Discworld and Member Articles
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Written by Mynona
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Friday, 26 August 2005 |
I woke up in the room I’d started to consider mine. There was something wrong, though and despite the quick glance I’d cast around the room I couldn’t figure out what. I couldn’t find anything that shouldn’t be here but neither could I find anything missing. It wasn’t until I heard the door opening that I realised that I’d seen everything in the room without a source of light.
Emilio entered and I’m almost ashamed to say that I just sat there on the bed staring… although staring might be the wrong word, I’d been caught up in the sounds he made walking towards me. I could hear in heart beating, the slight shuffle of shoes on first the stone floor and later the carpet. There was a silken sound of his hair moving against itself and his shirt. I was certain that if he blinked I’d hear his eyelids closing.
I woke up in the room I’d started to consider mine. There was something wrong, though and despite the quick glance I’d cast around the room I couldn’t figure out what. I couldn’t find anything that shouldn’t be here but neither could I find anything missing. It wasn’t until I heard the door opening that I realised that I’d seen everything in the room without a source of light.
Emilio entered and I’m almost ashamed to say that I just sat there on the bed staring… although staring might be the wrong word, I’d been caught up in the sounds he made walking towards me. I could hear in heart beating, the slight shuffle of shoes on first the stone floor and later the carpet. There was a silken sound of his hair moving against itself and his shirt. I was certain that if he blinked I’d hear his eyelids closing.
“Alexis?” I winced at the volume of his voice. It didn’t look as if he was screaming but he really was loud. “Sorry.” He said in a quieter voice but it was still much too loud. “I’d forgotten how it is to be awoken.” His voice had gotten softer, as if trying to be real quiet. I had a terrible idea that ‘awoken’ in this case meant more than waking from sleep. I didn’t particularly want to find out though.
“What’s happening?” My hands hit my ears, there was definitely something wrong, my own voice was too loud.
“Don’t you remember yesterday?” Of course I remembered, as soon as he began speaking that is. I sagged were I was sitting. I was supposedly a vampire. A blood-drinking, supreme-senses, live-forever kind of vampire. And yeah, not to forget, ‘the’ Dracula was my father. Eeep. I did what most people in my situation would do, no not scream, I ran my tongue along my teeth and realised that yes, my canines were longer and sharper than they ought to be. They weren’t as long as I’d feared though, and not as sharp, if they had they’d probably make it hard to speak.
”It’s true?” I didn’t have to explain what I meant with ‘it’ Emilio just nodded. I was rather happy he did because it meant that my ears, though getting better, didn’t have to take the abuse speaking would have caused. I must have looked very lost because he came closer, almost close enough to touch.
“Don’t worry, it’ll be alright.” He said. Of course not I thought and said as much.
“Of course it won’t, I have to drink blood!” When I said the word I thought about it and the coppery and slightly sweet taste of blood invaded my senses. I expected to feel the slight note of disgust at it all but it never came. Instead there was a craving for it. It was stronger than anything I’d ever felt before, this new craving and I suddenly got very afraid.
“Calm down.” Emilio said and I really tried to. In long last I succeeded but it wasn’t easy. “I take that wasn’t as repulsive as you’d thought.”
“It… it’s wrong. I’m not supposed to… want it like that.”
”It’s all right. We all want it like that, it’s the bloodlust. It’s what keeps us alive.” I just looked at his doubtingly. “And the younger you are the more often you need to feed. In fact, I came here to help you with that.”
”No.” I said and there weren’t even a hint of doubt in my voice or mind.
“You need to.”
”I refuse.” I could feel him fighting against rolling his eyes.
“You will feed. I am to help you do that in a controlled manner. The longer you wait the stronger the craving will become and in the end there will be nothing but the hunger.”
“I do not want to feed. I do not feel the craving you speak of.” Well, at least it was partially true, I ought to have added ‘any longer’. I had definitely felt something when I had spoken of blood earlier. This time Emilio did sigh. His eyes stayed trained on mine though.
”Please Alexis, you need to feed and the sooner you do the lesser chance of you hurting your donor.”
”What does it matter? I’ll kill them anyways.” So yes, I was sulking but I didn’t care, I didn’t want to kill anyone, not even for my own survival.
”You won’t kill, you don’t need to.” What was he talking about? I’d fed once before, not that I remembered much of it, and I’d killed.
“How do you know I won’t?” Darn, there was that annoying pleading tone in my voice again.
”A human holds three litres of blood, you can’t take all that at once.”
”Oh.” Not the most intelligent answer but I’d live, sort of. And how was I supposed to know how much a vampire could drink at one sitting?
”Now, lets go and get you fed.”
”I don’t know…” This time he did roll his eyes. I knew they told me I was vampire and somewhere in my mind I knew they were right but that didn’t mean I wanted to give my humanity up. I’d cling to it with everything I was.
”You need to feed and I’ve been sent to see to it since I’m your teacher. You will feed.”
”I don’t want to!” Damn him. I was cling by the hair of my teeth and I knew it but I didn’t want to let go, couldn’t let go. Emilio sighed again and didn’t look very happy with me. “I don’t want to hurt anyone, even if I don’t’ kill them.” Couldn’t he understand that? Had he been a monster for so long that he’d forgotten what it was like to be human?
”Alexis, you haven’t been listening to what I’ve said. You won’t hurt anyone, I won’t allow it.”
”Allow it?” I was doubting again but with all he was talking about, who could blame me?
”As your teacher it’s not only ‘traditional’ subjects I’m supposed to teach you. I’ll also teach you how to feed without hurting anyone, how to hunt and other things connected to what you now are, what you now need.”
“Promise?” My voice, and in all honesty my emotional level, was set at 5 years old. I felt so very small and lost in this new-old world.
“Promise what?”
”Promise you won’t allow me to hurt anyone.”
“I promise. Now will you agree to feed?” In his defence I must say that he sounded just a tad bit exasperated. When thinking back on how I’d behaved… well, let’s just say that I would have had a lot less patience with myself.
“I’ll try.” I said and he seemed happy with the answer. He went to the door and opened it and there stood a human. I knew instantly that it wasn’t vampire. The heat and smell of blood, the sound of heartbeat and breathing. Emilio was speaking to me but I had to ask him to repeat himself because I hadn’t been listening.
“I asked if you still didn’t want to feed.”
“I think I need to.” I answered and I was afraid. Though I had never gone for long without food I’d never felt anything like this. It wasn’t hunger, hunger should be possible to ignore but this wasn’t. It filled me like fire, devouring everything in its way, in that was reason.
”I’m not going anywhere, I’ll be here.” He took the woman’s arm and led her closer to me. “This is Anne, let her sit on the floor and sit behind her.” I didn’t understand why at first but it came to me, if you were going to pierce an artery you didn’t want to do it somewhere where the stains wouldn’t come out. “That’s right. Now lean her head to the right and brush her hair out of the way.” Although I felt like just digging my fangs into that neck I forced myself to listen to him. As much for hearing the instructions as to ground me. Keep me there and now. I swallowed one last mouthful of the wonderful liquid and locked eyes with Emilio.
“See,” He said. “No harm done, to either of you.” And he was right. The woman didn’t look any worse for wear. It was great and horrible all in one, the blood had tasted so good and it had felt even better to pierce her neck but… it was blood we’re speaking about. Someone else’s blood at that.
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