Bad Blood

Chapter 7: 360 Degrees

.360.degrees.

I am going to jump forward in my story. About three and a half years or so from the night I first tried to take fresh blood. In this time I didn't do much but get better at hunting. And let me say that I got good at it, it became like a game. The care and guilt I once had for humans were long gone. I began to immerse myself in books that Tristin had around his library and found my mind could retain the information much better than when I was human. I learned the history of the world I was a part of and where I stood in it.

As I explained before I was a sort of outlier, no Bloodline to speak of, no sire. Nothing. I had myself, and I suppose at the time that time that's all I needed. Even with my feeling of ostracization in Tristin's house, I began to get close to the twins. Dmitri and I had already come to an understanding in my first months of being a vampire; now we could be considered friends. Though, with his loyalties with Tristin, I didn't trust him with any of the emotions and deeper thoughts I had.

Autumn and I began a sort of affair if you will, she would keep me company at night sometimes. There was no romance between us, just some good nights spent in my room. She likes to gossip a lot but has kept our actions secret from Tristin. I think I've mentioned that they have a sort of relationship but I failed to say what kind besides a sexual one. In fact, their relationship is very complicated. Relationships between vampires can be that way, I mean Autumn and Tristin have over 300 years of history. I guess they were in love at one point, they were even engaged, but that's not the case anymore. The way Autumn talks about it, I can tell she still likes the guy, but there is no love there anymore.

Tristin's house still didn't seem like a home to me, however. With all the time I spent reading, and the fact I had become a skilled hunter he had begun tending to his other business rather than me. I didn't mind that of course, but it did get incredibly boring, so when Autumn and Dmitri came to me with plans of going to town for some fun, I would happily accompany them. We would do this a lot if things at Tristin's got too stale. Especially during a fateful time in the summer of 1990, he was busy with much of his work as a Bloodline Original. One night in particular sticks out in my memory as this was when my resolve of being what I am was to be truly tested.

It started with a joke...

"So, I heard that they are starting a sort of vampire-themed night at one of the clubs in town." Autumn had draped herself on the parlor couch; her head hung upside down as she played with her long black hair. Her statement spurred laughter in all of us.

"Are you suggesting we go?" I asked not taking my eyes off the book in my hands. Currently, I was interested in classics.

"Sister, you must be crazy." Dmitri laughed, "Humans would never do such a thing as to pretend to be us!"

"You're behind the times Dmitri, there have been books written romanticizing us as recently as the 1970s." I said with a smile curling on my lips, "No doubt this will be an Anne Rice vampire sort of thing, I bet you there will be a lot of velvet."

Dmitri looked at me in shock; I knew he hadn't read much since the 20th century. He showed his age at times like this.

"Really?" His face was full of shock and interest.

"Really brother, even I knew that!" Autumn laughed, she had embraced modern culture much more than her brother. Dmitri huffed and crossed his arms; he hated being teased.