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Howard looked at the current law student with a dark, insatiable look.
“Look, do you want to go through this deal or not?” He stood up from his chair, getting closer to Kim and looking down at her. “After all… law school will be paid for.”
It was too big of a deal to give up.
With a heavy sigh through the nose, Kim looked straight at Howard’s darkened eyes.
“Okay… Let's do this. I am ready.” Kim was determined to get through whatever she put herself in just so a penny from her pocket doesn’t get spent.
“Where the hell are you taking me?” Jimmy didn’t like being pulled, especially being pulled by the arm and feeling like a dog on a leash. The grip Kim had on his right wrist was becoming tighter and tighter as the two made their way around the floor and into the closet near the mailroom.
“Can you be any louder, Jimmy?” Kim looked over her shoulder right before stopping in front of the closet door. Without any hesitation, Kim swung the closet door open, ushering herself and Jimmy into the closet.
“Why the hell did you bring me here Kim? What is going on? What’s gotten into you?! Why are you acting like–” Jimmy was cut off by Kim shushing him.
“Well can you at least let me explain, Jimmy?” She asked, letting go of Jimmy’s right wrist.
“Sorry. Sorry.” Jimmy rubbed his wrist, examining the marks Kim left on it. Damn, she was strong. He knew well enough he was going to have bruises in the morning.
Breathing heavily and sighing, Kim regained her composure. Without trying to sound like some sort of person who lost it, she tried to find the words to say to Jimmy.
“So you know how you said you felt something a bit weird here, ever since you started working right?” Kim asked.
Jimmy nodded. “Yeah. But to be honest, I was just probably being stupid or something. Being at a new job and all.”
“Yes well… you’re not too off from your gut feeling.” Kim said.
“What… What do you mean, Kim?” Jimmy was even more confused than before. The vagueness Kim was giving was not helping Jimmy at all.
“Okay so you know how you probably joked about how there’s something strange, something vaguely haunting?”
“Well… yeah… Kim, I was just saying that because it’s that time of the year mainly. Plus… my brother… and that feeling has mostly gone away as I got more used to this place.” Jimmy tried to dismiss everything he said before.
“Well, consider that feeling to have never left because… there’s vampires in the firm.” Kim mumbled at the end.
“What?” Jimmy was confused, and didn't catch what Kim said at the end.
“I said… there’s vampires in the firm.”
“What?! Kim you have to speak up because I am not getting what you’re –”
“I said there’s vampires in the firm!! At HHM!!!” Kim finally spoke up.
Jimmy couldn’t help but to stare blankly at Kim. As confusion turned into amusement, Jimmy couldn’t help but to laugh, trying his hardest to keep it in.
“Jimmy!! This isn’t funny!!” Kim was taken aback by his reaction.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. It just… really?! Vampires?!” He folded his arms. “What are you taking? If so, can I have some?”
“JIMMY!” Kim yelled out.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Jimmy apologized, smiling.
“I’m being serious! This isn’t me being on anything or losing it.” Kim grabbed a hold on both of Jimmy’s shoulders, looking straight into his eyes.
“Okay I believe you!” Jimmy puts his hands up, shrugging his shoulders so that Kim can let go of them. “I believe you one hundred percent that they’re roaming around HHM.”
Kim was surprised that it didn’t take long to convince Jimmy about the whole thing. She honestly thought it would take a lot to convince him, or thought she would fail on convincing Jimmy in general.
“So, do you know who the vampires are at HHM?” Jimmy asked.
“It’s me.” Kim answered bluntly.
“Oh my god, Kim! Again, what are you on?” The little ounce of believability Jimmy had on the whole thing vanished.
“I’m telling the truth! One hundred percent I am telling the truth.”
With a heavy sigh, Jimmy decided to hear Kim out once more. “Okay fine. If you are telling the truth, convince me. Show me you are one.”
“Alright.” Kim breathed out. She looked around to see if the closet had some sort of wet wipes around. Spotting a canister of cleaning wipes, Kim opened the canister, grabbed the wipe and started to wipe the left side of her neck.
“What are you–”
“Jimmy, don’t say another word.” Kim kept on wiping the left side of her neck to remove the makeup she had. “Look.” She held up the makeup ridden wipe to Jimmy.
“Okay, that’s makeup on a wipe. I don’t know–”
“Look Jimmy.” Jimmy was cut off again. Kim pointed two puncture wound scars for him to see. “I was bitten. See.” Jimmy walked closer to take a better look of the scars.
“Wow, so you were bit… Still not convinced.”
Kim was in disbelief. “Oh my god, JIMMY!! For the love of god, how is that not enough for you? I have to wake up extra early now to make sure these scars are covered.”
“Okay, but still that doesn’t mean anything! If anything, it could mean you survived whatever attacked you and did not get infected!!” Jimmy said. “Show me your fangs.”
“What?” Kim was caught off guard.
“You heard me, show me your fangs. I wanna see them.” Jimmy demanded. “If you want me to be convinced and believe you, show me.”
“Fine.” Kim huffed. It took a couple of seconds for Kim to extend her fangs. Feeling her teeth and fangs, she knew she extended them fully as her tongue felt that needle sharpness.
“See.” Kim flashed a toothy smile, exposing her fangs.
“Huh, so you really are one.” Jimmy was finally convinced.
“Convinced?” Kim asked.
Jimmy nodded. “Yup. One hundred percent convinced.”
“Finally.” A wave of relief washed over Kim. “Now let's get out of here. I’m getting all cramped.”
“So, who turned you?” It’s been about four days since Kim told Jimmy what she was.
“Why does that matter?” Kim looked up. The two were now in Kim’s little office rather than a closet.
“I was just wondering. Is it someone I know? Someone in the firm?” Jimmy kept on pestering.
“I— Uh… Jimmy, please.”
“What?! I know people here. I have to since I am working in the mailroom.” Jimmy got all defensive.
“It doesn’t matter who turned me. Besides, knowing who did, won’t undo anything. It happened already. It has been done.” Kim went back to what she was doing before.
Jimmy had the underlying suspicion that Kim was protecting the one who turned her. With the clear view of avoidance, it was someone at the firm who turned her.
“Who is it, Kim? I can tell you’re avoiding answering me. I know it’s someone here that did, someone that everyone knows.” Jimmy wasn’t going to leave Kim or her office until he got his answer.
“It’s Howard.” Kim answered, it was like tearing off a bandaid.
“What?!” Jimmy was shocked by Kim’s answer. But, it made sense to him why Kim was avoiding answering in the first place.
“Yeah, it was him who turned me.” Kim felt a sharp pain where her bite scars were, the memories of her getting bit started to come back. She rubbed the left side of her neck in hopes to make the pain go away.
Already convinced that the existence of vampires were real, Jimmy didn’t second guess or ask more questions about Howard being the one that bit and turned Kim into a vampire.
“Why did he turn you?” Jimmy asked softly.
“It’s because of a deal we made. You know how law school is freaking expensive right? Well… Howard brought up the deal that if the firm pays for my law school tuition, I’d have to work here right after and… get turned.”
“I see.” Jimmy stared down at the floor.
“I mean, it’s a good deal if you asked me.” Kim continued as she kept on working. “I get to go to law school, Howard gets his living blood fix and lets me survive by turning me!” Kim sounded awfully happy as she kept on explaining to Jimmy.
“You seem happy explaining this.” Jimmy pointed out.
“Well, I had to get used to it before seeing the silver lining of it.” Kim finally looked at Jimmy.
“I have to get going. It’s almost Halloween, I don’t want you or Howard to go crazy.” Jimmy jokingly said as he headed towards the door.
“I can make no such promises.” Kim teased.
Halloween finally arrived at the firm. It was the Friday before Halloween, the firm’s building had light decorations scattered around to keep the firm’s professionalism. Some of the employees felt the Halloween spirit, while others treated the day like it’s any other day of the week.
“You look pretty festive.” Kim examined the tie Jimmy had on.
“Thanks. It was very last minute.” Jimmy smiled. “I don’t see anything festive on you.”
“I debated on extending the fangs out.” Kim said.
“So why didn’t you? After all, it's a discreet Halloween look. It will look like you just got fake ones and stuck them on.”
“That’s nice Jimmy, trying to convince me to walk around with my fangs out.” Kim was amused. “But I don’t want to run the risk of running into Howard, and getting lectured as to why that is a bad idea.”
“Oh c’mon… it’s only me that knows about this. I am not running my mouth.” Jimmy said. “Anyways, speaking of Howard. I have to go drop off his mail. I’ll see ya.” He waved and left Kim’s little office.
It was a lie, Jimmy had nothing to give to Howard. It was a ploy, a cover so Kim nor anyone else in the firm would catch on Jimmy’s true intentions to see him. The elevator ride was quick, as he got off, Jimmy made a beeline straight towards Howard’s office. Jimmy knocked softly before heading in.
“I got your mail.” Jimmy called out.
“Come in.” Howard responded.
Jimmy opened the door to the vast office. Sure, Jimmy always gets near Howard’s office, but it wasn’t that common for Jimmy to actually enter. Usually when it comes to mail, Jimmy just drops it off in the mail collector and goes on with his day.
“Is the mail something special? Is that why you needed to come in?” Howard asked.
“Actually, no. There’s no mail.” Jimmy closed the door behind him, which made Howard raise a brow. “I have no mail to give to you.”
“So, why are you here?” Howard asked.
“I know what you did to Kim.” Jimmy said bluntly.
“What? Excuse me?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, howard. I expected the last person to be you to pull something like that.” Jimmy snapped. “I know what you did to her. She’s shown me the scars.”
It finally clicked in Howard’s mind. Kim told Jimmy both of their secrets.
“It seems like Kim finally found a person she can trust.” Amusement was in Howard’s voice. “Tell me, how did she tell you? Did she tell you everything? I wouldn’t doubt she didn’t.”
“Well, she told me in the cleaner’s supplies closet. I wasn’t convinced at first, but she showed me scars and fangs, so.” Jimmy said.
“I see.” Howard has an amused smile on his face.
“It’s just… Why Howard? Why Kim? Why her?” Jimmy asked.
“I mean, Kim told you why, right? To get through law school. They are expensive after all.” Howard answered.
“I know, she told me, but isn’t her working for your firm after she graduated as payback enough?” Jimmy got closer to Howard’s desk. “Why did it have to be Kim? Couldn’t it be someone else?” Jimmy asked.
“That is not your concern, Jimmy.” Howard’s eyes and tone darkened a bit. The questions Jimmy kept on asking was getting a bit on Howard’s nerves.
“Kim is my friend, it is my concern.” Jimmy stood his ground.
“I understand that. But Jimmy, look at it this way. You are like an outsider to the both of us. There are things you won’t understand.” Howard’s tone softened. “You gotta live with that.”
“Okay, I get that part. Now lemme ask you this, have you thought of turning others? Or at the very least just drinking their blood? Have you thought of turning my brother?” Jimmy kept on asking.
“How dare you ask that!” Howard hissed. “I would never, EVER, think of doing that to Chuck!” Howard stood up from his chair. It was the first time Jimmy saw Howard in that way.
“I’m sorry! I’m truly sorry! I was just wondering since he is my brother and your firm partner.” Jimmy apologized.
“I get it, Jimmy. But again, like I said before, it’s none of your concern as to who I bite and drink from or bite and turn.” Howard started to get closer towards Jimmy.
Jimmy huffed in defeat. He hated how Howard wouldn’t just give him a straight answer.
“Okay fine. I’ll stop asking more questions.” He raised up his hands. “I hope this doesn’t jeopardize anything.”
Howard couldn’t help but laugh. “No it doesn’t.” He then clasped his hand onto Jimmy’s right shoulder, pulling him closer. “But next time, when you have mail for me, especially important mail that needs to be handed to me directly, make sure you have it, okay?” Howard then flashed a smile, showing Jimmy his huge, almost an inch long, fangs.
Freak out by the sheer size, Jimmy nodded fast. “Yup. I totally got it.”
Howard patted Jimmy’s right shoulder. “Good. Now get back to work and enjoy your Halloween.”