Aaron after regaining his consciousness was sitting in the far corner of the room. Annoyed and grumpy. Not only did he get infected, but he also got slapped in the face which resulted in a bruise already forming on his cheek. Now Nate was willing to go out and get himself killed. Not the best day in Aaron's life for certain.

His angry thoughts were disturbed by a gentle voice coming from Godvia who was in the room, “How are you feeling?”

Aaron just gave her a glare while Ava explained: “He’s not very talkative.”

Aaron just turned away mumbling “Strange creatures…” Talking to women was the last thing he needed at that time.

After some time, Leah returned downstairs asking “Are you still with us shorty?”

Aaron sent her a glared which could kill “Shut up weirdo, and don’t you dare, for the hell's sake, call me short!”

Ava sighed seeing a small smirk on Leah's lips. She stood up and left saying “I’m going to get some sleep.”

The other two girls nodded while Aaron looked in the direction of the priestess. She was meant to go with Nate. So the least he could do was to ask her for a favour. She did owe him one, after all. Aaron sighed and with a hateful frown said “Just take care of him. Garme is not something that should be taken lightly.”

Ava turned around a bit surprised he actually talked first. She eyed him for a second, after which she replied with a curt “Sure.” She then gave him a gentle smile and walked upstairs disappearing into the darkness.

Aaron turned around and lied on the ground facing the wall. His thoughts going haywire. On one hand, he felt weak, hungry, cold. Then on the other, he felt like some sort of power is coursing through him. Trying to take control of this feeling wouldn’t be easy for anyone. However, Aaron was not ‘anyone’ he had some practice in mastering his feelings. He took a deep sigh after which he tried to focus on the most familiar feeling for him: rage.

Normally Aaron could conquer those powers he was gaining. They were tempting. Like the biggest treasure in his life. It was no surprise that so many humans fell under the weight of that curse. It was overwhelming. However, he knew that as soon as he gives into them, it will be over. Carleon was dead so he would follow suit after him. The only thing he could do was to stall it for as long as possible. Nate was not in shape, who knows how long it will take him to defeat Garme and the witch. He could look for another monster somewhere but Garmes were so rare if you find one at all you are considered a lucky one - if you survive.

Trying to think logically he put the tempting to sleep. Aaron knew what cost he would pay after accepting the vampiric powers. All his life he struggled with the unimaginable pain of carrying the weight of his skills. His wizard powers allowed him to cast the simplest spells without his staff or enchanting them. Many wizards spend years mastering those basic skills, meanwhile, Aaron got them for free. He just had them within. However, this meant that those powers could get out from under control at any time. Hence for Aaron, instead of practising his skills he spent all those years quieting them down.

As the hours passed Aaron was starting to feel worse. He thought he had himself under control. However, that - he realised - was not because of his emotions. This time it was due to the physical strain. The vampiric venom put pressure on his muscles trying to take control over him physically first. This was something completely alien to him.

This type of control was Nate’s speciality, he was the physical one who always had to have full control over his body. Aaron was just channelling his inner energy to resurface into another form, but he never needed physical input to do it. For all, he cared he could have been just a floating spirit. His speciality lied in extreme emotional control, but not the one others can do after some practice. Aaron had to get rid of his, not just mask them. Destroy them within himself. It was not the healthiest ways to go about it.

Aaron came into that conclusion after what happened with the tree incident. Nate would always annoy him to the point of calming Aaron's powers down. However after what happened that time Aaron stopped relying on his brother and started to control his emotions himself. Every time he saw the very vivid scar on his brother's right shoulder blade it would strengthen him in his beliefs. That caused him, however, to be rude, his policy was if you won't let people close they won't hurt you. Soon from a very cheerful boy, he turned into a rude and sassy teenager, and he was happy with it. At least people left him alone.

After a moment of the calm breathing, he subsided all the vampiric blood within himself, even the physical. The fire which burned in his veins calmed down, and the buzz in his head quieted down. As if stepping on ice Aaron carefully opened his eyes seeing the wall in front of him. He took a deep breath testing if the pain will come back. Nothing happened so he closed his eyes once more and tried to have a nap. However, that was impossible as a female voice echoed "You should try to sleep Leah. I will stay awake for now." The vampiric blood awoke again as soon as Aaron let his mind slip away. The pain returned. Blood pumping the venom faster making him groan slightly.

Aaron glimpsed back to Godvia who was smiling gently at her friend. Having unknown people around himself made it difficult to control emotions. Especially since they were women. Aaron could either be extremally angry with them or embarrassed and since they were not making him talk he decided he will just play it off rude. He turned back around towards the wall trying to silence the pain once more this time baring in mind he was not alone.

Meanwhile, Leah yawned asking “So, should we swap night watches every now and then? Or how are we going to do it?”

Godvia hummed taking something out of Leah’s bag “I don’t mind.” She then walked towards Aaron saying “Here you go. You might be changing but your human side is still there.”

Aaron glanced over once more and saw her holding bread to him. He frowned but turned around taking the bread carefully like a wounded animal. His body still burning he hid the pain away from his face. Whenever Aaron was in pain he would not show it to his brother, that went double for those girls. He did not want to start the conversation so he stayed quiet and munched on the bread.

Godvia walked away with a small smile and Aaron noticed something which he hasn’t before. He only smelled one person in the room. Some of the vampiric powers were already awakened. He could smell human blood, however, the only one he could sense was Leah who kept her distance. He got curious about it. Was he wrong? Were they too late to save Godvia? Did she change into a vampire? More questions came into his mind. However, the one which stayed was: I can smell blood already? That made him frown harder. He was never one to be afraid of death, however, the realisation that it was approaching faster than he hoped made him quite uncomfortable.

His hands were shaking slightly finally taking all this situation in. He was turning. Despite the knowledge of how to control emotions and power, he would succumb to the vampire curse sooner or later. The thought was frightening. He could feel his own magical powers going slightly out of control as the fear crept into his mind slowly. However, then he thought about Nate who was going to try to get him the antidote. His emotions quickly turned from fear to terror, releasing more powers onto the surface. Aaron started to ask himself if it is worth the risk? Sure, the last thing he wanted was to die - most probably from his own brother’s hands - when he will become a bloodthirsty monster. However, he would prefer that than to have Nate dead.

One of his hand started to illuminate an orange glow, burning the bread slightly on one side. Noticing it Aaron quickly took hold of himself going back to the annoyance. He sighed and his hand stopped glowing. This was getting dangerous.

Then Godvia said, “You must have some questions about this whole thing.”

He looked up at her, gently, smiling face and frowned not replying.

Leah sighed “You could at least answer.”

Aaron looked over at where she was leaning against the wall “Don’t feel like it.” He finished his small meal and once again lied down on the concrete turning towards the wall. Why out of all humans in this world he had to be stuck with women?

A few hours later Nate returned downstairs. Aaron by that point was calm, he stopped the venom and turned to his brother as Nate said: “Time to go, don't let it beat you, lil bro.”

Aaron grumbled under his breath while his brother only smiled at him. Ava was standing at the back of the room looking at Aaron. After Nate gave specific instructions to the two remaining girls he and Ava left. Nate still was limping slightly. Seeing it Aaron's face turned into a scowl.

Hours passed since the rescue team left. Godvia was having a nap while Leah was just adjusting some of her arrows. The room was an eerie silence. Aaron sighed not sure what to do. Everything under control, he finally noticed the chains around his wrists and ankles. He pulled on one of them to check the strength, and just as expected there was no way to pull free. They did bother him, however. They started to leave marks on his wrists. He looked at the girl who was moving onto her next arrow and said “Hey, get me out of these. Those metal things are annoying.”

Leah glared at him “No way. Who knows when you go nuts and try to kill us.”

Aaron rolled his eyes and mumbling a silent spell the chains opened up to him. They didn't break or got damaged, they opened as if he had the key. Leah looked in horror as Aaron casually rubbed his wrist with a frown. She quickly reached for her bow and aimed the arrow she was playing with at Aaron. To which he frowned at her “Quit it, even without my staff I can ignite that thing.”

Leah looked down at her bow and dropped it slightly “How are you feeling?”

“Like a crushed shit. But I won't let some stupid venom turn me. So chill.”

Leah nodded and hid away her bow, trying to trust the angry little brother. Aaron did not seem like the one to endanger everyone just for the sake of it. She was looking at him. Observing his every move. Meanwhile, Aaron was sitting by the wall looking at his hands. He wished he knew some healing spells. His wrists were burned from the rubbing of the metal. He could tell he is observed, but he ignored it. It was better not to act suspiciously. That also meant he could not ask for his staff or leave his little corner.

The two were sitting in silence, there was nothing else to say. Except that Aaron started to feel a nagging curiosity. He turned to the girl who was unmoving all this time. She was tense and ready for any attack. He then asked, "So... What happened exactly?"

Leah turned to him with a small smirk "Now you're interested?"

"Don't answer me then." Aaron pouted and dropped his gaze to his wrists which were still red.

Leah then explained "After you saved Ava you were bitten and lost conscious. Nate saved you. He then stayed behind and fought some creature called Demonus hence why he was so wounded."

Aaron nodded not looking up "He went back to burn the corpses?"

Leah nodded "Yeah... Meanwhile, the three of us took you back here and chained you up. Nate told us about this place."

Aaron smiled "Sounds like him." He then sighed and looked around himself. At last taking in his surroundings. There was something strange about this place. He couldn't point out what it was exactly, however, the feeling he got from that place made him shiver. He then asked, "Where are we anyway?"

Leah turned to him "Some shed on the outskirts of Kellwood. There was a hidden room here which is where we are."

"A shed...?" Aaron squinted. Why a shed would have a basement? For how skilled Nate was there was no way he would dig it out within a few hours. Aaron reached towards one of the walls saying "Doesn't feel like a shed."

"Maybe not. But it seems safe."

Aaron hummed to that "There is nothing safe in this world." He knew that first hand.