Chapter 9: An Old Life

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.


After Riley left Sirius's flat, he got dressed and apparated to Order headquarters in search for James and Remus.

"She's crazy." Sirius said storming into the conservatory where James and Remus were relaxing, playing a game of wizard's chess.

"Who?" James's voice sounded uninterested, which he was, "Check."

"Riley."

"Using her name again." Remus said before using his rook to destroy James's knight. Sirius gave him a dirty look.

"She said she wanted to suck my blood." Sirius said over-dramatically.

"No she didn't" Remus said not looking up from the chessboard.

"Yes she did."

"No she didn't"

"Yes she did." Sirius whined; Remus gave Sirius an unconvinced look, "Okay so maybe she was just being funny when she said it but she did say it." Remus rolled his eyes and turned back to his game, "Okay so how about this, she broke into my flat." Remus sighed.

"Why are you so determined to hate her?" Remus asked.

"Because she is a monster." Sirius yelled. Remus' king was destroyed by James' queen.

"I'm a monster." Remus said getting to his feet, "I'm a monster." He repeated.

"It's different."

"Really, how?" Remus voice was cracking with anger.

"She lied to us. She turns into a crazed blood thirsty monster."

"I lied to you guys. I turn into a crazed blood thirsty monster." Remus said, his voice still cracking, "You still haven't told me, what makes her a monster and not me?" Sirius stared at Remus fighting the urge to punch him in his smart-ass mouth.

"You're my friend." Sirius said poorly.

Remus snorted, "You're pathetic. You're just pissed that she fooled you and you fell for her."

"You're wrong." Sirius said defensively before apparating out.


"He said you can come back." Desmond said appearing behind Riley.

"Don't I feel privileged?" Riley said sarcastically.

"You're lucky." Desmond roughly turned Riley to face him, "He could have had you killed." Riley rolled her eyes, "You need to accept it." Desmond said shaking Riley. Riley ripped herself out of his arms.

"I'll accept what I want." Riley growled.

"He wants to see you tonight." Desmond said stepping away from Riley, "I'll be back here to get you." Just as suddenly as he appeared, he left. Riley punched the wall that Desmond was standing in front of.


The sun was nearing the horizon, a warm yellow glow filled Riley's flat. Riley left her bathroom dusting off the small pieces of hair that littered her clothes; her hair no longer flowed down her back but barely reached her jaw. Riley was pacing back and forth at the foot of her mattress; Desmond appeared interrupting her pacing.

"Let's go." He said, not even acknowledging her new look. She took a deep breath before taking his extended hand.

They reappeared in old English manor that Riley hadn't been in for many years. Many other vampires sat comfortably around the large maroon decor room that they appeared in. Desmond motioned to the large doors at the end of the room; she took another deep breath before leaving his side and heading towards the doors. She pulled the doors open, revealing an empty room with a lone figure sitting in the chair facing her.

"It's been a long time my child." He said.

"Dorian, nice to see you again." She said.

"You know I'm not too pleased with you." Dorian said, the light bouncing off his pearly white fangs; Riley nodded, "And I'm sure you are ready to make up for all that you have done."

"I am at your service once again." Riley bowed, hiding her disgusted look.

"We are going out tonight, midnight." Dorian didn't wait for Riley's acceptance, "Desmond will come get you. You may leave." Riley turned on her heels, walking towards the door but disappearing before she even got to it.


Her kitchen was in ruin when she appeared in her kitchen. The vials that filled her cupboard and refrigerator lay broken, littering her kitchen floor with blood and glass. She growled, ramming her fist into her empty refrigerator. A gentle knocking on her window tore Riley out of her rage. Remus and James stood on the fire escape outside her window.

"What are you doing here?" She called, rooted in her spot.

"We think we should talk." Remus said

"Sirius all ready made it clear that he knows all that is needed to know." Riley said bitterly.

"We're here to listen." James said, "Please let us in, we're begging you; I know how attractive you find that." Riley tired to choke back a laugh. She slowly made her way over to the window to let them in.

"I'd offer you guys a chair but well…you know." Riley said uneasily. James and Remus laughed uncomfortably, "Why are you two here?"

"We'll listen." Remus said sincerely; Riley blinked away her tears, "We know you tried to talk to Sirius."

"It doesn't matter anymore. It's over." Riley said, "I'm done."

"Done with what?" James asked.

"I'm done searching for the murderer of my family." Riley said angrily, "I'm done tormenting myself. I won't be around here for much longer."

"You're leaving?" James asked.

"I guess." Riley shrugged.

"Riley, please just explain to us why?" Remus said, "Don't you think we at least deserve that?" Riley ran her hands through her newly cut hair.

"It was a long time ago, a few hundred of years ago actually. I was just a little girl then, a little girl without a care in the world, a little girl living a normal life." Riley said with a glazed look in her eye, "It was the dead of night, not a soul was awake when their piercing screams filled the unforgiving night. I didn't know what to do; I was petrified with fear. I was just about to open my door when it slowly creped open. There he stood in front of me, my parents' blood dripping from his fangs. He smiled down at me with this strange glint in his eyes. I wanted to scream but I couldn't . He knelt down to my level, he told me that I was special and that it would only hurt for a moment." Riley's voice was whimsical, reliving everything, she recalled, "Then he dug his fangs into my neck and I cried out in pain. He didn't drain my blood but gave me his, mixing it with mine. I grew up alone, confused and in constant torment. I always had this tickle, this yearn for something."

"But you look only barely twenty, this was three hundred years ago." James asked.

Riley smirked, "You really know nothing about vampires. I aged like normal up until I had my twentieth birthday. That's when it all changed; they came back into my life. He followed me for days; his blue eyes glistening with the knowledge of something that I didn't know; his smirks were so condescending but I was drawn to him. He explained to me what I was and what was happening to me. He showed me how to full-fill that yearning in me. He became my world, my lover and my guidance. But it wasn't long until I started feeling guilty about what I was doing, fraternizing with the enemy, so I turned on them and hunted them like they hunted their prey."

"He was at the house, wasn't he?" Riley nodded, she looked passed James, not wanting to look him in the eye. She saw the crystal blue eyes she was just recalling to James outside her window.

"You need to leave, now." She said urgently ushering the two men to her door instead of the window.

"Riley, please."

"Leave." She growled, her eyes slowly turning blood shot, "If you don't go now you won't leave here alive." James' and Remus' eyes widened in horror. They fumbled with the doorknob, hurrying out of her flat without a glance back.

"Having a little party?" Desmond asked.

"You had no right to come into my flat and destroy anything in it." Riley said roughly shoving Desmond into the wall.

"You don't need any of that any more; you'll have a fresh supply now." Desmond said dusting himself off, "And I think I know where to start." His grin was menacing.

"Don't you dare."

"You're not one of them, you never were. You were living a lie." Desmond said, "They will be waiting for us." He grabbed her arm, "It reminds me of old times." He said running his hand through her hair before they disappeared.


A/N: Just for the record, I had Riley's background story before I watched Underworld and once I saw Underworld I realized their stories were similar; so I didn't intentionally write the same story. With that said, Review please.

-rs101