The Baroness Misbehaves
Chapter 74: The Symptoms (2)

Chapter 74: The Symptoms (2)

"What do you mean red??" Based on the fact his vision was still as dark as an unending abyss, Cassian couldn’t comprehend what his best friend was trying to insinuate by saying his eyes were red, and knowing Orson for a really long time since their spring days, he could easily detect if his friend was lying and trying to pull a stunt on him or not.

So far, it doesn’t sound like a lie, yet it was impossible to be considered true.

"I know what I’m saying, and It’s.... it’s sorta freaking me out." Orson hesitated in his words as he took another silent step back away from Cassian, finding those eyes to be unnaturally cold-blooded. "Did you do something to your eyes? Did you use an unknown paste again???"

Cassian’s once Amber-brown eyes were now a ruby-red, and whenever he fixed his gaze on Orson out of instinct, a sudden alarming fear overwhelmed the young man as he jolted backwards, not liking the feeling he got from those devilish red eyes that had taken over the usual Amber-brown eyes his friend possessed.

Holy! How is he supposed to explain this?

"What are you going to do about it? Cover it up before someone sees and thinks you’re possessed." Orson suggested as his eyes landed on the blindfold in Cassian’s grasp. "Blindfold yourself again, for the meantime till I can recover from....all of that." He gestured at Cassian’s eyes even when the young lad couldn’t make out what he meant by that statement.

With his brows creased in distress, Cassian blindfolded his eyes like Orson had wisely suggested. When he had covered it up properly, Orson placed a hand to his chest as he took a deep breath, his shoulders finally relaxing as he no longer had to stare into what looked like the devil’s eyes.

"Still scared, but I can manage with this." He cleared his throat as he tried to sound more firm now, but looking at Cassian’s reaction to the news of his eyes changing colors, Orson soon realized that it must be a bit difficult for him since the young lad himself doesn’t seem to be aware of what’s going on.

"What happened to my eyes?" Cassian’s mind went on a rampage as he tried to think of any presumption that could turn his eyes red all of sudden. He remembered Elijah and his crew had red eyes that were no different from the color of blood, and when he hasn’t had enough of his act trying to empty Madeline of her blood, he soon discovers his eyes are red.

"What is happening??" He paced back and forth as he tried to keep his mind sane.

As much as he knew the answer deep in his heart, he refused to accept it and go with what his mind had suggested. Vampires couldn’t possibly be real, they are old folklore stories that were told to entertain children, or scare them, so how can it be true??

"Cassian..." Orson called his name softly when the young lad rested his back against the door, he looked spaced out as he tilted his head up to the ceiling.

All of this, what is it related to? Did he actually die? Was he a vampire now??

"Get me a book and read it." He said unpromptedly, and Orson’s brows furrowed in confusion when he didn’t get it.

"What book?"

"The one that talks about vampires, read it out for me. I need to get something straight." His tone was indecipherable, neither did he move away from the door, and Orson’s expression went blank as he couldn’t fathom Cassian’s reason for wanting to read about vampires.

There’s no way he could be one.

"Hurry." Cassian added, sounding more serious about it, and Orson immediately went to search for the book on the bookshelf that rested at the side of the room.

"Where is it...?"

Going through each of the stacked up books that were neatly arranged on the shelf, he found a specific book relating to vampires and other supernatural beings.

"Found it."

"Read it to me."

"It wouldn’t hurt to add please." Muttered Orson as he opened the book. He skipped through the pages that had nothing to do with vampires and when he found one, he stopped.

"Okay, so here it says, vampires are the ’undead creatures’." He carefully read it out for Cassian who listened attentively. "By undead I mean bodies that were somehow revived after death. Central to vampire myth, the consumption of blood and other essences were followed by sharp teeths or fangs which helped to facilitate these tasks." He elaborated.

As he kept on reading, Cassian used the description Orson gave to picture out the people who abducted him.

"Vampires are mostly categorized to have pale skin, difference in their looks or appearances, which could be grotesque or even exceptionally beautiful."

Cassian’s brow lifted at that. Those people looked anything but grotesque to his gaze.

"Wait, why are we even going through this?" Questioned Orson who was curious to know why Cassian was so serious in knowing about such creatures.

"What makes one a vampire?" Cassian asked, and seeing as he got ignored for the umpteenth time, Orson swallowed it and read it out for him. "Getting bitten by a vampire looks common here. Other methods include sorcery, and..."

"Bite mark." Cassian uttered as he felt the area of his neck where he was once bitten by Elijah. "He bit me!"

With this little information so far, Cassian was able to wrap two in two, and he had no idea how to react after coming to the conclusion that everything happening to him was a symptom of him becoming a Vampire.

He doesn’t want to end up like those freaks!

"I need to be alone." He finally moved away from the door, his antsy expression made Orson worry and he looked at the glacier with skeptical eyes.

"Talk to me."

"I will once I get myself together, but I need some time alone to myself." He walked away from the door, turning the other side to avoid Orson reading out his reaction.

"Sure, I’ll head to the bureau for a while and then come back." He dropped the book on the table. When Cassian didn’t respond to his word, he let out a silent sigh and stepped out of the room, giving Cassian the alone time he needed to fix his brain.

He ended up having an alone time till it struck 10pm on the clock, and still he didn’t move from the couch he was slouching on.