Chapter 4: Lyle Montessori

Wilhelm Reich often receives criticizing stares from humans. Some had their eyes lit from worship while others had clouds in them from envy. These jealous people loved gossipping about him and lowkey making things hard for him. The vampires did not care about the dramas humans engage in, and other humans did not want to get involved, so no one really stood up for him. It isn't like he needs someone to defend him, anyway.

That was why Will never liked attending these kinds of parties. They are filled with these calculating looks and lazy vampires. However, he was a double plus human. He could be considered nobility, and he was obliged to welcome all the immigrants. He had already met four, yet he could not find the fifth.

He decided to leave the hall for a few minutes to breathe, then just happened to run into the Clemente Twins hovering over a poor guy on the floor. He strode towards them, smacked Tom at the back of his head, and helped Art up to his feet.

Stunned at being hit for no reason, Tom held his hand and glared at Will.

"The hell was that for!" he complained.

Will snapped at him with a fierce look in his eyes, "You were crowding him and making him uncomfortable."

Thea understood while his brother continued to complain on the side. She asked, "I thought Lyle said this guy was human? He cowered the moment he heard this bit of noise."

"This bit of noise?" Will repeated incredulously, especially stressing on the word bit. "The speakers are booming and the whole house is shaking!"

"Well, my ears are sensitive, but I never reacted this strongly!" Thea retaliated.

Art felt the atmosphere getting heated. He did not know who this guy beside him was, but it seemed that he did not get along well with the twins. They started arguing the moment they saw each other. He immediately got in between the two and interrupted them.

"I'm fine," Art said, looking at the tanned guy. He then turned his head to Tom, who was still aggrieved, and Thea, "I was just surprised. I wasn't ready. It's too quiet out here, and to be suddenly blasted in the face, it made my ears sting. That's all."

All three people looked at him. Thea and the tanned guy inspected him up and down. When they saw nothing wrong, Thea only moved to check on his twin's head while Will reached out a hand in front of Art.

"Wilhelm Reich. I'm the student body's Human Representative at Delta Tertiary. You may come look for me if you ever need any help."

Art nodded and accepted his hand as he also introduced himself. Will was currently handing him a card when someone opened the door and they were hit by a gust of wind coming from it. Tom blinked as he was also surprised.

"Fuck, what's with the DJ?" he exclaimed.

The person who rushed out shifted anxiously as he spoke, "Tom, what's taking so long? Lyle's baring his fangs upstairs!"

The previous light aura that Tom carried disappeared in an instant and he faced Art with a serious look on his face.

"Thea will show you around, Art. I'll see you later."

"What? No, I'll—"

Before Thea could even finish talking, Tom was already gone as he entered the dimmed hallway and disappeared into the large double doors at the end. The guy followed behind him after acknowledging the other three with a nod.

The blasting of the music continued and they could feel the pressure from inside. Some disco lights sometimes escaped from the doors, and Art could tell how lively the party was from the lights, loud music, and incoherent shouts.

Thea awkwardly glanced at the quiet Art and Will, then rolled her eyes as she hooked a finger at Art.

"If you're done with the greetings, come follow me inside. The double plus human can do as he pleases," she indifferently ordered then quickly stepped forward.

Art quietly followed but his new acquaintance did not. He looked back to see him waving a hand at him and turning around to leave. Art sighed as he entered the double doors, greeted by the blaring lights and busy people. Some people watched them glide deeper into the crowd.

Thea seemed to be in a hurry and everyone let her through while Art struggled to slip into the crowd. A group of fresh looking people waved their hands at Thea and called for her nonstop even when she deliberately ignored them. One girl caught her wrist and pulled her to their table so the reluctant Thea could only follow.

Art was also brought, and he was introduced to the group. They looked kind and welcoming except for the few who were sitting on the sofa inside the big table, so Art chose to sit outside to avoid them. They continued pestering Thea and completely ignored him. It was not an issue to him, though. He was even grateful. Maybe he could just stay forgotten and remain seated here for half an hour, then he will go home on the premise of being too exhausted because of the journey…

Meanwhile, when Tom arrived in the private room where Lyle was staying, he was met with a Lyle who had a girl on his lap while he grasped her waist and sniffed her neck. His fangs were out and long as he occasionally licked the part of the girl's neck where a strong pulse could be faintly felt.

Tom rushed to them, grabbed the girl's arm and kicked her out.

"Tom, what the hell! It's fine. He wasn't feeding!" the girl complained from outside but he already shut the door in her face.

The pale man sitting on the center of the red sofa lazily rested on his back as he closed his eyes and breathed a few deep breaths. Tom was stressing over the careless girl from before, about how she could have been bitten, or how Lyle almost fed even though he was not supposed to. He raised his hands to pull and ruffle his hair in frustration.

Lyle opened his eyes again, gazed up at Tom's anxious figure, and closed his eyes again. Even when it was only for a short moment, Tom still found a trace of drunkenness and confusion in his eyes. He was more thankful now that he did not come too late.

"I didn't do anything. I wasn't planning anything either," Lyle spoke up, and added in a wronged tone, "I can't even get a single whiff. You are torturing me."

"You're the one torturing yourself! Hurry up and meet with the last immigrant. He's a nice, quiet guy and doesn't have a lot to say. This will definitely be short."

A glint of interest flashed in Lyle's eyes as he stood up.

"Arthur Salacosa?" Lyle asked which Tom answered with a hum. The sides of his eyes curved even more. "Oh, so it's him."