Today had been quite busy.

My sister went into labour late in the afternoon and I had to rush from work to the hospital. There were complications. My dad and I, we were both scared Lynette wouldn't be up to it, but thanks to a safe C-section, the baby, a little boy, finally managed to squirm out and make the new mom feel in seventh heaven.

I was happy my sister was making a family of her own. Her boyfriend Mark came later that evening to see her. He hadn't been able to pull himself away from the firm. They were going to get married soon. They were always making plans but now that the baby had arrived they couldn't postpone anymore. They were going to tie the knot.

Around four in the morning my dad and I left the hospital so that Lynette could rest with her baby and Mark. I left my dad home and I drove back to my apartment, on the other side of town. It was a clear, starless night and the coastal wind was a lot softer than usual. I was very tired because I had worked hard all day at the Mall. I was one of the administrators. It wasn't and had never been my ideal job, but after our mom died and Lynette used up most of the family savings to go to Law School, I was left with Community college and un underpaid job at Penny's.

I wasn't blaming anyone. It was certainly not my sister's fault. I had never had the ambition she had. She had always worked hard for what she wanted and she usually achieved it. I never had any clear goals. That's why I was in this situation. It wasn't a dead end; I still had my family and friends. And I was living a quiet life in a peaceful town, with a sea-view.

As I was driving slowly across the cliffs of the coast, more asleep than awake I suddenly saw a figure ahead. It looked like a young man. He was hovering over one of the cliffs, most precariously. Just one more step and he would have fallen in the stormy sea.

I pulled down one of the windows and shouted at him to get away from there, but the man didn't even turn around. So I eventually stopped the car and got out. A mild, gentle summer rain had started.

The man was wearing a brown tweed jacket, some black pants and a blue, truck-driver shirt. I didn't manage to see his face, but even if I knew him (since our town had a small population) it didn't matter.

He was really intending to jump over the cliffs. His shoulders sagged in a low way, like he had lost everything in the world. His head hung down and his arms were limp around his body.

'Hey, you there! What are you doing?'

He made one more step towards the end of the cliff.

'Hey, stop! You'll kill yourself! I'm sure there is still hope for you!'

But my pleading was useless. He didn't seem to hear me or didn't want to hear me.

I ran to him helplessly, just as he was going to jump, hoping I'd be able to grasp his arm and pull him up and I actually managed to grab his elbow and push him away from the precipice, but in the process, I slipped on the wet soil and before I could hold on to something, I fell right into the sharp cliffs, into the sea…

I tried to scream, but there wasn't anything left to be done. In a few seconds I would be dead.

And I probably would have died.

But I didn't.

After what felt like hours I blinked my eyes open. I was lying down on something wet and someone was standing over me. It was the same man I had saved from suicide.

I felt something very bitter in my mouth. It tasted like rusty copper. My eyes were blurry and my body felt like every bone in it was crushed. I probably had a concussion too, but the pain was mild.

'Don't try to move. I'm not done yet. You still need some more,' the man was saying. He was giving me something to drink. His wrist was next to my mouth and he was pouring that liquid into my mouth.

In my weak condition I accepted whatever he was giving me because whatever it was, it was making the pain go away.

'You have to drink it all. I'll make new blood,' he said in a calm voice.

So he was giving me blood. Some memories of me reading Bram Stoker and Anne Rice in high school flashed in my mind. I already knew this scene from a book.

I didn't know why the memories were coming now, but I knew that I was probably dreaming or hallucinating. Or maybe I was comatose and I was imagining these things. Maybe the reruns of Twilight I had seen last week were paying its toll on me.

Whichever it was, I felt I was in a bad position.

But it didn't last much longer. I fell into a long sleep.

When I woke up, I noticed I was sitting in the backseat of my car. It was a dry, warm place. I couldn't believe I was alive. I felt like blessing some deity. I touched my hands and my legs smiling. Maybe I had fallen asleep here and it had been only an odd vision.

But there were blood stains on my shirt and someone was driving the car. The sun was about to rise. I saw the signs on the horizon. The sea looked almost white.

The man who was driving the car was the man I had saved.

'What are you doing?' I asked, surprised by the clearness of my voice. He didn't sound at all worried.

'I'm driving you home.'

'Who are you? Is this some assault?'

'I'm not an enemy,' he spoke evenly. 'I'm helping you.'

'What were you doing up on that cliff? Did you really want to die?'

'Yes.'

'Did I stop you?'

'Yes.'

My head hurt a lot. I closed my eyes. My clothes were drenched to the bones.

'Did I fall? Did I really fall in the sea?!'

'Yes. You did. I found you somewhere between the rocks on the beach. But you're alright now.'

'I'm alright now?! That must have been a 50 meters fall! How am I still alive?'

He pulled into a small driveway that led to a block of flats. It was among the tallest buildings in the town. I lived here, on the third floor.

I looked out the window to see the other cars, the early commuters and some birds chirping in a tree, but my sight was not the same. I looked at another world out there, much more alive. Maybe this will sound strange but it was a world that was breathing.

'You're not alive,' he answered.

'I'm not alive? Is this life after death? It looks almost the same.'

'You're not dead either.'

He pulled up, got out of the car and helped me out too. I could barely walk but I was slowly gathering strength.

'You need to lie down for a while. I will stay with you.'

I could finally see his face. He looked like one of those airhead jocks at my old high school. There was nothing special about him, except for the eyes which were a very clear colour of blue.

'How did you know where I lived?'

'I searched a bit through your head…I wanted to get you home. I apologise I had to do that.'

'You apologise? You still haven't told me who you are. I don't even know what happened.'

'It's true…I haven't told you anything,' he said sadly. He put an arm around me and carried me inside the block.

We reached my apartment and he put me down as I searched through my pockets for the key. When I opened the door, my golden retriever, Willie, jumped at us happily. He sniffed us a bit curious and licked my hands.

'Poor thing! I should have taken him out yesterday.'

'I'll go out with him. You go lie down,' he told me assuring.

'How can I trust you with my dog? I have no idea who you are.'

'…you can call me Adrian.'

'Adrian. That's a funny name,' I said dizzily as I sat down on my plush couch in the living room.

He nodded absently and grabbed the leash in the hall and took Willie out without a word.

I probably wasn't myself at all; letting strangers take out my dog, sitting there calmly though I knew I shouldn't be alive. I thought that if I survived the fall, I should at least have several broken bones and injuries, but I felt fine. I felt tired and drowsy, but more like I had just eaten a Thanksgiving meal and I was going to take a nap.

The phone called but I didn't bother to answer.

When Adrian came back, I was looking out the window. I was thinking I should call my sister and ask her if she and the baby were fine.

'I've forgotten how fun dogs can be,' he said smiling.

He went in the kitchen and washed his hands. I could hear the water distinctively well. I was almost afraid the pipes had broken and there was a flood in the other room.

Then he came back and sat in front of me on a small stool. The sun rays were pouring into my living room, making his face orange.

'So, I don't think we were acquainted properly. I'm Adrian. And you are?'

'Claire Jenkins,' I answered. 'I haven't seen you around town. Where do you live?'

'Up north in the mountains.'

'You don't look like the mountaineer type.'

'Well, I'm not the mountaineer type. I came here to get away from my home and my thoughts.'

'How did you get into my head?' I asked nonplussed.

He stared at me steadily for a while, then looked down at the coffee table.

'You're taking this very well. I'd expected you to be more surprised.'

'I can't say I've ever been surprised of much. I think what happened was different. I think I didn't really fall. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here, talking to you. I have no wound, so I must have fainted. I think you found out my address. You asked someone on the street about me and this is a small town; we all know each other. Someone probably gave you my address and you drove me here.'

'Maybe that's true. But I know your sister just gave birth.'

'The whole town knows.'

'Your mother died a long time ago.'

'Still…'

'But you think she died because of your father.'

I looked up slightly shaken and folded my hands.

'You haven't told this to anyone, not even your sister. You just know that her illness was aggravated by your father's…misbehaviour.'

'So you know some things about me,' I said after a pause.

'I don't know you at all,' he said blankly. 'I don't know anyone around here. You can trust me on that. But that's the thought that always makes you sad. I can see that.'

'Would you like some tea?' I said after a while.

'No thanks.'

'Why did you try and jump off the cliff? Did something bad happen to you? You want to quit on life?'

He pondered for a few seconds before answering. I guess there were too many questions at once.

'Yes. I wanted to die. I think you can guess I'm upset I didn't.'

'I'm not. For crying out loud, there are enough suicides as it is! We don't need more.'

'It's not fair for you to steal that from me. I have the right to die, whether you like it or not.'

'I had to do something. I couldn't just drive by, could I? A normal person stops to help. I didn't want to let you die.'

'You should have.'

'What happened to you then?'

'Oh. I don't think you'd like to know,' he said sourly.

'You're wrong. People's lives interest me,' I said nodding my head.

'Well, my entire family was killed two nights ago,' he answered simply. He took one of my magazines and browsed through it.

He said this like someone would tell me "it rained yesterday and I didn't have an umbrella."

I brought my knees to my chin.

'Oh…dear, I'm very sorry. I understand now.'

'They all died. Even my uncle and aunt. We all lived together, but they managed to kill them all.'

'Who are they?'

'I have…no idea. They came like shadows, they were like daemons. You know? They seemed like hell's servants. I managed to escape because my blood was pure. Well…now it isn't anymore.'

'What do you mean it was pure?'

'I hadn't turned anyone yet. I was badly injured, but I managed to run away. When I returned they were all cinder. The house looked just like I had left it. That was the worst part. Nothing had changed on the outside.'

I furrowed my brows.

'They turned into cinder...Good Lord.'

'Yes, cinder. I was very much afflicted…' he almost whispered putting down the magazine.

'What did you mean by turning someone? Like spilling the beans?' I wondered.

'It means turning someone else into a vampire with your own blood. I did that with you.'

I flinched and got up instantly.

'Look buddy, I don't know what practical joke you're playing and I get that you're disorientated because your family died, but that's no reason to say these things.'

'But I'm only speaking the truth. What am I supposed to do? Daemons killed my family. What do you think that makes me?'

I looked around me worriedly. If I could knock him unconscious, maybe I could call the ambulance so he could be taken to a hospital. I should call the police too and find out about him and his family and if they really died. Maybe he was an insane man who had escaped the madhouse.

But I felt pity for him. He had brought me home. I was grateful to him, a bit.

'That makes you a troubled young man.'

'I'm much older than you are.'

'How much? You can't be older than twenty seven, let's say.'

'I'm ninety five years old, thank you very much.'

I paced the room up and down not knowing what to do. But then an idea struck me.

'I need to go to the hospital and see my sister. Why don't you come with me?'

'Alright…' he said unsure. 'I should take care of you anyway. I should be very worried to let you go there by yourself. You might get hungry.'

I nodded absently, not wanting to fight with him on this subject. He was obviously unhinged.

He insisted to drive and I let him. In all earnest, I was feeling queasy, very queasy. I wasn't ready to walk yet so much.

When we reached the hospital he took my hand and we walked together inside. I thought this was a good idea. I was helping a pour soul.

Lynette was waiting for me. She was feeding the baby happily. Mark was sleeping in a chair in the ward.

I left Adrian in the hall and called for the nurse.

'Can the doctor come please?' I asked her when she came.

I told the doctor that I had found a very troubled young man last night who wanted to commit suicide. I told him he was waiting outside the door, but when he looked out he said there was no one. Indeed, he had gone.

I worried a bit. Had he suspected my ruse? Maybe. Well, maybe he was waiting outside.

I stayed a while longer with Lynette and my little nephew, Danny. I held him too and kissed his cheeks. He was as tasty as a piece of candy. I could eat him up. I nuzzled in his neck.

I don't know why, but suddenly all I could see in front of me was red. It was like a red fever had taken over me. I blinked once or twice, but it was still there. And the taste in my mouth felt bitter and dusty, like I needed a gulp of water. I reached out for a cup but I dropped it disgusted.

'Feeling nauseous Claire? Take care, maybe you're pregnant too,' Lynette said cheerfully.

I stared in horror at little Danny and realised I wanted to taste his blood.

I hastily pushed him away and gave it to Lynette, taking a few steps back.

'Are you alright? What's wrong? Did he upset you?' she asked surprised.

I waved my hand and told her it was nothing, hoping the feeling would go away, but it did not. I had this monstrous craving for blood and I didn't know why I knew it was blood, but I knew it was the same feeling of thirst. So it came as a natural instinct.

'I'm going to go get a soda,' I told her and left the room agitated.

I ran out of the hospital to get a breath of fresh morning air.

Outside, Adrian was standing in the parking lot.

'So you think I'm crazy? You wanted to lock me up? I'm not insane. Soon you'll see I was right. You're developing your senses. You won't be able to stop afterwards. We shouldn't have come here.'

'Adrian, if that's your real name. I want you to leave me alone,' I told him panting. 'I'm sure you have problems but I can't deal with them now. I'm glad you're alive but you need to sort this thing out with your family. And your sanity. I can't help you.'

'I wish I could leave you,' he said hesitatingly. 'But I can't really.'

'Why?'

'I turned you. You're my apprentice now. It's the Vampire Law.'