Your Last Wish For Death

[Your_Last_Wish_For_Death]

Contents
Title Page 2
Introduction 3
Chapter One- Walking on Death 4
Chapter Two- Confidant 12
Chapter Three- The Crow 28
Chapter Four- My House 35
Chapter Five- Thoughts and Thoughts 38
Chapter Six- Unwanted Visitor 45
Chapter Seven- Careful 50
Chapter Eight- Full Moon 63
Chapter Nine- Pain 72
Chapter Ten- Decision 79
Chapter Eleven- The Next Day 89
Chapter Twelve- Oh No 103
Chapter Thirteen- The House 114
Chapter Fourteen- The Final Chapter 126




Title Page
Author: Sabrina Hobbs
Your Last Wish for Death
 
Introduction

The screams of the girl died away and I felt her flesh turn cold. Feeling revived I dropped her to the ground. My deathly white skin turned rosy porcelain pink. I felt my eyes beginning to itch which told me they were changing from a cobalt blue to the lightest shade of blue imaginable. I felt myself go from being toothpick thin to becoming my normal twig thin state. I pulled out the pocket knife I always carried and slit the girl’s wrists and neck to look like suicide. I had to do this once a month so it had become routine. Unfortunately for the poor people of this town it was a great sorrow. The girl was blonde and she wore in a small, short cheer-leading outfit. She had gone to Maglayra High, but I hadn’t recognized her, how sad that must be considering I was a student there. I felt my slightly curly luscious deep brown hair fall into my face. I straightened up out of the hunters crouch that was so familiar to my body and looked around to make sure there were no witnesses there to have seen me. I didn't want any witnesses saying that they saw a vampire kill a girl, I mean in all reality I'm not technically a traditional vampire. I'm an energy vampire actually. I'm not considered a normal vampire because of that little fact; I don't drink blood, well I had to once a month. Most the faces of my victims though have been lost to my memory. I didn't see them as people as I once had; instead I saw them as a snack. After doing this for a hundred and twenty five years, you would get used to it and become just like me. No one should judge me, by this; I'm not a cruel person, and I tried to make it easy for the one victim a month. I tried to let them suffer as little pain as possible. I mean why make them suffer for no reason? Their life ended quickly and relatively painlessly. Oh, where are my manners? I'm so sorry. My name is Arigena. I'm seventeen, and I was in High School. I lived in Maglayra Washington, and this is my story.

 
Chapter One- Walking on Death

The street of nice town houses is deserted and just looks boring; a long row where they all look too similar for my taste. They're like robot houses in my opinion, with a routine that's synchronized like a national swim team… and I hate swimming. These types of neighbor hoods always bugged me, even before they existed. Sadly enough this is the exact type of neighborhood I lived in now. Luckily enough for me, I didn’t have to travel far for my meal. My meal for the night was only a few blocks over and was walking around alone. I'm not always this lucky when it comes to meals. Sometimes I have to wander all around the small town to find someone; even sometimes I have to go to the neighboring towns. It's a good thing my foster parents don't care anymore. They used to be so confused and controlling of me. Although that was before I told them that if they wanted to keep their necks intact that they'd better leave me alone. That scared them a bit, but they cooled off. Walking under the street lamps, they glared, glared an annoyingly yellow lemon color… yeah glowing lemons…. As they began to flicker off and on I knew it was really early in the morning. It was a nice warm end of summer morning, school was about to start again and my summer was very long and very boring.

My summer consisted of hunting, sleeping, listening to music, in addition to reading, I don't do anything most of the time besides that. I don't see much of a point, because there is no one I talk to in school. People tend to always look at me strangely. It could possibly be because of how I look. I mean really, I'm twig thin, have lighter than light blue eyes, along with dark shiny slightly curly brown hair. I'm not the average teenager in High School you could say. Most people consider me to be a weirdo Goth girl by the way I dress, which is mostly ripped jeans and a band-tee along with multiple colored bracelets of course. I never have to wear a jacket, besides my black and green stripped hoodie because I never get cold. I have a higher body temperature than that of normal human beings. It's because of the way my molecules are arranged. Least that's what this crazy doctor in the nineteenth century told me.

I see my beige colored house; walking up to my door I jiggle the handle. It was locked of course. I went to my fence and hopped over it. Climbing up the terrace to my window that's never locked I climb in. I was right in my pervious thoughts thinking that it was early in the morning; it was about one in the morning. I laughed to myself softly and scramble on my bed. I decided not to fall asleep. It was too late and I wasn't really tired after the blood rush I just had.

I put my head phones in and turned over on my back. I put my right leg over my left leg and my arms behind my head for support. I was wearing black and white skinny jeans and a black Green Day shirt. I felt rejuvenated, but sad, I didn't really want to endure another year of school, but I had no choice. I needed to pass all this year too; otherwise I'd never be able to leave High School. I look around my plain room, with my thoughts swirling.

The dark green wall paper is slowly beginning to chip and peel, reminding me of an old western film. Looking toward my oak desk I see it is directly across from my bed. My eyes shifting over to my door I realize it’s next to my bed on the left side; it's a dark red oak wood and has a blood red smiley face on it from when I got a little blood deprived. I remember it clearly, one day because my foster parents put bars on my window I scratched the smile in with my nails and they had begun to bleed. I began to laugh again softly to myself. How ironic this all seemed now. That was a few years ago, I was a blood thirsty little girl back then.

I tended to get this way almost every three years. I'm lucky I haven't become a full blood vampire yet. That would really be the end of my race then. I am the last energy vampire already. Most of my kind has been killed off, or given into their blood thirst. Either way, they are still no longer energy vampires, and blood vampires were always messy, in the way they killed, the way the cleaned, it was ridiculous. I was a very neat person and this showed in my room. It was very clean and smelled slightly of bleach.

I was very cautious about how I cleaned. Too much bleach would hurt my nose, and make it bleed, and too much dust would make me feel like I was my actual age. So it had to be just right in my room and the temperature had to be very cold, but overall I liked my room, it fit me somehow. I turn to look over at my clock as a favorite song of mine begins to play. The song is "Home" By Three Days Grace. I absolutely adore their band, and this song. It gave me something to almost relate to. My clock reads six o'clock a.m. and my thoughts shift from music to, time for school I suppose. I get up out of my bed and stand stretching for a few moments.

After I’m done stretching I decide to take a hasty, quick shower in the bathroom across the hall. The bright yellow wall paper surprises me when I walk out, as it often does; I keep forgetting how bright it truly is. My room is at the end of the hall, there's a mirror right outside on the bathroom door, seeing my refection and sigh.

If I look down the hall through, before I enter the bathroom, I can see my foster parent's room, on the right side of the hall, next to the curly stair case, and across from their room is their little boy’s room. Jimmy is truly an adorable kid. Blonde hair and emerald green eyes. He's about five or four I think, and he's really a good kid, I smile and walk into the bathroom. The bathroom is covered in sunset red tile to the middle of the wall, from there it continues with a deep green, like my walls in my room.

The bathroom is fairly simple. A sink straight back from the door with a medicine cabinet and mirror above it, besides that is the toilet, with a small shelving unit above it, in addition to that is the combination shower and bath tub next to it, with a curtain covered in yellow ducks. Jimmy picked this one out himself; he was so excited about the ducks. I set down my towels on the toilet to start the hot water for my shower.

It doesn't take long and I climb in, and begin to wash myself and feel the warm soap cleaning me. My shower only takes about ten minutes before I get out. I walk back over to my room wet, and look into my dresser besides my bed. I pull out dark denim jeans and a black tank top to wear along with my black and green hoodie. I dry myself off prior to getting dressed.

Walking into the hall, I stop at the mirror and look at myself. The refection looking back is the one I always get, just me, plain old me. I brush my hair in the bathroom quickly and walk down stairs. I'm greeted by a smiling and happy Jimmy giving me a hug and the smell of waffles.

Downstairs is different from upstairs. It's very plain, but also kind of fancy. It has marble looking tile in the kitchen, bathroom, and dining room, and royal blue carpet in the living room and study. I walk into the kitchen, which is off from the dining room, after hugging Jimmy to say hello to my foster mom.

"Hello, Dilia." I say smiling.

She's still in her pajamas, the horrid pink flowered ones and wearing bunny slippers to accompany them. She smiles and nods.

"Foods almost ready Hun." She calls to me as I'm heading to the living room to collect my battered green school bag.
I nod silently to myself while thinking, I've already eaten, Dilia. Walking back to Jimmy, he seems very excited. He's sitting down in his chair bouncing in place. His emerald eyes are sparkling with joy. I pretend to not notice and look down at my book that I have in my hands. He looked at me then at the table. He gets confused and looks back at me. He bounces a bit higher and I laugh a little.

"If you keep bouncing like that Jimmy, you'll fall out of your chair." I say smiling at his young joyful face.

"You did notice! I'm happy Arigena! I'm really happy!" Jimmy says happily.

"And why are you so happy Jimmy?"

"I get to go to school next year! I'm going to be five!"

"Oh that's right isn't it Jimmy?" I laugh. So he is four. Least I'll remember now, I think to myself.

Jimmy smiles and bounces in place at his joy. I couldn't help, but laugh. He makes me so very happy. It's a good thing I have enough self control not to kill him or his parents. That would be very sad for them all, and for me. I sigh a little bit and look around the room. Sadly enough I realize it's very bland again. The boring yellow-white wall paper draws me to the dark mahogany clock that reads six thirty. I sigh and look over at Jimmy. My dark curly hair falls across my face and my I stick my tongue out at him. He laughs a childish joyful laugh, I smile.

"I have to go now Jimmy, I'll see you when I get home Hun. Bye Dilia!" I say as I walking out the door.

It's a nice sunny day and there are only a few people at my bus stop as normal. I forget their names and I could care less. One's in a pink shirt and jeans, a sixteen year old girl judging with my mind, and a fifth teen year old boy wearing black jeans, and a blue shirt. The girl is blonde and the blue eyed. The boy is red haired and green eyed. I sigh and wait for my bus to come as I put my head phones in and take out my hard back leather book. It's an old copy of Dracula, my favorite book ironically.

My bus comes rattling up the street about ten minutes later. It's an old beat up bus. Chipping yellow paint, and broken number plaque, plus all the ripped grey seats covered in duck tape. Yup, it's an old bus, but it is my favorite one. I have a favorite seat too; it's the most comfy one that I found in the past three years of high school. It’s almost completely covered in duck tape and is surprisingly very comfy. I smile to myself sitting down. My bus driver usually ignores me which; is good considering I'm not exactly normal.

She thinks I'm a witch, by the way I look, and she used to look up every two minutes in the rear view mirror to watch me, my freshman year. Sometimes I catch her looking at me still. I don't believe she realizes I'm not human. I think she maybe just believes I'm bizarre and maybe practice witch craft, which I might as well, but I don’t because it’s pathetic and useless. So sad the little people know about us vampires, it's almost a shame.

We arrive at my school like normal and I see the same brown brick walls I see all the time. Surprisingly enough I actually like the school, it's very nice. I mean, I don't really like all the drugs that are there and the people, but I enjoy the school because it’s relaxing for me, and I get to pick out meals if I see them in the world. It's entertaining for me to be able to see how weak and pitiable they are.

My classes aren't all that fun for me. Teachers constantly talking in monotone, but I still don't mind it. I have history first hour, and I love history, mostly because I lived through a lot of it, so if a teacher is wrong, I am able let them know by saying I did research. They look it up and eventually I tend to be right, well about the last one hundred and twenty five years anyway.

I walk to the main building and open the door, the circular office is on my right, and the attendance is on my left. The walls are white and the carpet is blue. I go to the hall way on the right walking down, the few doors and small mail boxes are on the left, and windows on the right. There are some posters about drug resistance and to say no to drugs. Of course that doesn't work, when does it ever work?

I go to the end of the hall taking a left. The floor turns to white, orange, and black colored tiles. On the left of this hall is the activities office, while the security office is on the right. A little of the hall down I turn right to a shorter hall, the four hundred hall to be exact. I walk all the way down past lockers and people to the room four hundred and twelve.

I walk into the odd shaped room, almost a triangle shape, but it's not entirely. The desks are all in rows and the teacher’s desk is at the front. I take my assigned seat in the back of the class, and no one's there yet. The teacher walks in wearing black slacks, a white button up shirt, and a fish tie. His hair is sleeked back while he's wearing his classes. He looks like a nerd, who died and got reborn as another nerd. His name is Mr. Gendered and he teaches all his students like they're kindergarteners.

It's exceptionally annoying and sadly he treats me like that more than anyone else because I'm failing his class. It's not because I don't do the work, I do the work, and its right, but he doesn't like me correcting him when he's wrong about history, he also doesn't like it that I ace everything. He wants kids to fail. I heard him say it when he thought no one was in the room and he was grading. I was actually still in the room, just in the back corner where no one saw me.

This was last year though, and he's the only Washington State history teacher, so I have no choice but to have him as a teacher. I watch him sit down at his desk and look up at me then grunt looking back down. That is extremely rude of him; I hope one day I come across him while hunting. I smile at myself menacingly, feeling the itch in my throat for blood. I cough a little and he looks up. I smile sarcastically and look down to my book. He looks down at his desk and grades papers silently. Failing all those poor kids I bet, I think to myself slowly. My mind begins to envelop itself with my book. Before long the class has started, the bell has rung, and Mr. Gendered taps my desk with a ruler.

"Excuse me, Miss. Roemer your book is now my property till the end of the day." He tells me.

"Oh just you wait..." I say under my breath to myself and hand him my book.

I reluctantly look up at the board while resting my head on my hand. My hair falls over the corner of one of my extremely light blue eyes. The kid who sits next to me passes me a note. He's wearing a black and white skull tee shirt and ripped jeans, along with black bracelets on his arms. His hair looks greasy, and is a deep brown color, his eyes are hazel. I take the note reluctantly, rolling my eyes. Probably another idiot trying to date me, I think to myself. I look at the note and scrawled in messy handwriting it says "Are you a vampire?" I look back at him then write in the note. "No. Leave me alone." I hand it back to him. He frowns scrawling something else out. He passes it to me and I rip it up looking him dead in the face.

"I said leave me alone," and toss the paper in the air.

Mr. Gendered looked over and frowns. Walking over to my desk he slaps his hand down and glares.

"Detention for five days starting after school, and during lunch today," He says, and I glare.

"That's ridiculous! I'm not serving detention for tossing bits of paper." I say.

"Excuse me? I'm a teacher, you have to obey me."

"Oh yes because teachers that fail every student deserve to be obeyed." I reply grabbing my bag and books to walk out of the class.

He tries to grab my jacket's hood. He fails, but falls down instead; I walk away fast from his class. There's a door on the right of me after I walk only a few feet, I exit that door. It brings me to a concrete court yard; with a rock over to the left side. Straight in front of me a long way is a stair case leading up to the track surrounded by grass. Walking over to the stairs I notice a few crows flying around. Stupid, dirty birds related to death, I think and climb the stairs. I cross the street of the track to the church and bowling alley on the other side.

Sighing softly, I walked into the bowling alley, looking around the small arcade. The sliding doors are filled with posters of bowling tournaments. The floor is wood and is polished clean making it shine. The walls are white from the view of the door. Walking in I see there's an arcade off to the left, the bowling alley straight in front of me, and off to the right side is the bar or drink area, next to the counter on the left is the bowling shop. I walk over to the arcade and there are multiple machines, for games. There are claw games, Dance Dance Revolution, shooting games, air hockey, sticker and toy machines. I decide I want to play a little Dance Dance Revolution. I put in fifty cents before picking the songs "R3, A, and Daikenkai." They are my three favorite songs. The first one begins, as I follow the arrows almost perfectly. I finish with a B rank. I rest for a few seconds before the next song begins. I keep playing this till the sun beings to go down. Seeing this I decide to head home.  

[Your_Last_Wish_For_Death]

Chapter Two- Confidant

When I arrive home after a long walk along Olympia Street, past Yuri's Goods and the little gas station, I smell some wood burning. My house is on South Newport Street, and it's hard to see the turn sometimes, but I walk down the street to my house in the corner. When I enter my foster mom is distraught. Her short blonde hair is frizzy and all over the place and her deep blue eyes are full of concern. She's wearing a black sweater and blue jeans. She looks up from the table and the card she's holding to my face. I look at her confused, as I set my bag down. I walk over to the table to sit down. I wonder what she can be so worried or distraught about then I remember that I skipped school today. I sigh and look around waiting for her to say something. If my school did call then she would say something right? I mean, I'd probably get grounded.

"You're school called Arigena." Dilia said.

I nodded slowly looking down at my hands, "Yea, so I’m grounded?"

"No...You're suspended from school. You said something to your teacher? Something about him being an a**?" She asked.

"What? Who on earth told you that? I never said that. He took my book, and then gave me detention for ripping up a piece of paper." A predatory sound comes into my voice and I hunch my shoulders.

"Ok sweetie, I believe you, just had to ask." She says backing off.

"Thank you." I say angrily grabbing my bag and run upstairs to my room.

Opening the door I throw my bag at my desk running to my bed, I scream into the pillow. It's the only outlet I can use for my anger for now. Silly I know it seems that way, but it's really not. It makes me quiet and it gives me an outlet besides hunting. I shouldn't hunt now anyway. I mean I just did yesterday; I don't want to become a full blood vampire.

I turn over after I’m done screaming; I look at my ceiling, I do this for what seems like an hour or two before I hear what sounds like rocks hitting my window. I look around my room before I sit up in my bed looking towards my window. The sound continues as I go over and open it; a rock hits my face. I growl lowly looking out and down. It's the kid from my first hour class. I start to close my window when he throws another rock.

"Wait! I want to talk to you." He calls in a voice that's low and sly like.

"Why? Why should I care what you have to say?" I ask in an uncaring voice.

"Because I know what you are and I'll expose you if you don't." He says smiling knowing that he has an upper hand.

"Oh because you think I'm a vampire? Like really? Dude, where the hell do you hang out?"

"I don't think, I know you are there's signs. I have a weird way to explain, but if you let me come up we can talk," He begins to say.

"No. I'll go down and we can talk. I don't let people I hardly know or anyone in my room." I growl jumping out my window.

He nods and steps back as I land on the ground. He looks at me suspiciously as I land noticing that I didn't fall or stumble, or make a sound. I scream at myself in my head about how it wasn't human to do that without sound, or falling. I begin to walk ahead of him out of my back yard. It's almost dark out and that's when I get the thirstiest, so I really hope for this poor boys sake that I don't kill him.

We walk a while down the road and I wonder when he's going to begin talking or if he is still just watching me to see what I do. I laugh a little to myself and I think of a joke to play on him. I walk like normal then when we reach the end of the street I turn around the corner waiting for him to appear; when he does I say rawer. He looks me dead in the face seeming bored. I laugh turning back around.

"You have a wonderful laugh vampire." He says.

"And you're so stupid boy." I reply.

"My name's Ellison, not boy and I know you're a vampire."

"Ok Ellison whatever you say." I say nonchalantly.

"You haven't told me your name yet vampire or, do you prefer the name vampire because you're too ashamed about the girl you killed last night?" He asks.

"What girl?" I ask a little tensed waiting for his reply.

"The cheerleader, please, don't play like you don't know. Her name by the way was Catherine." Ellison says not bothering to pretend to be nice anymore.

"Oh so that way her name..." I whisper to myself shutting my eyes trying to remember her face.

Blonde hair, blue eyes and was wearing a cheerleading outfit. I guess she seemed like a Catherine. I nod to myself and think yes, she was a Catherine. I continue to walk like nothing was wrong.

"So you do know her? So you killed her? Or is it more like feeding for you?" Ellison asked.

"I didn't know her, and I didn't kill her. You ask a lot of questions Ellison."

"And I don't seem to get any good answers Arigena Roemer born in one thousand, eight hundred and eighty five, to Mrs. Jane Roemer, and Mr. Charles Roemer." He said matter of fact.

I froze, it was impossible not to. No one knew about my parents and no one even knew I was anything but a regular human.

"Ah so that is you. Shall I continue Arigena? Mister and Misses Roemer died in an accident on May twentieth, nine thousand and two, when their daughter, meaning you, was seventeen. Oddly enough that's how old you are now, or claim to be one hundred and twenty five years later.”

Tears spring to my eyes. He knows too much about me, but how, and why? My thoughts drift immediately to my parents. They were so kind and caring; I had never meant to hurt them. I had just become a vampire earlier that year, in January, on my birthday and I was seventeen. I couldn't control my thirst yet, but they were there and I was so thirsty... A tear falls down my face as I put my hand in my pocket feeling for my knife. Ellison and I are all alone, there's an empty house to my right. I turn so fast his eyes just grow wide, shoving him up against the fence with my knife at his throat. I growl in his face looking directly into his hazel colored eyes.

"How do you know so much about me, and why do you care?!" I demand thrusting him against the fence vehemently again and again.

"I just found out. I just was looking on the-" He began to babble.

"Don't you dare try to lie me!" I all but scream at him, my voice was dark with anger.

"I was doing a report on the famous Roemer murder. The report said that everyone died, and their daughter was lost, but they had strange markings on their neck. A vampire bite is what it seemed like; I just connected the dots with the killings here and you." He said at last, "You've gotten better at murder haven't you?"

I slowly drop my arm with the knife and he begins to try to move away from me. Grabbing him by his shirt I shove him back against the fence.

"Don't you dare move!" I hiss at him bringing the knife back.

He gulps staying against the fence; I pull my arm down. I'm trying to think about my situation. So he knows, what's the worst that can happen? He tells the people? No one would know and or believe him, so there's nothing that would be bad. On the other hand, if he did somehow get it out to the world and they believe him, then I'd have to leave. I'd have to leave Dilia and Jimmy. I really didn't want to leave Jimmy. But what could I do? How could I get him to stay quiet besides killing him?

That was the only option I guess I tell myself, turning back to him. He's the first person besides my parents that I knew the name of before I killed them. I was oddly sad about this. I looked at him moving to be straight up next to him, right up against his body in a nonsexual way. Before I killed him I wanted him to know something.

"You're the first person's name I know of before I killed them in addition my parents. It's a shame I can't make sure you stay quiet. I kind of liked you." I whisper into his ear as I lean down to bite his neck when my fangs extend.

His blood wells up; I begin to drink thirstily. He starts to scream in what seems like extreme pain. He tries to push me away. Feeling shocked I pull back and stop. I've never had this reaction before from drinking someone's blood. He seems surprised from the pain, but more hurt than anything.

"Stop please. Just stop. I'll keep quiet I swear." He says almost frightened as I back up.

I look at him confused, worried but then I think of myself; wondering if he’s overly sensitive to pain. "It hurt a lot didn’t it?" I asked.

"Yes! It felt like I was having my entire heart and soul pulled out.” He says holding his neck in pain.

"I see, well if, you can keep your mouth shut and not say a word about me to anyone, and I mean anyone, I won’t do it again."

He nods with a pained expression on his face and looks at me. I smell his blood, a sweet smell almost of chocolate, I sigh knowing it’s wrong to want his blood so much. I look back at him and say that I'm sorry but that I'll talk to him tomorrow; I give him my cell phone number. I have to keep in contact with him so I can be sure he won't say anything.

I arrived back home after jumping over the fence then climbing up to my room. I sigh shutting my window. I then recall Ellison by the fence and his screams of agony. What a bizarre thing to happen. I’ve been able to find ways to make it not as painful for people. I feel my face begin to flush red as I start to cry.

I try to understand what could have happened. The only thing I could figure is that maybe he is too sensitive to pain, or his genetics are messed up. I couldn't think of anything else. I sigh sitting down on my bed. I didn't want to hurt him; it hurts to hurt innocent people. I wish I could take back the pain I had caused him... But I know unfortunately I can't. It breaks what shell of a heart I have to remember his scream. I cringe on my bed as a shiver runs down my back making the fair hairs stand on end. I close my lighter than blue eyes and let tears slide down my face.

I hear a pecking at my window, I open my eyes to see what it was. It's a stupid crow; I just tap the glass to make it fly away before I shut my black curtains. The crow apparently doesn't fly away, but instead just keeps taping at my window. Becoming irritated quickly I put my headphones in to let music fill my ears as I fall asleep with tears on my face.

The next morning Jimmy is in my room sitting on the edge of my bed, watching me. He waited till I turned to notice him before scurrying over to me and curling next to me in a ball. I smile, kissing his forehead as I stroke his hair. He fell asleep almost instantly against my warm body. Laughing silently I fell asleep with him.

His scent filled my nose and I felt my fangs extend slightly. In my dream we were asleep together except my fangs had fully extended I had bit him and began to suck his blood because his smell was everywhere. In real life I felt my fangs touch my pink lips. I pulled him closer to me as if in a hug as my head moved down to his neck. I woke up as I felt my fangs brush against his neck. I pulled my head back while jumping back from my bed and him.

I stayed alongside my window wall watching him sleep with my hunger prodding at me inside my head. Why not just eat him? He's just another little boy. He will hardly feel a thing... Come on, just eat him. My hunger spoke to me as if it was an entity that was controlling me. I felt my fangs extend to their full length as I took a step forward. I caught my move, and forced myself alongside my wall again.

He was sleeping so peacefully. His blonde hair all messed up and his breathing light. In his head all he was dreaming of were happy things, no bad dreams today. That would all change if he found out what a real monster I was and how many people I've killed. Poor little boy forced to live here with me, what a shame it is.

Licking my lips I feel that my fangs have retracted slightly, but the hunger is still raging. Opening my window silently I slip out leaving my house. I leap my fence, taking a right to walk down the road. I feel I need someone to talk to for the first time in my life. Maybe it's because Ellison knows I think, and then I remember Ellison knows! I can talk to him! The thoughts are raging in my head as I pull out my phone. I don't know his number, so instead I call the operator to get his number. His phone rings there's no answer, I try again, and he finally answers.
"What do you want?" He asks coldly.

"I just... never mind its ok." I say slowly starting to hang up.

"No! Wait! I'm sorry, it's just I’m not sure this is such a good idea to talk." He replies.

"Why not?"

"Because you bit me and it hurt. My parents were worried about me when I came home. Thanks a lot."

"It's not my fault! I thought you were going to tell them, and I didn't mean for it to hurt. This was a horrible idea to call you."

"Of course it's your fault. You're a dirty rotten monster, don't call me again."

"Fine, whatever, thanks for the help." I say shutting my phone while he's sputtering words of sorry.

Walking straight down the deserted road my blood lust subsides. Figuring I might want to return home, I turn right down a street I thought was a short cut. It wasn't and I got lost in the middle of my neighborhood. Deciding I don't want to get any more lost I walk back out toward the way I had turned in. There's a huge crow cawing in a tree not far above my head and looking at me intently. Odd thing for a bird to do, I think and I stop to inspect it. It looks like a normal bird from far away, but in its eyes I see an intelligence that I haven't seen before in any animal. A hunting intelligence, an almost air of I am hunter you are the prey. A shiver runs down my spine and I hug my arms around me. I don't like this feeling, this feeling of being watched or hunted. I am the hunter, I kill others, and no one can touch me. I didn't understand why this bird was creeping me out, it made no sense at all. I take a look instead from its eyes to its feathers; I realize it has faint traces of what looks like blood on its wings and over its body. Again I realize this doesn't make sense unless the crow was hunting for food, but crows are scavengers aren't they? That's what I thought so I just couldn't understand why this crow had what looked like blood all over its body. Still getting that creepy feeling I stop staring at the bird and begin to walk as fast as I can back to my house without running. The feeling increases and I feel like I'm getting chased, like this is some twisted horror film. Starting to run to my house, after I found the street, I run into Ellison. Literally, I run into him, I turn the corner of Oak Street and Vincent Ave. and smash right into him. Getting up I step away from him avoiding his gaze. He gets up slower than I did looking up at me and then away towards the corner. He seems puzzled, maybe as to why I was running. I notice my creepy feeling has disappeared at his presence. I don't speak, but wait for him to say something. Maybe for him to apologize, but I know he wasn't wrong about what he had said earlier. He seems to be trying to figure out what to say. He finally seems to settle on what to do, or say and looks at me again. From behind my dark brown hair I can see he's wearing a black sweater, blue jeans, while his black hair is in his face covering his hazel eyes. I notice that I’m still wearing my pajamas and blush embarrassed. My pajamas are torn old sweat pants, sports bra, and overly big tee shirt. Still looking at the ground I see him take a step closer to me.

"Why were you running Arigena?" He asks me.

"I just felt... it's stupid, forget it. Probably wouldn't believe me if I told you, or you'd laugh." I reply.

"Just try me, besides I was looking for you anyway, so we can talk."

My head snaps up at his reply, "You want to talk to me? You were looking for me? Why?" I ask surprised.

"When you called, I was being stupid... I wanted to apologize and talk. Plus you're like my only friend." He smiles at me.

"I'm your friend?" I still don't understand his words; I don't know what to say.

"Of course," He says laughing, "So why don't we go to your house so we can talk? It's cold outside."
I nod and begin to walk to my house with him trailing behind me. Then I remember that I sneaked out of my house to avoid biting Jimmy.

"Oh, um... you're going to have to ring my door bell. My foster parents don't know I'm out of the house... I'll explain when you come upstairs to my room." I say shyly.

He just nods as we reach my house. I hop over my fence, climb up to my room and sneak back in. Before Ellison has a chance to ring the door bell I change quickly into a maroon red sweater, and jeans. Without waking Jimmy, I move him down to his room. I open the door and lay him down on his bed. His room isn't small, but not overly big at the same time. He has power ranger wall paper, sheets, and pillows. His toys are all over the floor, instead of in the toy box. His carpet is soft blue fuzz, while his dresser is a hard oak wood. I shut his white door slowly then walk back to my room. The door bell rings before I make it, so I quickly go inside. I hear footsteps outside my room on the hard wood floors then a knock. I say come in, and then the door opens to reveal my foster father and Ellison. My foster father, Ted, has thinning blonde hair, and blue eyes. The clothes he's wearing are a black and white stripped polo, plus some old blue jeans.

"Hey Arigena, you have a friend to visit." Ted says to me.

"Thanks Ted, tell Dilia I said hello." I reply.

He nods and shuts my door. Ellison is left standing by my door looking at my room. I feel a little awkward so I go to sit down on my bed before I realize maybe he wants to sit there. I stop, stand up and clear my throat.

"Um... welcome to my room?" I say nervously.

He just stands there and nods. I bite my lip and put my hands behind my back to he can't see me rubbing them together. I walk to my window on the other side of the room to give him some breathing room from me.

"Have a seat if you like, I won't bite I promise." I say trying to make an attempt at a joke.

He laughs to my surprise, walks over and sits down on my bed. I smile from my window, go to sit beside him, and then just settle for sitting on my computer chair.

"You have a nice room. I absolutely love the smiley face on your door. I'm guessing its blood?" Ellison asks.

I nod, "Yea its blood. Mine, no one else’s, I can't remember doing it too well, but I remember I did."

"Vampires can bleed?" He asks almost surprised.

"Of course what do you think I am? Indestructible or something?"

"Well... yea kind of. Shows how much I actually know huh?"

"Yes, indeed it does." I laugh.

"Well why don't you tell me some more then, stuff that everyone has wrong about you?" He asks.

"That would take a life time to explain, and I mean a life time." I replied.

"Could you try?"

"Ok, fine, but just be ready to hear some gruesome stuff.” I say after thinking for a few minutes, “First off, not all vampires were horrible blood sucking monsters that killed a bunch of people in a day. There are two different types of vampires, energy vampires, and blood vampires. I'm an energy vampire. The difference between energy vampires and blood vampires is that energy vampires have um, certain unique qualities to them. For example one difference is that energy vampires can control their blood lust and only need blood once every month," I said then took a deep breath to continue, “well that is actually killing a person once every month. The blood we get plus the energy from that person, gives us the ability to be able to withstand the sun for a month without damage to ourselves, and the ability to work with our excess energy. Blood vampires; don't have energy because they were all once, except for the first blood vampire, energy vampires that gave into their blood lust. And giving in is what crushed their ability to use energy. Blood vampires also kill energy vampires because they think we're weak and the lesser vampire so to speak. That is why there aren't any more energy vampires besides me, unless they've gone into very, very, very discreet hiding, but they eventually end up dead anyway." I stopped talking to judge his reaction.

He seemed very astonished. I'm not sure he realized how much the world didn't know and this was just the beginning, I didn't even go into too much detail yet, but I could see him trying to take this all in and adjust to it. He seemed to think for a long time before he tried to reply. Except when he tried, his mouth just fell open then he shut it again. I begin to fidget in my chair and wait for his reply. My thoughts are swirling in my head. What if he thinks I am a monster? What if he wants nothing to do with me from now on? Then what will I do? I poured almost everything out to him, so why hasn't he replied yet? Maybe he's afraid? I ask myself. He looks down at his hands and around my room before he looks back at me.

"Well, I guess that is a lot no one knows then huh?" He laughs nervously, "What else don't people know?"

"Again a very long story, but there's a lot more if I go into depth."

"Then go into depth."

Sighing I lick my dry lips and sit up in my chair, "Remember how I said that energy vampires can use energy? What I mean by that is that we can make energy spheres and other things like, blasts of energy, whips, and much more, but it's very complicated. Every time we try to, or do, it drains us significantly, which means we need more energy, by killing more people, so it's dangerous. It's always a dangerous balance between blood lust and sense. In most cases, energy vampires hold out for a few years then come crumbling down to the lust for blood. I'm one of the few that's held out longer than five years, but compared to some of the energy vampires that got killed years ago? It's not even close. There were three or four energy vampires that managed to control their blood lust for thousands of years before they were killed." I sigh, "I hope to be one of those. It's hard though, you have really no idea. It's like every time you are able to be close to someone and smell their blood and it smells good, you want to rip their throat out and swallow their life for your own. I almost did that to Jimmy this morning... That's why I called you..."

"You almost killed Jimmy? Who's he?"

"Jimmy is my foster parents little boy. He's only four. He came into sleep with me, and when I sleep I can't control my thirst, so I almost did, but I woke up and left."

"And you called me because?"

"I need someone who knew to talk to because I had a need to want comfort, which is silly, I shouldn’t need comfort. After all, I've lived for one hundred and twenty five years without it."

"Everyone needs comfort sometimes. No one can live without it. Vampire or not."

I look into his hazel eyes and try to read his soul. What does he mean by this? Is he suggesting that he's my comfort? I almost killed him yesterday, how can he want to be my comfort? I'm searching for the answers in his eyes, but I can't find anything. He's good at keeping his thoughts a secret from his eyes, a trick I want to learn. He's gazing back at my lighter than light blue eyes and he seems to be searching for something as well, but I guess he doesn't find it and we look away. I blush a light pink and look down at my floor. I peer up at him through my eye lashes and he seems to be looking at my wall. I clear my throat and straighten up.

"So is that all you wanted to know?" I ask and my voice squeaks.

"Not really all. I'm wondering how someone becomes a vampire." He says.

"Well, you have to become an energy vampire and this only happens in rare cases, very rare actually. It depends on the person’s genetics more than anything. People tend to develop too much energy sometimes and then the change occurs. From there you can become a blood vampire. There's only one report of someone becoming a blood vampire instantly from exchanging blood back and forth, but that's a very risky and dangerous attempt, everyone who's tried has killed the human they wanted to turn. See, our blood is poisonous to you humans, which is why it's dangerous. If a human is trying this with a blood vampire, they have to be very careful with how much blood they take, and same for the vampire." I reply.

"Then how did you become a vampire?"

"I developed too much energy I guess. I didn't know till after my change, there were numerous energy vampires around, they were revealed to me, and taught me some tricks to control my thirst."

"Tricks being?"

"They taught me to kill on full moons only, to preserve more energy. Also that if I begin to feel thirsty to take a walk along a deserted road, or call a confidant."

"So you kill on full moons only? So two days ago, you killed that girl?"

"Yes, and yes unfortunately, but I don't want to die. I can't yet...I feel I haven't full filled something important."

"But you keep hurting the people on this earth because you kill their children. Don't you feel remorse?"

"Of course I do... I feel horrible every day because of the people I've killed, but I don't have a choice. It's that or I go insane from thirst, and go on a killing rampage that I can't control."

"Then you'd turn into a blood vampire?"

"Yea and then think about how much more of a menace I'd be? Killing every day."

"I see... well would you have any power as a blood vampire? You commented that energy vampires have energy they use; do blood vampires have any powers?"

I had to think about an answer to this question for a very long time, "Yes, they do, because they're so animal like themselves, they can transform into an animal if they kill one by choice."

"I see, but if an energy vampire did?"

"We don't. It doesn't appeal to us, but if let's say that's all we had, then we would but it wouldn't be enough so we'd have to kill every hour and eventually our blood lust would take over."

"So there's no alternative to you having to kill?"

I look down around my floor away from his face. His true question I knew was if there was any way for me to become less of a monster, so he could comprehend his liking of me. My answer would break his heart; maybe even force him to run away screaming, or draw back away from my friendship. He's waiting for my reply and is looking at me through his dark brown hair.

"No, there's no alternative for human life, I'm sorry I'm a monster."

His eyes get wide as he flips his hair out of his face to stare at mine intently, "You're not a monster." He says getting up and moving over to my chair. Pulling me into a big hug he whispers to me softly that he was sorry for those cruel words, that he wants it to all be ok, because I'm not a monster. Tears begin to run down my face and silently I cry there in his arms, feeling comfort, and friendship for the first time in one hundred and twenty five years. Holding me tightly he strokes my back softly. My arms wrap around his waist, my head resting on his chest, my face red from my tears, as they slowly begin to fade away. I stop crying after a few minutes, but he doesn't let go of me. I lift my head up to his to tell him that he can let go when he does let go. I was hoping he wouldn't, but keep holding me for a while longer. Sadly, but necessary I get up from my chair, and move away from him only a few steps.

"I'm sorry about that." I say wiping my tears from my face.

He laughs and sits down on my bed, "Sorry? For what? Crying? Please, it's fine. You probably needed comfort after one hundred and twenty five years of guilt."

I laugh and nod silently, moving over to sit by my window he begins to ask me to show him, and tell him things about myself. I smile beginning to really enjoy his friend ship. I tell him all about my life before I became a vampire, about how I was engaged, then how I went missing after I killed my parents. How I became a tortured inverted person, about the adventures of running away after the blood vampires decided all energy vampires should die, or be forcefully turned because we were too weak. I showed him old school yearbooks, old photographs of my parents, and me as a child. I opened myself up to him as a whole person, not just fragments. We laughed, made jokes, and had a genuinely good time. Jimmy even came in for a bit to see my new friend, got frightened of his odd clothes ran out my door, and disappeared from sight for the next few hours. Ellison and I had a good laugh about that for a while, and then the time seemed to catch up with us in our little world. It was six o'clock when he realized he had to leave to go home. I sighed and nodded. I showed him to the door and he said he'd call after school tomorrow. He skipped today ironically, and was going to get in trouble for it at home. Smiling I returned to my room to relax my voice and possibly sleep.  

[Your_Last_Wish_For_Death]

Chapter Three- The Crow

Before opening my door, I hear a rustling sound inside. Quickly opening the door I rush in to see who's in my room. No one goes in my room without me in there, I think to myself. No one's in there when I get the door open and rush in. No one at all is in there, but there is a black feather on my bed, my window is open, and there's a giant crow on my windowsill. Freaked out that my window magically opened, and that there's a bird in my room, I rush over and wave my hands at the bird to get it out of my room. The crow snaps at my hand and bites me, my blood starts to swell up and I hiss in pain. I knock the bird off my window, while it flies away into the trees across the street. Slamming my window shut I curl my hand into my chest to try and stop the bleeding. Bleeding out isn't really an option considering I heal too fast for that, but it still hurts like a b***h. I run across the hall into the bathroom and turn on the hot water with my free hand. I run my hand under the water to disinfect it, and then I put bandages on to help it stay more protected that if I had nothing on over it, walking out after my bandages are in place on my hand. Cautiously looking around my room I try to see if there's anything out of place or anything missing. This may seem silly, but a bird in a human's room? It's almost unheard of in the human world. The only thing that I can't seem to find from my room is a necklace that my mother gave me with my families crest on it. My family crest is a simple design, a heart with a star over it, and that necklace was gone. It was my favorite necklace, and it was gone. I didn't see it on the bird so maybe the bird dropped it, or moved it. I search my entire room and I can't find it. Then I remember the crow feather on my bed. I take it in my hands and look at it for a long time; it reminds me of a shiny new piece of plastic or maybe even rainbow on black water.

Wanting to find out some more information about crows and what they represent, I turn to my computer desk. My computers off, my chair miles from the desk. Getting up I walk over to my chair pull it over to the desk, turn on the computer and open the internet explorer. I type in Google, then search for "meaning of crows", there are numerous websites that show up have mostly false information, things humans put up. Others though, have very reliable information. It's easy to tell which websites are true, and others that aren't, mostly you have to pay attention to the signs that vampires wrote it, or other super natural beings. Mostly though a lot of the sites were fake, and I didn't find too much information that I didn't already know. I did find out that crows sometimes are connected with death, or are occasionally considered a bad omen. I looked at the feather again just to see what was so odd about it. The rainbow coloring was odd, as well as the shine to it. Staring at the brilliant white screen of my computer I'm reminded of the fear I felt earlier that day, when I was trying to control my blood lust for Jimmy, reminded of Jimmy my fangs grew slightly and I licked my lips. The screen diverts my thoughts as an instant message appears on my screen. Confused I try to read the message. It's from Ellison, he found out my instant message account apparently, and decided to talk a little with me.

ElisonSh: Hey, it's Ellison.
Arigena: Hey Ellison. How'd you find out my account?
ElisonSh: I'm good with technical stuff, besides, I just searched your name.
Arigena: Interesting, *laughing out loud* I was researching something, but I'd be glad to talk to you.
ElisonSh: Researching what Arigena?
Arigena: Crows...after you left I found one in my room, and it bit me, and my family heirloom is gone.
ElisonSh: So you're wondering why?
Arigena: Yea.... nothing that I don't know already though. Research sucks if you don't know any other super natural beings were in the area.
ElisonSh: I see, did you think that maybe it was just an ordinary crow that was looking for food?
Arigena: And what ate my necklace?
ElisonSh: Well that's true, that is odd.... Maybe it was another super natural being then?
Arigena: *Shakes head* No, only a blood vampire can change into another animal. *sigh* Guess it was just a crow.
ElisonSh: So there's nothing to worry about then.
Arigena: I still don't like that it was in my room, but I see your point. So how much trouble did you get in?
ElisonSh: None actually, apparently the school forgot to call, or didn't care enough to call. Either way it doesn't matter. You're not there anyway, so there's no point to go.
Arigena: That's sweet, but then why did you go before?
ElisonSh: Because I was studying you, and now my subject to study is gone and replaced with a subject of slight affection.
Arigena: *Laughs* Not sure if I'm supposed to be complimented or not.
ElisonSh: It should be a compliment, so take it as one. I do quite like you, you must know. Your eyes are completely beautiful just like you in all, but your eyes, the lighter than light blue color is amazingly just so blue. It's hard to explain. Sorry forgive my words, but it's true.
Arigena: Forgive them? Why? I don't mind, and I like you too, so it's fine. I love your eyes as well, they are a wonderful hazel.
ElisonSh: Thank you. I have to go though; my parents want the computer now.
Arigena: Ok, that's fine. See you sometime soon. Bye.

He logs off and I'm alone again in my darkened room. There's pecking again at my window, I figure it's that damn crow and ignore it. Before I go to sleep I decide it's best to check my hand and make sure that it's not infected. I take off the bandages, unwinding them slowly. There's a black scar across my hand, from the webbing between my thumb and pointer finger, all the way diagonally to the left side of my wrist, meeting at the bone. Least it's just my left hand, I think to myself. Walking over to my bed, I plop down and fall fast asleep in a matter of minutes. My dreams take a turn for the worst when I begin to see the crow in my dreams. Only this time, it's covered in more blood than before, and it seems to become distorted. In my dream, the crow and I are in a dark hall way. It's an old hall way filled with scratched and torn picture frames of people. People I’ve never seen, or barely think to recognize. I am on one end of the amber colored hallway, and the crow is on the other sitting on smashed wood of a railing that seemed to once be there. Frightened I stay against the wall I am on, but the crow hops forward and begins to change. First, little fingers appear on the wings, then feet on the talons. Before my eyes I'm seeing the crow change into a masked man a black silk shirt that looks like rainbows in the dim light, and black slacks. The man has lightly tanned skin, dark colored eyes, and dark colored hair. It's hard to see his features clearly from this end of the dimly lit hall way. His mask is completely black with what looks like small silver swirls on the outer edges of the mask. He doesn't come any closer to me than five picture frames away. Standing in the shadows he holds out his hand to me, as if inviting me to dance. I back up further to the wall, and finally realize that I’m wearing a ball gown. Wearing the white silk arm length gloves on my hand I try to get a better view of the dress in the dim light. I feel around my neck strings of pearls, on my face I feel a mask to cover my eyes, my hair is up in a bun, with slightly curled hairs hanging down. I look back down at the dress and get the lighting just right. The dress, blood red and strapless I see tiny sequins in a patterns on the dress that seem to spell "You're next," over and over down the dress. Screaming, I wake up at look wildly around my room. It's dark outside, with only faint traces of sun rise. Looking over to my clock I see it's four in the morning. I feel cold sweat running down my neck and face. I climb out of bed to take a shower. It may be four in the morning, but after that dream I need to do something productive.

Getting in the shower I look around cautiously as I bathe. I try to remind myself it was just a bad dream because I was worried about the feather. Eventually my mind begins to accept this theory and I step out of the shower. Walking back to my room I stop in front of the mirror to see my reflection. The same hair, the same eyes, the same color skin, I look no different than I have in one hundred and twenty five years. Reassured that nothing bad had happened in my dream to me, I'm able to stay up to watch the sunrise. The sky changing colors from dark blue, to lighter blue, orange, and deep red, I'm reminded of the blood red dress in my dream. Disgusted at myself for not fighting back against the fear, I turn to my computer and turn it on. Still in my towel, I go to get dressed while my computer turns on. I pick out a pair of black sweat pants, and a long sleeve grey shirt with a smile on the front of it. Returning to my computer, the soft humming makes me feel safe and warm while I look for more information on crows. There's nothing new that seems to come up, sighing and disappointed I turn my computer off. Figuring that it was about six in the morning now, I decide to read one of my other books because my teacher took my copy of "Dracula". Picking up one of the books by my computer I open the cover. The lucky book of the day is "The Grapes of Wrath", I begin to drift away into the story when there's pecking at my window. Severely irritated because of the pecking, and my dream I stomp over to the window and see the damn crow there. I grab a nearby shoe and start hitting my window with it to scare the bird away. It doesn't fly away, but instead seem to smile. Birds can't smile, least I didn't think they could until I saw that bird to it. Being even more creped out than before I open my window, and hit the bird with my shoe, after the first hit it flies off to the tree across the street. I slam my window shut, close my curtains, walk back to my chair and begin to read again.

As I'm reading I can't help but feel as if that crow is following me around. Crows don't do that, least ordinary crows don't. I begin to think about some of the websites that say crows can mean a symbol of death. Does this mean I'm going to die soon? I ask myself. No, of course not, only way that's possible is if a blood vampire was around and I don't feel a presence. I say to myself and begin to believe it. It's not possible, certainly not possible for there to be a blood vampire around and I not know it. I think slowly while reading. There's a new sound at my window, not a pecking, but a tapping. I walk over to my window and open the curtains. Ellison is standing in my back yard again throwing small stones; I look over my deserted leaf covered yard, and across the street to the trees. The crow is gone, so I open my window. He doesn't say anything, but looks up at me.

"Um, hey Ellison. Wouldn't it just be easier if you called me?" I ask.

"Maybe, but this is more fun. I'm glad you're up." He replies.

"Yea, I woke up around four. I had the strangest dream. Aren't you supposed to be in school? I don't remember you getting suspended."

"Eh, it's only a Wednesday; we never do anything on Wednesdays." Ellison says smiling a devil may care smile.

"Of course, only a Wednesday." I laugh and smile back, "You really are something aren't you?"

"Nope, not at all, just a guy. Can I come up, or are you coming down? I don't want to get caught standing in your back yard."

"Please, it's too early for you to get caught doing anything. No you may not come up; instead I'll go down, but not now. I want some breakfast."

"Breakfast? You eat food?"

"Of course stupid, what else would I eat every day?"

He laughs and nods, "Ok, see you around ten then?"

"Where at?"

"Um, place we were at two days ago?"

"Ok." I say shutting my window and walking down stairs.

The yellow hall way is bright to my adjusting eyes, and I almost trip going down stairs. I make it to the kitchen and open the pantry. I see lots of cereal, oatmeal, and various other products for breakfast, but nothing that seems too appetizing. I grab a box of "frosty flakes" and pour myself a bowl. Walking over to the fridge I open it to grab the milk. As I'm reaching for the handle I think I hear a whisper of my name. I turn to see, but no one's there. I grab the milk pour it in with my cereal, then begin to eat quickly. When I'm finished, I rinse the bowl, and head out of the house. I use the front door today because I leave a note for Ted or Dilia, whichever one gets up first. The note is simple, I tell them that I'm with Ellison and we're going on a walk. Leaving the house I lock the door behind me, and continue down the street Ellison and I walked two days ago to the fence. He's there waiting, jumping in place a little. As I approach he smiles. His nose and cheeks are red, and he's shivering slightly. I remember it's getting close to the end of fall and I sigh.

"You're cold aren't you?"

"Nope, not at all." Ellison states.

"You're obviously lying. Why don't we get inside? Somewhere warmer than out here?"

"Aren't you bothered by the cold?" He asks.

"No, actually one perk to being a vampire, I don't feel cold, my temperature is higher than humans."
Scrunching his red nose he grumbles something about being lucky. He turns to the abandoned houses then looks down the street.

"We could go to my house." I offer.

He nods and begins to walk toward my house on the deserted road. That's when I realize the crow sitting in a tree on the other side of the street. Running up to Ellison I pull on his shoulder trying to get him to stop. He stops and turns to look at me confused.

"There's a crow right there." I say pointing it out to him.

"So?" He asks confused and uncaring.

"My dream... Never mind. It's probably nothing." I say and continue to walk towards my house.

He follows close at my heels, rubbing his hands together. He's wearing some jeans, dark green shirt, and a hoodie. I laugh silently. No wonder why he's cold. He has pretty much no clothes on, I think to myself.  

[Your_Last_Wish_For_Death]

Chapter Four- My House

We arrive at my house in little time; I see that only Ted was up and at the table, so I ask if it's ok for Ellison to come in. Ted puts down the newspaper in his hands and says it's fine, probably overly enthusiastic that I have a friend for once, even if Ellison is a guy. I can see Ted's eyes glisten when Ellison walks in and he smiles his most friendly smile. I roll my eyes; shove past Ted and up to my room. Ted whistles softly to himself, and goes back to reading his paper. Walking into my room, Ellison follows, and plops down on my bed then looks intently at me. Feeling a bit odd I turn my back to him to put my book away. I turn back to him and he's looking out my window.

"Why did you ask about the crow earlier?" He asks looking out the window.

"I didn't ask, I just said that there was one there. Why is because I noticed it and it reminded me of my dream, plus the crow in my room yesterday."

He nods still looking out my window, "You're hard to figure out Arigena. You're complex aren't you?"

"I don't quite understand what you mean." I reply.

"You're hard to figure out, to find what's making you like live. Why haven't you given up before?" He looks back at me and stares at my eyes. I feel like there's an invisible thread connecting us, but it's so very fragile, as if one of us would look away it would shatter. A shiver runs up my spine as I think about his question. I begin to wonder myself. I always thought that my life wasn't complete yet, that there was more to be done. I remember my mother's phrase she used to say, and when she told me. I was about seven years old and I remember a friend of mine had recently died from what appeared to be an animal bite, but I know now that it was a blood vampire who did it. My mother took my by her soft warm hands, and lead me to our garden. It was magnificent, a cobble stone walkway, with millions of roses and big willow and oak trees surrounding us in a circle. In the center of the garden there was a small pond, with some stones in a circle around it. Looking up to my mother's face I see my lighter than light blue eyes, and my luscious dark brown hair. A light hits her perfectly at the moment and she seems to shine like the stars at night. She smiles and looks down at me. Her flowing cobalt blue dress slides over the ground as she leads me forward. The bow, tied in the back trails down to the ground and I remember wishing I could be as beautiful as my mother and wear pretty dresses. She sits down at the water's edge and invites me to sit next to her. My white school girl dress flows out as I sit down on my knees by the pond. Still looking into my mother's age less face, she points towards the water and tells me to look. I obey and look towards the water. My mother touches it delicately with her long slender finger. My friends face appears and I begin to cry. Pulling me close she whispers in my ear, "As one life ends another begins. Live life in the joys not in the sorrows, my child." I remember then why I continue to live and seem to come back to reality.

"I can't give up. I may be a monster for how I live, but my mother told me a saying once. 'As one life ends another begins. Live life in the joys not in the sorrows.' I have to live for her, she was so young and beautiful, I can't give up my life because of the sins I have done. She wouldn't want me to." I say at last to his waiting face.

"Your mother seemed to be a wise woman. Too bad I couldn't meet her."

"She'd be dead by now anyway, she was just human." I say half heartedly, I remember the pond and the water, and how my mother made my friends face appear.

"True she would be, but still, I bet there's a lot I could've learned about you from her." He says looking down to the floor.

"There isn't much I haven't told you myself you silly goof ball." I say and begin to laugh.

He joins in my laughter and smiles happily at me. Smiling back, I hear a knock on my door downstairs. Ellison doesn't hear it because his hearing isn't as good as mine. I frown and look towards my bedroom door wondering who would come to our house in the middle of the day. Dilia comes to my door and knocks before opening it. She smiles, and looks at me with her piercing emerald eyes. Her short hair is combed and only slightly mussed; she's wearing brown pants, a grey turtle neck sweater with a watch. Looking her over quickly I return to her slightly worried face.

"Ellison, would you like to stay for dinner? We have some unexpected company, and they'd love to meet one of Arigena's friends." Dilia says speaking to Ellison, but looking at me.

"Um, sure Mrs. Fortshire." Ellison says with a confused tone in his voice.

My forehead scrunches up as she leaves my room. Trying to think of who the company is, and why they would care about me is very confusing work. The only company that my foster parents have had over since I've been here was family, maybe a colleague or two, but they never cared about my life. Well maybe the family has, but I was really messed up when they came over last so I must've seemed like a crazed demon girl from hell, although that might not be too far off.  

[Your_Last_Wish_For_Death]

Chapter Five- Thoughts and Thoughts

Walking out of my room with Ellison an awful smell hits my nose. I double over at my waist trying not to puke at the horrid smell. It smelled of lavender soap, and chocolate perfume. Ellison is right beside me holding his nose; with his eyes watering he tries to help me straighten up.

"Oh god, what is that?!" He asks in a voice that reminds me of a duck.

"It's lavender soap, and chocolate perfume. There's only one person in the world that thinks it a good combination, Jimmy's Aunt Lucile." I say pinching my nose.

"That's just gross!"

"Yea, I know. Worst part is we can't hold our noses around her, she's not blind yet."

Grumbling we make it downstairs where the smell is a hundred times worse. Walking down the hall that's along the dining room and kitchen, we arrive in the living room. Aunt Lucile's over weight body is sitting in the reclining velvet brown arm chair wearing pink shorts, with a horrid looking pink flowered short sleeves shirt. Her hair is pulled back in a fifty style bun, and she's wearing way too much make up, bright blue eye shadow and ten pounds of cover up. I put on a fake smile, and elbow Ellison to make him do the same. Smiling we both sit down on the couch farthest from her. She tries to get up to come give us a hug before she realizes she's stuck in the arm chair. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding as I realize she can't get up and come over. Ellison slouches back into the fuzzy tan couch we're sitting on and pulls me back from my ridged position. Aunt Lucile smiles at us and then scrunches her face back up as she turns to Ted to talk to him. When they're turned Ellison turns to me and begins to whisper in my ear.

"She looks like a whale." Ellison whispers.

"A badly dressed whale." I whisper back and giggle, he laughs a little as well.

Jimmy walks into the living room then and sees me and Ellison. Running over to my lap he jumps up to sit. He smashes his face into my shoulder, hugging me tightly. I hug him back, and then begin to stroke his blonde hair. It's always soft, that's the nice thing about little boys, and their hair is always soft and fluffy. Jimmy pulls back from the hug to look into my eyes.


"Aunt Lucile came to visit us Arigena. Isn't that fun?" He asks innocently.

"Of course it’s fun Jimmy, it's always fun." I say slowly and fake a smile for him.

"She smells funny though, I don't like her smell." Jimmy says shaking his blonde head back and forth. He's wearing blue jeans, and a striped brown sweater.
"I agree, she does." I laugh softly looking over at Ellison.

Ellison seems to be enjoying himself while listening to our conversation. He smiles at Jimmy and pretends to faint from the smell. Jimmy laughs and touches Ellison's nose playfully. They begin to play peak-a-boo while Jimmy is sitting on my lap. At some point Aunt Lucile seemed to be able to get up and she waddled over to us and I wanted to shoot her for being able to wear that horrid smell. Jimmy holds his nose and then turns to Aunt Lucile. She gives him a big hug and then hugs both Ellison and I together. Being smashed between her fat my face and Ellison's face are close together, and his sent envelops my nose. I remember his warm blood that flowed over my tongue and my fangs extend slightly. While hugging us Aunt Lucile shakes back and forth. It makes it seem like there's an earthquake under our couch. Sucking in a gasping breath of her sent my fangs retract so fast it almost hurts my mouth. She let us go and I fall back away from Ellison rubbing my check. He looks over confused, but shakes his head and turns to Jimmy again to play peek-a-boo. I turn my head away from them before I decide to leave the living room. Stiffly I stand, stretch for a few minutes, then leave the room; I leave the entire house actually. Walking down my street past the abandoned buildings on the left I continue to walk until I reach the fence where Ellison and I met. I walk past the fence to the end of the road, where it branches off left, and right, but there is no forward.

Looking back towards my house I see someone leave. The person looks small and tiny, but I can tell its Ellison based on the dark jacket. Turning back to the spilt road I see a path down to more houses and more cars on my right. On my left I see the open road, with scattered houses, and open land. I begin to hear faint footsteps so I figure I have to make the decision of where to go rather quickly. I turn left and walk down the road, leaving the turn for my house behind. It's quite along this road and there are not many people. I've seen this road a hundred times in the years of going to the high school and taking the bus, but I've never quite looked at it in the way that I was now. The lonely desolate road seemed to fit my grim life in the years before I met Ellison. As I continue my walk I smell the sweet scent of lavender, although it may be dying now because of the cold, it still smells as if it were sunny June. The gravel crunches beneath my feet and I feel the warmth of home drift farther away with every step. About half way from my house and the small store called Yuri's Goods; I stop walking and look around. The feeling of warmth is gone; all I feel is the icy chill of loneliness. If I turn to look across to the left side of the street I see a small house, with a white picket fence surrounding more than a few hundred feet of land. Inside the fence I see a small horse, only a colt I would believe. Where its mother is, I don't know, but the small horse reminds me of myself at the age of seventeen after I had just killed my parents. It's all alone in this vast field with nothing to look after and protect it. No mother to go running too if something goes wrong. I begin to cross the gravel and the asphalt roads to the fence.

Leaning against the chest high fence, I extend my hand forward to the horse. The horse smells it, then snorts and walks back making awkward sounds. I pull my hand back; the colt trots forward a few feet, but doesn't come any closer to me than a five foot radius. I put my arms together in a cross on the fence and lay my head down upon them. I stare at the brown velvety colt for a long time. It's dark almond eyes stare back, like we're locked in a continuous trance of looking at the hardships in one another's eyes, like we can see straight into each other's soul.

"You know me and you are about equals in hardships. Except mine is different." I say speaking to the horse, it grunts and never looks away, "We are though. You have no mother, and I have no parents. But it's different isn't it? I killed mine, your mother wasn't sent by a choice you made. In both cases, the world has been cruel to us, and you can't trust me because of what I am. I smell of too many lives, don't I?"

The horse grunts again, but seems to almost nod it’s pretty brown head. Above my head I hear a crow's caw and I look up instantly. There's a crow sitting on the telephone wire. Becoming extremely irritated in a matter of seconds I leave the fence turn back to the direction my house is in and I continue to walk back. Looking down at my left hand, I see the scar from that damn crow in my room. Pulling my sleeve down to cover my hand I turn left into the street for my house. Ellison is waiting by the fence we met at and I come to a halt. His back to the fence, his left leg bent up to support his body, he turns to see me. He looks mad and hurt at the same time, but also confused. I realize then that I had left him at my house with Aunt Lucile, my foster parents and Jimmy. Feeling ashamed I look down at his feet as I'm walking over to him. He pushes off the fence, to stand straight up, his arms crossed in front of his chest. He has a demanding look in his eyes now.

"What the hell was that? You left me there with your foster family, and I don't even know them!" He says darkly.

"I just, I needed a walk... I had to think. I had to clear my head for or I would've done something stupid." I say meekly not wanting to meet his gaze.

"What did you think about? What was wrong?" His voice softens.

"When Lucile hugged us, I smelled you, and remembered how you tasted; my fangs grew then retracted when I smelled Lucile. I had to leave otherwise; I might've just taken you back to my room, or outside, and killed you right then and there. I thought about a lot of things in my life, and how to go about it."

"O-oh... what was your conclusion to your thoughts? I mean, if you think I'm a danger to you then you can tell me to leave and I will, but I want you to know, I truly do like you a lot."
"No, no, nothing about that silly... I like you a lot too. That's one think I thought about, I want to date you to see if it is possible for a vampire to have a relationship, and because I like you." I say after thinking over my words for a few moments.

He seems speechless at first then falls against the fence, and slides to sit down. I follow suit to sit beside him while he thought over my thoughts. He seemed puzzled, the accepting, then cautious. He looks over to me multiple times during his thinking and I avoid his eyes. Looking around the street to see anything that may be of use to make him forget if he decides it's not a good idea and that I'm insane. I find nothing except leaves blowing across the ground in little swirls. I look anywhere but to his face. He clears his throat, and just as I think it's so he can leave, he grabs my hand with his. Turning to look at our joined hands, I see my pale hand in his warm tanned hand. Almost like the yin and yang I think to myself. His other hand lifts my chin to his face and his hazel eyes sparkle with understanding and compassion. He leans down the few inches separating us, and kisses me. His lips are warm on my slightly cold ones, a tear falls slowly down my face and we separate. His hand brushes the tear from my cheek. Looking into his eyes I'm searching for acceptance and what I hope to grow into love. I see both of what I'm looking for and I feel genuine comfort.
"Don't cry Arigena. You have no need to." Ellison tells me.

"That was my first kiss." I say to him, drying my eyes with my sleeve.

"Oh, did you not like it?" He asks nervously.
I laugh slightly, "No, it was fine; I just never thought it would happen that's all."

He laughs along with me and smiles. Smiling back I lean forward and hug him. He seems a bit shocked at first, but doesn't hesitate too much to hug me back. Feeling the warmth return to me I stand up, pulling him up by his hand. Together we walk back to my house. Opening the door Aunt Lucile's sent hits my nose. My hand immediately flies to my nose to block the smell; Ellison's hand does the same. In the dining room, right on the left of the front door Lucile, Dilia, Ted, and Jimmy are all at the table with plates and some food. Lucile puckers her face when she sees our hands at our noses. I drop my hand instantly to hopefully avoid too long of a lecture like last year when she visited and yelled the entire time about how rude I was.

"That's so inconsiderate and rude of you Arigena! How dare you plug your nose in front of me, a guest! That's the lowest form of insult I've ever experienced!" Lucile began screaming in a shrill grating voice.

Dilia and Ted just look at Ellison and I grimacing, I try to give them a look of sorry. I look back to Lucile's puckered fat jelly roll face and try not to hit her as she sneers insults at me left and right. Ellison grabs my hand, pulling me back toward the stairs for my room. I don't move. I stand there and take the insults because I know she's not wrong. She has every right to sit there and call me these horrid names. Ellison continues to try and make me move, he's pulling with most of his might, but I withstand him and stand there. My mind goes blank; I feel no emotion, no love no fear. Nothing, I'm like a shell without its hermit crab to crawl into and give it life. Listening to her harsh voice, I zone out, blocking the world and sounds around me while my inner voice argues with my body. Wanting me to move, wanting me to not stand there and take it like I'm some sort of child. You're stronger than her! You're a vampire! She's a worthless pathetic human! Come on, don't sit there and take it! Move do something! My mind screams at my nerves. My body doesn't obey, with the raging argument inside I don't notice Lucile step forward raising her hand. Her hand comes down across my face, slapping me with force I didn't know she could have. My hand flies up to my check and my mind rages. Don't stand there! You're better than this! Hit her back! It screams at me. I take a step forward my fangs growing, my anger overcoming my other thoughts. Ellison grabs for my hand and I push him back towards the stairs. Lucile sees me moving and takes a fat step back. I follow her as if she is my prey, and I'm hunting her.
I hear Jimmy in the background confused as to what's happening. I hear my foster parents pulling him away. I get into Lucile's face and glare into her eyes.

"Don't you ever slap me again, or you'll be sorry." I hiss to her, then my anger disperses and I step back. I turn to my foster family and look down in shame, "I'm sorry about my reaction and the fury I had. Please accept my apology." I say then leave the room with Ellison.

Walking into my room I sit by my window and tears fall from my eyes. Ellison walks up next to me. Wrapping his arms around my shoulders he pulls my head into his chest. My arms go around his waist, I sit there for what seems like a long time crying before I hear Jimmy's small fist knocking on my door. I pull back from Ellison, drying my eyes I open the door and see small blonde little Jimmy. He runs into me giving me the hug of a lifetime. He doesn't let go as I shut my door. I feel wet spots appearing on my shirt, leaning down to Jimmy's level through his arms I see that he's crying. Wiping his eyes with my sleeve I hug him close to me. Ellison comes over and hugs us both, getting down on one knee to do so.

"What's wrong Jimmy? Why are you crying?" I ask.

"Aunt Lucile wasn't nice to you, and I love you Arigena. Why was she so mean to you?" Jimmy's small voice quivers out.

"Oh sweetie, it's ok. I love you too, don't worry ok? I told her it was mean."

"Yea, Jimmy, it’s ok. Don't cry for Arigena, she's a big girl. Right honey?" Ellison asks.

"Right."

Jimmy pulls back wiping his eyes and looking into our faces, "Are you sure?"

"I am more sure than sure."

Jimmy laughs at my reply then dissolves into giggles. Ellison and I join along in this happy moment in life. One of the rare few I've been able to experience. I tell Jimmy to head off to bed so he won't be tired the next morning. Nodding, he leave, then Ellison and I are alone. I turn to him and look into his hazel eyes for comfort. I'm greeted with kindness. Standing up I hug him, and wait for a long time to see if Lucile left. She didn't apparently; I hear her talking down stairs to Dilia and Ted. She doesn't seem upset anymore, or frightened. I begin to hope that maybe I put her back into her place with my little comment, or rather threat. I look at my door with the blood red smiley face. My blood that stained that door reminded me of all my hardships, and the last time she came over. Her shrill voice is going and going downstairs talking to my foster parents. Her voice drifts through to my room.

"I plan to be staying for a while, I just wish there was a nice hotel around here." Lucile said, "Or a nice house to stay in."

"Well, we could make arrangements for you if you'd like. There's a nice hotel down the road a ways from here." Dilia says kindly.

"I don't think any hotels are nice around here. I've seen most of them already."

"Well... you could stay here then I guess." Ted offers with reluctance.

"That would be wonderful Ted! Thank you so much. Where would my room be?"

"We can ask Arigena if she wouldn't mind giving her room to you for, how long did you say you'd be staying again?"

"At least a week or two. Like last time." Lucile said smugly.

"Well then, she won't mind too much." Dilia says slowly.

My anger envelops my mind again. My face turns red at the thought of having to give her my room. My room! To this smelly horrid woman! 'Just like last time.' She says. Just like last time, as if! I walk over my room pacing over and over. Thinking, as my mind is deep in thought I hardly notice Ellison trying to stop me. He grabs me by my arm, turns me around and gives me a giant kiss. My anger washes away and I stop moving. He releases my arm, I step back to look into his face. I feel my eyes convey sorrow, and anger, but also a deep liking of him. Seeming satisfied he sits down on my bed, looking up at my face, I blush and my curly deep brown hair falls across my face again.

"Are you alright now?" Ellison asks concerned.
"Yes, I believe so. Your kiss distracted my anger. I don't know what would've happened if my anger continued to grow. Sometimes I just don't think. Like today, I almost tore her apart." I say to him with my voice coated in sorrow.

"I understand, I really do. Just don't think about it, try to ignore her while she's here."

I nod and look at the clock, I sigh, "You'd better head home."

He nods getting up. I walk him to the door and watch his back as he walks away. He raises his hand to rub the back of his neck. I realize then that I've made his life all too stressful for him. I know that I should call him and tell him that he doesn't have to bother with me anymore, but he accepted my offer as to try and be a couple. Feeling guilty, confused and rather annoyed at myself I walk back up to my room to find the crow at my windowsill again. Feeling my anger swell again, I try to ignore it as I take out my book, "The Grapes of Wrath" and begin to read it again. The crow doesn't peck on my window; it seems to be sitting there watching me instead, with almost a confused look on its face. Feeling agitated with its watching gaze I shut my curtains and the pecking begins. There's a knock on my door right before I decide to throw something at my window.

Ted comes in with Lucile behind him, practically shoving him through the door.

"Is it alright with you if Lucile stays here?" Ted asks, sorrow covering his face.

I was about to reply no, then the tapping sound was there. I remembered the crow; I nodded immediately taking my book, phone, and music downstairs to the living room where blankets and pillows were already set up. Folded neatly on the couch was a soft brown blanket, a white sheet, with a green pillow on top. I unfold the sheet and put it around the couch; I laid the blanket on top, and the pillow on the right arm of the sofa. Sitting in the middle of the couch I wait for Lucile's irritated voice wanting a different room. The voice doesn't come. The house is quiet. Waiting patiently while reading, the hours drift by soon I see the sunrise on the horizon through the window straight across from the hall that leads into the living room. The couch that is my bed is directly to the right of the entrance of the living room. Sighing I set the finished book down on the nearby oak wood coffee table. This doesn't seem right. I was hoping she would've said something about the crow by now, but apparently the crow wasn't making a menace of its self at that point in time. I hear rustling above my head as the morning goes on. Around eight o'clock I hear the water running for a shower. I figure its Lucile, so instead of getting up to make breakfast like I would for Ted, Jimmy, or Dilia I lay down and pretend to fall asleep.  

[Your_Last_Wish_For_Death]

Chapter Six- Unwanted Visitor

Loud thundering steps sound through the house as Lucile tried to come downstairs. Lights go on, and a fat shadow is cast downward onto the floor. Thundering into the kitchen she opens the fridge, then the freezer, and at last the pantry where she finds apparently nothing of interest. Walking into the living room she shakes me. I pretend to wake up and look at her hideous face, covered in yellow eye shadow this time. She keeps shaking me to make sure I'm awake.

"Yes?" I ask.

"Make breakfast. There's nothing to eat in this house, and I'm a guest." Lucile demands.

Unfortunately with her claim, she is right. She is a guest. Getting up I walk to the kitchen still in the clothes I wore the night before. I look around for a frying pan and a bowl. I decided I was going to make some pancakes. After finding the utensils I needed, I pulled out the batter and other ingredients. I began to mix together the batter and milk when Lucile came in to 'observe' my cooking. So she said anyway. As soon as she came in like a buzzard she began picking at me. Said my mixing technique was wrong, that my entire style of cooking was wrong. I did my best to ignore her and made the pancakes. When they were finished, Jimmy and his parents were already downstairs. I set out plates, but when I offered the plate of pancakes around Lucile declined and said that she wouldn't eat them because of how they were made. Feeling irritated, I almost bent the fork I was holding in half.

Looking over Lucile again in disgust I notice her clothes for the first time that day. She's wearing blue jeans, a white blouse and a few necklaces. One of the necklaces I see looks like the one my mother gave me. After breakfast I go up to my room to get my clothes and to take a shower. Lucile comes in when I'm just finished wrapping the towel around me. I see the necklace again and want to yank it from her neck. Instead I take the more subtle approach.

"So, Lucile, where did you get that strange necklace?" I ask trying not to see how her fat neck is straining the small chain.

"Oh, I found it. Just outside your window. I didn't think you had wanted it with it being out there." She sneers at me.

"Well, may I have it back? I've been looking for it, for a while." I ask politely.

"You may certainly have it back once you learn to take care of it, and after today. I'm wearing it. If you don't want people to take your things, then you better take better care of them."

Storming out of my room, I slam the door behind me with a loud thud. I walk over to the bathroom, to take a relaxing shower and find that Lucile took all the hot water for her shower. I take a cold shower instead. Feeling the cold water running over my body giving me goose bumps. I smell the sweet smell of my strawberry soap fill my nose and erase the awful smell of Lucile. I stay in the shower basking in the smell and wonderfulness of freedom, if only for a few moments. I step out of the bathroom wet and walk over to my room. Lucile is in there on my computer. Beginning to feel mad again I ask her to step out while I change. She obeys leaving me alone in my room for a while. I dry myself off quickly and change into black pants, and a black tee shirt equally as fast.

Looking at the bright computer screen I see she's logged into a dating service. I have a sensation like I should help society out, so I log her off delete her account, and shut my computer down. After I finish with that quick task, I spray my room down with my elegant strawberry perfume. As I'm about to leave the room I hear tapping on my window. Turning back I see the crow. Laughing slightly to myself in my bitter happiness, I leave and tell Lucile the room is hers once again. I walk into the kitchen and see Jimmy playing with a sharp knife. I run over and take it from him telling him that he shouldn't play with sharp objects. Then he proceeds to tell me that Aunt Lucile said it was ok. Finding Ted and Dilia I tell them what Jimmy told me. Dilia's green eyes grow wide and she covers her mouth with her pale hand. Ted's face seems to glow red with furry. Demanding more information I tell them to ask Lucile about it, or Jimmy.

They call down Lucile and ask her what her side of the story is. She insists that I am lying, that I am doing this to get her out of the house, because she took my room. She tries to convince them that I'm a spoiled brat. Seeming to back down at Lucile's protest they sigh and resign inwardly to themselves. Out raged, but not knowing what to do I leave my house and call Ellison. Walking down my road I see a few kids returning to their houses, and I hear their laughter. Waiting for Ellison to pick up the phone I realize that it's a school day. I hang up, close my phone and put it in my pocket. Wandering the newly abandoned street I come to a right turn. I take the turn; it leads me to a cola-sac. The houses here seem to be empty of life. If there were people living in them, no one would notice, or see. Feeling a creepy vibe from this part of the neighborhood I don't remember seeing, I turn to leave only finding the crow on a tree. I turn back to the creepy houses.

Not wanting to walk toward the crow, I walk towards the houses. Slowly I approach them and I'm reminded strongly of the dream I had two nights ago. The houses remind me of the broken and scratched picture frames, of people I barely recognized. Becoming scared, I feel my forehead start to sweat. Looking around feeling like a claustrophobic person in a tiny box filled with people, I search for an escape. My breath is coming faster to me, and my heart is beating like an ape beats the ground in a challenge. I find no escape between the beige colored houses in a circle around me like a daunting phantom. Searching, and searching I see nothing. I'm forced to turn back to the crow. I turn slowly on my heels coming into a half crouch of defense; I look back for the crow.

The crow is gone, my fear eases slightly. Coming out of the crouch I walk forward looking around cautiously. Coming to the conclusion that the crow is truly gone, I begin my walk back to my house. Smelling a storm coming in the distance I pick up my pace and walk faster towards my house. While walking I begin to think to myself. Why am I afraid of a crow? It's just a bird is it not? There's nothing to fear from a crow. It can't do any damage to me. I'm an energy vampire for crying out loud. I'd blast that thing into next month if it tried to eat me. I think calming myself down enough to notice that the scar on my hand was still there. Shivering from the newly found thought that a crow can do damage to myself, I hug my arms over my chest.

Arriving on my street I see my house. I smell the wonderful smell of wood burning and I rush over. Opening the door I see and smell the fire in the fireplace in the very back of the living room. Sitting next to the fireplace is Jimmy poking it with a metal rod. Smiling to myself I walk over to Jimmy sit down next to him and hug his head close to me. Lifting his head he smiles at me. He has a cut across his face, on the top of his forehead. Appalled by this sight I demand to know what has happened. He tells me that he hurt himself with the knife and that he should've listened to me in the first place. Hugging him closer to my body, he hugs me back. I whisper soft words of reassurance to him that he's going to be ok. Kissing his forehead I leave the room.

Finding Lucile in my bedroom again, on my computer. I barge in, uncaring of what she has to say about me being rude. Her idiocy hurt Jimmy, and that's one thing for which I will not stand and let happen.

"Did you see what you did to Jimmy's head?" I shout at her.

"He did it himself. Even ask him. He fell over; it's not even a big gash. Relax for a little. I mean seriously what's wrong with you? You're an ungrateful self centered child. You should be happy you even-" Lucile began.

"Don't you even dare play that card with me! You have no idea what I should be happy about and what I shouldn't be! You hurt him by telling him it was ok to play with the knife. What if he stabbed his heart instead? Or some other important organ? Who would be to blame for his 'accident' then? You! It's your entire fault!" I scream, "Get out of this house! Out of this place! You don't belong and you're not wanted! You just continue to hurt!"

Ted and Dilia came running in just then, as I had yelled Lucile into a corner and was advancing on her once again, but this time only with words not fangs.

"What's going on here?" Dilia asked frightened.

"Did you see Jimmy's head?" I demanded.

"Yes, he has a cut on his head from playing with the knife." Ted says.

"Yes, the knife she let him play with!" I pointed my finger at Lucile.

Lucile gasps and puts her plump hand on her chest, "Do you really still believe I would let a four year old play with a sharp knife?"

"Honestly Arigena, just drop it." Dilia says and looks at me directly.

Gasping in horror and shock I leave the room. Walking back downstairs I call Jimmy to follow me outside after he gets his coat and such on. He obeys and comes running to my side as I'm opening the door. Walking up to my house at that point was Ellison. Perfect just the man I wanted to see, I think to myself. He looks shocked that I slammed the door and hurried Jimmy ahead of me. On foot over to him he kneels down to get at eye level with Jimmy. He must've seen the cut because his face turns from one of confusion to one of complete and udder shock.

"Ok my god! What happened to him? How did he get that?" Ellison demands.

"Funny story actually. Lucile let him play with a knife." I say walking up behind Jimmy and resting my hand on his soft brown sweater that's covering his shoulder.

"She did what?!" Ellison screams.

"She told me to stop being annoying and to go ahead and play with the knife." Jimmy says innocently. Looking up he asks, "Did I do something wrong?"

Ellison and I look at each other then down to Jimmy, "No, no of course not." We say in unison.

I tell Jimmy to go play while Ellison and I talk. He nods, walks over to the leaves on the ground, and then jumps in them. Turning back to Ellison I tell him the story of how Lucile behaved, about how my foster parents did not seem to believe me. He listened the entire time and gave me some solutions on how to keep Jimmy out of harm's way. Feeling relieved about the current situation I looked around my neighborhood. Our house, the center most houses on the cola-sac was surrounded by other familiar houses that looked almost exactly the same. The only way someone could tell that my house wasn't like the others is because we had no decor. We had no lawn ordainments, nothing really. Just a bunch of leaves from the two oak trees in my front yard. The leaves on the trees were turning a wonderful autumn orange if they hadn't already fallen.

There are no kids out on my street now, just Ellison, Jimmy and I. I could barely see Jimmy now, covered in the brown dying leaves. His brown sweater almost blended in, but his blue jeans and blonde hair stood out. Standing in front of Ellison, within arm's reach, I watched Jimmy play in the leaves. He seemed ever so happy with a big smile on his face, his hair falling to cover the soon to be scar. He caught my eye, came running over to me and threw a few leaves at me. Laughing, I threatened to get him back. After Jimmy doing this a few times, Ellison and I joined in on the fun. I was in the leaf pile when I first heard it. It was the sound of a crow, the annoying caw. Stopping in the middle of the leaf pile still sitting down with leaves flying all over the place; I looked around to the trees.

There is was, the crow with the blood stained feathers. It was looking at me, staring back at me with what seemed to me cold fury, and hatred. I felt as if I was in the presence of a true hunter, a real murderer, not an animal that kills to live, or a person, but a real killer, someone who enjoys watching the life leave someone's eyes. I felt my body turn icy cold, as fear began to run ramped. Staring at the crow with its watchful hunting gaze, I realized slowly that the gaze wasn't for me, but for Ellison. My mouth drops open in pure terror as I realize what the bird was staring at. I realize that it wasn't even a real bird at all in the first place, but a vampire, a blood vampire. Not feeling scared or frightened for my own life, I looked to Jimmy and Ellison.

Standing up and letting out a scream, they both stop to look at me. The crow flies away off into the nearby trees. Ellison comes over to my side and stares where I am. I feel his confusion growing, as he sees nothing is there. Jimmy comes over to hug my waist, not comprehending what's going on. With my shocking realization, my fear I begin to shut down, but with Ellison's voice, I'm snapped back into reality and the people about me. Shaking me rather hard, Ellison is trying to get me to respond. My body froze, as I become aware again of what's going on. I slap Ellison's hands away, looking into his hazel eyes. I feel I can't move, as if I'm paralyzed.  

[Your_Last_Wish_For_Death]

Chapter Seven- Careful

Ellison sees my eyes, the look of true terror in them. Turning to Jimmy, telling him to go inside, his hands never leave my arms, even after my attempts to smack them away. His grip loosens, but still pinches my arms. Jimmy looks down sadly, but listens and walks back to my house. Seeing his blonde head walk away, I snap.

"No! Come back Jimmy, stay here!" I yell to him. He came running back with a smile on his face.

Ellison looks at me as if I've gone insane. I turn back to him and shake my head. Trying to signal to him, no I haven't gone crazy. I get out of the hold on my arms, and look around for a place to sit. The only thing I find is a few stumps by my neighbor’s house. As if having no choice but to go there, I grab Jimmy's hand and walk over there. Ellison follows close behind me. Making sure that no one was outside, or had a window open in the beige house I sat on a stump. Jimmy sat on my lap.

"Arigena, what the heck happened? Why did you scream?"

"The crow wasn't an ordinary crow." I reply to Ellison's questions.

Jimmy seems confused, so instead of trying to figure out what was going on, he lost interest and decided playing with my hair would be fun. Picking up my dark brown curly hair, he wraps it around his small delicate pink hands. Not minding his distraction, I look up to Ellison's face to judge his response. Shock, is the main feature dominating his creamy tan face right now. Looking back down around the foliage I wait for his retort.

"But then that means it was a blood vampire... and that means that you'll have to leave... But you can't leave!"

"I know, but what other choice do I have? It, or he, or she, wasn't looking at me, the thing was looking at you and Jimmy too... What if me being around hurts you?"

"Hurts me? I don't care. Jimmy needs you right now, and I need to you..."

"What do you need me for? Jimmy will be fine."

"I, well... I love you."

Stun coats my face, almost dropping Jimmy I began to sputter, "B-but, how? We haven't been dating long, only a few days."

"I know, but I love you. I've liked you ever since freshman year, and I still like you because, well, because you're just like me. You like to be alone; you're a dark person like me, but see, you, your nice and kind."

"But... I'm not. I'm a monster Ellison."

"Not in my eyes."

Feeling the warmth of tears run down my face I realize I love him to. Wiping the tears from my face, Ellison smiles, trying to lighten my mood it seems. He doesn't know my tears are tears of happiness and love. Becoming overjoyed at my new discovery I put Jimmy on the stump, jump up and tackle Ellison to the ground. When we fall to the ground and leafs swirl over us, I give him a kiss. The leaves settle, I stand up blushing. Ellison jumps to his feet and hugs me close to him. Jimmy comes running over and joins in on the hugs.

"I love you too." I whisper to Ellison.

Our hug increases in pressure. He whispers back telling me that he promises everything will work out fine for us in the end, no matter the outcome. He also promises that if I do have to leave, that he would follow where ever my footsteps take him. Happy and loved, Jimmy and I part from Ellison with smiles on our faces.

While walking back to my house, I see the crow and begin to wonder. If it is truly a blood vampire of any sort, it would've killed me by now. Maybe it doesn't know that I am, I think to myself as I walk Jimmy into the house. Entering the house, Lucile, Ted and Dilia, are all at the dining room table. Lucile looks at me through her beady blue eyes viciously. Ted and Dilia are watching Jimmy and I. Feeling unnerved by their stares I begin to inch slowly towards the living room, my temporary bedroom.

"Don't you go anywhere, Arigena." Lucile's harsh voice rings out.

"Excuse me? What did I do wrong?" I ask.

"Say you're sorry to Lucile." Ted says in a man dominating voice.

"Sorry for what?"

"For making her feel unwelcomed and like a criminal."

"Oh my god. Seriously? Serious? No way in heck am I going to do that. No way in the world."

"Say it Arigena, and mean it." Dilia says.

My eyes snap from Ted to Dilia. There's no way in hell I'm going to mean it, and she knows this better than anyone. What did Lucile say to make them act this way? I ask myself, although I know I won't receive a reply.

"What am I sorry for exactly?"

"For making me cry! And for being a brat!" Lucile says.

"Fine then. I'm sorry for making you cry you blubbering whale, and I'm sorry that I'm acting the way I should when someone is a b***h like you."

Dilia's and Ted's faces turn red with laughter. They can't seem to stop themselves even after Lucile glares at them in disgust. Lucile begins to wave her fat sausage fingers at me, and I walk away towards my actual bedroom. Following me up the stairs, Lucile thunders threats and curses at me. Laughing to myself, I open my door and throw out her things, straight into her face. Sputtering she falls backwards into the bathroom door. From behind my door, I hear a large crack and thud. Opening my door to see what happened, I see Dilia and Ted running up the stairs. Lucile fell backwards on to the bathroom door, and broke it off of its hinges.

Having to take Lucile to the hospital, Dilia grabs her bags as well. Muttering to myself about how her fat a** did it, and not my actions I shut my door again. I remember my family necklace around Lucile's fat neck. As I see Dilia pull out of the drive way, I run out to meet her. She stops the car, reaching inside for Lucile; I rip my necklace off her neck, and then run to my room. Laughing at my happiness, and the events of the day, my laughter disappears when I open my door. My curtains are open, and at my window is the crow, well the blood vampire pretending to be a crow. Deciding that incase it didn't know what I was, I'd just play it off as I did before.

Walking over to my window, I draw my curtains shut after hitting the glass with my shoe. Turning over to my computer after that, I log in and see the date and time glaring at me. October twenty second, Friday four o'clock p.m. I realize then, that Lucile must've changed my background to show the date and time. Sighing at this small little change, I return to my original screen background, a black rose on a white background. Ellison isn't online at the moment, so instead I try to look for more information on Crows, only this time, I narrow the search for instances where people have thought they've seen a crow transform. I found nothing, absolutely nothing. Irritated of course by not finding anything of any use, I just had to go off of what I knew and what I thought I knew. I had to start from the very beginning.

I decided to make a list instead of trying to remember it all in my head.
What I know:
§ Blood vampires are cruel
§ Blood vampires know when there's an energy vampire around usually
§ They transform into animals
§ One has been following me as a crow
§ It looked like it wanted to kill Jimmy, or Ellison
§ They need blood every night
§ Can't control blood lust, will kill whatever smells best
What I think I know:
§ Waiting for something, a signal maybe
§ Has blood on its body
§ Doesn't seem to kill everything it sees
§ Maybe is just a regular crow.
§ Doesn't know I'm an energy vampire

So far neither of my lists were very long. I knew I had to be careful though, I had to watch what I do and make it seem human. That is, until a full moon comes and that was just in a few days, I don't know what I would have to do then. There's nothing that I hate worse than having to wait a day or two before I get the blood I need, not to mention the energy used to help me stand in the sun without getting burned. I put my hand on my forehead and my hair fell around my face like a veil. What was I going to do? I asked myself.

Feeling worry surround my mind, I thought maybe sleep would be able to help me get over a bit of this stress, oh boy was I wrong. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was swept into a nightmare about the crow transforming and eating me. I woke up with cold sweat running down my face. The tapping on my window is what woke me up. It didn't help I had just been dreaming about that damn crow, so I was even more afraid to wake up. Hoping it was all just a twisted horrible dream; I went to my window and looked behind the curtain a little. No, I hadn't been dreaming this, oh no, the crow was real and the list was on my desk. Oddly comforted by the list, I went over and saw that my not so neat handwriting had scrawled under the “I think I know category”, “doesn't know I'm an energy vampire.”

Sighing in relief of the words, I undress and take a shower. I remember my mother's necklace hanging from my neck; I decide not to take it off while I'm in the shower. I don't want the bird, or vampire person thing, to steal it again. Feeling like I can relax for once, I leave my room and see the bathroom door doesn't have anything, except a towel hanging from it. Remembering Lucile's corpulent body break the door, I laugh and almost drop my towel. Hurrying into the bathroom, I close the towel, turn the water on then step inside the shower before I take off my towel. I don't want Jimmy to accidentally see me without clothes on.

After my shower, I feel fine, and happy. It's a Saturday I remember and I have no school. This whole week I've had off so far and it feels great. Smiling to myself, I get dressed in a dark green and black striped turtle neck shirt, with black jeans on underneath. Deciding that I want to do something that day, I call Ellison. It's around eight thirty so I hope he's awake. He is by the looks of it, someone picks up his phone and says in a groggy sleep ridden voice 'who's this?' I reply it's me and that I want to talk to Ellison.

"I am Ellison, Arigena." He says on the other end.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"No, no it's ok. What's up?"

"Well I was wondering that, since its Saturday, maybe we can hang out?"

"Yea sure, why don't you come on over to my place?" He asks.

"Sure that is great. Oh, by the way, try to be careful ok? I am trying to because of the thing, which you know I saw yesterday?" I say trying to give him a hint without giving it all away just in case the bird can hear me.

"Oh right! Yea, that thing by the thing. Ok, I will. You be more careful ok? I love you, see you around one?"

"Sounds good to me." I reply, "I will. I love you too."

Hanging up the phone I sigh. I have until one o'clock and there's nothing I can do. Well nothing interesting anyway, until I hear a bang of a door downstairs and I rush out of my room. Dilia and Lucile are coming in through the open front door. Scrunching my lip up and grumbling I look at Lucile. Still in her horrible outfit from yesterday she has a board around her back. Maybe to keep her back straight I'm not sure. Dilia comes in not only carrying Lucile's suitcase, but also a few store bags.

Becoming suspicious of the bags I go down to help Dilia. She gladly takes the help and asks where Ted is. I shrug and say maybe at work. She nods, and then sets down the suitcase. I set down the bags and look through the top of them without disturbing them, so I'm not seen as nosy to Lucile, although I could care less. Lucile smirks at me, then grabs for a bag. She pulls out hard black iron window bars. I look from the bars to Dilia's face then Lucile's smirk. Backing up to the stairs I glare at Lucile.

"And who may those be for?" I ask viciously.

"Your window. You have too much freedom in this house, and Dilia and Ted agree. It's time you were more respectful." Lucile sneers.

"That's funny; those can't be on my window. It's almost a...never mind forget it. Put them on, what do I care?"

"That's the spirit, now go put them on." Lucile says shoving the bags into my arms.

Taking the backs upstairs I begin to think of ways around this little obstacle. I decide that if I want to get out of this house successfully without getting caught, my best bet was to use the front door. Thanking my foster parents for not having a squeaky house I open my door. Setting the manifold bags down, I go back for a screw driver. Finding the Phillips head screw driver in the kitchen drawer I run back to my room and install the bars on my window. I realize then that it's almost one. Flying down the stairs I yell that I'm going to Ellison's and I leave the house before any of the people in the house can tell me no.

Taking a right turn from my house, I go up the road, and then take another right. I see Ellison's house. It's the first on the right of his block. It's white, and covered in Halloween decorations. Laughing to myself as I walk up, I think, who needs Halloween when a vampire is right down the street? I ring the bell while I'm still laughing silently to myself.

His mother opens the door. She's a tall pale woman with dark short brown hair. Her eyes are a deep brown, almost a black it seems. She's wearing dark denim jeans with a white tee shirt. She smiles and lets me in the house. She doesn't seem afraid of me, or shocked by my appearance. It made me feel like no everyone in this world was as shallow as the next person. Smiling back I walk forward into their small foyer.

The tiles on the ground are laminated, that's obvious because there's no way someone in this neighborhood could get pure marble flooring. The walls are a honey gold color with hints of dark green sprinkled through it, the molding on the bottom and top of the walls are white, pure white. They have a red oak wood coffee table with a dark stained glass bowl to hold keys and other things. The table in, in of its self is amazing. It has an old European look to it, and curves. From the feet up to about half way the lines of the wood are straight, but towards the middle they bend outward, then curve back to hold the top of the table.

From the foyer they had an arched doorway leading to the kitchen and dining room on the right side, past their umbrella stand. Straight in front of the foyer, was a long hallway the branched off left and right at the end of it. There were no pictures up in the foyer, but I had a feeling that somewhere in this house was a massive artistic picture. I don't know why I had that impression, but the house so far was fantastic and I haven't even seen the rest.

"Hello Arigena, I'm Ellison's mother, Rayton." She said to me.

"Hello Mrs. Rayton." I reply still looking around the foyer.

"Just call me Rayton. No need to be formal in this house. Ellison is finishing getting ready, if you want I'll show you to the living room and you can wait there." Rayton says.

"Um, sure." I reply nervously, but smiling.

Rayton smiles and walks into the doorway leading to what I assume to be the kitchen and dining room. My assumption was correct; we walked into the dining room, or kitchen. It was a combined room actually. The kitchen looked magnificent. Hanging rack from pots and pans, over an island with what looked like garnet counter tops. The counters themselves were light oak. The counters were the only thing separating the kitchen from the dining area. The coloring in the kitchen was a light orange yellow color; the color reminded me of sunset. The refrigerator was stainless steel, and so was the stove.

The dining room wasn't that impressive compared to the kitchen. A long square table with a green tablecloth over it. Eight chairs were seated there, but from my knowledge, Ellison was an only child and his parents didn't have anyone staying with them. The wall coloring was a darker green in here, than my rooms. Much darker actually, almost an olive color. There were pictures in this room though. Pictures of the family at various times throughout life. Ellison's father was a tall man with light tanned skin. He had a short buzz cut and his hair seemed to be turning gray from the light brown it was. His eyes were a light brown, almost a hazel color like Ellison's.

Rayton continued to walk ahead. The kitchen was a sort of pentagram shape, and had a section of open space to access it. The room flowed into the living room, and straight in front of the opening in the kitchen was another hallway, this one was dark and didn't seem to have any life. Leading me past the kitchen opening and the hall, Rayton walked fast. Approaching the living room, I could see that it was a sunken in living room. Where you had to take a step down before you were in the actual room.

The living room was amazing. They had a plasma flat screen television mounted on the wall, and dark brown leather sofas around the television, and glass top coffee table. The carpet that covered the floor was a soft royal blue that accented the lighter blue walls. On the wall across from the entrance was a book case, a big mahogany bookcase overflowing with books. There weren't any pictures in here because there didn't need to be. The room was terrific the way it was laid out.

Walking down to one of the couches I could feel my awe grow tremendously. Rayton turned back to see my reaction and smiled. I guess she liked what she saw. Flicking her hair back from her face with her hand she seemed to be getting an air of 'yes we're better than you'. A little taken aback by this sudden change in attitude, I wiped my emotions off my face and made it like stone. Turing back again, Rayton saw my expression and her face soured. She stopped moving when she was in front of the couches.

"Ellison should be down in a minute." She says to me then leaves the room.

Sitting down on one of the couches I find that they are surprisingly soft. I sit in a ridged posture. I don't feel as welcome as I did anymore, possibly because of my reaction to her attitude. That's not my fault though. People shouldn't be that rude and all high and mighty, just because they have some nice things. Irritated at myself and at Rayton, I don't notice when Ellison walking up behind me.

"Hey Arigena."

I jump at the suddenness of his voice, "Oh jeez! You scared me!"

"Sorry about that." He laughs and comes around into my view.

He's wearing ripped jeans and a black tee shirt with a skull on it. His hazel eyes sparkle with laughter. He sits down next to me on the couch and I relax. My ridged posture relaxes into a comfortable state. Leaning back against the couch I laugh.

"So what are we going to do today?" I ask him.

"Well what do you want to do?"

"Anything. I thought you would have something planned by the time I came, so I didn't think about it."

"I see, well we could watch some movies, or just television."

"Eh, I'm not one for television or movies really. Anything else?"

"We could play some games. I have X-box and Play station."

"What games?" I ask curiously.

"Kingdom Hearts, Mario Kart, umm.... I have a lot."

"Hmm... well what else can we do?"

"We could go to my room and just talk and hang out."

"That sounds like fun. Why not?"

"Ok then, follow me." He says getting up and walking out of the living room.

Following him back through the house to the foyer again, he leads me back into the hall. Turning left at the end of the hall we walk past a few white doors. We come to a stop in front of a dark brown colored door. On the door is a little name plaque with Ellison's name on it. He opens the door and lets me walk in. His room is nothing like I expected. I expected it to be messy, and full of dark colors, oh boy was I wrong.

His room had warm red colored walls, it was also well organized. His bed was made with a plaid comforter on top, it was by the red curtained window, and on the other side of his bed a few feet from it of course, was his desk. His desk was a light brown ply-wood color. His computer was off; his black rolling chair was pushed in. His carpet was light tan, and was very soft. He had a door for a closet past the end of his bed.

Turning to him with my mouth open I ask, "This is your room? Are you sure?"

His lightly tanned face turns red. Looking down he answers, "Yes I'm sure."

"Wow, you have to be the cleanest boy I know."

"Thanks." He says blushing harder, "I don't like it when my room's messy."

"Well that's a relief. Means you don't have like bugs crawling everywhere." I laugh plopping down on his bed.

He walks over to his computer and pulls out his chair to sit on. Looking into his eyes I can see that he's much different than what other people believe him to be. The old saying 'don't judge a book by its cover’ is right in his case. I smile at him right as there's a tapping at his window. Growling lowly to myself I look at Ellison. He seems confused about the tapping and is heading over to open his window. I grab his hand and glare into his eyes. My voice doesn't speak, by my lips move and form the words "The crow." Pulling his hand back Ellison nods. Sitting back in his chair I fall back lying on his bed. The tapping continues rhythmically.

"Want some music?" Ellison asks.

"Definitely." I reply sitting up to look at him.

He laughs turns on his computer. Pulling open You Tube™ he asks what song I want to listen to. Sighing I say anything. He puts on "Hero" by Skillet. I begin to sing along with the lyrics. He stares at me in amazement, his eyes glazing over his mouth hangs open. Self-conscious of myself I stop singing in the middle of the song. Maybe he didn't like it? I think to myself. He looks at me with a crest fallen look in his eyes.

"Why'd you stop singing?" He asks me sadly.

"I wasn't sure if you liked it or not." I reply hiding my face behind my hair.

"Are you kidding? You have the voice of an angel."

"I do?" I ask.

We discuss my singing, and he suggests that I go out for the school talent show. I tell him I would have to think about it. We talk the rest of the afternoon about school, family, teachers, and just everyday high school stuff. His mom only came once and that was to ask if we wanted anything to eat or drink. Around six o'clock I realize I should be heading home. I didn't want to worry Dilia or Ted. I say my goodbyes, and then walk home along the deserted road.  

[Your_Last_Wish_For_Death]

Chapter Eight- Full Moon

Opening the front door of my house I realize that no one seems to be home. Shrugging in indifference I walk up the stairs to my room. Before I open my door, I look into the mirror. My hand falls from the knob; my reflection stops me from opening the door. I'm thinner than normal, my flesh is ghastly white, and my eyes are turning a deep cobalt blue. My fangs are slightly out, touching the bottom of my white-pink lip.

Not being able to notice my blood lust when I was distracted by the crow at Ellison's house, it was all coming back to me now. Tonight was a full moon, no doubt about it, my body was telling me so. I didn't think I was this pale before today. Going over my memories of the last few days I see that I have been increasingly losing pigment in my skin, and gaining it in my eyes. Hitting my forehead with my palm I curse at myself. How could I let this go so unchecked? No wonder I've been more violent. I haven't been paying attention! I yell at myself inside my head.

Opening my door, I run over to my calendar, opening it to today, Saturday October, twenty third, two thousand and ten. It's a full moon tonight; the little circle on my calendar tells me so. Shock reverberates through my body. It’s come sooner than expected for me, seems like no time has passed since my last meal. Turning to look at the bars on my window, I feel a sudden urgency of needing to feed. I can't leave yet though, I know because it's still sunny outside, and I don't want to risk slightly burning myself. I was wearing long sleeves and pants of course, but even the slightest sun can burn any exposed skin if I'm not careful.

Pacing my room back and forth quickly, I wait for it to grow dark. Sometime around seven I hear Dilia, Jimmy, Ted and Lucile come back from where ever they were. This was going to make things even more complicated. I hoped no one would be stupid enough to come up to my room at that moment in time. No one came, and soon the hours clicked by slowly. I couldn't leave until around eleven. That's when everyone in this house was asleep. I had to wait for them to be asleep otherwise I wouldn't have been able to sneak out the front door.

Before leaving I change into easy moving black pants, a black turtle neck long sleeve shirt, with black comfortable sneakers. I grab my pocket knife and open my door. Slipping out, I shut the door behind me. Slowly I walk down the stairs to the front door. Everyone's scent is tantalizing to my blood lust, but I fight the desire to kill them. Unbolting the front door slowly, I slither out like a serpent does coming out of its hole. Looking down my street with the mindset of a hungry crocodile I see no prey. Going towards the road I walked on a few days ago, the deserted road with the horse, I see no one and nothing. Walking along this road empty road for what seems like the longest time I've ever spent walking to find prey, I spot another neighborhood. Entering it cautiously I find a boy.

The boy is wearing a letterman jacket, holding the hand of a girl. Cursing to myself I let the couple go. Looking around this neighborhood and finding nothing, I decide to try the area attached to this one. I spot what I'm looking for. There's a man alone with no one around him walking towards the direction of my school. The man is wearing nice pants, and a white button up shirt. As I'm approaching him I hear the sounds of conversation.

The man must be on the phone I reason. Following him in the shadows I wait and watch. I study my prey carefully. My fangs extended more than a little now, because of the wait for blood. The wait for energy and life. Losing all rational thought I stalk him, as if I was a lioness hunting a wild boar. Only difference is I'm stronger, faster, and strike harder than a lioness. He doesn't seem to want to get off the phone with whoever he's talking to. Beginning to get irritated at the wait I leave him.

I peel off from this hunt, and turn down a different road. This road has house after house after house. It's all dark on this road, no street lamps on considering it doesn't have any. The houses are unlike, all of them. Each one has unusual lay outs, and designs. They all have unalike colors too. There's a purple house with an overhang of plaid fabric, a green house with no overhang, but many dying rose bushes. I stop to look around for a moment before my blood lust prods me to keep hunting. Keep going you need the blood and energy to survive. You're dying now, go. Hunt, feed, kill. My mind talks, encouraging me.

Walking among the sleeping houses I find a girl. A girl around middle school age without help from my blood lust and hunger, outside. My eyes dilated, they zero in on her neck, and then I look her over. Short blonde hair put up in a head band to keep it out of her face. Black jogging pants with two white stripes running up the side of her legs. White tee shirt with a track logo on it, I see she's been running for a while with the sweat I smell.

I don't usually like sweaty prey, but when you're as deprived, blood thirsty and demented as I am, you don't be picky. Following her closely to watch, I realize she has a music player three in. Laughing silently at my good fortune, I shadow her. She doesn't make a turn anywhere; she just keeps jogging among the peculiar houses. I don't see her face, and I don't care to. People's faces have ceased to have meaning to me when I hunt those people. When a car drives by with its headlights on, it makes me duck behind a public trash can; I almost lose sight of the girl I'm hunting.

Once it passes, I resume my task. Finding her wasn't that hard. Her blood scent was strong. It smelled like tulips and cinnamon, sweet to my nose, but I knew that's not what it would taste like. Every person has a different taste, but mostly the life sustaining blood tastes mostly of copper, or iron. The sweeter the smell of blood the better the taste most of the time. I was hoping her blood would taste warm and sweet as it ran over my tongue. Maybe it would feel like soft velvet flowing down my throat. My mouth began to water as I approached her. I was tired of waiting and watching to make sure. I wanted her blood her life. My hands curled over into a talon position like a hawk, as I reached for the girl.

Pulling her back and covering her mouth, I jerked her head to the side. Her neck was exposed; my fangs penetrated the soft skin of her open neck. Drinking in her blood greedily, I pulled her back into a side alley between two houses. We had ended up in the middle of Maglayra, by the main road. I wasn't going to get any witness that’s why I dragged her back with me, like a dog drags its chew toy.

Her blood felt like warm milk over my tongue, not the velvet I was hoping for. I didn't care, I just wanted her blood, her life, and I wanted her soul’s energy. My fangs retracted at the taste of blood, so I was left there with her in my hands, drinking. She didn't make any horrible sounds like Ellison had. She didn't seem to be in any pain. She was just off in sleep land, and dreams. She wouldn't think this was real if she could think. Her mind was too clouded with the sense of losing energy that she couldn't think, so I had nothing to worry about. She wouldn't survive this anyway. If I left her go right now, she would die from the loss of blood, or the loss of energy. I wasn't sure if humans died from loss of energy like energy vampires did.

Tightening my grip on her arms at the thought of letting her go, I could only imagine what I looked like, a wild ravenous animal eating its prey alive with no remorse, or guilt. No second thoughts, just eating. Eating and enjoying every minute that her blood welled up and went down my throat. If anyone saw me they'd probably think of me as a wolf, a hungry wolf from the zoo, or some other place that's taken a girl as a victim.

Little did people know I wasn't a human, a wolf, or any other animal. I was a vampire, an energy vampire feeding after a month of not. Her blood began to stop coming, but she was still alive. My fangs extended again while I bit into her again. Hearing a pair of wings flutter and stop I looked up from her neck and the blood with fangs extended completely. She's my kill. Mine! My mind screamed at me. I hissed like a cat would hiss at a dog.

The bird, actually the crow, was now transforming into a man. Shock brings me to my senses. I drop the girl and look at the forming man. As he's transforming black swirls of mist surround his body. It's the man from my dream! The man whose face I never saw right. The mist disappearing as he's there standing. I can see his face clearly now, no dark shadows obscuring my view.
He has river green eyes that were hidden once before. His skin is pale under his black over coat, midnight shirt, and black pants, but in reality it was a creamy tanned color. His shoes are dark too, but I was too busy paying attention to his face. Straight lined nose, square jaw line, low cheek bones, lustrous full red lips and has a devil may care smile. His hair looks soft and feathery like a crow’s wing, black as well as a crow's wing. Anyone else would say he's gorgeous, beautiful, a god, but I knew better. He wasn't a god, he was a blood vampire.

"Hello, my name is Krait." The strange man said.

He was the crow, the strange power that's been following me, making me feel like I was being hunted, and in all reality, I was. I was hoping that maybe he didn't sense that I was an energy vampire yet, I was hoping that he just thought I was a beautiful regular vampire. I thought looking at the apparently handsome man. He was tall, at least six feet and he towered over me. He was much stronger than I. He had more power; he was more dangerous than anything I've come across. I decided to play it as if I was a blood vampire as well, not an energy vampire.

"Like a crate?" I asked.

"No. 'Kr-a-it' is how you pronounce my name silly vampire. Not that it would matter soon anyway. You look scrumptious." Krait said.

"Sorry, but I don't understand what you mean. Blood vampires don't kill other blood vampires. Do they?" I said confused.

He couldn't want my blood. Vampires don't feed on other vampires. Our blood is poison to any creature. Or do vampires feed on others? Or does he know I'm an energy vampire? I asked myself confused and worried. He took a step forward and I backed up a step. I didn't want him in too close of a range.

"Oh my dear, where have you been? Vampires find it sporting to try and take down others. I'm one of the best. I've killed the last energy vampire, and I killed the most blood vampires, but before I end your existence, what is your name my dear?" Krait asked.

"My name is Arigena!" I scream as my eyes spark with energy and power.

"Oh an energy vampire, I see. Guess I haven't killed the last of you yet. It'll be a pleasure to kill you." Krait said smiling his devil may care smile.

Making a ball of energy in my hand by summoning up all the energy I took from that girl tonight and more, I rotate it slowly in my hand behind my back. Brining it forward I throw it at his chest. Turning to run, not even bothering to see if I hit my mark, I take off sprinting will all my might. Running past the weird house, the school, the neighborhood with the boy, and down the long road to my house, I begin to feel the loss of energy as my body consumes much more than what it has to offer.

Slowing down tremendously I look around for a victim, a person, blood anything really. Beginning to sway when I walk I make it to Ellison's house barely. I collapse outside his window with a loud thud. With a sensation like I'm being carried I try and open my eyes. I'm only able to open them for a little I see a blurry image of Ellison's face. My eyes don't want to work as I keep them closed, my hearing is fine though. I hear Ellison's worried voice through my head.

"What's wrong? Arigena what happened?" He whispers urgently into my ear.

"B-blood. Blood... I need... Full moon." I mumble out. I can't think straight to make a whole and complete sentence.

"Blood? Take mine Arigena." Ellison pleads.

"N-no. I promised..." I whisper. I feel as though my body is in unstoppable pain, like I'm being seared all over, as if my body is caving in on myself.

"Take it!" He yells shoving his neck against my lips.

My fangs automatically extend and I puncture his flesh. His sweet velvety blood runs over my tongue and down my throat. I feel my energy being restored then taken to fix what my lack of energy has caused. I begin to feel Ellison start to sag over my body. His energy flowing into me I feel my energy restored enough to suffice me for the next day or two. I stop my biting and sucking.

"No, Arigena! Take more! You need the energy!" Ellison's whispery reply said against my ear.

"No Ellison, I'll be fine. I have enough to sustain me until tomorrow at best. You need to rest and restore your own energy." I say pushing him off me and on to what I realize is his bed.

He must have brought me to his room when I wasn't able to see, or think much. I smile a shaky smile and get up. Sleep Ellison, sleep, my mind told me gently.

"I'm leaving to my house. I'll check up on you tomorrow. I love you. Thank you Ellison."

"I love you too, Arigena. Be careful." He said before passing out asleep.

I made sure that his wound was covered and stopped bleeding before I left. Instead of going through his house, I jumped from his window. I landed shakily on my feet, but it wasn't too hard. I walked home feeling tired, and drained. Very, very drained. I didn't even get a chance to get all the blood to last me a month. Sighing to myself I open my door. Walking up to my room was a challenge for my body physically. I was in pain everywhere. I was grateful when I was able to fall onto my bed and sleep.

Unfortunately my dreams weren't as happy. I woke up in my dream, in the house I currently resided in. Krait was there when I woke up. Standing at the foot of my feet wearing the black silk shirt again. I glared at him and hissed. He smiled laughing. Scooting back from laying down, I was now sitting up with a different blood red dress on. It was strapless, and only came to about my knees with a slit up the side to my thigh. It was made of silk, and had ruffles at the end of the dress. No writing or sequins this time.

"What do you want?" I spit at Krait.

"Arigena, my dear. It's not what I want, it's what you want. I've decided to make a game. A fun fantastic game." Krait said, his river green eyes sparkling with anger and evil pleasure.

"What kind of a game?" I ask suspiciously.

He's a dangerous person I know, but what can I do in a dream? I'm too weak in real life to fight him, and I can't do anything in a dream. Looking at me with amused laughing eyes he smiles to expose his fangs.

"Well see here little Arigena, I am a part of you. I am what humans would consider your soul mate. Ridiculous concept I know, but the reason I know this is because we are having the same dream." Krait said.

"You're lying! We can't be! You're a horrible creature! A monster!" I scream at him standing up on my bed.

"Sad little vampire. No you see, I am. Only soul mates share dreams. I heard about this a while ago when I was first introduced to being a vampire. Unfortunately, I didn't believe it. If I had known that it was true then, I would've just killed you tonight without," He said lacking pause, "having to make this diminutive game."

My eyes grow wide with shock. Of course! How could I be so stupid? When I became an energy vampire, I was told all about the world and all its secrets that no one besides vampires or other super natural being knew about. How could I miss this? The dream sharing? Why didn't I connect to this first? I ask myself disappointed. Wiping my emotion from my face, I look back into his.

"What game?" I demand.

"Well you see I don't quite like you being so close to that boy. Or well to either of them. I'm not sure why, but when you were in the leaves with them I got suddenly angry and I want to kill them." He began.

"What?! Why?! You don't even want to keep me around!"

"You insolent little child! Shut up and let me finish!" He says waving a hand other the general direction on my mouth.

I feel my mouth mold shut, and I can't say a word. My fury back I look at him with daggers in my eyes.

"I think that by you having these little friends, it's made you harder to detect as an energy vampire. That's why I didn't know you were one today, until I saw you feed on the girl. But then of course, I couldn't be sure. I had to, how do you put it? I had to get you to admit it in some way. You're little energy ball hurt quite a bit, by the way." He says rubbing his shoulder.

I missed his chest I guess, but at least I hit him and he didn't follow after me, I reflect.

"Anyway, you having these friends was an obstacle. So I'll eliminate the obstacle. That way if you try to, oh I don't know flee you won't want to and you won't be able to. You seemed highly attached to them both. In this game though only one will be able to live. See, I'm going to give you a choice, at some random time during some random day. You have to choose which lives, and which dies."

Tears well up in my eyes. Jimmy, poor little helpless Jimmy. His blonde head tilted to the side with his emerald green eyes frozen open in fear. His flesh death white, and cold. Then my thoughts go to Ellison. Ellison, the man I love, the first person to know what I am. His sweet face distorted in agony with his hazel eyes filled with pain, his skin turning white. Looking into Krait's unforgiving green eyes, my tears spill over my eyes and slide down my face.

"I see you get my meaning. Sweet dreams my dear." Krait says unsealing my mouth as my dream goes black.

I wake up with tears streaming down my face. My heat feels like an empty void of nothing. I cover my eyes with my hands and weep for the loss of either Ellison or Jimmy. I didn't want to choose. Poor sweet little four year old Jimmy, or the man I loved? This was the worst decision of my life and I wasn't able to make it. Krait would take both of them from me before killing me if I didn't choose. I know he would. He seems like that much of a b*****d. I needed a hero to save me... But there was no one...

   

[Your_Last_Wish_For_Death]

Chapter Nine- Pain

It was Sunday morning the twenty fourth. I was sitting up in bed and I couldn't feel my heart or soul. I knew I needed energy as soon as it was possible to get it. I decided I'd go hunting early not for a meal instead of later. It was around six and I left my house. It was still dark outside. I found a car driving along the main road. I stopped it by walking out in front of it. The man got out of the car and called to me.

Before he had chance to leave, or a chance to think about running, I sank my teeth into him, not caring if he was screaming in pain or not. I drained him of life and energy. Pulled out the pocket knife I had in my pocket and slit his wrists and neck. Feeling rejuvenated with blood and energy I left him there. I walked back to my house.

I sat in my room the entire day waiting for a second option. Right when Ellison knocked on my bedroom door, I found it. I had to become a blood vampire to kill Krait, which was the only way for me to have any chance to kill him. Ellison came in my door and I jumped back into my regular self. I begin to feel again.

"Oh Ellison, you shouldn't be moving. Sit down now." I said jumping up to help him over to my bed.

"I had to make sure that you were ok. I feel fine Arigena. Don't worry too much. What happened? Are you ok?"

"Ellison... I, I have to change. I have to change from being an energy vampire to being a blood vampire. It's the only way."

"What?! No! You aren't changing you're a good person! Only way for what?" He demanded.

Looking down at my hands in my lap I told him all about the dream. About last night, about my weakness as an energy vampire. He looked up at me with understanding. He didn't move or say anything for a long time. He was sitting there thinking silently. I began to hope that maybe he found a better solution. A good solution, I was wrong.

"Let him kill me, at least then we can spare poor Jimmy and if he's going to kill you anyway then we'll be together." Ellison said at last.

"No. I will not give you up. I will not let him kill you; I won't let him do it. I can't." I growl out.

"You have to! Think about poor Jimmy? If he killed him instead of me then your foster parents would be sad. My parents wouldn't care." Ellison pleaded.

"No! I'll think of a better solution. I can't and won't lose you."

"Then there's no other solution because you turning isn't an option." Ellison replies becoming angry.

"There has to be..." I say crest fallen.

I know what Ellison is saying is true. There is no other option. My decision was made by Ellison's choice. With tears in my eyes, he gets off my bed and walks over to me. He kneels down in front of me and lifts my head to look into his eyes. He's crying too, his hazel eyes shine with tears. Laying his hand on my cheek softly I see the understanding and pain in his eyes. Feeling my heart break inside my chest, the pain almost becomes too much to bear. I don't want to see how much pain I'm causing him. I turn my head to hide my eyes from the horrible pain I see. My hair falls down to cover the side view of my eyes. Turning my head back to look at him, Ellison kisses me. My tears come faster now, streaking down my face and landing in my lap. This may be the last time I kiss him, the last time I am with him, I think softly to myself. Feeling the warmth of my tears and his lips, my mind becomes unfocused with the contracting emotions.

Pulling back from the kiss, my tears have stopped, as well as Ellison's. Beginning to feel my mind cloud over I look at Ellison and remember the night before. My thirst is still in me I realize. Fangs extending slightly, I look to Ellison's neck where my fangs have pierced before. Gulping back my thirst I turn from him to look at the bars on my window. I remember Lucile downstairs and my fury, as well as my blood lust makes me growl. Ellison goes still, frozen and unmoving. I turn back to him.

"Sorry, it’s just Lucile... I hate her, I really do, and I'm so thirsty." I reply to his stillness, my fangs extending further.

"I see, well I should go. I have to prepare, and I want you do go hunt, or whatever you call it. That way, at least, if you can run, then you'll have the energy to." Ellison says looking down.

"You're right. I'll see you as school tomorrow... that is you know..." I reply shielding my face from his so he doesn't see how hard it is for me to say the words, 'unless you die tonight.'

Getting up from my floor, Ellison left. Beginning to feel the hole in my chest again I turn toward my window. I want to be free, I feel like I'm a caged animal in this house. It has become my prison with Lucile here. My mind shifts into hunting mode and I make my way downstairs with thoughts of murdering Lucile. She's in the living room reading a book. I see her before she notices me. Grabbing her by her fat jelly roll back, I drag her outside into the small side woods. She can't scream because my hand is covering her mouth. Pulling her up to a sitting position against a tree I feel like talking to her before I kill her.

"Oh poor, poor Lucile. You really have rubbed me the wrong way, did you know that? Forcing me to put bars on my window, locking me up like some sort of animal in my own home. Then hurting Jimmy. You really shouldn't have done that." I say as the wind begins to pick up. "You know, I've struggled years on top of years not to kill Jimmy, Dilia or Ted. Even you last time you came for a little 'visit'. I've forced myself not to kill you, but you've done it this time. You've made your own fate!" I scream at last as the wind swirls around me howling in my ears.


My hair lashing at my face and whipping my neck because of the wind, my darkening eyes are locked onto Lucile’s fat gelatinous neck. Her eyes grow wide in fear as she sees my fully extended fangs. She tries to scream, but I'm too quick for her. I sink my fangs into her neck and suck almost all the life out of her. She lets off a small yelp, but before I drain her completely I whisper into her ear, "You're not the only one who can play mean." Then I finish her off and leave her there. Going back to the house, I round up all her things with a sense of accomplishment. Throwing them outside next to her in the woods, I remember my pocket knife. I take it out with the wind still blowing; threatening to knock me down, inspecting it in my hands I see the old dried blood on the shiny silver blade. This blade was marked with my initials when my mother gave it to me before I was seventeen.

Beginning to think of my mother and her never ageing smile, I start to think about how peculiar she was in my life. Always watching, telling me that I could one day be a great hero, or a great villain depending on how I saw my outcome. I remember her sneaking off some nights then the next day being too hyper to sit around and do chores. Realization hit me like a car hits a brick wall. My mother was an energy vampire! She knew I was to become one at seventeen, she had to have known. How else would she have been able to prepare me without letting me know? Without me being able to figure it out until now? Then my sorrow catches up with me, I killed my mother. I bleed her like a hunter bleeds a pig, all because I wasn't prepared enough. I wasn't prepared enough by my own mind. Then another realization hits me. My mother gave birth to me. I could've had a life with Ellison had it not been for my lack of observations about the crow.

Feeling mad at my lack of thought about all things in my life, I slit Lucile’s neck and wrists, then leave her there. Slamming the back door to our house, I walk through the living room and up to my room. I grab the screwdriver by Lucile's old reading spot. Slamming my door behind me I unscrew all the damn bars on my window and throw them to the ground. Dilia comes running up to my room pounding on my door screaming at me.

"What do you want Dilia?" I ask opening my door slightly so she doesn't see the blood that squirted on my shirt from draining Lucile.

"What was all that banging? Did Lucile leave?" She asks in a frightened voice.

“As a matter of fact she did. I was removing the bars from my window. They um, fell before I could catch them."

"Oh, well ok. Good night Arigena." Dilia says before turning around and leaving.

I watch her blonde hair bounce off with her steps down the stairs. Returning to my window I look out at the unbarred street. There's no crow, or rather there's no Krait watching me today. I feel my emotions coming back to cloud my thoughts. I was angry at Krait, very very angry. It wasn't fair that he was doing this to them. Why not just leave them alone? Why cause all this pain? Then I remember he's a blood vampire. He doesn't care. My thoughts drift to Jimmy. Poor sweet little Jimmy. What will he do if he's not killed? Will he become someone great, or will he just throw his life away. There were too many questions about if I should pick him. Then there was dark, hazel eyed Ellison. He was already set on a path of nothing, but maybe, if he lived he could turn his life around and get on the right path. My thoughts were full of questions. Along with these confused thoughts and feelings, came the sense of horror. I didn't want to die I realized. Not because it would hurt, or anything like that, but because I was finally happy for once in my life and I didn't want it to end with only one happiness.

Becoming overwhelmed quickly I try to think of a way to get my emotion's out. I remember the colt in the fenced area. I decided to go and take a walk along that long lonely road to the colt. Trotting up to the fence, coming only one foot closer than before, almost in arm's reach comes the colt. I look into its dark almond eyes. It seems to understand my pain and indecision better than any human could. The colt seems to regard me with eyes of sorry instead of fear. Maybe the colt has realized I'm not the bad one. I'm not the one who is killing someone every day. Staring back at me with understanding eyes, I put my hand out towards the colt. Its nose sniffs my hand before putting his snout into it, so I can pet him. Feeling his velvety leather skin, all my problems seem to solve themselves. Maybe this colt isn't a normal colt; I think to myself, the colt certainly seems to be special. Smiling at the colt, I pat its snout and continue to pet its soft hide.

"I think you need a name young colt." I inquire to myself and the horse. "What should I call you? I may not be around much longer, but you still need a name right?" I ask the horse. Bumping my hand up with its nose the horse nods. I smile and begin to think of a name for the horse. Before I pick out a name I make sure that the horse is a girl.

"I like the name Midnight. What do you think?" The horse shakes her head. "Hmm, what about Rune? Do you like that name?" I ask the horse nods her head and gallops in a circle.

Laughing softly to myself I sigh, "Good girl Rune. Come here, come on Rune."

Rune trots over to me, I begin to pat her again. She turns to the side to let me pat her back. Stroking her soft dark brown hide I feel completely at peace. Until I feel a little prickle in the back of my neck. Rune becomes agitated, raises herself on her hind legs and kicks at something that seems to be behind me. Turning to look to see who intruded on my peace, I see Krait. He's wearing black slacks, as well as a black silk shirt. His eyes glow with amusement. He smile is curved up in a devilish way. I tense, going into a defensive stance that is hard to detect because it looks so calm and lazy. I remember that I'm wearing the black shirt with Lucile's dried blood on it. Feeling oddly self-conscious about this in front of a murderer I cross my arms in front of my chest while leaning back against the fence, my body as tight as a spool of thread. Defiance comes into my mind, as I picture myself portrayed against the fence.

"Having fun petting that little insufficient snack?" Krait asks almost laughing.

"Her name is Rune, and yes I was having a peaceful moment until you came. How's your shoulder?" I ask back sarcastically, acting as if I wanted it to hit him there.

Krait snarls, and is suddenly up in my face, pressing me against the fence, "It's healing. I meant to thank you for that little present." He whispers roughly into my ear.

I curse myself for not being able to see that coming, to not have been fast enough to react. Fear springs into my veins when he whispers into my ear. He's too close for comfort. I just hope that if he kills me now, he'll leave Jimmy and Ellison alone. I hear Rune in the background neighing and stomping the ground with her hooves. I turn my head away from Krait to see what Rune was trying to do, but that was another mistake on my part. His hand brushes my curly deep brown hair back from my neck. He strokes it first with his finger tips feeling it. When his fingers touch my flesh I feel myself want to reel in disgust of his touch, of his murdering hands touching me. My face scrunches up in disgust and I try to find a way out of this. Before I have time to move my shoulder, his lips brush my neck. I freeze in the middle of movement. I feel his fangs extending when he brushes his lips back and forth.

"Oh so sweet your blood will be. How wonderful it will be dancing across my tongue. I can't wait, but I must, I have to make you suffer for the pain you caused me with that little stunt of energy. You have to make your choice soon. Perhaps tomorrow, I'll need your decision by the end of tomorrow. I'll receive it in our dream tonight. Tuesday night, one life will end at your hand." Krait says softly into my ear.

Feeling my tears begin again he steps back transforms then flies away off into the distance. Rune calms down, comes over to me and nudges my back. I turn to her, pat her snout then leave to my house. Walking back along the road with tears streaming down my face, I feel as if there is no hope for the world with a monster like Krait on the loose. I am beginning to remember the lyrics to "I Must Be Dreaming" By Evanescence. I sing them into the wind as I cry.

"Help you know, I've got to tell someone. Tell them what I know you've done. I fear you, but spoken fears can come true. We all live, we all die. That does not begin to justify you." I sing this part softly knowing it's true for me, and for Krait.

When I get home, everyone is asleep. I didn't realize how late it was getting. It was already almost ten thirty. I decide to go to sleep, to hopefully get a chance to sort out all my thoughts and feelings. Lying down in bed to close my eyes, my cell phone rings. Looking at the call, it's from Ellison. I answer, telling him all of what has happened. He becomes anger at what Krait did, but knows he can do nothing to change that. We are both powerless in this situation. We hang up; I pass out on my bed. I dream of happy endings that turn to sorrowful mourning’s.

   

[Your_Last_Wish_For_Death]

Chapter Ten- Decision

My alarm goes off early the next morning. I have school to attend. Taking a warm, long shower I wash all the blood off my hair and face. I puzzle over everything that has happened in the last two days. Quite a lot compared to what has been happening my whole life. Unfortunately for me, today was one of the darkest days of my life. I leave the house before anyone gets up. Walking slowly down the road to my school, I think over what Ellison said. He would gladly die if it was to save Jimmy. He thinks we'll be together after death. I close my eyes on the pain in my heart. I couldn't bring myself to tell him that I wouldn't be going with him to heaven as he hoped. Condemned to hell I was from my birth, to when I turned, to now. There was nothing to be done about that, I couldn't tell him that. Not now, not when he was possibly going to die. Saying that would just break his heart worse than I already have with the mess I've gotten us into.

Walking into my first hour Washington State History class, I see we have a substitute. His name is Mr. Grochain, I find by looking at the board before I look at the teacher. Not paying attention to the substitute, or the rest of the class because I'm too absorbed in my thoughts, I don't notice who the teacher is until I hear him speak. Looking up from the drawing of wings within fangs, I look up to find that Krait is the teacher for the day! His river green eyes smile at me as he points to the watch he's wearing on his wrist. Krait is wearing a medium green shirt with black slacks and a black pinstripe tie. Turning to Ellison, because I've been ignoring him, although he knows why, my eyes grow huge. I scribble down on a piece of paper that the substitute was Krait, the blood vampire. Seeing Ellison's eyes grow wide from the note he looks at me with worry, and sorrow. When will his haunting end? I ask myself almost beginning to cry. I ask myself almost beginning to cry.

Krait just smiles at me, seeming to enjoy myself suffering. Turning his back to me he turns to the white board on the wall to write something doing with the lesson. Acting like a perfect substitute teacher, as if nothing was wrong, as if he wasn't about to kill an innocent human just for kicks. I become very furious, thinking about wanting to crush him into a million pieces. Gripping my pencil harder than normal or harder than I should I make indents in the desk with the pencil lead. Everyone except Krait looks towards me at the horrible scratching sound I'm making with the pencil. Looking down at my hand and the desk I see dark deep groves. They don't say anything, they're just long scratches.

Soon not being able to stand being in the class room anymore, I leave without warning. Krait looks towards me as glancing over my shoulder I see him smile at me. Turning my head down, I walk past the halls, hearing the bell for class ring, students fill the halls. Ellison catches up with me, grabbing my arm. Turning with my hand cocked and ready to hit someone I see its Ellison just in time to react and stop my fist right before I hit his face. His eyes grow wide with shock.

"Something wrong Honey?" Ellison asks, "You kind of just left. I mean I know it was the blood vampire, but he wouldn't really kill you, or I in broad daylight would he?"

"He doesn't care about people, or witnesses, or anything. He'd kill me if I was alone, if I wasn't. He doesn't care." I reply furiously, walking.

He pulls me to a stop in the middle of the hall. I turn to him; he pulls me closer into a passionate kiss. Becoming agitated even at Ellison, I push him back and away. I see the crushed hurt look in his eyes before I turn. Running down the hall out of the front doors I see the blue autumn sky. Feeling my emotions douse me like a heavy rain, I ran home. Krait wouldn't follow me, not now; he had a class to "teach" after all. Opening my front door widely, slamming it against the wall, I hear Jimmy squeak in surprise while he's at the table. He gets up and tries to run over to me, I dodge him making my way upstairs to my room. Locking my bedroom door, I beat the wood with my fists in anger.

"This just isn't fair, why should my life end because of what I am?!" I scream to the air around me.

Slumping to the ground in defeat, I pray for guidance, for hope, for someone to tell me what to do. Hearing and feeling no answer, my tears spilled down my face. Right when I gave up hope a silvery figure appeared in front of me then became solid. It was my mother; her hair fell around her face in dark brown luscious curls. Her lighter than light blue eyes stared back at mine with compassion, understanding and love, looking up at her, I saw the white flowing Victorian robe she was in, as well as the silvery ring around her head. Tears stained my face seeing her in person for the first time in one hundred and twenty five years.

She walked over to me, almost as if floating on an invisible barrier between the floor and her feet. Taking me in her arms, I feel as if I was a little girl again. Unable to control my emotions, I take in this caring hold, letting my tears come. My mother, as an angel, who would've thought? An energy vampire can go to heaven then, I guess. I think to myself filling with a small fragile ball of hope. She doesn't say anything while I cry, I think she's just letting me get my emotions out before trying to reason with me, or explain. After a short time, I dry my eyes and look up into her face. She smiles down at me.

"Oh my dear child, you've been through great pain haven't you?" She asks in her old wise sing-song voice.

"Yes I have mother, I've killed so many innocent people. I don't mean to, but you know that don't you? You're an energy vampire too aren't you?" I plead, in her eyes I see my eyes reflecting begging for forgiveness.

"Yes Arigena, I was. I've been hoping you would figure this out, that's why I gave you the knife, as well as the lessons I taught you."

"What do you mean you were mother? Aren't you still if you're alive?" I ask becoming confused.

How is it she's not alive if she is standing before me? Hugging me and talking to me? She must be if she's here right? She has to be, she's the only person keeping me here while giving me some hope for a better tomorrow, a better ending. I think to myself as I look around my room, looking at the floor, then to the door. The blood red smiley, carved into the door with my nails has the greatest sense of irony even more so now than before. Ironic that it's a smile, not a frown, ironic in the sense that it is my blood, not a victim’s. It's ironic it's a smile because why would I be smiling at the thought of blood unless I was a murderer. Ironic in the fact that it's my blood there not a victims, just shows how much of a torture it is to be blood thirsty and not be able to get any. My mother lifts my chin up to look into my eyes. I search hers for answers, for help.

"Arigena, listen to me. I died one hundred and twenty five years ago. You killed me, but don't worry about that. You needed to, you see, because if you hadn't, the other energy vampires wouldn't have known." She begins, "I hold nothing against you my child. Neither does your father. I know you've given up hope in the situation that you are in. Krait is a nasty little blood vampire. He's always been on the hunt for the last energy vampire. You are the last. You cannot lose that Arigena, you cannot turn. You have to stay pure. You're the last hope for our race. I don't have much time left. They only gave me a certain amount of time."

"No, mom, you can't go. I need you; I need you to help me. Please, you can't leave mother." I plead, holding on to her dress, hugging her against me.

"I'm not leaving yet Arigena, but please try to calm down. I need you to remember this ok? Krait is not invincible. He can be killed without you turning. You just have to find a way." She says before her image begins to flicker and her solidity too. "I love you Arigena." She whispers before her image disappears completely, and I'm left there on the floor after falling from her holding me.

"Mother..." I whisper into the empty air around me. My clenched hands, from when I was holding on to her, suddenly have nothing in them.

Feeling my hope dwindle to nothing but a flicker of a small thread of hope, it disappears. I remember my mother, I go over what she says, but it just seems too hard to try and hold on to something as silly as hope. She must have a reason for being so vague, I think to myself. Why else would she be that way? She's always been vague I remember. Always trying to institute a lesson into whatever it was we were doing at that current moment in time. Always letting me try over and over to make sure that I got a lesson down straight, she truly was a great mother, an even better energy vampire if she was able to have a kid. I, of all people was beginning to follow something so blindly without knowing the outcome. I knew who I was going to pick.

I knew that I had no choice but to pick someone, but I knew that Ellison was right. Ellison was right, how could the life of an already high school student who has had, seventeen, or eighteen years be more valuable than that of a child whose life hasn't started yet? I had no choice, but to give Ellison's name tonight, and when I died tomorrow, or when ever Krait decided he wanted to kill me, then I must accept it, and do my best to give back what he stole in pain and suffering. I was going to act as an avenging angel for Ellison. I start to piece together my thoughts, my emotions to plan out my actions for the following days.

School is out soon after my little episode with my mother's ghost, or angelic form of herself. Ellison calls my phone, looking at the caller identification, I pick up. Before he has time to answer there's pecking at my window. Looking over to Krait at my window, in crow form he's mocking me. I hear Ellison talking to me, of course, except it sounds more like fuzzy words, because all my attention is on Krait at my window. Ellison begins to talk louder to me, except I'm still focused on Krait. Ellison begins to scream into my ear.

"Arigena! Arigena! Hello? What happened?" Ellison's voice screams into my ear.

"Sorry Ellison, um hi. What did you call me for?" I ask confused for a moment.

"I was worried about you. You just left, and you seemed very upset. Now you just seem distracted though. Am I bugging you?"

"No, sorry, it's just Krait, as that damn crow is at my window right now. I can't say what happened to make me calm down. I don't want him to know. My glass isn't completely sound proof."

"Shoot him with energy then, or something else." Ellison replies.

"I can't do that. It requires a lot of energy, doing that would weaken me for trying to protect Jimmy."

"So then, there is no way for me to talk to you right now then?"

"Well we can talk, but not about that stuff."

"Well there's no point then. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"No! Stop, wait! Tomorrow you're going to die! You can't leave right now. I want to talk to you please?"

"Tomorrow? But that's just, that's so soon... I love you Arigena. I'm scared." Ellison says his voice going soft with sorrow and pain.

"I know, but I'll take care of it ok? I love you too; I'll make sure that we get through this."

Ellison just says ok, we say we love each other one more time before we hang up. I hear a creaking sound coming from the direction of my window. Looking over, Krait flies in as his crow form, lands on my floor and transforms. He's not wearing the suit he was before. He's wearing all black, except something new to his wardrobe is a black hooded cloak. Not stumbling back, or even flinching I look Krait dead in his river green eyes. He stares back with mocking eyes that seem to hold more wisdom about murder than before. He's a true hunter, a true murderer. Someone who truly doesn't give a s**t about anyone besides himself, I catch myself wondering if he was always like this, if he automatically turned as soon as he was an energy vampire, or if he tried to strive to remain like a normal energy vampire for a while. Doubts clouded my head, but I remembered that he was a blood vampire now, an enemy to me and to my friends.

Then my thoughts swerve into a darker train of thought. I begin to doubt my choice again about who I've picked to be Krait's victim. Coming to a hasty decision about my choice, about my life, who should be Krait's victim, all of this was just too confusing right now, for me to think about. I knew Krait was going who I was going to pick, who was my choice to die. I didn't know who I was going to say, but I knew I had to decide quickly, quicker than I hoped. I thought I was going to pick Ellison, except now, I had doubts, a lot of doubts. Krait looked at me amused as I thought this all over.

"So who did you pick, my dear Arigena?" He asks smoothly looking down at me, from his natural height.

"Don't call me your dear. I'm nothing to you and I don't want to be anything to you." I hiss out venomously in reply.

"Oh see that is where you are wrong. You are something to me, and you have no choice but to be. You are, whether you like it or not, my soul mate. As whether I like it, I prefer you not to exist, so I can take care of that easily." He replies taking a step closer to me to emphasize his dominance as a blood vampire. "Except, I have to get you back for what you have done to me, that little energy ball wasn't very nice to me, and or to my anatomy. You see, blood vampires are weakened significantly by energy, but of course it also weakens the energy vampire to use energy, unless they, meaning you, find some way to use energy without the drain. So again my dear, who is your choice?"

My thoughts swirled around in my head. Who was I going to pick? Who was I going to send to the black hole of death? I asked myself. Suddenly my mind made its self up. I return to look Krait in the eyes. In my mind I see myself becoming set in my decision, I see myself in a mirror. My eyes becoming dark blue, and hard, of course, that was only what I hoped to look like, what I wanted to look like. Unfortunately I knew that's probably not what I looked like. I still hoped I looked like that though in front of him. I hoped I looked as if I was an avenging angel.

"Who is your choice?" He demanded.

"I, I can't pick." I hesitated.

"Then I take both. I'll kill them both. That way you don't have to decide." He says slyly.

"No! Wait! Ok, fine. I'll decide, just give me a few minutes please?"

"You have a minute to decide."

Jimmy's small round pale face flashes through my mind as I look to my floor, "Jimmy." I say my voice coated with shame, horror, and grief.

"Perfect. Tomorrow night, be ready for screams."

Grief over comes me as I think about my decision. Oh poor sweet Jimmy, poor innocent four year old Jimmy. I just, I just couldn't lose Ellison. When he told me he was scared, the tone in his voice. His loving nature, his fear of death, I couldn't lose the man I loved. I just, I couldn't bring myself to say his name. Krait looks at the anguish on my face, before jumping from my window. Mid-jump he transforms into a crow and flies away off into the tress. I'm alone again, all alone in the room by myself with my emotions. Tears trickle down my face when memories of Jimmy come to my mind. This was good bye for a small four year old boy. What was I going to say to him tomorrow? Was I going to say good bye? Was I going to ignore him? What was I to do? I asked myself. I wished my mother would appear and tell me I made the right choice.

Opening my door silently I see that it is dark in the house. Of course it would be, it's almost eleven, I say to my mind. Walking along the shadowed black hall I open Jimmy's bed room door. Toys scattered across the floor still, but some put back most likely by Dilia. Jimmy's blonde head nuzzled up against his pillow while he sleeps in a ball with blankets pulled tight around him. His poor sleeping figure soon to die tomorrow and he wasn't even five yet. Only four years of life and he was already going to die. It wasn't of a disease, or sickness, it was because I was too selfish to give up the man I love to save a child. My mother hadn't prepared me for this. She hadn't told me that this would be that hard. She never told me anything. Just not to give up hope and that I can't turn. Well who says I can't? So what if I'm the last of my kind? Turing would make this easier. I could kill Jimmy, Ellison, anyone else I wanted without remorse or sadness; I'd just want the blood. I thought bitterly to myself, who would care?

I knew that I was just mad at myself though, so I left Jimmy's room after kissing him on the forehead. I had to plan, I knew it was hopeless to try and save Jimmy unless I wanted to risk putting him in danger with my thirst after an energy attack, and that would ruin his innocence. There had to be some way though, for me to return the pain that Krait was going to cause me. There had to be, otherwise what was the point of it all? Of anything? Pacing in my room from my door to my window I looked constantly from my door, to my feet, to my door. I realized that there was my answer. I may have been starved once before, for a week actually, and if I hadn't died then, there must have been something supporting my energy right? How to find this out though, was the question. As well as having to find out a way to keep Ellison from coming after Krait once he killed me. There was so much to plan, and not enough time to plan it. What was I going to do about Dilia and Ted if they walked in when Krait was with Jimmy? I realized then that I had to be with Jimmy. I had to be in the door way, or in the room watching this all happen. Krait must have known this, otherwise why would he say be ready for screams?

I stayed up all that evening pacing and thinking. I planned something, which I hoped would work. After Krait killed Jimmy, he would come after me yes? Maybe, just maybe I could get him to see that keeping me alive for a few days would be even more painful than just killing me off the bat. He would see this as true, hopefully, and agree. Then, I could have more time to prepare, time to set up where I want him to kill me, and give it my all, before I leave this earth.

My plan consisted of trying to find a way to buy myself some more time. I knew that Jimmy's time was too late. I was going to have to talk to him about this all later; I would hold his hand though it all. I had to, if I didn't then my shame and guilt would me even worse. After Jimmy's life was taken and absorbed, I would make my plea, my pathetic plea about how it would be a mercy to kill me then. Krait, the vile that he is, would think it over and agree. After he agrees, I'm at a loss. I know I have to get away from the house, and away from Ellison, I should probably break up with Ellison now anyway so he doesn't get hurt. I think to myself, but where was the question.

I begin to think of probable locations for my death, I'd say the woods, but I killed Lucile there. Then I think about the alley with the girl. That seemed like a far enough location away, but how to get him to go where I wanted him? There was school tomorrow, and school for the rest of the year, I wasn't going to attend anymore, but how to get him there? Maybe, just maybe, I could get him there by getting driven to the school and walk after that? Or maybe just walking there first. My mind becoming clearer, I decided that walking there would be a better option than being driven. It would give me a chance to proper. How to say good bye to Ellison was something I didn't want to think about, but knew I had to.

The best option I could come up with would be to do it in person tomorrow, the only day I'd have left alive if Krait doesn't listen to me. A lonely tear slides down my face at the thought of saying good bye to Ellison. At least knowing he would be alive was a comfort for my broken heart. Wiping the tear from my face, I walk over to my bed, lying down to stare at the wall with my window. Thinking about my life, about Jimmy's life, I see no hope. My life wasn't all that great, I was just a normal girl until I was seventeen, then I turned. I was a monster for a while, a long while, until I found this family, that changed. I met Jimmy, a small baby only about a month old, but always smiling, always happy to see me, or anyone else. He's a great kid who could do a lot in this world, but I had taken that away from him. Snatched his dreams from him as if it was all a nightmare, I look out towards the horizon, seeing the starry night passing by like a flash. The moon dips down into the horizon, as the sun begins to appear.

   

[Your_Last_Wish_For_Death]

Chapter Eleven- The Next Day

Bright dawn approached my window giving me sorrowful emotions like giving away candy on Halloween. I lay there watching the early morning shadows disappear. Hearing footsteps outside my door, I decide that it was time to set today into motion. To get ready for the upcoming death of a four year old boy, climbing out of bed, as if I was a zombie, I walk to my towels on my chair. I undress quickly, but like a robot. Walking across the hall into the bright yellow hall way, I see my reflection in the mirror. My eyes scream murderer at me, while my body seems shocked at the bizarre thought. It's as if my body, and mind have disconnected, become two separate beings in myself.

My feet take steps towards the bathroom door; my eyes are locked looking at me through my reflection. Almost as if a separate part of myself was my reflection in the mirror, like it was going to stay there, even after I moved away. Shivering mentally, I force my head to turn. Walking into the bathroom, I close the door and drop my towels. I start the warm water and climb into the shower. For some reason, the water seems freezing to me, but I know that the water should be warm. Then I think deeper into this and assume it's my frozen heart making me feel cold. I turn the water off, stepping out into the steamy room, dripping water onto the floor.

Wrapping my towels around me, I leave the bathroom to my room carefully avoiding looking into the mirror. I dress in all black, as if I was going to a funeral, because in all reality, I was. I remember the look my reflection gave me, the look that seemed to spell out in giant blood red letters "Murderer". I wasn't a murderer, I tell myself, I've never murdered. Only fed on the humans I needed. Blank faces come to my mind; I couldn't even remember the girl I almost killed two nights ago. How is that not murder? One side of my mind asks me accusingly. It's not because I needed her to survive, I retort. Survive? You call that surviving? How about that girl’s parents? What would they call it? It laughs out. They would call it murder, because they don't know.

Unfortunately I knew the other half of my mind was correct. Hearing little laughter downstairs, I realize I haven't told Jimmy, I haven't gotten him prepared. Coming more to my clam state of mind, I leave my room after dressing in black denim jeans, with a short sleeved silk blouse that was a button up in the front. My luscious deep brown curly hair falls around my shoulders as I walk. In the dining room is Jimmy along with Ted and Dilia. I smile a solemn smile looking into Jimmy's emerald green eyes. He laughs and looks at me smiling. I turn my head slightly, then remember I have to prepare him, I turn back forcing a smile on my face.

Jimmy is wearing a grey sweater with a green dinosaur on the front of it. He is also wearing blue jeans, with little boy tennis shoes. He looks so sweet and adorable filled with innocence, as his hair curls all over the place because he hasn't brushed it yet. I sit down across from him looking from Ted to Dilia. They were going to lose their only child, the only child that was rightfully theirs by birth anyway. I wondered then how it would feel for a mother and father to lose a child. Would it hurt as much as it did for me to lose a little boy I watched grow? Or would it hurt worse because it was their son? I feel my eyes brim with tears; I blink the back while I speak to Jimmy.

"Hey Jimmy, why don't you come and play in my room, I'll show you a cool trick." I say slowly trying to catch his innocent attention.

"You really mean it Arigena?! I want to go! I want to play! We don't play much anymore!" He says practically jumping out of his seat.

"Of course I mean it Jimmy. Come on, I'll show you some old pictures of me."

Jimmy jumps out of his seat, runs over to me and grabs my hand. I lead him upstairs to my room. Shutting the door to my room behind me, I turn to see that Jimmy was already sitting on my bed, almost vibrating with happiness. How was I going to tell him anything now? He seemed too young to understand, but at the same time I had to make him understand. Kneeling down at the foot of my bed to become eye level with Jimmy, I look up into his emerald eyes. I search for the words to say, my face becoming serious. I see Jimmy's face fall into confusion, as he tries to figure out why I wasn't happy like before.

"Jimmy, there's something I have to tell you, and I need you to try and understand ok?" I ask.

"Ok, Arigena, whatever you say, I'll listen like a good boy." Jimmy says happily.

"Jimmy, I'm not a human. I'm actually, a vampire. No, don't be frightened please, just wait." I reply before he has a chance to react to my statement. Vampires in the human world were considered evil I remembered, "I'm a good vampire. I'm an energy vampire, and I don't take more than I need to survive. There are bad vampires though, and I've met one. He is here in this town. No don't be scared, just listen. His name is Krait, and he wants to kill me, but before he does that Jimmy, he wants to kill you. Oh please don't cry Jimmy." I say pulling his blonde head into my shoulder while he cries. I guess he understood better than I thought.

"I'm going to be with you when he comes tonight. Understand? You're not going to die alone. I promise. You'll go to heaven with the little angels and puppies. I won't let it hurt ok? I'm so sorry Jimmy. I didn't want this to happen. I tried to protect you." I say to him, he seems to quiet with his crying, and settle into an odd calm.

Jimmy nods then looks towards my window. He remains silent for a long time, just staring out my window. I wonder what goes on in that boy’s head. I wonder if he thinks about death, if he thinks about life. His green eyes portray nothing as to thoughts. They seem to look almost misted over, almost vacant, reminds me of my victim’s eyes after they're killed. They look all milky white, and misted over. This is what Jimmy's eyes looked like now. This look almost scared me, but at the same time, I would probably look like that if I was a four year old told they were about to die that night.

Jimmy looked at me with eyes that showed wisdom beyond his years, "How will I die Arigena? Will it hurt too much, or will I just feel tired?"

I knew that I couldn't lie to him; it would only hurt worse if I did, "Well, he'll bite you, and I believe it will be painful, very painful, and then you'll start to feel very tired and sleepy."

"When it hurts, can I hold your hand?" He asks, his voice quivering in speech now.

"Of course you can, I'm never going to let go. I promise." I say pulling him to sit on my lap, as I move to my computer chair.

Jimmy pulls me close and hugs me around my neck. He doesn't seem to want to let go, he's not rejecting what I told him, but maybe accepting it. Maybe he was beginning to say good bye to me, or to just life in general. He lets me go, hopping off my lap. He heads towards my door. I watch him go, watch him walking. This was probably the last time I was going to see him, I think. Then I remember that he might want to tell his parents. Before he leaves, or opens the door, I call to him.

"Jimmy, you can't tell Dilia or Ted. You just can't. They don't need to know yet, otherwise they might get hurt. Do you understand?" I ask to his back, while a tear rolls down my face. I was felt sadness and shame for making him not tell the people he loved, the few people he knew.

He doesn't turn to me, but nods, as I hear the sniffle of tears coming from him. Covering my mouth and nose with my hand, I try not to make a sound while I cry for him, and of him. He was just four... I caught myself beginning to doubt my decision, but I couldn't just let Krait kill Ellison... I love Ellison. I also love Jimmy, but he's only four, he won't be missing too much in life, and besides Ellison could change, I knew he would, but where as Jimmy... Well Jimmy was a loose cannon compared to what he could do and not. I just couldn't be sure that he would choose a good path to follow.

Guilt swallowed my heart, as I went to my bed, and fell asleep to escape the torture. My mind holds no prevail for happiness. Nightmares about seeing Jimmy's dead blood stained body swarm around me to show Krait holding up Ellison with his hands, face, and chest covered in both their blood. I wake up from a particularly bad nightmare.

Jimmy was asleep in his bed, as I'm walking down the shadowed yellow hall to his room. I feel as if my dream is warping, twisting, almost like a falling sensation. My hand reaches for the door handle of Jimmy's room; I hear movement behind the door before I open it. Swinging the door open, I see Jimmy dead instead of sleeping. Blood splattered all over the walls, the carpet, the ceiling. I find Jimmy's disembodied head on the floor with scared pained eyes staring up at me, as if asking why? Why me, Arigena? Why did you have to pick me? The eyes asked. The sense went black, and only his eyes were there, enlarged, and watching, demanding an answer. That was my nightmare.

I woke up screaming in fear, shock, anger, guilt and depression. It was nearly nightfall, when Krait would come for Jimmy. I knew I had to prepare for his arrival. In preparation, I changed to my all black hunting outfit, I grab my knife in case he tries to do something, and to slit Jimmy's wrists, and neck to hide the marks. I can't have Ted and Dilia finding out about vampires that would just put way too much attention on me, causing them to become endangered.

I wait silently in my room, sitting on the edge of my bed ready to bolt to Jimmy's room at the first sign of Krait. Around eleven o'clock I see a figure of a crow flying towards Jimmy's room. I leap up from my bed, and dash down the hall. I hope to get there before Krait does, so I can wake Jimmy before his fate. Opening the handle door slowly, as to not wake him before his time, I hear pecking at the window.

Opening the door quickly now, I swoop down on Jimmy before Krait's crow form has a chance. Sweeping my hair lightly before him, he lands on the other side of the room, by the window. He lands and transforms into his vampire self. His pose is one of causality, but I know it's not. He has his foot up on the window and his other foot on the ground. His arm rests on his arched knee, while his other hand holds a lock of my hair. My hand flies to my head at the suddenness of realizing pain.

He bends down to my hair and smells it. Silhouetted against the moonlight in the background, his hair takes on an almost frost tipped shine to it. His eyes seem darker than I ever remember seeing them. His head it in profile from my view; he turns his head to look at Jimmy and I. He's wearing black slacks, with a black long sleeved silk shirt that shines blood red in the moonlight.

He smiles at me looking down at Jimmy's sleeping figure in my arms. Clutching Jimmy's blonde young head against my chest, I don't want to let him go. I begin to go into my predatory instincts to protect him, but I know that I have to let Jimmy die, otherwise Ellison would die. Doesn't mean I couldn't try to make it harder for Krait than originally thought? That way at least Jimmy would know I fought to save him. I think that this was a very good idea, a very very good idea. I wake Jimmy up first, by shaking his shoulders and whispering in his ear. He wakes up confused at first, but then the weird beyond four year old knowledge seems to sink in. He sits up in bed to look out the window at Krait, his murderer.

"Jimmy, I'm going to fight him. Maybe... Maybe you're not doomed to die. Ok? Sit back as far as you can in the corner of your bed. Understand?" I whisper too low for Krait to hear, but just enough so Jimmy understands.

Jimmy nods, crawls over to his corner, and seems to come alive a bit more with expression. Krait looks over at Jimmy, who left my protective arms. He turns back to me sensing it's too easy to just grab what he wanted. He sensed a trick perhaps? There were no tricks, I wasn't tricking him. I left Jimmy leave because I was going to fight. Jimmy would've gotten hurt, or in the way of it all. Krait tries to rush at Jimmy anyway. Making a wrong move I think. Running over to intercept Krait's path, I stick out my arm in front of his chest.

Hitting at full force of a run Krait falls down to the ground breathing heavily. Fighting hand to hand would be better than fighting with my energy. Besides him running into my arm is the equivalent of a human running into a lead pole. Feeling happy that I was able to get him off his feet, and back against the window, I almost didn't see it when he turned his left foot just enough to be able to go an high kick to my chest. Blocking the kick clumsily, I stagger back a few steps.

Krait sees that I'm off balanced and tries to rush at me, like he was going to rush at Jimmy. I side step, grabbing the collar of his shirt swinging him around. I place my hand in the center of his chest over his non beating heart and push him to the ground with the full force of my strength, added to the force of my vampire abilities. We would've gone through the floor if it wasn't concrete underneath all the carpet and wood. Standing back from shoving Krait down I look down upon his face. Krait knocks my feet out from under me, before getting up. He walks over to the window, looking back at me furiously.

"Pick one now. Or else they both die. You can't save them both Arigena! You know this. Pick one!" Krait growls out menacingly.

"I... I'm sorry Jimmy." I say stepping aside from my guardian position in front of him.

At least I tried right? I asked myself climbing over to Jimmy's corner. I reach out my hand to him, he takes it timidly. His entire body is shaking with fear. I try to tell him soothing calm words, but he just say Krait and I fight. There are no words to comfort a child who has seen that. I hold Jimmy's hand as Krait approaches. Like a lithe hunting panther, he comes, once he has Jimmy taken up into his arms, there’s nothing I can do. I turn my head from Jimmy; I can't watch to see the little four year old boy practically torn apart by a vicious blood vampire.

"Oh no, Arigena you have to watch this," Krait says to me, laughing darkly, "or else Ellison dies too."

I turn back to Krait, my face red with tears. My eyes spark at him with hatred for what he's doing. How can he, my retched soul mate, force me to watch one of my loved ones die? I thought soul mates were supposed to care for one another, I guess I was wrong. I see Jimmy's face turned towards me, with his neck exposed in Krait's hands. Silent tears fall from Jimmy's eyes. I reach out for his hand, our hands meet over the short distance. I feel his warm little hands in mine. I look into Jimmy's tear filled green eyes. I whisper I'm sorry, but no sound comes out. Krait looks down at Jimmy's neck. His fangs extend to their full length, longer than mine extend, I think almost frozenly at one part of my mind.

Krait hesitates no longer. His head, quick like a viper's strike hits Jimmy's neck. Blood wells up around the deep bleeding wound, around Kraits waiting tasting mouth. I smell the sweet scent of joyous innocent blood, my fangs begin to extend, but then I remember that it's Jimmy's blood I smell, not some stranger off the street. Krait laps Jimmy's neck, cat like in a way, but mostly he's sucking Jimmy like a juice box. I see the tortured sad look in Jimmy's weeping eyes, I almost turn away. I can't though, I'm transfixed on Jimmy. His flesh being to become pale as his skin turns to ice. The hot tears roll off my face dropping on Jimmy's hands with little patters for sound.

Krait's head raises up, covered in Jimmy's blood. His fangs are still slightly extended, and he has a wild look in his eyes. Jimmy, poor little Jimmy, his flesh turned to ice; his eyes milky white, and glazed. No color to his skin, white as a ghost most would say, but this was no joking manner. A four year old boy, by the name of Jimmy Fortshire, was just murdered. I can't seem to tear my gaze from his lifeless body that Krait drops into my hands with no regard to my tears. I collapse to the floor in pain, and tears.

Krait stands back from me and Jimmy's body by a foot or two. He looks down at me on the floor, smiling to show his blood stained teeth. He takes a step closer to me again. I don't even look up at him; I can't look up at him. He bends down to try and take Jimmy from me, my mind snaps into predatory hunt as I hiss violently up at Krait. I take Jimmy's body over to his bed. I lie him down, as if he were asleep. Taking out my knife, I slit his wrists, and his neck to cover the mark. I stand looking down upon Jimmy, not hearing Krait walking forward towards me.

Standing right behind me Krait speaks, "It's your turn now." His breath is thick with Jimmy's blood.

Grabbing me by my wrist, he spins me around and throws me back against the wall. Before I have a chance to escape from the wall, he's descends upon me, forcing me back against the wall. Pinning my arms above my head with his hands, he forces me to look at him. When I look, I see a monster covered in Jimmy's blood. I see someone who deserves to die, someone not worth anything in life.

"It's time for you to die Arigena." Krait says to me, his voice taking on an animal characteristic.

Looking into his face, I feel the tears come to me again, "Wouldn't it be more painful for me if you let me live a few days? Killing me now would be a mercy to my heart and soul." I say to plead a way out of it.

Seeming shocked he didn't come to that conclusion before his hands loosen their grip a bit more. I try to free my hands, but he tightens his grip and looks back at me smiling like a mad man.

"You're right Arigena. Absolutely right, but before I go, I want you to taste your victim's blood." Krait says to me, leaning in towards my face to kiss me.

Unable to move, he kisses me on the mouth. What remains of Jimmy's blood, around Krait’s mouth and on his teeth get into my mouth. Crying harder at the fact that I love the way Jimmy's blood tastes, I feel guiltier. His blood being forced into my mouth, by the French kiss of Krait, it both tastes good, and makes the kiss even better. I begin to become dizzy from the blood combined with the lust from Krait. I can't help, but react to the kiss, and the blood. My fangs extend, as my body instinctively wants the blood closer.

Krait pulls away from the kiss smiling at the tears on my face, and the extended fangs. Feeling hopeless in this big world of chaos, torture, and confusion, I sink to the ground crying. I'm so confused, but I also feel so guilty. Was I supposed to love my soul mate or hate him? Enjoy the blood, or be disgusted by it? Why couldn't there be an answer when I needed one? Krait backs towards the window rather slowly. Before he's about to jump out backwards, he transforms into his crow form. The black mist appears around him as his body changes. Almost mystified by the mist, I begin to wonder if being a blood vampire is all that bad.

Of course it's bad, it's the worst thing to ever possibly happen to a vampire, I tell myself, but I can't help but think about how good Jimmy's blood tasted, about how other peoples blood taste so good. I force myself to realize that what happened was a murder of enjoyment, not a sacrifice to stay alive; I being to cry over Jimmy's body. Getting up from the floor, I walk over to what appears to be a sleeping figure in the bed. If anyone who hadn't witnessed what had just happened, would think the same thing, but I knew better.

Standing over Jimmy, as if I were an angel in the moonlight, I see his eyes open. Closing them ceremonially like they do at crime scenes or funerals, I wish I had some coins to place over his eyes. That night, I stay up cleaning the blood stains from the floor of his room. I can't have the police finding that he's been bitten instead of cut. They must know it was murder though. If that's the last think I do, I want the police to know it was murder of an innocent blonde haired boy. Standing over him, I swore that the police, that the world would know about the murder of Jimmy Fortshire. Feeling anger, but pride at the same time, I leave the room to make it as if I was never there.

Unable to sleep without the nightmares of that night swarming me, I stay up crying, thinking, but mostly crying. I was grieving for the loss of a wonderful friend and brother. What would I do without him now? My mind asked me. I was frozen in reply. I didn't want to believe that he was dead. I didn't want to force myself to accept that when I went to sleep, and woke up the next morning, that he would be gone from this earth. His candle light of life snuffed out forever, for him to never take a breath, to never cry, to never laugh again. What was I going to do with Ted and Dilia? My thoughts asked me suddenly. What was I going to do? There was nothing I could use for comfort for them. Nothing at all, there was no hope for their son, but they didn't even know he was dead yet.

It was around midnight when I called Ellison. To my surprise he was up and awake. I didn't understand why he was, or hardly even care why at first. I was just happy to hear his vibrant voice on the other end of the phone. We said hello, and he asked why I was crying, as I was about to tell him, I remembered that I was supposed to pick him instead of Jimmy. I hesitated with the words on the tip of my tongue. Should I tell him, or should I wait? I was going to have to break up with him eventually. Why not now? My mind asked me.

"Arigena? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Ellison asked from the other end of the phone.

"Ellison, I asked Krait to kill Jimmy, instead of you. Jimmy's dead, and I, I have to break up with you." I say slowly my voice cracking and choking up with sorrow.

"Wait, what?" Ellison asks in disbelieve.

"It's the only way for you to be safe from all of this. I'm sorry Ellison; it's for your own good. I love you... Good bye." I reply then hang up the phone, clutching it to my chest like a grenade.

Throwing my phone on the ground at the foot of my bed I look around outside my window for some sign that told me there were people alive, and well. The entire street behind our house it quiet. No lights shine, no people move. It is deserted and empty like the place where my heart used to be. The guilt from the murder, from the break up was eating a whole inside me that was larger than the Grand Canyon. Feeling as if the world around me was pressing down to encase me in a bubble of horror, I pass out in my bed. The nightmares circle my dreams, as I try to ignore all the pain.

The dreams try to eat me alive, as I sleep. One dream in particular was the most haunting. It was Jimmy’s ghost come from the grave. He was dressed in ragged dirty solid clothes covered in blood. His neck was slit, so were his wrists, and he had cold dead green eyes that seemed to shine blood red in the moonlight. I was on a street in a place that I haven’t been before.

Jimmy was standing under a tree down the road under a willow tree, shrouded with shadows. Walking over to him in my silk clothes, I think he’s alive. I call out his name, his back is turned to me. When I get closer and call him name, he turns to face me. He’s still too dark to think anything is wrong with him. I’m standing under a light post, the circle of yellow light allowing me to barely see into the distance.

Calling his name, Jimmy steps forward towards me. He staggers a few steps before he blurs in motion towards me. Stumbling back out of the light, as Jimmy enters it, he stops his running, blurring movement, to stand there and look at me. The moonlight falls across his face, his eyes shine blood red. I see him under the street light looking not like a little boy, but like a demon. His blonde hair is messy with twigs, leaves and dirt. His face covered in dried caked on brown dirt, as well as dried blood. His clothes are the same.

He looks at me, as I’m on the ground from falling back. Propping myself up on my elbows, I glance back into his red tinted eyes. His hand reaches forward with hooked fingers, his nails abnormally long, and curved into talons. Frightened into parallelization, I try to figure why he’s here, why he’s haunting me. Tears begin to slide down my face as I gaze at him.

“Why? Why did you let him kill me Arigena?” The thing posing as Jimmy asks in a horrible grating deep voice touched with a hint of Jimmy’s.

“I tried Jimmy! I’m so sorry!” I cry out to the being.

“Sorry didn’t save me.” It replies coming forward at its lightning fast speed.

It’s talon like nails, scratch at my arms, as I try to cover my face. Claws swarming around me cutting me, carving into me I scream in pain. Powerless to wake up because of the fear, I cry out for help. I call for someone to save me from the nightmare. Just when I believe all hope is lost, that I’m going to die right there and then in the dream, a wonderful white light appears behind the demon-boy impersonating Jimmy.

From the white light comes a person. I can’t see their face, or their body, all I see is a black blob silhouetted against the white light. They come over to the demon-boy and I. Grabbing the demon-boy by the collar of its shirt the figure drags him away and blasts him with an incredible amount of energy. I begin to feel drained and start to see black spots dance across my vision. The figure comes back to my body on the ground as I pass out.

Waking up from the nightmare the next morning, I reason that the figure was my mother. She must have saved me from that horrible demon-boy. I couldn’t find another way to explain what that was. It couldn’t have been Jimmy; he wasn’t that mean and he would’ve gone to heaven. I feel as if I can’t move, as if I’m drained of all my energy that my body stores. I try to get out of bed, but fall back over on to my bed. That’s when I realize who ever saved me must have had to use my energy to do so. I start to fall down again, as I try to stand. I’m too weak to try and walk I reason with myself.

Slumping back over on to my bed, I black out again as I start to die. I begin to feel cold, my mind begins to become cloudy with nothingness, but then energy fills my body, energy from an unknown source. It feels like warmth, like love, like the desperate life I needed. When I wake up again I see that it is around ten o’clock when I first woke up at eight. It must have taken that much time for my body to restore its energy, but how did I get that energy? Who did I kill to get it? I had so many questions, yet I had no answers.

Getting up to go downstairs from my room to see Ted, Dilia and Jimmy I remember that Jimmy is dead. Knowing this, but knowing my foster parents didn’t know I knew, I acted as if I was going downstairs anyway. They must have heard my footsteps from Jimmy’s room because they call me with tear filled voices of sorrow. Walking over to Jimmy’s room, I see that they found Jimmy there dead as they were supposed to.

There’s a police man in the room inspecting the body. I must have just missed the rest of the inspection. I realize then that I’m still in the outfit I wore last night, the one I go hunting in. I also remember that I held Jimmy’s bleeding body in this outfit. Trying not to seem as if I was guilty of a crime, I look towards Jimmy’s body and scream. The police man stops looking over the scene and comes over to me. He takes me by the shoulders, turning me away from the body to take me downstairs. There are other cops here as well, besides the man inspecting Jimmy. The man who was inspecting him, had light blonde balding hair, and wore classes, as well as a police uniform and gloves.

“Judy here’s their foster daughter, will you calm her down? She just saw the body.” The man says to a female cop.

The female cop had very curly brown hair pulled back in a pony tail, and was around at least forty five years old, but she looked at least fifty. She was also wearing a police uniform. Her name tag read “Officer BorBone.” She wore no perfume, so she smelled of new car, and peppermint. She took me into the living room. The room that she said would be most calming to the nerves. If only she knew this entire house reminded me of Jimmy, and nothing was calming because I faked that scream.

She began to talk to me, asked me my name, I answered with my name, but I made my voice shaky and scared. She continued to talk, telling me that they were going to do the best they could to catch the murderer. She also told me they believed it was the mass murderer they were calling Slits. She said they had a probable lead on someone they believed to be Slits. If only she knew that slits was sitting right in front of her face, I laughed silently in my head.

“Hello, I’m officer BorBone. What is your name dear?” She asked in a rough, but gentle tone.

“My name is Arigena.” I replied scared and shaky.

“Do you remember what happened last night, if you heard any ruckus or screams?” She asked.

“No, I remember I went to bed early and then that was it.” I lie to her.

“Oh ok, thank you. Well just stay here, and we’ll make sure we do our best to find the murderer. We believe we have a lead on someone who could be the murderer Slits.”

“Slits?” I ask trying not to laugh out loud at the officer that would look very suspicious.

“Yes, Slits is the name we’ve given the mass murderer because he or she kills by slitting people’s wrists and necks.”

“Oh my, that’s terrible… Is that… Is that how Jimmy died?” I ask.

“We believe so. Carl is up there now to determine the cause of death.”

I thank her for the information looking around the room with tears in my eyes. I seem to put on a perfect performance of weeping sister, as she leaves the room to “go check on my foster parents.” Least that is what she said. Happy to be alone, and free of the charade I was playing, I begin to wonder. Who saved me, who could have saved me? Was there someone out there, who could enter dreams? Where did I get the energy that saved my life, or well brought me back to life? I receive no answers, so I begin to question as to whether there is a god or not. My mother certainly was an angel, but does that guarantee a god?
With all these questions buzzing around in my head I jump when I realize that Ellison had come into the room. He walks over to the couch, stands in front of me seeming confused to whether or not he could sit down. He seems to decide to sit down, so he does, right next to me. I’m snapped back into reality as he sits. I love him, but we broke up last night, or this morning I mean. How was I supposed to react now? He seemed to get the awkwardness as well, and looked uncomfortable.

Deciding one of us should speak, I stare downward towards the ground saying, “Hello.”

“Hello.” Ellison replies a little squeakily.  

[Your_Last_Wish_For_Death]

Chapter Twelve- Oh No

We sit in silence for a while again. No one knows what to say to each other. We love each other, except we are no longer together. What was there to say? If we began to talk too much, our feelings would come out, along with us not wanting to be the first one to say that we loved the other. We sat in hush then with nothing to say. He opened his mouth once as if he was going to speak. He lifted his hand to take mine in his, instead he settled for placing his hand on top of mine.

I look down at his hand, pulling mine back from his sheepishly, I rub it with my other hand. He takes his hand back from mine when I shift mine. I look over to his face, he’s blushing bright red. Getting up from the couch he stands awkwardly in front of me. Not sure whether he’s supposed to shake my hand, bow, or move it seems, he stands there. I gaze towards the back door, and then back to his face.

“Come with me.” I tell him taking his hand while pulling him towards the door.

He comes without hesitation towards the door. Walking out the door towards the woods where I left Lucile I make sure that Ellison was following me. He was, he seemed shifty looking around as if something was going to pop out of nowhere. I needed to show him Lucile. I needed him to see that I was a murderer so that way he would leave the house, never to want to see me again. I didn’t want to; I didn’t think it was necessary to show him, except he needed to feel that he didn’t need to be with me.

“Where are we going?” He asks when we’ve been walking for a while.

“I have to show you something… You’re not going to like it.” I tell him without turning to face him.

As we arrive where Lucile is against the tree, the crunching sounds leaves behind me stop, as I approach her body. Covered in flies, rotting leaves and maggots is Lucile’s body. I stop by her side turning to see Ellison’s face. His hazel eyes are filled with horror his left hand covering his mouth he looked towards me. Sputtering questions, sounds of dismay he seems to realize what happened. Turning my back to him, I place my left hand on the tree trunk.

“Yes Ellison, I killed her. I murdered her.” I say darkly.

“It, it wasn’t murder. You must have needed the blood, otherwise why would you have?” He asks trying to reason.

“Granted I needed the blood, I could’ve found a different source. No, I picked her to die because of how she was, how cruel she was. I chose her to die, and so I killed her.”

I hear the sound of footsteps backing away behind me. A silent tear falls down my face. Of course he would leave. He thinks I’m a monster. Well maybe he’s right? What have I done that’s so heroic? I’ve killed Lucile, and then sent Jimmy to die. Of course I’m a murderer, and not one am I that, but I’m going to die. I have to find a place to die first. I reflect to myself all in a blurry of emotions. Trying to calm down the hurricane of emotions inside my mind I stroll back to my house unhurriedly.

When I reach my house Ellison is gone, the police are downstairs talking to Ted and Dilia. They’re just asking simple questions. Who could want to hurt Jimmy? Did the family have any enemies the police should know about, just straightforward questions. I passed them in the kitchen on my way to my room. They look at me briefly before I tell them that today’s been a long day and I’m going to sleep some more.

Once up in my room away from all the possible trouble I lock my door. Sneaking out of my house to find Krait, to tell him when I want to die, and where, was an easy task. All I had to do was walk to the fence where Rune was, the horse who had taken a liking to me. Krait was there in his normal crow form. I approach him unafraid to die, fearless of anything that he could throw at me. I was beginning to think that I found a new way to sustain energy.

From earlier that morning, I had been thinking about what Krait had said about energy vampires having to find a new way to sustain energy if they didn’t want to die from using it too much. I was thinking that maybe, I was able to tap into the energy of the people around me. That is what must have happened that morning right? How else would I have been able to live without killing someone? I asked myself. I found a new way to sustain energy.

I smile at Krait deviously. I began to think that maybe I didn’t have to die, that maybe, just maybe I could survive without the need of killing innocent humans. He transforms into his blood vampire form looking at me amused. I walk over to him slowly, before I stop and realize that in my dream someone saved me, but who else could’ve entered my dream besides him?

Stopping there to wait for him to speak, to say something, maybe I was waiting for confirmation about the dream. His emotions seem to fall. His face shadows over with dark emotions, regret maybe? I pose the question to myself. He seems to be wondering something, maybe if I know it was him in the dream, perhaps?

“What have you come here for?” Krait asks darkly.

“Well I’m come to say that I know when and where I want to die, also to um thank you for saving me last night in my dream possibly?” I tell him laughing softly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, and you die when and where I want you to.” Krait replies in a sinister way.

“Or you kill me when and where I want you to, or I go around blabbing to everyone in the vampire world that you saved me. How would that sit with your reputation as the famous energy killer?” I ask.

“Oh yes, because others wouldn’t hesitate to kill you. I only saved you because I wanted to kill you myself. There’s no way in the world that I would’ve saved you otherwise.” Krait replies.

I purse my lips together. He called me on my bluff. There’s no way I’d walk into a place full of blood vampires, announce I’m an energy vampire, and say that a blood vampire saved me. There’s just no way would that ever possibly happen. I slump against the fence, and Rune trots over to me. Then I got an idea, if the night when Krait tries to kill me I’m able to dodge him long enough I could run here, to Rune’s fence. Then if I’m lucky enough she’ll listen to me, and take me to where I want to die. The place I choose, not the place Krait chooses.

Of course, there’s also the chance that maybe Krait choose that spot for me to die. I highly doubt that though. It’d be too risky for him with the alley way open enough for the people on the street to see. Besides, there are houses around he risks witnesses to see him murder me. I wouldn’t be the one dying though, least I hoped I wouldn’t be. Coming to the conclusion that riding Rune out there to the alley where I almost killed that one girl was a good plan, I sigh.

“Fine, you caught my buff. Where then do you wish me to die, and when?” I ask him sarcastically uncaring.

“A week from now, in your room, wouldn’t that just be peachy for your fake family?” He replies happily.

“Fine then, I’ll see you in a week. Good bye you retched, horrible, dishonorable creature of the dark.” I hiss out turning on my heels to walk away.

He doesn’t follow me, but laughs mockingly behind me as I walk away. Then, just as I’m almost across the road, he flies down swooping over my head cawing. I put my hands up to cover my face. He leaves then, flying off into the distance. I bring my hands down remembering the black scar on my left hand. Krait gave this to me; I realize remembering the crow that was in my room that one day that seemed so long ago.

When I reach my house, I climb up the side of my house to my room. I shut my window against the forming cold wind outside. I didn’t know what else to do. I mean, how was I going to say good bye to my foster parents? I mean after all a week from now wasn’t enough time to say get everything in order for them. They just lost their son. The funeral was probably going to be as soon as possible, maybe tomorrow, or next week Tuesday? That was something I had to figure out for myself.

Sadly enough I had nothing to do for the rest of the day tomorrow was school too. I had no choice but to go, if I didn’t then how could I say good bye to Ellison? Even if we weren’t together anymore, I still had to say good bye, didn’t I? Even If he didn’t want to talk to me, I still had to try and say good bye. He would just have to understand right? Confused by whether or not I would have to say good bye to Ellison tomorrow or not, I knew I had to go to school so I could at least feel like a normal girl for one day. I owed myself that much; at least I believed I did.

Deciding that there was no use to stay up for the rest of the night I went to bed. I had no bad dream that night as I was sleeping. Even Krait didn’t come to bother me, which was odd, but I wasn’t about to complain to him regarding it. I was able to get a good night’s sleep that I’ve been wanting for a long time. Waking up the next morning was weird. I knew Jimmy was dead, I knew that I was going to die in a week, but I wasn’t scared or sad.

I got out of my warm covers to take a hot shower. My shower was hot, it felt very nice. I was beginning to wonder when people were going to start screaming because it seemed so calm. It was bizarre no doubt, but still felt nice. I got dressed, after entering my room, in some white and black stripped skinny jeans. I wore a rather colorful shirt along with it; it was a black shirt with rainbow smiley faces across it everywhere. I wondered if my foster parents would think it was odd for me to wear such colorful things, yet at the same time I didn’t care.

I felt as if I was beyond them, beyond anything really, because I found a new power, I didn’t have to kill, I hopefully could kill Krait. I didn’t think everything in my life was set in stone anymore. I felt as if I was a free agent of my own accord. I was happy with my life for the most part; the only thing I think that could’ve made it better was if Ellison and I were still together. Regrettably for me I couldn’t ask him back, which risked his life being in danger.

Every person in my life was in danger because of Krait, but once, if I could get rid of him, then everyone in my life wouldn’t be in any danger. Maybe then I could have a life, have children. It was hard to explain what I was feeling, but I was happy for sure. Walking downstairs my curly dark brown hair swinging on my back, I smelled some eggs cooking on the stove. Standing in front of the stoves with a frying pan and skillet was Dilia.

She hadn’t seen me so she didn’t know that I saw her tears fall into the frying pan and sizzle away. My happiness fell again as I remembered Jimmy’s sweet face covered in blood. I became solemn again. Did I feel guilt again at the thought of Jimmy; of course I did how is it that I couldn’t? After all, I had sent him to die in Krait’s hands. I sniffle a little fighting back my emotions, and that’s when Dilia notices me finally. She steps back from the frying pan dries her eyes and smiles.

“Oh Arigena, I wasn’t expecting you to be down so soon. Please sit, I’ve made breakfast for you. That way you can eat something before you leave for school.” She says in a voice thick with tears.

“Thank you Dilia, but I’m really not…” I begin to say when I see the tears beginning to form in her eyes, “Ok thank you for the food.”

I sit down at the dining room table waiting to eat my food. She brings it out on a cerulean colored plate. I look down at the egg; I see tiny tear drops sparkling in the light. I pretend to eat the food by carving it up with the fork, then hiding pieces in my napkin. I don’t want to hurt her feelings, but I really wasn’t hungry. I thank her again for the food as I depart the house with my school bag in hand. Shaking my head to clear the sorrow from my mind, I reach my bus stop.

Standing there with his back towards me is Ellison. I freeze in place at the sight of him; he must really think I’m a monster now. What else could he think I was? I ask myself not wanting the answer to this question. I’m happy that I don’t get one as I approach him cautiously. He turns to me, and then looks away with sadness in his eyes. How was I supposed to say good bye now? I already told him good bye to his love. Would he even care now if I said I was going to die a week from now?

Touching his arm with my hand I turn him towards me. His hazel eyes sparkle with sorrow and tears. His black, brown hair falls across his face obscuring his eyes. He’s dressed in black pants with a black shirt that has a blood red rose splattered on the front of it. I see that he’s wearing all the colored bracelets he owns. I hesitate speaking when I see the look in his eyes. I feel my heart shatter again.

“I’m so sorry… Ellison I’m so sorry… It’s for your own good, please believe me. I don’t want you to get hurt when I have to die.” I plead to him.

“Whatever.” He says trying to turn away.

“No please listen. A week from now I’m going to die. I don’t have an option; I’m going to die, unless I can defeat Krait. Please, I just, I wanted to say good bye.”

“You already said good bye to me two days ago, over the phone.” He tells me coldly.

I let his arm go, as I look at him shocked, and hurt. My mind swirls with questions, how could he throw that low of a blow at me? How could he do that on purpose to hurt me? Of course though, I can’t let myself get caught up in all of my feelings because I hurt him too, I ripped out his heart and laid it down in front of him practically.

I turn my teary face from his. The ground is covered in orange red leaves and I lose myself in my thoughts while looking at the leaves. My bus comes rattling up the road soon after that. Ellison is about to get on the bus, but my walking steps stop him. He waits as I get on. He gets on after I do, doesn’t look at me as he passes by. I think I was going to begin hating having him on my bus route.

We arrive at my school, I take a look around, and it is a Thursday. The tiled floor looks the same, orange, black and white tiles across the floor, the same white walls covered in posters. The school seemed to be never changing. Good old Maglayra High, always never changing. I sigh to myself as I approach my first hour class. Krait isn’t a substitute anymore. We have Mr. Gendered back as the teacher. I remembered my “Dracula” book that he still had since when I was suspended. I decide that I want it back, so I walk over to his desk.

“May I have my book back now Mr. Gendered?” I ask.

“Here take the retched thing.” He replies handing me my book without looking up from the papers on his desk.

I take my book and walk to my seat in the back of the class. Ellison arrives a little while after me. His assigned seat is next to me, but I can tell he doesn’t want to sit there. I would much prefer him not to sit there either. He talks to Mr. Gendered about changing his seating assignment, but of course Mr. Gendered the a** hole that he is says no; fidgeting uncomfortably in my seat though out the class, I notice that Ellison is also fidgeting in his seat.

After that class is over I flee from the room to head to my next class. I walk down the four hundred hall way take a right heading towards the cafeteria. Then at the end of that hall, I turn left. I walk back windows that show outside, all you can see outside of them is a few plants, some statues and that’s about it though. There’s nothing much else there at the school. I race down the hall to my next class. At the end of the hall, I turn right into the one hundred hall way. The first door on my right is my English class.

It has a normal square lay out, the desks are in rows of fives, but there are only four rows. Not every desk in my class was full of a student. My teacher, Mr. Borden is a plump man, with balding hair on the top of his head. He is in his mid thirties, wears a lot of plaid, but is a nice guy. He’s slightly sarcastic, but not in a mean way. He’s a good guy to hang out with I would think.

He’s standing at the front of the class now as I enter. Reflected in his brown eyes are my lighter than light blue eyes. I smile in hello as I walk to my seat, again in the back of the class. It’s where I prefer to sit. The other students file in slowly. The bell rings and class begins. I don’t bother to pay attention; instead I drift off into my thoughts while I look out the window to the court yard.

Half way through the class, a crow appears on a tree outside the window. I narrow my eyes and hiss softly to myself. I turn my attention back towards the class. Krait, in his crow form doesn’t leave the window for the rest of the class. When the bell rings I rush off irritated. He can’t even give me one day alone? I ask myself furiously. I begin to walk to my third hour class when I feel as if I’m being watched. I turn to look behind me, but no one’s there.

I ignore the feeling, and continue walking. Instead of turning at the entrance of this hall, I continue straight. Turning around the hall as it turns, I end up by the front office. I exit the front door and I’m outside. I feel as if I need to confront Krait right then and there. I look around for the damn crow, but he’s not there. Coward, I think slowly as I turn to my left. I feel goose bumps form on my neck, as I feel ice is running down my spine.

Spinning around to see who’s watching me, or following me I see no one yet again. Maybe I was just freaking out over all that has been going on in the last few days, I tell myself as I carry on walking to the right towards a separate building of the school, called the annex. Surprisingly enough there are no other students running about around the sidewalk. I begin to wonder if I missed the bell or something.

Apparently I did miss the bell. As I arrive to class the whole class is there, I’m the last one to enter five minutes after the bell went off. Luckily enough for me my teacher Mrs. Gödel just let me off with a warning. I was in French class the room was rectangular and filled with four tables instead of desks. I sat at the table behind the one in front of the door. Wasn’t the back of the class per se because the teacher walked around a lot during class, but it would work?

Before I began to daze off into the door way to think about more important things besides how to properly say I like, which I already know as j’aime, I see Ellison walk quickly by the door down the hall. I think that’s odd because his class room was in the main building during third hour, but maybe he had it changed I think. After all I wasn’t in school for a week.

During class I begin to daze off to think about Ellison, my situation, and poor dead Jimmy. Ellison is the love of my life, not my soul mate, but he was the love of my life. I had let him go though; I thought that I had had no choice. What was I to do if I was with him? He would just be in danger is I stayed with him. Except I loved him, I loved the way his eyes flickered with emotion at times, the way he held me, the way he kissed me, did I really have to let him go? I didn’t have an answer for that, but I wished I did. I missed him, yet he didn’t seem to care that I was going to die.

Of course that was if I was going to die or not. I didn’t know for sure, I wasn’t positive that Krait could kill me now. I thought that I had gained the power to tap into human’s life forces and take energy that way, but how could I be sure unless I tested? But how to test was the question. I could of course always try to drain some energy by doing target practice with some trees. Would that work though? I wasn’t sure and I couldn’t be sure. If I had gained the power to get energy without having to kill someone though, then Krait was in for a big shock when he tries to kill me next Wednesday.

Yet at the same time I wondered if it was right to try and fight back. He did save me, he may not like the fact that he did, but he did. I don’t know if it was because of the reason he gave, or because he might’ve felt some sort of love for me, but either way he saved me. Was it right to kill someone who saved you? But again I had to wonder if it was right for the person to save you kill you. I didn’t think that it was right for him to want to kill me, after all we are soul mates whether he liked it or not.

Soul mates, however he caused me so much pain by killing Jimmy he also he knows he did. He enjoyed it. He kissed me, forcing me to taste Jimmy’s blood. Did he truly care for me then or did he just save me so he could kill me? There were a lot of questions regarding him and his actions, some questions I desperately wanted answers for. I reminisce about Jimmy, his sweet blonde hair accompanied by his emerald green eyes. He didn’t deserve to die; he was only four, except I picked him to die. Why? I don’t know anymore.

I thought it was because I was saving Ellison, that I was doing some good for the man I loved, but now? I wasn’t sure of anything anymore. Ellison must hate me because of what I showed him, how I acted. If he didn’t hate me then why must he act as he does? I begin to feel the sinking feeling of lost hope again. I want some guidance; some form of help, although I receive nothing.

Class gets out and it’s now lunch time, or it is for the normal teen agers. Usually during this time I’ve read or listened to music, anything to keep me away from people. Now will all that is going on in my life I don’t find it fitting to sit and read or listen to silly music. No instead I think, I beg for my mother to come and guide me again, or for someone too. Just as I think no one’s going to come to help me, to make me stop thinking, Krait appears behind a tree.

I’m sitting in the park across the street from my school. There are many trees all around me, and I’m sitting under one that I always sit under. It has a distinct curving “U” section in its branches that make a nice reading spot during spring. Krait appears a few trees in the distance, at first all I see is his hand in a black glove before he appears. He’s wearing a black silk long sleeved shirt again, with what appears to be black trousers. He is wearing black gloves, along with a blood red tie. His dark brown curly hair falls over one river green eye as he approaches.

In his left hand is a bag, what looks like a dress bag. He’s holding it above the ground as to not mess up the bag, or what is inside it. Curious as to what he’s carrying, I look over to him. He stares back at me; I feel this strange sense of vertigo. Almost as if I was falling, but I’m sitting on solid ground. I begin to feel really dizzy as he comes closer to me. As he’s at my feet, I pass out.

   

[Your_Last_Wish_For_Death]

Chapter Thirteen- The House

I wake up on a bed in a strange room. The bed is soft, the sheets and blankets on the bed are soft. They feel like silk, they smell of roses. The pillows feel like down feather pillows wrapped in silk pillow cases. Without opening my eyes I can tell its dark in the room, or it feels dark anyway. I stretch my left hand out and up, I feel smooth mahogany wood with small designs as a head board. Not feeling the clothes I was wearing earlier touch my skin I become aware of what happened.

Shoving myself up into a sitting position, I open my eyes to get a look around the room. The sheets and blankets are black silk, the pillow cases are midnight silk. The bed is a four poster bed with black silk curtains drawn around to block out what must be the sun. I look down to see what I’m wearing. I see a black lace night gown with long spaghetti strap sleeves, the night gown its self falls to my knees.

Turning my head to look behind me, I see the mahogany wood head board. The design on it is a giant crow surrounded by falling feathers. I realize then that I must have ended up in Krait’s room, his bedroom from the looks of it. I know I’m in danger, if he hadn’t killed me it was most likely because I was passed out. Which reminds me, how did I get passed out in the first place? I ask myself.

Climbing out of his soft warm bed, I climb over to the curtains at the end of the bed. Grabbing one of them with my left hand I pull them back to peek a little. No one’s there from what I can tell. I hop out of bed quickly to find an escape, wishing that I had different better clothes to wear in the process. Finding no way to open the window to the right of the bed, I see a small wall; I walk over to it, and then walk around it. Around the wall is a door, but looking across from the door is another door. I become confused until I realize one must be to the bath room.

I try to open the door in the small wall, but it doesn’t budge. I hear a footstep coming up what seems to sound like wooden stairs; I crawl back into bed and shut the curtains. Someone opens the door, and then shuts it. I pretend to be asleep, hoping that maybe it’s not Krait, but someone else I can overpower then escape. It is Krait I soon realize, because once he opens the curtains to the left of me, he speaks to himself.

“Still sleeping I see. She’s beautiful… like an angel almost, but I know she’ll never turn and stay by my side. I don’t even think this will persuade her.” Krait speaks softly to himself, almost as if in conflict with his decision, “Keeping her as my prisoner will do no good. She’s too smart for that. I guess then Wednesday will be the day she dies. Poor Arigena, such a pretty name too. The gift from air, it means I think.” He whispers while tracing my check with the back of his hand.

I try not to flinch away at his touch. He draws his hand back from my check closes the curtain, walks towards the bathroom door opens it then pulls out what I think is a bag, it sounds like a bag anyway, but he pulls out a bag then places it on the other side of me. I hear the door open as he leaves the room. Practically jumping up in bed I look towards what he laid down beside me.

It’s a dress in a clear plastic bag. The dress is blood red and has sequins all over it. I can’t tell exactly what the patter of the sequins is, but I remember the dream I had a while ago about the house with the hall filled with pictures. The dress then was blood red with sequins that spelled out, “You’re next.” Who was first I don’t know, but I really hadn’t hoped to find out. I climb out of bed again to walk towards the door that Krait entered.

I try to open the door, except its locked. I’m not sure if it was Krait’s doing or not, but I really didn’t like the fact it was locked. That just complicated my escape further. I was hoping to find something else to wear besides the scanty night gown I was in. The only other form of clothes in the room was that damn dress. I guess that was on purpose. I take the dress from the bag to look it over. Blood red and strapless like in my dream, the sequins don’t seem to spell anything on this from what I can see. I guess I had no choice but to wear it, so I slipped off the black lace night gown.

Slipping the red ball gown dress on, I look around the room for a mirror to see myself in. There are no mirrors in the main room, so I go over towards the bathroom. I hope that it’s unlocked unlike the actual door that leads out of this room. To my revelation it is open, opening the door slowly I look inside. The bathroom is amazing, pure marble flooring with creamy white walls made the off white accented Jacuzzi tub stand out most of all. There was a line of marble counter tops over pure white cabinets.

Over one sink that was in the counter, there was a mirror that looked as if it opened. Looking into the mirror I see my reflection staring back at me, lighter than light blue eyes looking back at me. I find a crimson ribbon that I could use to put my hair up. Figuring that putting my hair up would be a good idea in case I had to fight; I brushed it out with a soft bristled brush. Twirling my hair in my hand I push it back into a bun while I tie it with the ribbon.

The ribbon falls down my back brushing my neck. I look back into the mirror again, and I see a picture perfect girl about to go to a ball. I laugh to myself it’s almost as if I’m Cinderella. Looking back in the cabinet for something to put on my face, I find a mask. A blood red mask with black glittering spirals surrounds the mask.

Before I put the mask on I remember how much this looks like my dream. I hesitate to put the mask on. In my dream, I ran away from Krait in a strange hall way with tons of torn, scratched picture frames. I haven’t seen any picture frames so far in the house, or well just in the room that I’ve been in so far. I hear the door open from outside the bathroom door.

There’s a knock on the bathroom door from outside. It’s Krait knocking. I didn’t know that Krait was gentleman enough to knock before entering the bathroom considering he didn’t bother to knock on the main door. I turn from the mirror to look at the bathroom door. Now was my chance, a chance to be able to escape.

Grabbing the silver plated hair brush from the sink I held it up above my head as I approached the door. I open the door slowly and throw the hair brush at Krait’s head. I hit his head dead center as I run out the bathroom. I use my forearm to shove him back against the wall outside. His head lolls to the side as it hits the wall.

Believing he’s knocked out against the wall, I let him fall to the ground. Slumping down to the ground his silk black shirt wrinkles up against the wall. I try to open the main door again, except it’s locked. I realize then that he must have the key somewhere on him. Turning back to see him slumped on the soft fuzzy black carpet, and against the rogue colored wall. I walk over to him with the ball gown swinging at my waist.

Coming to his side, I bend my knees down to search his small shirt pockets. The dress fluffs out around me and I crunch down. My hand dives into his shirt pocket and I find a small golden key. I smile deviously to myself as I open the door with the small gold key. Slipping out into the hall I forget to shut the door entirely behind me. The hall is dimly lit with only a few small circular lights in the ceiling.

Unable to really see where I was going with the dim lights, I bump into the end of the hall way. Hearing laughing behind me as I’m facing the wall, I look over my shoulder. Through the blood red mask I see Krait at the end of the hall light streaming out behind him. Illuminated by the light from the hall I see what’s on the walls, picture frames. Torn scratched old picture frames filled with faces that seem all too familiar, but are so different.

Freakishly like my dream the events seem, that I freeze. Even some of the faces in the frames are from the dream I had before. Krait transforms into his crow form before he takes a step closer towards me. A few feet away he stops and changes into his blood vampire form. He smiles at me through a black mask with swirls of silver.

“Clever using the hair brush like that my dear, but you forgot that I have a hard skull.” Krait speaks lowly to me.

“You’re making it like the dream we had a while ago aren’t you? Same dress, same place, why? And what do you mean when you make the dress say ‘You’re next’?” I demanded.

“It’s like your dream because I made it that way. I wanted you to see that all night mares can become reality. The sequins on the dress spelling “You’re next” mean that you are the next victim in my chain. You see all these pictures on the wall Arigena? Well they are all my past victims up till today. Even sweet little Jimmy is there.” He replies staring at me.

“You’re a monster you know. You are truly evil. Only you would force me to see Jimmy’s portrait.” I hiss.

“Thank you for those kind words. Now instead of just killing you I’m going to give you an ultimatum. You may join me as a blood vampire and help me rain terror upon all those useless humans, or you can die right here right now.”

“Don’t make me sick. I’m never going to change and you know that. Why even try? Killing someone everyday would be a fate worse than death. I’d rather have my soul sucked from my body by a thousand blood vampires before I even thought about changing.”

“Suit yourself then my dear.” Krait said his eyes luminous in the dim light with anger at having his “gift” thrown back at him.

He takes a step toward me revealing more light in the hall. I see a staircase just behind Krait leading down stairs. He follows my gaze then laughs at me. He thinks that I wouldn’t be able to reach it unless I blasted him with energy and perhaps he was right, but he didn’t know I had found a new ability. Well perfect time to test it, I thought mockingly to myself. Forcing my mind to concentrate on forming my energy into long whips that protruded from my hands; and not about Kraits approach; I smile at his shock.

“How are you going this? How can you keep that up? You don’t contain enough energy! How are you doing that?!” Krait shouts at me.

Ignoring him completely to focus on the whips at my hands I slash out at him. He brings his up his arm to block the energy from slashing his face, doesn’t work to well because the small tip of the whip lands right over his check making a red welt that begins to shine with blood. I keep concentration on the whips as I slash at him again. He’s the one on retreat now I keep moving him backwards. He’s backed against the door to the room I was in first. I’m by the stairs now, so I break concentration and blot down the stairs.

I hear him calling my name darkly, as if he wants to kill me, like he wants to murder me for being able to control my energy and not faint from it. Running down the stairway past all the portraits of his dead victims, I enter an odd looking sitting room. Very old fashioned, looking rose designed carpets with elegant blue arm chairs. There are no pictures down here in the sitting room, but it’s dark, and seems as if it belongs in the eighteenth century.

I hear him calling my name, hunting me, waiting for me to show myself. My heart racing as adrenaline flows through my veins. What was I going to do? He would find me. I wasn’t sure if I had enough energy to sustain another attack. Trying to find some place to hide, I just see the chairs. The red dress swinging from my hips as I run behind the chair, I hope that it’s not too big to fit behind the chairs.

Squatting down on my calves behind the chair, I hear his slow haunting footsteps sound as he hits the end of stairs. I hold my breath hoping that he won’t hear me. He steps around the room looking for me. I start to get a ball of energy ready in my hands. I have to make an escape now; I have to get to Rune, or anywhere else. I stand up throw the energy ball at Krait, and then take off down the hall connected to the sitting room. I hear Krait fall down with a giant thud.

I see what I think is the front door of the house. It’s a giant red oak wood door with an oval shaped glass in it with a design of a crow. Not hesitating to open the door, I run outside. Once outside I stop running. It’s almost dusk outside, as the sun begins it’s slow decent downward on the horizon, but the house was positioned in a neighborhood that was believed to be abandoned. With fear still pulsating through my body I don’t take the time to notice the creepy feeling of being watched.

Luckily enough for me, I know this neighborhood well as I run along the streets towards Maglayra High. I hear laughing yards behind me, I glance back over my shoulder and see Krait rubbing his chest with a blackened hand. Fear envelops my mind as I race against all odd towards the school. I hear a car start behind me, but pay no mind to it. Almost tripping over the damned red dress, I reach the school just in time. As I cross the street from the park over to the main building of the school I hope that there may possibly be someone inside to help me.

Banging on the front doors screaming for help no one answers. Turning back to see how close Krait is to me, I see him laughing from across the street. There’s a car coming out of the street behind him, but he doesn’t pay any attention to it, as I had not. As the car turns to drive up the road between the school and the park, I dash off towards Olympia Street, the road that Rune is on.

My breath coming faster, as I pant for air, I nearly reach the fence when I begin to feel the drain of energy. I might’ve used to much of it, I begin to think until I remember that I have the ability to tap into a human’s life force around me. Rune must have owners right? I ask myself, closing my eyes and reaching out with my soul for life energy. I feel some energy fill my body, as I approach Rune.

Her almond eyes shine with determination, as mine must have. I pat her soft brown pelt as I mount her side saddle because the dress won’t let me mount her normally. She neighs at my weight, but doesn’t say anything else about it. She gallops away from the fence then turns back towards it. She takes off in a run towards it, just when I believe she’s going to run straight through the fence, she jumps, which forces me to cling to her neck as I shut my eyes. As we clear the fence she runs across the street awaiting instruction.

“What a good girl Rune. What a good girl. Now run. Run Rune!” I tell her when she’s pointed in the right direction.

She was pointed in the direction of shortcut to where I almost killed that girl in the alley way. I hear Kraits mocking caw in the sky as we are about at the turn for the shortcut. I call to Rune telling her to make a turn here; she does quickly as we rush down the road. The sound of the car still sound in my ears behind me. Hoping that it’s not Krait’s friends or any other blood vampire, I force Rune to turn down the alley way. Calling her to a stop she halts right over the blood stain of the poor girl I almost murdered.

Jumping off of Rune I pat her side and whisper thanks into her ear. She nudges my face with the side of her nose. A small tear falls down my face. I don’t know if I’m going to make it out of this or not, but at least I know that I had all my ducks in a row so to speak. I hear flapping above my head, as I turn to see Krait already transformed. His left hand is bright pink from where I hit him with the energy ball; he was already healing from the energy. He had his fangs extended and he just looked like someone dragged him back from hell and he was out for revenge on who sent him. Having a funny feeling the person he wanted revenge on was me; I back up a little from him.

I hear the sounds of squealing tires behind me. Turning my head to look over my shoulder I see a small tan car with dark tinted windows swerving into the curb. Opening the door in a frantic hurry, I see Ellison. He’s the most beautiful person for my eyes to see, but then my fear overtakes me as I realize that Krait is only a few yards away from the both of us. Ellison dressed in a black shirt with a skull across the front, with black jeans to accompany it is my knight in shining armor, or am I his? He was just a human after all, he wasn’t fit to take any energy damage, and he wasn’t supposed to be here.

Turning back to look at Krait I see an evil look across his face. He sees an opportunity of a life time; kill my love to make me suffer the ultimate punishment for not agreeing to his terms. He takes a lithe dancing step forward towards me and Ellison. Running over to block Ellison from Krait’s view, Ellison just runs around me.

“No! Ellison stop!” I call out trying to grab his sweater.

“Oh isn’t this just peachy perfect? I get two for one!” Krait says his eyes growing black in a hunting way.

“If you want to kill her you have to go through me! You won’t touch her! I’ll kill you, you b*****d!” Ellison screams out.

“Not a problem.” Krait replies laughing cruelly.

Ellison runs forward holding a metallic bat in his hands, as if he was going to knock Krait’s head off. Ellison didn’t know that blood vampires and energy vampires have enhanced speed, not by a lot but a metallic base ball bat wasn’t going to do anything. By the time it would take him to swing it, Krait would be too close and ready to kill. Processing this in my mind in a millisecond, I run forward shoving Krait back and pushing Ellison towards his car.

“Ellison, go! Please! I’m begging you! I don’t want you to get killed because of me!” I plead while backing up and tripping over.

I made the mistake of taking my eyes off of Krait for just an instant. He was homing in for the kill when I turned back. I heard what seemed like a battle cry from behind me. Running forward hitting Krait with the bat was Ellison. Trying to get up from the ground I reach my hand ahead of me towards Ellison. Krait doesn’t seem to mind killing Ellison first. Grabbing the metal bat from him, Krait shoves Ellison against a wall. Unable to get up from the ground I feel this heavy weighted pressure surround me, I couldn’t move, I couldn’t help Ellison. I needed to, I had to help him, and I couldn’t just let him die!

Krait holds the bat in his right hand while gripping the collar of Ellison’s shirt in his left hand. Shoving him against the wall so he can’t escape Krait turns his nasty evil face to look at me. The mask is gone, all I can see are the river green eyes turned black with hatred. His black hair like a crow’s feather is all over the place in tiny swirls. He turns back to Ellison’s face.

“See, she can’t even help you now. She’s being held against her will so to speak.” Krait laughed out at him, “Now just how to kill you in the most painful way possible. Oh I know.”

Krait sent Ellison flying to the other wall. Ellison slumped against the ground his mouth beginning to bleed. Krait laughs before he turns over to him. Grabbing him by the hair Krait drags him over to a few old boxes in the alley. The sky darkens as the sun disappears over the horizon; Ellison’s blood fills the air slightly from his bleeding mouth. Tears begin to stream down my face because I can’t save him.

Throwing Ellison down on to the wooden boxes as hard as Krait can, I hear the crunching of wood, but also of bones. I let out screams of pain, screams of no. Ignoring my agony Krait laughs, picking Ellison up by his arm, as if he were a rag doll. I see the metallic glint of the bat swing forward in the street light, but nothing else. I hear the screams of Ellison as he’s being beaten by Krait. I begin to plead to Krait to stop, I beg him to stop hurting Ellison, to hurt me instead. I scream over and over in agony as I feel that Ellison’s life was coming to an end.

Krait appears in the dim street light; behind him he drags Ellison by the arm. Bending over to grab Ellison by the hair Krait walks forward with him. Ellison’s blood fills my nose as I see his cut up broken face. Purple bruises are beginning to form all over his body. He has little pieces of wood sticking out all over his boy. One of his hazel eyes are swollen shut with a black eye. He looks as if he has three broken ribs and at least one broken leg.

“I’m going to let you say your last goodbyes before I kill you, you worthless human. How she ever loved you, I’ll never know.” Krait says shoving Ellison’s face close to mine.

“Ellison! Oh Ellison! I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry. I didn’t want this to happen. Why did you follow me? I’m so sorry Ellison.” I say my hot tears streaming down my face, my voice choking up in sorrow.

“H-hey, i-it’s ok. I did good right? I-I tried to give you time t-to make a plan. I- I love you Arigena.” Ellison says his voice breaking and cracking with pain.

“I love you to Ellison; I love you with all my heart.” I say unable to look away from his face.

Ellison leans forward even though Krait has a grip on his hair and kisses me. The tears flowing down my face mix with the blood on his. Our kiss is brief because Krait yanks him away by his hair. I cry out, “No! No! Ellison! I love you! No!” I feel my heart breaking from the pure agony of losing a loved one, from having to watch him die. Krait laughs throwing Ellison’s face to the side exposing his neck. With his fangs extended Krait bites down. Screams of pain emanate from Ellison as his blood and life force are being drawn out of him.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” I scream as I see Krait bit Ellison’s neck.

Finishing Ellison off Krait drops him to the ground. I feel a calm collected voice in my head. It reminds me of my mother. She tells me not to worry about Ellison, and that he had to die to spark what was truly in my heart. She tells me to put my emotions on ice for a few moments so that I won’t die too. I feel like I want to shut her out, like I want to shut down and just die, but she must have a reason for forcing me to not be able to move. I listen to her words, letting my hunter instinct take over.

I feel my heart grow cold as the icy chill of blankness comes over me. I can’t get rid of all my emotions though, that would be impossible. Instead the one emotion I leave behind is anger. I let my anger take control of my mind. I feel my fangs extending, not for hunger or thirst this time, but for revenge. Krait kneels down at eye level to look me in the face. He made a mistake thinking that I still couldn’t move.

Looking down at Ellison’s blood on the pavement I see my eyes are cobalt blue, and I have the look of pure fury across my face. My hair is no longer in the crimson ribbon it started out in. I remind myself of an avenging assassin ready to kill. Only exception is that I’m wearing that damned red dress. Krait reaches a hand forward to move a strand of my hair behind my ear. Staring up at him with my cobalt blue eyes of fury, I see pure fear in his now river green eyes.

Backing up a few steps he seems to be looking for a way to retreat. I stand up limply; my shoulders hunched forward, my face focused on him. I no longer see him as some on to be afraid of, I see him as the person I’m going to hunt. I am no longer the prey, I have become the hunter. He seems almost too scared to realize he can transform into a crow and try to fly away. The blood red dress now stained with Ellison’s blood swings at my hips as I approach him.

“Now now Arigena, think about this.” Krait says in a scared worried voice.

I don’t answer him with words instead I blast out energy from my body knocking him over on his back. He props himself up on one elbow as I approach him. His black silk shirt is covered in Ellison’s blood along with his black trousers. My mind saw him differently now, he was the weak one, the small undeserving vampire. I felt a thrill of excitement knowing that I was going to repay some of what I’ve taken from the world with the death of him.

Rune was still at the end of the alley where I had left her. She didn’t seem to be afraid, her eyes showed a look of anticipation. Walking forward on the balls of my feet I felt like a true hunter. I was going to repay Jimmy, poor sweet four year old Jimmy, and I was going to avenge Ellison. Creeping up to Krait while he’s on the ground, I look down at him growling lowly in my throat.

“Now Arigena, please, do you really want to kill me? That would just be murder.” Krait pleads out.

“Is it truly murder to avenge people you love?” I ask him in a twisted animalistic voice.

His eyes grow wide, I don’t hesitate any longer. My hands curl over like talons and I blast energy at him, searing his body with hot white energy. When he’s screaming in agony I stop the energy flowing from my hands and descend upon his body. My vision goes blurry as my nails digging into his skin squirt blood into my face. Ripping the flesh from his bones, I tear off one of his arms with strength I didn’t know I had.

Hearing the screams of agony from him I laugh enjoying his pain. As soon as his screams begin to die away, I bite into his neck with my fangs. He begins screaming again as I rip a chunk of his skin off along with some muscle. Spitting out the chunk of flesh and meat I ripped from him, I begin to claw across his face with my talon like fingers. His blood fills my nose and covers my body when I stand up to look at his mangled bleeding dead body. Looking down at my hands I see they’re soaked with Krait’s blood.




 
Chapter Fourteen- The Final Chapter  

[Your_Last_Wish_For_Death]

Feeling numb at the sight of what I’ve done I turn to look at Ellison. His broken body covered with wood. I walk over to him sitting down on my calves next to him; I pull his head into my lap. The tears begin to come to me again as my hunting instinct dies away in my mind. The tears fall on his face are tinged red with the blood of Krait and Ellison’s combined. Knowing that I have to leave Ellison there, I remember his car, and Rune. Ellison deserves better than to lay next to a murderer, I tell myself. Picking up his body in my arms, I bring him over to his car. Putting him gently in the back seat I get in the driver’s side. I drive him to his house then leave the car there with him inside. I check over his body to make sure it’s not obvious that he’s been killed by a vampire, it’s not. As I’m about to leave, I cradle his head in my arms.

“I’m sorry Ellison. I’m so sorry. I love you, may you rest peacefully in heaven.” I whisper to his body. Getting up out of the back seat of the car I kiss his forehead.

Walking back to where I left Rune I notice no one, and nothing around me moving. Looking into the sky I see that it’s a crescent moon with a red tinged circle around it. The moon must be morning for the innocent life that ended here tonight, I think slowly to myself. My mind was becoming numb trying to take in all that had happened. I find Rune exactly where she was before. She trots over when she sees me. Nudging me with her nose she neighs. I pat her soft brown pelt with my blood stained hands.

“It’s just you and me now Rune. It’s just the two of us. What are we going to do now?” I ask her.

She neighs in response. I laugh softly, “Well I guess there’s only one thing to do now. Let’s go hunt some blood vampires.” I whisper to her.

She gives me kisses against my cheek and I laugh softly again. Walking away with Rune at my side we leave the alley way in the shadowed moonlight.


Looking up from the paper on my lap I look around the room. I’m in a bar in Ireland. Nothing around me is familiar. I see wooden stools, wooden tables, and a bar tender behind the bar. It’s been months since I’ve witnessed the death of Ellison, the pain hasn’t gotten any less. It’s now March twenty second of two thousand and eleven.

My name is Arigena Roemer, I’m an energy vampire. I’m one hundred and twenty five years old. The last of my kind and I hunt the blood vampires of the world plaguing existence with their foul ways. This was my story. Now it’s time to kill some blood vampires.

Author: Sabrina A. Hobbs, A.K.A. Your_Last__Wish_For_Death  

[Consistent Spontaneity]

Hiya Sabrina!

Ok. First off I just want to say that I read the entire thing in one sitting. I'm going to try to critique now.

I love the utilization of conservation of detail and circular structure. Amazing, how everything, from the necklace to the description of Mr. Gendered to the scene where they play in the leaves comes up again and it utilized effectively.

That said, there are a few times where the detail seems repetitive. I think every time Arigena's hair is mentioned, it's described as deep brown and curly. The same with lighter than light blue eyes. For the eyes it does make sense to emphasize the change before the final battle.

Which brings me to another point, both good and bad. I am still confused exactly how Arigena gains the ability to control her powers indefinitely, and it seems almost sudden the way she uses it to combat Krait in his house. On the other hand, I can clearly see that the realization comes sometime after her mother's talk with her, after Jimmy's death, and before school the next day. I'm sure this is just a NaNo-thing though and that you planned to add that in wink

I think it's interesting how you played with the adults and made them seem either cluelessly idiotic with a tinge of pride and assertiveness. And of course, I loved the way I felt like I could sense shifts in character on their parts, even though they are minor characters. Most significantly though, I think the way you built up Arigena's relationship with Jimmy and Ellison as the most important people in her life and her ensuing dilemna between them is spectacular. Immaturely handled at times, but awesome writing. Great job with character development.

A few incongruencies I noticed, to help you when you're editing maybe?
~The story starts on a first day of school, but seemingly around two weeks later it's nearing Halloweentime. This might be just be because where I live we start school in early September, but in case it wasn't intentional, it just seemed like a week and a few days later people have Halloween decorations up.
~Krait is temporarily knocked out by a hair brush thrown at his stomach, but Ellison survives and retains consciousness even though Krait is throwing him around the place and tearing his hair out. Likewise, Krait is knocked over when he runs into Arigena's arm, but Jimmy is unfazed even though he runs into her all the time.

To be honest there are a few times I want to scream at Arigena, but I can't exactly figure out why. As a reader I like how you portray your characters differently from the cliche sterotypes yet don't completely kill the image. I find it interesting and insightful that even though Arigena's 125 years old, she doesn't contain much more wisdom, tact, or emotional control than an average 17 year old. I suppose this was your intent and I congratulate you.

I have one or two vampire characters myself, that I've been mostly ignoring, and as I was reading this, I found a burning desire to write with them, if even for a little bit. It was really inspiring, I think, the way you write.

And now I will close this horribly harsh critique with my favorite line from Your Last Wish For Death: "It should be a compliment, so take it as one."

P.S. Ellison and Jimmy aren't really dead because they became angel-ghost things, like Arigena's mother! Or is this just hopeless fangirling? sweatdrop