The Vampire

The stranger sighed. "Apparently you still don't understand the situation. I'm not like other people, in fact, I'm not even human. I'm a creature of the night, I fear no one, I am feared by all."

He paused.

"I'm a vampire."

With that, he gave an evil, knowing smile, sneer like in nature. His teeth showed, and Kyoko could see a pair of longer, pointier, fang-like teeth. She suddenly realized what his eyes reminded her of: the eyes of an animal. A killer. A hunter.

Kyoko took a small step back in surprise, and hoped he hadn't noticed. She could easily hold her own against guys, human guys, but she'd had no experience with non humans. A vampire?

The vampire advance slowly toward her, eyes suddenly flashing red. Kyoko back up until her back was pressed against the wall.

"I see you finally understand your position. Aren't you going to beg, plead for your life?"

Kyoko just stared him down, still trying to think of possible ways of escape, but she was trapped no matter how she looked at it: there was a solid wall at her back, a thirsting vampire in front of her getting closer by the second. In the off chance that she could get past him, he could probably outrun her.

"No, I guess you wouldn't, you seem to have too much pride for that. That's good. Thickens the blood it does. Too often do I find prey, weak humans, so selfish and greedy they'll try anything: offer themselves up as slaves, find and bring me other humans whenever I get...thirsty. I even had a young woman offer up her own child to me. Just goes to show how pathetic and fragile humans are."

The vampire took another step toward her. Reaching for a strand of her ebony hair, he sniffed it, drawling, "But you're different, aren't you? Most young girls scream and run in vain, all the while crying out for help that isn't going to come. But their blood is so weak, so...unsatisfying."

He grabbed her right wrist and held it as if he would bite it, and Kyoko tried to wrest it out of he grip. Instead, he pressed his nose against the inside of her wrist and inhaled deeply. A look of ecstasy and longing washed over his face like a tidal wave on the sand.

"You see, your blood smells so tantalizing to me, so irresistible. Like pure, ice-cold water to a water-deprived man."

The vampire drew his tongue across the skin covering Kyoko's veins as if trying to absorb her blood through her skin. Kyoko whipped her hand back, her hair tie snapping as his fingernails caught on it.

"What about the other...vampire?" she gasped.

"Oh. Him. We came to a quick agreement before I caught up to you. He was weak, so he either had to agree to my conditions or look elsewhere. I told him I would allow him to finish what's left of you after I'm finished." he articulated.

The fear that was starting to creep into her veins was instantly pushed aside by a sudden flare of rage.

"What the heck do you think I am?! Your chew toy?! Kyoko snapped.

He cocked his head slightly to the side, stroked her hair and purred, "No, my dinner."

Then he leaned forward, agonizingly slow, pulled back her hair and pressed his lips to her neck. Kyoko stiffened, fear quickly making a comeback. Quick as lightning, the vampire's tongue flicked across her skin as if tasting where he would bite, making Kyoko shudder. Fear consumed her entire body, paralyzing her, nothing would move. She didn't even know if she was breathing. Her eyes were wide open and for once in her life, Kyoko was terrified. As a kid, she'd never been afraid of anything. And now here she, petrified, unable to move. Now she was going to die die and there was nothing she could do because she was scared. She almost wanted to beg, this was so unexpected.

Almost.

No. You have too much pride. Don't give in. Don't you dare give this bloodsucking murderer the satisfaction of scaring you.

The vampire drew his tongue very slowly across her neck, sending icy shivers down her back. Then he opened his mouth and pressed his fangs against her neck, ready to bite. She could feel the points, sharp as knives. Kyoko took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

She heard a bang and felt her hair fall from the vampire's hand as the pinpoint pressure from her neck ceased and she sank to her knees. Kyoko's eyes snapped open just in time to see the vampire's body turn to dust, and watched it settle to the ground. The sound of shoes crunching on the ground nearly made Kyoko jump out of her skin. She looked up and saw a young man walking toward her. His gray eyes were half-concealed behind several strands of silver-gray hair. Part of a strange symbol tattooed on his neck was visible, but his high collar from his coat hid most of it. Several small hoops were punched into his ears. He was tall, perhaps a couple inches taller than Kyoko, and she was tall for her age. His pants were dark and the shirt he wore was stark white. And in his right hand by his side, still smoking, was...

A gun.

Silver and deadly-looking, the handgun had the words "Bloody Rose" carved into the muzzle. The guy looked like he was about Kyoko's age, in her late teens. Somewhere in the back of her mind, miles away, she secretly thought he looked too young to own a gun, legally at least.

He stopped two feet away from Kyoko and held out his hand.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Kyoko hesitantly took his hand and he pulled her to her feet. Her legs felt like jelly and was so unsteady on her feet that she almost fell over, but the silver-haired guy held her steady by her shoulder.

"Thanks," she managed to squeeze out.

Who is he?

"Are you okay?" he repeated.

"Yeah," Kyoko tried to assure him, "I'm fine-"

Suddenly, it was as if Kyoko couldn't breathe, she fell to the ground, gasping for air. Trying to swallow great lungfuls of the cool night air, Kyoko's vision started to fade to black until it eventually swallowed her up completely.

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