"You will serve me as my apprentice."
"I will."
"You will obey my every command."
"I will."
"You will stand by my side."
"I will."
"You will help me annihilate the Teen Titans."
"Yeah, sure."
~
I haven't fully processed dying and coming back from the dead. I haven't fully processed the fact that I am now a vampire, now adjusting to a completely new set of instincts and abilities.
Slade had given me strict orders to change my appearance so that I wouldn't be recognized at night.
I spent the time I needed to dye my hair, and change my clothes. My locks went from a rich, vibrant auburn to a deep, violet black.
The girl in the mirror had paler skin, a bone ivory with a contrast so striking against the black hair that she looked dead. She saw through fiery hazel brown eyes, standing powerfully in the black leather suit accentuated with metal pieces at the shoulders.
A smirk made its way to my face for about two seconds, when the discomfort of thirst wiped the hint of satisfaction from my face. It was annoying, and the sensation felt as if I hadn't consumed any sort of fluids in days - a deep dryness, an itch, that needed to be satiated.
"Better. Much better," Slade announced happily. I gave him an eye roll, whirling towards him slowly.
"Someone's in a great mood today," I shrugged, staring straight into his masked eye.
"I feel satisfaction when a task of mine is completed."
"A task being my transformation."
"Yes," he confirmed.
Another eye roll from me. Something I've come to notice, is that I am much more easy to annoy. I thought it was easy when I was... Alive, but this was ridiculous. I've turned into a walking time bomb.
"Okay, mission accomplished, Sir," I started, "So what happens now? I'm dead, you're not out in the open because everyone thinks you're dead too. What's your plan?"
"And here's where your first test comes into play."
He stayed silent after that, causing me to sigh in irritation.
"Well!?"
"Someone seems to be a bit on edge. Thirsty?"
"Yeah. Where are the blood bags?"
"There are none."
"Excuse me?" I snarled, stepping closer to Slade.
"I only gave you the one blood bag to complete your transition. You're in charge of tending to your thirst."
"And how am I supposed to do that?" I snapped, feeling irritated. The longer I went without blood, the more irritated I felt.
"Figure it out. Explore the heart of the city," Slade ordered. I kept my narrowed eyes at him as I walked out of his hideout and into the night.
~
I thought my eyes were sharp before - my eyes now were extremely precise, picking out things in the air that I could see even in massive distances.
My ears were able to pick up great quality of sound from miles and miles away. Of course, I had my other senses, but my hearing and my sight were the most dominant.
I was in the wrong place at the right time.
I passed a building where some guys, probably in their twenties were walking out. I could literally hear a laugh, a smile playing on their lips as they saw me. It had finally dawned on me that what I was wearing, and my new look made me appear older and more sophisticated.
Hearing them behind me, I began to walk faster.
"Hey, Sweetheart! Where do you think you're going?" one of them called for me. I scoffed and began running, already hearing their footsteps matching my pace. I ended up in an alley with a dead end.
My back faced them. It hasn't even been an hour and I've already gotten myself into trouble.
"You're going a little fast there, Sweetheart," one of them said, grabbing me roughly. I tensed up, scared of what they would do.
"What should we do with this one?"
"Let's have our way with her."
"She's pretty."
I felt the hands grip me tighter, and I smelled a strong stench of beer as the guy brought his lips to my ear, right by my face.
"You'll be begging us to keep it up, Sweetheart."
"Please... don't," I whispered. I felt my own tears running down my face. I was roughly turned around, and his hands squeezed my throat tight, trying to choke me.
"Such a pretty girl like you has no reason to cry."
I decided to drop the act, rolling my eyes at the guy squeezing my throat.
"Now, now," I started, gripping the guy's hands and twisting them in unnatural ways, "Is that any way to treat a lady?" The guy was screaming in pain, just as he deserved to.
I laughed, smirking as I enjoyed his pain. "You three are in the right place at the wrong time," I stated.
Another guy was brave enough to ask.
"W-why's that, Little Lady?"
A sting.
"Well, here's my problem...well, yours, actually. I'm hungry, and you guys smell good," I smirked, stepping forward.
They all began running out of the alley, thinking they'd escape.
I ran so fast that I was in front of them in a second. Hhhmm, so my speed is even faster too...
"Whoa! How did you do that?" one of them stupidly asked.
"Oh come on. You don't expect me to tell you what I'm capable of, now do you?" I taunted, smirking big the whole time. I walked up to one and looked him dead in the eyes, being completely serious.
"I want you to stay where you are, do you understand?" I asked, almost bored. I was surprised at my answer.
"Yes. I understand." Hhhmm...So I have the ability of mind compulsion.
The other two began running. Big mistake.
I took a few steps and remained unflinching as I broke one of their necks like a twig.
The other one kept trying to run, all while entertaining me. He stumbled several times, obviously scared of me.
"You really shouldn't try to leave without a proper goodbye. That's bad manners," I stated, right before I grabbed the guy's shirt and dragged him back to where my other two victims were.
"P-please! Have mercy! I w-won't tell anybody!" he screamed. I laughed hard, standing tall and down at him.
"Sorry, all out of mercy. As for that last part..." I pretended to think for a second, "Hhmmm...Nope!"
I felt my eyes darken at the whites and veins pulse around them as I advanced forward.
"What's wrong with your face!?" the guy freaked.
I smirked, and smiled wide at him, showing my fangs, "I'm hungry, and you smell good," I smirked, just as I charged at him.
I gripped his head hard and dug my fangs deep into his neck as I drank him dry in less than five minutes. His screams softened into moans, just as I was nearly finished.
I dropped his limp body and stared straight into the eyes of the man under my compulsion. How did I do it?
"I want you to stay still and watch me rip your heart out without a sound, got it?" I asked in a venomous monotone.
"Yes." I smirked and watched in my own amazement as my right hand tore into straight into his chest. I managed to hit bull's eye and felt the heart beating erratically in my hand. I gave it a light squeeze and with a hard tug, I ripped it out of his chest.
My eyes were gleaming at the organ in my hand, still beating delicately. It was warm, and I could feel some blood pulsing through it. With precise and delicate movements, I brought the heart up to my lips and let my teeth bite into the heart firmly enough to draw blood.
The sugar sweet liquid was flowing like a waterfall into my mouth, giving me a sensation of pleasure. I drank the heart dry in a few minutes, and I crushed it with a squeeze of my fist, letting the pieces fall to the ground.
I thought about the guy with the broken neck, the first one I killed. His blood won't coagulate immediately, so...
I bit deeply into his neck and drank him dry, just as I had with the first one. I drank the guy with the broken neck, satisfying my first hunt.
I found a large dumpster and stashed their bodies in there. I made sure they were all the way at the bottom of the dumpster, just so they weren't found right away.
I walked and saw a puddle showing my face.
My eyes were still bloodshot. My face was extremely pale against the contrast of my violet black hair, and the lower half of my face was covered in blood.
Overall, my reflection looked like one of a demon. And I liked it.
I made it to the lake close by to clean myself up. As the blood left my face, my now extremely sensitive ears picked up on a familiar sound.
I heard the voices of the Teen Titans, about a mile away, heading towards me. My blood ran cold when I realized what a mess I have made for myself.
I hadn't placed the freshly dug up dirt back in its place when I escaped my coffin. Not only that, but there's a chance I had my communicator in Slade's hideout.
I ran off, running the five mile run I needed to get back.
~
I made it back in less than five minutes. I searched everywhere, hoping I'd find the yellow communicator.
"Looking for something?" Slade's voice boomed throughout the hideout, right behind me. I turned around and went straight to business.
"The Titans might have a lead towards me. My old communicator is missing. I think it's here," I told him.
He laughed at me.
"Amber, I think you're paranoid. If there was such an object here, I'd find it immediately. Trust me, it is more likely to be in your coffin." My eyes widened, and I ran off again.
~
I found myself staring at my own grave again, only this time I felt nothing but determination to find that communicator. I began digging, covering myself in dirt as I dug feet after feet. I opened up my coffin, the box I was trapped in just a few hours ago, and I sighed in relief.
My communicator was still in the coffin, however the new problem in my hands was the damage I had caused to the coffin. I now had a cover up to handle.
I grabbed the communicator and crushed it to pieces with my hands. I kept my coffin open as I threw in the destroyed object's fragments inside. I slammed the coffin closed and smoothed out the dirt, making my escape undetectable.
All I wanted was my permanent survival. And a little revenge in the future..
I heard the Teen Titans heading home, probably about five minutes away. I could have run, but I walked into the ocean, and stayed underwater as I heard their arrival. Who knew Robin would have them up and running days after my death...
As soon as I heard them go inside, I jumped unexpectedly high and landed on the roof of the tower. I let my ears do the work as I eavesdropped on them.
(Robin's POV)
"Are you sure someone was on the loose, Robin?" Raven questioned as we entered the tower. I was on edge - we all were. It was too soon to be running around after everything that happened, but it wasn't going to keep us from getting the job done.
"For the last time, I'm sure. The alarm went off and there were reports of screaming in the city," I repeated. I was growing angry, repulsive.
"Okay dudes, it's four in the morning. We've got to get some rest and talk about it in a few hours," Beast Boy suggested. Everyone else seemed to agree, because they all scurried to their rooms. I trudged my feet as I entered my accommodation, throwing myself onto my bed.
Something didn't feel right.
(Amber's POV)
I assumed my return would be a bit dramatic. Who knew how long it would take before those bodies were found. I made quite a mess.
I wasn't able to feel anything but power coursing through me.