Warnings: This story is not suitable for children. Please, if you are underage do not read further. Thank you.

The Taste of Your Life
By Evil Karyta

Chapter first: First Encounter with Death



Icy droplets fell from the dark sky, slowly dripping down toward the ground in a freezing wave of water. Not a living creature would dare to venture outside with weather like this; it was too cold, too scary, too wet, and humans, like animals, hate those conditions. Yet, somewhere in the faint light of a glowing street lamp stood the lone figure of a man, safely wrapped a in a long black coat standing motionless watching from his position in the dark, and rain.

The glacial waters continued to pour softly down onto him, drenching his hair and clothes, but this strange person did not seem to be cold or even to notice that there was rain splashing against the pavement around him, over him. He was defiant of the rain, refusing to move as he stood still as a statue in the shadows with only his eyes glowing from within a pale, almost white skin face. The darkness shrouded him as if he had called it to be his cloak, illuminating those glowing ethereal deep golden brown eyes. The man stared forwards into the darkness and as a car passed just before him and those illusive eyes followed the movement of the car as it speeded toward the end of the road, yet never once did his body or head moved from his place.

Somewhere in the crying night, a dog howled a plaintive cry to the sky as if asking it to stop pouring down its icy torrents. The sound of footsteps echoed in the dim alley and reached the man concealed in the night. On the opposite side of the road appeared a woman comfortably enfold in a white rain coat. Her head partially hidden by the hood, yet still visible were the soft strays of curly auburn hair framing her delicate face. She passed in front of him, not noticing him at all, it was as if he was nothing more than air or an unused space. The man stared after her, eyes analyzing her, and there was no doubt, she was a beautiful creature. She had away of walking and the look on her face inspired innocence and purity. Her scent hung in the air, a sweat mixture of cherry blossoms and honey. That simple fact seemed to call to him more that the creamy color of her skin, and he found His eyes were gazing after her even as she was slowly disappearing at the end of the street away from his reach. In a swift movement, he proceeded to follow the woman, his ethereal eyes never living her features, not even for a second. The woman soon turned into another alley which gleamed brightly with the lights and signs of casinos, cabaret and fancy bars. He was still following her as she entered the bar, by the employees entrance and silently he leapt inside the shadowed corridor unnoticed by the beautiful girl.

He watched as she removed her coat, revealing her appealing chest tightly pressed against a pink sweater. A white scarf was knotted around her slimy neck and he could clearly see the delicious form of her rear in her black pants. As hard as he tried, he could not tear his eyes from her. Each of her curves seemed to call, to crave for his touch. He approached her silently, quieter than the lightest breeze. He inhaled the intoxicating sent of her skin and traced her forms in the air. He lowered his head toward her neck, caressing the fabric of her white scarf with his lips. His hands were ready to take hold of her shoulders, not even an inch above them.

Then she slowly walked away from his reach, toward another door that lead to the bar. He stood there, watching the marvellous creature leaving the area and creating a void around him. After a long time, in which he stared thoughtfully at the closed metal door, the man stepped out of the employees corridor and back in the cold of the raining night. His head turned up to the dark sky, his eyes harbouring a plaintive look in the unreal light emanating from them. He shook his head looking back down. An indulgent smile playing on his pale lips as he turned the corner to go back the way he had come, past the front door that lead to the client side of the bar.

Coming to a stop in front of the door he looked away searching his mind for another thing to do, a better way to pass the night, like to go kill, but nothing seemed more appealing than to see the angelic face again. So with a slight sigh, he opened the door and entered the bar. Inside the establishment ruled a mixed atmosphere of joy and depression, while soft music played in the background. Many tables were set on a little balcony against one wall, a dance floor occupied my multitudes of moving bodies lay in the center, and to one side was a bar. More tables circled the dance floor and some people were sitting at them sipping their alcoholic drinks while listening calmly to the soft music or looking absentmindedly at the dancers.

His unreal eyes penetrated the crowd searching for the woman he saw earlier. He found her behind the bar talking to a client with the most stunning smile touching her lips and illuminating her graceful face. He slowly walked toward the bar and sat on a little stool, his drenched clothes soaking it even as the water ran down his coat to form a puddle on the floor. He observed the girl with a contemplative stare, eyes never leaving her, as he breathed in her distant sent, memorizing each and every one curve of both her face and body. Each time she smiled, he felt like someone or something was tugging at his heart. Soon, he seemed to be in a trance before her, just like his victims were before him.



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"What can I do for you," asked the beautiful woman standing behind the bar to another one who was sitting in front of her.

"My, if it isn't Kinomoto Sakura! What are you doing here," exclaimed the woman.

"I'm working… and who are you," questioned the barmaid.

"You can't recognise your high school teacher? I'm Kaho, your Math teacher when you were in 10th grade."

Sakura's emerald eyes widen in recognition and her face flushes a little. The woman sitting in face of her was that teacher she had always admired, the beautiful sensei who had stolen the heart of every young man in her class, or maybe even the entire school. She smiled warmly at her old teacher.

"It's great to see you again. What shall I get you? It's on me," Sakura commented flashing her a big smile.

"Well in this case, I might take a martini if you don't mind."

"My pleasure," she answered turning to make her the drink.

The two women talked for a long time, two hours, maybe three. But never once did they notice the pale figure watching them from a far. It was past midnight when Kaho-san said that it was time for her to go back home. That's when Sakura realised that a man was sitting still on his chair by the bar. She walked towards him, noticing how the shadows hid his face, revealing only a pair of amber glowing eyes.

"May I do something for you sir," she asked unsure.

The man looked up and stared right into her twin emerald pools, his glowing ones biting into her soul, mesmerizing her. It was like she was glued to place, eyes never leaving his gaze only capable of staring back. He was drenched from the rain that still poured outside but he did not seem to be cold, his skin was of a fascinating white, and it appeared to her that it was soft and smooth. He was handsome, no he was more than that, he had the features of the angles like those talked about in the old biblical books, for he was like a fallen angle, beautiful, and human in appearance, yet supposedly dangerous.

"… I'll take red wine if you don't mind… your best bottle," he said, his voice deep and warm, almost unnatural.

"…I…I'll just do that… wait a second…" Sakura stuttered, before she turned toward the door that leaded to the cave where there the wine was stored.

Sakura was still trembling at the way the man had talked to her, his voice had sounded like a melody in her ears, just as beautiful as he was. She sighed deeply looking into space as she took a bottle of red wine and brought it up with her. The man was waiting patiently for her return a very small smile playing on his pale lips, his eyes gleaming softly in the almost absent light of the bar. He recalled in his head the way the girl talked, the way she walked, the way she kindly smiled at him, like viewing a video again and again. In her innocence she had not been afraid of him, just impressed by his appearance. She truly was different from anyone he saw and talked to through the years of his existence.

"Here you go. The best red wine of the house, hope you like it," she uttered placing a glass of red liquid in front of him.

"Thank you."

He took the glass in his right hand, making the liquid inside slowly spin in its glassy prison leaving a little trace of red on the side of the glass. He seemed to take a sip of the drink and played with it in his mouth swirling it around tasting it, rather than simply swallowing. His eyes locked with hers and he gave her a side smile that sent chills all over her body. She returned him a full smile making her eyes light up. This woman was truly delightful and her whole being emanating purity and joy. How could some thing like this could live in this dark world.

"Do you like it," she asked him her eyes carelessly diving into his.

"Actually, this is one of the most delicious wine I've had the chance to taste. May I offer you a glass," answered the mysterious man.

"I'm sorry but I can't drink on the job, but thanks for the offer," she said flashing a charming smile unconsciously at him.

"That's too bad…" he replied, his deep voice encircling her like a comfy silk cloth.

Her eyes travelled his up his body from his silky looking autumn colored hair, to his dripping coat. His golden-amber eyes seemed to be devoid of any feelings, yet they seemed so alive, they could bore a hole into one's soul. His fine features were perfect, even the color of his skin was. A little to white maybe but it was
a sight so soft on the eyes that she did not pay any attention to it.

Unnoticed by her, the mysterious stranger did the same to her. She was more than beautiful, she was like an angle, and her purity and innocence made her even more heavenly. Her eyes of emerald shining in the dim light of the fancy little bar, her honey colored hair curling softly around the graceful lines of her face, the rest pulled back in a long tail falling in delicate waves to the middle of her back. All the rest was just as harmonious of defined curves and well placed roundness. This whole perfection was warped with the sweet frame of mind of the carefree child.

"I never saw you before. Where are you coming from," inquired the woman breaking their trance.

"I just arrived yesterday. I'm travelling for business," was the man answer.

"Oh… Would it be too personal if I ask your name," she asked crimson marking her creamy cheeks.

"I don't mind. My name is Li, Syaoran. Am I impolite in asking yours in return?"

"No, you're not. I'm Kinomoto, Sakura," she said extending her hand in a gesture of friendship.

"Very pleased to meet you, Kinomoto-san," he said taking the offered hand with his.

"The pleasure is all mine, Li-san." He gave her one of his half smiles and took a sip of his wine.

Sakura observed him with her ever so green eyes as he did this, red creeping upon her already red face. He was so mysterious that it made him even more attractive. She suddenly felt shy and rude, looking at him that way almost staring. She had to tear her eyes away from him and turn toward the mirror to calm herself.

"So, what kind of business are you here for," she said trying to make conversation with him.

She had her back to him and was cleaning mercilessly at the counter looking at him using the mirror. He took his time to answer her question, listening to the music and eyes looking nowhere in particular.

"It's nothing special. I sell chalets and small houses to travellers and tourists. Not really original, is it?"

"If you like it…" She replied her voice smiling.

He smiled to himself hearing this last sentence. This Kinomota Sakura was really one of a kind, a gem to society, and not just this one, she was a gem in all of the societies throughout all times and periods. This was when he had found himself starting to like her, something he had never experienced before. A part of his mind screamed at him to get rid of her, that she would only bring trouble into his life, while the other was tempting him to let her live and discover what was so special about her.

The torment of his mind was starting to drive him toward the edge of insanity. A part of him wanted to know more of the angelic creature he just meet and the other wanted to taste her. He desired her in so many ways and to a point that was almost frightening, even for him. His eyes devoured her from the head to the toes tracing in his mind an image of her that he would never forget. The delicious Sakura did not have a hint of what was going on in his tortured mind. His unreal eyes gazed deeply into her pure green orbs, diving in them, getting lost, they were more potent then the strongest alcohol as he found himself getting drunk, on the shimmering emerald colour alone. He felt his hunger rise dangerously like an oil slick and his desire for the angle growing in a taunting wave, coming from the depth of his dark soul toward his spinning mind. Unaware of the turmoil going through her mysterious clients mind, Sakura continued to lose her senses to the hypnotic gaze of Li Syaoran.

Shades of brown, cinnamon, amber, chestnut, green and blue played in them, turning, spinning, al making it look like a spinning soup of colour. A stunning illusion of glowing light made them shine in a way she had never seen before and she wondered if they would shine even more if one gazed at them directly, instead of looking through the mirror. She looked down, ashamed of her thoughts and when she brought them up again, Li-san had disappeared. All that was left of him was the wine bottle, an empty glass, the money for his drink and a little puddle of water, which had dripped down from his coat. Her eyes scanned through the little crowd of her bar but did not found him. Why did he leave without a word? Maybe she had bored him with her question. Maybe he thought of her as a rude person who couldn't stop talking. Still, when she thought about it, they had not talked that much. They mostly stared at each other, detailing the features of one other.

"Hey! Sakura-chan! What's the long face for," came a cheery voice from the door of the establishment.

"Nothing really Tomoyo-chan, just wondering, did you see a man walk out the door?"

"No, why?"

She did not answer, just smiled at her friend and took the money he had left and stuffing it in the cashier.

(A/N ... I don't know who decided that vampires could not see themselves in the mirror but it would be sad to pass eternity not being able to see yourself and it be a real pain to ask someone to tell you what you look like. My vampires can
see their reflect in the mirror and so can the people who see them.)



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The icy rain was still falling sadly upon the small town and drifting lifelessly through the deserted streets. In the secret of the night strolled the lone features of Li Syaoran in the debauched quarters where beggars laid, prostitutes took clients and criminals of any kind rested. Not a very safe place to go at night, for any one except him. Li walked down the alley where men and women were sleeping in the dirty grounds or, for more comfort, in the rubbish. Some of them were drunk, others were drugged. What a pleasant life, he thought as he passed before them in the shadow. Pitiful and what a waste, how can someone, even a human, live in these conditions? On the corner of the dark road, an old man covered in dirt bumped into him and fell on the stained ground. He looked up at him and smiled a toothless smile to the apparently young man who stood before him.

"Hey, youngster, do you have some money for an old man like me?"

Syaoran glanced down at him and gave him a dejected look, a frown of pure aversion appeared on his pale face. He took a step forward but was stopped by the old man gripping his leg firmly. Li let out a deep growl and peered down at the old thing clutching his leg in a desperate manner.

"Please, I haven't eat in days…" he pleaded.

The 'young' man laughed a soulless laugh filled with evil, darkness and frigidity. The old man released his leg and backed up toward the wall behind him, fear all over his face. Li marched toward the frighten man, his pale and expressionless facade seemed to descend on him. Syaoran's unreal eyes freezing the old man's soul and body,

"Tell me old rag, why should I do that," he asked in an inhuman tone of voice.

"I…d… d…don…don't…know…"

Syaoran gave another freezing laugh and stared deeply at the old thing that was tightly pressed against the wall. He was trembling and he seemed ready to do anything to have his life spare, something nearly incomprehensible for Li.

"Tell me, old freak, why do you hang onto life so tightly. Is it to continue to live in those inhuman conditions or for something I never had the chance to see, or maybe because you don't know what happens once you leave your body…? Tell me, I wish to know, I want to understand."

The beggar looked at him eyes fill with horror. Despair, terror, anxiety, distress, all those feelings, he could read it in the gloomy eyes of the poor man. This amused him, it helped to release all frustration he had been through and gave him the opportunity to forget. He smiled evilly, this was bound to be fun.

"Why do you, and all of your kind, hang so dearly to your rotten lives? Why do you persist to roam upon this dying world? TELL ME!"

Saying that, Li grabbed the old man by the collar of his rags and threw him in the air, he ended up landing in the pile of trash near the other end of the black ally with a big crashing sound. Li slowly walked toward him. He was covered in putrid food of all kinds and there were several cuts on his uncovered skin. Blood slowly dripped in a red, hot flow the delicious elixir of life driving his sense crazy. The need for blood returned to him in a powerful wave. The desire for the red liquid feeding his very existence, but the time was not to satisfy his thirst yet. He wanted to play a little, scare the old man almost to death before giving him his fatal kiss.

"Tell me, is it love that keeps you going or perhaps hate? TELL ME, ANSWER ME!" With that, he lifted him to eyes level.

"Wh…who… ar…are you," the man stuttered.

"I am a spawn from hell. I am the angle of death, the one who takes others lives to live."

"What?!…"

"You don't understand. I wake at the crack of dawn. I am a vampire! And don't look at me with those eyes, you perfectly know that I speak the truth," declared Li with a lot of amusement in his unreal voice.

He laughed as the old beggar who tried to escape his iron grip. He wriggled like a worm and started choke because of his collar that had slowly tangled itself around his neck. Li was still laughing his head off. What a sight it was, the helpless human against the grip of the evil vampire. Cliché but immensely funny and realistic.

"You can't answer me? Does it means you don't have any reason to hang so dearly into your miserable life? That it certainly means that you don't what to live anymore, am I right?"

The old man's eyes widen in horror as reality sank into his mind and he struggled with more vigour to break free from the demon.

"Don't worry, it hurts only if I want to. It's painless, it's like falling asleep, but you will never wake up."

"P… please, leave me alone. I don't want to die!"

"I'm telling you, you won't feel anything, never," laughed Li Syaoran.

And with that, he ploughed his long teeth into the old man's flesh and there was shout of agonising cry of pain almost pursing his attacker's hears. As he slowly and painfully drank the blood out of the old man, Li laughed cruelly and while the poor man was still conscious he stopped and looked straight into his eyes.

"Thank you for your life old rag, may your death be slow and painful."

With that he cut his head just enough so the blood would not stop flowing away and made sure he would die shortly but painfully. He laughed evilly and walked away, the rain had stopped and the day was about to come. It was time to sleep; tomorrow will be a big night. Tomorrow he will take the girl from the bar. He
smiled to himself, maybe he will frighten her too…

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To be continued…