A mass amount of running and feeding on animals later, I was finally almost there. I had stopped for one last food break. "Hold on, father, I'm coming." One last speed run and I was greeted by a devastating sight. It was gone. It was all gone. Nothing but a big black burn on the ground. "No!" I shouted. How could the whole place just blow up, no trace left of it? That's not possible. There should be some remains somewhere, ashes, anything? I fell to my knees, tears streaming down my face. I had lost him again. It hurt worse than before. I truly didn't have a dad anymore. The creature wasn't in sight either. Had he won the battle, and if so, at what cost? Suddenly it hit me. My mother. I ran to her last destination. At least the waterfall was still here. I entered to find a bunch of empty tubes. "Damn it!" I punched a wall. Teardrops falling down my face again. I felt so helpless, I couldn't save anyone. Then I heard a voice yelling help from outside. It sounded strained, and it was getting lower. I rushed out to see what was going on. I exited just in time to see a boy collapse by the edge of the water. I swam over as fast as I could. He looked so helpless, and he was covered in open clawed wounds. He had cat ears as well. I did my best to clean his wounds and wrap them for the time being. Using pieces of my clothing, he became conscious at some point. Probably from the pain I was causing him by cleaning them with the water. I helped him drink some before he regained his voice. "Thank you. Uh, where are we? Who are you? You're not a hallucination, are you? Are you a monster?" He attempted to scoot away and winced in pain. "My name is Lupus. I'm not a monster and I won't hurt you. I'm real not a hallucination. Okay, try to take it easy, bud. I'm going to get you to safety. Somewhere you can get better care for your wounds. Okay? You can trust me, I promise." He gave me a skeptical look and then nodded his head yes. Even if he didn't trust me right now, he didn't have much choice. His life is hanging in the balance, and I intend to save the one person I could. "What's your name, kid?" I asked. "Joey." I nodded. "Alright, Joey, I'm going to need to carry you. It's the fastest way to get you to help. I'm a vampire and I can run us to a hospital faster if I carry you. I doubt you want to walk any farther in your condition. I don't recommend it either. Do I have your permission to pick you up Joey?" I said it at an accelerated speed but he seemed to understand the urgency of my words. He nodded yes again and reached for me. I scooped him up as gently as I could and positioned him onto my back. "Ready?" Was the last thing I said as he let out a small yes and I took off. I was racing against death and I planned to win this time.
By some miracle we made it to a hospital. He hid his cat ears and tail outside of the eyesight of any witnesses. Then I rushed him into the emergency room and they asked a lot of questions I couldn't answer. He didn't know what to say either. I told them I found him like that and did my best to help him. I had no idea how he got hurt. It was the truth after all but I assume those aren't normal wounds by human standards. They don't need to know that. I think they just took it as I was clueless and he was too traumatized to answer. He didn't seem older than like 14. I was sitting in the waiting room. I needed to know he was going to be okay. I couldn't leave without knowing if he was. No one would give me answers yet and they were trying to track down some family of his. It didn't seem as if they were successful. Nobody showed up and I was the only one with him. By human standards I can see how that would look bad on my part. I doubt they truly believed I was capable of harming him otherwise they would have called the cops to take me away. "I believe I told you to stay close and here you are in a hospital. By what ungodly means I do not know." I looked at him in disbelief. "Well, Uncle Harold unlike you I have a moral compass. I went to see dad and it didn't end well but if I hadn't I wouldn't have gotten to this poor boy named Joey. He was badly injured somehow and I saved his life or at least tried to. Cause that's what you do with those in danger. You save them. You don't run away." His disapproving look said it all. "I did what I thought was best. You need to learn how to respect your elders. This isn't the place to have this discussion. We are family and we have the rest of our lives to learn to like one another. As well as learn some respect amongst our relationship Whether you like it or not Lupus, I'm all you have left. Now come on, it is time to go." I wanted to hit him but I couldn't do that here. "I'm not leaving til I know Joey is okay." He seemed to think it over. "Joey, why does that name sound so familiar? What is his last name?" Now he is interested, what the hell? "I don't know his full name. He only told me his first as I was rushing to keep the air in his lungs you know?" I scoffed at him. "Alright don't get snippy with me boy and we can wait. We'll make sure he is alright before we leave. We still have other matters to tend to." He sat down next to me. He seemed to be busy checking something on his phone. He was muttering under his breath too. I don't know what he was contemplating so hard about but I could care less.