'Damn!' I cursed out loud as I received yet another paper cut from the endless bounds of information that was of no relevance to what I needed to know. I sucked the blood that had leaked out through the broken skin, savoring the copper taste gently reminding me I needed to feed. I watched it heal, fascinated with the speed of the skin knitting itself together to become once again impenetrable to blunt objects. I had spent hours looking through just about every ancient text I had managed to come across in the last two hundred years, all that information had amounted to nothing. I was still no wiser about the truth of what happened before time began.
Throwing the old text down onto the table, I left the library and went to my bedroom. Changing back into my usual bell skirt and corset, I took my cloak from the wall, wrapped it around me and left the silent house. I walked down the main road of the town, looking for suitable prey. Turning down a back alley, I came across a tall, attractive young man, no older than eighteen. I could hear the blood rushing through his veins, and I approached him.
"Sir, I could not help but notice you here. It is quite late, have you not got anyone waiting for you at home?" I looked at him innocently, restraining myself from pouncing on him. His eyes wandered as he looked at me, obviously deciding whether or not I was a whore. Deciding on the latter, he took my hand and bowed towards me.
"No Madame, I do not, sadly. Would you care you take a walk with me?"
Without saying a word, I began to walk down the alley, keeping my eyes fixed with his at all times. For a while we walked, and I could hardly constrain myself. But keeping calm, I slowed and moved in front of him. He looked slightly shocked, and stood still.
"What's wrong?" I asked him, running my fingers down the collar of his waistcoat, "don't you find me attractive?"
"I, I do" he stuttered. He amused me. He closed his eyes and in the split second where he lost control of his actions I struck. Winding my arms tightly around his neck I bit deep, my eyes rolling back into my head as the intoxicating essence of life was drained from him. Licking my lips, I dragged his corpse behind a pile of old sacks. But what was I to do with the body? Bernard had always taken care of that. Frowning slightly, I closed the two wounds where I had punctured his skin. That would do. Feeling fulfilled, I began the journey back to the house.
"Just one for tonight then?" A familiar voice called from behind me. I turned to find an empty street.
"Eli" I smiled (I had grown used to his tricks) and turned around again to greet my brother. His warm smile reminded me of days when I did not have to worry about such things as power. He embraced me, but as he did I became blinded in pain. I pulled away, and the pain receded. A voice echoed in my head.
"He is too pure of heart", it said. Turning from Eli, I addressed the voice.
"How can he be pure? He is a vampire!"
"There is too much good left in him Ruth. He may be a vampire, but his human elements make him a risk"
"He is my brother! Dracula do not deny me the one good thing I have left!" I whispered
"He will not survive our takeover. Let go of him now"
"Dracula! Dracula!" I called, but he had gone. I looked at Eli. I loved him so dearly, yet now I was forced to let him go. Turning away from him, I began to run back to the house.
"Ruth?" Eli asked, starting to move towards me.
"No Eli!" I demanded, holding my hand out and creating an invisible barrier between us.
"What have I done?" he asked, looking deep into my eyes as if to retrieve an answer.
"Nothing" I whispered before disappearing into the darkness.