Hey, I'm like new writer here. :) This's my first submitting story. I started writing it in 2007, straightly in English - which isn't my mother tongue - and which was frankly speaking a little mistake, because writing another language is always different than writing your own. The last chapters ever since from chapter 4 are much better because they're written in my mother tongue, Finnish, first before translating. Thanks for my friends DaniaShan and John-E who helped me to correct those silly mistakes of spelling. And yeaa... The story is still under working, right now I'm writing chapter 6 in Finnish.

Hope you enjoy very muches

Mina

Chapter 1 - Café

I don't feel cold anymore. My hands are numb - and so is my face. I see shadows around me. Strange shadows and endless, cruel darkness. Despair and sorrow harassing me all the time. I'm almost disoriented - I only know where I am; somewhere in the vampire mountain. Waiting for my punishment - or death.
I close my eyes and feel my head relax. Then I start to think aboutwhat I have done and what has happened to me. Failure - that's the first thing in my mind - but that's not the reason why I feel tears in my eyes. Failing was the thing that made me remember one good friend. No, he wasn't my supporter. He was innocent - and faithful. This friend said to me once, with his soft voice:

"Why are you doing this, Kurda? I don't believe that your actions make the clan any better. Can't you see... It only does damage to you. This is unnecessary. They will only call you a traitor after all."

But I didn't listen to him. I completely trusted my plan. That's why I'm crying now.

"Oh sorry, I didn't notice you!" The young man said to me. I had an understanding smile on my face. Why was he apologizing? Because he collide me? That's possible.

It was the first time I met him. It was when I was going out of the café - I was already going out the door, and at the same time he came in. I was younger than I am now. I had big dreams about being a vampire prince and entering the clan into alliance with the vampaneze - as called the enemies of an vampires. But at that time, these things was just big dreams, and I was just a common young vampire among the others. I didn't have three little scars on my cheek as I have now. Nobody cursed me as now. I was not a traitor as I am now. I just need to say, that those times may have been the best time of my life. I was wasting my time without any worry: visiting new cities, meeting new people - few of them were vampires - and learning new languages.
I was in London. Trees were glowing with beautiful autumn tints. Air was fresh and cool. It was a little, peaceful London lane. I loved that place. I met interesting people there. But that man I met was different - not in bad way.

"Don't worry. It's okay", I said smiling. He looked at me and smiled bac nervously. I retreated back inside the café. To my surprise the young ma followed me. Perhaps he wants to talk to me? I asked to myself. He had ochre colored, blond hair and a little shy smile on his lips. I sawhis autumn brown eyes. He had the eyes of autumn. His smile was different, even if he looked happy, I saw sore sadness through it. Maybe he was one of the unlucky - poor - people. If it was so, I had met guys like him before.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, mister..." He called me mister!

"Kurda Smahlt. Nice to meet you too", I answered and gave my hand. He shook it.

"Louis... Louis Audsley." I sat down at the little table. The man, who introduced himself Louis, watched me closely when he sat down beside me.

"So", I started while he was studying me, "What is a man like you doing here in the middle of the night?" Louis smiled at my question.

"You know, I'm a medical student. The lessons are long and they last into the night. On my way home, I always stop here for a moment and drink a cup - or two - coffee."

"Intending to be a doctor, huh? That sounds great." I was surprised.

"Really? This's serious work, but I think that people respect it. And yes, I want to be a doctor. But still I have long way to go, and much to learn."

"That's true", I agreed, "I think your parents are proud of you."

After what I said, I felt the first quiet moment. The younger man fingered his lower lip and watched the wooden table. When I started to ask, did I say something wrong, he nodded to my words and whispered:

"Yeah, they would be."

"Would be?" I asked to him quietly, then I started to realize, what he meant.

"My... My family is dead. Mom, dad, brother... Everyone", Louis answered to me and I saw, how the words had hurt him.

"Forgive me."

"It's okay, really..."

"No, it is not. Blame me."

"About what?"

"Uh..."

"Do you know what, Kurda?" I heard Louis asking softly. Then I raised my eyes towards him.

"Wh - what?"

"You're like my big brother..." Louis smiled warmly after his words, "Do you want to talk with this poor orphan child still? Hey, do you like coffee?"

For a moment, I looked at man's brown colored eyes and then, I smiled back when I answered:
"Of course, Louis. I do like coffee."