10

I opened my eyes and saw the world in a way that I never had. I wasn't sure how long I had been down because it now looked almost as bright as the day. But then I looked across to see Dimitri still fighting with the Strigoi and I realised what had happened. Dimitri had been wrong, I had become a Strigoi and boy did it feel great. I could hear and see things that I had never before noticed.

"Comrade, give up the fight. You know what they say; if you can't beat them, join them, and you sure as hell can't beat us," I told him.

"I will never join you." Dimitri finally overpowered my awakener and staked him.

I would have pitied him but honestly, I didn't care. Now I had no one to answer to, so technically the dhampir had done me a favour.

"Why not? This is actually pretty cool." I grinned.

Shock crossed Dimitri's face and I laughed. He couldn't believe that I would like this, but honestly, what was their not to like; strength, speed and power. If you ask me, they're all good things.

"I made a promise," he said, lunging at me. I threw him away with ease.

"Oh God, not that stupid 'kill me if I go Strigoi' promise. I didn't know any better then and let's just say, I've had a change of heart."

"More like a loss of heart," Dimitri replied, the coldness in his voice rivalled most Strigoi. However, his strength was no match for my own newly awakened power.

"You aren't really going to try it are you?" I watched as he stood back up, dusting himself off and spoke patronisingly. "Aw, you are!"

Dimitri threw himself at me again, this time having a little more effect that I would have liked. This was not what I wanted.

"Join me," I repeated coldly. "You would love it. The enhanced sound, the better vision. You could see and hear things that you never imagined possible. You could be so much faster than you are now, so much more powerful."

I didn't really care about the things I spoke of, but I knew from my dhampir life that he was a romantic and those were probably the aspects he would most appreciate. Me, I just couldn't wait for my first kill.

"I will never join you." He attempted to punch me but I barely even noticed as I swatted his fist away from face.

We continued for a while longer, a part of me was glad that I was finally his equal in combat, but the rest of me just wanted him dead. If he wouldn't join me then I couldn't exactly let him go, he would only kill more of my kind. Suddenly, I don't know how it happened but he was on top of me, stake pressed against my heart.

"I am so sorry, Roza, but one promise must be broken to keep another more important." Dimitri plunged the stake into my chest.

A dhampir memory popped up and was the last of my immortal life. I recalled Dimitri promising that he would never hurt me. A small, romantic piece of my mind still remained and it knew that I could not be angry at him for breaking that promise. After all, I had sworn that I would never leave him…