Prologue

Ever since I escaped the army of zombies, trained to kill and nothing more, I have wandered the country as if in a dream. Mechanically feeding to survive, knowing that the next day would be no different, from the day before it. Perhaps I should have stayed with my creator. Then, when I was no longer useful, I would be killed. No, not killed, disposed of. After all, I am already dead. The world once so bright is now lost in an abyss of darkness. I would wish this fate upon no one, and yet. . . I am alone. I've been alone for fifty years, I just want a friend.

The pain was immense, like every cell of my body was giving up its warmth to feed the fire that was building around my heart. The fire was sweeping through my body, with one destination, one purpose. To burn out my heart. What had I been doing? It kept getting hotter. Through the fire I grasped the memory. My parents had died in a car crash. I was leaving the funeral when someone had grabbed me, and the pain started. The pain. It was worse than anything I had ever experienced. I was going to die, and I was alone. All alone. But, I wasn't, someone was holding my hand. I forced my eyes open. An angel was holding my hand. Good. I would die soon, and I would join my parents. I examined the angel more closely to distract myself. She was very young, no older than thirteen. She couldn't be described as cute, no there was only one word for her, beautiful. The pain reached its climax, my vision obscured as the fire wrapped itself around my heart. Then, I was lost to the darkness.

"So, you've finally stopped screaming?" A voice at my side chimed.

I sat up slowly, expecting the extreme pain to relapse at any moment. My senses were unusually clear. The only effect the burning sickness seems to have had on me was to leave my body feeling cold. Like the aliment had burned the warmth out of me. Glancing around I found myself in a one-room cabin, which was odd. The last place I remembered was being on a street, in the middle of town. However, the unmistakable sounds of nature were drifting in through the poorly insulated cabin's walls. I turned to the girl that had spoken. It was the angel that had held my hand throughout my sickness. Where I was, and why I felt so wonderful after suffering the raging fires in my body clicked in my mind, "Am I dead?" My voice came out as a clear whisper.

The child continued with the brown waves of her hair for a moment, then she answered, "It depends on your definition of dead."

I stared at the pale girl, taking in her dolls face, as if it would give me some clue to her meaning. Everything about her was perfect, even angelic, except her eyes. Her eyes were a foreboding shade of red-violet. Knowing I wouldn't like the answer I asked anyway, "What do you mean?"

She was studying me again. "I'll explain after you've fed, then you'll understand, and believe me more easily." In one fluid movement, she stood up and made her way to the door, indicating that I should follow, before she slipped out.

Why, should I trust her? Why shouldn't I? She had just held my hand throughout the burning sickness. I felt that I owed her something, and I trusted her for what she'd done. I rose and quickly followed her outside. At first glance I realized I was in the middle of no where. The only thing in sight was the small cabin I'd just exited, and a barn. Around that was miles and miles of tall, yellow grass. The girl was at the barn. When I reached her, she started opening the door. Whatever had happened before had left me in the best shape of my life. All my senses as well as my physical abilities seemed to be magnified by a thousand My eyes were drawn to the opening door. The most tantalizing scent was wafting from the building. A dry ache started in my throat, my mouth watered. Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing. It was just scent and I. I flew into the barn, the perfect predator, and fell upon the source of the scent. There was no control, no stopping until, "What am I?" I cried as I crumpled to the floor, refusing to look at the inert body beside me.

"You are my companion. You are my creation. You are a vampire." The little girl had been leaning against the door frame. Now she came over to my spot on the floor, picked me up and carried me back to the cabin. I was set down in front of a full-length mirror. I stared in amazement. I had changed. My skin was now pale and my waist length hair was now a darker shade of red, and my eyes. My eyes were the same foreboding shade of red as the angels. "What's your name?" The girl asked.

"Celine Avery.," I answered, still staring at the near-perfection in the mirror.

"Well, it's just Celine now," the girl said, then indicating herself, "My name's Sarah. Now sit down, I have a few things I must tell you." Sarah explained all about being a vampire to me. I sat through the explanation without a word. I felt as though I would begin crying at any moment. But the tears, they never came.

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I haven't written anything in awhile, so if you catch any mistakes let me know (self-edited). I would like some constructive criticism as well. - Enjoy!