1901

Maria

My throat burned with that same kind of dry fire as it did every day. Most vampires considered the pain of thirst the bane of their existence, but it was a welcome reminder to me, seeing as I knew how to take advantage of the power of the pain. It was like a timer, always letting me know when I was the strongest and the weakest and when to fight and how to fight. I was smart. That was easy enough.

Fighting in a war wasn't my exact game, though—now I was simply making hell to make hell. Of course, one day, I would return to my original glory. The South would not be a tumultuous network of chaotic murdering. It would be a united, calculating machine under my control. My key to this power was gone…for the moment…but I would have him back in due time.

The light sea breeze was salty and repulsive—no one was downwind enough for me to notice. There wasn't a scent sweet enough quite yet to risk getting captures. Currently, I was hiding in an alley with a clear view of the ocean. Children were playing, but their mothers and fathers were too close, and children annoyed me.

"Hello, Anne!" A voice was close. I stepped just a few steps forward, intrigued.

"Hello! How are you?"

"Fine, thank you. What about you and baby Mary? You're walking about awfully early for having given birth just a few weeks ago." I caught on quick enough this was some friendship between two women and one was tired with a newborn daughter. Not what I would prefer, but I would take it if needed. All they would need is to drop something and it roll into the alley…

"Oh, I was so tired of staying in bed with Mary all day. Andrew left a few days ago to take some pearls to Birmingham, and I just needed some fresh air." Finally, I catch a breeze to locate the scent. One is clogged with perfume and I hope it isn't the stronger of the two women so I can at least enjoy her if I catch her. The other smelled heavily of salt water. I knew worse and I knew better. I caught a third scent I didn't expect—apparently the baby was with its mother. It was a sweet and warm vanilla…it smelled a lot like my key. I liked this third scent quite a lot.

"Well, at least you are feeling better. Mary is quite beautiful, too." So the baby was with its mother.

"Thank you, Alexandra. I think I want to call her Alice, though. Andrew would like that—she's named after our mothers, and he did love his mother so dearly. Alice sounds so much more cheery, doesn't it?" Either way, whoever was the vanilla scent, I wanted it. Now.

"Yes, I do suppose. I am sorry to cut this meeting so short, Anne, but I have to get going. Greg is waiting for me at home to cook dinner. It was nice seeing you and Alice!"

"You as well, Alexandra!" The women parted ways, and then my chance arose. The mother dropped her purse and it fell right into the alley. No other heartbeat was near. It was perfect.

"Maria!" I hissed as my new toy—a temporary replacement to my key—showed up just as the mother grabbed her purse and I slid into the shadows. I ignored my pawn for a moment as I looked at the source of the vanilla scent—a little baby girl with a mess of black hair and chocolate eyes. She was so close…

"Maria!" I hissed again. The mother walked away, unable to hear my mistake.

"What do you want?"

"There's a fight just outside of town. Someone heard your name through the grapevine. They're looking for you." I growled again. I never walked away from a fight, but a fight with me and an untrained, bumbling fool? No. Besides, being a ghost that haunted thoughts was much more terrifying than a reality.

I had to be mean and scare the living crap out of you guys. I'm sorry.

But, this means that Alice is coming up, guys! Excited? I am!

Reviews, loves?