Diabolus.

I looked down at the page, trying to decode exactly what I had written. The word burned within my memory. It was late, but the humid air seemed suffocating. Glancing towards the window, I caught a glimpse of lighting bolting through the night sky.

Diabolus.

The word was mocking me now. Continously, this word formed itself into my dreams, but mostly my nightmares. Lately, the dreams were getting worse. Each night, I awaken in a cold sweat and an overwhelming feeling of dread. It was as if I could feel someone's eyes watching me from far away, only to wake up to an empty room.

Sighing, I ran a trembling hand through my hair, got out of bed, and made my way to the bathroom. The hallway was dark, carrying an eerie feeling as I cautiously walked. Lightning occasionally lit the hall, helping to guide me to the bathroom. Once I had reached my destination, I splashed my face with icy water. Images from my previous nightmare still burned like a fire within my brain.

Looking up, I met the eyes of a familiar face. The boy's black hair stuck out in several directions, his chapped lips quivered slightly. The image in the mirror had bright, purple eyes and fangs that made him look like a killer.

But a killer is something this boy was not.

I stared into the mirror, watching my eyes fade back to their dark shade of blue and my fangs slip back into my gums. These nightmares were driving me crazy.

"Vladimir?" a calm voice called from behind, causing me to jump.

Nelly stepped into the bathroom, but I did not turn to face her. I kept my eyes locked on the boy in the mirror. Oh how much this boy has changed over the past years.

"Vlad," she placed a hand on my shoulder, "don't you think you should be getting some rest before school tomorrow? What's the matter? Did the storm wake you?"

I shook my head quickly, the motion causing the boy in the mirror to blur momentarily. The bags under his eyes were very noticable. How much had I slept in the past few days? The answer was not a large number, that I knew.

I finally looked over at Nelly. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun, and her glasses aged her by a few years. Nelly was shorter than I. Sometimes I joked with her, standing up and looking over her head, laughing at her height. She woud respond by slapping my arm playfully, joking about grounding me until the end of time if I bullied her any longer.

Nelly had been like a mother to me for the past six years, taking me in after my parents' death. She comforted me and dealt with my constant outbursts. Nelly knew how to make me feel better; sometimes, I even felt human around her.

I cleared my throat, but my words still sounded hoarse, "No, it was just a nightmare. I'm fine, though." My hands gripped the sink, a sudden dizzy feeling invading my head. The room went black for a split second, but fading back to color soon enough.

Nelly brushed a piece of hair from my eyes, "Well, you need to get back to sleep, sweetheart. You can't be late on your first day." Her voice was serious; her eyes casting worried glances on me.

At least someone cared.

I didn't say anything, but simply nodded towards my guardian before exiting the room and traveling back down the hall. Once I reached my room, I stared at my bed, memories of my dream flooding my mind once again.

"Do you not understand what you're capable of, Vladimir?"

The man within my dream was not one I knew. He stood like a dark figure in the corners of my mind, never showing his face, only slashing words at me.

"This is what you were meant to be."

"Diabolus."

I shook my head, trying to erase the memories from my brain. Crawling back into bed, I allowed my eyes to flutter shut, but I feared what layed behing my closed eyelids.