Arnaud was moved, but he thought again about the thugs, what happened in Arturo's village, and what could happen afterward. A sudden pang of regret overwhelmed him as he realized that, although the boy did not fear his nature, he could not allow him to remain close any longer. It would be too dangerous.

The vampire exhaled an inaudible sigh and then stood up to his full height, facing the woman with renewed determination. Thinking about the question Mrs. Juana had asked him, Arnaud decided to answer.

"I am... a hunter," he responded slowly, weighing his words. "Of evil men, ma'am."

Juana frowned, not fully understanding, but nodded slowly. Arturo, however, furrowed his brow and shook his head.

"Ar, I don't understand... Why are we leaving? Can't we stay with Mrs. Juana?" he asked anxiously.

Arnaud's eyes rested on him with infinite tenderness. He knelt down to be at his level and placed a gentle hand on his head.

"We cannot, little Ar, you're right," he replied in a deep voice. "Danger... for you. Better to stay with her."

The boy's eyes widened, finally understanding his decision. He shook his head frantically, tears welling in his eyes.

"No, no I don't want to! I want to go with you!" he begged, grasping Arnaud's shirt. But Arnaud gently pushed him away and stood up again.

"Mrs. Juana... take good care of him," was all he said before turning and striding into the darkness of night.

"Arnaud, no! Arnaud!" Arturo's harrowing screams faded as he walked away with long strides. The vampire clenched his fists, fighting the urge to return and embrace the little one. But he had already made his decision.

Behind him, the old woman enveloped the boy in a comforting hug as she watched him go with sad but relieved eyes. Finally, they were safe from that deadly, mysterious being.

"There, there, little one... Everything will be alright," she cooed sweetly. "That... Arnaud, made the right decision. Don't worry, I'll take care of you now."

Arturo continued crying in her arms for a long while, inconsolable. He felt betrayed and abandoned by the person who had been his family again. Mrs. Juana held him tightly, rocking his little body with maternal tenderness as she too cried silently. For some reason, she could not help but feel sad and uneasy about the mysterious stranger's departure.

When Arturo had finally calmed down, the woman dried his tears with a handkerchief and looked at him with a kind smile.

"Come, dear. It would be better if we go inside and take shelter until dawn," she said, taking his hand. "You'll see, you'll soon feel better being safe with me."

The little boy nodded silently, downcast, and allowed himself to be led inside the store without resistance. Still hurt and confused by Arnaud's abandonment.

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♢♢♢♢

As for the vampire, he continued walking for many hours in the darkness after getting as far away from the town and store as possible. He kept all his senses on high alert, catching the whiffs of blood that the two thugs had left in their wake.

Suddenly, the air brought him a new acrid, coppery scent. He stopped dead in his tracks, sniffing avidly and licking his lips. Yes, it was definitely the blood of those two defeated ruffians. He changed course to follow the trail that would lead him to them.

The trail led him to a dark, foul-smelling alley on the outskirts, where the two men from the store were hiding, trying to recover. Behind a crumbled wall, Arnaud spotted a metallic glint and heard their muffled groans.

"Damn it... Stupid freak, he's gonna pay for this," the short one grumbled, clutching a bleeding arm.

His companion, the bald man, lay nearby in a much worse state with an arm dangling at a grotesque angle and a swollen face.

Arnaud had diligently followed the trail of the two injured thugs as soon as the unmistakable aromas of their blood tainted the night air. Conscious of his physical superiority, he did not decide to attack directly. Instead, he simply kept them under watch from afar, camouflaged among the shadows.

As he suspected, the two badly injured ruffians eventually sought refuge with their companions in a secluded shack on the outskirts of town. Arnaud silently stationed himself near the place, observing and memorizing every detail with his keen senses.

He then saw a car pull up in front of the abandoned dwelling and a burly man get out of the vehicle to confront the thugs. From his swaggering gait and the way the others surrounded him with servile expressions, the vampire deduced he was the leader.

"What the hell happened to you two useless fools?" he heard him bellow in a thunderous voice. "Did a simple old lady beat you?"

The bald man frantically shook his head, trembling in fear and pain.

"N-no it wasn't the old lady... I-it was her damn new employee... He's got the strength of a monster!"

The man fell silent for a moment, frowning in thought. Finally, he clicked his tongue in distaste and turned to the rest of his gang.

"Well, then we'll find out who this guy is and take him out too," he sentenced coldly. "No one messes with us and lives to tell about it. Get everything ready, we're mobilizing tonight. If the boss Riquelme finds out we're screwed."

The men nodded tremulously and began gathering weapons and other belongings. After calling in a couple more reinforcements via a communicator, they all set off in two pickup trucks towards an unknown direction.

From his hiding place, Arnaud smiled sinisterly. It would be extremely simple to ambush them if they returned at night, eliminating them one by one without mercy. With his superior physicality and the protective darkness, it would be a massacre.

He had to watch out for their powerful magical thunder-spitting weapons but it would be easy. Only then, when he had exterminated all those wretches, could he return to Arturo's side to resume his protection. He had promised never to abandon him and he would keep that promise.

♢♢♢♢

The next morning, the woman finished packing her bags while Arturo watched her in silence from a corner. Her decision was made: They had to flee the town as soon as possible. Those thugs had escaped alive last night, which meant Riquelme and his cartel would not be long in coming to exact revenge.

"I need you to get dressed and carry everything you can, son," she told the boy in a tense voice. "We're leaving here right now."

Arturo looked at her with reddened eyes and nodded silently, obeying her instructions. An hour later, they were in a rental car headed for the nearest city. The old woman drove in tense silence, casting nervous glances in the rearview mirror constantly.

Arturo gazed out the window at the town shrinking in the distance, a lump in his throat as he remembered Arnaud's departure the night before. Unconsciously, he wondered where his vampire friend was at that moment.