Chapter 2

Original Character

Marta Amineyev - Vampire

Last few months she had neglected her practice what with work and everything but she was determined to try her best as she walked onto the stage. She exhaled in relief as she saw only 2 judges, both were in the early 50s and the lady especially had a very matronly look about her.

Unfortunately both looked like they preferred to be somewhere else rather than here. She gave her name, which they then nodded and asked her to proceed. Feruza cued for the music, closed her eyes for a second and prayed to every saint that she could think of as she prepared to abandon herself to the music.

The song she had chosen was a contemporary number, its catchy tune combined with traditional influence was a top hit 2 years ago. She swayed, arms twisting and writhing to the beat of the music putting into action all of mai˜ka's advice. Somehow the dance always brought out her inner sexiness, hey she was only 25 after all and what harm was there indulging in a little daydream ala Arabian Nights.

There were no applauses as she ended but at least they had said thank you. She had tried her best, that was good enough for her. For Feruza, life was too short to dwell on the past. Some of the girls were quite nice congratulating her, the harassed usher was in front of her again telling her that they needed to take her picture. She was ushered to another hall where she posed for her picture, the glare of the lights combined with the inadequate ventilation was daunting. She couldn't wait to get home, however she had hardly reached the exit when she heard someone shouting her name.

The same usherer was frantically calling her back. She sighed, perhaps it was good news, she hoped as she walked back into the hall. Standing next to the usherer was a woman, a very elegantly dressed one, striking, she could walk into a room and still every conversation. A red-head, her hair a beautiful coiffure, her attire literally screamed haute couture but it was her eyes that captured; deep emerald pools with no warmth whatsoever. She had seen mannequins that looked more alive than her.

The usher quickly introduced her, Marta something as Feruza tried to remember. It was creepy, looking into Marta's eyes she had the strange sensation of falling. That was the last coherent thought in her mind.

It was late when she found herself in front of her apartment block, she checked her phone. Poor Mai˜ka was frantic, there were 50 missed calls plus numerous text messages on her phone.

Feruza was beside herself, for some reason she couldn't remember how she had ended up in front of her apartment block at a quarter to midnight. Her last recollection of the day's events was being introduced to that strange woman.

Before she could even insert her keys, mai˜ka had opened the door. Her eyes red and her cheeks wet, she pulled Feruza into a hug all the while berating her for her tardiness. Feruza tried to comfort her as much as possible. It had been a long day and it was about to get longer as she prepared to shower.

Mai˜ka begged Feruza to tell her what had happened. Mai˜ka looked like she was about to faint as Feruza described her strange encounter with Marta something. Seeing mai˜ka's disconcerting reaction, Feruza knew something was off. Before she could stop her mother, mai˜ka jumped up and swiftly moved to her bedroom.

Whatever it was, she was back grabbing Feruza's hand. In her left hand, she held a silver necklace. All silver, the necklace looked ancient, the pendant was in the shape of a blazing sun and engraved with obscure symbols. Mai˜ka had no jewellery as far she knew, whatever little had been pawned over the years to support themselves.

Feruza winced as the pressure on her hand increased, mai˜ka was frightened as she begun her tale of the cursed Petrova women. Feruza's eyes widened, she couldn't believe what she was hearing, curses, dopplegangers, vampires, werewolves, witches? Marta was a Vampire? Even as Feruza tried to laugh away her mother's bizarre tales; she felt a coldness come over her, like 'something had walked over her grave'. Mai˜ka had also pulled out a diary left by her bashta, she pushed it into Feruza's hands urging her to read it. She could see how agitated mai˜ka was, she had to calm her down. She gently steered her mother to her bed, lying down beside her. She couldn't sleep that's for sure, she had to find out for herself what mai˜ka's tale was about.

Tatia and Katerina, Tatia had fallen in love with the sons of a powerful witch who had cursed her for eternity. Katerina had been a doppelganger, a supernatural replica of Tatia and had fallen victim to the curse. Her name had been removed from the family records, according to bashta none of the Petrovas were allowed to speak of her. Her crime, she had become one of the servants of the devil or as mai˜ka would say, syaitan (satan, devil). Bashta had learnt of Katerina when he had resided with his grandfather, the old man craving for company had willingly shown bashta old letters and manuscripts detailing Katerina's history. It was said that she had lain with the devil himself! Not only that, but her entire family had been massacred by servants of the evil one himself.

Grandfather of course believed that they had been saved because St Ekaterina, patron saint of their village had protected them. Personally bashta felt it was luck as their family had chosen to relocate to the bordering village between Turkey and Bulgaria, far away from the other Petrovas.

As luck would have it, there was even a sketch of Katerina. Poor Feruza was shocked, it was like looking into a mirror. So she was the 2nd doppelganger. It was just too fantastic, something out a children's story book, no make that a horror tale instead.

What was more perplexing was that bashta had seen Katerina, as a young boy he had loved hanging around the marketplace. The food especially enticing him when he had seen 'her'. He was stunned, something from grandfather's late night horror tales had appeared in front of him. He blinked, opening his eyes again to see the same apparition. He discreetly followed, jumping over rooftops (bashta had been a bit of a rogue) till he saw her literally draining a man of his blood. Her sharp pointed fangs and demonic face had haunted him for years after that.

All hell had broken loose as he had screamed running for help. Much good it did him as later he had been punished for telling tall-tales, but grandfather had believed him. Grandfather had given him the amulet, a silver chain with a blazing sun-shaped pendant. The strange symbols represented a protection spell placed on the wearer. It would protect him from the 'Possession'. Grandfather had told of the Vampire's special ability to possess humans, to make them do what they wanted. Of course, the modern world's version was simpler….. compulsion.

No one knew why Katerina had come to that little obscure village. For bashta, that had been his last visit, after the incident he was too scared to ever go back there. Grandfather had passed on soon after that leaving all his knick-knacks to bashta including a warning concerning Katerina. Grandfather was adamant in his belief that another doppelganger would soon emerge and he wanted bashta to be prepared. It was rumoured that Katerina had born a child out of wedlock before she turned evil. The child had survived growing up in a foster family.

Mai˜ka was sleeping but for Feruza, sleep was the last thing on her mind. She was convinced now that Marta was a vampire and she had been compelled. For what and why, she didn't know. Something told her this was just the beginning of her personal horror story.