The Biography of a Vampire

While the teenagers were installing their tents, deeper into the forest, Eric leaned against a tree with his eyes closed. He opened them quickly when he felt someone getting close.

“What do you want?” Eric asked coldly. The person who appeared out of thin air smirked.

“What do I want? Let’s see” He started to rub his chin thoughtfully. “I want a new car –maybe a Mercedes CL class- freedom, blood, your little friend” He licked his lips.

Eric punched the guy without a certain reason. He flew into a tree yet he didn’t look hurt. He was amused. Eric didn’t want to waste time. He wanted to kill that bastard. The guy smirked and got up slowly.

“Leave her alone”

“She’s beautiful; even more than in the 1890’s. Stella Blanche, a vampire girl you could actually die for. From a pretty princess she transformed into a true demon” His smirk grew. “I guess we should thank you for this” Eric’s head bent. “It must be hard to be in your place right now. To be so close to the one you loved for centuries yet so far. But, if I know the story correctly, you left Stella for her older sister, Rebecca”

Eric walked towards him slowly.

“I loved Stella” It didn’t sound convincing. The vampire rolled his eyes.

“Sure, sure. And when a younger vampire used her charm on you” He flashed close to Eric’s ear.
“You forgot her” Eric tensed. His fist was stark white.

“I never stopped loving her” The vampire raised one eyebrow and started to pace in front of Eric.

“Really, Eric? Really? You blamed Stella when Rebecca died. I guess it was her fault. She made Nathan kill her. She couldn’t stand the idea of her adopted sister’s filthy blood on her hands. Nathan did it, of course. He loved Stella more than anything. He was and still is her little brother” He started to walk in circles around Eric. “She changed. She’s wiser now, but the love she had for you is still somewhere in the back of her heart; if it is anymore. Stella Blanche. I would bang her anytime”
Eric’s eyes narrowed and glared at the vampire.

“She’s not stupid, she’s feisty” He licked his lips. “I like it when they’re opposing; when they try to escape. When they struggle and scream, pleading to stay alive” He flashed behind Eric. “Don’t you, Eric? Don’t you want to hear her scream for help; to see her tasty blood running down her smooth legs; to bang her senseless. To tame the leviathan”

It was enough for Eric. His eyes changed from blue to red and punched the vampire. He did it again and again. He found a small branch and thrust it through the vampire’s heart, killing him in an instant. He turned around and walked where he knew Stella was. While walking, he couldn’t stop thinking about what that filthy creature said. How right his words were.

He left Stella. He made her lose control. He hurt her. It was his fault that Chris died and, most importantly, it was his fault that Stella suffered so much.

In the tent Stella couldn’t believe how much Tracy could talk. She was sitting on her butt, a bored Nate leaning on her shoulder.

“Will she stop soon?” Nate mumbled loud enough for her to hear. She chuckled. She couldn’t believe how many people were in one tent. The tent was a medium-sized and nine people were occupying it.
Beside Stella was Sami with her new crush, Shane; on Nate’s other side were Roy and Greg; opposite Stella and her brother were Tracy, Ana, Nate, Riley and Tracy’s best friend, Austin. It was weird. They all seemed so silent at school yet they were friendly and nice.

“So, I told Jamie that we couldn’t be together anymore and he blamed Eric but it wasn’t his fault” Stella raised her head immediately.

“Eric? The Eric from school? The silent and” She nodded.

“Yes, yes. Maybe it sounds impossible but Eric was a very out-going guy” Riley nodded.

“True. He was a flirt. I think he had a few girlfriends back then” Nate raised his eyebrow.

“Define ‘a few’” They shrugged.

“10 or 12. More or less” Stella was surprised. Nate felt a tinge of anger. He didn’t have a reason to but he felt it. The siblings glanced at each other. Something weird was going on between them. After that moment people started to reminisce about the old times at school.

Stella stopped talking when she felt Nate tense up. She glanced worriedly at him but he just gave her a reassuring smile. He got up and went outside.

Nate was indeed a little tense. Despite being younger than Stella, he had more flashbacks than her.

Ever since he touched the ouroboros, his mind started to move incredibly fast. He felt Eric walking towards the tent. He wasn’t sure how but he had a few theories He had some questions and he wanted answers from the one who caused that mess.

“Eric” He narrowed his eyes at him. Eric knew that look very well and stopped. He sighed and leaned against a tree. Nate walked closer and stared into Eric’s eyes. “You know what I want from you”

“I don’t remember everything. Let’s start with what you found out” Nate was a little skeptical but he started to talk nonetheless.

“I went to the library. The woman there told me you go there every day and stare at one picture of a girl. Stella Blanche. Who is she?”

“A young woman from 1890. She disappeared a long time ago and the citizens thought she died. Her brother too. But they didn’t. Everyone was wrong because they didn’t know the truth”

“And what’s the truth?” Eric smirked.

“Vampires. Real vampires that can’t survive during the day and hunt for blood as night falls”
For Nate things couldn’t get any weirder. Eric’s eyes became red and he walked closer to Nate.

“You want to know a secret, Nate? I am a vampire too” He flashed behind Nate.

“Is plain daylight and you are here. You said that vampires can’t survive the light of the sun” Eric’s eyes went back to normal.

“Correct. But vampires these days found a trick” Nate was shocked when Eric took out a necklace from his pocket with a weird stone on it. “This is a lapis lazuli stone. It was used in ancient Egypt to create seals. As long as we carry it after us, we can survive the light. But not many vampires have it. It’s a rare stone. Most of them have amethysts. Those were used by the ancient Greek people to prevent intoxication. European soldiers wore amethyst amulets as a protection in battles, believing that the stone could heal people and keep them cool-headed. It’s not as strong as Lapis Lazuli but it works. Amethysts have this power of keeping the vampires calm when they see blood. I also have one” Nate was very intrigued.

“Who is Eric Arche?”

“That’s me. I found the truth a year ago. I was so furious that I killed my father. That’s when I realized what I was and what I could do”

“That means you’re the Eric who broke Stella” Eric looked at Nate warily and nodded slowly. “What’s the story behind that?” Eric shrugged.

“I don’t know everything. I remember how I met Stella and Nathan, that I was a vampire even then and my family wanted me to marry Stella but she was in love with someone else. I didn’t love her either but after our parents forced us to spend a lot of time together I started to fall for her. I knew she was too until her sister came back. She started flirting with me and toyed with my head. I was getting closer to Rebecca and further apart from Stella. I still remember that day. I went over to the Blanche mansion. Stella thought I came to apologize. That’s when it happened”

Eric was on his way to Blanche mansion, his mind going all the time back to Rebecca. That vampire was incredible, charming and smart. She got Eric wrapped around her finger in just a few days. He rang just once and Miss Blanche opened the door. She was smiling widely. She had always liked Eric.

“Eric, I’m so glad you’re here” She invited him in and asked him about his parents. He smiled and responded to every question, until Nate entered the room. When he saw the guest he glared at him.

“What are you doing here?” His voice was cold. His eyes were glistening with ferociousness. Eric was taken aback but he didn’t show it. Nathan ignored the curious glances his mother gave him and walked towards Eric. “You’re going to destroy her. Piece by piece she is breaking and it’s your entire fault. Don’t make things worse and leave” Eric felt like the biggest scum in the world. Still, he couldn’t deny the attraction he felt for Stella’s sister.

And there was Stella. She was a nice, lovely and innocent girl but she was a vampire and she was nothing like one. She couldn’t even go and hunt! Rebecca was the opposite of Stella and he liked that.

“Eric!” The vampire turned in time to get hugged by Rebecca. He smiled and returned the hug.

Unfortunately, Stella came down the stairs and saw the scene. Her heart ached.

“Eric” She mumbled.

Nate glared at both vampires and went to his sister. Miss Blanche was already gone. She went to search for her husband. Eric’s eyes traveled to Stella’s sore ones. She looked beautiful outside even if she was horrible on the inside. Rebecca, like always, didn’t care about the younger vampire, but Eric’s heart ached and for a moment he felt that love again. It disappeared when Rebecca tangled her fingers with Eric’s.

“I’m sorry” Eric just couldn’t stop saying that out-loud. Those words made a piece of Stella break.

“Sorry? You’re sorry? That’s all you can say? Every single time? I’m sick of this, Eric”
That was the moment when Eric broke too.

“It’s all about you, isn’t it? You’re the youngest member, the princess and you always get what you want! Things aren’t always going to be easy like that, Stella. Grow up! You’re such a baby! Wake up!
You are a vampire! Do you know what that means? Do you know what a vampire is?! A parasite, a hunter, a bloodsucker! You can’t even look at blood! I don’t know how you live! I bet you didn’t even know you drink blood!”

Stella’s eyes widened. Eric was right. She was worse than a human.

“That’s when things changed. Stella wasn’t the Blanche princess anymore. She changed. She became something else. That’s all I know” Nate was surprised.

“So it was your fault” Eric was speechless.