"Tell your brother to take out the trash."
The words cut through Bill like a knife, causing him to still, the soapy plate still in his hands. His father continued past him as if he wasn't even there, going into the bedroom/office that he kept. He normally stayed there every night, drinking scotch or bourbon or whiskey or whatever he could get his hands on, really. He used Bill's money, sometimes, when he was running low.
He waited until the door shut, not saying anything as he finally washed the plate and put it in the strainer. Thomas didn't live here anymore. He hadn't lived here in over a year, yet their father seemingly hadn't noticed. It was a testament to the neglectful natural of their last surviving kin, that he had never realized that Thomas was gone. Bill took a deep, shuddering breath as he took the trash out and went back in.
He missed his brother. It had been a year and two months since his older brother had disappeared, whisked away by vampires because Bill hadn't wanted to run. A year and two months he had been looking for his brother with virtually no clues. He knew he was in the city, though…his brother hadn't left him completely.
Except he had. No phone call, no note…he had never even come back to pick up his clothes. His brother might as well have been dead, and Bill would never have known the difference. He could very well be dead, despite the small rumors Bill had heard of him turning into a fledgling. A fledgling…that was a newly-turned vampire, he knew.
Three days ago, he had met someone else that could possibly help further his search. A vampire by the name of Emil Elwira, according to the business card he had stuffed in Bill's hand on his way out. He was…completely unlike any other vampire Bill had ever met. He acted like a human, he seemed to care about Bill and his search for his brother…he had even offered to keep an eye out for Thomas, should he run into him. That and the hundred dollars he had given Bill to get a cab home…that was the most generous person he had ever met, vampire or no.
Closing the door behind him, Bill gave a soft sigh of relief, sucking in the slightly cooler air. He didn't bother telling his father where he was going, as he doubted the old man would notice…he certainly hadn't noticed Thomas leaving, after all. A year later, and he still expected him to be there to take out the trash. Bill wasn't sure if it was the shock that had caused his father to go so far into denial, or if he had never noticed in the first place. It wouldn't be the first time he hadn't noticed something important…like when the rent was due, for instance.
A sharp, sudden longing for his brother ran through him, making him wish more than ever that Thomas was there. His older brother had always made sure the rent was paid. He made sure Bill got something to eat every night and they had running water and electric. He had always been there for his brother…and now he wasn't. Bill wanted to know why.
Was it because he was a vampire? Things didn't have to change because of that, apart from his brother's schedule. So what if he had to drink blood and couldn't go out in the daytime? Less money they would have to spend for food, Bill thought, his shoulders hunching as he walked. Was he afraid that he would lose control and bite Bill? Accidents happened…it wasn't worth losing his brother completely over. He just didn't understand why.
He had walked quite a few blocks when it occurred to him that he should really call Emil. It had been three days, after all, which was enough time for Bill to heal up enough to feed him again. Not that he wanted to call him up to feed him, of course, but if he had any information, a little blood was a small price to pay for it. If he waited much longer, he would run into the issue where Emil simply might not remember him. Then again, he might not remember him now, either.
The thought hurt, but he knew that it was likely. He was a vampire, after all, and no matter what he said, Bill refused to think of himself as more than a meal for Emil. That's all he was to any vampire, really…he doubted one night of conversation could change that. Emil was just really nice to his meals, was all. Bill could understand that.
He pulled out the business card from its place in his wallet, reading the font once again before pulling out his phone and dialing. What was he doing? Even though it had been three days, he just couldn't let it go, could he? The hug, the way Emil had held him close as he fed, not taking any liberties with his body in a time of low inhibitions…he was a decent person, it seemed. But decent people had their limits. Bill was probably no more than a charity case to the vampire, if that.
But he had to find Thomas. He needed his brother, and he would be remiss if he didn't follow up on the closest thing to a clue he had. If Emil didn't remember him…that was just as well. But for Thomas's sake, he had to at least try.
He held the phone to his ear, waiting for the other vampire to pick up. It was early in the vampire world, the clock barely having struck the ninth hour in the evening. But it was dark out, and that was all that really mattered, right? He hoped he didn't wake Emil up. He had a feeling that if he did, coffee simply wouldn't do the trick.