Frost Bites

The sound of repeated, fast paced shuffling was heard across the dimly lit room. The headaches were getting unbearable, where was it?, he was sure he put it around there somewhere. Desperately searching the drawers, touching something smooth and round immediately grabbed it. It turned out to be a plastic container, quickly opening it took out two pills and drove it into his mouth.

He squeezed his face, how could he have forgotten?This motherfucker was bitter. With quick strides, he grabbed the glass of water on the shelf-top and drank it rinsing his mouth in the process.

Much better.

Strolling casually, his bare feet against the freezing room tiles he sat on the king sized wooden bed. It was winter in the Kingdom of Alynthi a place where vampires reigned supreme. Through the clouded windows one could see that the snow was at least knee deep, a perfect time for hibernation. He hated the winter and everything that came with it, as though his headaches worsened with the cold.

How long has he been enduring these periodical pangs?. Two years, maybe three?. It didn't matter, he needed to find a solution... FAST.

Fast paced footsteps could be heard approaching followed by a soft impatient one timed knock. A lady came into the room with a blood stained dress, he guessed she just returned from hunting. Looking at the figure before her to the pills scattered on the disorganized shelf,she sighed looking worried.

"It came again didn't it?" She asked.

"Yeah" Blake answered dispiritedly.

The lady's name was Erith. She had assumed the role of his mother since the very day she found him abandoned out in the cold on a winter just like this twenty five years ago. She was a vampire so was her mate, Sir Louis the town's Mayor. Whereas he was only human.

"Only one more day, and it's gone for at least a month" Erith said, "I promise we would find a solution soon".

Mother,as he had know grown to know her as, has always doted on him, it's a miracle he didn't end up being spoilt and overly pampered. But it was one of the reasons I love her so dearly. It's clear that you can't solve a problem of which you don't know the cause but she strived hard daily, experiment after experiment, finally ending up with a drug which eases my pain temporarily. That short time was a real blessing.

Blake smiled thinly knowing that he owed this woman a lot.

"I know mom" Blake said smiling, "You don't need to worry about me, i'm fine you know that"

Honestly this can't be compared to one of his worst days on which he couldn't get out of bed or do a simple act of moving a finger properly. Blake had never been a frail child, though human, he strength was on par with most strong vampires in town, he was even faster and more agile than most of them, it would be hard to find a difference. His strength had suddenly fluctuated during the recent years and it also brought about bad migraines.

"You know you don't have to hide your suffering. I'm always here if you need me" Erith reassured.

Her eyes darted across the room and then to the bed like she was searching for something. Upon looking at the bed, she kissed at her teeth.

"Why do you still spend time on that?" She asked, slightly disappointed.

Looking at the intricate stone-like relic beside him, Blake sighed he had almost forgotten it was there. The red stone had mimicked a shade of brown in the poorly lit room, he had had it swaddled with him when he was found, surely it had connections with his birth and since then it never seemed to be apart from him at any given time.

"No matter how many times I try to get rid of it, it always seems to return" Blake answered, "It feels like it's connected to me, somehow"

"Just don't spend so much time on it" Erith replied rubbing her temples.

"I'm making dinner,come out soon"Erith added while leaving the room

"Sure mom" He replied a bit distracted.

He had always wondered who his parents were and why they left him such a rock. He somehow knew that the matter wasn't so simple as his adoptive parents had also refused to tell him where he was found.

He spent a considerable amount of time daily studying the stone as it was the only clue to his origins. Dad had tried to be of help but all was to no avail.

Recently he had left for a meeting that had lasted for three days and counting. The werewolfs that ruled the other half of the continent's attacks had grown worse with time which had made some "resources" diminish or die.

It's the year 2085, sixty five years from the Covid-19 pandemic. The truth was that the Coronavirus was lab-made and released by the government into the public deliberately followed by a couple more viral diseases. It was a way to purge out weak bloodlines in human society, simultaneously serving as sacrifices to the vampire and werewolves lord's, which had been in deep slumber for centuries. The strong were bred to multiply, serving their masters unconditionally. In the year 2034 the earth had been conquered by these two supernatural forces.

Humans have always been referred to as resources and the lowest in the food chain. From being vampires/werewolf pets, work slaves, pleasure slaves to being reared and bred on the blood farms and lastly the elites. Those rich bastards who sell their own kind to the predators to keep their heads and have blood collected once in three months. Power was monopolized by the vampires and werewolves each having their territory to rule over while humans suffered terrible fates.

The reason for the feud between vampires and the werewolf wasn't farfetched. Werewolves who were normally primitive and aggressive had always seen vampires as abominations of nature as they were technically undead with spirits in them while vampires simply didn't give a fuck.

They were natural competitors with the same prey, mortals. There are unspoken rules of survival and existence in nature so each party strives to be at absolute dominance over the other thus also competing to be at the top of the food chain.

Though the tension between both parties has significantly risen since the last contention around twenty six ago. It was rumoured that an abomination occurred during that time involving both vampire and werewolves, no one really knew what happened, but it seemed to concern the royal family even those who spoke of it excessively had their hearts ripped out and burnt on a stake.

"Growwwl". His stomach churned with uneven melodies,interrupting his thoughts.

"I guess it's time to eat" Blake said hopping out of bed energetically, he seemed to have regained his strength.

Leaving the room into the picturesque hallway decorated with ornate and abstract sculptures complimented by the slender,towering pillars on the wine composite wall.

Strolling casually to the kitchen as he had done a million times before,the smell of spices filled his nostrils as a pot of soup was seen boiling on the electric cooker. His stomach growled loudly as if it knew it was in the presence of food.

A ding sound was heard as the oven's timer went off. Looks like Theresa made her signature muffins today, he grabbed the mittens on the kitchen sink and took out the muffins carefully placing them on the counter.

They smelled so good . Stuffing a muffin into his mouth, he almost choked on them as he had forgotten how hot they were.

"Blake, are you stealing the muffins again!!!?" Yelled someone approaching the kitchen.

"No i wasn't"Blake answered, grabbing two more while making a run for it.

"SCOUNDREL!!!"

"UNREPENTANT CHILD!!!"

Her words trailed behind him as he let out playful giggles. Theresa had had it with him, thought being a servant she was like family now, he had always loved playing around her as a child and had grown up in her embrace. Any time he got hurt she would always bake him a muffin to pacify him so he grew to love her muffins.

"It's the only choice we have..." Blake heard as he entered the dining room.

"What choice?" Blake said, startling the room's occupants.

"Aren't you going to say hi to your dad first?" Erith asked, smiling.

A smile grew on his face as he saw his dad seated at the edge of the table pretending to sulk. Though the relationship between son and father wasn't perfect as they always had conflict of ideas, it was still very good. He trotted towards his father's position giving him a neck warping chair hug.

"Welcome dad"

"Are you trying to choke this old man?" Louis asked playfully.

"Leave sir alone you child" Stella said, pouting as she came into the room followed by Theresa with the food trolley.

She was Theresa's daughter and also his childhood sweetheart.

"Who are you calling a child?"Blake asked, proceeding to catch Stella.

She doged him easily and quickly scurried to the back of her mom.

"Come out here you coward"He half yelled as he stopped in his tracks.

He knew if he got closer Theresa would definitely spank him for taking the muffins earlier thereby reducing everyone's share of it, according to her no one was too old to be reprimanded.

"You are the coward, you can't even get past mom" Stella replied mockingly.

"No I am not. Come on out" Blake replied keeping his distance.

Stella grinned knowing that Blake was nothing but a cat without teeth and claws at the circle of her mother's protection "No".

Theresa shook her head watching these two argue,"You both either take your seats now or you can forget about desert" She threatened.

Scampering, to their seats they gave themselves a meaningful glare.

"I'll get you next time" Blake murmured as he slid his left thumb across his neck

"Sure you will" Stella remarked scartistically.

Sir Louis let out a heartfelt laughter as he witnessed the two's blabbering.

"It good to see you guys like this"

In truth was it was rare to see Blake bickering like a child, most times he was cold and aloof, with short responses always calculating his words like he was going to run out on them 

It was simply refreshing to Erith, Louis and Theresa.

The bubbly atmosphere died down as they ate dinner in silence.

"Blake you would be going to the Palace tomorrow" Louis said dropping the bombshell.

Blake didn't show any signs of surprise nor a bit of emotion. He was simply unreadable. It was as if he already knew what was being said.

"Why?" He asked with a blank face.

"You are to be the princess's new bodyguard" Louis answered.

"That snobby bitch!!!" Stella muttered under her breath.

The princess had a reputation of killing bodyguards if she found them incompetent. Her father, the Lord, had used this opportunity to make the mayor succumb to him and in a way making himself have no losing side of the deal rather a more promising position.

"I know it's hard for you to tolerate vampires from the royal family but it's the price we have to pay for the royal healer to cure you" Erith added as she put down the glass of blood in her hands.

So that's what the old demon bargained with. Blake thought.

"A bodyguard you say?, It's okay, I'd be there" Blake replied with a sinister smile.

"I'm sorry but I've lost my appetite, mom Theresa, the food was truly delicious" he added as he left for his room.

"Son!"Erith yelled as he left.

"Leave him be, he needs time for himself" Louis said, stopping her from going after him.

Well this was going to be an interesting experience.