Adam went into Jessy's room, she's not there. He continues looking for her in the kitchen area. He found Nana Aida, instead, busy cleaning the kitchen top.

"Nana, have you seen Jessy?"

"Probably in her garden," the older woman replied without taking her eyes off from what she's doing.

"Thanks-Nana," he exited the kitchen door, which leads to a pathway leading to Jess' garden of roses.

He found her busy watering her plants. Red roses were her all-time favorite flower. Adam also loves red roses, they have similar color with 'blood' his food, he smiled at Jessy who happens to glance at him.

"There you are...need some help?" he asked casually.

"Those roses over there...you can pull those small weeds that starting to grow on the surface of the roots." She directed him to the last rows of roses on her left side.

Adam performed the task she assigned him with. He was able to finish the task in just a few minutes. "Anything else-?"

"Thanks, Adam, am nearly finished." She continues watering the plants.

Adam rested under the shade of an oak tree near the garden. He can very well see Jessy's backside from where he was sitting. She was wearing denim shorts, exposing her long-well defined beautiful legs. She got her hair tied in a ponytail. Some dirt was smeared on her cheeks and forehead, he found it cute though.

She must have felt his intense stare on her back because she took a glance in his direction. "What are you looking at-?

"Am looking at your pretty roses, dear..." he replied, smirking.

After done watering her plants, she sat down beside Adam under the shade of the tree.

"How's your progress with the piece of paper I give you the last time?" he inquired.

"Am not making any progress at all," she said sadly. There was a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Take it easy, Jess. Don't pressure yourself too much," he told her.

She pouted. "But I want to be mentally and psychologically ready for it. I have this urgency to awaken my power early, I dunno why?" She was puzzled by her eagerness to harness her none existent powers yet and because of that, she felt stupid sometimes.

"I got you, Jess. If you have some free time, drop by at my room tonight. I will teach you some mental techniques. Maybe it can help awaken your inner power," he offered.

"Wow, that's great! Can't wait!" she exclaimed, suddenly feeling excited.

He loves it when her face broke into a radiant smile, it's contagious! He felt good himself as well.

It's a beautiful Saturday morning, the breeze was amazingly wonderful gently flowing around them...red roses were in full bloom in front of them, he got a beautiful companion to enjoy with. What more he can ask for? Simply a marvelous sight to behold! Adam closed his eyes and sealed this beautiful memory in his heart and soul forever.

A comfortable silence descended upon them. Creating a warm blanket enveloping them from all directions...

Jessy shuts her eyes as well, basking in the gentle wind caressing her skin. She and Adam were getting closer to each other as days passes by. It's a good turning point for them. She's beginning to see him in a whole new different light.

Then his right hand suddenly reached for hers, they were holding hands from that point onward. He continues his daydreaming and Jessy with hers.

A moment later.

Jessy was already wide awake, staring and examining his hands with all those ugly dark spots sprinkled on his skin. She rarely sees him without wearing an oversized shirt. He always wore large t-shirts and long pants, maybe he wants to hide those ugly dark spots. They looked like a tattoo, but those dark spots were not even pleasant to look at in the first place.

"You got such horrible looking dark spots all over your body, Adam. Who gives them to you? Who cursed you with this-? Please tell me," she pleaded.

Adam flinched upon hearing her scrutinizing the dark spots on his skin. But he let her continue examining those ugly spots, at least he got her lovely hands working magic on some parts of his body, he observed her face in private.

"Please, don't destroy our perfect lovely morning, Jess," he tried to stop her from exploring the dark side of his life.

"Why are you avoiding this topic every time I brought it up?" she can't understand that. She knew he doesn't want to talk about his curse openly with anyone. But she wants to help him find the cure of that curse, someday. She needed to know who gives him the curse.

"Why don't you let this topic drop, Jess? Just let it be," he started to get annoyed.

"Because I want to help you one day...Adam. I want to find that person who cursed you and make him take away the curse so that you won't suffer from it anymore. You don't deserve this!" she said indignantly.

Adam inhaled sharply.

"You can no longer find him in this lifetime, he was already dead a long time ago," he said with contempt, then waves of sadness began flooding his face.

Her hope was gone! Jessy felt very sad upon hearing the truth.

She was planning to find the culprit one day and make him pay dearly for it. She wants Adam to not suffer anymore. But all hope was lost now.

"Oh, I'm so sorry...Adam," she uttered the words earnestly. She knew her words were not enough to comfort him.

Adam retreated into silent mode again, trying to block her disappointments that hugely mirrored his own.

Still, she wants to know the story behind the curse. "Can you please tell me about it?"

He looked at her, hesitating...

"Come on," she persuaded him gently.

Adam closed his eyes. Trying to remember the story of the curse based on what her mother told him a long time ago. When the memories start appearing clearly in his mind, he finally decided to reveal it to Jessy.

"Long time ago, there was a war between my father and his rival vampire clan. Those clans were cruel-savage vampires who kill humans without mercy just for the insane joy of killing. They slaughter humans like animals and immersed in diabolic practices doing those horrible deeds. They don't follow rules other than their own. The battle continues for years until my father finally defeated their leader and killed their shaman as well. Before the shaman loses his breath, he chanted a horrible cursed on me. He told my father that I will suffer horrible skin conditions that have no cure and I will also die on the same day your power will be unlocked."

Jessy's mouth falls agape in total shocked, her eyes started to water with disbelief knowing that she can no longer help him and he has to die on the same day she will turn twenty.

That explains the reason why Adam was always moody and seemed to be always withdrawn, living a gloomy world on his own.

"In a nutshell, I will die on the same day you will turn twenty years old. That's a sad fact and nothing can change that," he said coldly.

"No! I won't accept that! Why would you die? Who's going to kill you?" she demanded. She felt a heavy sadness squeezing her heart. Her mind refused to accept what she just heard from him. She started sobbing...the sadness she felt for him was too much to bear.

"I won't allow you to die!" she keeps repeating the words like a mantra. Just thinking of him gone too soon and she will be left alone on her own, feels like a death sentence.

"There's nothing you can do about it, Jess. It's our destiny," he murmured trying to comfort her. He gathered her affectionately in his arms, allowing her to cry freely and comfortably.

"W-Who's going to kill you? How will you die?" she asked him again between sobs.

He doesn't want to answer the question, it will surely add a heavy burden on Jessy's already fragile heart. But since she already opened the Pandora's Box, there's no turning back...

"You will be the reason for my death...Jess," he said softly in an agonizing manner.

She gasped in shocked. "No! That can't be! Why would I kill you!?" she protested hysterically.

"Well... you have no choice in the first place. To awaken the full capacity of your power, I have to feed you my blood first. You won't be able to stop by then. You will bleed me to death. I will die on that day and that was already decided by the curse a long time ago. That's all there is to it, end of the story..."

"T-then we will die on the same day. We will die together," she whispered in a trembling voice.

The degree of finality in her voice alarmed Adam to the core.

"No Jess! You should live, my clans were waiting for the day that you will save them. You can finally find your parents and you will become the most powerful being in the whole world. You will have the world in your palm. Isn't that great?" he tried hard to inject enthusiasm in his voice but failed miserably. His voice was cracking...thinking of her bright future without him by her side was pure torture!

He always thought and dream that she belongs to him for eternity and they will grow old together. It's all just a dream and a beautiful fantasy...a make-believe world he foolishly continues to nurtures day after day.

"Please don't be silly," he continues pleading for her to see reasons and weight her options carefully.

She didn't utter a word, but she's still listening...

"Come to think of it. I will live forever in your blood, in your mind, and your heart. We are united. I will always be there for you on every journey that you take. I think it's better that way I can make great contributions to you. At least my pathetic life will have a good use after all. The curse will end the day I die. So, yeah am free at last. It's not as bad as you think, we just have to look at it from a different perspective," he said trying to convince her.

She maintained her silence while he keeps talking about the pros and the cons to her...she's not even interested in his explanation.

Afterward, she dried her tears with the hem of his t-shirt and disengage slowly from his embrace.

She stood up. "Am going into my room," she said with a shaky voice.

"You-okay now?" he asked her worriedly.

She nodded. "Yeah..."

"You can go in first, I will stay here for a while," he said.

He watched her enter the kitchen's room and disappeared behind it.

He knew she will continue crying in her room...

He needed to be strong for her, but she needs to be strong for herself as well. She will only have herself to depend on when he's gone.

It's kinda sad how this perfect day turns into mental and emotional torture for Jessy, he sighed. He's feeling tortured too, seeing her so heartbroken was tearing him apart into a million pieces. Now he knows, she deeply cares for him and she's even willing to die along with him, her beautiful heartfelt confession brought fresh tears to his eyes. What a very sad day, he told himself.