Aldrin chose to focus on Cleaving Strikes, leveling it all the way to Level 3 for 10 Skill Points and then Leveling Combat Prowess to Level 4 leaving for 18 Skill Points, leaving him with 4 remaining.

  With the remaining 4 Skill Points, he took a look at his Vampire Skills, specifically his Vampiric Awareness he noted earlier to grab if he had leftover points, bringing it to Level 2.

  Feeling satisfied at his new updates, he finally looked at the condensed form of his improved overview.

  Hopefully, he was ready for the upcoming battle with the bandit camp. With the sun still high up, all he had to do now was rest until nightfall. Closing his eyes, he let himself drift off to a restless sleep.

  The sun began to set, and with it came voices. “Do you think he is in here?” Jared’s worried voice echoed into the cave, waking Aldrin. He was unsure how much time had passed, but the burning sensation on his skin that he assumed was like an internal clock for a vampire had dimmed down by a lot.

  “Well, he sure as shit does now, Jared,” Pierre growled in response.

  Aldrin let out a small chuckle, making his way towards the two voices. The lighting from their torches gave them away once he got closer. Jared’s head was on a swivel, jumping at every creak and crack from shifting rocks. Pierre tried to hold on to a strong front but from the way Jared kept jumping at every little thing, his nerves were on their wits end.

  “Hey,” Aldrin frowned, trying to hold in the laughter that threatened to bubble out after Jared turned around screaming his head off again. Pierre shot Jared with a murderous glare, shutting him up immediately.

  “You are both brave to stumble around in the lair of a vampire,” Aldrin said, still playing the calm and collected vampire he presented himself to them as.

  “We didn’t mean anything by it, Mr. Vampire, sir.” Jared peeped out from behind Pierre’s shoulder.

  Pierre rolled his eyes at Jared. “We came here because we have nowhere else to go. The guys back at camp realized that we were the ones that led you to them,” Pierre explained.

  “And what gave them that idea?” Aldrin asked, intrigued by the turn of events.

  “That was on me when you dropped from the sky and I took off running and screaming. It had led the others straight to me which then. . . led to questions. . . and more questions and then the truth came out,” Jared admitted, his voice trailing off at the end, looking everywhere but at Aldrin.

  “I see,” Aldrin smirked.

  “Needless to say, we have come to offer our services to you in exchange for protection,” Pierre said.

  Aldrin frowned, “Protection? Why?” he inquired, confused by them both.

  “Our former partners in crime no longer see us as partners in crime, but as traitors,” Pierre explained.

  “And seeing as you are a big bad vampire, we figured the enemy of our enemy is our friend, which led me to track you down to this cave,” He added.

  “Don’t vampires usually have human servants to do their bidding, anyway? We would be an asset!” Jared said, trying to sell themselves to Aldrin. “To you!” he added quickly.

  Aldrin bellowed out a laugh, doubling over at the absurdity of it all. “Wait, let me get this straight,” Aldrin said in between his cackles.

  He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. “You tracked me down to pledge yourselves to me?” Aldrin finally asked.

  “Well, yes, just about sir,” Jared said quietly, quickly looking from Aldrin to Pierre as worry mounted in his heart.

  Aldrin stayed quiet, eyeing them both with equal measure. His gaze on them made Jared break out in cold sweats as Pierre stood stock still. “Ok,” Aldrin said, breaking the silence.

  Jared’s knees buckled at the relief that flooded over him. “Oh thank you, master! We won’t fail you!” He praised, bowing with his forehead touching the ground, with his arms outreached.

  Aldrin chuckled even more at the turn of events. Pierre looked just as relieved, but not by much, since he knew that a predator wearing the face of a man still lurked in front of them.

  “Please do not call me master, it makes me uncomfortable,” Aldrin still chuckled, letting them see the brief glint of his fangs in the torchlight.

  “Wait, what’s a Bloodletter?” Jared asked, standing to attention more alert than before.

  “My Class,” Aldrin answered, not giving away too much information to his enemies turned allies.

  “So, are the others on their way? It would be stupid of me to just take what you say at face value,” Aldrin said, switching the subject to avoid the awkwardness threatening to form.

  “They do have trackers, but we assure you they did not follow us here, nor are we still working with them,” Pierre quickly said, raising his free hand up in defense.

  Aldrin’s eyes tightened. “I will believe it when I see it then,” he said, still keeping his distance.

  The burning sensation of his skin dulled down to a tingling feeling, signaling that the sun was almost set. Rolling his shoulders, Aldrin walked towards them, making them both take a step back.

  “We attack now,” Aldrin declared as he moved past Jared and Pierre.

  “What? The three of us?” Jared sputtered out, making Pierre elbow him.

  Aldrin stopped mid stride to turn to them. “We will follow your lead, sir,” Pierre quickly covered for them both.

  “But before we go, we bring you gifts,” Pierre quickly added.

  Aldrin's ears perked up at that. “What sort of gifts?”

  Pierre began to dump pieces of armor onto the cave floor, making Aldrin immediately Identify them all.

  “Thank you,” Aldrin gratefully said, finally ridding himself of the dirty and bloody pincushion rags he wore.

  Equipping them all together, a System Alert chimed in his mind. Focusing on it, he pulled it up.

  “Finally, round 2 will hopefully go more in my favor,” Aldrin said, gleaming at his new sword before giving Pierre and Jared the cruelest smile he could muster, causing them to recoil back.