What the hell?
Sebastian wondered mentally. The bite looks like it's spreading throughout his neck rapidly.
Sebastian knew he needed to get home immediately. This looks really bad. This is not a regular bite. Is it because Atlas is part werewolf? But I never heard of a bite that can slowly worsen a vampire's condition.
Sebastian called out to Miles, "Hey. Do you think you can hurry? I really need to get to the park."
Miles replied lightly, completely unaware of his inner turmoil. "I will try."
Sebastian used the phone to call his father's number. He placed the phone near his ears, his breath held in hopes that his father would answer the phone.
The phone continues to low-pitched buzz steadily in the car, only increasing his nerves. His fingers tapped rhythmically against his legs, allowing him to remain calm.
Come on. Come on. Answer the freaking phone.
A man's deep, rich voice speaks through the phone. "Hello. Who is this?"
Sebastian closed his eyes in relief. Finally, he thought with relief that his heart had slowed to a slow, steady beating that allowed him to take deep breaths.
His hand clenched on the phone, unaware that the phone was almost crushed under his palm. The plastic screen is almost cracking with lines that slowly go down the black screen.
Sebastian licks his dried lips. He responds, unaware that his tone is faltering. "F—Father. It's me. I need your help."
His father, Caspian, on the phone, was silent for a moment until he said lightly, "Where have you been? I've been calling you since yesterday."
Sebastian said, "O— Oh, yeah. There has been a situation. My phone is dead. I can't talk right now. I need you to come and pick me up immediately. ASAP."
Caspian must understand something's wrong from the sound of urgency in his voice. Caspian asked with a hint of concern, "What's wrong? Why can't you tell me now?"
Sebastian swallowed hard, pressing his aching head that seemed to throb from the inside. The sounds from outside seem so loud as if they whisper right next to his ears.
The sound of Atlas and Mile's heartbeats seemed very loud all of a sudden. A deep, slow pumping akin to beating drums.
Sebastian focuses on the sound of his father's voice, a clear distraction he needs. His black eyes keep an eye on Miles, making sure that he couldn't hear his conversation on the phone.
He doesn't trust anyone, not even the human before him. He replied quietly, his voice not loud enough for Miles to hear him. "What happens if a vampire is bitten by a werewolf?"
The frozen air was silent. Or was it cold in the first place? he wondered in a daze.
His father's voice took on a serious, solemn tone that he had never heard before. He heard his father ask, "I need to know. Were you bitten by a werewolf?"
Sebastian was confused, wondering why his father's voice took on a darker edge all of a sudden. He knew that something was truly wrong by the sound of the tone. He responds as he tells the truth, "Yes. I was bitten. Why?"
Sebastian could hear a deep, sharp inhale as if his words were a confirmation of his father's deepest fear.
His father said with a severe coldness, but there was an edge of anxiety in his voice that aroused his instinctive awareness. "Son. If a vampire is bitten by a werewolf. It would kill them."
Sebastian's eyes widened in alarm. His voice revealed the heavy dread feeling that was slowly building within him. He demanded harshly with a hidden desperation. "What? Are you certain? Tell me there is a cure for this."
His father's silence only further answered his unspoken questions. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead before he wiped it away with his hand.
Sebastian felt a chill pass through his body like ice. There was no cure. The back of his head nestles against the cushion as he processes the information in his mind. A numbness began to fall on him like a shadow; he asked lightly, "How much do I have?"
His father answered, his anxious voice a reflection of his worries for his son, who is close to death's door. "I don't know how long you've been bitten, but a vampire usually has 24 hours before—"
Sebastian cut off his father's voice, "Father. I get it."
Caspian growled through his frustration. He responded in a harsh tone, "Listen to me. Like I said, I don't know how you were bitten. You need to leave and get away from other humans until I get you. Do you understand? You can't be around other people right now."
Sebastian was startled by the harshness of his voice. His father wasn't joking. Although he knows it's stupid, some part of him deep inside feels deep resentment. But beneath the resentment are his feelings, which are hurt. His father is more concerned about the safety of others, whereas he's dying.
He was about to respond on the phone, and a raspy voice came out. "Ok… Ok… I'll be at the gas station. Meet me there. I won't—"
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Sebastian looked down in confusion and realized the phone must have just died. There was a small image of a red flashing battery that shows the battery is almost depleted. All that was left was a black, smooth screen.
Sebastian set the phone on his sweatpants. He turned to look through the window and realized they must have left the forest.
There were a couple of indistinct buildings that were blurry to his vision. Some of the buildings were a dark red, blue, or green that had large windows that went from one corner to the door in the center.
He narrowed his blurry gaze and realized something was off. The buildings didn't have large windows. There were two windows on both sides of the house, which he assumed was one large window instead.
He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. His breath produces a large, cloudy fog on the smeared window.
He pressed on his aching head, which felt feverish to the touch. Everywhere in his body feels weak. He looked down at his hand, which was slightly trembling. He set it down on the soft fabric of his sweatpants.
In his mind, he remembers his father's words about having twenty-four hours left. He was bitten during the night, which he estimated was about twelve hours ago.
His back jolted forward while his hands reached out to grab the edge of the truck seat, hoping to reduce the jerk forward, which is the result of the truck slowing down.
The car started to vibrate with a loud steam noise, where he could see clear white mist slowly coming out of the hood of the red truck.
Miles slammed his hand on the wheels harshly, and his voice shouted with clear frustration with each word spilling out of his mouth, "You have got to be kidding me. I'm out of gas."
Sebastian asked with a hidden urgency, "Didn't you bring any gas with you?"
Miles shakes his head, dismay appearing in his eyes. "No. I don't bring gas cans in my vehicle. Too risky and dangerous."
Sebastian took a deep breath, where his high-strung nerves seemed to heighten. He opened the door, and the cold air brushed against his pale, ashen skin. He asked lightly, "Do you have a cup or something I can use?"
He licked his dry lips while he waited for Miles's response. "I don't think so."
His voice had a tinge of despair until his eyes lightened like a bulb of an idea flickered through his mind. "Wait—I think I might have something."
Miles climbed out of the truck hastily, and he almost stumbled, but he was able to catch himself on his foot. He ran around the back of the truck and pulled out an empty water jug.
His lips curved into a dim smile. "Umm. This is all I have."
His statement didn't please Sebastian in the slightest. His stomach growled, reminding him that he's getting hungry. He resisted the urge to feed on the human's fragile neck before him.
He needs to use him to escape this area until he gets to the gas station where his father awaits him.
Until then, he'll have to hold on to this stagnant wit. His sluggish movements are an apparent and visible thing, which made Atlas narrow his eyes worriedly, and he stretched out his arm to clap his back shoulder that was facing him.
Sebastian turned to him. "What is it?"
Atlas whispered, "There's something I need to tell you."
Sebastian cocked his head and tried to listen to what he had to say. Atlas opened his mouth and whispered with a hint of apprehension. "I fear that my bite might kill you."
Sebastian was stunned by his words. His dark eyes narrowed in Atlas's direction, who was tugging on his bottom lip. The guilt in his eyes was obvious. But Sebastian ignored it for he was fuming. The constant throbbing in his head makes it worse.
He asked with a harsh tone. "And you didn't think it was important to tell me?"