She had a mother, father, brothers, and sisters…and according to her, they were too many to count… Okay… Five… holding up five fingers.
It would be an epidemic that was ready to take her. Prayer was the first and only approved medicine back then. With plagues came those who followed the black death, red death, yellow death, any kind of death. Opportunists, who'd hope to score big… Selling cures, charms, bloodletting and other insignificant hocus pocus.
She lay in the cold barn on bed of straw, covered in layers of old blankets, frail, weak, drenched in sweat, piss, and excrement. Her family told to stand back for fear of infection. They huddled by the barn door and watched. Their smoky breaths filled the chilled air and faded.
A man hunched over her, smartly dressed, handsome face but cruel eyes. She hasn't much time, he said out loud with a malicious smile.
you can cure her?… You promised. Her mother spoke. They were there, all of them, standing next to her, her brothers and sisters gathered close, clinging to her worn dress, hiding their faces. Sobbing, begging him to help their big sister.
He tightened his throat to keep his excitement trapped, letting out a soft vile hiss, yes…slipped out as his thin lips spread and showed her what he had hidden from them. Fangs.
She would be first.. She knew it.
She'd heard stories. Entire families taken in the middle of the night. Children torn to shreds, fed off and ripped apart. She gathered the little strength she had left and tried, wanted, needed to scream, to warn them.
Run away, her mouth barely moved, the effort burned her raw throat, too weak to lift her hand and slap him.
First you, the pointed ends of his mouth pushed his cheeks, then I'll send you to kill your brothers and sisters one by one night after night.
The cold callousness of his expression turned the chilled air frigid.
As the fever raged and burned inside, perspiration sheened across her skin, layers of old worn blankets clung to her, the sour smell rose with the body heat into the chilled air. it swirled and floated like a leaf falling from a branch and suddenly changed, no longer smelling foul but soft, gentle, of fresh cut grasses after a spring rain.
Oh scary… there was a warm whisper, I'm really trembling. An ever so slight sense of laughter followed.
Samantha saw terror force it way into the vampire's eyes that once glistened with anticipation. "I must say… continued in a light friendly voice, I don't know you…
A motherly face with warm eyes peered just above his shoulder, Are you new? She sniffed, sniffed him again.
The man trembled with each sniff, slowly trying to lean away. But something, something wouldn't let him leave. What life expression he had drained away like ice underneath the blazing sunlight. He shivered not from cold but fear…from the unknown, his voice cracked, and he stiffened. Unable to move. and he remained like that.
"Little one…" She turned those warm eyes to her. I have told your mother, nodded as she spoke, you are going to die. I can smell it. spoke each word warm and tender. All the while, there was the sound of tearing, cracking of bone and muffled pain. With each sound, the vampire jerked back and lurched forward. It's eyes trembled, as tears rolled over his cheek, not normal tears but those that left dark trails over those cheeks, cling to his chin, and fell.
I told her I would ask you if you wanted to live… That I would take you away for a little while, but then you could come and visit. But not to worry, everything will be fine.
There was truth in the woman's tone and a brutal honesty in her words. her eyes swirled in shades of blues and blacks. her mouth in a warm smile barely parted.
Samantha's voice etched its way out of her small hollow mouth, why? Nothing more than a painful groan. The woman slipped her head to the side, curiously amused by her question...
Why not? the right side of her mouth curled, I told her who I was, what I was, and I showed her. looking confident of Samantha's choice.
Tears filled Samantha's eyes, down the side of her face. She couldn't hear them or even see them. And she wondered if they were still…..she gazed at the fangs of the woman and all she wanted to do was die.
The woman rolled her eyes, knowing the thoughts rolling through her tiny head. little one… I didn't do that.
She turned her shoulders as she looked over to them. They're just waiting by the barn door. She chuckled. I don't take by force… so bothersome. So, would you? arched her eyebrows.
She limply rolled her head, looking past the trembling vampire and saw them. Eyes swollen red, snot and tears falling past their mouths. Her mother's face covered by the unease for her little girl nodded her approval, go on… She whispered.
Samantha closed her eyes, did the best to prepare, and heard her words.
I will make this beautiful… lightly cupped her cheek, rolled her head, look at me, little one.
She drifted into her warm eyes. the blues and blacks faded turned to soft golden browns of a predator and accepting smile. She breathed Samantha in, I will always know your scent, she exhaled and warm soft breath flowed over her face as she leaned closer. you will always know mine. Little one.
The woman kissed her mouth. You will forever be mine. And don't worry. About this one… coldness seeped across her eyes, her nose curled in disgust. Filthy mutt…
The vampire, deathly paler than before jerked back and just as suddenly tossed away like trash.
The woman's bloodied hand clutched his heart. It pumped once then twice, slowed. Quivered, steam rose, withered, and slowly crumbled. Small glowing worm like threads underneath its wrinkled surface spread over then flames burst, hissed then nothing.
She turned her hand over, letting the ashes fall to the ground. ashes to ashes… she said with a sigh, looked at Samantha, "We do not differ from them.
She cupped her cheeks, her soft hands smelling of smoke and flame, kissed her cheek, then her throat, and then she slept.
Kuroko knew she had a thing for children. Not that type of thing, but a thing for cute children.
She'd had made it to her 18th birthday before the plague could take her away. Children were her soft spot and fortunately, so it was with Queen Tatijana, Queen of the Four Kingdoms.
Kuroko walked along the streets, listening to Samantha yelling her goodbyes over and over.
The rooftops were alive with those trailing behind her. She knew they had been ordered to make sure she'd get home safe and sound. Kuroko giggled, then she smiled and then… she disappeared.
