The silence following Arnaud's apology was deafening. Lola, still panting on the floor, gazed at the vampire with a mixture of fear and fascination. The blood that had touched her skin continued to burn, a constant reminder of the danger he posed.

Arturo, tears in his eyes, approached Arnaud. "Ar, are you okay?"

Arnaud lifted his gaze, his eyes now almost human, reflecting unfathomable pain. "No, Ar. Not okay. I have done... unforgivable."

Lola slowly stood up, leaning against the wall. Her voice was hoarse when she spoke. "He's right. It is unforgivable. He nearly killed us all."

"But he saved us!" Arturo interrupted. "He saved us from the bad men."

Lola shook her head. "That doesn't justify…"

"Enough!" Juana's voice cut through the tension. Everyone turned to her. "We need to get out of here. Now. Before more come..."

Arnaud nodded slowly. "She right. Go. I... I stay here."

"No!" Arturo cried, clinging to Arnaud's arm. "We're not leaving you!"

Lola stepped forward, her face a mask of determination. "Arturo, let him go. He's dangerous."

"He's not dangerous!" Arturo turned to her, defiant. "You don't know him like I do!"

"I know him well enough to know he almost killed me a minute ago," Lola replied, her voice trembling slightly.

Arnaud stood up, gently pushing Arturo aside. "She right, little Ar. I danger for you."

Juana, who had been observing silently, intervened. "Maybe... maybe we should take him with us."

Everyone turned to her, surprised. Juana continued, her voice hesitant. "I'm not saying I trust him completely, but... he saved us. When he lived with us, he wasn't rude, if it weren't for the debt collectors... And if we leave him here, who knows what might happen?"

Lola looked at her incredulously. "Have you lost your mind? Did you see what he did?"

"I saw what he did to those men," Juana replied, her voice gaining strength. "And I also saw how he stopped when Arturo asked him to. That has to mean something."

Lola put a hand to her forehead, frustrated. "I can't believe we're considering this. He's a monster, for God's sake."

"Not monster," Arnaud's voice was barely a whisper. "I... not know what I am."

Lola looked at him, their eyes meeting for a moment. For an instant, she saw something in those eyes that unsettled her. It wasn't the look of a bloodthirsty monster, but that of a lost and tormented man.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"I... never want to hurt," Arnaud continued, his voice broken. "Never want to hurt anyone. But when I hear Ar scream, something in me... came out."

Lola felt her resolve wavering. "That doesn't justify…"

"No, not justify," Arnaud interrupted. "Nothing justify what I did. But I swear, by all me, that never, never, hurt Ar or you intention... intentionally."

There was a moment of tense silence. Lola looked at Arturo, who was still clinging to Arnaud, then at Juana, who was watching her expectantly, and finally at Miguel, who lay unconscious on the floor.

"Damn it," Lola muttered. "Fine. He comes with us. But at the first sign of danger, I swear I'll drive a stake through your heart."

Arnaud nodded, not fully understanding Lola's reference. "Understand. I accept, if moment come."

Arturo smiled, relieved. "Thank you, Lola!"

"Don't thank me yet," she replied, her voice still tense. "Now, we need to get out of here. You, Arnaud, can you carry Miguel?"

Arnaud nodded and approached the unconscious man. With an ease that made Lola shudder, he lifted him as if he weighed nothing.

"Let's go," Lola said, taking the lead. "We need to move fast."

As they headed towards the exit, Lola couldn't help but glance at Arnaud out of the corner of her eye. Each time she did, she found him watching her with an intensity that unnerved her. It wasn't the predatory gaze she had seen before, but something different, something she couldn't decipher.

Juana approached Lola as they walked. "Are you sure about this?" she whispered.

Lola shook her head. "I'm not sure of anything. But Arturo trusts him, and for some reason, when I see his eyes... I can't leave him behind."

"He has something," Juana murmured. "I don't know what it is, but... he's not willingly evil."

"No," Lola replied, her voice barely audible. "He's not. And that's what scares me."

As they advanced through the blood-stained corridors, Lola felt a chill. Not just from the horror surrounding them, but from the realization that, despite everything, a part of her was intrigued by Arnaud. It was a dangerous thought, one she would have to examine later.

For now, her priority was to get everyone out of there alive. But as she limped along, she felt Arnaud's gaze on her back, and couldn't help but wonder what the future held for all of them.

"Lola," Arnaud's voice pulled her from her thoughts. She turned to look at him. "Thank you. For give chance."

Lola stared at him for a moment. "Don't waste it," she finally responded.

Arnaud nodded, a shadow of something resembling hope crossing his face. And for an instant, Lola felt that maybe, just maybe, this decision wouldn't be the biggest mistake of her life.

♢♢♢♢

The group slowly advanced through the pitch-black wilderness. Lola limped visibly, leaning on Juana to maintain her balance. Each step was agony, the bullet in her leg sending waves of pain through her body.

Arnaud, carrying the unconscious Miguel over his shoulders, couldn't help but cast worried glances towards Lola. "Stop," he said with his marked accent and imperfect grammar. "Your leg... bad."

Lola gritted her teeth, refusing to show weakness. "I'm fine. We have to keep going and reach the town soon."

Arturo, walking beside Arnaud, looked at Lola with eyes full of concern. "Lola, you're bleeding a lot. Ar is right, you need help."

The mention of blood made everyone tense. Arnaud noticed them all looking at him for a moment, and tilted his head, not understanding. When they saw that he wasn't struggling against his instincts or anything like that, they all sighed in relief.

"I... help," he said with difficulty, searching for the right words. "If you let."

Lola looked at him distrustfully. "What, you want my blood?"

Arnaud hesitated, frustrated by his limited vocabulary. He looked to Arturo for help.

"I think he means he can heal your wound," Arturo translated. "Is that right, Ar?"

Arnaud nodded gratefully. "Yes. My... mouth," he pointed to his lips, "heal."