Markus picked himself up from the ground, Mathias had made him a promise. A promise that he will meet him in the next life.
There was no guarantee that it would be in this one or the next, but he will keep on surviving until he found him again.
But what if he finds him and he doesn't recognise him? Would he even love him? He shook his head as he took a step towards the village, only twenty feet and he would be in the mortal village.
The sun was rising high to the noon of the hour, he felt his skin tingle at the sensation of the rays. He had never thanked his father's lineage that he was half-human, he wiped at his mouth.
The blood was dry against his skin, he tried to move his tongue but it was sticking against the upper wall of his mouth, he needed a drink.
He looked at the horizon, the ground was blazing and he blinked once and his farsight saw that the village was near, might he find some refuge in this hell hole.
He urged his feet to keep moving if he stopped now he wouldn't have the strength to pick himself up again. He kept his eyes straight ahead, the village gate looked open.
Will they accept him? He was a being they have feared all their lives... Vampires were their rulers and he knew that the law commanded the eldest virgin village girl to be offered at full moon or they would suffer the consequences.
His feet started dragging as he neared the gate of the village that he stopped halfway, a small girl was picking flowers when she spotted him. Her eyes grew wide and she took a step back. "You... You are-"
Markus tried to smile but he was too thirsty and his voice came out raspy, "I am not going to harm you."
The little girl ran from him and screamed at the top of her lungs, "Vampire!!!"
Villagers came out of their houses at the little girl's screams and Markus watched as they started gathering at the gate. "It is not yet full moon vampire bastard!"
Some have taken up pitchforks and others lighted torches, 'Really? Torches in bright daylight?'
There was a woman who made her way through the crowd. "Vampires stalk at night, he is not-"
Her eyes found him, she looked him up and down. He wondered how did he look, he hadn't even cleaned himself of the blood that had stained him.
"You look like you have been to hell and back. Who the fuck are you?"
Markus parted his lips, "I am Markus Alucard. I am coming-"
He couldn't continue his sentence, his throat was too dry and he couldn't take the sunlight anymore.
The woman walked towards him, "Markus Alucard? As in the fucking Vampire lord?"
"King." He couldn't resist to hiss the word out.
"King?" She stopped before him, "How is it that you can walk in the sunlight?"
He fell to his knees on the ground and he saw that her eyebrows rise in astonishment, she turned her head backwards, "Get this thing something to drink."
The villagers didn't move, "You want us to show courtesy to this thing after what they do to us?"
The woman rolled her eyes, "Can't any of you see that he is covered in blood? He looks like shit, so get him something to drink so it can loosen his god damn tongue!"
A man weaved his way through the crowd with a beaker in his hand, "Maria, this is all we have."
Markus looked at the man, he was well built, his shirt was tight around his chest but he was more interested as to what was in the beaker.
"Thank you, James." She took the beaker from him and brought it before Markus, "Here drink."
A sweet smell filled Markus's nostrils, he closed his eyes before taking the beaker from her outstretched hand. 'Pigs blood?'
He brought the beaker to his lips, his fangs were glistening as the sun hit it. A few villagers let out angry grunts, he took a deep swig the blood touched his tongue and soothed his throat.
His eyes brightened and he held the beaker back to the woman, "Thank you-"
"Do not thank me you filth!" She slapped the beaker from his hand, "Now fucking talk! What is the vampire king doing here out in the sunlight?"
Markus's gaze went with the beaker as it rolled on the ground to the gate, "I am showing some courtesy and you show me nothing but disgust."
Maria bent down and grabbed the scruff of his shirt, "Vampires aren't welcome to our village... So why should I show you any mercy, Vampire king?"
This woman was brave he would give her that, stupid too. He slapped her arm away and got to his feet, "Good thing I am a Dampyre then."
There were surprised gasps and whispers, 'Dampyre? So we would have to hide in the daylight too?'
Anger flashed in the woman's eyes, "Dampyre? So, what? What is your business here?"
Markus inhaled a small breath, his strength was returning to him. "I have come to train as a vampire hunter."
She started laughing, she doubled over with it. "A Vampire wants to become a vampire hunter? What a fucking joke!"
Markus snarled, "I am not joking! I have murdered my entire coven to come-"
The laughter stopped, the villagers became tense once more, the woman narrowed her gaze at him. "You have what now?"
"I have murdered my coven, this blood you see are theirs-"
"Why did you kill them?"
Markus was about to answer but the sorrow was still raw in his heart, his answer became a whisper. "They have killed my mate."
"Your mate?" She asked in surprise, "As in Vampire mate?"
Markus shook his head. "I have taken a human mate."
"Well, I am not sorry to hear about your problems. You are not welcome here, leave." She turned on her heels and walked back to the villagers.
"I have nowhere to go!" Markus shouted after her."