Vampyres; Chronicles of New York

Vampyres; Black Blood Feast.

There's something any vampire will tell you the first moment you wake up. "Choose your first Bite wisely." I find THAT comical. It's like saying "hey, choose your order carefully, or you'll want to take it back!"

I guess there's logic behind it. The first thing you taste is what you desire for the rest of your..uh, afterlife. There's no taking it back, there's no complaning about too much pepper. You Bite a chick you want a chick, you Bite a guy you want the dick.

My first Bite was Stephanie; she was my kindergarden best friend, and one I carried on through all my school years. She's pretty, smart, bright-eyed and lovely. You know, the whole, picture-perfect girl with the right grades and the good boys?

The night I turned, Stephanie and I were fighting. She was trying to "protect" me by arguing I should avoid the "stupid popular kids party." I wasn't in a good place. I was sick, dying. Already weak with freshly found cancer, and I hadn't bother to tell her. It was the aggresive kind, the kind that doesn't stop and give you a chance. I can understand now why she wanted me to stay; she thought I had my whole life ahead of me, and I could break and shatter so many valuable things in that one night. But right then, she didn't understand, and I'd do anything I could to live. For however long I may be able to.

I remember slapping her in the face and screaming she get out of my way, right there in her house. Her parents turned the kitchen corner just as I threw Steph into a wall, weak as it may have been, and stumbled my way out. I'm grateful for what happened to me. I could have never have faced them again, with that kind of attitude.

When I awoke the next morning, I was warm, my veins pumping with nothing but feeling so full. There was a woman leaning over me, with bright scarlet eyes and cascading, curled red hair. She had leaned closer, and I had hungrily launched myself at her, tenderly digging my nails into her back, sinking into her neck, tasting the non-existent blood I wanted to believe was there.

"Easy now," she had cooed. Her hand drifted to the side, her slender fingers dangling slightly in the freezing morning air. "There's a real feast inside."

I had pulled away, looked at the house, and sprinted for it.

The first thing I heard was Stephanie calling my name; Erin, Erin, Erin where are you?! Whispering to herself I had gone home, whispering that I was okay. I threw myself onto her back, clawing her, making her scream. My lips kissed her neck, and my venom immobilised her, gently willing her to the ground and silence.

I sucked from her until she was dry; dry and utterly utterly dead. Well, what I had thought was dead. Licking her blood from my teeth, I had started on the other party goers.

I remember that so well because all their blood was bitter. It all tasted of disease or alcohol; what I drank that morning was not pure. But no matter. I've had all kind of feasts since then.

I lean back against the wall, feeling no chill from the harsh cement. That was so long ago, years now. I glance skywards, up a building marked Labels Co. I see Steph's waterfall of silver hair from where I stand, her glittering red eyes, see her nod fleetingly and vanish.

I turn my head to side, in the direction she nodded. I can't hide my smile.

A tall, stunning, dark-skinned man is walking toward me. He's a peaceful kind of guy, I can tell. Everything about him is casual, his sweatbands, his oddly out of place mop of dark midnight hair, his muddy brown eyes. I sniff the air; oh, so sweet, so clean and welcoming.

"You want him?" I don't bother glancing up at Steph's voice above me, fluttering down from the roof. She's graceful like that, so elegant and slender and fast.

"Yes," I say back quietly, a slight hiss to my voice.

"What happened to this whole First Bite rule?" she scoffs.

"I'll get you later," I say distractedly. I can practically feel her stunning smile.

"Or.." she gasps excitedly. In a moment she's in front of me, her skinny hands on my hips, her tongue entwining with mine. Her fangs sink into my lower lip, her fingernails dig in. She lifts one leg and presses her inner thigh against my hip. I can't hold my groan in.

"Smelllllll himmmmmmmm," she hisses teasingly, drawing out her words like she does when she's excited. I turn my head again, to look glance his beauty once more. He looks more than startled but the sudden appearance of another beautiful girl, but his eyes pass no judgement. I smile. I like this guy.

"I don't know if I want to," I mutter. Steph bites my lip gently but viciously, pulling it, letting it go. She chews her own and tilts her head, draining my neck of the "blood" she's, by rule, addicted to.

"Mmmph...get him..might as well.." she moans. I don't push her off; I close my eyes and shiver, pushing away all the feelings she's giving me, and focusing my eyes on the man.

"Hey, stud!" I call. He's passed us by now, our voices so light he heard nothing. He turns around, his expression curious. Steph's leg loosens against mine and I push away from her, barrelling myself into him. His body jolts, falters and falls, and I reach for his neck, feeling the warm blood seep over my lips.

I can't withhold my pleasured moans from Steph, who kicks my arse mockingly.

"Hmph," she scoffs, crossing her arms. "Who knew. From the things we do when we're alone, I thought you'd be one kind only, Black Blood luuuurver!"

I turn to her and hiss, leaping on her, slamming her onto the ground. We both laugh. She curls her hand around my neck, pulling me closer, slowly and teasingly licking the blood off my lips.

"Not bad," she says, grinning. I smile back.

There's a tortured groan from behind us. I shift my legs, straddling Steph playfully, and turning my torso to look at the man. He's twitching violently, shaking, my venom turning his blood into nothing.

"Let me finish?" I whisper, looking into Steph's eyes. The man lets out a sudden scream, his body pounding harshly against the pavement, cement and hard and almost one of our own.

Steph rolls her eyes, and I backflip off her, showing off. I watch her patiently as she flicks her graceful little body into a handstand, curving her body to face away from me as she lands.

"Ha!" she mocks.

I dart to the struggling man. His eyes are wide, his neck taut, shaking under my grasp. He cries out again. I push my hand over his mouth and smile wide enough to show my fangs. His eyes flicker to me, recognising me, recognising my actions, and he starts fighting me.

I can't help but laugh, laugh loudly. I plunge my teeth into the front of his neck and draw from him, feeling my venom freeze him, feeling him slacken and welcome the embrace of Undeath, the escape from the pain.

I straighten up and wrap my arms around Steph's waist. She kisses me tenderly, then pulls back, gazing into my eyes and praising me on how bright and alive with bloodlust they are now.

"We'll have fun tonight," she purrs, winking.

I run my hands over her hips, smiling back, but I can't shake the worry at how much I hunger for his blood. He's drained, changing as I stand there, carressing my gorgeous lover, and I want nothing more than to feed from him again.

I close my eyes and kiss Steph again, prolonging it this time, feeling her hand creep up under my dress, and all I can think is,

Fuck, I love Black Blood.

Contrary to what you might think...Black Blood actually refers to blood that isn't what you first taste after you turn.