~O~

Levi's face hovered near Alice's neck, and when his breath grazed her skin, her eyes flew open and she bolted upright in her bed. Frantic, Alice looked around for any sign of Levi and was relieved when she realized she was all by herself. Just another dream. But even as she told herself this, she couldn't help but reach up and touch her neck. She didn't feel any fresh bite wounds, but that didn't mean he hadn't come into her room while asleep and taken blood from her. Curious to see if Levi had, in fact, taken advantage of her while she slept, she climbed out of bed and stepped inside her bathroom.

Alice inspected her neck in the mirror and found no signs of fresh marks; only the remnants of much older ones that hadn't completely healed yet. They were nothing more than little dots of discolored skin, but each one held a memory that Alice wished she could forget. With a sigh, she turned off the bathroom light and returned back to her room. Knowing Levi didn't do anything to her in her sleep didn't provide her any comfort; he would just show up later, after all. He always does, Alice thought bitterly. She shook her head and went over to her dresser to grab a change of clothes.

The ones she had on had been the ones that she had gone Hunting in earlier that night and there were filthy. It made her wonder why she had fallen asleep in them in the first place. Alice didn't recall being tired when she returned, and even if she was, she would have still taken the time to change out of her Hunting clothes. She furrowed her brows as the thought this over; something wasn't right. Alice tried to remember all of the details of her return, but many of them were nothing more than a blur. It was like there was a wall blocking her from recalling the memories of the last several hours.

Alice could remember all of the details of her Hunt, and she vaguely remembered coming back afterwards, in which she had had a confrontation with Levi. But after that was when things started to get distorted. She had gone up to her room to lay down for some reason. Perhaps she hadn't been feeling well? It wasn't uncommon for her to feel sick to her stomach after being around Levi, so perhaps that was why she had retreated up to her room. However, that still didn't explain why she didn't bother to change clothes. Alice closed her eyes and strained to remember.

Some images became slightly clearer to her. She recalled laying in her bed, but the reason for why was still a mystery. There was also the vague memory of somebody entering her room, which could have only been Levi, seeing as Emilia was the only other one who came into Alice's room, and at the time, the redhead was out Hunting with Luther. Okay, so Levi came into my room, but there are no marks on me, so he didn't take any of my blood. Why did he do, then? Thoughts of grim scenarios ran through Alice's mind and made her stomach churn.

It wasn't like Levi hadn't done certain….things to her before, but the fact that she couldn't remember anything about it terrified Alice. What did he do to her? Did he even do anything to her at all? This made Alice feel sick to her stomach. She knew Levi was a monster, and things such as taking advantage of her wasn't uncommon for him, but he usually made sure she was aware of it. It was one of his methods of maintaining control, as Alice had learned. Levi lived to show those around him that he was in control, that he was a source of power, and he made an effort to make it clear.

So, it didn't really make sense that he would do something like to Alice while she was unaware. No, he would want her to remember that. As sick as it was, that was how Levi worked. This made Alice doubt that he did something to her in her sleep or while she was unconscious, but the big question was still unanswered; what did he do, then? Alice's memories were too much of a blur for her to get any recollection from them, and she couldn't help but wonder if she ever would. Feeling defeated, she sat down on the edge of her bed and sighed. It seemed like since she joined Levi, large gaps in her memory had become a common occurrence. On such example was of the night that they fought Zoran. She remembered Zoran being defeat, and Sinclair and Gillfrey turning on her and Shun.

But things after that turned to a blur. Perhaps it was because she had been close to death when Levi saved her and brought her here, but that gap in her memories still bothered her, and she couldn't help but feel that something vital was missing because of it. Alice sat up and stared down at the warped wooden floor in front of her. She followed the pattern of the wood grain for a while until she realized that a small sliver of sunlight was illuminating one of the boards. Alice followed the rays of the sun and saw that the window of her room wasn't as well boarded up as she had previously thought.

Just this little bit of light was enough to make her eyes squint, but she couldn't help but look at it; it had been so long since she had seen and felt the warmth of the sun. Alice stood up from her bed and walked over to where the light touched the floor. She then knelt down and held her hand out. The light touched her and she could feel her skin heating up. After several seconds, she had to withdraw her hand, for she could feel the sun beginning to burn her. Alice clutched her hand to her chest and stared at the golden spot on the floor. Tears started to sting her eyes; she wanted nothing more than to go out into the light.

The darkness that she had come to know with her new life hid too many monsters, and the only way to get away from them was to hide in the light. But Alice couldn't do that. The sun would burn her skin and cause her pain. The daytime, while being her only salvation, was also her enemy. She hated it. The sun used to be so kind. Now, it would char her sensitive skin. I just want to remember something from my old life….Before all of this happened to me. It had been so long since she had felt the warmth of the sun that she had practically forgotten what it was like. Alice felt defeated.

The sun was always on the other side of a wall from her, and yet, she could never enjoy it. Alice sat there on the floor of her room in front of the circle of light, loathing and cherishing it at the same time. She didn't care if it hurt her eyes; she was going to stare at it as long as she could. Alice didn't know how long she sat there before she remembered a certain fact, but when she did, she acted without another bit of hesitation. She had remembered that Shun had gone out in the daytime once. Albeit, he had been in a long-sleeve and had worn shades, but he had gone out into the sun to see her and the others.

Alice hurried downstairs to where she left her Hunting jacket and quickly slipped it on. The jacket covered her torso and arms, leaving little exposed skin for the sun to find. She didn't worry about covering her neck; her hair was long and thick enough to take care of that. The only thing left to take care of was her eyes. She wasn't sure if any shades were laying around, or where they would be if they were. But she did know where a hat was. Quietly, Alice snuck back upstairs to Emilia's room. In her time with the Hunters, Alice had learned the art of stealth, so sneaking into a room without being heard wasn't a challenge. Once she had gotten into Emilia's room, Alice began to quietly dig through the redhead's dressers until she found what she needed.

It was a basic, black hat with a visor on the front. Alice figured that this visor would be enough to keep the sun out of her eyes. If not, then she easily could just shield them with her hands. Alice placed the hat on her head and left as quietly as she had entered. Then, once she was completely out of Emilia's room, she hurried downstairs and made her way to the front door. Now, she stood before that door, her heart pounding with the excitement in knowing that her old world resided on the other side. Slowly, Alice reached out and took the doorknob in her hand.

The metal was cool to the touch, but it gradually warmed up the longer than she held onto it. Alice didn't know why she hadn't already thrown open the door and stepped outside, and the longer she stood there, the more puzzled she became. What was holding her back? Was she afraid this would anger Levi? There was no reason it would have as long as she came back, which she intended on doing. So, if that wasn't the reason, then what was? Alice stood there until the realization hit her; she was afraid. Her fear wasn't directed towards Levi, but something else entirely.

It had been months since Alice had been out in the daytime, and she was afraid that the world graced by light would be different from what she remembered. Alice had grown accustomed to the world being shrouded in darkness and the monsters that hid in it, but the day wasn't filled with shadows or blood-sucking creatures. What if what she once knew had changed? What if she didn't recognize the world she used to live in? If it was different, then that was one more thing of Alice's past that was taken away and the thought of it filled her with dread. But she would never know until she opened that door.

So, taking in a deep breath, she braced herself for whatever she would find on the other side. She turned the doorknob and pulled the door, which squeaked in protest; Alice was afraid that the sound would wake the others. But when none of them came downstairs to see what was going on, she took it was a sign that they hadn't heard her. As the door swung open, light spilled into the room, chasing away the shadows that she was so used to seeing. The visor of the hat she wore did little good at first. Her eyes watered and she squinted against the sudden brightness, but after a few seconds, they did their best to adjust to the light. It still burned her eyes and made everything blinding, but she was able to see enough to know where she was going.

Alice stepped outside, carefully closing the door behind her, and entered the world of light. The sun was bright and fierce, and Alice could feel its rays warming her jacket ever so slightly. If it had been summer, then she would have been burning up, but winter had arrived in the city last month and was in full swing. Alice blew her breath out and watched it form into a cloud. She couldn't help but smile. Seeing the moisture of her breath freeze was a mundane thing, something that people didn't give a second thought to. But to Alice, it was something she missed. When Hunting at night, the last thought on her mind was to watch her breath freeze, and even if she did see it, it was always too dark to distinctly make it out. Alice turned her head and looked down the sidewalk.

People shuffled along, their shoulders hunched up near their ears to shield themselves against the cold. None of them paid attention to Alice; they simply walked by without a second glance. They don't know what I am. The thought was somewhat comforting. To these people, she was just another stranger. She wasn't some monster that lurked in the shadows and preyed upon them. She was just another person. Alice smiled, tucked her hands into her jacket pockets to keep warm, and started down the sidewalk. Occasionally she glanced into a shop's window and watched the people inside scan over things and make idle chitchat with cashiers. These were things that Alice never thought she would have missed.

If she had never become a Vampire, then she probably wouldn't have thought about the beauty of watching people interact. But now that that part of her life was gone, she couldn't help but long for that kind of simple interaction. Oh how she wanted a cashier to make a remark about the weather or ask how she was doing, regardless of if it was their job. Alice kept walking, glancing into stores as she passed by. There was something she noticed, though. Each store closed before sundown. It was weird, seeing as most of them used to stay open much later.

Alice shrugged her shoulders and continued on her way. In her trek, she had taken several turns around corners and now found herself in the central part of the city. The activity here was much higher than in the area she had previously come from. People filed up and down the sidewalks, veering off only to go inside a shop or to cross the street. Seeing this reminded her of the days she and her friends would go out and go into stores with no intention of buying things, but would try on clothes or make remarks on what they would or wouldn't buy.

It had been something to do when there was nothing else to do, and Alice realized she would have given anything to be able to do that once more. She sighed and pushed away her reminiscent thoughts before they had a chance to bring her down. It was then that the wind picked up slightly and carried with it a distinct smell. Not quite bitter and with a chocolaty aroma. Coffee. It was definitely coffee. Alice tried to remember the last time she had had any, and after some thought, she came to the conclusion that it was long before she became a Vampire.

A part of her longed to go and get a cup just for the sake of it. Even in her old life she wasn't a big coffee drinker, but it was something she used to do, and she felt that tasting a piece of her old life was going be as good as it could get. So, she followed the scent till she reached the source. It was a little hole-in-the-wall place, with a few tables outside and one barista working behind the counter. Alice stepped inside, smiling as the little bell chimed overhead. This place was new, probably only a few months old. The paint was fresh and the furniture showed little wear, despite being purposely aged for atmosphere. Some singer Alice had never heard of played over the speaker system. It had all of the clichés of a coffeehouse, and Alice reveled in every minute of it.

This was something only people got to do. She couldn't do this every day, or even every week. The sun would hurt her if she stepped out into it on a regular basis, so there was no telling when she would be able to do something like this ever again. Glancing over the menu for a few minutes, Alice finally chose what she wanted and stepped in line. There were two women in front of her who had just placed their orders. At one point, one of the women asked the barista, "Aren't you scared when you have to stay after dark? I know I would be."

The lone barista popped a plastic lid onto a Styrofoam cup and said, "The parking lot where I park is very well lit, so I would see something coming my way." The other woman shook her head in disbelief. "There's no way I would agree to work after dark, well-lit parking lot or not. Those Leeches are much faster than us. They'd get their filthy hands on you before you even had a chance to make it to your car and get it cranked," she said with a snarl. It took Alice a minute to figure out what the conversation was about, but she wanted to make sure before jumping to any conclusion.

"Excuse me, but why do none of the businesses stay open past dark? Is crime bad here?" The two women in line burst out laughing. The one who first spoke to the barista wiped her eye and said, "You mustn't be from around here, child. Crime isn't what you have to worry about once the sun goes down."

The woman's friend quickly chimed in and added, "I don't know if you've heard the news the past couple of months, but Bay View and Wardington both have been infested with Vampires. Crazy sounding, right? But it's true. They attacked Wardington several months ago and that's when everyone realized that Vampires are real and that they've been hiding right beneath our noses. And then there was the whole fiasco shortly after that took place here in Bay View. After both of those events, people have been much too afraid to go out after night. Businesses shut down before sundown and a strict curfew is enforced. Anyone found wandering the streets at night by an officer is usually suspected of being a Leech because it's so uncommon to find a normal person out after dark. And if they're not a Leech, then the officer usually will escort them home or somewhere safe. Either way, the problem is taken care of."

Alice couldn't believe what she was hearing. The fact that people now knew of Vampires had slipped her mind, but she didn't know that people had reacted like this. The way the two women spoke of Vampires, calling them Leeches and all, shocked Alice. It was as if the idea of Vampires living amongst humans for years never occurred to anyone. And now, people were locking themselves away and closing their stores early out of fear, as if overnight the Vampires suddenly appeared. Behind the counter, the barista got the attention of the two women and handed them their coffee.

They thanked her and started out, but one of them stopped at the door. It was the one who had explained to her about the 'Leeches.' She grinned and told Alice, "Since you're not from around here, I suggest you get going. The sun's going to set in a few hours, and I'd hate for somebody like you to get attacked by one of those things. Have a nice day." The woman then chased after her friend and the bell chimed as the door shut. Alice stood there in the middle of the coffeehouse in utter disbelief. Had things really gotten this bad in the course of a few months? "Ma'am, can I get you anything?" the barista asked.

Alice glanced over her shoulder and said, "Actually, no. There's nothing I want." The barista nodded and thanked her for dropping in anyway. Alice stepped out of the coffeehouse and looked up at the sky. Everything still looked the same, but now she knew it wasn't. Her old world had completely changed, just as she had feared. And now she knew that she would never be accepted back into that world, and it was all because of what she was. The world would never acknowledge what she used to be. That didn't matter to them anymore. To people, she was a Vampire, a Leech. A monster.

They would overlook the fact that she had once lived as a human, even if she had unknowingly been a Vampire for her entire life. They would chose to forget that she went to school and would spend time with her friends like any normal person her age. All they saw now were the fangs of a monster. Alice felt her hands clench at her sides. The world was now divided, each having different rulers. The humans had control of the day, while Alice and her kind ruled the night. And that was how it was going to stay. Alice used the visor of her hat to shield her face, for she didn't want any wandering eyes to see the tears streaking down her face.


I finally found a way to fit in what's been going on outside the Vampires' world since the people discovered them. Remember, it was Zoran's plan to have the humans turn on the Vampires and help exterminate them. So, now we see how people have responding to knowing Vampires exist, and it's not really a positive response at all. Anyway, this will play a somewhat minor role in the end, so keep this chapter in mind once I begin to wrap everything up, alright? Anywho, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, so please read and leave a review on the way out. ~Copperpelt~