Bloodthirsty: Solomon Islands

Nara

My name is Nara. I was born in a time when the world was colder and harsher than it is now. I lived in a small tribe of hunters and gatherers, following the herds of mammoths and reindeer across the vast tundra. We had no permanent home, no written language, no metal tools. We only had our fire, our spears, our skins, and our kin.

I was happy then, in my own way. I loved the thrill of the hunt, the warmth of the campfire, the stories of our elders, the songs of our shamans. I had a mate, a strong and brave man named Torak, and we had a son, a healthy and curious boy named Kato. We were a family, and we belonged to our tribe.

But everything changed one night, when we were attacked by a stranger. He came out of the darkness, like a shadow, and killed two of our guards before we even knew he was there. He was tall and pale, with long black hair and red eyes. He wore strange clothes, made of fine cloth and metal. He had a sword, a weapon we had never seen before, and he used it to slash and stab anyone who tried to stop him.

He was looking for something, or someone. He ignored the women and children, and only fought the men. He seemed to be searching for a specific person, but we did not know who or why. He moved with incredible speed and strength, and he seemed to heal from any wound we inflicted on him.

He reached our tent, where Torak and I were sleeping with Kato. He ripped the flap open, and stared at us with his red eyes. He smiled, a cruel and mocking smile, and said something in a language we did not understand. He pointed his sword at Torak, and then at me. He seemed to be asking a question, or making a choice.

Torak grabbed his spear, and lunged at him, trying to protect me and our son. But the stranger was faster, and he parried the spear with his sword, and then stabbed Torak in the chest. Torak fell to the ground, blood gushing from his wound. He looked at me, with love and pain in his eyes, and then he was gone.

I screamed, and grabbed Kato, holding him close to me. The stranger looked at me, and then at Kato. He smiled again, and said something else in his foreign tongue. He reached out his hand, and touched Kato's head. He seemed to be fascinated by his hair, which was blond, unlike most of our tribe, who had dark hair. He lifted Kato from my arms, and held him in front of his face. He opened his mouth, and I saw his teeth, long and sharp, like fangs.

I realized then, what he was. He was a monster, a demon, a vampire. He was going to kill my son, and drink his blood. I felt a surge of rage, and fear, and grief. I grabbed the nearest weapon, a knife, and stabbed him in the back, with all my strength. He dropped Kato, and turned to face me. He looked surprised, and angry. He grabbed my wrist, and twisted it, making me drop the knife. He pulled me closer to him, and bit my neck.

I felt a sharp pain, and then a strange sensation. It was like a fire, spreading through my veins, burning me from the inside. It was also like a cold, numbing me from the outside. It was like a dream, and a nightmare, at the same time. It was like nothing I had ever felt before.

He drank my blood, and I felt his blood enter me. He whispered in my ear, words I did not understand, but somehow felt. He said he was sorry, and he said he was glad. He said he was lonely, and he said he was hungry. He said he was cursed, and he said he was blessed. He said he was my maker, and he said I was his child.

He stopped drinking, and let me go. He looked at me, and smiled. He said I was beautiful, and he said I was his. He said we had to leave, and he said we had to hide. He said we had a new life, and he said we had a new name. He said we were vampires, and he said we were Nara and Narek.

He picked up Kato, who was still alive, but unconscious. He said he was sorry, and he said he was glad. He said he was his father, and he said he was his brother. He said he would turn him, and he said he would love him. He said we were a family, and he said we belonged to each other.

He carried us out of the tent, and into the night. He ran with us, faster than the wind, away from our tribe, away from our past, away from our world. He took us to a cave, where he made a fire, and fed us his blood. He told us stories, of his life, of his travels, of his secrets. He taught us how to survive, how to hunt, how to hide. He gave us a new language, a new culture, a new identity.

He said he was from a place far away, a place called Europe. He said he was from a time long ago, a time called the Middle Ages. He said he was turned by a woman, a woman named Lilith. He said she was the first vampire, the mother of all vampires. He said she was powerful, and cruel, and mad. He said he loved her, and he hated her. He said he escaped from her, and he searched for her. He said he found her, and he fought her. He said he killed her, and he mourned her.

He said he was looking for something, or someone. He said he had a vision, a vision of a prophecy. He said he saw a woman, a woman with blond hair and blue eyes. He said she was the one, the one who would change everything. He said she was his mate, his true mate, his soul mate. He said he had to find her, and he had to claim her. He said he traveled the world, and he searched for centuries. He said he came to this island, this island called Guadalcanal. He said he found this city, this city called Honiara. He said he found me, and he said I was the one.

He said we had a destiny, a destiny to fulfill. He said we had a mission, a mission to complete. He said we had a role, a role to play. He said we had a power, a power to unleash. He said we had a secret, a secret to reveal. He said we had a gift, a gift to share. He said we had a curse, a curse to bear. He said we had a choice, a choice to make.

He said we were the end, and we were the beginning. He said we were the darkness, and we were the light. He said we were the death, and we were the life. He said we were the hunters, and we were the hunted. He said we were the masters, and we were the slaves. He said we were the lovers, and we were the enemies. He said we were the saviors, and we were the destroyers. He said we were the vampires, and we were the Nara.

This is my story, the story of my turning. This is who I am, and who I was. This is what I have, and what I lost. This is what I know, and what I don't. This is what I want, and what I fear. This is what I love, and what I hate. This is what I am, and what I will be.

I am Nara, and I am a vampire.