Past Mistakes
Eyelids parted slowly, revealing the darkness of the room, dimly lit by the moon.
"Capriano!" He heard his brother's voice.
He bolted up, stretching his arms.
"I can't believe you fell asleep!" He heard Cameron's voice say.
"What's wrong?" He said on instinct.
"It's the ball tonight. You know, father's inauguration as mayor.
"Oh... that's tonight?"
"Of course it is!"
Capriano grunted and stalked to the oak wood wardrobe in the far left of the crimson colored room.
"Brother, you know how I resent these type of things."
"I know. But it's for our father. And you know as well as I how irritated he gets when we arrive late."
"But why does it have to always be balls. Can't he have some private ceremony?" Capriano asked as he put his arms through the sleeves of his black blazer.
He absolutely hated monkey suits. In fact, he absolutely despised anything formal. People always expected so much of him and his family that almost every month was a different ball or different charity event. Personally, Capriano thought that these type of things were just an excuse for rich snobs to get drunk.
"Now where will the fun be in that, dear brother?" Cameron asked, a large cocky smile displayed on his face.
"Not all of us can be notorious ladies men like you, brother." Capriano answered, buttoning the blazer.
Cameron Delguard was notorious for his promiscuous ways. Every night, every ball Cameron would have a different lady. No woman on the face of the planet that Cameron had pursued had Cameron not gotten.
But where Cameron was confident and outgoing, Capriano was smart and shy. Where Cameron had fun leaving a trail of broken hearts, Capriano could never find it in him to hurt a soul. Where Cameron was impulsive and rebellious, Capriano was cautious and well-behaved.
"But we can all try."
Capriano humphed.
"What? What if you happen to meet Mrs. Right at the ball?"
"I sincerely hope that doesn't happen."
"Love is a beautiful thing, my brother."
"Sure. Don't you mean sex is a beautiful thing?"
"That's just a perk." Cameron gave another cocky smile. Capriano rolled his eyes.
"When have you ever been in love?"
"Why, I've been in love too many times to count."
"Lust and love, though both begin with an L and both are four letters, are not the same thing."
"I suppose, but lust is more fun."
Capriano rolled his eyes again.
"Let's just go and get this over with, okay?"
"Always the spoil-sport, brother."
Thirty minutes later Capriano entered the large, obnoxious looking Town Hall. Inside didn't look very promising. More grey marble floors and overly exaggerated grey columns. In the far front of the hall was a large maple wood stage with a podium situated in the bottom left corner. 'Congratulations, Mayor Delguard!' was displayed obnoxiously on one of the walls. Capriano sighed with irritation. He never did enjoy these superficial displays of congratulants.
Guests were all around the spacious halls in their Sunday best: large, full skirted gowns with corsets that made their waists look tiny; black ties and monkey suits with white to cream colored dress shirts; and only the best footwear.
Capriano followed his brother's arrogant stride to a crowd of women in the far left.
"Good evening ladies," he said, bowing in a faux gentlemen-like manner.
The group of women simultaneously flushed, their pale cheeks turning an unflattering red, and fanned themselves. Well, all except for one.
Capriano caught his breath as he laid his eyes onto the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
She had dark, auburn hair that captured the light of the room perfectly. Her skin, the color of porcelain, flawless. Her body, synched tightly into a corset, looked flawless in her midnight blue gown of utter perfection. But the thing that enchanted him more than her flawless skin, or her luscious raven hair, was her eyes, the color of clover. Capriano had never seen eyes more peculiar or more beautiful in his lifetime. They radiated both light and silent seduction. She had him, and she hadn't spoken a word.
Ignoring the other girls, Capriano walked directly to the beauty immune to his brother's charms and held out his hand. When she laid her perfect palm in his hand, he was engulfed with an unexplainable feeling that sent his heart on overload, momentarily distracting him. Peaking to see her reaction, his heart fluttered faster when he saw that she felt the feeling too.
His hands clasped around her palm and he bowed politely, kissing her porcelain skin.
"Good evening, Madame," he said, his tone laced with unexpected seduction.
"Good evening, sir," she said. Her velvet voice sounded like heaven to him.
Aching to hear more he said, "My name's Capriano Delguard."
"And mine, Elizabeth Van Cleef." There it was again, that unexplainable otherworldly feeling arising in him as their eyes met. Black on clover.
They stood there staring into each other's eyes, unable to break their gaze, unable to breath a word.
"Come on, brother. Father's arrived. And you know how he likes his entourage," Cameron said, the sound of his voice startling him.
Capriano gulped and said, "It's been an honor to meet you, Ms. Van Cleef."
"The same here, Mr. Delguard."
"Call me, Capriano. It's better-"
"Sexier," his brother interjected.
She giggled under her hand. The act sent a wave of arousal and adoration through him. Capriano was baffled.
"Call me, Elizabeth," she said, he still couldn't get enough of her voice and the way her full, pouty lips curved seductively with every syllable.
"Hopefully we'll see each other again, Elizabeth," he said, just to hear more of her voice and to say her name.
"If it's God's will," she said, a seductive smile hanging on her lips.
"Come on, brother," Cameron said, breaking his gaze away from her.
Capriano turned around and headed to his father. All the while turning his neck to see her one last time. Her gaze never left him.
"Capriano pursuing a lady?! What is this world coming to?" His brother said in a mocking tone.
"I am not pursuing her, brother."
"Why not. She is quite a catch. And if you don't, I will-"
"Don't you dare!"
"Easy there, brother. If you want her, she's yours. Besides, I have, uhm, other plans for the night," he said with that cocky smile displayed on his face, all the while turning to meet the eyes of a dashing blond in a pale pink gown.
Capriano smile and looked back once again, his heart skipping beats when his eyes met with hers.
Throughout his father's long, pretentious speech, Capriano had been captured by the clover-eyed beauty, unable to think of anything or anyone else.
All he could think about was her long, auburn hair, her rosy full, pouty mouth, her flawless, porcelain skin, her exceptional body, her velvet voice and, of course, her breathtaking clover eyes.
She was perfect. He'd never seen or met anyone as perfect as her. And the way she made him feel was too amazing to describe. He had to know her.
When his father's speech had ended it signaled the festivities to begin with a dance.
His eyes searched the room for her, spotting her almost immediately. She was standing in the far corners of the room with the same group of girls, who were now searching for a dance partner.
Capriano began to walk to her, ignoring the guests' greetings and congratulants, his mind securely set on her. Her eyes met with his and his heart fluttered wildly, a wave of nervousness engulfing him. She smiled when he reached her, her cheeks turning a beautiful shade of red.
"Care to dance?" He asked, holding out his hand.
"I'd be honored," she replied.
Hand-in-hand, Capriano led Elizabeth to the center of the hall, looked into her clover colored eyes, ignored the surprised stares of the guests, turned to face Elizabeth, put his hand around her waist and began to dance.
Their dance was hypnotic and enticing. Their bodies moving in perfect synchronization, molding with each other perfectly, moving at just the right pace, hands fitting perfectly and eyes never leaving each other.
The way he stared at her was mesmerizing. She was absolutely the most precious thing in the world to him and as they danced to the live music, their hearts meld. He was hers and no one else’s. Cameron was right; he'd met Mrs. Right at the ball.
Once the music had died down the crowd cheered wildly, making Elizabeth blush. He absolutely adored the way her cheeks turned red. On other girls the color was embarrassing, but on her in was beautiful. He smiled like a fool.
A giggle escaped her mouth, pleasing his ears.
"You look adorable when you're nervous," she told him, her thumb caressing the skin of his hand, igniting a flame within him.
Capriano laughed nervously, all the while turning a damning shade of red. He'd never had to deal with a feeling like this. In fact, he'd never felt a feeling like this. It was so different, so alien to him. And yet, it felt amazing. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach and his heart skipped a thousand beats as he reached for her cheek, cupping her face.
She leaned into his hand, which fit perfectly with her cheek, and smiled. The act had sent little tremors of pleasure through him. To be able to hold something so perfect was indescribably amazing yet he felt unworthy. He felt like a peasant cupping the face of an angel.
"Come with me," she said, squeezing the hand that was still in hers.
"O-okay," he said, surprised he was even able to breathe a word.
His hand dropped from her face, his heart already aching to reunite with it, and he followed her.
She led him up the spiral staircase, up to an empty balcony that overlooked Marketa South's beautiful ocean, the full moon glowing tyrannically over the night sky. He had caught his breath as he saw her under the moonlight, the moon's silver light dancing on her porcelain skin.
"You're the most peculiar woman I've ever seen, Elizabeth," Capriano said.
"I'm hardly a woman, nor am I that peculiar," she said, leaning on the balcony.
"I've never met any woman, girl like you. And no other girl has made me feel so... vulnerable and... open."
"I've never met any man like you, Capriano."
"Well, I certainly hope not," he joked. He was relieved when he heard a soft giggle escape from her.
"The view from here's marvelous," she said, turning to face the view, hands grasping around the concrete rails.
"It's not the most marvelous thing here," he said, his hand reaching to take a strand of hair from his face.
"If you're making a reference to yourself, Mr. Delguard, then I'd have to agree," she said flirtatiously. He turned a damning red.
She turned once again, the satin of her gown ruffling against the floor. Her eyes connected with his and he was filled with the same indescribable feeling. He felt nervous. She was so close. He didn't know what to do. Cameron hadn't prepared him for this.
"This is the part where you come closer to me and we have a cute Romeo and Juliet moment," she joked, chuckling softly. He turned redder.
"Beautiful, peculiar and feisty, as well," I think I'm in love with you, my dear Elizabeth," he admitted. He didn't know how he could feel this way so instantly (maybe it worked faster your first time?), but he knew it was true. He was in love, or at least deep infatuation.
"And you're handsome, sweet and different. You've had me at hello, Capriano," she said softly, her eyes shifting to the floor.
Capriano reached out with his arm and caressed her cheeks, sending a wave of awe through him. He felt as if he was touching royalty.
His touch had redirected her gaze back to his eyes. Looking at her with adoration, he lift his other hand to cup her face. When her face was carefully cupped in his hands, he, with the upmost delicacy, he leaned into her and nervously kissed her lips, shivering in euphoria at the magical feeling it gave him.
He opened his eyes and leaned in out just enough to see her reaction. A mix of love, nervousness and passion reflected in her eyes, the look picking up the pace of his heart rate.
Capriano leaned in again to kiss her lips, this time with a deeper sense of passion. His lips molded with hers as if they were made for this act exactly.
His hands intertwined with her hair as arousal swept through him, surprising him with its intensity. His hand drift across her naked shoulder and down her arm before it linked with hers.
All too soon, their kiss broke and they panted in unison.
"You kiss by th'book," she said. He chuckled at her reference
"Elizabeth! There you are," an older woman, with long auburn hair, said, shattering the mood. "We need to go."
Elizabeth's hands left his reluctantly, and she stared once more into his black eyes. "Mother, a moment, please?"
The woman, her mother nodded, and closed the balcony's mahogany doors. She lifted her head and kissed him once more before saying, "I need to go."
"So soon?"
"Yes, mother needs to take care of my father. He's not doing well."
"Oh, okay. Then I guess I'll be seeing you, alright?"
"Of course. You can't get rid of me that easily, Capriano Delguard," she said before turning to leave, a seductive smile on hanging on her lips.
Before she left she turned once more to look at him. By the time she left the balcony he already ached for her presence.
The scene blackened and I stood in darkness, a transparent Cap standing next to a probably transparent me.
"Wow," was all I could manage to say.
"Yeah, you were quite a site back in the 1800s," he said, that diamond melting smile set securely on his face.
"What are you trying to say, Capriano?" I asked. I would've slapped him on his arm but we were both transparent ghost things.
"Nothing, dear Chloe."
"I swear Cap if we were solid objects I would-"
"Have slapped me?"
"Awe, finishing my sentences now?"
"Yes, with conveniently placed question marks," the smile resurrected with a vengeance.
"Speaking of questions, how come you waited so long before you kissed me, but with her you do it the night you meet?" I asked, tapping my foot and crossing my arms. I don't know why I asked it, I just did, okay.
"Teenage hormones?"
"You're such a guy," I said, rolling my eyes.
"And wines are better tasted aged, my sweet."
"Corny, but sweet nevertheless."
"So, any other questions before we move on?"
"Am I not taking too much of your blood?"
"Not really, you stopped drinking about a minute in. Now you're, actually I'm not quite sure what you're doing."
"Urgh, so how come I'm still here?"
"You've made a link with my subconscious, you don't leave until you make an effort you. Or until I break the link."
"This whole memory-reading thing sounds very dark all of a sudden."
"It is. People weren't meant to see such things. But it's completely safe, I can ssure you."
"Have you ever done this before?"
"Well, no."
"Then how can you be so sure?"
"Some things you just know, and don't question. Time to go."
"Wait, one last question. How do I look so much like her?" I asked, but it was too late. By the time I finished the question I was already being transported to the next memory.
Next stop, the day everything changed. The day I died and the day Cameron ran away.
Capriano held the neatly written paper in his hand, sitting on the edge of his bed.
"What do you got there, brother?" Cameron asked, curiosity filling his features.
"An invitation to the state ball."
"Ooh, an invitation. From your mistress?"
"She's not my mistress, and sadly, no."
"Then from who?"
"From the countess, or duchess, or whatever. She's in town and wants me to accompany her," he said, choosing not to pay attention to the gleam of envy flashing through his eyes.
"Well, will you be going?"
"Of course I am. People don't just reject invitations by someone who can behead them with a flick of her finger."
"And what about Elizabeth?"
"I've told her about this already," he said, looking to his left where his love lay preciously on her side of the bed.
"And?"
"She says I should go."
"Then go."
"I don't know, brother. I have a bad feeling about today."
"Hmmm. I still think you should go. I mean, after all, you did say she'd behead you if you don't. And I personally think it looks much better securely on you shoulders."
"I guess so," he said before getting up. He didn't like the feeling sitting in the pit of his stomach, and his subconscious warning him not to go, but what other choice did he have?
The sun was beginning to set by the time he came back from the tailor. It was this time when he got the news. The news that his brother - and best friend - had ran away.
As soon as he stepped into the Victorian Mansion, which belonged to him and his brother, he knew something was off. Gone was the jubilant, flirtatious feel that came from living with Cameron. Capriano felt sick.
When he entered the living room he found his mother crying into her knees, Elizabeth trying awkwardly to comfort her.
"Mother, what's wrong. Is there something wrong?" He asked, shaken with worry.
"It's your brother, he's gone!" She wailed.
"He's what?!"
"He ran away, Capriano. Here, he left this," Elizabeth said to him, handing over paper. That definitely was his brother's hasty hand-writing. His hear picked up.
Dear brother
By now you would've noticed my absence. Something came up and I had to leave. I can't say what happen but know I have a good reason. I leave the mansion to you, little brother, don't mess it up.
I want you to know that I'm okay and I'll do my best to take care of myself. Send my love to the parents and, again, trust that I have a valid reason for leaving so abruptly. I'm sorry I couldn't stay to say goodbye but I know if I stayed, I'd never leave. Stay safe, Capriano.
P.S. I'll love you forever, little brother
Love, Cameron
Capriano read the short letter over and over again, as if to convince himself that if he read it enough it wouldn't sting as much. It was true. His brother had run away. And on the night he needed him the most.
He definitely didn't feel like going to a ball.
It was well into the ball before his Countess came which, unfortunately, gave him a lot of time to think about his brother's unseen departure.
How could he just leave like that? It just didn't make sense. Unless, unless he'd gotten a woman pregnant. But then he'd tell Capriano, right? I mean, brothers told each other everything. Well, for the past seventeen years that was what it had been between them. They told each other everything and were practically inseparable. But now he was gone and who knew where he was and if he'd ever choose to return. He hoped he did.
The crowd of dancers stopped their waltz when the large doors opened, revealing a regally dressed woman of explicable beauty.
She had golden blond hair as smooth as silk that was neatly wrapped up in a bun. She had lips that were full and edging on pouty, a nose that was straight, cheekbones that were high and eyes the most beautiful shade of blue he'd ever seen. Her porcelain skin complemented the deep, bloody shade of red that her gown had. Around her neck lay a beautiful silver necklace with a pear-shaped sapphire pendant. Over all, she looked mesmerizing, almost hypnotic.
But above it all, even with her flawless features, she still looked inferior compared to his darling bud Elizabeth.
He stood automatically after he's ability to think rationally came back to him.
"Countess," he greeted, holding her hand in his palm, kissing it gently as he bowed down in respect.
"Dear Capriano, won't you call me Esmeralda Báthory?" She asked, her voice smooth and harmonic.
"Of course, good evening, Esmeralda," he greeted once more, still entranced by her mystical voice.
"Care to dance?" Esmeralda asked, outstretching her.
"Why of course, darling Esmeralda," he accepted, not realizing the charm in his raspy voice. She giggled. Capriano was unfazed.
He put his palm in hers and escorted her to the center of the hall; her entourage looked on cautiously while the crowd expressed unanimous gasps of surprise following humble applause.
The band began playing a Mozart song and Capriano and Countess Esmeralda began to dance while the crowd watched in awe. They stepped in perfect pace, their bodies stepping effortlessly on the ground in harmonious strides. Capriano felt as if he was gliding in air.
"You're an excellent dancer, Mr. Delguard!" Esmeralda praised as the song died down.
"You're not too bad yourself, Countess," he said, an unexpected flirtatious chuckle escaping his lips. Knowing that, for the first time for the night, he was flirting with her, Capriano felt a pang of guilt through him.
He swore he was never going to flirt with the Countess again but the promise was futile as soon as she whispered hypnotizingly into his ear, "Follow me to a more, uh, private room, Capriano."
For a brief moment the familiarity of his first night with Elizabeth sprung into his mine, but that guilt-laced thought was the last thought of Elizabeth he'd ever have as a human.
Esmeralda turned around and walked him to a room at the far end of the hall. Her hand reached for the knob a turned gently. The door opened, revealing a room he never thought existed.
After they had entered the room, Esmeralda closed the door behind them, shutting her entourage out and leaving them completely alone.
The room, which was lit by a single blub hanging on a wall that gave the room certain romanticism, was scarcely decorated. It had ivory colored marble walls with mahogany wood floors. In the center of the room was a four-poster bed with red Egyptian silk covers, and ivory colored pillows. There was a dresser by one of the walls. A single portrait of the state's founder hung across from the bed.
"Kiss me," she simply whispered seductively.
Her voice was hypnotizing, laced with entrancing toxins that stole away his will. He couldn't resist her. He just couldn't. Now, all of a sudden, her lips looked irresistible to him.
I need to touch them, to taste them. Just one touch. What's the worst that could happen? He thought to himself, suddenly enticed by her rosy red lips.
His hand lifted and caressed the sides of his face, his nerve endings tingling with pleasure at her touch.
"Kiss me," she said once more and he was unable to resist.
His lips crushed onto hers, sending a wave of euphoria to finally be able to do what his body was aching to do. He savored the taste as the kiss deepened with passion. He couldn't get enough of her.
Their lips unlocked from their embrace and his eyes opened soon after. He stared into her breathtaking eyes and felt unable to say no to her charms. Unable to control the urges that were flowing in his blood.
His hands lift to release her golden hair, watching in awe as it fell from its imprisonment. He picked the hair from her back and placed it across her shoulder, watching as it cover her right breast.
"Undress me," she whispered seductively. Once again unable to resist, a wave of arousal flood through him at the mere thought.
Capriano's hand caressed her shoulder until it reached the lace of her corset, which kept her crimson gown on her body. Trembling with unbound desire, he released the intricate knot and her dress came tumbling to the floor.
Standing there in nothing but her shoes, Esmeralda looked even more stunning.
Her body was absolutely flawless. Her breasts were perky and supple, looking ever so perfection. Her pale, porcelain skin contained no blemishes, scars, stretch marks or cellulite. Her waist was tiny, making her body into the perfect hour glass figure. Her legs were long and smooth, looking like they could go on for days. His arousal had grown. He needed to have her.
She came towards him and whispered into his ear, "Aren't you a little... Overdressed?" The soft breeze that came from her breath tingled his skin and he moaned an inaudible yes.
Her hands drifted down his chest 'till they reached the end of the collar of his blazer. Reuniting with her hands, he helped her eagerly to remove his blazer. When that was off her hands drifted to his waist where she teased the bulge in his pants. He moaned harder.
Now, her hands moved from his crotch to the edges off his dress shirt where she began to slowly unbutton his shirt, her slow pace increasing his desire, his relentless need to have her. His own hands undid his black silk tie while she continued to unbutton his shirt 'till he stood there with her, topless.
No longer able to control himself, Capriano cupped her breasts and he kissed her deeply and animalistic, wanting all of her she responded with a needy kiss, her hands caressing his naked back.
Esmeralda’s kisses moved from his mouth to the edge of his lip until they found their way to his ears, where she teased him by biting his ear. A cocky smile, both devilishly mischievous and seductive, sprang on her lips and she her kisses descended to his neck.
Finally, unable to control herself, Esmeralda’s fangs extended and she bit into the skin of his neck.
At first the feeling of fangs entering his skin, taking his blood without his consent, was an unparalleled pain. The fangs felt like hot needles puncturing his skin, and the sudden loss of blood making him feel exposed and used.
"Relax," she whispered between sucks.
As soon as she breathed the words his body, once tense, relaxed, even to the point where he sagged a bit.
Now that she'd uttered that silent command, the feeling felt amazing, completely unlike anything he'd ever experienced before. And next to sex, there was no feeling that came close to what he felt in that moment.
Minutes into the feeling, Capriano felt dazed and he could feel his consciousness fading and his will-power depleting. He belonged to her. All she had to do was mutter a command and he'd follow it without complaint.
Finally, she released and moaned in euphoria.
"My, my, Mr. Delguard. You taste much better than I'd ever anticipated. And for your cooperation, I will reward you. With eternal youth."
Only happy that he pleased his Countess, Capriano could not quite understand what Esmeralda was getting at. A reward? Eternal youth? What was she getting at?
Her nails drift to her neck where she made a tiny incision, blood pouring neatly from the incision.
"Drink," she commanded sweetly. He couldn't resist. All of a sudden the blood looked mesmerizing, calling his name seductively, saying in an irresistible voice that he needed it. And of course, he couldn't resist.
He bowed his head until his lips met with her blood and he began to drink. The blood was amazing, inviting him to drink more until he couldn't take any more. It tasted like a unique cocktail of copper and sweetness. Like a unique blend of immortality, life, lust and desire. He couldn’t get enough.
"Enough," she whispered, and as always, he couldn't resist.
His lips unlocked from her neck and his head leaned back dazedly.
"Listen to me Capriano, after what I'm going to do you're going to have to do exactly as I say." Drunk on blood, he couldn't manage to utter s syllable. All he can do was nod his head in agreement, even though he didn't have a clue what she meant. "You're going to wake up sore, dazed and distraught. What you can do to relieve the whirlwind of emotions and confusion is to drink. To drink human blood. Not animal blood. That's just disgusting. Do you understand what I'm saying, Capriano?"
He nodded.
"Now, I'm doing this because I can't bring myself to kill you, but I have to have more of you. So you'll wake up immortal. You'll wake up a vampire."
Her eyes met with his and she leaned into his neck, extended her fangs and dug her teeth into her skin.
Capriano woke up because of the loud pattering of the unusually cold summer rain, and had the strangest craving he’d had in his life. Capriano craved for blood – fresh human blood, not that disgusting liquid that flowed through animals.
he looked around the dimly lit bedroom, unsure of how he got there, and stood up. He felt a burn in his throat and reached with his hand towards his neck, feeling two faint punctures in his skin. How odd. He had no clue where he'd gotten the marks; marks that made him think of a dark creature he heard whispered about in tales of horror.
But that couldn’t be true, could it? He refused to believe in the old man’s tale of undead creatures roaming the night and drinking the blood of the living to stay alive.But why did he have such a strong craving for blood? Why were there puncture marks on his neck?
He shook the questions that racked his brain and slowly stood, leaning against the wall beside him. His body ached all over. It felt as if he’d run a thousand miles the day before.
He limped towards the door at the far right of the room, grabbed the handle and pulled. But when he pulled the handle down, the door didn’t open. Instead, the handle broke off and Capriano stared at it, puzzled. He felt like he was in a daze. His vision was muddled but his hearing was amazingly acute and his throat ached for the delicious red liquid that ran through the veins of humans. He could feel his canine teeth elongating into sharp fangs at the mere thought of it.
Was he even human now that he sought out blood and grew fangs? If not, was he dead? If so, then how had he died? His memory felt even more muddled than his vision and Capriano limped his way out of the abandoned hall.
Only, it wasn’t abandoned. Just a few meters away Capriano could register the beating of a heart and the cry of a woman. The beat hypnotized him, the rhythmic pulse pulling him in like a trance.
The woman was huddled over a body that dripped from blood and she cried out in pain. His own pulse slowed down and all of his attention was drawn to the woman with the hypnotizing pulse and the body that dripped from blood.
He needed it.
As much as he tried to shake the feeling away, it did not go away, instead, the feeling of utter and complete bloodlust consumed him and Capriano gulped slowly.
“May I help you, ma’am?” he asked slowly, his eyes centered on the blood on the floor and on the woman’s clothes.
“Yes, it’s my son. He’s dead!” she said with pain reflecting in her tear-strung eyes. Her face reminded him of somebody he knew, but his mind was too busy thinking of ways to kill her, than to think of whom.
The woman moved away from the body with her hands plastered to her mouth, her blue eyes red from crying. Now he could see the man lying dead on the floor, blood gushing from his neck. And just like that, everything else disappeared and the only thing he could focus on was the blood that flowed from him like a stream. It smelt like nothing he’d ever smelt before and as he inched closer to the man, his knee supporting his weight, the blood grew more and more tempting.
He reached his hand to touch the blood; the liquid that touched his skin sent a wave of awe through him. His breath ceased to exist as his hand drew closer towards his face. The coppery smell of it smelled nothing like it had once smelled like just moments ago. This time he wasn’t appalled by the blood. Instead, he was entrance, enticed, and engrossed by the blood. His finger touched the skin of his tongue, the taste of the blood igniting his taste buds. It was as if this whole time he’d been feeding on tasteless rocks but now as his tongue savored the delicious enigmatic taste of blood, they were awakened from their 16 year long sleep.
He leaned forward to the boy and when his lips met with his neck, his body flourished in pleasure. Greedily, he began drinking the boy’s blood, not even caring when his fangs nicked the skin of his hungry tongue.
“Wait! What, what are you doing?!” the woman’s voice breaking his unparalleled attention to the boy’s blood.
He turned his face to look at her, his fangs fully exposed and mouth covered in her son’s blood. A scream echoed through his ears and the woman began to run, her fear sending a surge of adrenaline through his veins. He got up instantly and ran for her, her pace not nearly as fast as his, even with his still paining limbs.
Pouncing on her, he dragged her to the ground and sank his newfound fangs into the skin of her neck.
Capriano Delguard limped his way towards the doors of his Victorian Mansion. His lips were still stained with the remnants of fresh blood and his soaked ruffled dress shirt was still stained with blood.
When he reached the porch, he pushed the door lightly and it creaked open, revealing the yellow walls and white wood paneling of the entrance. One single large staircase led the way upstairs to the main bedroom of the house, where his love was waiting for him.
He limped along the stairs, keeping his support on the wooden rails of the staircase. His body ached more now than before he fed – something he found baffling since he thought that the blood would cure him. But instead, he wanted blood now more than ever.
“Capriano?” his love, Elizabeth’s voice roared through the otherwise empty house.
She appeared at the beginning of the staircase, her body showing through the shear material of the nightgown.
“God, what happened to you?” she said with effluent worry in her voice.
“I, I got into a fight,” he lied, somehow finding out how to talk in the midst of it all. He didn’t dare tell her he died, and then killed a woman.
“Oh you poor thing,” she said running down the stairs towards him.
“No! Stay away!” he urged her, fearing that he’d kill her instantly if her pulse got any closer to his fangs. She didn’t listen.
“Why?” she asked as she walked closer towards him.
“I'm, I'm not right…” he said, his voice trailing off.
“That’s why I need to help you,” she said as he stepped down until he once again stood in the entrance hall.
“Please,” he begged. Even through his bloodlust he knew he wouldn’t stand himself if he’d kill her.
She dared to walk closer until she eliminated the space between them. Her hand touched his chest, instantly igniting desire within him. He leaned closer to her and her touch trailed from his blood-soaked shirt to his neck, until they gently caressed the side of his face.
Her clover eyes met with his black eyes and slowly she lifted her head and he leaned in toward her, not to kiss her – though his lips brushed lightly against the skin just below her chin – but to insert his deadly fangs into the delicate skin of her neck.
The scene darkened with a close-up to a heart breaking image of Capriano cradling the limp body of his lover, never able to resurrect her from her eternal slumber.
The link between Capriano and I was shattered and I slowly returned to consciousness.