chapter 22 : Keeping Secret

Alexander looked at the time on his phone. It was about to be dawn soon, so he said to Becca, ��We should head back to the camp. Ness must be worried.�� He got up and extended a hand for her to take it and get up as well.
Becca took it and stood up. ��You didn��t answer my question, Alex. Are you not attracted to me?�� She had a frown on her face at the thought of him not finding her attractive. She didn��t know why she wanted him to like her.
��My hunting doesn��t depend on appearance,�� he replied politely. ��I prefer to drink the blood of females with O positive blood.��
She pouted and started walking with him towards the camp, intertwining her hand with his. ��What did you mean by altering the reality? What kind of powers do you have?��
Alexander chuckled at her curiosity. ��You will use it for your new novel, won��t you?��
��Of course,�� Becca said with full confidence. ��It��s better to ask a vampire about himself directly than researching.��
��Well, for starters, I can run faster, and I am stronger than human beings. Also, I can travel in a haze. These are the common powers of a vampire.�� He added, ��Since I am a two-hundred-year-old vampire, I have more powers like hypnotization, invisibility, then erasing memories.��
��Wait.�� Becca asked in disbelief, ��You��re two hundred years old?��
��Yes,�� he said. ��Only the vampires who hit two-hundred in age can possess those powers I mentioned. Others below that age have common vampire powers.��
��If you are that old, then why do you look so young?��
��Because,�� he stopped in his tracks along with Becca and pinched the tip of her nose, saying, ��We get ten years of human years while being a hundred in vampire years.��
Becca rubbed her nose and continued walking, calculating something with her fingers. As if something struck her, with her eyes widening, she gasped and said, ��That means you are one hundred and eighty-two years older than me, Alexander.��
Alexander scrunched his nose in disgust with the way Becca portrayed it. It clicked in his mind that a child who was so younger than him was his soulmate. ��I�� wouldn��t actually portray it that way. It creeped me out as a vampire,�� Alexander mumbled.
Becca looked at him, her face still filled with horror. ��I know, right? I don��t want to think of your age, Alex.�� She asked further, ��How did vampires get created by the way?��
��Just like you humans are created, it��s the same for the vampires,�� he responded.
��So vampires were born at first genetically and then they started turning people to vampires?�� she inquired.
��Something like that,�� he attempted to clear up her confusion. ��By the way, every vampire is born with a special power,�� Alexander informed her and changed the topic. ��My special power is altering reality. I can change it in my favor.��
��Is that what you tried on me that day when I accused you of sexual assault?�� she questioned him. ��If it is, then why didn��t it work on me?��
��Because I didn��t focus properly as I did with the girls I drank the blood from,�� he replied bluntly, putting his hands in his pockets. When Becca was about to ask why, he left their entwining hands and said, ��We are at the camp.��
Becca looked ahead, only to find that they had already reached the place.
Everyone was surrounding Julia, who was trying to narrate what exactly happened.
��I was looking for a data connection, and I uploaded the picture. Then I was on my way back to camp, but I tripped on something and now my neck hurts,�� Julia explained the scenario.
��Something doesn��t fit,�� Antonio said in between. ��How did you get injured on your neck if you tripped over something?��
When an all-encompassing silence filled the clearing, Becca glanced at Alexander and immediately covered up saying, ��Maybe Julia tripped over a stone, and injured her forehead, and she didn��t lose consciousness yet. She turned to get up with her weak body and hurt her neck, which resulted in her fainting.��
Alexander��s head snapped in Becca��s direction when she covered for him.
To prove her point more, Becca walked to Julia and pushed her hair back. She showed the vampire mark to everyone and said, ��This seems like the mark of a big stone hitting her. This is what is hurting her neck. Look at the mark properly.��
��It seems like a monster��s mark though,�� Antonio commented.
Lucas understood the mark and glared at Alexander before slapping the back of Antonio��s neck. ��Why would monsters bite on her neck? This looks like the stone��s mark over which she was lying unconscious. I found her and brought her here so I know what happened, okay?��
��Exactly,�� Becca agreed with Lucas.
The other students seem to agree with Becca and Lucas.
Meanwhile, Vanessa stood next to Alexander.
She cleared her throat. ��This is the best part of humans,�� Vanessa said to her brother. ��Becca pulled a nice card to save your ass. People believe something when a person says it with confidence. Antonio is right, but the students didn��t believe him because Becca said it with confidence which made others sure that she was correct. Also, Lucas proved that Becca is right.��
��What��s the point of telling me all this, Ness?�� Alexander retorted.
��Becca knows your truth, Alex. She could easily expose you but she didn��t.�� Vanessa looked at Alexander. ��Why don��t you tell her about the potion and take her help?��
Vanessa didn��t want Phil to take the potion, but she didn��t also want other vampires to be the king. The only perfect king for the vampire world would be Alexander, and if Becca learned about the potion, she would give it to Alexander only, come what may. Vanessa had already calculated the probability in her mind and she knew Becca��s personality. If Becca was Alexander��s soulmate, it only meant that Alexander would be the king since Becca had the potion. Besides, while finding the potion, Alexander and Becca would even end up being closer than before.
Alexander looked at Becca, who was talking with the other students and laughing about something. When Becca��s eyes fell on Alexander, she winked at him.
He knew that his secret was safe with Becca. A smile formed on his lips as Becca gained his truth. Alexander was ready to share everything from the beginning with Becca and take her help. He had faith that she would help him with the mystery surrounding the vampire potion.