How It Began

(the only part of the story told in first person)

June 4, 1982

My feet thudded against the pavement as I sprinted down the alleyway, ignoring the pain in my legs. I heard the laughter and shouts from behind me, each one closer and closer by the second. I came to a turn in the alleyway, and saw two of them standing there, as if they were waiting. I spun around to turn in the other direction, and there were three more right there. One took a grab of my neck and slammed me against the wall, knocking the wind out of me.

'Just go for a short walk, Kristen. Get some fresh air, relax,' I had told myself.
Yeah, right.

"Oh come on now, we just want a little fun!" I tried to scream, but another covered my mouth with immense strength. I couldn't even move.

"Just hold still, this won't hurt a bit." The one holding my mouth shut released his grip and took hold of my ponytail, twisting my head to the side. He snickered. "I lied." My eyes clouded over in horror as he smiled, revealing pointed fangs. His pupils dilated as the vermillion filled his eyes. He then leaned in to my neck, and sunk his fangs into the exposed flesh. I cried out in pain, struggling to kick and fight my way out. I felt faint, and blacked out.

I woke up in a dark room, my limbs heavy and my head pounding. I felt immensely weak and shivered against the cold, the arms of my sweater ripped off. I looked at my arms and nearly fainted as I saw them. Red bite marks ran up my skin, and I felt my neck to find two more.

"I must say, I'm impressed." I looked up and saw the five people who attacked me. Talking in front of the group was a tall, arguably handsome man with curly dirty blond hair and a goatee. He had piercing black eyes and sharp features.

"You're stronger than any of the others we've gotten to. Seven feedings, yet here you are. Most people are dead by four." The one that bit me first crouched down on the floor near me. I shook uncontrollably as he stroked my arm, his cold fingers running over each bite mark.

"We decided you're worthy of a little gift. You see, if we leave you, then you'll be dead in a few minutes. We decided to save you from this fate. Would you like that?" Delirious and confused, I nodded my head violently, not realizing his offer. He smiled.

"Good." He lifted his arm, and dragged a fingernail over his wrist hard and deep enough to produce a small gash. He held it up to my mouth. "This will save you." The idea of drinking any blood was repulsive, but I didn't care. I wanted to go home, alive. I wish I'd realized that either way, I wouldn't have been alive at all. I leaned in to his arm, and began to suck in the blood from his wrist.

At first, the taste was enough to make me vomit, but I sensed a change. I soon felt a sudden adrenaline, and an intense desire to continue. I grabbed his arm forcefully and began sucking the blood from the wound, never feeling my powerful thirst get quenched. The others crowded in around him, and watched with fascination. His upper lip twitched, as the pain of my forcefulness began to intensify. He ripped his arm away from me.

"That's enough for now." I sat up, panting as I came down from the high that his blood gave me. "Now relax. This will take a while, but it will end soon enough." I opened my mouth to question what he was referring to, but was stopped by an excruciating pain that seemed to seize every single nerve in my body. I felt like all of my cells were on fire, like there were a million red-hot knives pressing into my flesh. I screamed and threw myself to the ground, tasting blood again as I bit my tongue. I was disgusted to find how much I desired the taste as my blood filled my mouth. I cried out incoherent phrases, both begging for it to stop and cursing heaven, hell, and everything in between.

I don't know if it was minutes, hours, days, or even weeks, but after some time, the pain began to dull down. It was replaced with a realization of the acuteness in my senses. I opened my eyes and saw everything in a new way. I could count the number of cracks in the cement floor. I heard the lightest of creaks from far away, and I smelled a group of people outside the door. I knew it was them.

I managed to drag myself to my feet, and noticed how strong I felt. There was no effort to any of my movements. I turned and noticed a tall mirror, and went to it to look at myself.

I looked good. I know it sounds like I'm over exaggerating, but I was really hot. I had new curves that my body never had before. I was taller and thinner, my legs and arms now hairless and smooth. My pale skin was flawless, without a single old acne scar from high school on my face. My eyes had a natural dark shadow and my lips were slightly red. My hair was long and curly, golden-caramel highlights now streaking through the thick dark brown.

"How do you like it?" The vampire with a British accent that I fed from was beside me in a flash, looking at my reflection. I gasped and jumped back in shock. He laughed.

"Call me Levi." I stood back, pressing against the wall.

"What have you done?" He smiled pleasantly.

"I did what you asked. I saved you. Made you superior."

"I didn't ask for this." I began to shake as the realization of what I had become began to fill me.

"Well, it's too late for that, isn't it?"

"I'm a…a vampire." He grinned.

"Now let's make use of that."

What could I've done? I was born into a new world, and no one was there to guide me. But Levi was. I was immediately steered down a dark path. My thirst for humans- he called it bloodlust- was growing stronger and stronger with every kill. I don't know where my emotion went. I was a murderer. I lost my sight of what humanity was. I spent ten years under his wing. Until one day, I began to think.

I walked up behind Levi. He was looking over our supplies of extra blood. Not that we ever drank them. We'd always get it fresh. I placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Not now, I'm thinking."

"I actually wasn't looking for a quickie, thank you very much. No, no I was looking for something better." He slowly turned to face me with interest.

"And that was? Blood?" I smiled devilishly.

"You could say that." I grabbed him by the arms and threw him to the ground behind me. Before he could move to react, I pinned him to the ground by his shoulders with my knees.

He sighed. "The last time a woman was on top of me like this, we had a real good time. Of course, she was naked and I was tied to the bed, but—" I smacked him in the face hard enough to make a cut in his cheek. It healed instantaneously as he spoke.

"Oh, I see. You're going to kill me, eh? I suppose I don't need to ask why."

I leaned in close to his face. "You stole me. You stole my life. I lost everything. My family, my friends, my humanity. I am a monster."

"I gave you the power, not the monstrosity. You did that part yourself." I wrapped my fingers around his neck tightly.

"No matter. This is my revenge." He smirked.

"See you on the other side, Kristen. And it's not even hell. Monsters like us get something much worse."

"What's worse than hell? Living lives like this again?" I hissed viciously.

"Oh, even worse. Purgatory, that's what they call it."

"I'll look it up," I sneered sarcastically. Without hesitation, I twisted his head and snapped his neck. I sighed, frustrated that I didn't have the strength to pin him long enough to enjoy killing him more. I knew that he could've easily grabbed my ankles to get me off him, and he would've figured it out eventually. I looked at his dead body, yet I didn't feel satisfied yet. I stood and grabbed a bottle of whiskey and the match box for his cigarettes from the counter.

"So, you may not burn in hell, but you'll burn here." I soaked his clothes with the alcohol, and dropped the lit match on his body. I watched the flame dance over him. "I'm better than you," I whispered fiercely. I didn't realize how long it would take for that idea to be realized.

January 22, 1997

I leaned against the wall and sighed, the body of my last victim falling to the ground. I'd kept tabs on the ass hole for a month. Arrested twice for domestic violence, raped his wife, nearly beat his kid to death. He deserved what he got. Of course, I wasn't always so careful when selecting my meals. I'm always sure to dispose of the body properly, either sinking it in the bay or burning it. This time, however, I was side tracked.

I heard a sudden, high-pitched scream. It was just a few blocks away. The silence that followed was more disturbing to me than the shriek. I ran in the direction of the sound and found the source.

There was a group of people, three guys and a woman, all crowded around someone on the wall. I looked closely and saw they were surrounding a girl. I deeply inhaled and froze as I recognized the scent. Vamps. It was a gang attack, like what happened to me. The scent of the girl they had was familiar too. They'd all begun feeding already. I knew she didn't have much time. I ran in fast enough that they never would've noticed me through the excitement of fresh blood. Before any of them knew what hit them, I'd ripped two in half and slammed the others against the wall. Without a thought, I turned and tore off their heads. I then turned my attention to the victim.

I was floored when I got a good look at her. She was nearly unconscious and on the verge of death, but I knew her. I immediately thought back to my time in Boston. The nights watching romantic comedies, reading together, making cookies. It was Ashley.

A few months after breaking off from Levi, I'd gone to Boston to try to find a new place to settle. New York was haunting for me at the time. It didn't take long for me to realize that New York truly was home, no matter how dark my past was. Until I met her. She'd been looking for someone to share an apartment with, and I decided to join her. At first, my plans were to live with her for a month or two, drain her, and head back to New York. But she was…different. I ended up living with her for a year. She was my best friend.

I crouched down and placed a hand on her cheek. She began talking almost incoherently. "What…what's happening?" She grabbed my arm desperately. "Help me, please." I nodded, taking assessment of her wounds. Five bite marks. She was bleeding out too fast for me to get her to any hospital, and with what explanation? I couldn't let her die, though. I knew there was one option.

"I need you to listen to me. There is one thing I can do. But you must realize the consequences. You'll be one of them, you'll be like me."

"A…a vampire?" I swallowed and bit my lip. I desperately wanted to save her, but not without her wanting it.

"Yes. You will never have a natural death; you won't have a normal life. No children, no family, you'll be lucky to find much happiness. I need to know that you're willing to take all of this to survive. I need to know!" I was on the verge of panic. She had minutes left. She began to nod in terror.

"Yes. Yes, just save me, please." I winced at her answer. I couldn't deny her salvation, but I knew she'd regret it. It was a true test of morals.

"Ok." I bit my wrist, and held it to her lips. "I'm not gonna lie. This will hurt." She grabbed my arm and sucked the blood from my teeth marks. I closed my eyes and felt a tear fall down my cheek. In saving her life, I knew that I ruined it too. Something else to be settled on my conscience for the rest of eternity.

She passed out from the pain a few minutes after she began to change. I picked her up and ran her to my apartment, setting her on the bed I never used as I waited in the kitchen that I never ate from. I didn't know what I'd say to her when she woke up. 'Hi I'm Kristen, we were friends in Boston for a year, and I just gave you a life of eternal damnation. Care for a blood bag?' I groaned and rubbed my forehead. It took twelve hours for her to regain consciousness. The reaction was…unexpected to say the least.

I was sitting on my couch looking out the window vacantly. I heard and smelled her walk out of the bedroom. She seemed to know I noticed her.

"You saved my life. Who are you?" I smiled. It was good to hear her voice again.

"A friend." I stood and turned to face her. Her jaw dropped.

"Kristen? Kristen!" She ran forward and grabbed me in a bone-crushing hug. "Oh my god, I've not seen you in years!" I began to wince at the tightness of her embrace.

"Whoa there, ease up, you don't know your own strength." She quickly released me.

"Oh. Right. Sorry." She smiled apologetically. "It's good to see you, Kris." I smiled.

"You too, Ash." I tentatively held my hand out as if for a handshake, hoping she'd remember the reference. She smiled brightly. She held her fingers next to mine and wiggled them in and out. I joined her and we tossed our hands up, both of us laughing happily when we were done.

"But seriously, we need to talk." She erased her smile and tersely nodded. We sat down and I discussed what her life would now be like. I told her about her options other than killing people, which she immediately took a fancy of. I told her about Vamp-associated blood banks, animal blood, and all the guidelines worth following. She was taking it all…very well.

"Why are you not freaking out?" I looked at her, confused.

"I honestly don't know. I mean, I should be, right? Kicking, screaming, crying, rolling on the floor, but I'm just not. I don't know. I guess because…it's you. I mean, I know you won't leave me. We have each other to get through being…vampires. Companions for all eternity." She grinned. "I couldn't have thought of a better set up." I tried to smile.

"But that's the thing, Ash." I shook my head and looked past her. "I'm not…good like you."

"But you saved me, didn't you? Of course you are."

"No, I'm not!" For a moment my anger spiked. I sucked in a deep breath and let myself relax. "No I'm not," I repeated, this time in a whisper. "And don't ask why." I stood and walked to the balcony.

"Why shouldn't I ask?" I paused in the doorway, and turned to look at her.

"Because you don't want to know the answer."

April 15, 2004

"Ash, listen to me!"

"No!" She furiously stomped into the apartment, nearly ripping the door off its hinges.

"It was one mistake; please just listen to me, for once in your life!" I stepped in the door and a vase slammed into the wall next to me. I sighed. "At least practice your aim."

She appeared in front of me and slammed me against a wall. "You promised me!" I noticed the single tear in the corner of her eye. "No more death. None! And even worse—he was my friend!"

"Ash, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm not good like you! I can't help it sometimes."

"What happened to you, Kristen? You were so good, so happy. What happened?" This time I screamed.

"Everything! I became this, I became a murderer! It's not just a habit, it's a lifestyle, I am a predator, I live to hunt now! I can't just stop, ok?"

She turned and walked to her room in fury. I followed her in to see she was packing a bag.

"Don't leave me, Ashley." She froze as she was retrieving some clothes from a drawer. I choked back a sob as I let myself cry. "Please, I'm begging you. You're the only reason I don't kill someone once a day. I need you." She turned to me, tears running down her cheeks.

"You need to swear that you'll never do it again."

"You know I can't do that, Ash." She shook her head.

"That's why I have to go." She took the bag and headed for the door.

"Will I ever see you again?" She paused in the door frame.

"I just don't know, Kristen." She faced me again. "Look for me if you've changed." She then disappeared from the door frame. And this was the catalyst of my downward spiral.

Now

Kristen dragged the man's unconscious figure off to behind a dumpster. For the first time in a while, she didn't kill this one. He was some random hobo that whistled when she walked by and called her a 'good dish'. Yeah? Well you are too, jackass, she thought to herself. She wiped the excess blood from the corner of her mouth and turned to walk out of the alley. She then noticed a tall man standing by the entranceway. Oh shit. Maybe she would need to snap a neck or two today.

"Fuck. You saw that, didn't you? Yeah, a bit of a bad tally on my ledger, but it happens to the best of us, right?" He stood silently. As she walked closer, she got a good look at him. He had long, thick dark hair and a strong jaw, his muscles obvious through the rolled up sleeves of his flannel.

"Damn, you're hot."

"So I've been told."

She smirked at him. "Why are you not terrified right now?"

"I've dealt with your kind before."

She raised an eyebrow, now standing a few feet from him. "Oh really? Vamps?"

He nodded with a shrug. "And, you know, demons, werewolves, shape shifters, the devil, and the apocalypse." Her other eyebrow rose to meet its twin. She suddenly felt a cold blade pressed against the front of her throat, and someone's arm wrapped around her waist. A rough voice hissed in her ear,

"Don't move." Without hesitation, she whipped herself around him and stood a few yards away from them. They both looked at her, surprised.

"At least buy me dinner first," She sneered, and in a flash she was behind the tall one, gripping a handful of his hair to twist his neck back near her mouth. "Or this works." The other one's eyes flashed in fear, and he held up the silver knife.

"Let him go," The throaty snarl escaped his lips in a growl-like way that could've been compared to a wolf mother defending her pup.

"Drop the knife, Green-Eyes." Kristen demanded, moving her lips closer to the man's neck.

"Kristen!" She heard a distant yell, and looking past Green-Eyes, Kristen saw her.

"Ash?" Her moment of distraction was just long enough for the tall one to escape her grasp, pushing the vampire against the wall. The other one then stepped forward with the knife, ready to stab it into her chest.

"Stop!" Ashley was suddenly between Kristen and the knife, immediately disarming the man about to kill her. He lowered his arm. "You swore to give her a shot."

"Oh, I'm sorry she was about to sink her fangs in Sammy's neck!"

"Dean God dammit, we've discussed this. Quit calling me Sammy around random strangers; you make me sound like a fat middle schooler."

Kristen spoke up over the babbling. "Ahem, excuse me, when you ladies are done with your afternoon tea session, will someone explain to me what the hell is going on?" Ashley sighed.

"Kristen, meet Sam and Dean Winchester. They're hunters. Like you said you were."

She looked Ashley, not in the least bit concerned with the other two yet. "I thought you said I had to come looking for you when I changed."

"I did. But this is different. We need to talk." The taller man, who Kristen assumed was Sam, took a step towards her.

"Would you come with us?" He asked. She narrowed her eyes, but then looked to Ashley again. They may've been separated for years, but she still trusted her, more than she trusted herself.

"Fine. But to my apartment, ok?" She turned to look at Dean, who was still in a tensed up stance with the knife in his fist. "And as for you. You keep that knife away from me or I'll shove it up your buddy's ass." He began to angrily protest, but Ashley grabbed the knife and put it in her bag.

"Just go with it," Ashley hissed at him. Dean lowered his pride and tersely nodded.

Kristen smiled, sure to expose her pointed teeth. Sam stood back, but Dean seemed unaffected by the assertion of dominance. "Shall we then?" She walked past all of them, turning once to be sure they were following her.

"This is gonna be interesting," She mumbled to herself.