A loud pounding rain bombarded southern London, and outside a local tavern the city seemed
dark and gloomy. Drunks stumbled out onto the curb on the way to a bed, maybe indoors,
maybe a hole in the ground.
The cobblestone road had seen many such rains, and was sleek and shiny with water, little
streams ran through the cracks between each brick. Following the rainwater's path one would
come to an alleyway, not more than a shoulderwidth wide it was dark, and very wet. The
perfect place for criminals to lurk.
That is why Ian didn't walk that way, dark places in the big town's scared him, he'd heard
stories of woman being raped, and men being robbed, he'd had a hard enough week as it was,
with the rain flooding his crops and all.
This year the spring rains had still not relented even though it was late june. When would
they stop? no one knew, but it had become a fact of life that in london if you want sun,
you may have to wait a little while, if it's not raining it's snowing, or cloudy, very
rarely did they get a bright sun filled day.
Tonight was not one of those nights, and as Ian walked through the town, he was alone. No
candles were lit. The town was asleep.
'I spent too much time in the bloody tavern! Only criminals are awake at this hour!' Ian
thought to himself. Even as the rain pounded on his face he knew he was sweating, he was
sooo scared that the next step would be right into the waiting arms of a thief and his
mates.
'Just keep walking, there's nothing there!' Ian tried to convince himself of this more and
more, but the more deep shadow confronted him, the more unsteady and nervous he felt. It
was as if someone were watching him, for whatever reason, but he couldn't see them.
'A footstep in the rain? No, just my imagination.'
But then out of the darkness behind him came a dark, steel voice, almost like the rasp of
a dying man, except the man had no heart, no love in the tone in which he used, "I can hear
your heart." a wicked statement followed by a grin of mallace.
"Leave me be! I wish no trouble tonight!"
The voice was now in front of him, whatever it was it could move very fast, "Good, then this
will be easy!"
There wasn't time for a scream when the voice attacked. whatever it was leaped on Ian with
the viscousness of a wild rabid wolf, and tore into the soft flesh at the base of Ian's neck
, blood splattered with the impact of the bite. But the robed figure seemed to extract pure
ectasy out of the taste of the warm still pumping blood. The darkness crept around the pair
, and then all was dark. And quite. Ian had entered a realm of shadow that none return.
**********************************
"Did you sleep well?"
Ian looked around a shadowed room to see that the room was obviously occupied by someone
who was most likely an aristocrat. He looked and saw a youthful man staring at him, a bit
cat-like, with strange amusement.
The man gave a cold and emotionless smile. "Well, Ian?"
"You know my name, but I do not know yours," Ian said.
The man kept smiling, something twisted about it now. "I know. I prefer it that way."
"But..."
He rolled his eyes. "I am the vampire James."
"Vampire James? That's it? Aren't vampires supposerd to have more exotic names?" Ian said.
James snarled on his beautifully young face. "Shut up, I'm an aristocrat. How dare you talk
to me like that! YOu'll completely ruin the story."
"Story?" Ian said.
"Yes, my dear Ian. It is the story that is called life. Have you not heard of it? It's a
fascinating read. I highly recommend it." James said, giving the cold smile that had
nothing behind it once more. "Ian, I am going to give you the choice I never had. An
eternal life, or I can kill you now and be done with you. The decision is yours. Get out
of my sight before I change my mind and choose your fate for you. I will find you."
**********************************
A soft pattering on a glass window was the only sound that filled the room. The rain had
lessened a bit.
Opening his eyes, Ian rolled over onto his back and looked up at the ceiling. As much as
he wanted to pretend last night didn't happen, it did. As much as he wanted just to roll
over and go back to sleep, he couldn't.
The vampires bite was still fresh, it was sore to the touch, and rising he noticed how
weak he felt, how disoriented.
Oh! and the Headache! it felt as if a creature of evil bearings was trying to claw it's
way out of his skull. He took a step towards what looked to be a bathroom, but instead of
cooperating, his leg simply collapsed.
S**t! I guess I lost more blood than i thought! A simple action such as maintaining
balance is a task of severe strength and determination.
Drained of his strength Ian simply lay on the ground, in the crumpled heap he had fallen
into. His mouth felt so dry! and his stomach reminded him that it was time to eat with a
low rumble.
Looking around the room, he noticed several antiquities, large and small, even the
furniture was priceless, as it was intricately hand carved, and by taking a close look one
could know that the pieces were beyond age, from a time long ago, before such craftsmanship
was known.
How old was this vampire anyway? He said he was immortal. There's really no telling when
this.... creature was born.
After regaining some strength Ian crawled toward the bathroom, and although he had to rest
twice on the way, he finally managed to reach his destination. And resting again, he
latched onto the sink and pulled himself up to his knees, trying to look into the mirror
to see the bite on his neck.
Wow! where there should have been a huge gaping wound was merely two puncture holes, that
seemed to have started healing, as they had scabbed over. The entire surrounding area of
his neck was blue where the veins had collapsed from the suction of the bite. It simply
looked like a large bruise, felt like it too.
Dipping his hands in a basin of water, and reaching to drink a small portion, ian noticed
how pale he looked in the mirror. How ghostlike.
"It was as if I was looking at my own corpse!" Even as the words exited his lips, Ian new
something was changing, his voice was cold, almost steely like James' voice last night.
Was vampirism contagious?!?!
"I don't want to be a vampire!" Ian shouted as if saying the words would change anything.
A small part of him was happy however, the change he had longed for had finally come, no
longer would he be pushed around, no more would anyone take advantage on him, and never
again will he worry about his crops.
Oh, how good it felt to have those worries extinguished.
A new stage in his life seemed to begin as he stared into his reflection, his lifeless
eyes.
Ian took another sip of water, and another. No matter how much he drank, he was still
thirsty, still aching from within. Still weak.
"Yes, you have lost much but I believe the look in your eyes tells me that you are
to walk this new path." Frightened Ian spun around and nearly fell over again, in the door
to the bath room stood James again, but this time he held a glass of something dark, and
whatever it was, everything in him wanted it. It was as if he needed it to live.
"What is that?" as Ian spoke he slowly moved closer to the glass. Wanting it more and
more.
"This, as you will learn is what will preserve you and give you strength." Pausing, James
handed Ian the glass, and fealing the warmth of the liquid eminate from the glass through
his hand, and into the very essence of his being, He instantly forgot all reason and drank
the liquid. "This is blood from a woman down in the alley, she is unconcious, and all
yours if you'd like, otherwise i'll kill you here and now, and keep her to myself."
After drinking the glass, Ian would've done anything for more, and having some strength
returned, he stood, looked at James and simply said, "Take me to her, I MUST have more."
With a soft chuckle James gracefully lead Ian out of the room.
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