Vampire Night: Of Blood and Prophecy

Chance for Change

"That depends on whether or not you're embalmed. If you are, you'll want blood immediately and plenty of it, and the embalming fluid will burn through your veins until it eventually works its way out of your system. However, if your family follows your will, and honors your last request, then you'll have plenty of your own blood in your veins. Though it will congeal, it will liquefy during your replenishment. A couple of days later, however, you'll crave it badly. You'll always crave it, and it will always be on your mind. Even now, as I sit here, I'm thinking about how very much I'd love a sample of yours, even though I just had a good measure of fresh blood about an hour ago. In life I smoked, and I guess I can say that craving is similar, and grows even stronger the longer we are without that precious, life-giving fluid."

Were you craving it the night you came into my house? The night you killed my sister?

"One thing that bothers me is killing people! I don't want to kill anyone! Is there no other way to satisfy this craving?" I asked nervously. "Unfortunately, only human blood will do! But, I understand what you're saying! I felt much the same way when I was considering becoming an immortal- though I didn't have much of a choice- I assure you that killing is rare. When I find a victim, I don't take too much blood--only a small amount. The person will feel weak for a couple of days, but will replenish the loss fully within a few days . . ." ''But?" I asked, hoping he'd confess. I was hoping for some strange reason, that he wasn't a complete liar.

He sighed, then said, "But sometimes accidents occur that can't be helped. Sometimes the person may have an illness we don't know about, which makes any kind of bloodletting fatal. And sometimes we can get carried away and forget ourselves. At first, you don't know how much blood you need and how much you can take without causing a fatal injury. But as you gain experience, you'll find that such accidents rarely happen."

"And when was your last 'fatal injury,' if I may be so bold?"

"Oh, I remember it well. And it's something that I wholly regret. There was a beautiful girl living in a house only about two blocks from here; she had lovely long dark hair, and bright green eyes, much like yours." He said as he ran a finger slowly across my cheek.

Though I shivered at his touch, I said nothing as he continued his tale. In fact, I was so fascinated with what he was about to say that I scarcely breathed out fear I'd miss a single word. "She knew about me. She had come to the cemetery with some of her high school friends late one night, due to some outrageous bet about who had enough nerve to stay in the graveyard all night. Of course, they had encountered me when I arose from my crypt at nightfall, and most of them had been horrified, instantly fleeing in fear;" He tilted his head.

"But not her! She had remained behind, literally fascinated with my immortality, and wanting a piece of it herself. I refused her this, due to her age and immaturity, and forced her to go home. But, desperately, craving her blood, to the point that I could think of little else, I went to her house a few nights later and entered her bedroom through the open window. She greeted me warmly, as if she'd been expecting me and was fully aware of what I was about . . ." He paused, and I was even more aware of the jagged dagger in my pocket. It was a special dagger made of pure gold, and I had paid a considerable sum to have it made. But it would be worth it to avenge my sister. "And?" I urged.

"And I took her into my arms and feasted on her glorious blood. I swear that it was the best blood I've ever tasted. Truly as sweet and as smooth as the finest wine from France. I tried to stop myself, but I couldn't. I drained her too much. Still, she would have lived had she been healthy . . . But she . . . she didn't."

That's a lie. A downright lie. Layla was the healthiest, most vivacious person I've ever known. She had a golden glow and sparkling eyes. She possessed all of the glories of youth. And she was always active. Always. She was a cheerleader and had practiced for several hours daily in the school gymnasium, something that wouldn't have been possible had she been ill!

"What was wrong with her?"

"She had an unknown blood disorder only she and her mother knew about."

Anger and terror ran rampant in my blood. Layla did not have any disorder of sorts. I was certain of that! I was going to pull that dagger out and run it through his wicked, black heart. Then I was going to cut off his head and burn his body in the tradition of European vampire slaying. He'd never harm another innocent victim again.

I had spent years trying to get over my sister's death and my own horrors of what I'd seen that night. I had been in a state of hysteria afterward, and my parents had taken me to a psychiatrist immediately after Layla's demise because I refused to speak, and my parents had started to think I was crazy and pushed me away from them, the more I spoke about Layla's death.

I had seen an endless number of such doctors since then, and they had thought my vampire story was some sort of anxiety that produced psychosis due to Layla's death. I had tried to convince myself of this diagnosis for a while, but I knew what I saw that night. My sister and I had shared a room, and I was in the other twin bed. Of course, they had both thought I was asleep, but I wasn't. I saw him enter through the window; I saw him take her into his arms, and I saw him bite and drink her blood until she fell to the floor dead. Still, I had lain there, too afraid to scream, too afraid to move, and my mother had found me in a catatonic state the next morning...

"It was simply impossible to tell that she was ill!" He continued. "She looked so healthy. so golden. I'd wager that even her parents didn't know that she was terminally ill. Maybe she didn't even know why she had been feeling so weak and under the weather. She probably figured that she had simply been working out too much and needed a rest." What if he's telling the truth? A little voice inside my head suddenly butted in, and I tried to fight it back down with my ire and my remorse and my memories, but it interfered yet again. What if Layla did have leukemia?

What if he didn't know? No! It wasn't possible. It just wasn't possible! Layla had never been sick a day in her life. He's simply making excuses for killing her! "But I prefer to speak no more of it. That's something that's in the past now and something that I can't change. Now, I have a question for you. have you made the arrangements I asked you to?"

"What?"

"The arrangements. Have you done as I asked?"

"Yes . . . yes! With the money I saved, I purchased a coffin and made all of my burial arrangements, specifying that I was not to be embalmed and that I was to be interred in the mausoleums here. Also, I made sure my will was in order as you requested." "Good!" He said. "It will be easier for your family. You will need to go through the entire ritual, funeral, and all. If I drain you tonight, your body will be found here in the graveyard tomorrow. For the entire world, you'll look like you're dead, and truly your temperature will drop and rigor mortis will sit in. You'll even decay, but this tissue will peel off and beneath it, your flesh will be beautiful as ever."

Now was the time. I was about to draw out the dagger, about to plunge it deep in his heart, when I heard a woman's voice.

"Yes, your flesh will be beautiful, Electra. Like mine. But I do not recommend this route if you're seeking vengeance." I turned on my seat to a woman coming toward us, her long, fiery hair flowing about her, as her long, white gown was picked up by the wind. My heartbeat fasts with joy, for it was Layla. She was quite far from us, but I could tell it was her. She looked like more of a child than a woman, yet she was a woman now nevertheless.

I glanced at him and realized that he'd known my intent all along. She gave me a crooked grin, not a vicious grin, but a grin all the same time.

"That's right Electra. Your sister is not truly dead but shall live forevermore. I only regret that I've not given her the choice to live this existence. You see when a vampire drains more blood than a person can stand, that person becomes a vampire just as you would have had let me continue. I know that you came here to destroy me, but I simply can't allow you to do that. Normally, I'd kill anyone whom I see as a threat to me, but considering the circumstances and the fact that you're Layla's sister, I'll allow you to go. Please leave here now, and never look back. Forget that you ever met me." He rose up, turning to my sister. "As for you, you shouldn't be here." He started darkly, then gave her a look of uncertainty.

Again, I stared at my sister who was coming ever closer. This was a miracle to me, She was alive, and would live forevermore, here, with him.

"Electra!" She said, more urgently. I took the knife out of my pocket at last, and I stared at it, and then at him. Then I tossed it on the ground. I stood and brushed back my hair from my neck and held myself firmly before them.

"No," I said, "I've decided to stay."