Chapter One – Demon or Human

You know those things that go "bump in the night" that your parents warn you about, well I am one of those things. We're in the media so much these days, I'm surprised that we haven't been truly found out yet. I'm talking, of course, about vampires. I know what you're thinking , I know. It's 2009, the "Year of the Vampire". How many more vampire stories can one take? But the thing is, we're real. Some of what pop culture has said about us is true, and others, well, let's just say that one shouldn't believe everything that they hear. My name is Ashley Davies, and I was born in 1909 and I died in 1926. I was 17 years old and my world changed forever. The 'who' isn't really important right now and I'm sure you could guess as to the 'why'. The 'how', well, that's one thing that the media got right. A surefire way to make a vampire is for the vampire to drain their victim, and then feed them their own blood. It doesn't always work. These things aren't an exact science, you know. But more often than not, a vampire is born. And that's what happened with me. And now here I am, 83 years later, still hiding in the shadows amongst the rest of the undead.

Sure I have some vampire friends. I even have a family. We're not the soulless creatures that Dracula has made us out to be. Well, not all of us anyways. But we do have a demon inside of us. We do need blood to survive. There's nothing that anyone can do to stop or change this, or believe me, I would have found a way. I live off of animals to survive. It's not as bad as one may think. It's no different that eating tofu if you are a human. It just takes a while to adjust to the taste. I still fight my animal urges from time to time. Emotions make it harder sometimes – lust and anger are the worst because they are the most animalistic emotions one can have. But luckily, I rarely tap into those emotions. I just live my life like any normal teenager, with a few exceptions.

I go to school. I can't help myself, I love being around the humans. They intrigue me. It reminds me of my own humanity, and that's something that I need to keep in my mind at all times. How can I attend school, you may ask. Well, another vampire myth is that we burst into flames with the tiniest of sun exposure. We can only last outside for a while though. The sunlight weakens us over time and so most vamps choose to just come out at night. Truth is, I love the sun. It warms me. And lying in the sand underneath the sun is an amazing feeling, and one which I hope to never lose. The one downside for attending school is that I need to limit my direct contact with the humans. I can never get to close to anyone, for fear that they will learn my secret.

The thing about secrets, you see, is – the harder you try to hide yours from the people that you love, the harder you push those people away. I've learned that all this accomplishes is a broken heart and hurt feelings for everyone involved. And why would I knowingly put someone through that? So I find it best to just stay a loner. It's not very hard, and in fact it's something that I've grown quite accustomed to in my many years on this Earth. You see, when you live my life, if you could even call it living, it's best to keep everyone at an arms reach. That way, I stand very little chance of hurting anyone. That thought is all and well, but never did I imagine that I would meet someone who would change my entire existence.

A cool breeze blows in the morning air and I pull my jacket closer as a reflex. I inhale deeply the scents around me, basking in the smell of the sea. The beach is truly one of my favorite places. The waves can make anyone feel alive and happy, and I find that I usually begin and end my days in my favorite spot underneath the pier. As I walk closer, I notice someone sitting on the sand near my spot. I sharpen my eyes and see blonde hair blowing in the wind. I breath in as I move closer and inhale her intoxicating scent. Strawberry. She still has her back toward me as I creep closer, trying to learn more about the breathtaking creature before me. I hear low sighs and notice that her body is shivering. Her pulse is racing as a sob wracks through her body. I can almost feel her pain. I close my eyes and breath her in again, taking in everything about this young girl. I do not recognize her scent. She must be new to the area. It's a small town and I've made it my duty to know everyone who is in it. The blonde suddenly stands and my body is in full alert mode. I move quickly to the shadows and crouch in the bushes. She stands and faces the water a moment before turning around and heading toward the road. I follow her with my eyes, memorizing her features. She's stunning. Her blonde hair and pale complexion give her an angelic appearance. Her eyes are downcast, so I cannot see them. And I find myself disappointed. She moves to the road and starts to walk towards the school. I watch her go from the shadows. I track her to King High, my school, and watches as she walks up the front steps. She stops as her hand reaches the door and she turns around toward my direction. I'm hidden and I know that she can't see me, but I inhale sharply anyway. She stands there for a moment, scanning the trees, before shaking her head and entering the school.

I move from the shadows and remove my sunglasses from my eyes. Her scent drifts further away from me and I find that my body yearns for me to follow her. A slow fire builds underneath my skin as I sniff the air once more, finding her scent amongst the others, and savoring it. She awakens feelings and reactions in my body that have lain dormant for years. My eyes open and I can feel the hunger pulsating in my stomach and my throat. Whether it is the demon or the human in me, I don't know yet. But I do know one thing – I must meet this girl.