk better if the lights were on," Martin said soon as he switched on the dim light. The light almost blinded Haliya; her eyes took a long time to adjust to the sudden lightening of her surrounding. That was when she noticed she was inside a small room with one bed and nothing more. Her breathing was still ragged, and her mind hadn't completely processed what happened.

"Are you gonna kill me too? Are you with that guy?" Haliya asked, but solely looking at Wendy, whose arms were crossed.

To wake up in unfamiliar surroundings was beyond Haliya's imagination. Much more was the encounter with the 'vampires' and ironically being taken cared of by them. She stepped back, staying alert of Wendy and Martin's movement. "Don't come near me!" Her voice was trembling, and memories of almost headless Sally flashbacked before her eyes. The fear and trauma came back, suddenly remembering the guy with long curly hair.

"We're not like them," Martin stated, stopping to think. "Okay, probably like them, but you could say that we're the good ones amongst them."

Wendy's brows instantly raised. "Good one, eh?" The sarcasm in her voice was very evident as if Martin's word was far beyond the truth. "Maybe I am in the wrong group," she scoffed, sitting down on the bed where Haliya laid down a while ago.

What Wendy had done made Haliya run near Martin. She tried to cling to his shoulders, but Wendy immediately gave her a deadly glare, stopping her midway.

Since he was already used to Wendy's naggings and attitudes, Martin didn't dare to contradict her anymore, or else the conversation would continue on the wrong track.

"Come with me outside," Martin held Haliya's cold shoulders before giving Wendy a stop-being-so-scary-look.

When Haliya came out of the room, she realized they weren't just somewhere inside someone's house. They were underground! Her fascination made her almost forget that she was being held captive, as she called it, and not just by humans but by vampires.

WestCoast City was a huge City, still unexplored by Haliya. She didn't know that there was even something like a hidden base under their City. And that there were vampires amongst them.

Wendy was so pissed she finally decided to stop putting all her frustrations on Haliya. She cleaned up the mess that Haliya had made and lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering how did they end up in that situation.

Initially, Wendy was just a normal vampire living amongst the humans with her family. She was like a normal teenager who goes to school every day. Not until her family met their deaths in the hands of the Elite Vampires who ran the City underground and mercilessly accused them of going against the governing system. Wendy wasn't grumpy at all, she used to be kind, but that was taken from her the moment that her family met their unlawful end.

Tears almost fell from Wendy's eyes. There were so many things she was fighting for, and that included her right to live, to which she thought everyone's right, but society seemed to forcibly tell her that life is a battle of the fittest — to live, you must fight.

…

Martin brought Haliya a cup of water and asked her to sit down. "You'll get used to her," he told her, pertaining to Wendy. He chuckled as he shook his head, seeing Haliya's sudden reaction. "What?" He asked in curiosity.

Haliya smelled the glass of water, suspicious that something was mixed in it, although she had keenly watched Martin getting the water. "You won't really kill me?"

Martin's eyes were almost lost when he guffawed. His clean cut made him look like a man with so much dignity, like a man who would not make out with his co-worker. He looked like a good, soft boy whose personality was far beyond what Haliya had known.

"If we really wanted to do that, you wouldn't be here."

Back was his seriousness. He placed his hands on the table and watched Haliya sipping the water. She held the glass tightly, gulping. When the water reached her tongue, she lost control and immediately drank the water straight from the glass. She breathed heavily, feeling dissatisfied. "More," she demanded. Her voice suddenly became something that was unfamiliar to her. The moment she realized what happened, the glass dropped to the floor. "I'm sorry!"

"I am just thirsty for water, right?" She asked, trembling. She tried to pick up the shattered glass on the floor, but Martin immediately stopped her, saying it would be dangerous for the three of them if Haliya were wounded again. Her eyes then landed on her knees, but the bruise she had a while ago was already gone. It was already healed.

"M-martin…" She stuttered. "This is a joke, right?"

Martin didn't answer; he cleaned up the mess and gave Haliya another glassful of water.

Haliya checked herself. She looked at her hand and examined her mouth. She even asked Martin if her eyes were red or bloodshot. From her stories, people could turn into vampires once bitten. They turn into bloodsucking creatures who hunger for blood, eyes turning red, long fingernails, long and sharp fangs, and questionable heightened senses.

"You've become one of us. Unfortunately, I don't really know what exactly. You are a rare case."