Prologue
"Just because you're a vampire doesn't mean I'm going to let you suck my blood!" "Oi, Luce did you forget you're a vampire too? Besides, I only drink imported blood." "I-Imported blood? How rich are you people?" "Says the heir of the Heartfilia clan!" "You're infuriating..." "I love you too." Vampire AU
"No, I would not want to live in a world without dragons, as I would not want to live in a world without magic, for that is a world without mystery, and that is a world without faith." — R.A. Salvatore, Streams of Silver
Because where there is magic, there are myths. And it is when these myths turn into reality can this world of fantasy truly be explored.
Faster, faster! Even faster! You have to go faster!
The chant plagued his mind as he ran up the winding path, a misty darkness drenching the horizon. His footsteps echoed against the gravel, his pants from exhaustion barely noticeable over the immense growling from behind.
Fear gripped every joint in his body, but he didn't have the courage to look back at the dreaded monster chasing him. All sense of time had left his mind, leaving him with no clue as to how many minutes had passed, much less hours. It was as though he was seemingly trapped in a timeless dimension, home to darkness and fear. Because those two things were the only ones he could feel right now.
Is it possible to feel darkness? Any other time he would have laughed at how spineless and shaky he was acting, but right now it was as though even common sense had abolished him. A strange sense of desperation filled his body, striking his heart. He fell on his knees with a thud, unaware of his surroundings for a second.
Get up! You have to run! Run away before they come! Quickly!
He shut his eyes on instinct, realising that whatever was chasing him seemed to have stopped by then. Turning around, his eyes widened as he stared into blood red orbs that taunted him with every breath he took. He could see his own reflection in them, as they shone with haughtiness and malice. He gulped, the sensation of dread rapidly increasing around him. The next thing he knew he was falling on his back onto the gravel, immobilised as a flurry of wings and hisses attacked him.
"Ugh." A groan escaped his lips as he came to. He placed an arm over his eyes, the bright lights of his bedroom overwhelming him. He slowly unclenched his fingers from his duvet, wiping the sweat off his forehead. It seemed like another night where he had fallen asleep from exhaustion, given the fact that he was still fully clothed. He hadn't even had the energy to pull off his boots, much less turn off the lights.
He ran a hand through his spiky pink locks, a grimace on his face as he regarded the dream he had just witnessed. He shook his head, trying to push the visions of darkness away, catching sight of his alarm clock. His shoulders relaxed as he realised it was only three a.m. "Plenty of time to go back to sleep." He muttered, pulling off his shoes. His jacket was also tossed to the ground, as well as his shirt. Sighing into the cool sheets, he shut his eyes, falling into a dreamless sleep.
She awoke with a start, her eyes immediately snapping open. The cold had seeped into her jeans, but after years of sleeping in the streets, it barely bothered her anymore. Her brown eyes scanned the alley she was currently occupying for any signs of danger.
"Oh great..." She whispered to herself, quickly getting to her feet. "I must've fallen asleep again."
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind one ear, her eyes narrowing in concentration as she glanced at her wrist watch. It was three a.m. "I can't believe I wasted four hours napping!" She continued angrily. "I have to get to the hideout before dawn. I can't waste anymore of my time!"
She quickly pulled up her backpack on both shoulders, tugging her jacket hood off as she did. There was no moon out tonight, and the darkness would provide a decent disguise. There was no need to cover her face for now.
She made an odd noise at the back of her throat, somewhat resembling a grunt and a snort. It's been years since they last saw me. I doubt anyone even recognises me now.
However it wasn't the ordinary citizens she was afraid of, it was the people she had crossed. People she had badmouthed, stolen from or even betrayed. People who wanted revenge. People who hated her father. Yeah, there were many Lucy Heartfilia was running from.
She covered a good distance in the next hour, somehow managing to not encounter any late night wanders this time. She was fast on her feet, but the people currently tailing her were a lot faster. "If only I had my own wheels or something." She huffed, pressing her palm against the brick wall to steady herself. "A car would be too flashy. A motorbike would be ideal, but it's pretty loud and recognisable. And again it's not something I can just leave in a ditch if they're tailing me."
The blonde pulled out a bottle of water from her pack, taking a tiny sip. She couldn't afford to take too many liquids in one go. "I've got to get one of the guys in the Magnolia hideout to teach me how to hot-wire a car. I could easily be on my way much faster if I could that." She pulled her elastic out from her hair, running a hand through the tangles before tying it up into a bun again. Splashing a bit of water on her face, before wiping it off with her jacket sleeve. That was all the beauty treatment she gave herself everyday. No more fancy hair products, or skin creams and lotions, or even facials. She glanced at her nails, bitten raw out of habit. Her lips were rough and chapped, her her body slender but not skinny. The years of living in luxury had allowed her to look decent even months after calling out in the streets.
A wave of nausea hit her, a sickening pit in her stomach growing wider with every passing second. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong. Lucy hastened herself, taking a seat against the wall to regain her bearing. "This is the third time this month this happened." She muttered, wincing as she did. "It sure as hell isn't my period this time, and I'm definitely not sick or anything either."
A second bout of pain burst through her navel, spreading up to her chest and paralysing her feet. She could barely move her arms to cradle her stomach. Dammit! This isn't good. Come on, Lucy! Push it away! Push the pain away! You don't have time for this right now, come on, you can still make it!
A moan escaped her lips, echoing in the silent night. She curled herself up into a ball, willing the pain to go away. And then the unthinkable happened.
Almost instantly, she found strange shadows surround her, their eyes glinting and their fangs shining in the moonlight. They were concentrating only on her, smirking. They had caught their prey.
Lucy wanted to laugh bitterly at the irony of it. She had spent years dodging people like this, only for them to corner her whilst she was having cramps? How cruel could fate be...
Her eyes narrowed as she regarded her predators. They didn't look like the normal human beings who tried to hunt her down every now and then. They carried themselves with surprising grace and agility, while retaining a bloodthirsty look on their faces all the same.
They moved closer to where she lay, effectively blocking any exist she might have secured. And then her mind flashed back to her nightmare. It was weird this time, well weirder than usual. Instead of being hunted down by silhouettes of her dead mother and father, Lucy found herself chased by strange monsters, out for her blood. She laughed ruefully. All her life, just like in her dream, she had been running blindly in the darkness, unaware of where she was going.
Her mouth twisted into a grimace as she remembered how the monster in her dream had finally caught up to her. It really was paralleling her life now. She furrowed her eyebrows. What sick foreshadowing...
Her predators were almost upon her by now, but Lucy made no effort to move. The pain in her stomach was exceeding by the second, and she was unable to focus on little else. She could feel a haze plaguing her mind, gradually rendering her unconscious. The last thing she saw amongst the dark shadows was a sudden flash of light from above, a pair of captivating green pupils embedding themselves into her brain. And then the darkness swallowed her whole.