A Vampiress' Tale

A Vampiress’ Tale: Chapter 1: The Life I Had

I was once a mortal, the same as you. I lived, ate, slept, went to school, and had a boyfriend. But all that is past, I’m going to tell you a story, my story. Yes, it happened to me. I want you to read this as I tell it to you. Do not judge me, too many have already tried. Too many have failed.
My life was relatively simple, though I crouched behind a façade of complication. My life centered around my boyfriend, my best friend, and what I wrote. Writing helped ease the pain of day to day living, I was a manic depressive. I had been put on Prozac and I took the pills dutifully each day. Things never really seemed to get brighter for me. Little did I realize that those were the best days of my life.
My story starts with me typing at my computer, as I am now. I was just finishing the 22nd chapter of ‘Lestat’s Back and He’s After You…’. I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in the characterization of Giselle, who so very ‘plagued’ by problems. When I had typed out the last line, I plowed through the few messages that I’d gotten. There weren’t many, but it was comforting to think that I’d had fans. Most were the same, trivial two line notes asking when the next part would come out, or saying that I was so great. Funny how they never said how or why I was good at what I did.
Getting on with the story, the phone rang. It was my boyfriend, Karl. “What are you doing?”, he asked. “Just working away at Quizilla, I finished chapter 22.”, I replied proudly. “Awesome, you should come by tonight.”, he asked. “’Aight, I have to eat supper- I don’t know why me mam always makes supper so late.”, I answered. “Me mam?”, he mimicked, laughing into the phone. I smirked and said, “Shut up you.” This only made him laugh harder, which started me giggling. “I’ll be by soon, ok? Love you, bye.”, I concluded, blowing a kiss into the mouthpiece. Routinely, he did the same and I hung up.
Upstairs, I quickly engulfed my mother’s concoction of pasta, hamburger, cheese, vegetables, and spices. I rapidly downed a glass of pulpy lemonade. I got up abruptly, pushing my chair back into the china cabinet. It rattled, but didn’t fall. “Sorrry.”, I said meekly, before explaining where I’d be. I shouted out another hurried good-bye before donning my father’s trench coat and a black fleece scarf.
As soon as I opened the door, the wind whipped at my face, sending my scarf backwards. I straightened it and hurried down the snow-covered driveway. It wasn’t too dark yet and I liked the feel of the over-sized trench coat against my jeans. The scuffling sound of my shoes against the icy road was the only sound I heard as I ran through the streets, sniffing and coughing occasionally.
When I finally arrived at Karl’s doorstep, my ears and cheeks were bright pink with cold. I knocked once and Karl hurried to let me in. He stepped out and embraced me very closely. I nuzzled his shoulder and pressed my chilly lips to his nose for a quick peck. “What took you so long?”, he asked, speaking quickly. “I didn’t take longer than usual, did I?”, I asked. “No.”, he said, looking distracted. “Let’s get you inside.”, he continued. I obliged and followed him through the door.
His family was all seated in the living room, eyes staring vacantly at the television. “What’s up?”, I asked, breaking the dull silence. “There was a murder.”, said Sara, Karl’s older sister. “Really, where, who?”, I asked with interest. “In town, a few blocks away. Karl was really worried about you.”, his mother finished.

A Vampiress’ Tale: Chapter 2: The First Clues

“Y’all shouldn’t worry about me.”, I comforted. “I know, I just do.”, Karl explained. In response, I wrapped my arms around him and said into his ear, “I love you.” He smiled broadly and answered, “I love you too.” With that, the two of you went upstairs to his room. As you climbed the first steps, Sara called out, jokingly, “Use a condom!” We all laughed at this and I took Karl’s hand. He led me into his room and switched on a movie. “Your favorite.”, he hinted. “Interview With the Vampire?”, I guessed. He nodded and I hugged him quickly before plopping down on the bed.
We sat and watched the movie without talking very much. Partway through the night he leaned over to kiss me sweetly on the lips. I smiled and kissed him back. He slid in his tongue and we started making out. Pretty soon, he was starting to run his hands over my body, so I shifted away nervously. “Sorry.”, Karl apologized. “No, it’s okay- I’m just on mense and I don’t wanna do that tonight. Maybe later?”, I compromised. He grinned and wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug. I kissed his nose and said, “Meep.” He laughed at me, so I tickled his belly. He started to squirm around on the bed violently, so I stopped to give him a breather. Big mistake, he started tickling my stomach, chest, and knees. I let out a high-pitched giggle/cackle, which made him laugh.
By the time I had to go home, we’d hung out in his room the entire evening. As we went downstairs, I said loudly and sarcastically, “Well, that was very good hot, passionate sex that we just had. Eh, Karl?” Both Sara and Karl dissolved into fits of laughter, which made me laugh with them even more. “Come on, I’ll walk you home.”, said Karl. “I’ll be fine myself.”, I defended. “Yes, but the murder.”, he argued. “Right.”, I confirmed. Grudgingly, I got back into the trench coat and swung the scarf once more around my neck. Karl put his gloved hand around my waist and led me down the steps to the driveway.
The streetlights were going on and off occasionally, which scared me. Although I liked the powerful feeling I got in the night, I was still very much afraid of the dark. Ironic, because now the dark is all I have. Back to my story- Karl had just walked me home and was kissing me goodbye. “G’Bye, be careful walking home.”, I cautioned him. “I will. I love you very much, good night.”, he replied. With that he kissed my lips warmly and left my doorstep. I watched him leave before turning the doorknob to get inside. My father was waiting up for me as usual. “Hi father unit.”, I greeted indifferently. “Hello, how’s Karl?”, he asked, trying to make meek conversation. “He’s Karl-ish, I guess. Good night, love you.”, I said before going upstairs. He didn’t reply, so I hinted, “This would be your cue to say ‘I love you too’.” He smirked and said, “I love you.” To this day, I don’t know if that was sincere or just an effort to get me out of the way of the TV.
I went up to my room, feeling a bit sleepy. I quickly changed a brushed my teeth. In the bathroom, I looked into the mirror seeing my face once again in the mirror. I splashed water on my face and dried off on a towel. I left the bathroom and climbed into bed. Under the covers, I clutched at my teddy bear, aptly dubbed ‘White Bear’. I thought about my dear Karl and went to sleep with the memory of his sweet kiss in my mind.
That night I dreamed of school. I was at my locker, but it wouldn’t open. I walked over to another girl to get some help. Being one of the popular people, she laughed at me. I felt so helpless, so I jogged around looking for a crowbar, or someone else. The school was empty, so I returned to my locker. It was open, swinging eerily back and forth on its hinge. “So we meet.”, said someone behind me. I tried to turn, but was rudely awakened by the loud buzzing of my alarm clock. I shut it off and slumped back onto my bed, thinking over the dream. I closed my eyes for just a second it seemed, then fell asleep.

A Vampiress’ Tale: Chapter 3: School

When I woke up again, I saw the alarm clock’s flashing display. It read 10:18. “Shit!”, I swore loudly. I ran to the bathroom to quickly get ready. I brushed my teeth and dry-swallowed my medication in my hurry. After I’d thrown on some random clothes, I grabbed my bag and ran for school. In short, what happened there was unpleasant. I signed in at the office and was sent to student services to pick up my detention slip. When I trudged into my first class; I was jeered at by all the popular girls. I looked down at the ground not to face them and went about my day.
When detention-time rolled around, I journeyed to the designated room for my two-hours of boredom. My least favorite teacher, Mrs. Delta was sitting in the desk facing everyone. She was busy filing her nails and looked up only to do attendance. I spent two hours looking at the clock as the metal hands moved around its face. Outside, it got darker since winter was approaching. I felt depressed and miserable to be sitting there. In the pit of my stomach, I could tell that an emotional low was coming. I really hated being depressed, I just wanted to be like everybody else.
When I got out of detention, I switched my books at my locker and started home. On the way, I met Karl. “Hey baby, coming back from detention?”, he asked. “Maybe.”, I said quietly. “Are you okay?”, he asked, getting worried. “Yeah sure, I’m fine.”, I replied unconvincingly. He shrugged at me and ran off to meet some friends. “Bye.”, I whispered after him. He really doesn’t care about me, I thought. “That’s not true.”, said a voice inside my head. My body felt like I’d frozen solid. I couldn’t move.
“Why hello, little miss.”, said someone behind me. I didn’t turn to see who it was and just ran the rest of the way home. I never looked back and as soon as I was home, I slumped down into a chair, panting. My mother looked over at me and asked disdainfully, “What took you so long?” “Detention, I slept in.”, I quickly explained. “You’re staying in tonight.”, she ordered. I didn’t say anything and just went up to my room, feeling dejected and abandoned.
I skipped supper and just slept. The phone rang for me later, so I picked it up indifferently. It was Karl, “Whatever you do, don’t come for me. He’s got me. Just get as far away from town as you can.” “What?”, I asked, thoroughly confused. “He’s a vampire, he’s been hunting you and he’s using me as bait.”, Karl said quickly. Suddenly, a different voice emerged on the line, “Why hello, if you ever want to see Karl again- alive that is, I suggest you come to 72 Sargot Street. Don’t be late, I know you have a knack for that.” Then the line went dead.
I ran downstairs and grabbed my coat from the closet. My mother got up from her chair and said, “Where do you think you’re going, young lady?” “Out.”, I replied, slamming the door in her face.

A Vampiress’ Tale: Chapter 4: So It Begins

The moon was beginning to show in the sky with the stars all contesting for brilliance. I raced away to Sargot street to help Karl. Adrenaline was surging through me and my heart was hammering away in my chest. Panting, I started running, my footsteps landed hard on the snow-covered concrete. 72 Sargot Street was a large house atop a hill. It was enclosed by an old gate that was easily pushed aside. I hurtled my body up the cracked steps to the door. I pounded my fist into the wood and waited breathlessly. A moment later, the door was opened.
I stepped in quickly and yelled, “Where is he?” “Patience, love, you will see him soon enough. Now I should really introduce myself. I am Anthony, and I will be your host this evening.” He led me through the halls to a sitting room, where he pushed me down onto a sofa. “Where is he?”, I demanded angrily. He took little notice and sat down next to me. He touched his icy hand to my cheek and stroked, cutting with his nail. A trickle of blood ran down my cheek, startling me. “What?”, I asked, but was instantly quieted when he spoke. “I could finish you in one bite, you’re such a little thing. Just one quick drink, like a little cocktail. A pulsing, breathing, sweating, scared, little cocktail.”, he joked. “What do you want?” I demanded, not liking this talk. “What a bold little lady. Well I think I’ll tell you. I’ve seen your stories, you would make a worthy fledgling. If you agree to let me turn you, I will let you precious Karl go.”, he revealed.
“You can’t be serious! There are no real vampires, it’s just a fantasy, not real. You’re.. you’re a sick freak- that it.”, I sputtered. Oh, how I wish now that I had been right. Instead, he bared his fangs and his eyes flashed red. I backed away and fell to the ground. “Holy shit!”, I cried out. “Holy shit indeed.”, Anthony concurred. I recovered my nerve and ordered, “Take me to him.” “As you wish.”, he obliged, walking through the corridor into another room. He swung the door open; it creaked painfully on its hinge. Karl was sitting down in the room, his arms tied behind him. “Karl!”, I gasped. He nodded up at me lifelessly and whispered, “You came, I told you not to.” I shrugged this off and ran to his side. Anthony remained at the door, watching with mild interest.
“I don’t think there’s really time for this reunion. I’ll let your beloved Karl go; you will stay here.”, he said firmly. There was no warmth to his voice, only iron conviction. I began sobbing uncontrollably on the floor, feeling sorry for myself. While I was down, Karl was escorted out in a flash. I didn’t even get to say goodbye. When Anthony re-entered the room, he looked suave and calm about the whole ordeal. I got my first real chance to look him over- he was rather good looking with straight features and dark, curly hair pulled back into a ponytail. He was clean-shaven with steely grey eyes and a sordid expression.
“I suppose we should get to business.”, he said with a short laugh. My eyes widened and I tried to run away. He was too fast and caught up with me easily. Bring his fangs, he shoved me to the ground. “Tonight you will die, tonight I will resurrect you. I hope you don’t mind pain.”, he said as his fangs dug into my neck. I screamed and tried to fight him off, but to no avail. Once he had drained me, he lifted his head and bit into his wrist. “Drink.”, he commanded. “Never.”, I defied. “It’s what you always wanted. Don’t pretend otherwise.”, he whispered. He was right, I knew, I had always been attracted to the idea of being a vampire. But this wasn’t what I had imagined. “Drink.”, Anthony commanded again. “I’d rather die.”, I replied, my mouth thick with blood. I started to feel weak and the room swam around me. “Drink.”, he ordered again, but I passed out on the ground. I could feel blood coming from my throat and pooling over the floor. My mortal eyes closed as my body fell limp against Anthony.

A Vampiress’ Tale: Chapter 5: Four Beautiful Un-Dead

When I awoke, I was alone lying on a bed. I felt weak and groggy and my throat hurt where I had been bitten. Moaning, I tried to sit up, but found myself too weak to do so. I flopped back down onto the bed and closed my eyes. I was prisoner in the same room that Karl had been kept in. Looking around, I saw boxes of things that had not been there before. The window was shut and the curtains were tightly drawn. The hours drifted silently by as I fell in and out of feverish sleep.
The next time I woke up, Anthony was leaning over the bed. “What the hell are you doing here?’, I asked angrily. “I was waiting for you to wake up.”, he replied casually. “Well I’m up, what the fuck do you want?”, I demanded. “We’re leaving, get up.”, he said sternly, indirectly answering my question. He started carrying the boxes out of the room as I stumbled out of the bed. The first steps I took were wobbly and unsure. After time, I regained my footing and waited for Anthony to return. When he did, he hurried me out of the house into a waiting car.
“Why do we have to leave?”, I asked, softer. “Because your parents are looking for you. Do you remember a murder a few nights ago?”, he asked. I nodded and he continued, “I killed the murderer, they’ll be looking for me as soon as they find his body.” “You kill people?”, I asked, getting used to the idea. “I’m a vampire, I almost killed you didn’t I? But next time you will co-operate and drink. Perhaps I took too much this time.”, he mused aloud. I wasn’t really paying much attention to him. Instead I was deciding how I could best escape.
The minute we’d left the house, I made a break for it. However, Anthony caught me ahead of time and pushed me into his waiting car. “We’re going to another of my houses. You’ll meet my wives and my other fledgling.”, he informed, seeming unperturbed by my escape attempt. “Wives?”, I inquired. “Yes, I have four. Don’t be so shocked, it’s common for vampires. Everyone knows that the males are stronger and so, they dominate the females.”, he explained. I didn’t answer him back and just sat sullenly in the backseat. I crossed my arms against my stomach and curled my legs up to keep warm. If Anthony sensed my discomfort, he did nothing to amend it.
We drove through highways for a good five or six hours. Being night, I fell asleep against the seat. I awoke as soon as the car stopped, finding a blanket spread over my body. I looked quizzically at Anthony, and he explained, “The chattering of your teeth got quite annoying after a fashion.” I shrugged him off and sat up straighter as he opened the door for me to get out. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me into another house. This was larger than the last, having several wings and extensive grounds. Another door opened and four beautiful women ran out to greet Anthony. The first had jet-black hair and olive skin and brown eyes. She eyed me coldly and asked Anthony, “You didn’t bring home a new wife?” Anthony only laughed coldly and reassured, “She will be my next fledgling, you need not worry.”
One of the other women, this time having blond hair and green eyes said, “She is still a mortal, may I have her?” Anthony glared angrily at her and yelled, “No, she will be a fledgling, she is to meet Phaetis. If you drink from her, I myself will kill you!” All four women stepped back in fright and all but one hurried back inside. The one remaining had soft brown hair and blue eyes, she took my hand into her own cold fingers and said, warmly, “I am Diana, I’ll show you to a room. Don’t be scared, Anthony always treats fledglings well.” I smiled at her and let her show me to a bedroom. Anthony smiled at the two of us in approval and leaves to see to his wives.
“Don’t mind the other three, they’re always cruel, even to me. The one with black hair is Thalia- she’s very jealous and likes to think of herself as Anthony’s favorite. Helen, the blond, just likes to bloat herself on blood. She’s very greedy and likes rich clothes and jewels. Don’t trust her, she’ll stab you in the back…”, Diana trails off. “Why shouldn’t I trust her and who’s the other one- the red-head?”, I asked, curiously. “Oh, Wilma- she’s very quiet. Sometimes she’s nice to me. I don’t think she really likes being here, she wasn’t exactly thrilled when Anthony turned her. She tried to run once. Don’t worry about that. Tomorrow night, you’ll meet Phaetis.”, she finished without answering my question about Helen.

A Vampiress’ Tale: Chapter 6: Anita, the Annoying Maid

I went to sleep early that morning full of questions about my new life with Anthony as a mentor. The thought made me shudder. And the brides, the way Diana described the other three made them seem so… inhumane. But of course they weren’t human, I thought. “They once were.”, said Anthony, who was standing in a corner of my room. “I thought you would have gone to your coffin by now.”, I muttered in his direction. “I had to make sure you knew the rules. Firstly, you may wander the first floor of the house, the kitchen is open; secondly, you must not leave the house, the servants know you’re here and won’t hesitate to go after you; thirdly, you must not try to find me during the day. Do you understand?”, he asked. “Of course I do, now just leave me alone.”, I answered sullenly. “Quite the impudent specimen of human you are. Just remember- give me a reason, any at all, and I could drain you in a second. Remember that and sweet dreams.”, he said, laughing as he left the room.
I rolled over onto my other side and tried to get some sleep. I could only think of Karl, and with his memory came a foreboding sense of worry. Something bad was happening to him, I was sure. I spent the rest of the night lying awake uneasily. I didn’t really miss my family, but my best friend, Andrea, and Karl- they seemed so far away. I tried not to cry, knowing that tears wouldn’t help me now.
Frustrated, I got out of bed and left the room. I easily found the kitchen a few doors away. Two maids were sitting around a table eating breakfast. “Like to join us?”, asked one with a mouthful of food. “Sure, what else can I do?”, I replied rhetorically. The maid shrugged and I sat between the two of them. “I’m Anita.”, said the one that spoke. “That’s Joan, she don’t talk much.”, Anita continued, swallowing her food. “Want some pancakes, they’re fresh.”, she asked. I nodded quietly in response, still feeling weak from the blood I had lost earlier. Anita dished me up a stack of pancakes and smothered butter on the top. I ate them with little appetite while she blabbed on about the house, her job, her sister, and everything in her life.
“Well, you see I’ve been painting for years. My style’s abstract well more expressionist, or what d’ya call it- cubist? I’m not sure. I could show you sometime. My nephew, bless him, likes my cat painting. It’s around here…”, Anita babbled, but I interrupted her, “That’s very interesting, I’d love to see your paintings sometime. I’ve just got things to do.” “No you don’t, Master Anthony said I had to watch you all day. Make sure you don’t try to run away on him. He’s out on important business, that’s what he says. Very busy man, out every day, all day. Only comes home at night and locks himself up with his little ‘harem’. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him in day, how strange, you’d think at Christmas…”, she prattled on, so I took the opportunity to slip away.
I explored the first floor in its entirety. There were lavishly decorated rooms, all of which were old and decaying. The ballroom was strung with cobwebs and the windows were encased by grime. I wondered what cleaning the maids did. “So you’re Anthony’s new pet?”, asked a voice behind me. I spun around and slipped on the floor. Joan caught me and said, “I see you like to explore. You’ll get bored of this old place soon enough.” “So you’ve been here awhile, I guess. Anita doesn’t seem bored, is she new? And I thought you didn’t say much?”, I questioned. Joan smiled coyly and answered tactfully, “Well I don’t suppose Anita gives me much time to say anything, does she? She’s been here just as long as I, but with a mind like that I doubt she’d ever be bored.” I smiled back at her and asked, “What did you mean by Anthony’s pet?” Her expression suddenly went vacant. Her eyes appeared to glaze over as she stuttered out, “Forget.. I said that, if Master found out…”, she gulped in fear then continued, “I have to be going, you won’t tell him- will you?”
I shook my head and she took off running towards the kitchen. I didn’t follow her and made myself comfortable in the lounge. I nodded off on the couch and when I woke, it was almost dinner-time. My stomach grumbled with the pains of hunger. “Hush, now.”, I muttered to it, laughing at myself. I stumbled into the kitchen to see Anita sitting idly at the table with three plates around her. One was empty, hers was half-full, the other was untouched. “Joan’s already eaten, take yours.”, she cooed to me, using surprisingly few words for her. I obeyed and engulfed the warm mashed potatoes and hot chili. “It’s very good.”, I complimented. “S’not my work, Joan fixed super. She’s a mighty good cook, ain’t she? Now my mother was the best cook in all of West County. She could make a mean grape jelly, now when I say mean, I mean…”, Anita started. I acknowledged her by bobbing my head and got up as soon as I’d finished cleaning my plate. “I need to stretch my legs.”, I explained.
“But master said you mustn’t go out of doors. Besides, it’s dangerous at night. No, I’ll keep you company.”, Anita insisted. “That’s alright, I’ll be in the library.”, I decided then left as fast as I could. The second I’d left her sight, I jogged back to the front entrance. The door was barred shut and locked securely. “Damn you, Anthony!”, I swore loudly. “That’s not very nice.”, said a man coming up the hall. He had long, white-blonde hair and sunglasses. “Um, hi?”, I greeted with uncertainty. “Phaetis.”, he introduced, holding out his hand. I shook it as he looked me straight in the eye. I felt uncomfortable and scrutinized in his presence.

A Vampiress’ Tale: Chapter 7: Phaetis

“So I suppose you’ve met everybody else, and now myself. Let’s walk.”, Phaetis instructed. I followed at his heels like a puppy and listened closely to his words, “I see you haven’t been turned yet. I guess that’ll be tonight’s venture. I’m surprised Anthony isn’t more angry with you. When Wilma refused him, he threw quite the fit. She had it coming to her. So this is your third night under Anthony’s rule, is it? He was telling me about you last night. He seems to think you’re promising, I don’t see what’s so special.” “Why would he think that about me?”, I mused aloud. “I believe it has something to do with your nature, your personality, and maybe your writing. Go on, go write. There’s a computer with internet in my room. I’ll take you.”, he suggests. I wasn’t sure if I should trust him, but followed him to a room not far from my own.
“Here, but if you say anything online about us…”, he threatened. “I won’t.”, I promised, now knowing how I’d keep up my writing. “Anthony will want to see you soon. When it’s time, I’ll come get you.”, Phaetis closed. I sat down and began to type out some of Giselle’s extraordinary adventures. When I had finished the chapter, I sat back and poured through my messages. Many of them asked what was taking so long, and why I hadn’t written. I just gave them all half-ass ‘busy, lots of homework’ type responses and signed off when I was finished.
I didn’t have time to do much else, since Phaetis came to escort me to Anthony soon after. “It’s time, he’ll be turning you. This time, I suggest you co-operate.”, he says sternly. I shuddered and didn’t rise from the chair. He frowned at me and pulled me by my wrist. I started to fight and sob, but it didn’t get me anywhere. “Please, don’t make me…”, I begged. His expression softened and he pulled me into a hug. “Don’t worry, I’ll go with you. I’m sure Anthony will be gentle with you. He was with me, is that any comfort?”, he asked. I nodded slowly and wiped my eyes. He took my hand carefully and led me down to the living room. Anthony sat regally on a sofa and looked up when I entered. “Thank you Phaetis, you may leave now.”, he dismissed. “I promised I’d stay with her.”, he protested. “I say that she doesn’t need you, now be-gone fledgling.”, Anthony commanded. Phaetis gave my hand a squeeze and left me at Anthony’s mercy.
I sat down shakily across from Anthony, breathing heavily. He got up and looked me over with mild interest. “Don’t be so afraid, it’ll be over in a few minutes. Then you’ll live forever, think of it. Forever young and beautiful.”, he tried to convince me. “Forever lonely.”, I retorted. He looked angry for a moment, then regained his composure. “You could be one of my brides.”, he suggested. “I don’t think that Thalia would like that. I don’t want to be part of your disgusting harem.”, I argued. Anthony chuckled and said, “You’ve got fire, young one. But I can make you bend. I won’t make you my wife, but a fledgling. This time however, you will drink.” “What if I don’t?”, I asked in defiance. “Well I suppose Diana and Phaetis will pay the price for that choice then.”, Anthony threatened. My eyes widened in primal fear.
“You wouldn’t.”, I broke in. “I made them, I can kill them off.”, he replied smoothly. “Just do it.”, I said through gritted teeth. With those three words, he flung at my neck a second time. His fangs punched through the raw wound from before, re-opening the cut and letting my blood escape my veins. My body got lighter as I felt weaker. Anthony was sucking more viciously than before and my very bones were straining against his pull. When he let go of my throat, I let out a small cry of pain. He held his wrist to my lips. This time I hesitated only a moment, then drank obediently. Anthony murmured something incoherent, which sounded like background noise to me. Once he let me down to the ground, I fell into a long sleep.
To this day I don’t remember what I dreamed. The images were fantastical, the things one sees when one dies. They were as inconceivable as the farthest reaches of space and time. I didn’t wake for what seemed like thousands of years, but it was really only seconds. When my eyes re-opened, the world was a new place. All looked unfamiliar, yet strangely routine. I felt more powerful and more in control than I ever had been before in my life. Anthony spoke, choosing his words carefully, “Welcome, to the realm of the fallen immortals. You are… the most beautiful vampiress I’ve ever created.” He bent down and pressed his chilly lips to mine in a deep, fiery, numbing kiss. I could only sputter in protest at his advances.

A Vampiress’ Tale: Chapter 8: First Kill

I pushed Anthony away and crawled to the other end of the room. “What are you doing?”, I screamed at him. Joan came hurrying into the room and saw me in my bedraggled state. “Oh my god, he’s turned you too.”, was all she could say. “Get me out of here.”, I begged her. She only looked at me with pity and replied, “I can’t, I’m so sorry.” I sat heavily down in a recliner and debated what my next move should be. “Stay here, it’s not so bad. Diana and Phaetis would miss you if you left.”, Anthony suggested.
“I didn’t ask your opinion.”, I threw at him coldly. I felt so guilty, what had I done, why had I succumbed to this evil? “Because you were born to this.”, answered Anthony. “How the hell was I ‘born’ into this hell?”, I questioned angrily. “It’s simple, you can’t turn just anybody- that would be too easy. A fledgling requires a certain quality of character, a certain dark tinge to their personality. That’s why I chose you. And now, you must do as all the vampires before you have done. Tonight, we hunt.”, he explained. I was taken aback by the nature and boldness of his statement. “Hunt?”, I asked wearily. “Yes.”, he confirmed. “How often?”, I asked, already dreading the taking of human life. “You only need about one victim a week. Some can survive on one a month, others, like Helen, drink much more.”, he answered indifferently. “Let’s go.”, he instructed and pulled on my arm. I straightened my body and tried to squirm out of his grasp, but gave up when I felt his strength.
He piled me into the backseat of the car once again and we drove off down the highway. He stopped outside a tavern and pushed me through the door. “I can get in myself.”, I growled at him. “You weren’t moving fast enough, now pick your prey.”, he ordered. “I can’t possibly choose which one of them will die tonight!”, I gasped in astonishment. “It’s what you’re meant to do. Vampires kill, you are a vampire. Get over yourself.”, he retorted, seeming to get annoyed with me. “Fine, I’ll choose one in my own time. How do I…?”, I started to ask. “You’ll know when the time comes, feeding is instinct my dear.”, he concluded, then left my side to mill around the bar in search of young blood.
I sat down at the front and hunched over the counter. The bartender asked what I wanted, but I insisted I was fine. “Then why are you loitering here?”, he asked, getting annoyed. “I’m waiting for a friend, here he comes.”, I said, gesturing to a middle-aged man who’s just entered the bar. I got up from my seat and approached him. “Excuse me, I was wondering if you could show me the way to the uh… nearest payphone.”, I asked politely. “Sure thing miss, I’ll lead you right to it.”, he said and led me out of the bar. He walked over to a payphone, but I pulled him into the alley. “I was wondering if you wanted some… fun first, you know.”, I said suggestively, adding a wink. “I don’t think my wife would…”, he began, but I kisses his lips hard. “Uh..”, he stuttered pathetically. I smirked at his pitifulness and moved my lips to his neck. His pulse was beating inside his veins, driving me mad with temptation. An artery throbbed in his throat, demanding for me to sink my teeth in.
I gave into its sweet call and ravenously thrusted my canine teeth into his sweet neck. He screeched in pain and swore, “You bitch, you fucking bit me!” I could only laugh as I drank up his blood and left him to die. “Very good, I knew you were a worthy fledgling.”, said Anthony, strutting into the alley. I was shocked by my actions and looked down in shame. “The first time is always the worst, but you will come to terms with yourself soon. It is your nature to kill, never forget that.”, he mused. “Just shut up, I.. I hate you!”, I spat at him.
His eyes hardened as he grabbed me by the throat and threw me up against the hard alley wall. “You cannot hate me, I am your maker and master. You will always obey me. Do you understand?”, he demanded threateningly. “No.”, I challenged through clenched teeth. He released his grip and I stumbled forward. In one lightning fast motion, he pressed my body back up to the wall again. “You will learn your place, you will obey me.”, Anthony commanded, his voice thick with anger. I said nothing this time and cowered against the wall. You see, I had not yet the strength of mind that I have now. I was but a timid creature and I didn’t have the courage or stupidity to challenge Anthony yet. That came much later in my story.

A Vampiress’ Tale: Chapter 9: Joan’s Secret

Anthony and I drove home in uncomfortable silence. He kept muttering things under his breath. I ignored him and leaned heavily back in my seat. As soon as we arrived back at the house, I hurried to get out of the car and find Phaetis. Anthony ignored me the rest of the evening, so I had some time to myself.
Phaetis was reclining on a chair in the living room. As soon as I walked into the room, he sprung from his chair and rushed to greet me. “Did he hurt you, are you alright?”, he asked worriedly. “I’m fine, he made me kill.”, I told him. “I see, your first feeding.”, he started, then abruptly changed the subject, “Are you free tonight?” I shrugged and asked, “What do you mean?” “Well, I thought we could go out, or hang around here together. If I do say so, you interest me very much. I’d like to get to know you more.”, he elaborated. “I see, well what do you want to know about me?”, I started absentmindedly.
“Well, what do you do at home, besides write. Do you have a boyfriend, a crush, best friend?”, he asked mildly. “Well, I have a boyfriend, Karl. We’ve been together for just over a year now. He’s nice and, and I miss him.”, I replied, feeling sad for a minute. “If you don’t mind, was he the one that Anthony took hostage?”, he asked, starting to pry. “Yes.”, I replied simply and walked out of the room. “I’m sorry, did I ask something wrong?”, he called out behind me. “No, you’re great. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”, I answered, leaving the living room behind.
I found Joan half-asleep in the kitchen. “Hey, I missed you at dinner.”, I greeted. “I was… busy.”, she explained. “Oh.”, I said quietly. “Um, how are you?”, I asked, feeling self-conscious. “What’s up with you and Anthony, I won’t tell.”, I asked gently, putting my hand on her wrist. “I can’t say anything, it’s a secret.”, she said under her breath. I didn’t try to press farther and finished the conversation by saying, “Well, if you need to talk- I’m always here.” She nodded and I left the room. Surprisingly, Anita was nowhere to be found, which was quite fortunate. During my wanderings, I bumped into Thalia.
“I overheard what Anthony said about you in the lounge. You better back off, I’m his favorite and always will be.”, she said, sounding high-strung. “Don’t worry, I hate Anthony. I just want to get back to Karl.”, I replied indifferently. Her face warmed as she asked, “Oooh, is he a vampire too, how many wives does he have?” “He’s single, and a human. He doesn’t believe in all this disgusting polygamy.”, I answered, annoyed. She scoffed away, so I tried to find Phaetis again, so I could apologize for leaving so abruptly.
He was nowhere to be found and I ended up talking with Anthony for the night. He mostly tried to tell me about how great it was being a vampire. I didn’t really listen and asked, “Where do I sleep, in a coffin?” He chuckled at my naivety then said, “Yes in fact you do sleep in a coffin. I’ll show you to yours- on one condition.” “What is that?”, I demanded coolly. “Testy, testy, all I wanted was a quick kiss. What do you say?” I shook my head no and got up to find the coffins on my own. “Tut, tut.”, he reprimanded and grabbed me by the wrist to turn me in to face him. His gaze traveled across my face and over my throat. He looked deep into my eyes and quickly touched his lips to mine. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”, he asked, laughing. “To the coffins!”, he announced. I shrugged and followed him to the basement. There was a long row of coffins in various sizes. “This one.”, he indicated, pointing to a maroon coffin with a gold design embossed over it. I ran my fingers over the finish and lifted the lid.
The inside was lined with rich red silk. There was a satiny pillow at the head. I cautiously lowered myself in and tested out my new ‘bed’. “Goodnight.”, Anthony said. I nodded to him in response and closed the lid. I stretched out on the silk and tried to get comfortable. Soon, I was fast asleep, dreaming of the day I would find Karl again. Alas, sweet dreams! They never come true, do they?

A Vampiress’ Tale: Chapter 10: Hometown

The next night when I woke up, I felt more alone then ever. I needed to leave, and to find Karl. I looked all over the house, trying to find a way out. I found Diana moping about in the living room, so I approached her. “What’s wrong?”, I asked. “It’s Anthony, he’s angry with me. He tried to get me to beg something of you.”, she faltered. “What?”, I asked, getting worried. “He wanted me to get you to consent to being… one of his wives. I love him, but you’re the only friend I’ve got. I can’t betray you, and he can’t just force all those around him to do his will.”, she divulged. “I see, Diana, can I ask you something?”, I begged of her. “What?”, she asks conspiratorially. “Do you know how to get out of here, just for one night?”, I pleaded. She looked at me sternly for a minute, before a grin spread across her face.
“I might know of a way.”, she offers. I raised an eyebrow and leaned in to show my interest. “My room is on the ground floor. I keep the window unlocked. You can get out from there. But you have to promise me something- you’ll be back before morning.”, she asked casually. “Of course.”, I promised. She ginned broadly and grabbed my hand. She led me up to her room and hurried to the window. “I used to get out through here when I first came.”, she said with a wink.
As soon as the window was open, I gave her a quick hug and jumped out. I landed in the soft earth beneath the window. I’d trampled a few flowers accidentally, so I did my best to put them right. Diana was still watching through the window, so I waved curtly and took off running. The town wasn’t too far away and I bought a bus ticket to my home. At the bus station, I sat down on the bench and looked through a newspaper. My face stared up at me from the third page. “Holy shit.”, I let out quietly. There was a lengthy article on how I’d left the house. The police had tracked Karl’s phone call and he had given them some ‘crackpot’ story about vampires. I got a good chuckle out of this, which alerted my presence to the ticket man. “You’re getting on bus 52? It’s about to leave, miss.”, he informed me. I set down the paper and hurried onto the bus.
I found an empty seat near the back that was fairly deserted. I tried to pass my time by counting the cars we passed, but soon got bored. The bus rolled into my town within a few hours. I bought a ticket for the trip home as I hopped out. “Say, you look familiar…”, the bus driver started. I looked down and mumbled, “Small world you know.”, before leaving as fast as I could.
I ran down the familiar streets until I reached Karl’s house. Spring was in full effect as the snowman we’d built together outside his house was melting fast. I let myself in through the back door and tiptoed up to his room. I found him sitting on his bed, talking on the phone. He hadn’t noticed me and was just babbling on randomly, “Kate, that was some night last night. You’re really good. Yes, of course I love you. That other girl? Oh, she was just a thing to pass the time. Don’t worry, you’re my girl now.” I coughed, giving away my position to him. He turned to see me and his face blanched in embarrassment. He quickly hung up the phone and sputtered, “I.. I thought you’d be dead.”
“Well, I’m not. How’s your precious Kate? Have a good fuck with her, did you?”, I accused. He tried to deny me, but stuttered badly and just looked down at his feet in shame. “I trusted you, I loved you- but I was just a thing!”, I said angrily. “Quiet! Well, since last month, Kate’s been on me about you. She didn’t want to be my slut, but I couldn’t, you know, choose between you. Then you…”, he trailed off. “I conveniently ‘passed away’, allowing your cheating on me with her to turn into a proper relationship. You’re disgusting, I can’t believe I wasted my feelings on you. Maybe I’ll just marry Anthony.”, I threatened. “Not the vampire who kidnapped me, he’s evil.”, Karl blubbered. “Well, wake up! You’re not exactly Mr. Right now, are you?”, I shouted back at him. He tried to ‘shh’ me, but got slapped in the process. I left and ran for the bus stop.
I was crying hysterically, feeling completely betrayed by my mortal life. “Hurry, or you’ll miss your bus.”, said someone behind me. I turned to see Phaetis walking behind me. “You followed me!”, I accused, growing angry. “No, Diana told me to watch you. I’m sorry about Karl, I shouldn’t have let you go.”, he explained, sounding melancholy. I started to cry again and let him hold me close in a comforting hug. “Let’s get you home, don’t worry about the bus. We’ll fly.”, he whispered into my ear. “Fly?”, I asked, looking hopeful through my tears. He nodded and lifted me up into his arms. We took off flying and rushed past houses and towns. We were back at the house in minutes. As soon as we’d set down, he asked, “Are you going to be alright today- by yourself?” I nodded and answered, “I think so, thank you Phaetis. Maybe I was wrong about you, you’ve been really great.”

A Vampiress’ Tale: Chapter 11: Torn Thread

Things went uneventfully over the next few months. I felt melancholy and betrayed by Karl, but was getting over him. Phaetis became my best guy friend, Diana was my best friend, and Joan was always there for me. Anthony kept up his advances, but not to the same degree as before. I stayed away from his other three wives and avoided Anita at all costs. I held a certain curiosity for Wilma, but didn’t actually talk to her until tonight.
She had asked me to go hunting with her, something which I had grown more comfortable with. I agreed, glad for the chance to talk. As soon as we’d left the house, she started a conversation, “I’m glad you came. I know it’s selfish, but when you’re here- Anthony’s not so bad.” “What do you mean by bad?”, I inquired, curiously. “Oh just, when he doesn’t get what he wants, he can get violent. Joan’s taken the brunt of it. Now that you’re here, he’s got a new obsession.”, she elaborated. “Joan, what would he want with her?”, I asked, becoming more involved in the conversation. “She and him… I really shouldn’t say. I don’t know if I can trust you. Maybe later.”, Wilma decided. I nodded in understanding and led her into a club.
The music was pumping loudly and reverberating throughout the room. The floor pulsed as the bass boomed. People were surging everywhere, all dancing. Many of them were on various psychedelic drugs. “How tempting.”, I mused aloud. Wilma nodded and chose her victim. She lured him off the floor and into a dance cage. I watched her drain him and leave his body hanging over the cage’s rungs.
As for my prey, I found a pretty girl mulling through the crowd. She was holding a half dozen bottles of water and handing them to her friends. She took a casual sip from one, then drank more greedily. I could tell she was thirsty. I judged my timing and walked over to her. She was still chugging away at her bottle. I decided not to try and seduce, but to just get on with it. I clamped down on her wrist and dragged her to the bathroom.
She struggled but came easier than I thought she would. I shoved her into a stall and pushed her up against one of the walls. She started to scream, but I silenced her with a kiss. She relaxed a little and let me move my mouth down to her throat. I smiled as I let my fangs dig into her flesh. Her skin wrenched apart and blood poured out of the fresh wound. I drank till I was bloated, then sunk her head into the toilet, drowning her.
I left her with her head in the toilet and left the bathroom. I found Wilma leaning against the front door, waiting for me. “Have fun?”, she asked, sarcastically. “But of course.”, I answered. She smiled and laughed, throwing her head back to expose her sharp teeth. We got back to the house in record time, hi-jacking the car that belonged to Wilma’s prey. I found Phaetis brooding in the backyard. He was hunched over, mumbling to himself. “Phaetis?”, I called from behind him. “Oh, it’s you.”, he answered, sounding depressed. “What’s wrong?”, I asked, starting to worry. “It’s just Anthony. We had a fight… over you. He thinks I should back off and let him have you. But I just can’t.”, he complained. “It’s okay, everything will be alright.”, I comforted.
He shrugged helplessly, so I held his hand in mine and squeezed reassuringly. He looked into my eyes, holding them in his gaze. He looked intently for a minute, then leaned in to kiss me softly on the lips. “Well now, Phaetis, Phaetis, Phaetis- going after my future bride. I can’t allow that.”, said Anthony, sneaking up behind us. “What do you want?”, Phaetis asked impatiently. “I want for you never to go near her again. Or you shall pay dearly. Do you want her to find out our little secret?”, Anthony threatened. I could only stand and gape stupidly. “What the hell?”, I asked. “Shh my dear, I’ll deal with you later. I know all about your little trip.”, he hissed at me. I slapped him across the cheek and stood my ground. Phaetis stormed off to the house, so I ran for the road.

A Vampiress’ Tale: Chapter 12: Leather Bound Diary

In my adventures of trying to run away, I didn’t get very far. Anthony caught up with me easily and yelled at me, “First you left the house to return to your pathetic mortal, then I find you with Phaetis’ tongue down your throat! This is no way to act. No way at all. It’s time I showed you some discipline.” I could only cower in fear at what kinds of punishments he could dish out. He pulled me roughly by the wrist into the house. We passed by Joan and Anita, who were busy in the kitchen. He pulled me to a room upstairs and threw me into it. He locked the door and left me alone in there.
I sat down on the ground to try to recollect. One minute, I was with Phaetis. He was sad because of his fight with Anthony. Then I had slapped Anthony. It was all blurring before my eyes. I wanted out of this immortal life. I just couldn’t keep up with all the pressures it was giving me. I wanted to be free, but I had no idea how to do that.
I waited patiently in the small room all night. I had tried the door and learned that there was no way out of this mess. The room I was in was more of a closet, containing no furniture. I slept occasionally, not bothering to dream. I could only wait for the door to open. It became my obsession; I stared at the doorknob for hours on end. Then one night, it opened. Slowly, the wood folded in on its hinge to reveal Anthony. “I trust you’re hungry now?”, he asked malevolently. I only shrugged at him and stood up slowly. He faced me, staring right into my eyes. I stared back, not really knowing what I was doing, but filled with the conviction of it all.
“I have a gift for you.”, he said slowly. I raised an eyebrow in surprise, but stayed quiet. “Come this way, and talk to me dammit!”, Anthony commanded. “Very well, I’ll talk. You’re a fucking asshole. Are you happy now, I spoke.”, I answered him coolly. “Very funny. Come downstairs, a few things have changed since you’ve been up here.”, he revealed. “What kinds of things?”, I asked, starting to take interest in his words. “I took the liberty of sending away your beloved Phaetis. He is no longer a fledgling anyway. He’s not coming back either.”, Anthony prattled on sounding triumphant. I was crushed by this, since Phaetis had been a true friend to me. I didn’t really love him, but might have given the time. I could tell Anthony was reading my thoughts by the smile on his face.
Diana and Wilma were sitting downstairs in the lounge, not saying anything. Clearly, they had both known that I would be freed tonight. They both looked anxious as soon as I entered. They both rose to greet me and hugged me briefly. I sat down between them and let Anthony speak. “Here you are, open it.”, he said, tossing me a small package. Carefully, I pulled away the wrapping to reveal a leather-bound book. It had no title and was filled with blank pages. “Yes, it’s a diary for you to keep your thoughts. Then I won’t be able to read them so easily.”, he confirmed. I thanked him and asked if I could go hunting. He gave his permission, so long as Diana accompanied me. She obliged happily and Wilma asked if she could join us. “No, you and I have some… business tonight, my wife.”, he objected. Wilma’s face fell, but she obeyed and let him lead her out of the lounge. I tried to clear my mind of the things running through it, but I was interrupted. “Let’s get going before it’s too late.”, Diana suggested. I agreed and we took the car this time.
We drove to a different town this time. Diana suggested crashing a house party she knew about. I accepted her idea and we parked along the street. She led me past dozens of other parked cars to a large house that reeked of humans. The place was booming with the sound of heavy techno music. We let ourselves in and scanned the crowd of drunk people. Our deed was done in minutes and no one seemed to notice our presence. We left, laughing out loud because we knew the party-goers would be blamed for the two deaths that had occurred.


A Vampiress’ Tale: Chapter 13: Wife’s Death

Back at the house, we met up with Joan who was going to bed. She looked absent-minded and distracted, but I knew better than to ask. Diana went to her room to rest, so I made myself comfortable in the living room. Thalia and Helen were in there, fighting over something or other. “He was mine, you took my human.”, screeched Helen. “Anthony doesn’t like us to have pets. I know you wanted him for yourself.”, Thalia argued. “I wanted his blood, not his lust!”, claimed Helen. Thalia scoffed at her and turned to me, “So, what will our little vampiress do now that her Phaetis is gone?” “I suppose I’ll live as I have before.”, I answered calmly. “You should leave, no one wants you here anyways. I suspect Anthony really wants you to go after him.”, Helen piped up. “Shut up Helen, go find another pet or something. Leave her to me.”, Thalia ordered. Helen slinked out of the room, probably in search of more blood.
“It’s been awhile since our last real conversation. Wilma tells me that you’re quite the mystery. Tell me, do you love Phaetis?”, she pried. “No,
I don’t think so.”, I retorted hotly, not liking this conversation. “Testy, testy. That’s all I wanted to know.”, she said as she left the room. I collapsed down against a chair and put my head in my hands. Those two were worse than Anita!
Then I heard Anthony scream. I hurried to see what had happened. He was leaning over Wilma, who was lying in a puddle of blood on her bed. “I can’t believe she did it. She threatened, but this time she pulled through.”, Anthony muttered. I tried to get closer, but only caught a glimpse of the red pool mingling with her fiery hair. Anthony pushed me away and cowered over her body, shielding her from my view. Thalia and Helen hurried up presently and looked over Wilma. “Holy shit.”, exclaimed Helen, who was looking at the blood with interest. Thalia only smirked smugly and crossed her arms. Well, she had less competition now, I decided. Anthony pushed us all out of the room and wrapped up Wilma’s body.
The night was almost over when he laid out her body in the backyard. I watched from a window, but couldn’t get a good look. I felt frustrated and annoyed Anthony. Why wouldn’t he let me see her? Was he afraid that I’d get ideas? If so, then he truly cared about me. This touched my heart a little and I went to sleep with mixed feelings about the situation. I wished that I had gotten to know Wilma better before she died.
When I woke up again, I was determined to leave this crazy house and return to my mortal life. But I had a few things to do before that could be achieved. I had to kill Anthony… and Karl. They both had to pay for what they had done to me. I sat on my bed, feeling pensive and pulled out my diary. I wrote my first entry.
Wilma died last night. I don’t know what to think about it. Helen doesn’t care, Thalia’s acting almost happy about it. I don’t think Joan or Diana know about it yet. I’ve got to get out of this place, it’s like everyone knows something I don’t! I hate it here. And now that Phaetis is gone, all I’ve got are Diana and Joan. Diana will talk and everything, but she’s not really that interesting. And Joan- well she’s got some big secret. I worry about her. I just wish I could go back to my life before. When I was with Karl… Never mind, he was a cheating bastard. I guess I can’t really trust anyone, especially Anthony. He’s been really weird lately, protective. I’m not sure. I should hide this, if anyone read even this little bit, I’d be in really big shit.
I hid the little book under my mattress and pretended to sleep a little longer. Anthony came into my room eventually and pulled me out of bed. I was feeling cold and jaded, so I didn’t care about him right now. I hardly felt his ouch on my arm. We ended up in his room. “I know you’re still brooding about Wilma, I’m sorry I couldn’t let you see her. She died… it wasn’t very nice. Se just left so abruptly. Anyway, I wanted to know if you’d like to talk this over. We both see death all the time, but not usually amongst ourselves.”, he said. I saw a few tears gather in his eyes and wiped them away gently. He pulled me into his arms and cradled me against him. Knowing that he needed comfort, I didn’t resist.

A Vampiress’ Tale: Chapter 14: Red Rose

Anthony fell asleep shortly, so I crawled out of his arms. I made my way to the kitchen. I had to talk to Joan. She was half asleep in a chair. Her hair had fallen over her face, hiding her expression. Her pulse was strong and drew me to look at her neck. To my shock, there were already wounds there. I drew back in surprise and gasped loudly. She woke with a start and looked around furtively. “Oh, it’s just you.”, she muttered. “Joan, we need to talk. What happened to your neck, was it Helen?”, I asked, growing very concerned. Joan shook her head, sending her hair flying. “Who was it?”, I asked gently. She didn’t speak, so I banged my fist on the table in frustration. The noise startled her and she let out a quick, “Anthony.”
Her eyes widened as she said the name and she started to clam up again. I could tell there was more. I rested my hand on hers and looked at her pleadingly. She didn’t resist this time and said, “Come to my room, we can talk there.” I followed her, my steps quickened by anticipation. She let me into her small room for the first time. She sat in a chair and I plopped down on the firm bed. “Well, since I came here, he’s been…”, she began, her voice shaking a bit. I urged her on and she continued, “He’s been coming in here and drinking from me. He sometimes r-rapes me too.” I tried not to show my surprise and stayed calm. “I really want to leave, but if I do- he’ll kill my baby.”, she went on. “Baby?”, I questioned. She nodded, her eyes filling with tears. “I was married, but Anthony killed my husband. I begged him not to hurt my baby. He promised he wouldn’t, so long as I kept this secret and became his maid. Anita doesn’t know, she came to this house on her own. Don’t tell him about this, or he’ll hurt my baby.”, she exclaimed. I soothed her in a hug and kissed the top of her head.
This meant more complicated problems for me. It seemed that these things came up everyday. “What’s your baby’s name?”, I asked gently. “His name’s Peter, he’s not really a baby. He’s almost three years old. He lives up on the third floor with his nanny. I get to see him once a week, he’s learning how to spell, can you believe it?”, she asked. I smiled at her and answered, “He must be very smart.” Joan beamed with pride, then started crying again. “Please don’t tell.”, she sobbed. I reassured her I wouldn’t and she whispered, “Thank you.” Within minutes, she had fallen asleep.
I picked her up and set her down on her bed. Tenderly, I covered her body with a blanket and left the room quietly. I wandered into my room and sat down on my bed. This house was so intricately founded, if one thing fell out of place, it would crumble. I lay back on my pillows and looked out the window. A shadow was darting around the grounds and heading for my window. I unlatched it and peered out in curiosity. A hand shot up from the ground and passed me a red rose and a letter. I took them and shut the window in confusion. I laid the rose down on my bedside table for a moment and read the letter.
I’ve just found a place to stay. I’m living with two other vampires on the other side of town. If you want to come with me, tap on your window three times. If you don’t, tap just once. Hope you decide to join me. If you do, meet me at the Mexican at midnight tomorrow. –Phaetis.
I reread the letter and made my decision. I rested my hand near my window and tapped three times. The shadow left the grounds in a hurry. I put the rose in a drawer and pulled out my diary. After scratching a few words in, I admitted that I was too excited to write. I crossed out what I’d written and put that away too. I retreated to my coffin and retired early.
When I woke up the next night, I found Anthony making out with Thalia. I turned away in disgust and waited for them to stop. When Anthony’s tongue was back in his own mouth, I spoke, “We need to talk, Anthony.” He shrugged and got up from his seat. He walked out into the hall with me and asked, “What’s up?” I couldn’t help but smirk at his choice of words, which only made him anticipate what I had to say all the more. “I was wondering how one would become your wife.”, I stated. His eyes glowed with happiness and he replied excitedly, “It’s a simple binding ritual. I can do it tonight, if you want.” I nodded and added, “I want to look really special for the occasion. I’ll zip into town and pick up a nice dress. I saw something I liked in a shop window.”
Anthony didn’t protest and practically pushed me out the door. I started walking quickly for the Mexican. It was already eleven o’clock, so I quickened my pace. Freedom was in my grasp at last. I hoped to God I would be able to keep this opportunity. Funny, especially because I didn’t believe in a ‘God’. Today, I still don’t.

A Vampiress’ Tale: Chapter 15: The Mexican

I found my way into town and stopped for directions at a bar. I crashed head on into a drunk. “Wha?”, he asked, slurring his speech. “Nothing.”, I lied and pushed past him to get further into the bar. I approached the bartender and asked, politely, “Do you know how I could get to the Mexican?” He finished pouring a drink and leaned over to me. “Yeah, I know. You take this street up till the red house on the corner. Make a right and you’ll find it.”, he informed. “Thanks, sir.”, I said and left a tip on the table for him.
I followed the bartender’s directions until I came to a beige stucco restaurant. Lively music was rolling out the windows and people were sitting outside eating burritos. I nodded to them and made my way inside. My watch read twelve o’ five. “You’re late.”, said someone behind me. “You keep doing that.”, I said without turning to face him. Phaetis hugged me from behind and turned me to face him. “Let’s get going.”, he suggested. I agreed and followed him to his car out back. He pulled into the driver’s seat and started the engine. I sat in the passenger’s seat and closed the door. The car lurched backwards and drove out of the parking lot.
“Where exactly are we going?”, I asked, curious. “To Wilno, it’s a small Polish town a few hour’s drive from here.”, he answered casually. I sat back in the seat and turned on the radio. Heavy rock music filled the car. I sang along to the few that I knew. I could tell Phaetis was laughing at me, but I didn’t really care. The hours melted by as raindrops slid across the windshield. Seeing a blue sign with ‘WILNO’ written on it, I sat up straighter. Phaetis pulled into a brick two-storey house off main street. He helped me out of the car and led me into the house.
Two others greeted us. The first had short black hair and a tattoo of a dragon on his forearm. He introduced himself as Rex. The second had brown hair and brown eyes to match. He had a short moustache and an eyebrow ring. “I’m Lionel, we’re a little short on rooms, so you’ll have to share with Danielle.”, he said. I shrugged and asked, “Who’s Danielle?”
“I am.”, said a short black girl coming out of the house. I gave her a quick smile and she beckoned to me. “This way, Rex already picked up your stuff from your parents’ house.”, she said. “Great, thanks Rex.”, I added graciously. He only grinned at me and went inside with Lionel. Phaetis showed me to my room and said, “Lionel and Rex share the room at the end of the hall. I’m next door if you need anything.” I gave him a quick hug and made myself comfortable in my new room. Danielle sat down beside me on my bed. “So, you’ll be staying with us. You came from Anthony’s, right?”, she asked. I nodded and asked, “It’s just the five of us here?” She nodded and told me where the coffins were. I thanked her and went to find mine.
I climbed in and stretched out on the worn