Of Vampires and Humans

[WhimsicalWriter]

The last pink streaks of dawn were lightening into the start of day as Cohen stepped out of his dorm room. After closing and locking the door behind him, he turned and glanced around. Most of the vampires had left by now, although there were undoubtedly some late risers still asleep.


“I apologize, Cohen. My roommate was playing particularly loud music last night and I had difficult time sleeping.” Cohen glanced to his side to see Bryn, his unofficial second in command, walk up to him. Cohen couldn’t sympathize; unlike most of the other students, he had never had to deal with a roommate. He had been supposed to have one at the beginning of the school year, but he had never showed up. Unsurprising; not many approved of a school shared between humans and vampires.


“It’s fine.” Cohen muttered and began walking. As they headed toward the school Bryn began talking about various situations that had happened yesterday and what to anticipate. Cohen easily tuned him out, disinterested. His strength was almost entirely the reasoning behind his becoming the vampires’ leader, even if he clearly couldn’t care less most of the time.


Shouting voices caught Cohen’s attention and caused Bryn to quiet. Just in front of the school gates a large amount of students were gathered. As they moved closer it became clear that the crowd was separated into two groups with one fighter from each side in the middle. Another spat between a human and vampire, it seemed. It was far from the first it had happened, especially considering the time of day—vampires were often edgy first thing in the morning. A remnant of when humans used to hunt their kind in the day, perhaps.


Cohen became aware that Bryn was speaking again, probably to insist that he get between them and stop the altercation, but he largely ignored him. Maybe it could turn into an entertaining fight.

 

[ChampionOfTheMorningStar]

Neal was headed back to the dorms to get the paperwork he was supposed to fill out for the Nurse, and the files Nat had insisted on. Nat was the treasurer of the council. He was the President. Which was super ridiculous because he hadn't even run, he had been a write in on the ballot. The only reason that had happened was that the word had spread that he had two blood disorders that meant the vampires wouldn't ever dream of feeding on him. As long as they knew, which they always seemed to Neal had long suspected that they could smell it. All he had wanted was a quiet year, but NOOO.


He heard the shouting; another fight? Neal saw the two students dueling it out in front of the main school building. The Vampire reared back and hissed showing his fangs. Neal looked across the yard he could see the other boy leader of the vampires the one with the hair between the color red and pink and tattoo. The vampire was the leader, in a non-official capacity. The vampire whose name Neal did not know was clearly not going to stop the altercation. Neal took a deep breath through his nose and out his mouth and through himself into the center of the ring. Catching a punch from the vampire on his cheek.


Neal put hand up to his face and it came black red, a small cut had blossomed up. The vampire stepped back his nostrils flaring. Some of the students took a few steps away as well. "Hemophilia." He said calmly. "Hemophilia I'm a Hemophiliac."

 

[WhimsicalWriter]

Many of the vampires visible paused as the smell of the human's blood wafted through the air. However, instead of being attracted to it, the supernatural beings found it extremely off putting. Instead of having a naturally pure coppery scent, there was a hint of disease mixed in, one that made them want to avoid the human like one would a rabid dog. Several vampires curled their lips in distaste, no longer hungering for a battle.


"I suggest we break up this group before anger is turned toward the student council president." Bryn insisted. This time his voice held a warning edge to it; it seemed even he was beginning to feel annoyed with Cohen's passiveness. A leader should be leading, not watching from the sidelines. However, after a moment, Bryn sighed as he remembered how unlikely it would be that--


"Alright."


Bryn blinked in surprise and turned to see Cohen with a strange spark of determination in his eyes. Where had that come from? After a few seconds of wondering, a wave of realization hit him. Had seeing another leader taking action affected him somehow?


Before he could say anything more, Cohen was already making his way through the crowd. He emerged into the middle and stopped, glancing over everyone with a carefully neutral expression before settling on the vampires. "That's enough. Head on inside before you're all late."


The vampires all hesitated, clearly having not expected to receive an actual order from their usually silent leader. After quickly getting over that shock, however, they quickly moved to follow his instruction. A few curious glances were sent Cohen's way, but he ignored them. Only once they were all inside the school building did he look away.

 

[ChampionOfTheMorningStar]

Neal looked up at Cohen.


"Could you help me to the nurse?" Hemophilia meant that his blood wouldn't clot on it's own. He would continue to bleed out for a long time, so it was necessary to go to the nurse so that he could be patched up. Plus this was a chance for him to meet Cohen, and it was about time. They were both leaders no matter how reluctant both of them were, so it was high time for some diplomatic discussion. The other students hesitated and began to file by him soon leaving him alone in the yard with Cohen.


He held out his UN-bloodied hand to Cohen. "I'm Neal. Neal Quarters." He was still sitting on the ground blood pouring steadily from his cheek.

 

[WhimsicalWriter]

Cohen's gaze traveled from Neal's face to his hand. Although his expression was carefully neutral, he seemed to pause for several moments in thought before finally reaching down to take the offered hand. The other's warm skin felt odd against his own naturally chilled palm.


"...Cohen Laughn." He finally stated, helping the other get to his feet. Another few seconds of silence followed before he spoke again. "Yeah, I'll take you there." While he wasn't very knowledgeable and human diseases or illnesses, he could acknowledge when one needed attention.

 

[ChampionOfTheMorningStar]

The boy's hand was so cold it unnerved Neal greatly his internal sense was to run screaming.


"Wow. They weren't kidding when they said you guys were like really cold..." Neal laughed nervously, there was exactly one vampire on the student council and he was not a happy camper, only having been elected because the school wanted at least one on the coucil and enough vampires had actually voted to get him on. He rarely showed up to meetings anyway. Neal hadn't ever really spoken to him let along been alone with him. He thought that his name was something like cas? Something old... Neal shook it off and focused on the vampire at hand. Neal put his hand back to his face and hissed pulling his hand away, the cut wasn't deep but it hurt a lot.

 

[WhimsicalWriter]

Cohen shrugged. "I could say the same about humans being uncomfortably warm, but that's obvious." Lesser vampires' instincts could become excited at feeling the warmth of a living being; similar to a hunter sensing its prey. Those basic instincts, however, had dwindled greatly throughout the last decade due to the peace treaty, and so making it safer for them to be around humans. Naturally there was still the low possibility of a vampire losing control, which was why the school hallways were constantly patrolled.


His gaze shifted briefly to the bleeding cut, observing the crimson liquid spilling out. It almost seemed like he was observing a curiosity, something that he temporarily found interesting before looking away. It wasn't that he was tempted to feed--far from it, considering the unusual scent of it--he merely found it curious how humans could bleed so easily.


"Let's go." He finally said, turning toward the school doors.

 

[ChampionOfTheMorningStar]

Neal noticed the glance to the bleed on his cheek "Most humans would have stopped bleeding by now but you know Hemophilia.... I bleed pretty easily... And the whole Schwaraman-diamond thing..." Neal was blabbing on and on but it didn't seem to him that Cohen would carry the conversation. He nodded into the silence. and they reached the nurses' office in an efficient amount of time. He turned to Cohen, "Well. Thanks for walking me here...." It occurred to Neal that he may have made Cohen walk him here and was uncomfortable. "Sorry." And with that he escaped into the nurses office.

 

[WhimsicalWriter]

Cohen watched with a raised eyebrow as Neal dashed into the nurse's office. He wasn't sure why the other had bothered apologizing; if anything Cohen should be the one doing it, since it was a vampire that injured him.


After a couple of seconds he turned away and headed to class, which would be starting soon. He doubted that the nurse would appreciate him hovering around. As he entered the classroom he noticed a couple looks sent toward him--they were still probably surprised that he had actually given an order earlier. Ignoring them, he sat down in his seat next to Bryn and sat back.