Black Blood

The vampire Adrian had posted outside my door was tall and burly, he wasn't anything like the other vampires I had seen up to that point. He wasn't even like Adrian, who was on the thinner side himself. Even so his size didn't intimidate me.

I licked my lips and sat back on my bed. I was itching to try it, but working up the nerve to do it was the problem. What if I couldn't suck out his life force? It would either end badly for me, and I'd end up punished in some way or another, or it would be awkward as if I would be trying to kiss him.

I cringed at the thought of kissing anyone. The pounding in my heart steadied as I tried to relax; I bet they could hear it. I wondered if it was my scent alone that had blown my cover earlier.

Silence. The whole manor seemed to be eerily quiet at all times, but maybe it was just the fact that my ears were human ears. I thought back to the high detail I had seen everything in, how all of my senses had appeared to be heightened, after stealing the life force from the dead vampire. My fingertips twitched as the itching spread through me.

My breathing quickened, my pulse quickened, all in excitement this time. It became more of a need than a want. I wanted to try it on a living vampire. As living as a vampire could be anyway. The rush of the heightened senses was enticing me.

I shot up off the bed and over to the door, yanking it open. The vampire waiting outside jumped, not expecting me to pop out like that. It seemed to be out of character for a vampire though. He steadied himself again and turned to face me fully.

"What do you think you're doing?" he growled.

It was almost as if I had been possessed, considering what I did next. I had always been rather hot headed, but I had never been very daring, so I surprised even myself.

"Trying something out," I said. My voice sounded frosty- an alien sound to my ears.

I reached up- pretty far, I had to stand on the tips of my toes- and grabbed the back of his head. His eyes widened as I pulled his face down to mine. I'd bet all my lucky stars he had been expecting something entirely different when all I did was part my lips.

At first nothing happened. I felt a stirring in my core. And then the muscles in his face appeared to twitch. He seemed to be struggling hard, his eyebrows knitting together with the effort and confusion. I mentally pushed harder, and the fire in my core expanded. I was beginning to sweat from my own effort.

Not only did his lips part, but his entire jaw flew open with a groan. He grasped at my arms and tried to push me away with no success. His struggles ceased as a green mist slowly made its way past his lips and to mine. I held onto him tighter, eager for the rush it would give me.

Steadily his muscles shrank, and I almost snapped myself from the drain to marvel at it. The green mist died off, and I released him. He fell to the ground as a shriveled, shell-like version of his former self- all colour gone from him as well.

I felt new. I held my hands in front of my face and examined them. I could see in high detail again, and looked around in amazement.

I sensed him and even smelled him before I heard him. My heart pounded fiercely in my chest. Adrenaline pulsed through me.

"What have you done?" he asked in a small voice. I turned toward Adrian slowly, and he almost seemed to fight an urge to step back as our gazes met. "Your eyes-"

But he didn't finish his sentence. He simply stared with wide eyes, his mouth hanging open, jaw trembling slightly. He tentatively took a step closer, and I took a step back. What did he mean about my eyes? I wanted to run to the nearest mirror and examine them, but that meant letting my guard down.

"So it wasn't my mind playing tricks on me," Adrian said as he continued to step closer. He seemed less afraid, though even more awed. He stopped when he was only a few feet in front of me and the dead vampire. "What are you, truly?"

"I'm just a normal human," I said as if it had been programmed into me. I still clung to the belief, refusing to let it go. Even if I was steadily coming to terms with my new abilities.

Adrian threw his head back and laughed. The sound startled me, making me take a step back again.

"I am, I really am," I said. I frowned and glared at his refusal to accept it.

Once he had calmed, he looked at me again, a small smile was still present on his face. It reminded me a bit of Claude, and I wondered where he was. Had he just left me alone in this world, or was he looking for me?

"You don't truly believe that, do you?" Adrian asked. I looked up at him, truly looking into his face. It was almost as if I could see past it somehow, to a different, darker face. A shiver went up my spine.

"I- what's wrong with my eyes?" I asked. I brought my hands up to my cheeks. Adrian cocked his head to the side.

"Why don't you go look?" he said. "I'm sure there's a mirror in your room."

I backed away from him, too my door, keeping my eyes on him all the while. He followed me as I backed into my room, over to the mirror. He stayed near the doorway. I kept my gaze on him a moment longer, and then turned to look into the mirror.

I jumped back in surprise. My eyes were glowing, and they were a bright green.

"What is this?" I whispered, touching my face again. "What is going on with me?"

Adrian never got to respond, as there was a loud crash from downstairs.

"Chloe!" I recognized Claude's voice.