Chapter 06

As the police vehicle drove on a silent street of Covington, Arthur had planned various strategies in escaping from the clutches of the law. These ignorant cops were oblivious of his true nature and simply following the orders of Sheriff Cosgrove. He planned on killing them but decided against it as that will be too obvious. It would only worsen the situation. Hence he opted for the other plan. 

"I need to pee." He pitched innocently from the back. One of the officer smirked at him while the driver pressed on.  

"Don't worry, you'll have lots of peeing to do when we reach CPD." He said to Arthur's dissatisfaction.  

"Please, I can't hold it any longer." Arthur grimaced a pleading face in harmony with his polite tone.

"We'll stop by at the next public toilet. Now shut your mouth!" The driver sounded sonorously in an authoritative mannerism.  Arthur relaxed for minutes before the vehicle came to a solemn halt. The Policeman handling the wheels alighted first, opening the rear door cautiously while his gaze sharp and unwelcoming, narrowed upon Arthur. It was enough to dissuade him from taking drastic actions. Arthur peered around the neighborhood as he alighted from the vehicle in cuffs. Silent and a few people who busied themselves with their various business.

"Come on, Let's get moving." The other ordered in an hoarse voice. Arthur grinned sheepishly before breaking free from the shackles of his handcuffs. Both men noticed early but too late to react. Arthur had activated his Vampiric speed. He watched momentarily as their body movements slowed. Both of them opting to pull out their pistols towards him. He quickly scooped off their guns before their hands reached. And then he offloaded the bullets briskly before returning the Pistols to it's abode. Once he deactivated his supernatural abilities, they poised their guns at him fiercely. 

Arthur smirked.

"Were you two gonna shoot me?, With an empty gun." Arthur chuckled as he released the bullets in his right palm to the ground. They gasped from horrific awe as their eyes ranged from their empty pistols to the fallen bullets. "Both of you committed two offence." Arthur lucidly stated while they retreated in their steps. "One, you arrested me without any criminal charges and two," he pursed his lips as he glanced between their shocked faces. "You simpletons messed with me." He bellowed.

Arthur's eyes changed into reddish black. He launched at the first, smashing his head into the vehicle's driver's window. He paced to the other with a curvy punch landing straight to the cheek. Both men fell unconscious while Arthur heaved a light sigh. His eyes ranged across the streets for any stalky eyes. And when he was certain no one had witnessed his dreadful actions, he strolled away. 

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  Arthur walked in his dazzling white shirt complemented with a fitted faint blue jean under the setting orange sun.  His eyes scaling about for ladies that would entertain him for the night. Until they landed on the gym rooted at the roadside. Nothing about the small building had intrigued him except the sign.

"Vincent's gym." He voiced inadvertently while skepticisms raided his mind. The name was too bland and there was only one person who would do this. Hence, he marched into the building only to find an ebony skinned young man who had the exact stature like he did. His hair perfectly afro cut, his brown eyes glittering with lust and his lips red as rose. There he was flirting with a lady busied with her workout session.

Arthur scoffed.

"You'll never change will you?" His voice protruded calmly knowing fully well his long time friend Vampiric hearing would pick his tone.

The ebony skinned man gazed at Arthur immediately and then a smile morphed energetically on his face. Arthur smiled too, both walking towards each other with open arms. 

"My man!!" His friend blared as they hugged tightly.

"It's so good to see you again, Vincent." Arthur remarked, swiftly basking in the aged memories they shared. And looking at Vincent now, he hadn't changed one bit over the decades.

"No.....fucking...... doubt man!" Vincent emphasized with laughter minting along.

"Where have you been dude?!" Arthur said excitedly as they paced to a convenient area. Free from the others.

"Here and there, you know. Till I landed in Covington a decade ago." Arthur grew amused by the way Vincent exaggerated the name. He sure had missed his friend's cheeriness and good energy.

"You've been here a decade ago?" Arthur asked while Vincent nodded like an obedient child. "And I didn't know you've been here all these while."

"Maintaining low key is the only way of survival bro!. Remembering what happened with Nicodemus, I can't take chances." Arthur's eyes dampened at the sudden mention of his Sire's name. His friend had quickly noticed the moodiness too. "Anyways, how long have you been here?"

"Settled here a year ago." He paused his lips. "I too have been changing locations for close to a decade till I stopped here in Covington. Perhaps I might finally find peace." Arthur responded.

"So have you found peace?" Vincent asked sarcastically. Arthur retained silence thinking about his ordeals with Bella. If he had known she was the Sheriff's daughter, he might have left her to die in the hands of the Wolf.

"Believe me, Just when I thought I found it.....things are crumbling again." Arthur sighed, Vincent laughed with a mocking gesture. "I can't blame you. You've been here long enough." Arthur remarked with a slight frown.

"The ladies, the parties, and above all the blood is everything Covington has given me!" Vincent gestured, throwing his hands in the air before they sat at the corner of the gym room. 

"How about Sabrina?, Both of you are still in touch?"

"Yeah, she recently arrived here too. Weeks back, I think." Arthur replied while Vincent nodded.

"Haven't you heard of the recent murders?" Arthur asked in a concerned mannerism. Recalling the mysterious gruesome deaths the Cops had been busy with lately.

"And how is that my concern?" Vincent shrugged, his face blooming with an energetic smile.

"It matters now cos things have gone haywire." Arthur replied. His friend's face once filled with joy now sank in dissatisfaction. 

"Look I'm certain we aren't the only Vampires in town. Besides, I don't kill my prey." Vincent muttered in a low tone. Arthur wriggled his head.

"It's more than that." 

"What have you done this time?, Arthur." Vincent asked with a sigh. Arthur frowned at his friend's witty remark.

"Well I certainly didn't kill any innocent civilian," 

"Says the almighty Arthur." Vincent cut with another dose of sarcasm.

"Just listen, the problem is, there's a human out there who knows my true nature." 

"You call that a problem?" Vincent sarcastically returned. "Just use your special abilities or better still, kill this human. Besides, I don't see how it is related to the deaths."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "She's not just any human. She's the daughter of Sheriff Cosgrove." 

Vincent's eyes sparked with horror and his mouth agape. "Holy shit! How could you be so careless?" 

Arthur could tell his friend thirsted to yell but for the visitors. His tone protruded at a minimal level.

"We both know that we aren't accepted in this town. The Hunter Families would literally do anything to shred us into pieces." Vincent alighted from his stool, pacing back and forth in an agitated manner. "And I can already guess Sheriff Cosgrove is hunting for you right now. Hell she thinks you caused these recent murders. It won't even take long before they find out I'm here too. Arthur this is real deep shit!" Arthur watched in a bemused state how his friend threw his arms in the air. 

"I know and I'm trying my best to fix things." Arthur answered in a solemn tune.

"What best?, how did you meet this stupid girl in the first place?!" Vincent scorned.

"First of, I didn't know she was the daughter of Cosgrove and second," he pursed his lips, reminiscing about the night. "She was almost murdered by a Werewolf so I saved her." 

"You saved her?! Arthur when did you become a good Samarithan." Vincent remarked with an evident frown and amazement intertwined.

"I haven't turned any new leaf. I just did what I thought was right." Arthur retorted. Growing irritated at Vincent terming him a good man. But somewhere deep down, there were other reasons for saving her. Reasons he overly wants to ignore.

"Congratulations, Mr. Right. Your good deeds have certainly caused the whole town to be on rampage now." Vincent laughed mockingly. "There's only one thing left to do now." 

Arthur arched an eyebrow.

"We leave this town as soon as possible cos we both know how this shit is going to play out." Vincent pursed his lips, narrowing his gaze upon Arthur. To which he clearly understood. 

"The greater evil. Nicodemus." Vincent mentioned in a dreadful mannerism that sent shock ripples across their spines.  

"If Nicodemus find us here, it's bad news for us and the town." Vincent's voice lowered. "And I'm not ready to die like a crushed ant!"