Chapter 1

Arthur POV

"What are you Mr. Kirkland?"

An odd question to be asked. And especially by someone I've never met before.

"Well, I'm obviously human. What else would I be?"

I hadn't even seen this man yet, but something told me I didn't want to. Nothing screams danger like being alone at night with someone who refuses to show themselves. But by his accent, I at least knew he was Russian.

He stepped out of a shadow cast by one of the trees. Just as expected, he was Russian. At least six-foot, with short silvery hair, a large nose, and stunning lavender eyes, he stood under the light.

"Well, there have been many reports of 'accidents' happening around town," he smiled at the word accidents, "and I just want to be sure I don't become the next victim." He gave a giggle, almost like a young child; cheerful, but with a hint of cruelty.

He must've been referring to the reports of people being found dead on the streets and in alleyways. Apparently, they'd been attacked during the night and drained of their blood. It had started about a week ago, but fourteen bodies had already been found. Some people thought it could be a psycho who finally snapped, but others believed it was the work of vampires. But everyone knows vampires are just a myth used to sell T-shirts

to Americans, and even if they were real, they wouldn't be in England.

"Do I honestly look like I'm out for blood?" I asked him tartly.

He stepped closer. Pretty soon he was right in front of me, and I noticed that I was wrong about his height. He was taller than me by more than a couple of inches, but almost by a complete foot! He slowly circled around me, almost as if he was sizing me up. Is that what he's doing? 'Is he planning to mug me?' To be safe, I tried to keep my eyes on him the entire time. He must've known about my suspicions, or he could read the fear in my eyes, because he giggled again. "Do not worry, da~?"

He stopped his circling and was now standing behind me, almost right over top of me. I closed my eyes to try to steady my nerves, but was snapped out of it after he sniffed my neck.

"Whoa! Step back!" I backed away from him and rubbed my neck, trying to wipe away the tingling feeling his breath left. Great, so he wants to mug AND rape me. I scowled at him. "Who are you anyway?"

He giggled again. "How foolish of me. My name is Ivan Braginsky. As you can tell, I'm not from around here, da~? I'm here on... business."

I refused to look away from him again. "Alright 'Ivan', so why did you stop me? And how the hell do you know my name?"

He moved quickly and was soon standing behind me again. "Because you fascinate me. And it does not matter how I learned your name. Now enough with the questions, da~?"

I turned back towards him. "Stop doing that! You got to say hello, so I need to be heading home. Now goodni.." As I turned to leave he put his hand over my mouth. "You don't have to go anywhere Mr. Kirkland. Not right now." He leaned over and smelled me again. What is his problem, aside from being a fucking pervert? I broke free and fell to the ground. "What did I just say? I have no need to stay here, nor do I want to, so piss off da?

His features darkened, and he grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and threw me against the wall. I fell to the ground again, this time hitting my head. My vision was blurred, but by the time it had recovered, he was once again holding me up, up against the wall by my neck. He stared at me, and I swore for a second that his eyes had actually flashed red, blood red. "Do not mock me, Mr. Kirkland," he growled. His accent had thickened and I could just barely make out what he was saying. "You do not seem to understand what I am capable of." Although he was pushing really hard, I was still able to speak a little. "Of course I do! Why else do you think I was trying to leave?" He giggled again, but, this time, it was more menacing than cheerful. "Apparently not. Otherwise, you would not be talking to me this way," he grinned.

"You see, those were no accidents. It was simply business." He tightened his grip on my neck as I tried to squirm free. "I had to, for survival. My name is Ivan Braginsky, greater vampire since 1732." I stared ahead in horror. So the rumors were true, and I was about to become the fifteenth victim.

"Don't look so afraid. I just want a taste," he smiled and licked his lips. I tried even harder to escape, but he just tightened his grip more, making it nearly impossible to breathe. "Although struggling is making your blood pump faster, I would prefer you stop. If you don't you could end up dead like the other, and who'd want to waste such sweet-smelling blood?"

His eyes flashed red again as he pinned my shoulder with his free hand, and moving his other hand from my neck to my head, holding it down to expose my neck. 'Oh god, I'm dead. I'm dead. I am going to die!' "Go to hell," I spat. He giggled again. "It's boring there. I'd rather stay here. Now hush up!" He sank his teeth into my neck like ice cold daggers. I yelped in pain, but it didn't help, and it was only a matter of seconds before his figure blurred and I was surrounded by darkness.

Ivan's POV

'For putting up such a struggle, it doesn't take much to take you down.' I smiled as I watched my victim's eyes shut. He's a small man, so I didn't take too much.

After a few minutes, I finally let go and watched his body slump to the ground. I knew he wasn't dead, at least for now. He was simply passed out from the shock. 'Humans are so weak, and delicious.' This one, though, seemed much weaker than most men his age. He was smaller than most men, paler too. Ashen blonde hair and emerald green eyes also didn't make him appear any more intimidating. If it wasn't for his voice and those god-forsaken eyebrows, it would be easy to confuse him for a woman. 'Pathetic.'

He finally began to wake up, acting like he had just woken up from a night of drinking. Well, at least until he saw me. I didn't think it was possible, but he actually managed to become even paler than before. He looked away and, what I assume was dry-heaving, before laying his head back on the ground. I placed my hand on his shoulder. "This was fun, da~? We should do it again soon." I smiled and turned to leave. He mumbled something. "Excuse me, but what was that?" He turned his head and looked at me. He seemed like he was about to repeat himself, but couldn't. I smiled. 'That's what I thought.' "Da svidaniya Mr. Kirkland." And, aside from the now trembling Brit, there was no evidence I was ever there.