one.

198...something. He doesn’t pay attention to dates anymore. What’s the point? It’s always changing going round in circles--just like him. Unable to end--in a sense. How many times has he been told the world would end? 

He pondered this for a moment. His pretty face instantly pensive. 

“What are you thinking about?” Phillip asked his “friend”. 

“Hmmm...” Aiden let out a thoughtful sigh, “We have survived over 50 ‘the world will end today’ apocalypses.” 

“Really?” Phillip put his newspaper down and thought for a moment as well, “I sincerely thought that number would be much larger.”

“Probably is but I gave up counting after the Mayan one...” 

“Bonsoir mon amis!” The always bright sunshine of the group, Dalton, entered the kitchen. 

“You’re late.” Phillip scolded him mildly.

“I told you--you could’ve started without me.” Dalton sat down with them and slowly pulled the comics section away from Phillip. Aiden’s eyes followed this slight of hand, which Phillip obviously failed to catch--or was just ignoring.

“We hunt in 3-men...or well vampire cells. You know the rules--we’ve been doing this for  a century now. Except for you.” Phillip threw a glance at Aiden, who just shrugged with indifference.  “You know one of these days you’re going to have to realize that you need us.” Phillip advised Aiden.

“I haven’t for 2 centuries...I won’t for another 3...” Aiden said.

“You’re quite cheerier than usual.” Dalton commented. 

“Just ready to hunt...” Aiden said with a slight grin. 

“You mean sink your teeth in a pretty little virgin?” Dalton asked.

Phillip sighed heavily and ignored their conversation. Out of the two...Phillip only drank blood to survive. Immortality became a burden for him after the first century--when all that he knew and loved died from natural causes. For Phillip there was no thrill in it...no pleasure. He didn’t care for the hunt and quite frankly if he could just drink blood from an animal or blood bags stolen from hospitals he’d be...happier. 

Dalton was the ‘youngest’. He had only been a vampire for less than a century--so this ‘life’ was still new to him. Everything about his new found powers were still mesmerizing and he was still trying to ‘find’ himself. He was still learning to control himself and his thirst. Aiden and Phillip were his ‘keepers’--to keep him out of trouble. 

Then there was Aiden...literally the oldest of the group. This life that he has been living has not bored him but at the same time nothing surprises him anymore. He had lost hope for the human race a long time ago. Their future should be nearing an end soon if they continue on this way. He was a monster--the ones that they feared of in the dark, but the real monsters, were the ones that were living and breathing. The ones that provided him with the sweet essence for him to feed on. The warm blood that flowed down his throat, as their bodies slowly grew cold from--

“Aiden!” 

Aiden blinked his eyes and looked at Phillip and Dalton. “What?”

“You’ve been doing that a lot lately. You’re getting old, old man.” Dalton said smiling. 

In a swift motion Aiden kicked Dalton’s chair out from under him and was already out of his own chair, with his arms wrapped around Dalton’s neck before he could react or even hit the ground. 

“With old age comes great knowledge.” 

“Son of a...I HATE WHEN YOU DO THAT!” Dalton yelled struggling.

“Spoken like the true baby of the group.” Phillip commented, he waited a few more seconds before he cleared his throat. Aiden heard this and sighed, letting go of Dalton. 

Dalton didn’t gasp for air--he didn’t need any, but started to rub his neck and roll his shoulders, had Phillip not stopped Aiden, Dalton would be in pieces by now. “You know one of these days--I WILL get you.”

Aiden rolled his eyes and ruffled Dalton’s brown hair, “In your dreams kid. Are we ready to go yet?” He held out his hand, to which Dalton accepted.

Phillip stood up and checked his watch, 11:30pm. “Prime time for all the fun to happen.” 

“Plenty of time to party and dine.” Dalton said rubbing his palms together. He walked over to the door of the balcony and opened it. Fresh air greeted the three, the moon shone brightly against the black backdrop of the night sky. The moon caused their pale skins to glow like dim lights--their eyes were even brighter, maybe from the moon, maybe because they were creatures of the dark cursed by everlasting beauty...or maybe just because they were thirsty as hell. 

**********

“Your lordship.” A young man knelt to a knee and placed his right hand above his heart--the sign of brotherhood, to his commander.

Claude tilted his head affectionately at the young soldier, “Yes Edwin...what ails you?”

“They found her...she’s on the run.” Edwin announced.

“Ahhh...” Claude thought, “They’ve found her...and how is she? Her condition?”

Edwin shook his head, his long brown wavy tresses swaying back and forth, “It’s hard to say but it shouldn’t be any longer now. Yet she’s still putting up quite the fight.” 

“Well she’s a vampire...what do you expect? Their bodies are as hard as diamonds, their fangs as sharp as katanas made by the most skilled craftsman. As long as she replenishes her strength with blood--she won’t slow down.”

“Do we kill her?”

Claude thought for a moment, “Catch her first--and then I will decide properly of her fate.”  

“Yes your lordship.”

“Go Edwin...join the others, they will need your guidance.”

“Yes.” Edwin stood up and was gone in a flash. 

Claude got up from his chair as well and went to the window and looked up at the sky, “Ah...a beautiful night. Celine...Celine...look at what you’re making me do. Had you only accepted my offer--all would not have gone like this. I would not be asking for your blood on my hands.” Claude stared angrily out of the window as the moments leading up to these current events came flooding back into his mind. 

“You will die tonight Celine...and I will be the one to cut off your head and burn your body.”