Pieces
I.

For the first time in her short life, Mina was scared. No, not just scared but absolutely petrified. When she was walking back to the orphanage, she heard a distinct cry of a child coming from down the alley behind the local 7-11. She was a kindred spirit at heart, even motherly at times; however, even with these characteristics and being the age of seventeen, she still had a fear of the dark. It was something innate, something primal that was instilled into her bones.

Bucking up, she shifted her bag closer to her and tightened her fists over the strap. As she took the first step into the darkness, there was another sob. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she hastened her steps. The sobs were stifled and turned slowly into loud, heart-aching pleas. Reaching the end of the alleyway, Mina spotted a child, knees up to their chest as they shook, and kneeled in front of them.

"Are you okay?" Mina finally asked, swallowing the lump in her throat. She felt as if the walls were closing in on her and her heart fluttered, beating excessively against her rib cage. The sobs suddenly stopped, replaced with hiccups. When the child lifted its head up, Mina fell back onto her butt, and a shriek left her mouth. Blood was falling from the child's eyes, and when he parted his lips to speak, Mina watched in horror as fangs shimmered in the minimal lighting.

"I'm hungry."
Before Mina was able to push herself up, her fight of flight instincts kicking in, she was pushed backwards; the wind was completely knocked out of her. The child was on top of her, straddling her chest, but it felt like a boulder was placed there instead. She gasped for breath as an inhuman growl ripped from its mouth. He sniffed the air and looked back at her, licking his lips, "and you smell divine." In a link of an eye the child's mouth was upon her neck.

Another shriek ripped from her throat.

Mina shuffled her feet down the littered hallways, her navy blue duffel slumped over her shoulder as she re-adjusted her skirt. She was making her way towards the entrance, praying to God that none of the Sisters stopped her.

"Mina!" Apparently God had different plans and she stopped in her tracks, knowing better than to pretend she didn't hear the strict voice calling for her, "where do you think you're going?" Sister Margaret appeared in front of her, arms crossed over her chest and a line forming on her lips. Mina's eyes trained themselves upon the elderly woman's cheeks and saw they were painted red, probably from running down the flight of stairs to get to her in time.

Shuffling her feet, a tall tell sign she was nervous, she dared to glance up at the Sister as she spoke: "I was hoping to get some practice in at the youth center." Mina bit the inside of her cheek, watching the nerve twitch in the Sister's forehead.

"Did you tell anyone where you were going?"

Guilt rose up in her throat, like bile coming from her stomach as she looked down; she just wanted to dance. Mina said nothing to the Sister. Sister Margaret sighed, rubbing her temples with her index fingers before taking Mina by the shoulders and forcing her to look into her old, brown eyes.

"We do this for your safety child, imagine what could happen to you if we didn't know! If you were hurt, or worse. By God's gracious light, please don't be like your mother."

Mina's mother had been a touchy subject, and Sister Margaret knew this too well. Against her better judgement, Mina lashed backwards with a hurt look on her face before opening the door and throwing back to the Sister, spitefully: "It's not like I'm going to die," before slamming the door behind her.

Mina cried, tears falling past her eyes in a heavy stream as she begged, pleaded, and screamed. The child, not taking a single bite yet, pushed his hand over her mouth before clamping down, hard. His fingernails dug into her skin, and it felt like razors tearing at her skin. His other hand went under her chin to straighten out her thrashing head, and suddenly he grasped her jaw as tight as he could. A sickening crack came from her jaw, and waves of pain flowed through her. More tears flowed, but not of fear this time but of pain.

"Shut up," the child growled, a menacing growl leaving his mouth, "shut up you mewling cow, you sound just like my mother."
The fear came back ten gold, thoroughly out doing the pain as she screamed. Eyes wide, jaw throbbing, and panicked; Mina thrashed beneath him. Oh God, she thought, I'm going to die. Just as his mouth pressed against her neck again, his weight was simply gone. Opening her eyes, which she had closed as more tears threatened to spring forth, she watched as another vampire, more powerful from the looks of it, had the young boy by the throat.

"Edgar," the voice was commanding, deep, and authoritative, "is this not the second time this week we've caught you feeding, or attempting to feed on an unwilling human?" The child, Edgar, clawed at the vampire's hand and hissed at him. Sighing deeply the other, nameless vampire quickly snapped Edgar's neck. Mina gasped, and ignoring the throbbing pain she cried out: "how could you do that?" The searing pain creeped into her jaw as she pushed herself up, and on weakened knees she walked over to the small boy. As her knees gave out, she found herself on hands and knees looking at the same vampire that just attacked her; his face had a more peaceful expression than before.

"Will he be okay?"

"You worry over him? He just tried to feed off you, and probably had to intentions to bleed you try, did he not?" Confusion was evident in his voice, and Mina didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He was right - this boy was about to kill her and she was worried for his well-being. Maybe she finally went insane.

"I care for all living things."

"We are not alive," he paused for a moment, "our hearts do not beat, we do not breath; by definition, we are not alive."

"But you are," Mina croaked out, the pain almost unbearable, "you walk, and you stand in front of me; you might live differently but you are most certainly alive." Silence filled the air, and before long a hand clasped on her forearm and pulled her up right, "come child, I will take you to the hospital." The voice was gentle and calming, a stark difference from the demanding tone from earlier, and strangely enough: she felt safe.

Mina blinked several times, her eyes not yet adjusting to the fluorescent lights above her. The white room around her was blinding, and if that wasn't bad enough her entire body ached. Where was she?

"Oh Mina!" The exclamation was followed by a hug, her head resting against someone's chest, "I was called a couple of hours ago, I can't believe someone tried to mug you! All you had was your dancing bag, I swear I'm having someone escort you from now on." Even though it was a simple jest, Mina shrunk back and kept her eyes trained to the white, knit blanket; her fingers subtly picking at it.

"I was mugged?" Pain shot up her jaw.

Pushing her back, she could finally see the person hugging her was Sister Margaret, "yes! When we were called they said a good samaritan helped you, knocking off the attacker and brought you in; were you hit that hard in the head?" Sister Margaret gave her a worried look, her brows almost coming into contact with her eyes. Mina stared at the Sister before nodding.

"I remember. Someone pulled me into the alley and told me to give them all my money, and when I said I didn't have any..."

"Oh hush!" Sister Margaret narrowed her eyes at her, pushing her back onto the hospital bed, "the doctor said no talking! It'll cause painful throbs and nausea; the mugger broke your jaw dear," the Sister paused and looked at her with a cool expression, "I have to go tell the doctor! They need to take you in for surgery." If Sister Margaret was an animal, Mina could easily imagine her as a hen. Right now, her feathers would be ruffled and she'd be clucking madly. Sister Margaret left the room and Mina laid back.

It was odd. She remembered the attack, the words that came out from her attackers mouth, but she couldn't remember his face for the life of her... or the face of the good samaritan that saved her.

I'm sure you can guess who Mina ran into. Hope you enjoyed! Review, favorite, and watch the story if you liked! Thank you for reading~