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Walking outside alone through Detroit is dangerous, especially at night in poorly lit parts of the city. Every sound that did not belong to the silence of the night, every barking of wild dogs, only supported the terrifying atmosphere. Dressed in black to better cover himself in the shadows, Shun slowly approached the back entrance of the hospital.
Today's mission was transfusion blood. There was a big shootout in town between local gangs. A lot of members couldn't show up at the hospital, or couldn't afford to pay for treatment, their only option was the black market or medical equipment dealers. And that was why Shun was inside the hospital at 2 am.
Shun quietly closed the door and turned on the small table lamp. He was fully prepared, he even had a bag to carry blood bags. He looked around the room, there must be keys somewhere. And he didn't have to look for long. In one of the doctor's coats were the keys to the refrigerator where the blood was stored.
"Bingo," he whispered. He put on a white coat and took the keys out of his pocket with a smile. He unlocked the first refrigerator. Shun didn't intend to take everything, just a bag or three from each blood type. The less blood available, the more they were willing to pay. It was wrong to take advantage of their desperation like that, yes. But they were not good people. They made his life difficult so Shun made up for it with overpriced goods.
Six packs in the bag when he got a strange feeling. Feeling like someone was watching him. As if he wasn't alone, he even got goosebumps. He shook his head to get rid of the feeling and as he did he noticed a shadow that wasn't there before. He turned around and his heart stopped for a moment.
"Fuck!!" he yelled in horror and quickly covered his mouth. There was another doctor in the room with him. He was caught stealing and cursing in front of the doctor.
"Oh.. I.. I.. I'm sorry. I just..." His voice shook as he tried to speak, to think of something to get out of this. "I'm new… here. You really scared me," he laughed a little nervously. "I'm here instead of the doctor... for a while. Um.. I think he might be back in a bit if you need anything from him... You can wait?" He just wanted to take what he needed and disappear as quickly as possible, if that was even possible.
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Adam
It was ridiculous how often he needed to do this, even when he paced his drinking. It felt like starving all the time. It made him irritable, restless. Even with this system he'd set up over the years, bribing the medical staff for what he needed, the costume felt silly. Adam vaguely longed for days gone by, when bodies were easy to hide and he'd been a hunter. When the blood had been clean. Not like it was today.
What was he now? Just another zombie? Sometimes it felt like it, going through the same motions month after month, year after year. Nothing new happened, while things around him continued to crumble. Detroit was the ultimate symbol of that, his dilapidated house a castle in the wastelands of a former suburbia.
Entering the hospital was never an issue. It was late, staff were few, and nobody questioned doctors. His name tag today said "Dr. Dee", a personal joke that only added to Adam's nostalgia. He'd known John Dee, long ago. Many lifetimes ago. What lively discussions they'd had. Everything from natural science to the meaning of life. People didn't talk about things like that anymore.
Making his way to where the blood stocks were kept, Adam removed his sunglasses and steeled himself for some polite conversation. He assumed the hospital staff thought he was doing some strange unsanctioned research, but he hadn't ever explained himself. He gave them too much money to make that necessary. The wad of cash bounced in his pocket as he turned the corner.
The door was open and Adam walked in. He almost laughed at the other man's yelp, had it not startled him as well. This wasn't his usual contact and the boy's explanation was clearly a hasty fabrication. So he had competition for resources now. Adam didn't like that. He let out a soft growl.
"Find your own territory," he said, tone low, but quiet. "And I'll take those." He nodded down at the bag the boy held. Adam could smell the blood in it. Blood that was meant to be his.
Shun Miyamoto
Surprise showed on his face. "Terri...? What?" He had absolutely no idea what he meant. Do the special doctors have one place to take blood and the others have their supplies in another room? He was about to ask for an explanation when Adam pointed to his bag.
"Noo, it's mine, doctor..." he couldn't finish because he noticed the name tag on his white coat. He started to laugh but immediately covered his mouth, biting his lower lip hard to stop his laughter. “I'm sorry.. but your name..” Shun shook his head. If he wanted to leave with the bag he had to appear more believable, laughing at the name was not a good start. Shun promised he would have blood and he would be in trouble if he didn't have it ready today.
"Sir... Doctor Dee, I can't give you my bag. It needs to be taken to the patients." He shifted and pointed to the fridge. "See, you can take what you need. These," he pointed to his bag. "They are needed for me. You don't need exactly these, do you?"
Somehow he still felt an uneasy feeling in his body. It wasn't fear even though he was caught stealing but it was something strange that he couldn't identify.
Adam
He gave the youth a long look up and down his body before replying. "You don't work here," Adam finally said. It wasn't a question. What was this kid? A familiar? He wasn't a vampire. "So you don't get to tell anybody what to do. Why are you stealing blood?" It was pretty obvious from his nervous demeanour what was going on here. He'd been caught red-handed. Adam almost rolled his eyes at his own mental pun.
Shun Miyamoto
He watched as he looked at him. Of course he knows he doesn't work there. He was wearing black clothes and a white coat that he took from the hanger. Everyone would recognize it, but Shun didn't expect anyone to find him, so he didn't think too much about what to wear. Pretty stupid of him.
Shun let out a long breath. He needed the blood and already paid the real doctor to let him in. He doubted he would get his money back if he left without the goods. And he couldn't even run away as Adam stood between him and the door.
"Okay, yeah," he surrendered. "You're right. I'm not a doctor, BUT I don't steal." Shun took the bag closer. "I paid, so it's mine. And.. and I'd appreciate it if you let me go," he said a little uncertainly. He wondered if he would have a chance to win if they started the fight. Probably not.
Adam
Adam needed to know if there were other vampires in his territory. He couldn't let this boy go if he was a familiar in service to a potential rival.
What a greedy shit the doctor was, selling goods to multiple buyers. Clean blood was hard to come by and Adam didn't want to share his source with anyone for any reason. He supposed he would just have to buy out all the others. That was no problem. He had plenty of money.
"I bet you would," he growled, still blocking the door. Adam glanced over his shoulder and then closed the door behind him, flipping the lock. There would be no dashing out the door. Adam was too fast for that. "But that's not going to happen until I find out why you're here. Then I might let you go, depending on your answers. Scream and you forfeit that possibility." Did the boy know what he was, in his carefully concealing scrubs and gloves?
Shun Miyamoto
He blinked in surprise. At first he thought he was going to let him go, but then he heard the click of the lock. Doctor or not, this man was dangerous, he could feel it. He even threatened him.
"Well, I already told you I bought the blood. It's for people who need it. And I think," he pointed to Adam's bag. "that you're here for the same reason as me." Shun had never seen a doctor carrying blood packets in a bag. And if he was right, why didn't he want to split up? There were more in the coolers.
He couldn't get into trouble. If his master found out he was taking blood somewhere and didn't bring it to him, that would be a much worse problem than being caught by the doctor.
Adam
Ah, the jig was up, but Adam hadn't really expected to pass as a doctor under anything approaching close scrutiny. His usual contacts just needed enough plausible deniability, so he gave it to them in this ridiculous pantomime. This boy didn't need it and while he was clearly afraid - Adam could smell the fear on him, the adrenaline racing - he wasn't backing down, or cowering, or dribbling nonsensical pleas. It was refreshing, actually. Most humans were so pathetic they didn't even deserve the short lives they'd been given. So much wasted potential.
"Alright, yes, we're both here for the same thing. But I need to know if it's for the same reason. Who are these people who need off-the-records blood?" Adam was trying to reserve judgement until he had all the facts but they both needed to get this settled and get out of here before any real hospital staff showed up.
Shun Miyamoto
He was surprised that the other really admitted that he's not a doctor and that he kind of steals just like him. It made him feel a little relief, now Shun knows that he won't call the police because they would get him too.
"Specifically, this is for... I don't know. I'll give it to anyone who pays." He spoke the truth. "Do you know about the shootout yesterday a few blocks from downtown? I heard some people need transfusions." He looked at him for a moment. He wasn't sure if that was enough of an answer for him or not. It was difficult to read his face.
Shun didn't know if the other man believed him but he had nothing to lose. "Honestly, I usually go to another hospital. Thiis is my first time here, because if I took blood supplies in the usual place for other people, my master wouldn't be too happy and that's not something I want."
Adam
Adam was already tuning out the banal reply, just another zombie trying to make a buck, until he heard the word "master". With uncanny speed, he grabbed the boy by the lapels and yanked him close, leering down at him.
"Who do you serve? Tell me their name!" In his anger, Adam bared his teeth slightly as a warning.
Shun Miyamoto
It happened so fast that Shun had no way to react. Suddenly he was in his grip and close enough to make him uncomfortable and his fear became real. This was no ordinary black market seller. This is a vampire. Shun knew for sure because he had already met one and Adam's teeth helped too. He instinctively covered his neck with his hands, he had never been bitten so all he knew was movie knowledge.
"He goes by the name John or sometimes James. I don't know if that's the real name." Saying things about his master was probably not a good idea, but he didn't want to die. Not like this. “Anyway, this blood isn't for him, I swear to my cat."
Adam
The last comment threw Adam off and broke the tension of the moment. His hands loosened. The boy had seen what he was and hadn't screamed in terror. Sure, he'd reacted, but only in a way that was reasonable. Adam was now sure he wasn't the first vampire this boy had seen. That meant his master was likely another nearby. Adam wanted to know more before making any other moves. With age came strength and cunning. It was wise to determine who one's foe was before rushing in, especially if there was a chance one was outmatched. There weren't many vampires even as old as Adam, who was a mere half a millennia, but there were some who were far, far older and very dangerous. Most Adam had encountered were far younger, mere fledglings and no threat whatsoever except in their sloppiness and competition for resources. Adam liked to keep his territory clear of fledglings.
"Your cat?" He tilted his head. "You must really love your cat." But not so much his master if he was giving out a name that easily. That was a good sign. That meant the boy wasn't a thrall, something only older vampires could create. A thrall would rather die than betray their master. Adam had never made one. He wasn't even sure he could.
"John or James, huh? If the blood isn't for him, and it's for patients like you said, does he even know you're doing this?" If James had no idea about Adam's supply, then perhaps the threat was minimal.
Shun Miyamoto
Talking about his cat unintentionally brightened his face, but soon his expression darkened. If his master knew, he would punish him, and Shun knew it would be a painful punishment. "Well... There's no need for him to know," he said nervously. They won't meet and Shun won't say anything. Everything will be fine.
If Shun had listened carefully, vampires don't meet unless there's a really special reason to. His master had said that when two meet, it usually ends in the death of one of the participants. This gave him the assurance that his master and this vampire wouldn't meet because there was no reason for it, at least that's what Shun thought.
His confidence increased with Adam's loosening of the grip. A sign that he trusted Shun and would most likely let him go.
Adam
Adam's narrowed eyes flicked over Shun's face, watching the way his features shifted—how the mention of the cat brought a flicker of light to his expression, followed by a shadow of fear when thoughts of his master returned. Fear was good. It meant Shun wasn't entirely reckless, though perhaps dangerously naive.
Adam's grip loosened further, but he didn't let go completely. He needed more, just a little more to decide if this boy was useful or a liability. His gaze softened just enough to suggest he wasn't about to snap Shun's neck, but not enough to ease the edge of tension that lingered in the air.
"If there's no need for him to know, then you'd better make sure it stays that way," Adam said, his tone a deliberate mix of warning and curiosity. "Because if your master finds out, I doubt it’ll be just you facing the consequences. You said this blood isn’t for him, but you’re working under his shadow. That makes you a loose end he probably wouldn’t hesitate to cut."
Adam leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a near whisper, intimate but still dangerous. "You don’t seem like the type who wants to be caught in the middle of a vampire feud. So tell me, Shun — how far are you willing to go to keep him in the dark? To stay alive?"
His free hand gestured subtly, indicating the tricky line Shun was walking. Adam was giving him a choice. Cooperation could mean survival, even if survival came with strings attached.
Shun Miyamoto
Why would he tell his master that he was doing something he himself had forbidden Shun to do. Did he look that stupid? "Of course he wouldn't find out. Not from me," he frowned a little. That actually made him angry. If Adam knew what his master could do how could he expect Shun to talk about this. Besides, if he mentioned that he had met another vampire, Shun would be done.
Goosebumps ran down his body as soon as he leaned towards him. He could feel a cold breeze on his body. Being blackmailed by a vampire wasn't his first time, after all that was why he started stealing blood from hospitals. But this time it was a little different. Shun felt more scared than when he met his master for the first time. Was this one more powerful? Shun had no idea but he knew for sure that he liked his little life.
Shun gave up. He didn't stand a chance against the vampire if he wanted to run away or try to fight his way out. He sighed in defeat. He knew he could say goodbye to his extra income and the money he had to pay the doctor to let him in. What a miserable day.
Shun wasn't sure what he meant by how far he would go to survive, but it felt strange. "Fine, it's yours," he looked at his bag full of blood packets. "I have nothing else to give," except his life, which he was certain he wanted to keep. "I won't talk, you can be sure of that... or do you want my written oath of silence?"
Adam
Adam's voice carried an edge of finality as he spoke, his sharp gaze never leaving Shun's nervous face. "I want your phone number," he said bluntly, the words as sharp as the fangs that had unnerved the boy moments before. "So I can contact you when I need a favor. Keep the blood this time, but don’t come back here. Deal?"
He straightened slightly, his tone softening, but his eyes betrayed the weight of something deeper. Memories stirred in the back of his mind of Ian. Loyal, resourceful Ian, who had once occupied the precarious position Shun was now being nudged toward. Ian, who had been a steady, almost endearing presence in Adam's otherwise solitary existence. Adam had never needed to explain much to Ian; the young man had understood the unspoken boundaries, never asked too many questions.
But Ian was gone now. Another vampire, careless and gluttonous, had ended him in a single night of selfish indulgence. The memory still burned, not just because of Ian’s death, but because Adam had trusted him. Ian had been... useful, yes, but also something more. A tether, however fragile, to humanity — a reminder of what Adam himself once was. Whether he wanted to admit it or not.
Adam’s expression darkened for a fleeting moment, a shadow crossing his face as he returned to the present. He wasn’t naive enough to think he could replace Ian, but he could find utility in Shun. Perhaps the boy would serve the same purpose, albeit differently. A new “gofer,” as Ian had jokingly called himself. Shun had the same charming combination of demureness and bravery.
Adam met Shun’s gaze, his voice low and deliberate. “You remind me of someone,” he admitted, almost to himself. For a moment, Adam was lifetimes away, then he snapped back to the present. His tone sharpened again, the momentary vulnerability vanishing like mist. “Do we have a deal?”
Shun Miyamoto
"So you'll let me go with the blood, but in return I'll hold you to a favor?" He narrowed his eyes, trying to find some catch in all of this, but nothing came to mind at the moment.
Was it risky to give him his contact? Probably not. What would a vampire need anyway? Maybe he just wanted someone to talk to when he was lonely, Shun did that sometimes. He called his friend when he felt lonely and that helped. If he asked for something impossible and he couldn't fulfill it, there's no way he'd find him in such a big city, right? And getting blood wasn't that hard if you knew where to look.
Shun silently watched the changes in his face. It was as if he was absent for a moment, calm and seeming kind, and then he came back to the present. It was interesting to watch as he thought vampires had no emotions. What Adam said next surprised him. Shun had never wanted anything more than to be reminded of someone who was his friend.
"Oh, just to be clear, I'm not bringing people to you so you can eat. That would make me an accomplice to murder," he said, then raised his hand so they could confirm their agreement. "I'll give you my number and I'll be able to leave without you hurting me."
What could go wrong if you make a deal with a vampire?
Adam
Adam huffed a quiet laugh, a sound more akin to a sigh, as if Shun's cautious words were both amusing and mildly exhausting. "Relax," he muttered, eyeing the boy with something bordering on approval. "I don't need you for that." His lips curled slightly at the edges, the ghost of a smirk that never quite reached his eyes. "I'm selective about my meals. I only eat clean." He gestured vaguely at the refrigerator of blood bags.
He reached into his coat pocket, producing a sleek, old-fashioned pen from some bygone decade, and offered it along with a scrap of paper torn from an abandoned notebook. "Write it down." He didn't bother with his own number. Shun wouldn't be calling him, after all. This arrangement was one-way. A tether, however loose, to pull when necessary.
Shun Miyamoto
Shun relaxed a little, but his guard remained. Adam could only bluff and once he had the chance he might break his neck, you never know in situations like this.
"Clean?" He looked at the refrigerator. True. Blood transfusions are only taken from healthy people. Blood from someone with a disease would be of no use to the doctors. He had never thought of it as clean or dirty blood. It was interesting.
"Wow, that looks cool," he said as he got his pen in his hand. He held it with his fingertips in both hands, examining it. He had only seen pens like that in old movies. He wrote his phone number on the paper and his face was filled with satisfaction that disappeared as he returned everything to the vampire. He snapped back to reality where he was actually in a dangerous situation, where he should be careful and not be swayed by trifles like this.
He took the bag with the blood bags and waited for permission to leave. "By the way... What do you think about O negative? I heard it tastes disgusting, so I wonder if that's true," Shun asked curiously. He wanted to know if he could be at ease around Adam or be wary.
Adam
His gaze lingered on Shun as the boy scribbled the digits down, fingers steady despite the way his pulse thrummed beneath his skin, a rhythmic lure that Adam had long since trained himself to ignore. There was something reckless about Shun, something Adam recognized all too well. It wasn’t just the bravado, the way he masked his unease with cool words. It was the acceptance. A human who should have run, but instead stood still. Ian had been like that, too.
Even his question reminded him of Ian, though Ian had never known what Adam truly was. He'd thought that was for the best. Safer for both of them. Now that Ian was dead, Adam wasn't so sure.
"Some vampires claim they can taste blood type, but my tests seem to indicate that what we're tasting is acidity levels, oxygenation - nothing more." Adam had a scientific mind and plenty of time to indulge it. "Tainted blood is what tastes disgusting."
He paused, reached into his pocket again, and retrieved the antique pen. He handed it back to Shun. "Keep it. I don't go back on my word. You'll leave here untouched, as promised."
He turned away then, as if already dismissing Shun from his thoughts, but something made him pause before fully retreating into the shadows of his self-imposed solitude. He glanced back, eyes glinting like polished onyx beneath the dim light. "One last thing—" his voice was soft, yet laced with an unspoken weight, "—be careful who you trust, Shun."
The words were simple, but they carried the weight of centuries. Of experience. Of loss.
And then, like a whisper in the wind, he was gone, leaving the door open behind him.
Shun Miyamoto
John, the vampire that Shun works for, talked about the taste of blood with him. During his life as a vampire, he had developed a preference, the blood type that he liked the most was AB. Luckily for Shun, the O blood type is his least favorite and he doesn't want Shun to bring him any of those. He had expected a similar answer from Adam, but his was different. The acidity level? He didn't even know that blood had such a thing as acidity. Anyway, Adam's answer didn't help his uncertainty. Maybe he should go get his own blood tested to put his mind at ease, since Adam doesn't choose based on blood type.
"Wait.. I don't think something like that is good as a token of trust." It was expensive and almost impossible to find these days. How could he just give something like that to a stranger. Shun was shocked and hoped that Adam was a pen collector and had this one more than once. Adam didn't seem to want to take the pen back so Shun carefully hid it in his bag. "And I swear I'll never come here or talk about this again."
Shun clutched the bag closer to his body when Adam stopped and looked at him again. For a moment he thought he had changed his mind but he just said to be careful. "Umm.. thanks?" Shun said before Adam completely disappeared. Was he referring to himself? Trusting a vampire was something he was wary of. He would definitely be careful where he went so he wouldn't be followed.
On the way from the hospital, Shun could finally relax. He also realized one important thing. The vampire who went there for blood, for food, left without it. That made him feel a little bad. He was holding a bag with bags of blood for people who shoot each other while the one who needs it, so as not to hunt people, has nothing. Shun hoped that he had other sources where he could get blood, because a hungry animal is a dangerous animal.. well, in this case a vampire.