Chapter 1 - Recognition

It's March of the 1920's, and I'd just about finished the biggest hunt I've had since the start of my existence. Since I've become what I am, there have been very few occasions that I've met another like myself. Believe me, if I had, they would know about it.

I was running through the woods near Kansas, my usual haunt, when I smelt a very unfamiliar smell. It was so unfamiliar that it could have scared me, had I not been so used to unexpected things. After all, the life I led was full of unexpected events, was it not?

The smell in which had hit my sensitive nostrils was that of another vampire. I had not smelt another in the last 12 weeks. That was just a rough estimation. I hated being around other vampires. They always tried changing my views, the way I am, and after nearly three hundred years, I wasn't ready for that just yet.

Anyway, this vampire was very close, about 35 miles away, so I decided to check him or her out, see what their business was; see why they were in Kansas.

I followed my nose to an old building. I say old, but it wasn't that old. In the twenties, not many buildings lasted more than 10 years, and this was nearly 20 years old. Quite an accomplishment for humans, if I was honest with myself.

I was slightly confused as to why a vampire, predator of humans, would choose an asylum of all places to hang out. Trying my utmost to compose myself, which was very hard, I went round the back to the door that was always open. I knew this as I sometimes checked out the humans that come in here; see if they're worth preying on.

The scent got stronger as I got closer to the back, so I knew that the vampire was working very close to the back, yet I still knew not why this was.

I stopped in my tracks, controlled my breathing, and tried thinking civil thoughts, as one small slip of the tongue could cause my death.

I walked through the door, only to be greeted by a very gorgeous, immortal woman, who soon introduced herself to be Tammy.

"Howdy," she said to me, in a un-hideable Western accent. She seemed un-startled by my appearance, so she was obviously distracted by something.

"Hello. I wasn't aware that you were staying nearby. My name is James, by the way. And you are?" The tone I kept was cautious; I made a point of making it obvious, too.

"Tammy. I recently moved here. I was told that there was a slight excess in population, if I took the right risks I could have a bit more than a feast. I hope I'm not intruding on your hunting range?"

"Oh, not at all. Quite the contrary actually. I never come to this particular spot. There's never anything that...grabs my fancy, so to speak. I am, however, the only one of our kind for about a 400 mile radius, so bear that in mind when you hunt. I can get a bit…territorial, for want of a better word." I smiled my most warming smile though, despite my words, to show her that no threat was meant, and it seemed to have been taken the way I wanted it to be.

"Of course. You were here first, I'll respect that. But, being the one that works here in particular, I call dibs on anyone new that comes into this building, just in case we have the same… tastes. That way, we both remain happy." Her words sparked something deep within her maroon-coloured eyes; something which I wasn't sure of, but later realised was a mix of lust and mischief. I laughed to myself.

"You can be sure now that I will never want anything that comes in here. It's always spoiled by some mental disease or other." I snorted. "I don't mean to sound disrespectful of your offer, but I've been around here longer than you have, and believe me, you wouldn't want anything from here either, if you only knew the sort of humans that come and go." With that, I left her pondering my words in silence. I wasn't going to let some female make me feel inferior in my own town. No way!!

Not even a month later, I was passing by again, just checking up on Tammy, when I smelled the delicious scent of a human. It was simply mouth-watering, and I knew right then that I must have whatever human owned that scent. It had been too long since I had played my favourite game, and it was finally coming back to me. I didn't have to be stood beside a looking glass to know my eyes had turned ruby red at the thought of my new prey. Whoever it was, they would soon be begging to die, wishing they hadn't been born, screaming out for anything that would save them, making promises I would make sure they couldn't keep. I laughed manically to myself.

As I carried on running with the scent, I realised that it was coming from the asylum. I was furious at myself. How could I have not realised where it was coming from? Why did I want this human more so now? I just didn't understand. If that Tammy got in my way, I'd just have to show her that this was my town, therefore that human was mine by rights. I wasn't about to share. Not now, not ever.

I stopped in my tracks. If I played the right card, I could kill two birds with one stone, and be rid of Tammy, as well. That would be harder, though. I'd never destroyed another vampire before. Any vampire I'd fought in the past fled with fear, swearing on oath never to return to these parts. I knew a fighter when I saw one, and Tammy seemed like one to fight until the end. I would begin my battle strategies as I spoke to her.

"I smell that you have new residents here." I stated in way of a greeting as I glided through the doors, startling poor Tammy as I did. That made me smile inwardly. Though how she didn't realise I was coming is beyond me. This was one vampire that never ceased to surprise me, and I didn't like surprises.

"Pardon? Our new resident? We haven't had a new resident for nearing on 3 weeks now. What is it to you anyway?" Her last few words had a sneer to them, something that put my back up a bit.

"Just curious is all. I notice that they smell extraordinarily delicious. May I have a wander round?" I asked.

"You want to wander round this asylum? The place that you looked down on just over a month ago? I'm not sure that's a good idea in many accounts other than one. Sorry, but I have rules to abide by. May you leave, please?"

Having my entry refused was the worst thing this… this…this poor excuse of a vampire could have done at that moment. A loud growl ripped from my bare chest as I crouched down ready to launch myself at her. She hissed a growl at me, also, a hiss that quite literally scared me a bit too much, and off-guard as I was, I fled; not knowing what was to come next.

Outside, and with a few miles distance between myself and Tammy, I allowed myself to calm down and think a bit. That vampire was no ordinary vampire, and if I was to reach my goal, then she would have to come out of the game. It was too dangerous with her around, far too many risk involved, and I couldn't risk taking them. She had to be destroyed. Somehow.