Part 18
Khushi widened her eyes "Akash was a vampire?"
Arnav nodded "I had often questioned how he kept his youth, and why he preferred day over night but I had always brushed it off because I was so grateful to him. He was one of the very few I could trust" he looked out of the window "When he turned me..."
Flashback
Arnav woke up, surprised he was even alive. He felt so healthy, but so weak and so thirsty. His teeth itched to grab on to something but he didn't know what.
"You're awake"
Arnav turned his head to his left to find Akash come inside his room with a glass of wine and a big bottle.
He looked at Akash confused "I...I'm alive?"
Akash pursed his lips and nodded. He put the bottle on the nightstand "Here. First drink this" he said gesturing to the glass in his hand.
Arnav looked at him bewildered "Having a drink after surviving is the very last thing on my mind. Besides, shouldn't you be giving me water instead?" he said.
Akash shook his head "Just drink it. I know you're thirsty. Trust me. This will quench your thirst"
Putting all his faith in him, Arnav took the glass and had a sip. The wine was dark red but very delicious. It awakened all his tastebuds and reinvigorated him. Not bothering to be graceful, he threw the contents of the glass down his throat in one gulp.
He, then, looked at the empty glass and then at Akash "I must have more"
Akash nodded. He grabbed the bottle and gave it to him. Arnav greedily drank from it. With a sigh of relief, he let go of it when he was done.
"What brand is this?" he couldn't help asking.
"Type O Negative"
Arnav looked at him flabbergasted "I'm sorry?"
Akash took the bottle from Arnav and put it back on the nightstand "You just drank type O Negative blood"
Arnav looked at him in horror "What are you talking about?"
Akash sat on the bed next to him "I have something to confess. I am a vampire"
Arnav pushed him away and stood up "What in the devil are you talking about? Have you lost your senses? Those creatures do not exist"
"They do Arnav" he said "You have been living with one for so many years and now you are one. Why do you think I have never aged in all these years and have avoided food and the sun" he opened his mouth to show normal teeth.
And then fangs shot out.
Arnav took a step back "A-Are you telling me...you have...have turned me...into a-a-"
"Vampire" Akash completed "I couldn't let you die"
"You bast*rd!" Arnav roared. He clutched Akash's lapels and shook him "I trusted you! Despite all the betrayals I've had, I put my trust and faith in you!" he pushed him away "I considered you a brother and you've been lying to me for so long"
"This is exactly the reaction I feared Arnav" Akash tried to explain "I did not wish for you to fear me. Never once have I harmed you or-"
"I hope you rot in hell!" Arnav roared.
He had meant to only run out of the bedroom but instead ended up in the forest outside of the house. Arnav looked around dizzy and confused. He spotted a deer grazing on grass and hated how his mouth watered.
"Give in Arnav" he heard Akash from behind him "Give in to your instincts"
And he did.
Flashback Ends
"It was difficult to believe at first but gradually I began to accept the truth and learned to live with it. However, that didn't mean my curse had ended" Arnav continued.
Flashback
NK opened his door, with only a pair of pants on to find Arnav and Akash at his doorstep.
"You survived?" he said shocked.
Arnav nodded "Akash turned me into a vampire just as I was dying"
NK scratched his head "But you do realize that this probably doesn't end the curse right?"
Arnav looked at Akash, fear evident in his eyes. He looked back at NK "What does this mean then?"
NK looked hesitantly over his shoulder before he gestured the men to come inside. He made them sit in the living room and went to grab the notepad on which he had written the curse.
While he was gone, Arnav and Akash heard footsteps coming down the stairs. They looked at each other confused. Didn't NK live alone?
They both turned their head towards the footsteps to find Lavanya looking right back at them equally as shocked.
Wearing only a bedsheet.
"NK!" Akash roared, getting back up on his feet.
NK came running back with the notepad. He looked at Akash and then behind him, realizing what made him angry.
Akash stomped over to him. He grabbed his neck with both his hands "You've been bedding my cousin!" he yelled.
Everyone knew Akash treated Lavanya as his sister which is why they shared a close bond. Knowing that she was no longer a virgin before marriage made him furious.
"You better be ready to marry her you bast*rd or else I will-"
Lavanya pulled on Akash's arms while holding the bedsheet with the other "Akash stop! Please! He has proposed marriage to me. I swear it!"
Pushing NK aside, Akash grabbed Lavanya's left hand to find a sparking diamond ring on it.
He glared at NK, still furious "You hurt her and witch or not, I will kill you"
NK nodded "I promise. I love her. I wouldn't dream of hurting her"
Akash then turned to glare at Lavanya "And you! Were you so impatient to lose your virtue?"
Lavanya turned red "Akash please!" she glanced at Arnav who was pretending the floor was more interesting than the scene around him "Don't embarrass me" she begged.
He scowled at her "Go put on some clothes. You're coming home with me and staying within those walls until the wedding. No more seeing each other before then"
"What!" NK and Lavanya screeched.
"Just shut it!" Akash growled "I have no faith that you will not impregnate her before you even recite your vows to each other. That is" he narrowed his eyes at Lavanya and then at her stomach "unless you are carrying now"
"Akash!" Lavanya squealed, completely red and embarrassed.
"How long have you two been going at it?" Akash demanded. He glared at NK "And have you been pulling out?"
Oh how Lavanya wished the ground would swallow her whole. Unable to bear any more humiliation, she ran to their bedroom to hide.
Arnav cleared his throat "I do not wish to interrupt but about that curse..."
Akash's face went from furious to concerned "Oh my goodness. I apologize Arnav" he glared at NK "Tell us what has happened to the curse"
NK nodded. He quickly glanced over the words on his notepad and then closed his eyes. He murmured a few words. The notepad glittered briefly before it stopped. NK opened his eyes and turned to the next page. He quickly scanned over the contents and pursed his lips.
"Well?" Arnav couldn't help ask.
NK looked up at Arnav. He sighed "Take a seat both of you"
The duo glanced at each other before sitting.
"Speak witch" Akash grumbled.
NK winced "The curse is not gone. Arpita was a powerful witch meaning her curse is just as strong" he tried to explain.
"But I practically died and revived" Arnav said.
"But nonetheless you are alive" NK stated "Your body is just a shell of what is happening inside. While Akash may have changed the settings of your body's needs and cells, the curse Arpita gave you was meant for your body. You came back alive meaning the curse is just as alive."
Arnav put his hand between his hands "I'm doomed" he murmured "I'm going to die soon"
"Well" NK grimaced "Not so soon"
"What do you mean NK?" Akash asked with a frown.
"A cat is known to have 9 lives as you may have heard. Each life with an average of 15 years to live"
"Wait" Akash interrupted "Are you saying Arnav has over a century to break the curse"
NK nodded "If however, by the end of the 9th life, he still doesn't break the curse, he will die regardless that he is a vampire or not"
Arnav stood up and walked out of the house, careful not to use his newfound speed. He still wasn't used to it and often got dizzy.
Akash quickly caught up "Hey" he said softly, grabbed his shoulder to make him stop walking "It is going to be okay. You have plenty of time. You will be able to break this curse"
Arnav scoffed "Forget about breaking the curse. I am done with women. They are the very reason I am how I am now. Life has taught me enough lessons about what happens when I trust a female and I'd be a fool to not heed it"
"You cannot be serious Arnav" Akash said firmly "Not every woman is the same"
Arnav laughed "You're right. Not every woman is the same. Only the ones I let close to me are"
"You're going to live for over a century" Akash tried to reason "You cannot expect to stay alone"
"Watch me" Arnav argued "You're not going anywhere and neither am I. Whatever amount of time I have left, I do not wish to waste it foolishly on a woman"
"You're being a fool right now Arnav!"
"Please Akash. Just let me be"
Akash scowled "This conversation is not over. Now wait for me here while I go grab my foolish cousin" he said and then stomped off back to NK's house.
Flashback Ends
"Akash taught me everything I needed to know about being a vampire" Arnav said "He was always by my side"
"How did he turn into a vampire?" Khushi asked curiously.
Arnav shrugged "He never really told me much about it. All he said was that he got caught in the wrong crowd and next he knew he was a newly turned vampire left on his own to figure everything out"
"Wait. Is Lavanya a vampire too?"
Arnav nodded "I don't particularly know how she turned into one but I know that was around the time she and NK split apart"
"Why did they separate?" Khushi asked "They sounded as if they were in love"
"I honestly don't know" Arnav admitted "Any time I tried to ask Lavanya about it, she always brushed it off. However, I do believe she may still be in love with him"
Khushi nodded. She sighed and then looked at him "So now what?"
Arnav sat next to her on the bed "Khushi. When I saw you in that coffin, I thought you were dead. I was so scared and miserable thinking that I could never tell you how I felt about you" he enveloped her hands with his "I love you Khushi. I do not expect you to say the same words back and neither do I expect you to try to break my curse. I'm just so glad to have finally found the love Akash was always telling me about. I may have gone through many deceitful women throughout my life but I am happy that in the end I found you"
The three words were on the tip of her tongue when they both heard a knock.
"Hey you two" Lavanya said popping her head in "NK's asking for Arnav if you don't mind Khushi"
Khushi nodded and pulled her hands away from Arnav. He smiled at her and kissed her head "I'll be back soon. You rest now"
Khushi nodded and watched him leave. Lavanya came in and took his place on the bed "Hey you" she said softly "How are you feeling now?"
"Better and alive" Khushi said with a smile.
"That's good" Lavanya said "So I'm guessing Arnav finally told you everything huh?"
"Yes" she replied "It's just so much to take in. Him being a vampire, his terrible life back then, his curse..."
Lavanya tilted her head "Are you wondering whether Arnav will force you to jump into the sea of truth?"
Khushi shook her head "No I know he won't but I want to help him..."
"But?"
"But I am scared" she whispered "What if I only feel strong attraction for him? What if my heart isn't all the way there yet and I decided to jump into the sea..."
Lavanya sighed "I would say I understand but truly I don't. I had loved once and perhaps I still do, and I still don't understand how to explain it"
"Do you know how much time Arnav has?"
Lavanya pursed her lips "Not long. He has until tomorrow night..."
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