A/N: Sorry for not posting a chapter yesterday, we were celebrating my mother's birthday, so I couldn't find time to write anything
And also...
Merry Christmas everyone!
[Blood Diary Entry]
His eyes were lazy and droopy, but deep inside, they carried intelligence and wisdom that betrayed all first impressions. His beard, yellow like the color of dry straw, was a jumbled and chaotic mess I couldn't make sense of—I had no idea where a strand began and where it ended, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if there was a cuckoo nested inside it. His hair, caked in so much hair gel that it turned glossy at the slightest hint of illumination, was styled like a dandelion, meaning it was spiky and dispersed.
And his clothes didn't fall behind his unique appearance.
They were all in dark brown tones, but they were a mess of different pieces, shirts, jackets, pants, skirts, you name it, there was a piece of it lost somewhere in there.
He had a confused frown and was biting his thumbnail frantically, while murmuring incomprehensible thoughts that even I couldn't follow.
I looked at Rebekah incredulously.
'Is this your acquaintance? The capable druid you wanted us to meet?' I mouthed my words to her without making any sound.
Beside me, my mother nodded, agreeing with me.
However wise and intelligent this man may be… Everything about him screamed madness. And not the amusing, interesting sort.
Rebekah mouthed back. 'Trust me on this.'
I shrugged my shoulders. 'Your funeral.'
She scoffed and approached the counter.
As we entered the shop, I smelt the characteristically sweet and bitter smell of chocolate, but there were also tons of other smells I didn't recognize. It all smelt wrong when mixed together. My nose wrinkled a bit.
The druid finally noticed us and turned his attention towards our group.
He smiled, as if welcoming his best friends.
"Rebekah, what a surprise! Elijah told me you were sleeping with the fishies…" He tilted his head. "I don't think you managed to find Atlantis, did you?" He asked with a hopeful tone.
Rebekah sighed and spoke up with a tired but reminiscent tone. "No, Nico, I did not find Atlantis, because I wasn't sleeping with the 'fishies', as you said. My asshole of a brother just trapped me inside a coffin, is all."
"Language, missy!" He scolded but immediately deflated. "Hah, what a pity, I would pay your weight in chocolates if you did find it…"
Rebekah shivered for a second. "I'll refuse the chocolates, thank you very much." She spoke with such conviction that it surprised my mother and me.
Did Rebekah dislike chocolate by any chance? And what kind of druid was named 'Nico'?
"Anyhow… if you don't want chocolates, what brings you here, Rebekah?" He asked dejectedly.
"I would appreciate a few supplies." She answered.
Nico's ears perked up, and his eyes shone. "Supplies?" He asked with enthusiasm. "Like chocolates?"
Rebekah massaged her temple. "No, no chocolates! I want mountain ash, repellants, warding charms, and deadman's blood."
His face went from puppy dog excited to stone cold in a split second. "How boring…"
"What's deadman's blood?" I asked.
For the first time, his attention turned towards me. His eyes scanned me from head to toe. His eyes turned glazed, and he looked between Rebekah and me several times.
"Hmm… Your souls are in harmony. That usually means disaster… Or marriage. Hard to tell." He said as he tapped his own chin.
Mine, my mother's, and Rebekah's faces hardened at what he said.
"Wh-" But before I could ask what he meant, he unceremoniously interrupted me.
"Do you like almonds?" He asked.
The sudden question caught me off guard, and I couldn't help but answer him. "Uhm, as much as the next guy… I guess." Confusion seeps from my voice.
"Who is this next guy you speak of?" He asked.
"It's a figure of speech," I answered.
"Odd figure of speech, young man… Anyhow, do you want chocolate?" He asked again, holding out a bar wrapped in a golden foil.
Before I could choose to accept or deny, Rebekah moved in front of me. "Don't accept it, Darian!" She almost screamed in panic and alertness.
"Huh? Why?" I couldn't keep up with everything that was happening.
"He spikes his products with weird things," Rebekah said.
"Weird things? Why you… You're defaming my art!" He defended himself.
Rebekah's expression turned deadpan. "Really? So, what's in that bar?"
He raised his eyebrow in confusion and defiance. "Naturally, it has cocoa, milk, sugar…"
'That's not so bad…'
"…and a wendigo's spleen."
'Forget what I said…'
Rebekah's lips thinned into a straight line out of sheer frustration. "Why? Why would you put that in a chocolate?"
Nico's expression turned dumbfounded, amazed that he had to explain such a simple concept. "Because it makes you hungry, so it's great for the appetite."
Mother almost retched behind me.
I shot her a warning glare — if she hurled on me, I'd never let her live it down.
Her expression became a bit apologetic, and she made distance from me, while also keeping as far as possible from any of this store's products.
"Hah… Enough of this, Nico! Can you arrange the supplies for me?" Rebekah said tiredly.
Nico looked at her and ignored her request before turning back to me. "How awfully rude of me, I haven't introduced myself." His posture became more theatrical. "I am Nicodemus Abbrahams, producer of chocolates extraordinaire, an immense pleasure to make your acquaintance!"
I found his introduction and enthusiasm amusing, so I also introduced myself. "Darian Salvatore, and that," I pointed over my shoulder, "is my mother, Isolde Salvatore."
"Salvatore, you say? How peculiar…" he rubbed his chin between his index and thumb.
I raised an eyebrow. "You know my family?"
He looked at me, smiling kindly. "No. I haven't the least clue of who your family is." Then, as if a puzzle clicked together, he asked me another question. "Are they in the chocolatery business?"
My face went deadpan. "No… They're not."
"Then they are not important!" He said resolutely.
My mom and I were on the brink of being offended, but the two of us decided it wasn't worth it, and we kept silent, leaving Rebekah to deal with this colorful character.
"So, about my request…" Rebekah tried to get the conversation back on track.
Nico's face lost that playful madness that I was beginning to associate with him, acquiring a more serious expression. "I'm afraid I can't, Rebekah."
Rebekah frowned. "Huh, why not?"
"Because you have nothing of value to offer me, I'm afraid." He spoke.
"What do you mean? I have more than enough money."
He shook his head. "Money has little use to someone who is bound to die."
Rebekah turned a bit more solemn when she heard his response. "What are you talking about?"
He studied her for a couple of seconds before explaining his situation.