World So Cold

After I had made sure Rachael would stay in the woods I went back to the city. Now is when I would really hunt. I was hungry. Watching Rachael feed had stirred up the monster in me. I was hungry and I wanted blood.

People should really learn to stay in their houses at night. When they come out they’re fair game. The night belongs to creatures like me, not them. I came upon my victim as they were walking through a dark alley. Could they be any dumber? If I didn’t get them someone else could, probably would, just as easy.

I shifted into my animal form. In my animal form I was a sleek black panther. I crept towards them silently along the narrow alleyway. They couldn’t see my form because of the pitch black dark. It was even a wonder they could see.

I let out a low growl, my mouth salivating. The person stopped and paused in their advancement. That was when the moon caught my eyes. They shone in the darkness. Giving a gasp the person turned and started to run away.

Taking a couple bounds I leapt at the person. I knocked them down just before they reached the street. Their fingers just grazed the light the street held. I grasped my teeth around their leg and pulled them back into the darkness. They gave a high pitched scream and I realized it was a girl.

Silly girl, no one could hear you scream. Even if they could it’s not like they would care. In this life no one cares. You have to take care of yourself if you want to survive. And if you can’t do that, you end up dead.

As she went to let out another bloodcurdling scream I bit into her throat. The scream got cut off and her mouth gurgled trying to form words. Changing into a vampire I bit into her neck again, this time along the right artery. Drawing the blood out of her body, the woman gave no fight.

I drank her till she ran dry, till every last drop of blood was gone. Using her sleeve I wiped the excess blood off of my chin and mouth. This one had been messy. I picked her up and threw her against one of the brick walls enclosing the alley. Her body gave a sickening crunch before slumping to the ground. Changing into a panther again, I loped off back into the woods.

As I walked back to the clearing I thought I heard voices. I paused in my walking and listened intently. I heard nothing. I continued on to the place I left Rachael. She had been content to stay there when I left. I hoped she still would be.

Changing into a vampire I padded forward cautiously. Something didn’t feel right. Something had me set on edge. I didn’t know what it was and I didn’t like it. As I came into the clearing I saw Rachael standing on one edge. She fiddled nervously with her hair.

“Rachael,” I acknowledged but didn’t let my hair drop. Her eyes met mine in a terrified glance. I narrowed my eyes at her. Do you have something you’d like to tell me? I queried forcing the thought into her mind.

“I-I-I didn’t mean to,” she stuttered nervously. She looked away guiltily. “He made me,” she whimpered.

“Oh, don’t pretend like you weren’t willing,” came a male voice. Then he dropped out of the tree and landed on the other side of the clearing. He was tall with broad shoulders and lean muscle. “Don’t pretend like you didn’t like it,” he said with a spark in his eye.

Rachael cowered backward under his gaze. I wasn’t sure who she feared more, me or him. If I were her, I’d definitely be more worried about myself. I was not someone you wanted to mess with or screw over. Usually if you did you ended up dead.

“Who are you?” I demanded to him. “What did you tell him?” I asked turning to Rachael.

“She didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know,” answered the guy. Rachael backed away from both of us and in a blur of motion I appeared in front of her.

“What have you done?” I asked her.

“Nothing!” she protested.

“What did you tell him?” I growled, my eyes ablaze with anger.

“Juliet, I didn’t mean to! I―” I cut her off as I swung my hand at her neck. My fingers sliced cleanly through her neck, like claws, severing her head. Her body decayed and I knew she was dead.

Glaring once more at the body I turned to the guy. A smirk was placed on his face. He was enjoying this. “You shouldn’t let your anger get the best of you,” he chastised. “It doesn’t provide for good judgment, Juliet. Or do you prefer Catherina?” he said with a sickly sweet smile.