Maka
The mansion towered above me, straining my neck as I glanced up to see the sky darkening quickly. It was decrepit and surrounded by trees with dangling branches that scraped against my skin as I walked. There was little else I could do as I had lost my way home when my horse had thrown me off. I gripped my shawl as I made my way closer to the property line. There was a chill in the air on this unseasonably cold summer night, leaving goose flesh to form up and down my arms.
I had been on my way back from trading goods in a neighboring town for my lazy, adulterous, good-for-nothing papa when I had gotten lost in the woods. My usually good natured horse had been acting odd the entire ride home. She finally spooked when a branch fell from a nearby tree, causing me to fall. My horse ran off deeper into the woods and soon was lost from sight. I was so completely, hopelessly lost and had no coin for everything had been attached to the damn horse.
"Curse this dreadful day," I muttered, blowing my ashen blonde bangs out of my face. "If I'm lucky someone on the property will be able to point me in the direction of a nearby village, or maybe even a road home," I hoped aloud as I continued to trudge forward. However, the closer I got the more my doubts grew. The mansion, which looked old at first glance, was falling apart. I could see a hole in one of the walls and tattered, dark drapes covered what few windows still contained glass.
The wind began to pick up as I finally stopped in front of the wrought iron fence. The gate was torn from its hinges and sat a small distance away from where it should have been attached. I silently pleaded to Death that there was someone inside who would be able to offer me some form of assistance as I continued my way to the front double doors.
I stopped, staring at the interesting, intricate door knobs and knockers as I built up the courage to knock on the door. I took a deep breath to steady myself and lifted one of the heavy knockers, only to have the door slowly creak open, pulling the knocker from my grasp. The wind was blowing erratically now, whipping my shawl around and certainly ruining my hair. I cautiously stepped inside, scanning the expansive waiting room. The furniture was old and torn, some of it completely shredded to be nothing more than splintered wood and heaps of fabric. The building itself was colder than outside. As I slowly made my way further into the room the wind slammed the door shut behind me with a loud bang.
"Hello?" I called tentatively. If the door hadn't alerted possible residents to my arrival, my voice certainly would. "I seem to have gotten lost and I need direction to a neighboring village." There was no answer. A nearby curtain was going crazy due to the wind outside, but was thankfully too heavy for it to blow through.
I continued my way into the house, finding a set of large staircases. I climbed the one on the left, seeing as the one on the right had been destroyed halfway up.
"I wonder what happened here," I mused allowed as I looked at the pictures on the walls. They were covered in dust and cobwebs, but were still not too faded to be made out. One was of a man in his late twenties with sapphires for eyes and white hair, slicked back in a gentlemanly fashion. The next was of a woman in her early forties, also with the same remarkable white hair and a look of royalty set in her proud features. The third was a man also in his late forties, his hair was a dark shade of black, his eyes a dull brown. There was nothing remarkable about him at all. I continued climbing the steps to come across a portrait that had been slashed in many places, destroying the image effectively. "Someone certainly didn't like this person," I mumbled, running my hand delicately over the dried paint and parchment.
A noise alerted me to a room on the second floor. Maybe someone was here after all.
'Maka don't be an idiot, if anyone is here it's going to spell nothing but trouble for you,' part of me warned.
'But if I run now I'll never find my way back home', another part of me argued. I took a deep breath and made my way up the staircase towards the noise. The mansion was pitch black the further away I got from the covered windows. Soon it was too difficult to see. I stumbled upon over-turned furniture and luckily grabbed onto a candle on the wall. I fumbled in the pockets of my skirts for some way to light the candle when I came across the last of my matches. Clumsily I managed to strike it and light the candle, basking the room in an orange glow complete with the smell of burning cobwebs. The closer I got to the room that emitted the nose the more destroyed furniture I came across. There was a family portrait in one of the halls with what appeared to be the youngest's face completely mauled off.
"What a dreadful thing to do," I whispered in fascination. What could cause such hatred in a person?
Once I finally made it to the room I took a shaky breath. It wasn't too late to turn back. I could still attempt to brave the wilderness outside.
'Night has already fallen, you would quickly be wolf food' I thought to myself. Not liking the idea of being devoured alive I steeled my resolve and knocked on the door. When no one answered I turned the knob and left myself in.
The room was huge, probably belonging to one of the members of the family personally. The wallpaper was peeling in large areas revealing the bare studs of the wall, while in other places it seemed perfectly intact. It contained a small sitting area around a fireplace that hadn't been used in quite a while as soot caked the area around it in thick dusty layers. To the far left of the room was a large four poster bed, wreathed in shadows with billowing white curtains around it. A sleeping figure lay wrapped in the blankets, lightly snoring. I stepped quietly towards the bed, curiosity narrowing my focus.
The occupant had fair, white hair from what I could tell, and the closer I got the easier it was to make out their features. I scanned the room hesitantly, getting a creeping feeling that someone was watching me. I did my best to shake it off as I stepped closer, noticing the occupant's sun-kissed skin and slight smile. It was a man, with broad shoulders and muscular arms.
A loud crunching noise came from my foot and I looked down, seeing a broken bone on the ground beneath me. I stepped back, seeing more and more bones littered around the bed, a sense of panic filling me instantly. My eyes glanced to the bed to find it empty.
Dropping my candle stick I turned to find red orbs taking up my entire field of sight. They were enticing and enchanting and attached to the man once occupying the bed.
"What are you doing here?" He asked in a gruff voice, his eyes shooting daggers through me. My heart race quickened as I tried to explain.
"I had gotten lost," I said, quietly. "I-I-I thought I could-d ask for d-d-directions, but no one answered- the door and-"
"So you barge into another person's home while they're sleeping to sneak up on them?" He raised an eyebrow, examining me from head to toe. I could feel my face heat as his gaze lingered on my lacking chest and slight frame. a wicked smile grew on his face, showing off razor sharp teeth as he did. "You'll make an excellent snack for breakfast." A scream was building in my throat, threatening to bubble out but I forced it down. His eyes left me for a moment and I moved without thought.
As I ran I vaguely remembered not wanting to be eaten alive. Every live wire in my body screaming to escape. I scrambled over toppled furniture and tripped on upturned rugs. I became lightheaded quickly as I forced my legs to push me forward, relief washing over me as the stairs came into view. I chanced a look over my shoulder as I jumped down the steps three at a time, freedom within my reach.
"You humans are all the same," his voice was mocking as I froze, eyes snapping a head. I was two steps from the ground floor and nose to nose with the man with red eyes. My breathing labored as my heart continued racing. There was no way he was here. No way he could have beat me down the steps. There was only one functional set!
"I'm not quite sure what you mean," I swallowed down a lump in my throat as I backed away from him, slowly edging towards the door. He continued to study me, eyes following my every move as if I were prey.
I felt like prey.
"I will have you know running and screaming will not get you very far. It's best to give up while you're ahead," his lips turned up at the edges as he took a large step towards me. My fingers brushed against broken wood and I took it into my grasp. His eyes locked with mine and for a moment I felt weak.
But I am Malala Albarn. I refuse to be weak.
It took every ounce of strength and control I held within me to bash the piece of wood into the man's head, halting his next advance. I didn't bother waiting for a reaction, to see if I even killed the damn thing.
I fumbled with the door, rattling it against the frame but it wouldn't budge!
The sounds of the raging storm outside almost drown out the sound of a yawn. Almost.
I spared a glance in the sounds direction, my blood freezing at the sight of him still standing. I had hit him with everything I had for Death's sake!
"I've told you already," his deep voice was smooth like velvet with slight undertones if broken glass. Such an odd mix of tones I almost lost my drive to escape to the curiosity of it. "You're not going to escape. The storm outside is too great for you to traverse even if you could get the door open." Another wide grin, full of sharp teeth and deadly promises. "It's best if you come quietly, I grow tired of this cat and mouse game."
"I'm not going anywhere with you," I spat, trying to wretch the door from its hinges.
"I'm far too hungry to continue this for much longer, and you do look appetizing." I froze my efforts to stare at the monstrous thing standing so casually amount broken furniture in a decrepit building. A building I knew better than to enter!
"What do you mean appetizing?" I fought so hard to keep the fear from my voice but it was obvious he didn't miss it. His stupidly attractive face becoming smug.
"Well if you truly must know I'm what they call a being of the void," he yawned again before ruining his hunter's posture with a terrible slouch. I just stared at him until his smug smile grew, fear building inside me. "Most appropriately I'm a vampire."
Vampire.
They were extinct.
And even if they weren't they could be killed. He wasn't some specter haunting the halls bent on capturing my soul. He had seemed so much scarier before. But vampires were bloodsuckers, leeches. Users.
He was a creep that wanted to use my body for his own gain.
And I knew how to handle someone like that.
"Vampires have been extinct for over a hundred years." I scoffed, eyes flitting about as I yanked uselessly on the door once more.
A heavy curtain flapped in the distance and an idea bloomed.
"We do tend to sleep a lot," he appeared to be studying his nails for a moment before looking back up at me, a bored expressing upon his face. "I personally don't enjoying going out much."
"You obviously don't entertain much either," I hadn't meant for so much snark to tint my tone. His eyes seemed to light up again, studying me intently as he stepped forward. "Your place is a disaster."
"I can be plenty entertaining," his voice caused a riot within me but I had to go, had to skip out as quickly as possible.
"Doubtful. A good host wouldn't leave such a mess in the foyer," I nodded towards something behind him and he turned. I took a silent breath before running towards the window with everything in me, slipping out without incident.
I didn't pause or look back. I didn't even think about the dangers of the wilds versus the dangers of a Vampire. Both were unknowns. But at least with the wilds I stood some form of a chance.
Adrenaline coursed through me as my legs worked until they were weak. Sharp branches tore at my thin clothes, cutting into my skin but I didn't care!
I was free!
That is, until the howling began.
More fear.
More unknown.
And I was so tired.
'Should have let the vampire eat you.' That dark part of me whispered. 'It's not like you have anything worth returning to. Tsubaki can handle the shop in your stead. Papa won't even notice you're gone.'
I ground my teeth, shaking away the thought as the wolves grew closer. Their howls shook the very earth, my vision growing dark from exhaustion but I wouldn't give up.
Maka Albarn does not give up.