Somewhere in the night, a girl wakes, gasping for air, and crying. another nightmare. She shrugs it off, grabs her keys, ensures her sister is sleeping soundly, locks the car, and goes for a walk to clear her head. She heads 'home' after a visit to the local all-night coffee shop. Walking past an alley, she senses something, turns. She sees a familiar face. "Pierce?" But something is different, he attacks, Then everything goes black.
The cleaner walked towards the latest site. What she was met with was highly strange.
There was quite a bit of blood, which was normal, But the strange thing was, that the girl who was supposed to be dead, was trying to push herself up.
Icy eyes met green, The Cleaner ran over.
I pushed with all my might, But wasn't making any progress. I smelled something strange, and I had the strangest feeling of hunger. I opened my eyes briefly and Met the eyes of a woman, she started running towards me. I clamped my eyes shut, blocking out the lights. They weren't that bright before… The woman gently pushed me down. I was shaking, From adrenaline, I supposed. What had happened to me? And why did everything ache?
I heard the woman walk a few paces away. Her footsteps sounded like thunder in my Head.
"Mick. It's the Cleaner."
"No, I don't need you to investigate anything. Look. Just meet me. I'm In an alleyway to the left of Gina's Coffee on Market St."
"No. It's not a body, exactly. No, It's not a feral vamp, But she should be. Just get here. Bring Josef."
She walked back over. I could hear her talking, but only just. it sounded somewhere along the lines of soothing. I barely registered male voices and being moved as everything faded out.
Sometime later, I woke up, feeling unbearably hungry. Wait, where was I exactly? I tried to sit up, to no avail. I made a small sound in protest. I heard a voice and opened my eyes for a second, Seeing a man settle to my side. He raised his wrist to his mouth, bit, and held it near my lips. I latched on, drinking until I was pushed away, and rolled over, barely registering the action.
A few minutes later, I woke again, and managed to sit up. After my vision focused, I saw I was in a finely furnished, and presently dark, room. I lay on a bed. What had happened to me? I managed to stand, and after a few stumbles, I had gained somewhat decent footing. I wrapped a sheet around myself. My ears picked up a voice that sounded familiar, and I followed it, squinting in the light of the hall for a moment, and then proceeding. I walked slowly, marveling at the plush décor of the house. 'Where am I, and what happened to me?' was seemingly my new mantra. I felt a tap on my shoulder, and turned around, meeting the face of a man. "Who…what…Where…?" he cut me off, "You shouldn't be walking around. Everything will be explained in due time. Let's return to the room." He gestured to someone else. Another man appeared, seemingly out of thin air.
We reached the room, sitting down, I had to ask; "What Happened to me, Who are you, and where am I?"
The other man spoke up, looking slightly uneasy; "You were… Attacked. My Name is Mick St. John."
He nodded to the other man, who spoke up. "I am Josef Konstantin, and we are at my home."
I nodded. "I'm…" I stopped, it then occurred to me that I didn't even remember my own name.
Mick spoke up. "Ellienne." "Ellienne" I repeated, rolling the name over my tongue. It sounded familiar. Yeah. That's my name. Except he said it wrong. I think the other guy noticed. I smiled appreciatively. "Well, you said it wrong, But how do you know it to start with?" He handed me my wallet. "oh. Haha. Duh. So, I was…attacked? Oh. Yeah. I remember now. Pierce…" I paused, attempting to sort out what had happened. When I went to speak, I was cut off by Josef "What Happened, Exactly? Who Is Pierce?" I paused. "He just kind of walked up and went rawer. His eyes were strange. Icy. Looked a bit like a Vampire, to be honest." they both shifted uncomfortably.
Josef answered the unasked question that laced the air. "You were indeed attacked by a vampire. A Rogue. Somehow, his blood accidentally got into your system."
I was beyond shocked. "Then I'm…wow… and you are too… I guess I'm not crazy after all." I laughed softly. My eyes widened, And Then I gasped. "Sarah." Josef's eyes widened at this. "Who do you know named Sarah?" he demanded, coolly. "She's my little sister! She's still… we have to find her. We have to. She can't survive." Mick sighed "as far as she knows, you're dead." I growled. "No, as far as she knows, I'm out with my friends, and not answering my phone. A very worried, Probably scared shitless kid, God knows where. I am not abandoning her." I looked down and bit my lip. I wanted so desperately to forget the past. Mick shot me a quizzical look.. "Shouldn't your parents be able to take care of her?" I laughed. "tell me Mr. Vampire, Have you ever Heard of the Sicilian Mob?" His eyes widened in obvious disbelief. "Yeah. So, I flew out here from New York, and made sure we disappeared. So, after working that hard to keep her safe, I'm not abandoning her just because some jerk spazzed out." I grabbed my phone off the side table, and hit the speed dial.
"Sarah?
Oh god. Sweetie. I'm so sorry. I got… Sidetracked.
Can you tell me where you are?
Fifth Ave. and Niche?
Okay. See you soon.
Hide.
Kay." I closed the phone, muttering. "She's terrified. And I'm a fucking vampire." Good thing she's as enthused about them as me. For now I just needed to find that poor kid.
"she's by the college" Mick stated the obvious.
"No. Fucking. Way." I deadpanned. Then I noticed my state of undress. "could I… clothes?" I could swear my face would be fire truck red..
Half an hour later, we were at the college, and I was searching alleyways, I found her behind a restaurant wrapped in a makeshift sleeping bag of sorts. I pulled her out. My face changed as I scented her pulse. I managed to control the urge, Glad I knew as much as I did. "Sarah, calm Down. It's just me." "but… you scared me." she sniffled "I'm sorry. But guess what? He-" I pointed to Josef, "Has a nice place for us to stay at for a little while." she looked at Josef skeptically, and scoffed. I Pleaded with Mick a bit ("I don't want to accidentally Kill her. I'd have to find some sort of Silver supplement to take after that to kill myself."), and she basically attached herself to him. I talked with Josef about my face changing; and controlling it, and we walked back..
Returning to Josef's home, we all went in, Sarah nearly falling over at the sight of the house. I bit my lip, turning to Josef. "Look, I'm sorry for Being an absolute bitch, when you're doing so much for me. Although I'm not entirely sure why." I sighed and glanced to Sarah, who was clinging to Mick with slight fear. She spoke up. "I'm really tired… I know I don't know you or anything but…" Josef looked at her, then at me, and pointed towards what I assumed was a bedroom. Sarah grabbed onto my hand, not wanting me to leave her. After putting her to bed, I Sat down on a couch. "So what's the catch for the hospitality, anyway?" Josef rose an Eyebrow "What's the Catch?" "yes. The secret fine print that entails something taken in return for something gained. You're a Businessman, I know your type." I replied. He scoffed "My type? I doubt it." I laughed. No catch whatsoever. So this amazingly hot business-vamp was going to train me and let my sister stay for nothing? Doubted much. "So, you're just going to let a stray vamp and her Human sister stay with you, for no reason whatsoever? Heavily doubted." "It's my job. Although the Human sister is definitely not a normal component of the situation." I sighed. Free he claimed, circumstances would Change, I was sure. "So… What're the rules? Or laws… codes…whatever…"