Everlasting

Chapter 4

The chilling shriek seemed to freeze everything in the town around Eren including himself. The sound cut through to his heart like a knife and he staggered sideways, leaning against the wall as his hand clutched the fabric of his uniform directly over his heart. It was beating a frantic tattoo in his chest and Eren's vision flickered and dimmed around the edges.
"Krista..." He thought in horror, his mind conjuring up images of the girl lying dead as a vampire drained the last drops of blood from her. The scene shifted slightly and now Eren wasn't looking at Krista, but into the dead eyes of his mother. "It's happening again...oh God please no...not again!"
For a moment everything went black, then Eren's eyes flew open and he took a deep breath. He was panicking...he couldn't afford to panic. He felt dizzy with a fear that he hadn't known he had. He hated vampires, he's always known that, but that scream had reawakened the terror he had felt on that long ago night, terror he had thought he'd outgrown. His hand reached to his waist and closed around the leather-bound handle of his blade, drawing it as he spun around and forced his legs to move. His pace increased until he had broken into a run, the rhythmic pounding of his feet on the road steadying him as he neared Krista's street and turned down it. Now where had the scream come from? He glanced back and forth as he ran, straining to see down the dark side alleyways. A flash of red caught his eye and he skidded to a halt.
In the alley before him a tall figure leaned over a smaller one. The soft sound that reached Eren's ears reminded him of a water being sucked up through a straw. Advancing down the narrow gap between two buildings, Eren started to be able to make out what the vampire looked like as his eyes adjusted to the shadows. Tall and lean, the vampire was a female who appeared to be about Eren's age. Her brown hair was pulled back in a low ponytail and freckles dusted the pallid skin of her nose and cheekbones. Her eyes gleamed red in the darkness, her fangs glinting red as a rivulet of blood trickled down her chin. The monster had the nerve to look irritated by Eren's interruption and watched him closely, daring him to attack.
Eren lifted his blade and removed the crucifix around his neck, wrapping the chain around his sword hand for further warding.
"Let the girl go."
The vampire's lips twisted into a mocking smile. "No."
Taking a step closer, Eren warned: "It'll go worse for you if you don't obey. Let her go and I'll make this quick."
"I won't, it's not your place to order my actions."
Lowering her head, the vampire returned to drinking, eyes half closed with obvious pleasure at the taste. Anger flared in Eren and he rushed forward, slashing at the vampire and cutting her shoulder as she dodged, her movements slowed by Krista's dead weight in her arms. Eren recovered from his miss and whirled to find the vampire running towards the end of the alley. He gave chase, reaching for his phial of holy water as he went and throwing it after the retreating figure. It wouldn't be enough to kill her, but it would be enough to slow her.
The glass shattered and the water splashed across the vampire's right shoulder and face. With a shriek of agony, she dropped Krista and raised her hands to her face, trying to dry the water as it ate at her skin like an acid. Taking advantage of her distraction, Eren rammed his shoulder into her stomach and knocked her to the ground. Swinging his sword above his head, Eren swung downward at the cowering vampire.
"No! Please!"

Black shadows, cold to the touch, erupted from the ground between Eren and the vampire female. Tendrils of darkness seemed to wrap themselves around his arms and legs before thrusting him backwards several yards. Eren landed on his back and his head struck the ground hard as he rolled to a stop. He groaned faintly and turned his head, blinking to try and see what had just happened. His eyes widened with alarm as the shadows condensed into a slender, pale figure.
Obviously male, the newcomer's face was cast into deep shadows by the black hat he wore. From this angle he appeared tall and menacing, and a quiet sense of power radiated from him. Eren shifted his gaze the the female vampire he had almost killed. He expected to see her getting to her feet and returning to her meal, but instead he saw that the red had gone from her eyes and a horrified expression on his face. She flung herself at the newcomer's feet, kissing his black leather boots.
"Your Highness, thank you! You've saved me!"
The man's upper lip drew back in a snarl, revealing sharp fangs, and he gave the groveling vampire a cruel kick.
"Shut up. I only did what you forced me to do, idiot."
A whimper escaped the female and she scooted backwards slightly. "Forgive me, your Highness..."
Eren pushed himself to his hands and knees, reaching for his sword, taking comfort in the feel of the familiar weight as he staggered to his feet. His eyes fixed on the male vampire with a collected mind, not willing to rush into battle against two vampires, one of whom seemed to have powers that he was unfamiliar with and unable to counter. The male vampire's back was to him and Eren broke into a silent but swift run, holding his sword in a position meant more for stabbing then for cutting.
"Take your prey to the city, Ymir." Ordered the vampire coldly.
Ymir didn't hesitate and scooped Krista up before dashing away into the dark with inhuman speed. At almost the same moment, Eren reached the male vampire, his sword goring directly through his back, into his heart, and then completely through his body as he dissolved into inky shadows. Eren gasped and stumbled, hardly able to keep his footing as he backpedaled hastily and spun to scan the alley for the creature. There was nothing to be seen. Muttering a curse, Eren said angrily: "To cowardly to put up a fight, your Highness?"
The wind whistled in a lonely wail over his head but there was no response. Eren hadn't expected one. He sighed heavily and turned towards the end of the alley where Krista had been taken. He had no chance of catching up, but perhaps he could track her down or get a hint of where to start looking. He blamed himself for not going with her as a guard, and now it was his responsibility to get her back.
A chill suddenly ran down his spine and Eren felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He whirled around, lifting his sword, but he wasn't fast enough. Something knocked him backwards and he was crushed against the stone wall of the alley by an invisible force.The momentum caused his mouth to snap shut and he bit his tongue. Hot blood welled up and trickled down his chin. As his vision cleared, he wasn't surprised to see the male vampire emerge from a swirl of shadow, eyes aflame with red light. His hat was gone, perhaps lost when he'd attacked, but now his features were revealed and Eren's eyes grew wide. His skin was incredibly pale with almost blue tint to it in the light of the waning moon. Black hair styled in an undercut coupled with his high cheekbones and curiously blank expression gave him a distinctly regal air.
"You have a nerve to call me a coward, brat." The low voice sent a thrill of fear through Eren and he cringed back against the wall as the pressure on him increased so that his limbs almost hurt from his straining to move them. The vampire drew closer and ran a finger along Eren's lower lip, drawing back and licking the blood from his finger languidly.
His eyes met Eren's for a moment as he studied the young Hunter. "Not bad..." He mused.
Leaning in, the vampire gripped Eren's shoulders and leaned in close, tearing apart the shoulder of his uniform, exposing his neck and shoulder. His breath was strangely cold on Eren's exposed skin and revulsion filled Eren along with rising horror.
"No! No don't bite me you beast!" He shouted, jerking his head to the side. The vampire ignored him entirely and sank his long fangs into Eren's neck. Pain surged through Eren's neck and then he felt his body relaxing, his heartbeat slowing, his panic being smoothed away and replaced by a pleasant numbness. "No..."
A red haze filled his vision as he turned his head slowly to look at the vampire from the corner of his eye. At this angle it was impossible to make out more than the silhouette of the vampire. The shadowy figure suddenly became very familiar. It was a perfect match to the person in his vision-dreams. Eren felt his eyes falling shut but he forced his voice to work.
"I...know you..."
There was no response from the vampire draining Eren of his blood, turning him into the monster he had always hated.
"Levi!" He gasped weakly, the name slipping from his mouth on instinct. "Stop...please..."
The horrible feeling of his blood being drawn from his veins vanished as the vampire recoiled as if it had been burned. Eren had not time to savor this relief as his legs gave out and he fell forward. He was unconscious before he could hit the ground.