Chapter Six: Survival

355 Years Later

I crouch as I look down over the busy streets seeking my next victim. The icy wind whips my hair around my face as flurries of snow continue to fall upon the white land. I pull the hood of my jacket around me closer out of habit to remain hidden not because I seek warmth. I have spent centuries hiding in the dark becoming the very monster children and adults fear alike. The story of my family's downfall was passed down and carried across oceans, past language barriers, and was distorted until no one knew the truth anymore. I am the only who remembers. I am the only who carries this heavy burden in silence with no one to talk to, to share my memories and pain. I remember the balls and the grandeur of the Mazur castle alive with laughter and power. I remember living comfortably and confident nothing could touch us. No one could harm us. I remember the arrogance of my father and our people hurting those who never threatened us. I remember our fear for the unknown only to become it. I remember the First Night like it happened yesterday, and the first time my lips touched blood. I remember the sun on my skin, the rapid beating of a heart in my chest, and his warm embrace as he held me in my times of need. Above all, I remember his eyes. They haunt me reminding me of what I lost and long for: my humanity. My soul.

As I look down at the people, the city, alive with laughter and joy, I miss him the most. I wish he was still here reassuring me everything would be well. But he is long gone. Years slowly passed and I finally realized I could not and would not age. I had screamed to the Heavens cursing my fate when I realized a century later, Luka was gone. He had aged, married, had children and then perished. So I hoped. I hope he had made it alive the night my family was overthrown. I hope he lived a long happy life. I hope he kept his one promise to aid my loved ones and helped them find safety.

The flames had told me that night what I had to do. The secret to our salvation requires me to search for my soul, my humanity, which someone took. That night I was left with a sliver of hope but also more questions. I assumed Tatiana deprived us of our humanity, but the flames said otherwise. I searched far and wide for answers meeting with witches as they slowly came out of the shadows only to be snuffed out with the flames of hatred for the unknown. None could tell me what I saw in the flames. None could help me find him. I had tried to return to my family, but I had spent so long roaming on my own, hiding in the shadows, I did not know where to find them or if they were even alive. The humans hunted us. We became as feared and hated as the witches. We became what they called vampires: bloodsucking monsters, which came out at night to feed on the innocent. Humans rose to fight us with everything they had.

I soon learned we had weaknesses besides the sunlight. Silver is as deadly as the sun causing us extreme pain, which I never knew we were capable of feeling. I had fallen from towers, broken bones and cut myself all in hopes of ending it all. Nothing worked. Only a silver stake through the heart or sunlight exposure could truly end the existence of the vampires. The hunters were relentless hunting us and bringing us down swiftly. My race soon retreated to the shadows finding ways to fed discreetly and remain hidden. Most of us were smart enough to make the hunters believe they wiped us out. The tale of vampires and the hunters who defeated them became a myth. Fiction. Humans no longer feared us. They portrayed us in their art, films as they called it, as hideous monsters killed by a valiant human with no inhuman speed, strength, or compulsion only sheer bravery.

Their false sense of security works in my favor. I can get lost in the crowd and no one suspects I am any different from them. I can almost pretend I am human among the millions of faces in Budapest. Going from one kingdom to another became tiring. I am no longer sure of what I am looking for, so I settle in a city spending a few years in each. Budapest became my favorites cities to return every few decades or so. The city is beautiful with structures seeming to touch the very sky. People from all over the world come here to enjoy the art, music, scenery, and fashion. In Budapest, I can see how far the world I knew had come. Car, airplanes, television, electricity… To me, the city is magical.

The whole world is magical. Humans rose above their limitations and created amazing things I never knew were possible. However, among that beauty was darkness. Humans fought incessantly for land, for power, for riches. I remember when my father fought for the very same thing. I had hoped war would be left behind as humans evolved into sophisticated beings. Instead, all that evolved were their weapons and the damaged they could inflict upon others.

But how can I judge them? I am no different. Despite my best efforts to consume animal blood, I failed many times. I slipped and took lives throughout the years. Once I began to feed, I could not stop. I preferred to kill my victims than doom them to this life, if we called it life. One night, I had an epiphany. I did not want to end my life otherwise my family, if they still lived, would be doomed. I am the only one who can end the curse. I could not live off of animal blood; it weakened me and made me vulnerable to hunters. I hated taking lives to keep me fed, but I could not let them turn into vampires. My solution was to control my bloodlust. I had controlled others like Mason and the Royal Guard. But who controlled me? I decided many years ago that I did. I control myself. I feed taking small doses of blood from several humans in one night. This way, I am able to keep my strength and keep them from turning into monsters. Or so I keep telling myself. I keep justifying my actions one way or another. I must in order to survive.

The wind shifts bringing with it the smell of my dinner. I inhale sharply the metallic, life giving, and sweet smell of blood. Across the frozen river, I spot them. A couple holding hands walk throwing their heads back and laughing happily and unaware I am hunting them. The girl possesses a blonde mane reminding me painfully of my own best friend. Lissa. My eyes burn with unshed sorrow as I miss my companion. Three centuries of not seeing her come rushing forward. The memories of us playing in the garden by the white roses assault me. Her jade eyes bright with tears of joy. Her mane blowing in the wind as she ran from me.

Cursed be the witch. Cursed be this cruel fate. Cursed be my lonely existence. And cursed be my hunger. The burning in my throat defeats my sorrow. I have not fed in a week. Despite taking little from humans, I still feel guilty taking something so intimate and necessary for both of us. I try to feed less frequently. It is risky because in my hunger I may kill them. The last thing I want is to draw attention back to vampires. I would be a fool if I believe hunters are gone. They are hiding in the shadows like I am waiting for the moment one of us will slip and our war can begin again.

I will not be the one to start this battle again. I cannot allow more death in this world, so I must be careful with my feeding habits. I jump from the tower of the Parliament Building, my favorite spot to watch the people go about their business, and land firmly on the ground. With so many people in this city, I feared exposure many times, but humans are oblivious to the world around them. They prefer to ignore the supernatural confident in the power of their government to keep them safe from any threat. I remember when my people placed their hope on us. The arrangement between rulers and the people they governed is very fragile. One moment, they need us. The next, we are expendable.

Regardless, I try to be careful. I pull the hood around me tighter with a gloved hand. My boots crunch the snow and ice under them, and I smile to myself. I could easily walk down this busy street without clothes and feel nothing. But I have to keep the appearance that I am one of them even though I can hear their heartbeats and feel the warmth of their blood singing to me. Across the lake, I concentrate on the heartbeat of the couple following their movements out of the corner of my eyes keeping my head down. They converse in a different language. Despite my endless nights and days unable to sleep, I had yet to master every language. To fill my lonely days a century later, I decided to learn as many languages as I could. Melancholically, I began with Russian wishing he was here to teach me.

I shake my head to rid it of painful memories. I have to focus on my hunt. The couple round the corner and enter a restaurant filled with delicious and exotic food I would love to taste. The couple sits by the window and hold hands over the table. They smile brilliantly at each other and continue to converse. Must be nice to have a companion, but it is pointless for me to long for Luka or Lissa. I chose this. I chose to do this alone; I chose to listen to what the flames whispered to me that night. I pushed my loved ones away and now they are surely gone. I shake my head once more and remind myself to focus on the task at hand. Looking up and down the busy street and satisfied no one pays any mind to me, I jump into the icy water breaking some of the ice with my body. In a matter of seconds, I am across pulling my soaked body out of the lake. I dart to the nearest dark corner and wait for my victims to come out.

I have tasted blood intoxicated with alcohol, and I never truly developed a taste for it, but humans with their intuition numbed by liquor are easier to subdue without hurting them too much. They are easier to convince I am a dream, or a nightmare. Over the years, I realized I had a gift. All those times I thought I commanded my people with pure authority turned out to be something else. I discovered I could bend any human to my will with my voice. I did not like the ability to do so, but it got me out of trouble many times when I was spotted as I fed.

With the couple, my compulsion was unnecessary. They came out hours later I feared the sun would rise before I could feed. The wait had been worth it, however, when they exited the restaurant. Throughout their dinner, they had a bottle of wine and while they were not completely intoxicated, their senses were numbed. I followed them closely to an alley where they stopped to express their affections kissing and moaning. I watched for a second fascinated as the man pressed his body against hers with no regard for her purity or reputation. One of the many things that awed me in this new world is the way humans mingle with each other freely. Surprisingly, women can now hold a position of power in government with little opposition. I would love to be a part of this world. There was no longer a barrier keeping royalty and commoners. Monarchies went extinct with a few remaining, but if I ruled Istanbul in a time like this, I could have ruled with Luka or anyone of my choosing by my side. But dreams do not come true. Not mine at least. My wandering thoughts were overcome by their heartbeats calling my name.

His blood sings sweet melodies as I drink greedily from his arm. The girl with the golden mane rests against the wall weakened by my feeding but not dead as I work on her companion. I pull away from my victim's arm and sigh contently as the blood trickles down my chin and onto the cold pavement. I despise myself for enjoying the way the blood fills me with power and strength. Nothing made me feel more alive, if that is what I am, than blood quenching the constant burning thirst in my throat. I have known power as a princess but that was nothing. This, holding this man's life in my hands, is true and raw power. I can easily end his life and gain more power. I can be invincible and greater than life. High on power, I sink my fangs back into the man's arm and continue to drink.

"What do we have here?" A voice startles me. No human ever managed to slip past my heightened senses. My bloodlust has been getting stronger though, and I forget the rules I set for myself to survive. Now, I am at risk. The speaker is a male with bronze hair and slightly taller than me. He wears dark clothing and a heavy coat. His heartbeat tells me he is human as well as his companion. "You have been so careful up until now."

A woman steps into my line of vision pointing a crossbow at me. She moves more cautiously than the male and keeps her distance from me. Her lips curled in disgust distorting her cute features. "You talk too much, Denis. Let's kill her and claim our money."

"Now hold on," Denis holds up a hand and lowers Tamara's bow. "We can't be rude. We should hear what she has to say."

"Why?" Tamara raises her crossbow once more disregarding Denis' command. "So she can control our minds? I don't think so. I want to get out of here. Her eyes creep me out." She shivers emphasizing her disgust at my crimson eyes.

"Will you shut up," Denis turns to the girl. "And put that shit down. You still haven't learned how to use it. You'll shoot me instead if you're not careful. Now, little lady," he turns his attention back to me. "What's your name?"

I drop the man gently on the ground. My hunger is soon forgotten as my survival instincts kick in. These two are not professional hunters. The girl is correct. When it comes to vampires, do not hesitate. The best chance humans and hunters stand against us is to eliminate us as quickly as possible and ask questions later. Denis' arrogance bought me time to think of a way out that will cause the least amount of casualties. But this is the first interaction I have hand in a decade with humans since I limited to feeding from them and then vanishing into the shadows, and I miss conversation even if it is with two people attempting to kill me. However, with the fresh blood flowing through my veins, I am stronger than the hunters. I can take them down any time.

"Marie," I respond with a soft voice. I have not heard my voice in a long time. It sounds strange especially when I add the innocent and sweet tone to it. I do not sound like me. I do not sound like a bloodthirsty vampire. "My name is Marie. Please. Help me. I do not know what I am…"

"Stay back!" Tamara says forcefully her finger tightening on the trigger. "Don't move closer or I'll shot, bitch!"

"Calm the fuck down, Tamara. I swear to God…" Denis turns his back to me to argue with Tamara, who briefly turns to meet his eyes briefly. Those few seconds are all I need.

I jump on Denis' back and sink my teeth on his neck. He screams bloody murder and pleads Tamara to shot me. I drink his blood out of habit. I am no longer hungry. Survival is more important. Getting out of this situation I have carelessly put myself in is paramount. I pull away from his neck jumping on Tamara next pushing the crossbow up where it cannot harm me when she pulls the trigger. Her eyes widen in fear as I push her head against the concrete wall. She falls moaning and disoriented. With my enemies subdued, I turn around to flee from the scene of the crime. I barely make it five steps when a sharp pain on my right leg causes me to collapse on the ground.

"Bitch," Denis spits on the ground as he lowers the crossbow. His hand moves to cover the wound I left on his neck to stop the bleeding.

My vision becomes blurry as I remove the silver arrow from my leg. Damn them. I underestimated them. They may not be experienced, but they came prepared. With the silver paralyzing my leg, I struggle to get up and even when I do manage it, I limp away from the hunter. I hear the whooshing of another arrow cutting through the air, but I am not able to catch it. It buries on my shoulder, and I bite my tongue to keep from screaming. With the silver poisoning my blood, I fall down on the snow covered ground. My carelessness has brought me here. I should not have fed as long as I did on the couple. Better yet, I should have been more careful. These guys must have followed me and were simply buying their time. The chances of running into hunters out of the blue are very slim. I know my rules. I set them up to keep me safe all these centuries. I should not have toyed with them. I should have… I should have done many things, but the past is the past. The present is all that matters, and currently, I am in danger.

I lay on the ground with a blurry vision, numb senses, and blood oozing out of my nose. This is not my first exposure to silver. The first time had been two hundred years previous when the hunters were at the height of their power. Curiosity bested me, so I returned to Istanbul to see my old home and perhaps find a clue to my loved one's whereabouts. I thought no one would remember me, but I was still cautious. I covered from head to toe with a cloak and pretended to be a beggar. Back then, I was struggling with control. I had just implemented my rules of taking little blood from here and there. But I was weak and my hunger overtook me. It was exactly like tonight. I was distracted feeding when hunters took me by surprise. Only last time, I did not linger to taunt them. I took off but was grazed by a bullet dipped in silver. They were just starting to come up with weapons. I do not know how they discovered silver was deadly to us, but they used it to their advantage. Wooden stakes were replaced by silver ones, and all their weapons were soon coated with silver.

I can only imagine the advancements they have made to their weapons. Like humans, the hunters evolved while my race and I remained the same. Unchanging. Frozen in time. I cough spitting an alarming amount of blood. The black substance seeps into the snow as I groan in pain. This is it. My end. I hear Denis struggle to reload followed by throwing the crossbow on the ground. Instead, he moves towards me pushing the arrow deeper into my shoulder causing me to hiss menacingly at him. But he is sure of my downfall, so he just laughs.

"You're going to get what you deserve, bloodsucker," Denis searches in his thick coat for something. My eyes feel heavy like they have not in a long time. As if I am suddenly sleepy a memory of falling asleep looking at the moon flashes before my eyes. I am finally dying in the true sense of the word. I will not come back this time, and I feel… "Tamara! Give me your stake. I must have dropped mine."

Tamara groans getting up and tossing a silver stake to Denis, who catches it in the air. He removes the arrow and flips me over pressing the tip of his silver stake to where my heart beats as slow as it did three hundred and fifty five years ago. I feel an unknown emotion wash over me as I look at the starry sky praying to God for the first time in centuries. I pray to be reunited with my mother and Luka. I pray to see his face one last time reassuring me that death is good, death is painless, and death is my friend. Denis is suddenly frozen with his sadistic smile on his lips and blood oozing out of his chest soaking his clothing. He falls over after another muffled pop interrupts my prayer. I do not know what the sound is as my ears ring with the silver in my bloodstream. I look around me and see a figure move closer from up ahead. I cannot tell what the figure is, female or male, friend or foe. A long coat flutters around the blurred figure pointing a gun with a silencer at…

"Tamara," the voice says. "Drop the crossbow. I don't want to shoot you, but I will."

"What the hell are you doing?" Tamara shrieks panic in her voice. "You killed Denis!"

"And I will kill you if you don't listen to me," the voice stops a few feet away from me. "You and Denis have gone against our orders."

"The bitch attacked us!" Tamara shrieks pointing a finger at me still lying on the snow covered in my blood. "She bit Denis, so we had to defend ourselves."

"Your orders were not to engage, perhaps if you had listened, this wouldn't have happened," the voice says as I try hard to decipher that accent. Even though my brain is hazy, I swear I have heard that voice before, but I do not know where. "By order of the Alchemists, you are under arrest, Tamara. Put your weapon down…"

"You're a son of a bitch, Dimitri." Tamara chuckles pointing her loaded crossbow at him. "We all thought you were a God, but I see you're just a lap dog doing everything Sage tells you. You and the Alchemists are a joke."

"Then why did you join us?" Dimitri responds with a laugh of his own. I want to be in on the joke. Dying is not a matter of laughter, but I suppose since they are not the ones poisoned by silver it could be. I decide to take advantage of their banter. Slowly, I begin to crawl away from them while trying my best to continue listening to their conversation and learn as much as possible on this new world.

"Because we wanted to kill vampires! The Guardians offered us money for the bitch, and a chance at being one of them." Her finger on the trigger trembles, and I am sure she will shot Dimitri.

Dimitri shakes his head. "The hunters would have never accepted you or Denis. You're too weak. Look at you. You're trembling. It's best if you put your weapon down, and I will tell the committee you cooperated. Perhaps they'll be merciful."

"Like hell," Tamara scoffs. "I'm killing you and the bloodsucker."

"I'm afraid that's not happening," Dimitri growls. His voice had remained calm and full of authority as he spoke with Tamara, but his tone changed dramatically at Tamara's threats. He squeezes the trigger on his gun without blinking or missing a beat. Three muffled pops go off followed by the thud of Tamara's body hitting the ground. I take the chance to get away.

I use the wall to stand up and will myself to move fast and far from the scene. However, I do not make it three steps before I fall back down face on the snow. I hear his footsteps moving towards me. His heavy boots crunching the ice until he crouches next to me. He does and says nothing for a second, and I fear the worst. With one hand, he flips me onto my back, and I try to blink away the blurriness in my vision. As he moves closer, the street lamps manage to give me a glimpse of my hero. His eyes take my breath away.

"Luka," I whisper.

His face gives nothing away as he picks me up in his arms effortlessly. "My name is Dimitri, and I'm here to take you away, Your Highness."


AN: Thanks for reading and those who have voted on the poll, which is now closed. The new title of this story will be Breath of Life which I do think represents the story better and carries on with the B titles for my VA stories lol. I am changing the title later, so next update you receive will be with the new title so be warned! And finally we have some Dimitri! I am so excited to work on their interaction and relationship so stay tuned! Thanks again!