Before she could stop him, Arnaud opened the door wide, standing at his full imposing height before the two burly men waiting outside. The ruffians took a step back at his impressive figure, looking him up and down with cautious expressions.

"So you're the old lady's new employee, eh big guy?" one of them jeered, a stocky bald man. "You think you can stand up to us all by yourself?"

Arnaud did not respond, only crossing his arms and observing them impassively. The other man, shorter but stout, chuckled under his breath.

"Hey, don't mind her friend. Why don't you go get a drink and let us finish our business?" he suggested in a dangerously soft tone. "You wouldn't want anyone to get hurt, would you big guy?"

The vampire took a step forward, his eyes flashing bloodthirst.

The bald man snorted and pulled out a knife from his belt, swaggering.

"Oh yeah? Well let's see who gets the worse end of it, idiot!"

He lunged at Arnaud, swinging the weapon in a swift motion. But in the blink of an eye, the vampire seized him by the wrist with his massive hand, stopping him dead in his tracks with supernatural strength. The man let out a choked cry of surprise and looked with bulging eyes as his arm was bent at an unnatural angle with no difficulty at all.

"What the hell...? Aarghh!" he howled as the bones began to creak under Arnaud's merciless pressure.

His companion backed away in horror, also pulling out a weapon. But before he could make a move, Arnaud knocked him down with a shove, sending him flying several meters until he crashed against the wall. He lay there motionless, semi-unconscious from the brutal blow.

At that moment, Mrs. Juana and Arturo peeked out trembling from the doorway, watching with bulging eyes as Arnaud twisted the thug's arm until it finally snapped with a chilling crunch. The man howled again, writhing on the floor clutching his useless, dangling limb.

"Please! Don't kill me! I'll give you whatever you want!" he whimpered in a sea of tears.

Arnaud looked at him with mocking eyes and then spat with contempt.

"Get out here, trash," he threatened with a growl. "And take friend."

The man nodded frantically and staggered to his feet, limping towards his unconscious companion to drag him away from there. When both had disappeared into the darkness of night, Arnaud turned towards Juana and Arturo…

But before he could react further, he lowered his gaze to his own hands, observing with hungry eyes the drops of blood that spattered them.

A guttural growl emerged from his throat and, without thinking, he brought his bloodied fingers to his mouth, licking the thick substance with an almost obscene gesture of pleasure. The old woman held her breath in horror, while Arturo frowned in confusion.

"Arnaud! What are you...?" Juana began to babble, but the vampire jerked his head up, fixing her with a cold, predatory stare.

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A chill of pure terror ran through her from head to toe. For an instant, her suspicions that this being was not human were confirmed with the certainty of a revelation. She took another faltering step back, her eyes bulging with fear.

Arturo, for his part, watched his friend with a glint of pure admiration. Slowly, the woman swallowed hard and took a step forward, not taking her eyes off Arnaud.

"You... What are you really?" she inquired in a trembling voice, letting her gaze wander over the tall hooded figure.

Arnaud remained silent for a moment and then slowly raised his hand to his face to lower his hood. In the dim light, his pale, sharp-featured countenance was revealed, those bright white eyes fixed hypnotically on the woman.

"Stay away from me, monster!" she shrieked, clutching a rough crucifix that hung around her neck. "Stay away and never come back!"

That cross was still around, an unpleasant symbol that reminded him of difficult moments. Arnaud frowned, puzzled by her reaction, but made no move to approach further. Instead, he turned to Arturo, who was still watching him with a conflicted expression.

"Ar, what's wrong? Why is Mrs. Juana scared?" the little boy asked in confusion.

Before the vampire could respond, Juana planted herself in front of the child protectively, like a lioness guarding her cub.

"Stay away from him too, you spawn!" she snarled in a strained voice, clinging to Arturo. "You've been here a week and I'm just now realizing what you are! But I won't let you harm this little one!"

Arnaud clenched his jaw, finally understanding the reason for the woman's rejection. He shook his head slowly, raising his hands in a placating gesture.

"Mrs. Juana, I won't harm you or Arturo," he tried to explain in his deep, soothing voice. "It was just a..."

"Silence, demon!" she cut him off with a harrowing cry, hugging the boy tightly. "I won't allow you to keep contaminating this innocent with your presence!"

Arnaud clenched his fists, she wanted to come between him and Arturo. He fixed his burning gaze on the little one over Juana's shoulder.

"Arturo... We must go," he told him in a severe tone.

The boy frowned and shook his head, clinging to the old woman.

"No, Ar! I don't want to leave Mrs. Juana!" he protested in a choked voice. "She gave us a home and a job!"

The vampire felt a pang of regret at seeing the confusion and anguish reflected on the little face. He did not want to take him away from the first home he had known, but he would have to allow him to stay close to this woman who now rejected and branded him a "monster." His eyes met Juana's in a silent battle of wills.

"Please, leave..." the woman implored in a lifeless voice as she stroked Arturo's hair. "Leave and let me raise this child away from your monstrous influence."

"NO!"

The little one had broken free from the old woman's grasp and was standing between the two of them, fists clenched and a defiant look beyond his years.

"I won't let you take my brother away from me!"

He looked at each of them with determination, not allowing himself to be intimidated by either Arnaud's imposing figure or Juana's tormented expression.

"Ar is my older brother and I love him, no matter what he is," he declared firmly.

Fat tears slid down his cheeks as he looked at them almost desperately. Both Arnaud and the old woman were struck dumb by his staunch plea.

The vampire was the first to react. Slowly, his expression softened and the doubt in his eyes turned into something akin to admiration. He approached the boy and knelt before him, taking his little face gently between his large hands.

"Arturo..." he murmured in a deep but affectionate voice. Something in that innocent, loyal gaze completely disarmed him. "I will never abandon you."

The boy nodded, wiping away his tears with the back of his hand. Over Arnaud's shoulder, he directed a pleading look at the older woman.