Forsaken

I awoke to silence. It was warm and moist and I could feel the silken skin of a dozen earthworms squirming against the thin, bare, skin of my body, eating away at what flesh I had left. They had buried me.

It was the ultimate punishment to be starved and buried, but the Elders had not starved me long enough because I was still concious, even if barely.

With great difficulty I began clawing my way out of my grave, my thin fingers sliding easily through the soft soil. The tribe will have been long gone by now wanting to keep to the shadows of the forrest and out of the public eye, it was their custom after all; feed then hide. The very reason I had been betrayed. I was too dangerous to our people.

At long last, I broke through to the surface. Using every last bit of strength I still possesed, I clawed my way out of my grave and into the cold night. They had burried me in a cemetery, and almost at once I smelled it.

Humans. The smell of their warm flesh made my hunger pains intensify and I felt my teeth began to bare. One hundred years, I had been without the taste of human flesh and my animalistic instincts began taking over. It was our curse, the curse of my tribe.

I was almost completely naked, except for the cloth pieces covering my gaunt chest and waist. Dirt was matted into my hair and smeared over the more exposed parts of my body. I couldn't imagine how much more terrifying than usual I must have looked as I lowered onto my hands and knees and took off in the direction of the scent.

Scaling the side of a mausoleum, I crouched into the darkness to observe my prey. There were three of them, two boys and one girl, and they were very sluggish, almost as if in a trance.

There was no possible way I could have taken on all three of them at once, so I ran to the far side of the group and climbed into a tree that overhang their circle. Silently, and keeping to the shadows, I wrapped my legs around an outstretched branch and dropped, grabbing the girl and lifting her back into the branches.

I devoured her faster than anything I had eaten in my entire life. Her flesh was ambrosia. Feeling my strength beginning to return, I dropped down onto one of the boys, covered in a mixture of blood and dirt, and began eating.

I couldn't stop.

The other boy let out a muffled gasp and I looked up, a piece of the boys arm dangling from my blood stained mouth. He was in too much shock to run, but I couldn't give him the chance. The boy let out a single scream before I ripped out his windpipe.

I was stronger now, not by much, but at least enough to find more food and shelter. My other abilities would return in time, but for the moment I decided to lay low.

My feet were bare and the night cold had just begun to get to me when I came into a clearing. Before me stood a large, two story mansion. It was dark, except for a single light on in an upstairs window, and the downstairs lights.

I climbed up the side of the building to one of the darkened windows. I only needed a place to rest for the night, and maybe I could find some decent clothes that maybe fit the times.

I slid open the unlocked window and slipped inside, landing cat-like onto the wooden floors. I stood silent, waiting to see if I had been heard, and was answered with silence. Standing up I closed the window a little too hard and it was then that I heard the house's occupants.

"What was that?" A male voice asked.

Vampires. There was no way any human ear would have caught that from so far away.

"Relax, brother. I'll go check it out."

My people had come across them in the past, but I was nowhere near strong enough to fight one off, let alone however many were downstairs. If I ran, they would follow; I was covered in human blood. My only chance was to plead for mercy.

Crouching down into one of the darkest corners of the room, I didn't need to wait long. It was a man, tall and dressed in dark clothing. His hair was dark and messy and his jaw line was sharp and prominent. He was very handsome.

Without turning on the light, I watched as he took two steps into the room, took a sniff, and turned to look down at me. I huddled my knees into my chest and looked down, it was my play at innocence. My kind was not known to the outside world, and I was certain he could tell I was not a vampire.

Using his vampire speed, he reached down, grabbing me roughly by the shoulders and lifted me to my feet. He was silent, looking me over, and I couldn't think in the least what he was planning on doing to me. What strength had returned to me was no match for a vampire, but if I needed to, I would at least try to run. Had I been at my full strength, a mere vampire would be no match for me. I had actually eaten a few in the past; not as good as human.

He sat me down, wiping my dirty hair from my face.

"What was it?" The other man called from the hall. Holding up a single finger to his lips, he hurried out of the room to meet whom ever it was that had spoken.

"Nothing, probably a bird running into the window." He was helping me. I slid back down onto the floor, making sure to keep silent this time. A vampire's hearing was a lot better than that of a human.

It was a while before he returned, the dark haired one that had saved me, only this time he turned on the light. I squinted, turning my eyes away from the bright beams.

"Now," He started, making his way back towards me. This time he crouched down so that he was eye level with me. "who or what are you?" He moved his head with mine, tying to make eye contact. "You can't be dangerous, or you wouldn't be trying to crash in my house." Placing a finger underneath my chin, he raised my face to meet his. His eyes were a piercing blue, crystal-like. I was speechless. His face softened before asking, "What's your name?" When I didn't respond, he resulted to more primitive speech. "Name?"

"Anpaytoo." For a moment, he continued to stare at me. "An-pay-too." I repeated, placing my hand on my chest and he gave a smirk.

"Anpaytoo." I nodded, placing a hand on his chest. "Damon." He placed his hand over mine. "Everyone's gone, so let's get you washed up." He stood me up, helping me onto my feet. "You, wash." He made circular motions on his chest and I faught back a smile.

I followed him to the other side of his house and into a room much larger than the one we had just left. The wall opposite the door covered by a huge curtain, a large four poster bed was laid at an angle just in front. it was a beautiful room and I couldn't help but let my eyes wander as he continued to lead me further into the room.

We came to a stop inside the bathroom. It was big change from living in treetops. I watched as Damon walked over to the shower and turned the water on. As he began to adjust the temperature, I stripped off the two pieces of cloth I had been wearing and waited.

"Alright, you can just-" He stopped as he turned to find me standing bare before him. After a moment, he simply lifted his hand to cover his mouth. "wash up." I tilted my head as though confused, so he motioned towards the running water. I remained silent as I stepped past him and under the hot stream. I couldn't supress the moan as the the cramps from being stuffed underground were being washed away.

"I got you some clothes." I turned, wiping water from my face to see Damon place one of his shirts and a towel on the counter. He then hesitated and I held out a hand towards him. Without speaking, Damon made his way towards me, stripping off his own clothing as he did so. I couldn't help myself. I wanted this beautiful creature.

I put my head down, letting the water run down my back as Damon stepped in behind me. His head lowered so that his face was against my neck. His hands slid around my torso and I felt my hunger creep back up inside me. My eyes faded to black and I squeezed them closed, fighting the urge. I would not harm Damon. I could not.

I made no sound as I felt Damon's teeth tear into the soft flesh of my neck. Our blood was sacred, never were we to allow another creature to share in its powers. It was the ultimate betrayel, though had I not endured the ultimate punishment?

Damon let out a gasp, thrusting his head skyward. My blood was like liquid fire to a vampire, and it was now working its way through Damon's veins. He would be stronger, faster, he would be mine.

I had been forsaken, abandoned by my own people. I would not be alone.