When Stars Bleed

Slowly I opened my eyes. I was in a room that I didn't recognize. The colors of the room were red and black, the large windows were open revealing the night sky. Across the room was a mirror, I could see myself perfectly clear as though I was standing right in front of it. My hair was darker, my skin was pale.

There was a feeling in my gut telling me that last night wasn't a dream and the proof was this room. I spent the next ten minutes trying to change...like he did. When I thought about wanting to alter my features, they did.

As my teeth slowly came out, I saw my eyes grow a shade of red. As the next minute past I changed my physical features to normal then back to my vampire appearance.

I felt stronger, I felt more power running through my body, then of what I usually did. I got out of bed, fully dressed.

'Where am I?'

'Sanders...you're awake!...Come down.'

I blinked and walked towards a door, hoping it was the one that would lead me out. A long dark corridor appeared, yet I could see perfectly. I followed my instincts, which guided me through this maze of a house.

"Sanders! That was fairly quick. I thought you'd take a few more nights."

It was the man that killed me. Am I allowed to say that? Am I dead? Can I be dead, in spite that I can speak, think, move, and even breathe.

"What? It wasn't that difficult getting down here, I wasn't even slow!"

"No, no of course not. I meant when you'd wake up. It takes awhile for some. The change takes time, whether it be a great deal or a matter of days. I thought you'd be a full week."

"H-how long was I...asleep?" Again the death issue was ringing through my mind.

"The past three nights. It would've been four, but tonight doesn't count does it. And to answer your question. You're dead in a way, yes. But in the other way, you're fully alive. Most vampires consider themselves more alive then humans, but they are in a sense dead. No heart beat. Don't ask why, not even I know how the vampire anatomy works. You are neither among the living nor dead, are you among vampires."

"How many others are like...us?"

"Thousands. Each day our numbers grow...or at least they will soon." He sat down at the table, and signaled for me to do the same.

"Well Sanders, let me show you our ways, our gifts, and sadly our curses."

"Curses?"

"Yes, this much power comes with a price. It's small...but still it's a price."

A low rumble came from within my stomach. He smiled and stood back up.

"We can talk while we feed." I nodded.

The thought of feeding...was unpleasant. I knew what he meant, could I drink blood. I've spilt it more then I should've...I've been covered in it. But could I drink it? Soon we were walking in the dead of night.

"What's your name? We've been taking for a while, and I still don't know your name," I stopped to face him and he did the same.

"Drake...I have no surname...Drake is all I go by...for now."

"Who turned you?"

"Ah a question for later. But for now, let me tell you the rules." He started walking again and at a faster pace.

"We're creatures of the night. The daylight won't harm us, but you won't like the feeling of the sun's kisses. I never could stand it. So I stay inside, but again all vampires are different."

Drake went on about all the privileges we had. And our curses. Yet he made them seem as if they weren't a curse. We were soulless, we were dead, and we had to kill in order to live.

Soon we came upon a guard who was patrolling the grounds of the town.

"Now Sanders, you must not let him scream. People can not find out about the mysterious murders, or they'll find out about us and hunt us."

"What can mere mortals do to us?"

Yes the power of being a vampire was quickly taking over me. The power, the strength, the speed. The knowing that I could never died, was consuming me.

"Yes, these humans can not hurt you, but a city mob...they can kill you."

I nodded as I kept my eyes on the guard. He was about my size and he was now sitting upon a near by bench. I looked back at Drake, he nodded and stood back in the shadows.

I smiled as I skulked towards him, not making a sound. I already had my face changed as I grabbed him by the throat. My hand seized his mouth, making it impossible for him to scream.

Slowly my teeth pierced his flesh and the blood started to flow. The deeper my teeth went, the more blood came. The blood was more then I thought it could be. It wasn't bland, it was a surprising taste. And I needed more. I dug my teeth even deeper. The blood warmed my cold body.

I pulled away, blood dripping from my chin, I could feel my eyes were taken over by the red. I felt alive. This is who I was meant to be. A hand was placed on my shoulder. I turned to see Drake, he was smiling.

"Welcome...welcome home, my brother." I grinned as he hugged me.

We were now standing inside his castle.

"The next move is to build up...your army. I have a few followers, but not many. Tomorrow night, we will go to your other brothers, turn them and then your army will come next."

I sat in a chair that closely resembled to the King's.

"Who, what will my men be up against?"

Drake sat at a table, in a chair not anywhere fit for a king. He sighed slowly.

"The Devil...and his demons."

I cocked my head to the side.

"I don't understand. Could we even win against them? I fought many battles, I know when not to fight. I've seen what happens when you challenge more then what you can deal out. You always need the upper hand, or at least close to it. I won't lead my men to their deaths."

Drake smiled

"That's why I need you to lead them. You know the right plans the best strategies. We can win, I know we can. Once we do, you'll have all the glory."

"And what will you have..." I looked at him, tying to see through him. There has to be more to it then what he's telling me.

"...Revenge." He stood up and walked over to the window.

The sun was slowly rising. I could feel the heat, it first tickled my skin, then soon it was running up and down my body. I shuddered at the feeling. But within a matter of seconds, the feeling was gone.

Drake hissed loudly and quickly shut the drapes. I suppose the sun hurts him more then it does me.

"Sanders have you ever been betrayed before? Betrayed by your creator?"

When I didn't answer him, he continued on with his tale, as he still stood in front of the now covered window.

"I have. You see the Devil likes his little experiments. And I was one of them. It was thousands of years ago, although I don't look a day over 24 years. I was one of the first vampires and like humans we evolve. Whether it for the better or the worst. I was his favorite, he liked to watch me evolve. I adapted to the feeling of a cross burn through my flesh." He turned to face me and pulled back his shirt, revealing a scar in the shape of a cross. It was fairly large and looked as though it was only a few years old.

"Years later when I again placed the cross against my chest, it wouldn't burn me. He was pleased so he moved on to his next experiment. The next trial he put me through was the sun. I was badly burned the first time, it brought me close to my end. And as the decades pasted, again I adapted and didn't burn as much. After another 70 years I could walk in the light. It hurt yes, but it didn't burn through me like the first time. He was proud of my accomplishments, very proud." He let out a little smile, but hid it from me when he turned back to face the window.

"So he made more vampires, not knowing that I could make them myself, as well. These vampires he made could not adapt the way I did. I still don't know why. They died at every task he assigned them. He then grew angry with me. He though I knew why I could do these things, and he hated that I didn't share my secrets with him. He then took away the only thing I cherished. It was her." He looked over at a portrait.

I followed his eyes and the landed on the portrait. It was very old. It was of a young maiden, with long gold hair. She wasn't really smiling, yet her expression showed a playful smirk. Her skin was pale, much like mine and she had the bluest eyes. The dress she was wearing was dark and clung to her body.

"She was my world. He gave her to me, when I showed him that I could walk out in the sunlight. He said that she was mine, and belong to me. She was my one, my soulless mate for the rest of eternity. We shared a bond, which no one could ever break. We truly belonged to one another. We were connected, I could feel her presents when she was miles away. I could smell her scent. Her blood was the sweetest I've ever tasted." He walked to the portrait and touched it lightly.

"He took her from me. Drove a stake right through her heart. I watched her burst into dust and it be taken away by the wind." Drake stayed staring at her, a little smile came to his face as he remembered the good times with her.

"He tried to kill me as well. But I was to smart for him. I escaped, but not without a promise. I promised that I would one day come back and kill him and all his demons. I would rule the underworld! Oh how I'd make him pay." He turned back towards me.

"You will help me, will you not?" I didn't trust him, but he made me what I was. I couldn't let him down.

"What will I get if I do?" He smirked

"I'll let you rule with me. I believe in sharing." His smile didn't reassure me, but again the feeling of power overtook me. To rule the underworld...that's an offer I couldn't refuse.

"I'll help you."