• I had been in Lord Drakyn's True Hand for close to one hundred years, ever since the day that my mother was killed and I was captured by the vampires. I was held prisoner in Lord Drakyn's manor for a few days and was starved in that dark, disgusting dungeon. The rank-and-file liked to come down and taunt me, and eventually this must have gotten the attention of Lord Drakyn.

    After all of the vampires I had seen thus far, I didn't expect much when I heard that their lord was coming down to pay me a visit. I was absolutely disgusted by the creatures by this time, but when I saw Lord Drakyn, I was very surprised. He had the look of a dignified noble, wearing dark, enchanted armor and a magnificent blood red mantle hung from his shoulders. He moved his long black hair from his eyes and in the eternal moonlight I could see his face with a calm expression and piercing red eyes. Oddly, I wasn't affected by him. I wasn't frightened in his presence. He knelt down and placed his hand between the bars of my cell. I looked up and wiped my eyes with the sleeve of my dress. I stared at his hand for a moment and put my hand in his. I calmed down a bit more and he stood me up, looking down at me with disgust, and I was wondering if it was towards me, but it wasn't.

    "When I was told they had captured a virgin, I did not think it to be a little girl… What is your name?" I remember him asking in his smooth, elegant voice. I stammered for a few moments, but managed to tell him my name.

    "R-Rika…" I replied.

    "A pleasure to meet you, Rika. I apologize for what has happened to you."

    He let go of my hand and opened the door of my cell, extending his hand once again, and I took it. I knew that he was solace for me. He pulled me in and gave me a warm hug, and I closed my eyes, thinking of home… and my mother. I began to cry, my tears staining his silk shirt, but instead of being annoyed by it, he gave me comfort. It reminded me of my father. He knelt down before me once again, and while I still wept in his arms, I felt a sharp pinch in my neck and then my mind clouded and I fell unconscious.

    I remember waking up later, but I wasn't sure of how long I had been out. My head pounded with pain and my body ached after enduring a long sleep full of dark nightmares of which I had never experienced before. My mind was still quite obscured and my thoughts were very feral and instinctive. I looked around with a much more intuitive eyesight. I could see things that I would have never noticed with a passing glance before. I could feel myself salivating at the thought of devouring blood, and then I felt his hand on my shoulder.

    "You've been asleep for a while, Rika. Welcome to the other side."

    I turned quickly and I uncontrollably jumped towards him and latched my teeth onto his neck. He supported me and allowed me to sustain myself on his blood. From that point on… I was one of them… I was a vampire…