Chapter 1:
.12 years later.
"I cannot believe you talked me into this," Claire stated, pulling on a worn out black boot. "I mean, really Aleera, vampire hunting? Sometimes I still think you're a child."
Her cousin let out a laugh, "Oh, Claire stop it! And anyway, you promised, so stop complaining!" Aleera pulled on a dark wool cloak and reached for a red scarf.
"But Aleera! Think of all the possible danger we could get ourselves into. This is a huge risk to take. What if one of us was bitten? Or worse, killed?" Claire demanded, frustrated.
"Well," Aleera said knowingly, "That's why were taking these." She tossed Claire a long wooden stake, sharpened at the point.
"You can't be serious," Claire exclaimed, rolling her eyes, and throwing up her hands.
"Actually, I am." She said, defensively, latching her own stake to the belt at her waist.
Claire ran her fingers through her long, brown, wavy hair. "What if someone finds out? Everyone would think we're fools!"
Aleera turned to face Claire, eyebrows raised. "And who, may I ask, is everyone?"
"Well," Claire began, and struggled for an excuse. It was true that she had lived with Aleera ever since her parents had passed away, and only two years ago they had run away from their small hometown to live by themselves. The villagers of the town all kept to themselves, and most likely wouldn't have cared whether they returned or not.
"Exactly my point," Aleera said slipping on her hat.
"No! It's not that! There are tons of people! It's just that my minds blank at the moment!" Claire protested, furiously.
Aleera sighed and grabbed Claire's hand. "Come on Claire! This is practically a once in a lifetime chance!"
"Actually, we could always go tomorrow or—" Claire started, but Aleera quickly pushed her out the door and into the foggy streets.
"Aleera!" She sighed, finally giving in, like she always did. "Alright, fine, but do you even know where the vampires are?"
"Well, no, not really. But it's obviously somewhere dark, cold, and scary." Aleera said, shrugging.
"The cemetery," Claire sighed. Of course, it had to be the cemetery.
"To put it all in one word, yes." Aleera said, smiling brightly.
"Great." Claire said, sarcastically. "Now I have to worry about dead people popping out of the ground."
Aleera turned to her, "If you don't want to go, then fine, but your missing out on a lot of fun!" Claire hung her head. One part of her wanted to do this, thinking it would be exciting to at least see a vampire in person, but this was before she read about all the danger vampires caused. Then again, she didn't want to leave her cousin alone...
"Alright, let's just hurry up. This fog is getting worse." Claire finally said.
Aleera's eyes shone. "Right then, let's go!" The two started to walk down the empty streets. They walked in silence, the only noise was there shoes clicking against the cobblestone street.
"I never knew the fog would be this thick, or else I would never have agreed to come." Claire said, glumly, and shivering.
"Stop being a child." Her cousin grunted beside her.
Claire shivered. She didn't like this; something didn't seem right. She continued walking not knowing how long the cemetery was from here.
"Aleera, maybe we should just go back. We'll do it another night, when I can actually see something," Claire suggested.
"We can't turn back now. It will probably clear up soon. Stop being so negative." Aleera said, quickly.
"I will, if you stop being so optimistic," Claire retorted.
Aleera didn't respond, and quickened her pace. A few minutes later, Claire stopped and looked around. Thick soupy fog swirled around her and the only thing she could make out was the faint glow of the streetlights.
"Aleera, something seems amiss here. Don't you feel it?" Claire asked, but when she turned, expecting to see Aleera, she was nowhere in site.
"Aleera?" Claire called, but only her echo responded. Everything was dead silent; the sound of a pin dropping could have been an avalanche.
Claire called her cousin's name once again, but again, the only thing she heard was the sound of her own voice. Claire began to feel a panic forming in the pit of her stomach.
'Where is Aleera?' she thought. 'I knew this was a bad idea.'
Claire turned around a full circle, but there was only the silver fog that screened her view of anything, and anyone else.. She was about to call out to Aleera again, but then a piercing scream split through the air. Claire stopped dead and her face grew pale. She knew that scream.
"Aleera!" Claire shouted at the top of her lungs, and started running, hoping to catch a glimpse of someone or something that could help her. Or better yet, find Aleera before...
She stopped and suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder and she jumped. She turned around to find Aleera laughing her head off. Claire felt a hot sensation rise up her neck and make it's home at her cheeks.
"Aleera!" Claire yelled, "Why did you do that?"
"I'm sorry cousin," She said, gasping for breath. "I couldn't resist."
Claire rolled her eyes, "Did you know you scared me half to death? What if something bad had really happened?"
"Oh, come on, Claire, stop being such a little girl. I was only joking!" Aleera said, apologetically.
Claire turned her back to her. "Well it was a terrible joke, if you ask me."
"I said I was sorry. Anyway, were close to the cemetery ... I think." Aleera said, turning and studying the foggy landscape.
"You think?" Claire asked turning to her cousin in disbelief. "What do you mean 'you think'?"
Aleera shrugged, unconcerned. "I'm not sure."
"You're not sure? Do you even know where we are?" Claire shouted.
Aleera sighed, "Claire, come on. We're probably not even that far away from home. If it makes you feel any better, we'll go back."
Claire did feel a little better, at the suggestion. "Alright, but please no more vampire hunting."
"Fine," Aleera said in resignation, and the two girls started to walk again, back the way they had come, Claire leading.
"Vampire hunting," Claire breathed while walking, "It was a pretty absurd idea. Even you have to admit it."
She expected Aleera to protest by saying something like: "Well half of it was your idea!" But no response returned.
Claire sighed and turned around. "I'm serious Alee—" But stopped when she found herself alone.
Sighing, and frustrated, she called out again. "Aleera! Come on! This is getting ridiculous! I'm not falling for this again!"
Her voice rang through the empty streets.
'Where is she?' Claire asked herself. She was beginning to get really annoyed with Aleera. "ALEERA!" When again, nothing came back, Claire stomped her foot.
"You know what? Fine. I'm leaving. You can play your little games! As for me, I'll be at the house!"
She was about to turn and leave, when she heard a chilly voice behind her that made her jump an inch into the air.
"Oh, so soon?"
Claire slowly turned around to find a tall looking man with pale skin studying her in the moonlight. He had jet-black hair, tied back as was the fashion with most of the men, and smiled at her. Pure-white, pointed fangs gleamed, protruding out of his mouth. Claire stared in horror, and let out a small gasp when she noticed what the man carried on his arms.
"Aleera, no," she whispered staring at her lifeless body of her cousin. "You killed her."
The vampire sighed, obviously annoyed. "I didn't kill her, my dear. Or at least, I haven't yet."
"What do you mean?" Claire demanded her courage quickly disappearing.
"Well, I am in dire need of brides to procure my children." he looked down and smiled at Aleera. "Your cousin fits the part perfectly."
Claire felt as if her heart skipped a beat. She mouth was as if glued together and her feet stood frozen. "W-what do you mean? And who are you?" She managed to say.
The vampire smiled again giving Claire chills that ran down her spine, "Ah, so many questions little one. I therefore cannot answer them here." He let Aleera go and Claire's eyes widened when she saw that Aleera was floating in mid-air.
The vampire started to walk over to Claire and soon they were so close that only a few feet made their noses from touching.
She stared at him, and he stared back. It was like his eyes bore into her soul. "Don't be frightened my dear," he started, "I don't bite ... much," He started to laugh, obviously humored by his own joke.
Claire started to breathe heavily and tried to back up, but the vampire grabbed her hand.
"That's not a very great idea," He said bringing her close to him, against his chest. "So many dangers."
Claire tried to wriggle her way out of his grasp, but he was much stronger than her. She felt her eyes grow misty, and then realized something. This vampire had no heartbeat.
Claire quickly looked up at him, "You have no heartbeat,"
The vampire smiled down at her. "Did you think vampires have heartbeats like you pitiful mortals?"
Claire felt a warm tear slid down her cheek. She desperately wanted this to be a dream. Se felt the vampire run his hands through her hair.
"So beautiful," he murmured, "So very precious,"
"Please," Claire pleaded, desperately. "Let me go."
"Now, why would I want to do that?" He asked holding her tighter, so Claire could scarcely breathe.
"Please," whispered Claire, many tears now streaming down her face.
She felt his cold lips on her skin, making there way onto her neck. "Why do you weep?" he whispered, "When you can have all you want."
Claire whimpered and tried to struggle, but she felt petrified and frozen.
"Anything you want," he continued, kissing her, "It only hurts for a moment or two, but then the pain goes away, forever."
Claire was now breathing hard. 'No,' she thought, 'it can't end like this.'
Just as she thought all was lost, she felt something sharp dig into her thigh. 'The stake!' She knew that if she could just have the room to pull it out for one second, she could quickly stab it in his heart and run. But then another thought came.
'What about Aleera?' Even though Claire didn't want to say it, she knew there was nothing she could do. Aleera would probably want her to do this anyway. Taking one last gulp, she decided to play along.
"How would you like that?" The vampire asked.
Claire wasn't even listening but she knew what she had to do. "Oh I think it would be wonderful," Claire said hoping she had said the right thing.
The vampire stopped what he was doing and looked at her. "Truely?"
Claire nodded to whatever he was talking about. The vampire grinned at her and touched her face. "You and I—"
He was interrupted by the yell of Claire jabbing the stake into his heart. The vampire looked at her with an expression that she couldn't read. She didn't care; she quickly turned around and ran into the fog.
.12 years later.
"I cannot believe you talked me into this," Claire stated, pulling on a worn out black boot. "I mean, really Aleera, vampire hunting? Sometimes I still think you're a child."
Her cousin let out a laugh, "Oh, Claire stop it! And anyway, you promised, so stop complaining!" Aleera pulled on a dark wool cloak and reached for a red scarf.
"But Aleera! Think of all the possible danger we could get ourselves into. This is a huge risk to take. What if one of us was bitten? Or worse, killed?" Claire demanded, frustrated.
"Well," Aleera said knowingly, "That's why were taking these." She tossed Claire a long wooden stake, sharpened at the point.
"You can't be serious," Claire exclaimed, rolling her eyes, and throwing up her hands.
"Actually, I am." She said, defensively, latching her own stake to the belt at her waist.
Claire ran her fingers through her long, brown, wavy hair. "What if someone finds out? Everyone would think we're fools!"
Aleera turned to face Claire, eyebrows raised. "And who, may I ask, is everyone?"
"Well," Claire began, and struggled for an excuse. It was true that she had lived with Aleera ever since her parents had passed away, and only two years ago they had run away from their small hometown to live by themselves. The villagers of the town all kept to themselves, and most likely wouldn't have cared whether they returned or not.
"Exactly my point," Aleera said slipping on her hat.
"No! It's not that! There are tons of people! It's just that my minds blank at the moment!" Claire protested, furiously.
Aleera sighed and grabbed Claire's hand. "Come on Claire! This is practically a once in a lifetime chance!"
"Actually, we could always go tomorrow or—" Claire started, but Aleera quickly pushed her out the door and into the foggy streets.
"Aleera!" She sighed, finally giving in, like she always did. "Alright, fine, but do you even know where the vampires are?"
"Well, no, not really. But it's obviously somewhere dark, cold, and scary." Aleera said, shrugging.
"The cemetery," Claire sighed. Of course, it had to be the cemetery.
"To put it all in one word, yes." Aleera said, smiling brightly.
"Great." Claire said, sarcastically. "Now I have to worry about dead people popping out of the ground."
Aleera turned to her, "If you don't want to go, then fine, but your missing out on a lot of fun!" Claire hung her head. One part of her wanted to do this, thinking it would be exciting to at least see a vampire in person, but this was before she read about all the danger vampires caused. Then again, she didn't want to leave her cousin alone...
"Alright, let's just hurry up. This fog is getting worse." Claire finally said.
Aleera's eyes shone. "Right then, let's go!" The two started to walk down the empty streets. They walked in silence, the only noise was there shoes clicking against the cobblestone street.
"I never knew the fog would be this thick, or else I would never have agreed to come." Claire said, glumly, and shivering.
"Stop being a child." Her cousin grunted beside her.
Claire shivered. She didn't like this; something didn't seem right. She continued walking not knowing how long the cemetery was from here.
"Aleera, maybe we should just go back. We'll do it another night, when I can actually see something," Claire suggested.
"We can't turn back now. It will probably clear up soon. Stop being so negative." Aleera said, quickly.
"I will, if you stop being so optimistic," Claire retorted.
Aleera didn't respond, and quickened her pace. A few minutes later, Claire stopped and looked around. Thick soupy fog swirled around her and the only thing she could make out was the faint glow of the streetlights.
"Aleera, something seems amiss here. Don't you feel it?" Claire asked, but when she turned, expecting to see Aleera, she was nowhere in site.
"Aleera?" Claire called, but only her echo responded. Everything was dead silent; the sound of a pin dropping could have been an avalanche.
Claire called her cousin's name once again, but again, the only thing she heard was the sound of her own voice. Claire began to feel a panic forming in the pit of her stomach.
'Where is Aleera?' she thought. 'I knew this was a bad idea.'
Claire turned around a full circle, but there was only the silver fog that screened her view of anything, and anyone else.. She was about to call out to Aleera again, but then a piercing scream split through the air. Claire stopped dead and her face grew pale. She knew that scream.
"Aleera!" Claire shouted at the top of her lungs, and started running, hoping to catch a glimpse of someone or something that could help her. Or better yet, find Aleera before...
She stopped and suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder and she jumped. She turned around to find Aleera laughing her head off. Claire felt a hot sensation rise up her neck and make it's home at her cheeks.
"Aleera!" Claire yelled, "Why did you do that?"
"I'm sorry cousin," She said, gasping for breath. "I couldn't resist."
Claire rolled her eyes, "Did you know you scared me half to death? What if something bad had really happened?"
"Oh, come on, Claire, stop being such a little girl. I was only joking!" Aleera said, apologetically.
Claire turned her back to her. "Well it was a terrible joke, if you ask me."
"I said I was sorry. Anyway, were close to the cemetery ... I think." Aleera said, turning and studying the foggy landscape.
"You think?" Claire asked turning to her cousin in disbelief. "What do you mean 'you think'?"
Aleera shrugged, unconcerned. "I'm not sure."
"You're not sure? Do you even know where we are?" Claire shouted.
Aleera sighed, "Claire, come on. We're probably not even that far away from home. If it makes you feel any better, we'll go back."
Claire did feel a little better, at the suggestion. "Alright, but please no more vampire hunting."
"Fine," Aleera said in resignation, and the two girls started to walk again, back the way they had come, Claire leading.
"Vampire hunting," Claire breathed while walking, "It was a pretty absurd idea. Even you have to admit it."
She expected Aleera to protest by saying something like: "Well half of it was your idea!" But no response returned.
Claire sighed and turned around. "I'm serious Alee—" But stopped when she found herself alone.
Sighing, and frustrated, she called out again. "Aleera! Come on! This is getting ridiculous! I'm not falling for this again!"
Her voice rang through the empty streets.
'Where is she?' Claire asked herself. She was beginning to get really annoyed with Aleera. "ALEERA!" When again, nothing came back, Claire stomped her foot.
"You know what? Fine. I'm leaving. You can play your little games! As for me, I'll be at the house!"
She was about to turn and leave, when she heard a chilly voice behind her that made her jump an inch into the air.
"Oh, so soon?"
Claire slowly turned around to find a tall looking man with pale skin studying her in the moonlight. He had jet-black hair, tied back as was the fashion with most of the men, and smiled at her. Pure-white, pointed fangs gleamed, protruding out of his mouth. Claire stared in horror, and let out a small gasp when she noticed what the man carried on his arms.
"Aleera, no," she whispered staring at her lifeless body of her cousin. "You killed her."
The vampire sighed, obviously annoyed. "I didn't kill her, my dear. Or at least, I haven't yet."
"What do you mean?" Claire demanded her courage quickly disappearing.
"Well, I am in dire need of brides to procure my children." he looked down and smiled at Aleera. "Your cousin fits the part perfectly."
Claire felt as if her heart skipped a beat. She mouth was as if glued together and her feet stood frozen. "W-what do you mean? And who are you?" She managed to say.
The vampire smiled again giving Claire chills that ran down her spine, "Ah, so many questions little one. I therefore cannot answer them here." He let Aleera go and Claire's eyes widened when she saw that Aleera was floating in mid-air.
The vampire started to walk over to Claire and soon they were so close that only a few feet made their noses from touching.
She stared at him, and he stared back. It was like his eyes bore into her soul. "Don't be frightened my dear," he started, "I don't bite ... much," He started to laugh, obviously humored by his own joke.
Claire started to breathe heavily and tried to back up, but the vampire grabbed her hand.
"That's not a very great idea," He said bringing her close to him, against his chest. "So many dangers."
Claire tried to wriggle her way out of his grasp, but he was much stronger than her. She felt her eyes grow misty, and then realized something. This vampire had no heartbeat.
Claire quickly looked up at him, "You have no heartbeat,"
The vampire smiled down at her. "Did you think vampires have heartbeats like you pitiful mortals?"
Claire felt a warm tear slid down her cheek. She desperately wanted this to be a dream. Se felt the vampire run his hands through her hair.
"So beautiful," he murmured, "So very precious,"
"Please," Claire pleaded, desperately. "Let me go."
"Now, why would I want to do that?" He asked holding her tighter, so Claire could scarcely breathe.
"Please," whispered Claire, many tears now streaming down her face.
She felt his cold lips on her skin, making there way onto her neck. "Why do you weep?" he whispered, "When you can have all you want."
Claire whimpered and tried to struggle, but she felt petrified and frozen.
"Anything you want," he continued, kissing her, "It only hurts for a moment or two, but then the pain goes away, forever."
Claire was now breathing hard. 'No,' she thought, 'it can't end like this.'
Just as she thought all was lost, she felt something sharp dig into her thigh. 'The stake!' She knew that if she could just have the room to pull it out for one second, she could quickly stab it in his heart and run. But then another thought came.
'What about Aleera?' Even though Claire didn't want to say it, she knew there was nothing she could do. Aleera would probably want her to do this anyway. Taking one last gulp, she decided to play along.
"How would you like that?" The vampire asked.
Claire wasn't even listening but she knew what she had to do. "Oh I think it would be wonderful," Claire said hoping she had said the right thing.
The vampire stopped what he was doing and looked at her. "Truely?"
Claire nodded to whatever he was talking about. The vampire grinned at her and touched her face. "You and I—"
He was interrupted by the yell of Claire jabbing the stake into his heart. The vampire looked at her with an expression that she couldn't read. She didn't care; she quickly turned around and ran into the fog.