Chapter 1.
It started a while ago. I don't like talking about how we met. Hell, I don't even like thinking about it. But a while back, I was given a stalker.
My own personal monster.
He broke into my house. He followed me around. And he's even stolen from me. Yet he claimed we were friends and sometimes he would mention being something a little more.
And if he weren't what he was and didn't act the way he did, I would of agreed in a heart beat. Mainly because he makes me feel more alive than anyone else could come close too, but the fact that he's gorgeous doesn't hurt either.
He physically appears my age, 2 years older to be exact. He has pearly skin stretched across a built and muscular body. Large electric blue pools for eyes that contrast stunningly with his raven feathered hair.
But his perfection is only in his appearance. For his imperfections are a never ending list. But it mainly starts with the fact that he's not exactly alive.
He's not exactly dead either. He has died, but then he woke up, just different...
Not many know of him. He claims he only talks to me and a few others of his kind. I have asked him why on multiple occasions, after he breaks into my house for his nightly harassment, but I always got a cryptic response;
"Because. I cannot fathom how destructive society has become. How I've watched the world rise, and begin to fall. How there are no more innocents. Except you, princess." I remember rolling my eyes at this although not quite understanding what he meant.
Another night I asked him how he died. I figured if I had an actual monster sitting on my bed, I should at least know why. But he then completely changed my view on death and life all together. "I stopped living." He said.
I laughed "well what caused that?"
"My lack of breath." He must have seen me growing aggravated in that moment so he explained. "You princess, want to know something that quite frankly doesn't even exist. You think you want to know what happened to lead up to my death." I nodded, not able to take my eyes off of him, for I was genuinely curious.
"That would be my birth. You see, we are living to die. The second I entered this earth I was bound to leave it." I quirked an eyebrow.
So he continued to explain."you know when you reach that point in your life where you stop growing?" I nodded.
"Your really only dying from there. It's just very slow." He paused before continuing. "Maybe that's why kids seem so full of life, because everyone around them is dying"
He then started to stare off, as if his scrambled thoughts were beginning to move single file. His words were harsh and cold but his tone was smooth like velvet. His words have always had a way of dancing off of his lips so gracefully, that you forget there real meaning. And I had to question him before his mouth fired off anymore words. "But that makes no sense. What about all the things you learn and you see, your memories, the lives that you touch. They're all growing."
He looked down away from me, he seemed sad. Something rare of him, it differed from his usual arrogant even flirty self. It was something I wasn't quite fond of. "But that's not living. I find those things in death. I am not growing, I am not changing. I am only effecting things around me. I'm just another constant among others."
Part of me thought he was right, that he just another demon in this world. But I also knew better, as much as I hate to admit it. "Is that really what you think of yourself?" I pondered.
With a nod of his head and a low rumbling chuckle he responded "I also believe myself to be a monster. A horrible monster that something as pure as yourself should steer clear of. And I know if I gave you the chance you would. But I can't loose you, sorry princess. I can't continue the search for light in this dark world. It's too hard to find. And now that I've found some, i have to protect it. The world cant afford to lose anymore."
I looked at him doe eyed. Why does he think of me so highly? And why is he being so sweet? Despite that retched nickname he gave me, because I'm far far from a princess, those words wrung in my ears better than any piece of poetry I've heard in my small 16 years of life. And I hadn't even realized his subtle reference to the incident. It was clouded over by all his sweetness. He looked into my eyes and smiled a bright toothy grin continuing to speak.
"I guess I will tell you the answer you were looking for from the beginning. I was infected. Infected with a disease that shut down my system, caused me to die and then wake up again. But clearly, I woke up different. I woke up a terrible beast that has to hurt people in order to survive." I can't believe I said it but I did. I guess I got lost in the moment, after all I don't think I've ever felt so special.
"Your not a monster." Surprisingly, instead of making a cocky remark, he gave me a worried look. He let the veins in his face become prominent and coursing. He opened his mouth to reveal his canines that had turned sharp and pointy. And his gorgeous blue eyes turned to solid black. Not an onyx color like mine, but a dark soulless black. Then they locked on mine.
"What do you see?" I didn't feel that special any more. In fact I couldn't help but feel scared. I couldn't focus on his strong jawline, or his perfect upturned nose. And all I could see were his features that reminded me of what he really is. I looked down, away from his gaze. I heard an animalistic type noise, and I realized it was him growling.
"I'm hungry when I'm around you. I want to drain you of every last drop of blood in your body. I want to kill an innocent. I'm a monster, Courtney."
I almost felt angry. I didn't ask for him to show up in my life. and he was putting it in danger. he's no monster, he's an idiot
"No. Thats not what makes you a monster. Your life was taken. You didn't have a choice as to what you became. In order to survive you take what you need. You don't even kill the people you drink from. You take a small amount that will save your life from someone else who is just as guilty as you. Everyone in this screwed up world does things wrong and weather we are completely human or not doesn't make anyone more innocent than the next. It's the choices we make. And you claim you are tempted to do wrong? WE ALL ARE! It only matters when you follow through with the wrong actions. And even then, that's something we all do. So please, spare me the dramatics and stop being so damn hard on yourself for all the wrong reasons" He was back to normal now and just staring at me, mouth a gape. He quickly grabbed my face and kissed my forehead. His rough hands cold, but his lingering lips almost felt warm.
"Duncan..." I muttered out. But he pulled back and fled. Gone within seconds.
I smiled at that memory. I remember thinking things were complicated then. If only I knew the drastic events that would occur after that. And how my monster, would become my savior.