Eternity is Only A Lifetime Away

Confrontations and Revelations

There were more attacks in the city and Aleka was getting distressed at how she seemed unable to stop them. She would walk the streets late at night like some kind of Van Helsing, but she never seemed to be able to find any of Sullivan’s minions carrying out the murders.

Tristan had warned her that if she wasn’t careful she would fall into a trap and be unable to get out of it, but Aleka wasn’t listening to a word he said to her about it. She didn’t want anyone else to die because Sullivan was after her.

One night in particular, Tristan joined her, still warning her of the danger she was exposing herself to. He would tell her that real life wasn’t like Buffy or Supernatural and that Sullivan would rip her head off before he would let her kill his own.

“Will you please shut your mouth, fang boy?” Aleka said, stopping dead on the pavement and staring hard at Tristan.

He sighed and shook his head. “Look, it is dangerous; just understand that for me please. The last thing the rebellion needs is for their strongest force to be destroyed.”

“Well, it’s not going to happen. You taught me to handle myself now have some trust in your own teachings.”

“But I learnt from Sullivan. He is who I don’t trust.” Tristan stopped and sniffed the night air, sighing contently.

“What’s wrong?” Aleka asked, her eyebrows furrowing deeply as she turned to look at him once more.

“I can smell blood. I’ve not fed in some time.” He told her in hushed tones as to avoid anyone overhearing them.

“Why? I thought you were always so in control with your thirst?”

“I’ve been spending a lot of time monitoring you and your movement. I’ve had to prioritise you above myself, warrior.” Tristan opened his eyes and Aleka noticed the dark red hue that had suddenly taken over his eyes.

There was an ear piercing scream that disturbed the still night and startled both Aleka and Tristan. The head of the warrior spun sharply, the trained ears detecting the area from which the scream came and her legs breaking out into a sprint that was slightly faster than most humans. Tristan called out to her but she ignored his voice and his words, turning up the alleyways and back streets until she saw the body on the floor, writhing as if possessed. Aleka was about to step forward to help the young man, but Tristan appeared in front of her, holding her back with mighty force.

“Stay back.”

“But he’s in pain!”

“He’s been turned. You need to get out of here. Once it’s complete, he will crave blood and yours is the closest and the sweetest.” He told her, his eyes fixed on the once human man.

“But I can stop him.”

“The first hunger after the change is the most powerful. He will stop at nothing to taste your blood and Aleka, he will get it. He could be stronger than even Sullivan right now.”

Aleka watched, almost distraught, as the man on the ground began to cry out and spasm as if there was a terrible power consuming him, ravaging his body of life. There were tears streaming down his face and she could see all the ligaments and muscles in his limbs as they tensed. It was horrifying and the scene blocked out Tristan’s words and pleas for her to leave.

Suddenly, the man stopped moving completely and Aleka was convinced he was dead. Seconds later though, he lurched up and sniffed the air before turning in her direction, his eyes as red as the blood he craved. He threw himself towards her but Tristan intervened, shoving him backwards with a force that Aleka had never seen before. The fledgling vampire flew backwards and hit the wall with a sickening crack, dust from the bricks billowing out in clouds around him as he moved forward for another attempt to drain Aleka of her blood. This time, the warrior herself sprang into action and ducked, swiping his legs from underneath him as he landed. Tristan was right though. He was must stronger than any other vampire she had encountered and she was weakening fast as he attacked her over and over, never letting up, even when she embedded a blade deep into his back.