Caydem hummed as if he didn’t believe River.
“The older a vampire, the more resistance to the sun. Doesn’t mean I enjoy going out and sunbathing. The sun still weakens me. It’s why I have these on.” Caydem pointed to his sunglasses that were so dark River couldn’t see his eyes.
“Should you be telling me your weakness?” River asked.
Caydem smiled, pulling his shades down slightly and staring at River. “Does it make you feel special?”
No. At least River wanted to say that. Honestly, he didn’t know what he was feeling lately. It was all foreign to him and too complicated to understand. Luckily Caydem didn’t push any further on the subject. He fixed his sunglasses, once again covering his startling eyes.
“The sun’s effect on older vampires is like when people get motion sickness when riding in a car.”
Maybe there was a chance to get out of going. “We could just stay—”
“No, we’re going,” Caydem said.
The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. River’s shoulders slumped. Of course they were still going. He wasn’t so lucky to get out of whatever they were doing. A few humans that River had learned were vampires in waiting—pretty much humans who wanted to become vampires—were walking about downstairs in the lobby. They all gave Caydem a wide berth, never looking directly at him, but they didn’t miss the opportunity to glare at River. There were only a handful of them around, most likely running errands for the vampires that slept. Caydem ignored everyone as they walked out of the building and to the waiting black Bentley. Different car but the same driver.
River slid in, not bothering to put any space between himself and Caydem. The vampire would just move closer to him regardless. River clicked on his seat belt and tried his hardest to relax in the car, but there was a small part of him that was concerned as to where they were headed.
“You’re tense. It’s not like you,” Caydem said.
River let out a heavy breath. “If you would have let me stay back, I wouldn’t be tense.”
“Mmm, maybe, but we will never know.”
The car ride was mostly silent except for the jazz that played in the background. Caydem worked on his phone, and River was surprised he didn’t make a move on him once. Didn’t demand River’s full attention. It was oddly unsettling to River.
The car pulled to a stop in an empty parking lot of an all-white building with some company logo River didn’t recognize.
“Where are we?”
The car door opened, and Caydem slid out. River stared at the vampire who gave nothing away for another second before unbuckling and following him out of the car. River kept up with Caydem’s long strides, still looking around for some type of clue as to why they were there. Someone came to open the glass door. He wore a white lab coat and had a plain face and brown hair. There was no name tag, only the same company logo as outside printed on the pristine white coat.
River’s back went stiff, and everything inside of him screamed for him to walk out. Caydem’s strong fingers gripped the back of his neck, halting any flight response River was currently having. River wasn’t one to show fear. It only happened in truly unexpected situations, like finding out vampires existed. Being in an unknown place for unknown reasons with a random guy wearing a lab coat was a perfectly logical time to be afraid.
River memorized every step so that if he needed to run he knew the way out. Granted he doubted he could outrun Caydem, but if the chance arose, River was going to be out of there.
“Here you are, sir,” the man said, bowing his head to Caydem as he opened a door for them.
“You’re trembling,” Caydem said.
River scanned the room with frantic eyes. White walls and light brown cabinets. There was a hospital bed against one wall, and River really wanted to leave. Caydem wasn’t letting him go.
“Oh you’re here.” An older man walked in wearing the very same lab coat the other guy wore.
The old man glanced at Caydem, but his eyes were solely focused on River.
“Ah, you must be the young man with the fascinating blood.”
River ground his teeth. He figured Caydem would have his blood tested. It should have come back normal; all the times River had given blood, none of the places had said anything.
“Caydem,” River said through tight lips.
“Sit down,” Caydem ordered, finally letting go of River.
River stayed standing, glaring at the vampire. What the fuck was happening?
“On the surface, your blood seems like any other human but—”
“What is the point of this?” River asked.
Caydem either noticed how uncomfortable River was, or maybe a part of him cared. River didn’t know, but his face relaxed. Caydem placed a gentle hand on River’s shoulder.
“No one will know. I just need to understand why your blood tastes the way it does and not to mention why I can take so much and you’re fine,” Caydem said.
River reluctantly sat down. This didn’t have to be a big deal. River didn’t care if he wasn’t human; he’d never felt as if he was one. He didn’t want or need answers, but Caydem apparently did. River unbuttoned his shirt as the older man moved toward him, vials in hand and stethoscope in another.
“My name is Dr. Palniski, but you can call me Pal.”
River said nothing, wanting it to be over as soon as possible. He wrapped up all his emotions and balled them up before stuffing them away. Once again he had complete control over himself. Palniski had a smile on his face. River was sure it helped other people feel welcome around the older man, but it did not affect River. The doctor made him breathe in and out as he listened to River’s heartbeat before he found a good vein to draw blood from.
“You know your blood could save a lot of lives. Not only do you create so much but it—”
“I don’t really care. I’m not here because I want to know,” River said, cutting the older man off.
The doctor filled another vile with River’s blood. It wouldn’t have bothered him if Caydem had simply mentioned what was going to happen ahead of time. River sighed, knowing that was too much to ask of the vampire. Caydem was willful, and no matter how River stressed his preplanned schedule, the vampire found ways to bend and pull things his way. Living forever didn’t equate to patience.
Once the man was done, he connected a few wires with patches and placed them on River’s body. A heart monitor beeped, matching River’s calm, steady heart.
“How much longer will this take?” River asked.
Dr. Palniski gave him a puzzled look before turning to Caydem. He never answered River, and that only annoyed River further. He pinched the bridge of his nose, the machine tracking his heart rate beeps starting to pick up the more agitated River got. Ugh. River closed his eyes, going to that quiet place in his head, and let everything go. When he opened his eyes, the man was jotting down notes and staring at the screens around River.
“You have good control over yourself. Is that something you developed or were taught?” Dr. Palniski asked.
River bit the inside of his cheek so hard he could taste his own blood.
“In order to understand you and what you are, I have a few questions for you.”
River glanced at Caydem. He couldn’t be serious.