I ran as fast as my feet would carry me. It was not used to using so much physical strength to get away. Once I reached the outside into the sun I took off. I ran into the woods where I wouldn' t be seen. I didn't even bother to grab my car. What use was a fast sports car when I wouldn't be able to drive it as recklessly as I had before? I wasn't invincible now. I was fragile, like Anabelle. I couldn't get much of anywhere on foot, but I could manage. Distance wasn't ever a problem before, as I could reach distances that spanned miles in a matter of seconds on my own feet, or I could transform or shift into an animal of my preference. Not anymore. Now I was nothing but the hunter that was shunned by his own village for being a lush.

I ran for about two miles at full speed. I was winded and sat down at a nearby tree. The sun was glowing through the tree tops and the ground smelt of wet earth and sweet grasses. The sun rays warmed my bare shoulders which were deathly cold to the touch. That would change momentarily. I could already feel the temperature changing around me. It was mid morning when I woke on my bed in the cabin. I had fluttery feelings in my stomach and noises I had not heard in several centuries. My head was telling me that something pleasurable was happening, but it was as if it was only in the back of my head, not an intense feeling. So I walked out to inspect what was going on when I heard giggles and laughter through the door. It pained to move briskly as my shoulder looked as if it had not healed properly. I was so confused on what was happening. Goosebumps covered my arms as my shirt was gone, probably from them trying to stop the bleeding when that stupid wolf attacked me.

That's when I saw them, laying there like two teenagers who just had sex for the first time. The house was a disgrace, items were strewn everywhere, cushins were overturned and there, laying in front of a low fire that obviously had been burning for hours were two very naked people. I felt my heart collapse inside as I turned to see Anabelle, cuddling with no one other than my dearest cousin, Silas. How the tables had turned. Where I only bed women I knew would end up hurting Silas in the long run, he was destined to take mine away. I would bed women and then kill them, Silas was bedding Anabelle and trying to keep her as his pet. I wouldn't allow it. So I interrupted their little interlude.

They were both shocked to see me. Anabelle's eyes were wide as saucers as I looked down at them both. Thinking about it now, how much pity she held in her eyes, it made me want to weep again. Again with the weeping! What was wrong with me? Had I turned to a woman overnight? No, surely not, I was just a human! A human of all things. I would rather be a goat or a bat than a human. There are many stories of Vampyre's wishing to return to their mortality, to live as they once did, I did not wish it. I relished in my immortality, I loved it. I loved the strength and beauty of it all. I loved killing and I thrived for it. Now my thirst for it all had gone away and replaced with an insatiable thirst for another kind of drink.

I found a road about half a mile down the mountain and I flagged someone down who was coming through the passage.

"Are you lost, sir?" the gentleman asked. He was old with thick lines that covered his face and his hair was long and grey.

"Not lost, just unable to get around actually. Are you headed east?" I asked the old man in the old Ford pickup.

"Yes, gonna see my son-in-law in Richmond. Do you need a ride somewhere? Or can I take you home? You must be freezing, boy! Here, I got a jacket you can wear. It doesn't smell pretty, but it will do the job." The old man offered as he reached over to unlock the doors to the rusted red truck.

"Thank you. Actually, if you could take me to Waynesboro, a bar named Ruben's. That would be appreciative." I told him. Feeling that I had to be courteous since I could no longer use glamour to get what I wanted, though the old man was nice enough.

"Are you from these parts?" the man asked me.

"Actually, I live in Waynesboro, not far from the bar actually. Been here for quite a while," thinking a few decades at least, I probably moved here when this old man was nothing more than a young boy.

"You must have your parent's close by then, your a young fella to be living out here on your own for a while." The old man laughed.

"Yes, they are very close actually," I lied, well, they were close to my heart, but that was about it. My parents died several centuries ago.

"Well, what's got you all up here? And in nothing more than blue jeans? You'll catch a cold in this weather" the old man hankered on.

"I was visiting a friend, but we got into a fight. Seems my shirt and jacket were taken from me and I vacated with whatever I had left on me," being sure not to lie any more, I actually hated to lie. There was no sense in it. I may have omitted the truth in situations, but I never lie.

"Well, then it's good that I found you then," the man slapped my knee and continued driving down the curvy road.

The rest of the trip was filled with nonsense. The old man continued to talk about himself, his son in law he was going to see and asking a slur of questions as to where I lived, what I did and so forth. I told him about as much as I could. I just didn't want him to know that I owned chains of Vampyre and supernatural safe havens or clubs. Well, now me being completely human that is.

We reached the bar a few moments later. The trip was long and exhausting and I thanked the gentle man for his kindness as I stepped out of the truck and shut the door. He was off on his way as I walked towards the entrance of the bar. Since it was still before noon, not many cars were parked out front. To my left, by the back entrance was a beat up rust bucket of a vehicle, must be Ruben's. Ani's Jeep was also here. I was tempted to take it and head home, but Ruben would know. Besides, I wasn't keen on hot wiring a car, never needed to. I could just gaze at a person and get them to drive me where ever I permitted. Anger boiled in me knowing that I would have to learn to be human once again and couldn't glide into getting what I wanted any longer.

I pushed on the door and it swung open. Just a handful of people were there. Ruben was behind the counter of the bar, took one look at me and then shook his head. "I'll be with ya in a minute, Julius" he yelled as he continued to cart off plates of food to patrons at the tables and filling up drinks for the few at the bar.

The place smelled glorious. The smells of food cooking filled my nostrils and my stomach began to make the awful noise it had this morning as Anabelle made the food she had prepared for both of us. I could have been civil enough to sit down and at least eat what she prepared, but I didn't care. I ran out without much thought except that I felt betrayed. I took a deep breath as I felt myself feeling lighter than air. I had to remember to breath normally as well. It was not a normal function for me. I started to head for the bar when Ruben intercepted me.

"Hey, there" he touched me and I ripped myself from his touch.

"Do not touch me" I commanded

Ruben held up his hands in defense, "It's okay. If you don't want to be touched, fine. I was just going to show you to my office where you can...ugh...find something to wear."

"Lead the way, there is no reason to handle me further," I said in a gruff voice. The coolness in the air that wafted around my naked chest made me shiver. "Quickly."

Inside the small little office, Ruben offered for me to sit while he shuffled through several drawers. "I know I have a shirt in here somewhere. Ah! Here."

He threw a black button down shirt at me that read, "Ruben's Bar and Grill," embroidered on the left breast pocket. It was a gody orange color and against my pale skin, looked terrible, however, what could I have done? I had no other clothes and I needed a way to get to my villa and I needed food. "Thank you" I said buttoning it up to the just below the neck. "Could I get a bite to eat as well? I have no money on me, but I..."

"No problem. Hell, I've never heard a stomach growl so loud in my life. Ha!" Ruben laughed as he walked out of the office and back behind the bar. I sat at a stool on the end.

"What would you like?" he asked me.

"I'm not sure what I would like, can I see a menu?" I asked, not knowing what this food would taste like or even if my taste buds would conform to it.

It took a bit for me to figure out what I was going to try as my first meal in over a millenia. Though our bodies could absorb food as Vampyres, or at least Silas and I, I just didn't have an appetite for it. I preferred to eat the cook than the cooking. So I settled for something just as good. "Get me a steak, raw, and a salad, no dressing."

"Anything to drink?" Ruben asked him.

"Water" I said.

Ruben left me to my thoughts while I waited for food. A few young women came over and sat next to me, giving me salacious looks and broad smiles. I ignored them all. I only had one woman on my mind and all I could think about was a single night, some eight-teen years ago, when I saved her life. How she attempted to save mine, though my own body wasn't willing. My eyes felt distant as I focused on the bottled that lined the bar in the back. The dark liquors and the kegs of beer that were shelved underneath. I could understand now why humans had a tendency to drink away their sorrows. I didn't want to hurt either. I loved Anabelle. I had for almost two decades. I looked over her, I watched her from a distance. Granted I didn't want to interfere with her life, but I knew if there was a possible chance of her dying, I would surely know about it and try to stop it. So what was stopping me now? Well, that would be Silas. My younger cousin. Though he meant well of many occasions, this one, I just couldn't let go.

For centuries Silas held the throne over the Vampyre's. We were to remain secrets. To let out our nature to the humans was punishable by death. We were to be clothed in darkness and never to reveal ourselves to the humans openly. Only he had managed to break that rule without penalty. And when he finally stepped down, though I tried to council him not to, Vlad took the seat. Vlad was a horrible creature and I wish that Silas had let me slay him the moment we heard of him. He was savage and lethal. I almost admired him on the exception of how he treated his prisoners. It was one thing to be a tough ruler and try to enforce law, it was another to be cruel and cold when not warranted. I begged Silas to let me assassinate him, but he told me no. He said it, straight from his own mouth, he condemned us all, "Vlad would be good for our kind, he has the thirst for it."

My steak came out before the next negative thought came to mind, juices still flowing out of the charred sides. The smell was enticing and I took the fork and knife and dug into the meat. It's tenderness was a delight. I must have scarfed it down in a matter of seconds and then the salad was my next kill. It must have seen to others that I hadn't eaten in weeks, when it fact, it had been thousands of years. When I was done my stomach began to bloat and I felt tired and weighed down. "Ugh" I groaned as I rubbed my stomach. I would need to go for a run after this.

"I take it everything was good?" Ruben asked as he snatched up the plate.

"Very, I can't express the gratitude" I nodded to him as I got off my bench. "I will be going now, thank you."

"No worries," Ruben said as he wiped down the bar and waved good bye as I exited back into the bright sun when I was off towards my villa.

Walking through the woods and in the middle of the town I continued to wonder. Why couldn't Silas just turn me back? Surely he had to have thought of it? Why would he had called Ilona? I knew at one point she survived a Werewolf attack back in the fifteenth century, but still, what could she had done for him? What did she do to survive and continue to be the one she was? Maybe I would have to pay her a visit.

It took me hours to get home. I lived further than I had initially thought. Maybe because my concept of time was askew. I had decided that I would pack up my things and head north, to see the Vampyre Queen that would hold the answers that I needed. I needed to be whole again, I wanted my immortality back. And now I was on a journey to get it.