Solstice

Chapter one

Blur

It has been 106 years

8 hours

3 minutes

and 58 seconds that has past in my lifetime. Not that I'm counting or anything.

According to human side of the world, I'm sixteen years old. This day would mark something of importance to them. A day that would be considered joyous to the specific person whom it was concerned for. A day in which, I personally did not really care about. But for some odd reason, everyone around me did; my birthday.

The hallways were illuminated with lights on each side, dark red curtains disguised the windows from any contact from the outside world and from what I heard; the foyer was being filled with people already celebrating this unimportant occasion.

So here I stood, inside my marble floored room. I leaned against my white wall as I moved my frail, pale hand passed the silk purple curtain to see the outside activity. The sky was darkening and grey as the remaining light of the sun was setting. In the distance I saw people laughing and talking with other people. I saw cars driving on the bridge towards the big city. I heard the Ben stuck 6. I looked at London, my home, my country.

Suddenly by body was pulled back from the window, I looked up to see a familiar face.

"Serena, please stay away from the window." It was Joanna, my older sister. "What if someone saw you before your even ready? That's such bad luck."

"Calm yourself, you worry too much." I smiled at her. But unfortunately, I did not get the same look back. Why do you have to be so superstitious? I sat on my white couch next to my window, trying to think how to reassure her. But she continued using her useless excuses about my glancing.

But she sighed and sat on the couch with me. "Shouldn't you be getting ready by now?"

"Well, I don't think it's time yet," I got up and turned to look at her. " and you know I don't want to have this party."

She pushed her long, dark brown hair behind her ears, but her bangs kept her dark eyes hidden as she looked at me. "S, we've been over this several times; this is the ceremony for entering the family crest. And we've celebrated your birthday every year. This celebration happens every 107 years of a vampire's life or in human terms, your 17th birthday. This is something that I, and your brother went through. It's been in our family for centuries, as well as every other family. Besides, it's not going to kill you if you go through it, after all, your already dead."

"But I have a bad feeling about tonight."

She swiftly got up from the couch and put her hands on my shoulders. "Are you seeing something, like a vision!?" Her eyes turned a golden yellow. "What are you seeing?"

"No, it's just a feeling that I have... I don't see anything." I knew I disappointed her when I said that. She's been wanting me to have some sort of power for some time now. Her and I both.

She backed up from me. "Wow, I really thought that you were going to get your powers earlier than I expected. Oh well..." She walked to the other side of my room towards my white door. "I'll come back in a few minutes to do your hair. I expect you to be dressed and ready when I return."

And she shut the door behind her.

I turned to right of me and walked towards my bed and stared at my purple comforter. On top of it was a long, dark golden gown; the top was a heart shaped tube, and the remainder of the dress flowed down to the tip of the floor. It screamed princess and a fairytale. But I tried to slide pass those enchanted descriptions.

I put it on and walked towards my long golden mirror. My skin was pale as usual. My hair was a wavy, light brown colored, nothing out of the ordinary. I put on gold dangled earrings and smiled my white teeth; no fangs. I don't understand.

Why do I not look like the rest of my family? I'm tanner than them (but that's not saying much), I have green eyes, not black or golden or even a combination of the two, I'm not cold skinned and the weirdest part...I don't have any desire for blood, I eat real food, while my family goes hunting twice a month. How am I considered a vampire in their eyes? Was I the scapegoat of the family? Is that why they celebrate my birthday every year? Am I really...Human?

The thought of that made me feel weird. Sure, I interact with the Human species, heck, I've become friends with certain individuals. But there is something odd about them that makes me question their sanity. They are full of drama and bottled up emotions; one time my friend broke down because another student did not want to escort her at the dance our school was preparing for all the students. I did not understand how someone could freak out about a certain person. I mean, that student is just human, it's not like they're something worth to be called amazing...right?

I mean, we were humans before i guess... so I shouldn't be talking as if I never have done it...I probably have committed some form of this, but still. Our race has controlled emotions, we still have the same emotions as humans; sorrow, hatred, lust, love, greed, anything that makes your mind think and makes you do a certain action because your mind controls everything your body does. But the one thing that we don't have is...a heart.

According to our past. Once a Human becomes a vampire, or if they were a vampire to begin with, you don't have a heart. Though you have emotions...it's all so confusing to understand. My parents believe that the hearts in us still exist, it's just at a stand still. It'll never beat again, because your human part of you is dead, and it will never come back, because your soul doesn't exist.

My family are the purebloods; one of the rare types of vampires. The blood that we have flowing through our veins is considered something powerful. And it is greatly respected among the whole race of vampires. So I guess you can say...our family are very "famous" among the vampire community. My father and mother, are always away doing business for the greater good of our community, like keeping our identities safe from the human world while still interacting with them. It's a very, secret process that I'm not really well aware of.

Though I was told that I was adopted in the family, and that I have a history of pureblood in me, how am I a vampire if I don't even have any of those characteristics?

Time passed as I heard cars pull up from the brick driveway that we had. I heard people laughing and loud words were occasionally heard from across the hall. My hair was in a curly up do, with my side bangs swept across my face and kept behind my right ear by a small, gold diamond headband.

"You look beautiful." Joanna said, looking at my reflection in the mirror.

I tried to look happy, but for some reason, I could not. I didn't want this party to happen. My gut started to hurt. I couldn't explain it. But she opened my door with me following behind. We went down the hallway and my brother, Christopher, came approaching in a sharp, white suit with a blue tie and red rose pinned on the side of his chest.

"Why don't you look sharp tonight Chris." I said, smiling.

"Thanks S, but you gotta hurry up! Everyone's waiting for your arrival." He took my arm and pull me towards the huge, 2 white doors.

Once we got there I pulled back.

"Wait...I can't go in there."I pleaded.

He laughed. "Don't worry, someone is waiting for you below the steps."

My eyes widened and my body started to shake on the inside. Oh God please not him! Anything BUT him. He winked at me. I knew he was going to say something about that. I was just hoping it would be later on in the evening. He got closer to me and put his face by my ear.

"But be careful." He whispered. " His mind isn't with the greatest intentions tonight. If you get my drift. Family favorite or not...he isn't my favorite cup of tea."

He smiled and took the golden handle and opened it. I was looked at by hundreds of people as I walked to the center of the top of the floor of the estate. The room went slient. I was problably giving a facial expression like I've witnessed someone's murder. But I closed my eyes and gave a small, smile. My brother went to the side of me.

"I announce the arrival of Serena Ards Lafayette De Valatore."

I looked around and saw everyone. Suddenly something weird started to happen; Something thumped in my chest over and over again...

And it wouldn't go away.