Alize licked her lips as she lifted her nose and inhaled. Her overwhelming hunger was raging out of control as one hand gripped her stomach, as if to appease it. She was scared, there was no doubt, and she could smell it. But, she consoled herself, this couldn't be worse than the past six months of her life. Nothing could induce a fear like that. At least not here.
As she crept through the abandoned streets of Knockturn Alley, her stomach growled. She couldn't keep putting this off, no matter how much she wanted to. Alize pressed herself against the wall of the alley as she heard footsteps at the end of the road. She could hear their heartbeat and familiar blood rush that screamed human. With a final lick of her lips, Alize let her instincts take control as she ran silently through the shadows. There would be no stopping her now.
She was close now, enough to hear his quickened breath. So, she wasn't the only nervous one tonight. He seemed a bit slight of a person, his clothes and general posture rather shabby, but his blood flow was strong. That was something she needed if she did not wish to take his life.
He was two feet away now, at most. Close enough that she could smell his blood, even hear it, as it flowed through veins and rushed through arteries. She could hardly contain herself, and if she lost control, he would surely die.
Alize took a silent breath to steady herself, and lunged forwards. The man let out a strangled yelp as he fumbled for his wand, but she was too quick for him. She prided herself in that, at least. Her eyes widened, turning from the already unusual amber to an even more mysterious black, as her fangs slid down from her gums, unsheathed. The man shuddered as her cool breath tickled his neck.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, before sinking her fangs deeply into the curve of his neck. She smiled against his throat as the first trickle of blood touched her lips. It tasted as it always had, indescribably thrist quenching and sensuous. She considered feeding more often, afterall, once a month was the longest any fledgling vampire should go. And it had been longer than that.
It was amazing, and rather frightening she had managed to hold on for so long. But Alize knew in her heart that she had to do what was required to survive. If she waited for maybe even a day more, she would surely be lost to the blood lust, her body acting on its own accord.
Alize let out a small growl as the blood began to heighten her senses and nourish her body. But yet, somehow, something was not quite right. The taste was different. Her throat burned and tightened as she lost her grip on the man. It was painful, yet numbing at the same time. She tried to regain her hold, but it was impossible. As Alize staggered away from him, he applied pressure to the wound and drew his wand with the other.
"Stupefy!" She heard him cry. Normally, it would take more than that to even make a vampire flinch. But in her condition and malnutrition, she swayed a moment before slipping into unconciousness.
Alize slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a small, unfamiliar room. It was clean, but decorated with ghastly, depressing colors. She wrinkled her nose in distaste as she breathed in the warm, rather musty air.
Alize hadn't the faintest idea of where she could be, but judging by the tapestries that adorned the room and the nature of the books residing in the bedside bookcase, she was nearly certain it was within that of a once rich, pureblooded family.
If this was true, and they were in support of Lord Voldemort himself, than Alize knew it would not be long before she was dragged back to her home. The place that had seemed so wonderful, but turned out to be even more twisted than she could have imagined.
She shook her head. It would not do to dwell on such thoughts while she still needed to find a way out of the gloomy house. She stood, looking to the beside table to see a cross adorning its surface. She rolled her eyes in disgust. People could be so ignorant. It wasn't all coffins and crucifixes, for Merlin's sake.
"Amateurs," she muttered, smiling slightly. Obviously they had underestimated her. In this situation, that could only be a good thing. She stood up, brushed off her jeans, and smoothed her straight ebony hair. It was only then that she ventured cautiously out into the dimly lit hall.
The entire house seemed to have an opressive air. It was stifling. A house elf ambled by and she quickly threw herself around another corner to avoid a confrontation. Her heart, if it had been beating, would have slowed down as she was once again left alone in the hallway.
Alize thought of the man in the alley and who he was. He hadn't seened like the sort to be mixed up with such a dispicable lot as some of her own. But who knew these days? Appearances could be so decieving. If she was sure of anything, it was that.
The most puzzling thing of all was the unheard of reaction between his blood and herself. It had started out well enough, as she had felt her senses and strength rushing back to her. But quickly it had turned, tasting sour in her mouth and burning the smooth walls of her throat. Her stomach had churned and stretched in rebellion. It had been one of the most painful experiences of her life. The others were only memories now.
Alize closed her eyes and took a breath before placing a hand over her chest. There was no gentle beat there, only silence. But it still ached terribly. Her life had changed so much in only a year. Things had been so different then.
Alize stormed out of her parents manor, situated in the english countryside, and down the back steps. Her heels clicked against the stone and her crimson dress swished against her ankles as she walked. The music from inside continued, a lively waltz, and the sound of laughter permeated at air. Alize kept walking at a brisk pace, unpinning her ebony hair and wiping the lipstick from her mouth on the back of her hand as she went. It had only been moments before, at the height of the ball, that her parents had quietly informed her of her engagement to Gregory Goyle, a boy that attended the prestigious Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and also happened to be the son of one of her father's mosts important clients. Alize had never been informed of her father's profession, only that it was what supplied the funds for them to live in a lavish manor and for her to be tutored by the finest and most brilliant witches and wizards in their fields, instead of attending Hogwarts. It was for this, that she was bitter, always having wanted to attend the famous boarding school. But her parents sought to keep her locked away until that day would come where she would be of use. In other words, supporting the Pureblood Race by having children. She wouldn't be surprised if somehow, distantly, she was related to this Goyle fellow. She had seen a photograph, and dearly hoped not. It was in her rage and fury that she had fled from the ballroom and out the back door. She was now at the entrance to a small thicket that bordered the grounds to the estate. She moved branches out of her way, angrily snapping twigs as she went. Her shoes were getting caught on rocks and clumps of moss, but she didn't particularly care. All that was on her mind was getting as far away from the LeFarge manor as possible and never, if she could help it, go back. "Sir, I mean not to oppose you, but I cannot feel the same. I do not find it wise to entangle ourselves in the affairs of others. I do not believe it right." She heard a soft, male, voice whisper in a firm tone. She listened as the individual paced through the woods, leaves rustling underfoot. "Thomas, be still! I smell someone on the wind, towards the east. We shall continue this conversation in a moment." A cool, deep voice had resounded through the woods and Alize's heart sped up. She could hear the same voice laugh. It sent chills through her spine. "They are aware of our presence," the voiced murmed softly. Alize could swear she heard him lick his lips. "Sir, we have pressing matters to attend to. I'm not sure if this is...Please, just leave the girl," It was this first voice that awoke something within her. The evident concern and hidden panic within his tones were enough to make her feel faint. "Oh, Thomas. I give you simple instructions, and yet you cannot follow them. I ordered you to watch the LeFarge girl, to survey her every movement, to calculate every moment! I asked this of you did I not?" Alize peeked around a tree to see two figures in a clearing. The first, tall and daunting, seemed to be the one speaking. Raven hair cascaded to his shoulders, in contrast to his alabaster skin that reflected the light of the moon. The second figure nodded and curled in hands into fists in frustration, dirty blonde curls hanging in his eyes. "I did all you asked, Sir. Not for one moment did I stray from your commands." "Yes, what you say is true. You did everything I asked. Everything, yet more. It was never an order to care for her," Alize watched as the second figure, that of a older boy, flinched, "Never once did I tell you to enjoy the way her fingers moved nimbly with her needlework. I never once ordered that you appreciate the scent that met you as she unpinned her hair. And I certainly never commanded that you let her eyes meet yours. Do not think for one moment that I asked this of you, or that I cannot see everything inside you now. Every thought, desire, and passion. She is human. And we shall dispose of her now. As is required of us." "Required of us? So, you are in agreement with that..thing..who calls himself -" "Do not speak such blasphemies! A war is coming and it is due time we take our place. This is an order we must fullfill. The LeFarge man and his wife could jeopordize all the Dark Lord holds for the future. We must make quick work of them. And with that, we must destroy the young one." "You've bought into everything, then? All of his lies and deceit? Surely, you are wiser than that, Sir." A snarl echoed through the clearing and Alize heard a sound like marble cracking. The man had struck the boy who now nursed his jaw. "Do not let such pathetic things as human emotions cloud your vision. This is what shall come to pass. We must take her now, and then, her parents." Alize leaned farther around the tree for a better look at the terrifying man. The larger of the two figure turned his face up towards the moon. She watched, transfixed in fear as his eyes left their milky gray color and deepened to a frightening black. He smiled, revealing a set of elongated canines, a sharp pair of fangs. Alize gasped and started to back up. Two pairs of eyes snapped to her location. It was not the threatening blackness of the man, if you could call him that, that she looked into, but the brilliant emerald of the boy. She realized when she had seen these eyes, outside her window as she drew the curtains to her balcony, glowing in the night. Instead of feeling frightened, she had felt soothed. She had felt safe. She had felt attraction, above all else. It was that night, and every night after, that she left the curtains undrawn. "You...You are Thomas." she said simply, almost with a hint of questioning. She watched as a breath hitched in his throat, as he made to move towards her. The older man held out a hand to restrain him before gazing into her eyes. "Child, come to me." His voice was otherworldly and she found she could not refuse. "I will come to you," She could hear herself speaking. She had no desire to refuse him and her legs moved forward of their own accord. "Sir, I ask you, do not!" The boy begged. "Thomas," the man said sharply, "mind your place!" Thomas bowed his head and nodded once. "I beg of you, Sir. I implore you, leave her!" His cries were met with no reply. He hung his head in defeat. "Make a move, Thomas, and you shall dearly regret it." Thomas glared harshly and clenched his fisted hands to his side. "Make quick work of it then. I cannot watch her in pain." The man nodded quickly. "Then this shall be your test." He made a quick move to the approaching Alize, who met him gladly. He took her in his arms, sweeping her hair back from her face and neck. It looked almost like a romantic embrace, if only the hunger and malice in the man's eyes could be erased. He tipped her chin to the side, exposing the translucent flesh. Alize shuddered as he let cold breath dance across her skin. She knew in her heart that she was going to die. But after meeting Thomas, she felt that it would be alright. Surely, since she had met the body that belonged to those glowing eyes, she was ready to leave this world. The mans lips grazed her neck for a moment, before he threw his head back, letting out a terrible snarl. Alize seemed to shake from her trance as she started to squirm. "What are you doing, young one! Be still and yield!" The mans voice boomed through the clearing, laced with that quality she could not place. But it no longer held an affect on her. "Let go of me, so I may show you reason." Alize said, her voice quivering with fear before she swallowed it and turned to look up into pools of onyx. He had laughed, but it was reserved, as if he was considering something. "What is this resistance I see? What powers do you possess, child?" He released her from the embrace, but kept a firm grip on her elbow. "I have the power of will. And the desire to survive above all else. Which is why I am willing, to strike a bargain." Alize held her chin high and ignored the panicked look on Thomas' face. She sighed at the thought of him. Sweet and caring, Thomas. Mysterious and dangerous, Thomas. An immortal she had never met before this horrifying encounter. "A bargain, you say? Were you not taught to never to deal with the devil?" "Surely, I was. But you there is no gain without the proper risk. Now, will you listen?" "I shall listen. But keep in mind, it will do you little good." Alize shrugged as she looked at the excited look in his gleaming eyes. It was terrifying and it took all of her control to remain composed. "I can give you easy access to the LeFarge family. I care not for them. Take them. Drink their blood so it satisfies you. But take me as one of your own." It was silent after this. "Easy access, you say? You think it would not be easy enough for us already? It would take no time to dispose of them." "There is a ball in session as of now. There will be more collateral damage than neccessary if you strike now. Hundreds of people will be dead and it will be questioned." Again, thoughtful silence. "I see. And if I agree to this bargain? You will become one of us. You will devote yourself to the coven as Thomas and myself have?" " I shall do all you ask of me, Sir," she added the name that Thomas used to address him. "Tell us of your plan, child." Alize nodded and smiled wickedly. "The ball will be over in a few hours, around two in the morning. We have some time. My parents will retire to a drunken stupor around three, making them vulnerable and without their wands. This is the best time to end them quickly. I will return as if nothing has happened and wait for you there." She let out a breath, not realizing she had been holding it. "You think I would trust you enough to go back? If you decieved your own, what makes me certain that you will not do the same here? Thomas will accompany you back and watch over you. He shall change you before the attack. Is this understood?" He asked the two of them. Thomas looked ill, but Alize nodded. "I see no fault with this course of action," Alize replied, trying to keep the tremor from her voice. Thomas curled his fists and shook his curls out of his eyes. "No fault? I shall not agree to this! I will not condemn you to an eternity of this, Miss LeFarge." The man glared as Thomas. "You shall do what you are told, Mr. Evans, and I shall know if you try anything. Let me assure you, it will be something you regret." The man snarled his surname like a deadly curse. Thomas flinched. "As you wish, Count," he replied, with the same venom in his voice, "As you wish."
Alize
opened her eyes and was back in the dim hallway once again. She let a
tear escape, almost wanting to fall back into her memory so she could
hear his sweet voice again. But it was a useless hope.
She sighed before continuing to creep down the hallway. There were so many doors to chose from, but not one had the beat of a heart behind it. It wasn't untill the very last door that she could hear faint murmurings and the steady flow of blood. This was it, her moment to find who had so deviously captured her.
She flung open the door, fangs bared, ready for the attack. She was met by a shocked silence. Alize swallowed quickly and retracted her fangs, embarassed but still on her gaurd. A group of teenagers were lounging in what looked to be an old library, as dusty as the rest of the house.
"Um, sorry...I'll just be going-" She started, never having been good around those her own age.
"You can sit down, if you like," A petite girl with bushy brown hair gestured to an open chair situated next to her. Alize eyed it warily, letting her gaze flicker from the girl to the chair, and back again.
"Oh, honestly, I'm not going to bite," the girl chortled at her own pun but the others around her looked increasingly worried. Alize took a tentative step forward, in the direction of the comfortable looking arm chair, before quickly disapearing from her spot on the floor and then reappearing, already sitting primly on the large cushion of the chair. Most of the teenagers let out various yelps and screams, but the girl that had spoken to Alize grinned.
"Alize LeFarge, correct?" She smiled at Alize, her brown eyes wide.
"Just Alize, thanks." Her tone didn't sound cold, but it was sharp. This didn't seem to bother the girl.
"Well, I'm Hermione Granger. Welcome to Grimmauld Place."