My past, my retched childhood, means nothing. Time means nothing to a vampire. It merely goes on forever, never ending, never stopping. However the history of my family is important to me. I AM the direct descendant to Count Dracul, the feared. This knowledge gave me the will and the power to rise to his greatness. It wasn't easy, but I strived for perfection. Unlike my retch of a father! He was content staying in one place doing the same things! And my mother, Dracul's daughter, went along with it. They were blind to the power! They never used it for their benefit! I DID! When the opportunity made itself known, I TOOK it. THAT is how a vampire should live! NOT like a mortal, being spoon fed tidbits, but to grab the whole for ones self!
I left the constraints of higharchy of home at the age of 14, my father chasing me as I fled into town to elude him. Successful, I kept running, never looking back for my future laid ahead of me; not behind me.
I started out in the streets and an elderly rich man saw me and brought me into his house. With my mind I had him write his will to me for he had no children to squander his wealth on. I waited another five years, slowly killing him, poisoning his food. The doctor said he died of old age and left it at that. Now in possession of everything of his at 19 years of age I was a strappingly hadsome young man who women fauned all over. And yet…I craved a special one.
It was then that a year later I found a gorgeous young man and took him in. the young man, Kelin had a younger brother, and to keep my new toy happy I let this boy stay with us. How I despised that young lad. He would break the valuables in the house with his rough housing. I put up with that boy for three long years before I could take no more. I made up my mind then to take the boy out one night and kill him. I could not wait for him to finally shut up nor for him to finally grow up. His ignorant brother infact was amused by this brat's behavior.
Once I returned home I found Kelin looking at me worridly as I entered the mansion.
"What is it, Kelin?" I asked perplexed.
"My brother! He's gone missing! Please, I need to find him! I know how he bothers you so, but please? He is my only family!"
Had I made a mistake? I would do anything to make Kelin happy. I then contemplated keeping him forever, disregarding his dismay. "Kelin? You do want to stay with me don't you?"
"Yes, yes! Of course!"
"Would you like to stay forever?"
"Forever is a long time, Herraldo. I will eventually die, as will you."
"I wont die. And I can make it so with you as well!"
"Impossible!"
"Not so, my dear Kelin. I have the means to make it possible! Now, will you stay with me forever?" I walked close to him and stood there, feeling his breath on me.
"I must find my brother, sir! I worry!"
I reluctantly agreed "Fine then. We will find him." As I turned my back to him to look at the front door he went to get his coat.
"I think I now where to look first, sir. He might be robbing the candy store!"
"Very well then." I slowly started for the door, yet got there before Kelin and opened it for him to rush out. I following slowly behind, closing and locking the door behind me.
"Herraldo! You can look at the docks! He likes to go there to find shells!"
"Aye." And so we departed. I went to those docks and I stood there gazing at the sea, never looked for anything. I was watching Kelin in my mind. After a half hour I started walking towards Kelin's location. He came running up to me gasping.
"Have you found any sign of him?!"
"I'm sorry. No."
"Eh…" he sighed in dismay. "How about…"
I interrupted him and said, "Why don't we turn in? we've looked. You must be tired."
"I'm sorry. You can. I want to continuing looking for him!"
I grabbed his shoulders and said, "Kelin!! What if whilest he ran away he was kidnapped?! You know as well as I that kidnapped children never return…"
"NO!!!" he pulled away. "I refuse to think like that yet! I WILL find him!! I WILL!!" and with that he ran away to look for his dead brother.
I know now that I should have gone after him and stopped him… that kidnaper I threatened him with…killed him that night…
I pained over his loss for a very very long time. I thought about what I should have done; should have said. It was all too late now. Why didn't I stop him? why did I let him die??!! It was my fault… I led him to that killer because of his brat brother. But I was so happy with Kelin that I wanted him the happiest. I thought to do that his brother had to come. And yet I paid for it. I grieved alone until one day ten years later I met a beautiful and highly intelegent young woman in a satan blue dress. Her hair smelled like cherry blossoms. Casually walking up to her I introduced myself. "Good evening, miss. My name is Herraldo Genkin." I said with a bow.
"Seline Felac. A pleasure to meet you sir."
"I assure you the pleasure is all mine."
She giggled. "You are quite the rascal, you are."
"I try, Miss Felac."
"did you just come in from riding afar?"
"No. I live locally."
"Sorry to say, sir, but seem as though you did."
Upset, I cocked an eyebrow at her and lowered my head to glare at her. It was then that she found other young men to talk to. I watched her as she walked away as if she hadn't just insulted me. it was then that I missed Kelin once more. I looked around the dance floor for such another young man but all that were there were ugly aristocrats. They'd get their in the end I growled in my mind. Snobs; every last one. Closed minded self absorbed brats. I left that party hungry but once I reached the door to leave I heard Seline talking and laughing with a group of gentlemen. I looked over my shoulder at them and heard them…laughing at me.
Angered beyond the point of redemption I marched right over and just as they noticed I was there I tore at them, spilling their blood with my bare hands. The patrons screamed and gaped, backing away. At last when the men were dead I whipped around to see Selin splattered with their blood. I reached and grabed her by the throat, lifting her into the air.
I growled with such hate and anger, "NEVER INSULT A VAMPIRE!!!" and I crushed her delicate neck in my hand, dropped her limp carcass and disappeared there in the middle of the room, content in mind and belly.
As I stormed back home I heard the clink clink clinking of a blacksmith hard at work this late at night. Curious I went to see what he was doing and met a handsome young man hard at work, sweating from the heat of the coals. I leaned up against the doorway and watched. Soon enough he was about to move on when he spotted me.
"Oh. Good evening Gov." He said in a beautiful English voice.
"Good evening. Pray tell, what you are doing up so late?"
"just catching up on work, gov. if I don't get these orders done on time I'm outta business."
"do you run this business all by yourself?"
"aye sir. That I do. My father recently passed away and this is my only source of income."
"how sad…"
the young man continued working as I walked in further, thinking.
"so gov, what are you doing up this late? Out for a late night stroll?" the young gentleman asked me.
"I was at a dance. It didn't suit me so I left early."
"Oh. I hope you didn't waste your money."
"Mm…yes. what is your name?"
"I an Herraldo Genkin"
"Stewart Gunland at your suervice."
"Stewart?!"
"yes. what of it?"
"Nothing. I rather like that name."
"oh! Thank you!" it was then that he tried to do too many things at once as well as manoovering heavy equipment that an accident was eminent. I dashed over to help him.
"why thank you. That could have turned out for the worst hadn't you been here! Say! Would you like to come work with me?"
"work?" I hadn't worked a day in my life! A refined young man such as I was never meant to work!
"aye! I'd pay you as well. This business does quite well as we serve the upper class!" he paused then looking at my puzzled expression. "you...Don't know a thing about blacksmithing, do ya? It's alright! I'll teach you! It'll be so nice to have some company for a change as well as an extra pair of hands!"
Stewart was so happy that I was there that I couldn't very well burst his bubble. It was so that starting that night he taught me what needed to be done and we became quite close friends, working during the coolness of the night.
It was a night some time five years later that I decided to make him like me. we were in the shop with little to do when I went up to him. "Stewart? I want to ask you something."
"aye?"
"we are good friends, aren't we?"
"aye! That we are! Why?"
"would you like for us to be together forever?"
"Herraldo, forever is a long time!"
"not when you have good company."
"eh…" he seemed unsure. "you're like that, are you? I never figured…" he said turning his back on me.
"Like what?"
"you like men."
"I like you as a friend."
He turned back to me, revealing his mixed emotions. "then what is this about being together forever?! You make it sound like you want to marry me!"
I didn't know what to say. All I could do was walk up to him to hug him, but he stepped back defensively. "What's wrong Stewart?"
"I am not the affectionate type to other men, Herraldo. I'm sorry…" he backed up and banged into an unsturdy beam. It collapsed and the platforem above caved in.
"STEWART!!!" I cried as I saw him disappear under tons of metal and timber. I was upon the mes in an instant digging him out when I found a crushed and bloody arm…
"Oh Stewart!" I cried. And I didn't stop crying for days. First Kelin then Stewart. I made up my mind then to stop playing with the humans and just make them invinsible like me. I didn't want to loose another. The first I lost because I was too casual, the second I lost because I was too hesitant. I would do this right the next time.
The hours, days, weeks passed slowly as I grieved after my beloved Stewart. I would go to his grave every night and shed my red tears upon his grave. 60 years passed and every night I went to that cemetery to give him a rose from the mansion's garden. And with all that time the pain seemed to fade, and the memory still stung. Seeing his fear as he was crushed. It would be those times that I would cry for him. I would wring my hands and see it in slow motion over and over as his shoulder hit the beam as he backed away looking at me. the bang of the beam on the floor and he looked up to see everything come down. He then turned his light brown eyes on me as he was hit and dragged down like a rag doll. My hand reached out to grab his outstreatched arm only we never made contact.
Tears streaming by this time a grave worker came up to me and laid a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, you alright?"
I turned to look at him, the darkeness concealing my red tears. "yes." I said weakily.
"my old man says you've been coming here since he was a boy… and that you haven't changed any. But he must be going daft in his age!"
"no it's true… I've been coming here all this time."
"why? I mean I know WHY but…"
"your confusion is understandable."
"why Don't you come inside with me, warm your bones and have a spot of tea, eh?"
"thank you." I don't know why I went with him but I did. And when we reached the lighted inside of the gravekeeper's office I realized that this man was quite the looker. "Have you any family?" I asked outright.
"No. hey, would I? I work with the dead!"
"Is that such a crime?"
"I don't think so." He said as he sat down. "but what of you? What do you do?"
I thought and I realized, "I'm one reason I give you business."
"oh you a killer or something?" he said with a smile as he joked with me.
"only to survive."
"survive? What on if I have to burry the bodies?"
"you ever notice any with a certain marking?"
"Marking?"
"two puncture marks. Specifically on the neck."
"well now that you've mentioned it…yeah! I have! An MO of yours?"
"yuou could say." As he spoke I saw how taken I was with him.
"so what's this about surviving offa killin?"
"at the way he said killing my heart was suddenly panged with sadness over Kelin's loss.
"what's wrong?" he asked me.
"you just reminded me of an old friend named Kelin."
"oh… Oh I see. Kelin, Killin, I get it. hey, I'm sorry."
"what is your name?"
"Monty."
"short for Montgumry?"
"hey! My Mother is the only one who can call me that!"
"I appologise. I did not know."
"it's ok. So what's with the stiff out there? It can't be some damsal. I read the tombstone."
"he was a close friend of mine."
"he died 60 years ago. You look no older than 30!"
"I'll show you why." As he agreed I was at his throat draining him of his thick, tasty blood. He wrapped his strong arms around me gasping in pleasure. The chair inadequate I bround him to his back on the floor by the fire place and after I drained him I withdrew to look at him in his cold sweat.
In a shakey voice he asked, "what's happening?"
"I'm going to make you eternal like me and you and I will be best friends until the end of time." With this, instinctively I slit my wrist and made him drink my blood.
The next night he awoke a vampire and I observed him from a seat in a dark corner siping on a glass filled with blood. The bottle on the table next to me. Monty got up slowly and looked around and finally spotted me. "What did you do to me?!"
"I made you eternal like me."
"Why?!"
"Why??!! Why you ask??! Cannot you just accept that I gave you a gift and be thankful?! You wil never die and you will never get sick, you will never age!"
he didn't know what to say so I continued. "I've been lonely… I miss my friends whom have passed on and I need to get out of my rut. I am doing this through you."
"why me of all people in this provence?!"
"because yu are the only one who is worthy of my attention whom I have encountered since Stewart out there…"
"you've been that unsuccessful in 60 years?!"
"taunt me not Monty! As your vampire father I am also your lord and master! Have some respect for the man who has made you immortal."
Monty looked at his hands as I poured a glass of blood for him. "here. You must be quite starved."
He took it at once and downed it, thirsty for more. I gave him the bottle and he polished it off. "I'm hungry. I want more."
"very well then. I do too. Let's go out to feed."
"out? But it's cold outside ths time of night!"
"eh. You are right. But when you're hungry enough you'll do what you need to. I will go out and fetch a good meal."
I returned as promised with an unconscious body and we feasted on her blood. Afterwards I laid a hand on my new companion's shoulder but he slapped it off and glared at me with something like contempt. I gave him an innocent, confused look and he turned away.
"Monty…"
"save it. I don't care to know you like that."
"are you so ungreatful for this gift I gave you?!"
he didn't answer. He just went outside for a while, tending to his duties as the graveyard keeper. I looked at the door for a long time, the fire casting lihts and shadows in the small room. I turned my head to look at that fire. Yellows, oranges, whites…was Monty to wild for me? I chased after him through the graveyard and found him on the far side leaving the grounds.
"Monty!!" I called out to him.
he stoped to look over his shoulder at me. his glare bore straight to my heart, shattering all hope. There was a long moment between us before I finally spoke. "Monty. Come home with me." I held an open hand out to him. my eyes asked him to take it and he betrayed his hate for me. "Monty…I…"
he turned back and started walking again. "Monty…. MONTY!!!" betrayed, I chased after his shadow, tears coming to my eyes. When at last I couldn't find him I stopped running and doubled over in sadness. Falling to my knees I turned face to the sky and cried his name. "MONTY!!! COME BACK!!!" the I rested my head in my hands and cried.
I was alone again… why me?! why was I meant to suffer so??!! The rain came down in big drenching bucketfuls upon my shoulders. The water ran down the locks of my hair and onto my pants. The sound of the rain as it cried mournfully with me comforted me somewhat and I got to my feet and headed back to the cabin wherein I took my coat and wine glasses and bottle. Before leaving I realized the fire was still going. I turned to look at it and saw the blaze in Monty's eyes. I blinked slowly and with a wave on my hand the flame was out and I was out the door on my way back home to the mansion in the pouring rain.
On my long, slow walk I realized I had to get away from here. I would travel a long distance and settle in a new, strange place where everything didn't remind me of my dead loves. I made preparations, gave the mansion to a deserving poor family. I took one last look around at the red velvet and felt myself sadden so. I was leaving what was my home for 84 years. I turned away before the tears came to see the happy family in rags at the doorway. They thanked me and told me how greatful they were but I didn't care. I needed to be rid of these memories. I pushed past them and started walking across the lawn when I stopped. I looked down at the lawn and thought of Kelin and bent down to grab a handful of the lawn and stuffed it into a bag and tagged it with a label. I then knew that there were two others I needed to bid farewell to. I walked to the cemetery and for the last time walked up to Stewart's grave and got down to one knee.
"I'm so sorry my dearest friend… the memories of you are too much. I'm leaving here forever, but I will forever hold you dear to me and remember you."
With flashes of memory from the last time I saw him look at me I took a fistful of grassy dirt from his grave and labeled that as well. The roses that started gowing there were dead for the cold season and I got up and touched the tombstone before moving on to Monty's door. and got dirt from the worn path. I then walked back to the mansion for the last time and got into the carriage that took me away from there forever.
I traveled for two weeks by that carriage until I was well tired of traveling and we stopped in the nearest town where I bought a wonderful smaller place than that mansion, the old woman who owned it, dead. I took one step inside and inhailed deepy to sense the death and decay and dust and loved it. here, I unloaded the carriage and paid the driver handsomely with some of the money I took from the mansion. As the driver drove to the hotel I was about to bring my cases inside when people came up to the houses gates. They looked at me, smiling.
"what is it you want?" I asked, clearly tired from my trip.
"sir," the mother of the family started. "it will be good to see lihts on in this old place again. We want to welcome you to the neighborhood."
Her little girl asked, "do you have a beautiful wife and little kids I can play with?"
I staired at them for quite a time, the look on my face stern, my brows furrowed slightly. But the feeling in my heart was dismay. They thought I'd have a family… I almost did…many times.
"no." I finally said, slowly. "No. I am not married and I have no children. I have no family whatsoever."
Their mother gaped, "how sad. A young man as youself with no one? Why Don't you come and have someone with us?"
"what of your husband?"
"I….I am a widdow…"
"I'm sorry, but I must get these inside before sunrise. I am quite tired already." I started gathering my trunks when the young woman opened the gate and stepped inside my property.
"may we be of some assistance, sir?"
"these are way too heavy and emcombersome for you, ma'am. I will do this myself."
She walked up to me as my arms were full and we looked into each other's eyes. I hadn't the time for this. Dawn would be soon. She reached up and brushed aside a lock of my hair that had falled into my face from my bow.
Quietly, she introduced herself, "my name is Telsa."
just as quietly I answered, "I am Herraldo."
We looked at each other for some time before her children made the gate squeak. She introdeuced them from oldest to youngest. "these are my children, Robin, Hesus, Talia, Jay, and Margaret."
"a pleasure." I turned then to bring my trunks inside and when I came back they were still there right where they were when I left them. and there I was atop the stairs in front of the door on the porch. Why could I see me with them?! why didn they feel like they could be my wife and children?!
I walked down the steps and up to Telsa. We were so close that our ruffled clothing touched. My, she was beautiful, as were her children. I wanted them. all six of them. my heart yerned for such love so badly that these people seemed so right. "won't yu and your children join me inside?" a moment passed between us once more before she thanked me and her children joined her at her side.
I gathered up another trip of suitcases and headed inside, the family following behind. The third trip was al I needed to bring my belongings inside and I shut the front door behind me and set my burden down.
"Herraldo?" Telsa asked from the kitchen. I turned to her as she asked, "what would you like for brekfast?"
"I beg your pardon, but I am too tired for a meal. Am going to bed now. I wil awake at dusk as I always do. Until then you are welcome to come and go as you please. But no others but you and your children are allowed onto my prpperty. Understood?"
"yes sir. Thank yu sir. Sleep well Herraldo!"
I headed up to the bedroom that I claimed as my own and drew the curtains shut tight and locked my bedroom door, undressed for bed and climbed under the sheets. As soon as I sank into the matteress I sank into sleep.
Come the next evening I found Telsa kissing me. snapping my eyes open I propped myself up on my ebows and mumbled then took her shoulder in my hand to push her away slightly.
"Madam, what are you doing?"
"Herraldo, I haven't had a man since my husband died. I need a man. You are a man, aren't you?"
it was then that she noticed that I sleep in my utmost bareness and she smiled at me sneakily. It wa then I answered, "I, Miss Telsa, am all the man you can handle." And I grinned back.
I helped her unlace her clothes and her dress fell abou her ankles as she stood to climb on top of me and kiss me deeper than when she had woken me.
I need not go into detail, you can see where it went from there. But I will tel you that for the first time, for me, it was wonderful. I never knew that such pleasures until then. As we laid there resting afterwards I felt as though that this was the adult life I never had. It was then that I leaned over her seductively and as I held her close, her arms wrapping around me neck I sank my fangs into her delicate flesh and drank her blood. Her gasps were of pleasure and her weakening grip slipped through my hair and down my back. I bit into my own wrist and fed her my blood.
As she took my blood in feminine long sips I knew then that I was never ment to have the eternal company of a fellow man, but to have the love of a woman. I took my wrist away from her hungry lips and held her as her body died and her unlife began.
I fell in love with Arrmaduke the first time I laid eyes on him. I met him in a local tavern and was captivated by his charm and beauty. Those sea green eyes, his long red highlighted golden hair. I knew then I wanted him. I lusted to hold him close and run my fingers through his hair, to feel his face and neck with my lips, to run my hands along his muscular build.
With these thought I felt my eyeteeth prick my lower gums, tingling, my mouth salivating. Control yourself Herraldo. I rubbed my face with my hands, acting as if I were fatigued. I then turned and waited to make eye contact. It took a while, but finally he gave me a double take as I commanded him to follow shortly after I left.
I sipped the last on my brandy and left after paying for it. Awaiting in the nearby alley, I listened as my prey bid a goodnight's rest to his comrades and fellow soldiers, banned together and heading for the war, and left. Making sure no one was looking, I snatched him and dragged him into that alley.
"Who are you!? What do you want?!"
"My name Is Herraldo Genkin. And you are?"
"Arrmaduke Franchesquo Kcudagen. Why have to snatched me from the streets!?" he demanded. Ooh, a little spitfire this one was. He'd be fun toying with.
"Snatched you?" I used my power to press him with the nearby brick wall. He gave a grunt as a little air was knocked out with the force. I walked closer, enjoying the situation now that I had him where I wanted him. "Sir, it is you whom hath snatched me."
"What do you mean?!"
"My heart. You've snared my attention and my heart. Not many can do that,"
I saw him think about drawing his sword but I closed the gap between us so we were barely touching. I held him to the wall with my mind as so he couldn't go anywhere, and I instilled a thought of not screaming for help.
Alas, I could no long help myself, so I placed my hands upon his shoulders and leaned in close to absorb the aroma, which he wore nicely. In the shadows we were hiding in, I took him and drank his heavenly pure blood. After enough was taken, I carried him back to his barracks and laid him upon his spot and instilled the thought to go to the bar once he felt up to it and to meet a friend in that same alley.
So it was that the third night he came to me. I drank from him, trying not to take every last drop of that glorious lifeblood and brought him back to his barracks. They had stayed so long in town because most were drunk or sick. Winter had set in quickly that year and many of the men were underdressed for the weather. Gathering enough supplies was hard for them, as I understand it, because they all needed medical attention, clothing blankets, food. I was doing beautiful Arrmaduke a favor.
Four nights passed when he returned to the tavern, but that night I would take him to my dwelling and make him mine forever. We disappeared into the night, he never to see his comrades again. There we sat, by the fire. I watched Arrmaduke eat his fill of food I am unable to ingest and thought it a miracle that any being could, for I was born a vampire.
"Now, Arrmaduke, I want you to do something for me, now that I've fed you well,"
"Wh, what?"
"I want you to stay with me always."
"I…I have a war to fight,"
"No, not if you stay with me. if you stay with me, you will never be striving to be strong. I can make you strong."
"What's the catch?"
I got up and sat close to him. Arrmaduke leaned away, but I only sat closer. "If you stay with me always, I will give you never-ending love,"
He was about to say something when I plunged my fangs into his neck and held him close with ecstasy. I was caught in a whirlwind of his memories, his thoughts, his fears, his pure blood. I had never tasted so sweet and pure a blood in my lifetime. I wanted the moment to last forever. But forever is a long time and I wanted to have him forever, so before the last drop of his blood was taken, I withdrew and slit my neck with one of my own nails and picked up Arrmaduke's near lifeless body and brought him to his salvation. He drank deeply and I enjoyed the feeling of him near me. he reluctantly allowed our bonding go as I laid him on his back.
He writhed in pain and I comforted, "Arrmaduke, all will be well by the coming evening. Come, it's time for bed." I picked him up and carried him to the bedroom and laid him on the bed. He was in a cold sweat and was gasping for breath. I lay next to him and smoothed out his hair and said nurturing things. "Dawn is approaching. You remember dawn, how it looks, how it feels. No more will you ever see the golden sun rise. It will kill you." I went to tie the curtains closed and went back to Arrmaduke and readied myself for the day's sleep. "Just try and relax, Arrmaduke. I am right here for you."
I slept not as well as I would have liked. Arrmaduke was very restless with his changing. The evening following I stood at the window and gazed out when he awoke, my son. To know if the transformation was a success, he would know where I was right off.
"So…" he began, without looking at me, as I was not looking at him. He continued, "This is what it is like… being a vampire,"
"yes. But there is much more you can learn. The power is at our fingertips. All we must do is take it! And use it!" I paused a moment to let that soak in. "Hungry?"
"Yes I am…father,"
we smiled, and then I suggested, "Shall we go feed now?"
"Yes," Arrmaduke headed for the door.
"Oh Arrmaduke, still thinking like a mortal? Come! Out the window!"
"But we shall surely be killed!"
"A mortal would be killed. But we are already dead. Watch," I hurled myself out the window head first, flipped and landed silently on my feet. I then turned and invited him to do the same. He hadn't the confidence nor the experience, so merely leaped down. Only his heals clicked on the cobbles of the street. It was good for a beginner.
I led the race down the street deeper into town for our meal and stopped him as we approached a busy intersection. I guided him through the shadows till we got to an alley wherein was a street-rat, a homeless lad. I hypnotized him for my Arrmaduke and instructed him in how to feed off the boy. He did as I said and did very well for his first time. Arrmaduke had promise for the future.
Afterwards, as a reward for his excellent learning, I snatched a tart off the street and we three headed back to our lair, a fine furnished manor and together we nipped at her and drained her of her blood. Now, Arrmaduke and I smeared with patches of the woman's blood went for each other. Vampire love is so sweet and sinister. This was the moment I wanted with Arrmaduke since I saw him the first time. On the floor, I had laid him down, head propped against the dead body of the woman, and sneering in pleasure, baring our fangs in delight we stared into each other's eyes and immersed ourselves in thought alone. Deeper and deeper we gazed until he playfully broke our connection and nipped at my cheek and bound cat-like away, halfway across the room. I smiled and like a playing predator, I stalked Arrmaduke and we wrestled around until I, the stronger of the two, pinned him and bit him lovingly on his exposed shoulder. He reeled and gasped in bliss.
When I let go, Arrmaduke sank his eyeteeth into my neck and sipped my blood. I pulled away, disapprovingly, ripping my undead flesh, as Arrmaduke's fangs were a bit longer than mine, he being taller than I. I gripped at my wound, and growled deeply and slapped him, scratching his face with my nails. He held his hand to his cheek, where I cut him and looked at me shocked and hurt. I glared back, letting him see that I disapproved of his actions.
After he wandered off to another room, I healed my wound and set about the task in disposing of the body. Dawn neared when I finished and I retreated to the bedroom to sleep the day away when I saw Arrmaduke there, sitting on the bed. I knew he wanted to talk about what happened, to apologize; there was nothing to talk about; he screwed up and I let him know that. I threw him out. He would have to sleep on the couch that day.
The next night I left to feed without Arrmaduke and as I killed I contemplated the situation. I would wait till he said he was sorry, and even then, I might not forgive his carelessness. No. I would wait. I sat down on a rooftop, buried in the heart of the slums and waited for him to find me. if he didn't then there'd be hell to pay. But to my surprise, yes, there he was, finding himself a kill and feeding. I would not give away my position, only wait to see if he knew I was there.
At first he was about to leave but then stopped himself and turned around. It looked as if he was looking for a spy, hopefully me. it was then that he looked up and spotted me. we made eye contact and stared at each other for a long time before he moved. Arrmaduke jumped up to the rooftops and I whispered into his mind, "I am pleased you realized I was here."
He whispered back, "But you are still not pleased with me. I'm sorry for what happened. I'm still getting used to this."
"Your ignorance is a hindrance. Get rid of it."
He responded disheartened, "Yes, father. I will endeavor to do so,"
"Make sure that you do." I can recall other children of mine ending their own lives because of their ignorance and stupidity, something I was sick of seeing in the young.
I looked at Arrmaduke and regardless of his careless youth, I was still strongly attracted to him. I could not help myself but tackle him to the roof and smother him in my affections. Unexpectedly, he struggled against it and we started sliding off the aged roof, slowly at first but then dangerously faster. Arrmaduke, in getting away fell off and hit the cobbles below, while I held my ground on op of the ramshackle house. I looked down over the edge to see if he was all right. He wasn't moving. Then he achilly got up and glared up at me, snarling then hobbled away.
I followed him and he knew it. Angrily, he would tear at any passerbys and tore at the neck of one man to drink from him to help heal his wounds. I watched as he came upon a lovely young woman who heard the ruckus outside. He followed her as she backed inside her house having seen the monster Arrmaduke was.
I smiled happily as I heard him terrorize the household, furniture being thrown about, dishes broken, screams of the woman and her younger siblings. I laughed as Arrmaduke was finally behaving like a vampire. It was getting closer to sunrise before Arrmaduke left that house, the occupants silent, his clothes, hands and face splattered with blood.
I remember the night I met Kimberly. I walked up to her at a party; Arrmaduke came with me, for I do not trust him to be alone. She was talking with the gentlemen of the room and being ignored. I gave her a mind to converse with. A mind no mortal, that even the likes of her, could imagine. We enjoyed each others company, but I figured that there was more to her than she let on. crowds do that to people sometimes, I have found. She was hiding a big part of herself and I wanted to see it. So, out to the garden we went where we'd be alone. There she was quieter and more shy. I planted a thought in her mind to let me kiss her. She was tough to break through, but I did get a kiss. However it was not what I had planned. As she shied away I held her close so she couldn't get away whilst I grazed her shoulder up to her collarbone with my lips. At that moment we lunged at each other. Startled, we withdrew and realized that a vampire had hunted another vampire!
We cannot recognize each other as vampires if we are not of the same family or clan. I a wolf and she a snake; we had no idea we were what we were!
After a laugh there came a noise from the street side of the bushes. I silently got up and went to the area of the noise, thrust my hand through the dense foliage and pulled out a peasant! He had been listening in and found what Kimberly and I were vampires. Now terrified that he was found, before he could scream I clamps his mouth shut and drained him of his blood and dropped him where we were.
"What shall we do now?!" Kimberly demanded.
"A vampire got him. And we witnessed it and the beast fled, didn't we?"
"Yes!" she caught on to my plan.
"Scream. And act as such, as will I."
Kimberly let out such a heavenly screech that I wished I was there to hear her being drained and reborn. The patrons of the party came and saw terror in us as we hurriedly told them that we witnessed a vampire snacking on the dead man. In all the commotion, as people scrambled up to see and others to cleanse the dead of devils, Kimberly and I snuck back inside. Upon heading for the front door, I saw Arrmaduke with a woman.
How dare he. He is MINE! He is SO selfish and cannot get his mind off of women. Not his mortal match, not that bitch he called a daughter and now THIS ugly creature! Arrmaduke was too fine a young man for the likes of mere cattle!! And yet he goes after them as if he were on a treasure hunt, the bastard!
I snatched him up, but he did not wish to go. He lacked the intelligence to see the haste needed for this escape!! Such a child, blind by his greed for fun and desire! I appeased his mind that I would tell that selfish boy later and he came, yet reluctantly still! I merely tugged harder, not wanting to draw attention to ourselves. What an idiot!
When we returned to our manor I let him know my disapproval of his lack of common sense. But this time he fought back. I...I hadn't known that someone ELSE was teaching him how to use his powers! I felt SO betrayed! So thrown away like garbage that my OWN son had sought out knowledge from other than his beloved father! And then the selfishness he had that he used what he knew against me! me, the one whom rebore him back from the dead! I SAVED the lad when he was mortal, saved him from the war, and THIS is my repayment!!??
He held me to the wall and I knew that he'd grown up without me. he had found his feet, though time was so little that we spent together! If ONLY we had more time, I could have taught him what he NEEDED to know! We could have bonded instead of merely being occupants of the same house! But even though his mind was young, his powers would help him carry on. reluctantly, I let him free. I told him he could go and that bastard ripped my neck open with his claws! As I gripped at my wound, he left only to return moments later to lead the villagers to Kimberly and me.
MY SON BETRAYED ME!! He let death step through our doorway to take me and my beloved!! How could I not see!!?? Arrmaduke that ruthless bastard wanted me to go to hell for all I did for him!!! I fed him I gave him reason to BE! I took care of him and I comforted him!
I quickly healed my wound and killed every last villager that barged in, with my Kimberly. She was so beautiful all covered in their blood. Arrmaduke would've, I thought. But no more must I think of him. He left my life mercilessly. Not so easily done. I now know what Arrmaduke felt about his women. A great sense of loss, even though what happened happened. Every day I though about him for years and years.
During that time I met a woman worthy of preserving for all time, Bianca. She had not much of a mind, but she certainly had the looks. I could possibly earn some respect if she went into future business as a movie star or a model or actress. Now the three of us moved all around Europe, escaping torment and persecution.
The last time I saw Arrmaduke was the fall of 1544. to my surprise, I read of him in the paper in 1732! I was ecstatic, however as I read on I realized that he was leading a holy war, if you will. He was battling for the rights of vampire kind. Something must have brought him to the breaking point for him to go public like that. But I was so excited that then and there I packed up my family and left to find Arrmaduke. 1736, Grenage, England we arrived in the early evening and headed to the local tavern where soldiers bought their brew and the tender directed them to the battlefield.
I instructed Bianca and Kimberly to keep out of sight and I went in with a jumpy reaction from all. Arramduke had done well in installing fear in their hearts. I tried my best npt to smile with pride that my son had done that to them. I walked to the bar and asked the man, "Where's the raging war?"
"Ach! In the fields! His lair is that dark forest! No man comes out alive!"
"Well I won't have to worry,"
"You especially! Here," he handed me a gun.
"I wont be needing that,"
"You still use those old braod swords?!"
"I don't need a weapon. But tell me, where is the forest where he lives?"
"Committing cuiside ya are…"
a soldier came up to me to tell me, "We're heading out there now. We can shpw you. You want to join the fight against?"
"No. I'm just curious and…so I know where to stay away from."
"Alright then. Let's be off."
We went through the forest without harm and reached the battlefield to see celebration. The smell of carnage and torches filled the air. Bodies were being carted off and piles of ashes dotted the landscape. I knew right then and there that vampires died in the fight. In the center of this grand field was a pyre where drinking and singing and dancing was being held. One man was the talk of the crowd. I listened closely and I heard them cheer, "Monster Slayer!"
I backed and tracked my senses to one spot where there was a wooden stake in the ground. I desperately got down to my knees and started to move away freshly stirred, tredded earth and beneath I found my presious Arrmaduke…the stake held him down. It was a sword that went through the poor dear's heart…yet dead he was…drained. I started crying and I couldn't stop. The crowd went back to their homes for a needed rest and I and Kimberly and Bianca stayed to mourn Arrmaduke and his worthy cause. The girls didn't shed a tear, but I had loved Arrmaduke since I met him and I never stopped loving him. Now he was gone forever. There is no path out of hell. Once again my own child died! When will my torment recede!!?? When can I finally keep one, at least one alive with me for all eternity??!!
Dawn neared and the girls tore me from my love. Bianca held me back as Kimberly covered Arrmaduke for all eternity. "Herraldo, he's gone. There's no sense in sacrificing your life for the dead." And with that they dragged me and my sorry state to our mannor. I stayed sad for many years, many things reminding me of my beloved Arrmaduke. My beloved…
Word of Brant reached my ears when we moved back to France, some years later, and I knew he was doing his job harassing mortals. But I htought why couln't have been him that died instead of my dearest Arrmaduke??!! I hated him and wished to end his life to somehow make things better. Kimberly says that I felt guilty about letting Arrmaduke leave. She's right. I am…
My life went on and on with the same old same old. I tried my best to hold my sanity together by practicing arts. I had to keep reminding myself that a vampire is forever until he looses control. And I must remain in control. It was then that my mind skipped to my father…a man whom I haven't thought about for 1,500 years. I think back and see his face in my mind's eye; long, straight black hair, cold blue eyes. I look nothing like him. He was my birth father and I look like my mother, not a bit like my father. I wondered how he was, he and my mother. I didn't live with them long; I couldn't stand being with them. I was young and foolish and had left home at 14 years of age. I now know the value of family at a ripe age of…1,002 years old.
I sighed and thought about everything that ever went on in my life. I wanted to die. I wanted to end this long suffering. Bianca and Kimberly took my to bed to try and cheer me up. Their games kept my mind at bay and whenever they thought I was getting nito that mood they would entertain me in various ways.
Time dragged on and we stayed out of the way of the persecution on mortals upon mortals; vampires no longer believed in. slayers disappeared from the face of the planet as well as any fear of vampires. In the middle and late 1900's America was onto a movie monster madness and stories of vampires and wherewolves fascinated them. Teenagers fashioned their lives to the dark ways and vampirism was accepted, at last. I only had to wait 1,768 years but finally the vampire's dream was a reality. It was now that Kimberly, Bianca and I would travel to America for the first time. However, our trip was interrupted when we discovered that both were expecting. My birth children; it was an unexpected surprise. We waited till their birth, Kimerly's son first, Amberdrake, followed by Bianca's son, Bertram; and then we went to America via boat.
It was a long harsh journey, the women trying to keep the children silent as I prayed on the non essential victims on the ship to drink and then bring back for them to finnish. We rationed the mortals well, until my women went mad with hunger and killed many victims to feed off of in broad sight. After they finally snapped to their senses I reprimanded them and told them that now we needed to kil everone else on the sip to keep from being killed ourselves!! It was done and we bloated ourselves on their blood and then it was my job to get the ship to America and we were no more than half way across the ocean!
In my age, I have grown tolerant to the rays of the sun, but if I had the choice I would rather avoid them all together. Weeks passed and we all grew hungry and started feeding off the livestock in the cargo hold, giving a full meal to the infants so they could grow strong; us adults could handle the hunger, but not as well as I thought we could.
I ended up beaching the ship and after opening the hole in the hull larger, I drove the pony and the cart we fascined to it out onto the beach and into the American forest. On our journey, wandering aimlessly, starving and too weak to hunt we wondered where America was, the exploded population was well avoided, for our style was quite odd for this odd land.
Just when I thought we were done, I felt the comforting presence of another undead as he discharged his power in battle. I located the direction he was in and headed back to camp where I found our horse almost too weak to walk.
"Kimberly!! Are you mad woman??!! We need this beast of burden to get around!! I don't mind if you take what is needed for the boys, but leave the damned thing be!!" he mouthed off at me, but too weak to even give a lecture, my anger quickly faded and I drove my family to supposed safety.
On our slow travel there I telepathicly reached out to talk to anyone whom might be listening. I was quite confused when we reached the city, but found nothing but the landscape left untouched by man. That's when I figured they were hiding; either they were underground or the city was cloaked in transparency. We stayed where we were until a man emerged from a hole in the air. He was a young man in his twenties with a typical American haircut. I introduced my family and asked if we may be fed. How typical that in our sorry state, he accepted and led us inside the hidden city.
He took us to a hospital where we were fed and cleaned up. I went in search of our savior so I could rip him apart for fun when I found the source of the energy discharge…Arrmaduke… And that man was sitting next to him. No one in the crouded room knew I was in there, just beyond the doors when I heard the man, Leon Kennedy, speak to my drained Arramduke, "Get better soon, my son. I love you."
Enraged I tore Leon away from my beloved. MY son!! Not his! MINE!!! I threw him to the wall, hoping to kill him and I leaned over my lost son and saw he was still with us. Emediately, I gave him some of my own blood. As the amount was balanced between us, my life drained and his gained. It was then that I took my beloved to feed with me. It was just like the old days and as I went to cover his face in kisses he pulled away, disgusted. "Arramduke, my son…my beloved. What ever is the matter?"
"Herraldo, you must understand that this is my life now. Leon is my father-in-law for I have married his daughter."
"Vampires do NOT marry!! You STILL think like a mortal??!!"
"You ALWAYS had a problem with that!!"
"It is not our way!!"
"NO!! It is not YOUR way, but it is MINE!!"
"You insolent Brat! I will teach you…"
We attacked each other and he was stronger than I anticipated.