chapter 23 : Day 3, Trip

It was the third day of the trip. The next day, everyone would return to the college and go back to their regular classes.
It was a tiring day since the students explored almost every inch of the jungle until the sun began to sink beyond the horizon. Then after dinner, they all decided to call it an early night and went to sleep.
Despite walking so much during the day, Becca wasn��t tired at all. She felt energetic and when she tried to sleep, her eyes kept opening after a few seconds. Sighing, she got up and looked at Vanessa, who was checking something on her phone.
��Ness, I am not sleepy,�� Becca complained.
��As much as I want to chat with you, I have to complete writing an entire report about the trip and submit it to the dean tomorrow,�� Vanessa informed Becca, who sulked at her response.
An idea popped into Becca��s mind. She knew that the vampires couldn��t sleep, which meant that Alexander was awake as well. She took out her phone and texted Alexander.
Becca: You there?
Her phone buzzed instantly with a response.
Alexander: Yeah.
Becca: Can��t sleep :(
Alexander: Am I supposed to sing you a lullaby?
Becca: XD. No. Let��s meet at the place where we collected wood before.
Alexander: You do have enough courage, lady.
With a grin on her face, Becca got out of the tent.
Vanessa didn��t ask Becca anything because she could sense that she was texting Alexander. So she decided to stay quiet and let her brother��s romance bloom.
Meanwhile, Becca quietly went to the place from where she collected wood. She was confused about whether to take a right or a left turn but she followed her heart and reached the correct location.
She moved the beam of the flashlight nearby to find Alexander. A frown took over her lips when there was no sight of Alexander. No wonder why he didn��t say okay when I told him to meet me here, Becca thought. She was about to head back to the camp when a hand covered her mouth and wrapped an arm around her delicate waist. Then the person jumped higher with her in tow.
Becca closed her eyes in fear and found herself sitting on a branch of a big tree. She could see other small trees and was awed at the beautiful natural scenery. The hand was still over her mouth.
��This is the biggest tree in this jungle,�� a familiar voice mumbled.
When Becca looked at the person sitting next to her, a rush of relief flooded over her seeing the familiar green eyes. She slapped his hand away and said, ��Alexander, you could��ve asked for my permission before grabbing me and pulling me up on a branch of a big tree with you.��
Alexander chuckled and looked at the bright moon. ��What��s the fun in that?��
��So it��s fun to scare me like that?�� she deadpanned.
��I thought nothing scares Becca Hertford,�� he mimicked her.
She rolled her eyes. ��Nothing scares me, even I wouldn��t be scared but you flew me here.��
��Not exactly flew because I just jumped from the ground to this tree with you,�� he corrected her.
��Still, a warning would have been nice,�� she retorted.
��Okay, fine, The next time before I plan to scare you, I will warn you in advance that I plan on scaring you.�� He grinned at her. ��Better?��
She chortled and looked at the stars closely. ��I couldn��t sleep. I know it was a tiring day, yet I couldn��t sleep.��
��So you know that vampires cannot get tired and barely sleep anywhere but their coffin, you decided to text me. It really shows that you remember me only when you need me,�� Alexander teased her. He was enjoying her company so far and when she texted him, he was already sitting on that tree. So he just waited for her to arrive at the spot she told him to appear.
��Well, a friend in need is a friend indeed,�� Becca quoted, making him smile. ��Anyway, I forget to ask. Tell me about your kind. Like, where do y��all live? Also, tell me about your childhood now that I know that you are a vampire. You can count on me to keep your secret, Alex.��
��I know,�� he muttered. Then he started speaking, ��We have a separate world, called the vampire world.��
Becca gasped. ��You mean, apart from the human world, there is a separate vampire world?��
He hummed in response. ��There was a big clash among all creatures, five hundred years ago. Later, all the creatures signed a peace treaty. The werewolves and Lycans live among human beings. Even different witches live among the humans. Since vampires are more dangerous, a new world has been assigned to them.��
��Is there a road from the human to the vampire world?�� she inquired with curiosity.
��Yes. There is a secret passage, the location is something I cannot tell you. But it connects the two worlds.��
��Are vampires allowed to come to the human world?�� she asked.
He responded, ��Vampires are allowed into the human world only after they have learned to control themselves. We cannot come to the human world if we cannot control our thirst for human blood, which is why I am banned from the human world.��
Becca chuckled lightly hearing it. ��How come you are here then, sitting next to me?�� she questioned him.
He sighed. ��You are the reason I was sent here, Becca.��
She arched an eyebrow in confusion. ��Me? What am I? A special child bestowed with innumerable powers?��
��Maybe,�� he said shortly, making Becca gape at him. ��Becca, this might seem unbelievable to you, but you have something which all the vampires want.��
��What is that?�� she asked nervously.
��The vampire potion.��
��The vampire potion?�� She furrowed her eyebrows. ��Isn��t that what you asked me for the other day?��
��Yes,�� he nodded. ��But to explain the importance of the potion, I will have to tell you a story.��
��Sure,�� Becca mumbled.
��Diva was the Moon Goddess who was blessed with the powers of a vampire. She was the origin of the vampires seven hundred years ago. Everything was going perfect under her reign, she was the one who signed the peace treaty. Until one day, she abandoned the vampire world, leaving the vampires with no leader to rule. That was over one hundred years ago.��
��Who took care of the vampire world then?�� Becca asked him.
With a smile, he replied, ��My older brother, Phil Insworthe. He became the leader of the vampires after a war broke out among the vampires. He stopped the war and offered a ray of hope to the vampires and took care of everything. Without him, nothing would��ve been possible. He is the best person ever and I would give my life for him. He is perfect.�� He further spoke, ��You know, Becca, even though I was banned from coming to the human world since I couldn��t control my thirst for human blood, I would break the rules repeatedly. But Phil never scolded me for it.��
��He is brother-goals,�� she mumbled under her breath.
��He is, indeed.�� Alexander continued, ��One day, Phil called me to his room and told me that he wasn��t the king and he would die as a leader. However, he informed me that there was a way to make him the first vampire king, which was if he got the vampire potion. I asked where the vampire potion is and I learned that it is with someone from the human world.��
��How can a human have a vampire potion?��
��I don��t know.�� He let out a sigh, ��My task was to find that potion before other vampires can and hand over the potion to my brother.��
��You love your brother so much that you want him to be the king. Others would betray their own family for power,�� Becca said, feeling proud of Alexander. Suddenly, something clicked in her mind, so she said, ��Wait a minute. You are saying that I have the vampire potion.��
��Yes,�� said Alexander.
��Oh, my God.�� Becca breathed out, ��Does that mean that all the vampires are after me now?��