"Who was she? That entrancing girl from the alley who almost caught me feeding last night?"
I am deep in thought as my sister and I are driving to our new school in Manhattan. I've been a student multiple times in my existence, thirty one to be exact. When I was human, I had just graduated high school at eighteen. My future plans weren't exactly of the era. In the fifties English and American women alike were being pushed at younger ages to finish secondary school, only to settle down with bread winning husbands and start families of their own. Yet I wanted more with my life, my parents always seeing my full potential as a professional pianist. From living in Europe to moving to America they encouraged me to go strive for my own American dream, find happiness, maybe even find the man that would swipe me off my feet. What I didn't know then was my attraction to women...or to anyone really as I truthfully had no time or much interest in a love life.
I had been accepted into Juilliard with a full scholarship, a rarity for a girl in those times. But I decided to put my dreams on hold to help out my family. My father at the time to my grief was mainly away due to his line of work, working for the New York congress with his expertise in global studies. So I wanted to assist my mother with the household responsibilities. But that wasn't the only reason. I had a secret of my own; I wanted to spend as much time with Evelyn as I could while I still had it. The two of us had grown extremely close since the day she came into our lives, and I was not willing to let that go yet by any means. Juilliard, one of the most renowned music schools in the world, had always been my dream. Yet when Evelyn came into the picture I had a new one. I gave up my scholarship for her because she trusted me, more than anyone else. I wanted her to know I would always love and protect her, make time for her, and that she would be forever apart of my family.
I had not found love either. It was not something I really ever searched for as I focused more on my studies rather than being pursued after. I was also rather aloof when it came to men being a "heterosexual" teenager. Although in the dark about my own sexual preferences I had an idea of what I wanted and indeed what I didn't. My dad set the standard in my eyes of what a man should be: Kind, chivalrous, ambitious, selfless. I caught quite a few's eye, yet all of their advancements were tasteless.
There was only one who met the bill, Jerrod Galloway. He was the guy every girl in school had their eyes on. He truly was swoon worthy. I can't say I didn't fantasize about him being my first kiss every now and then, maybe even us being the so said couple who snogged under the bleachers in high school. But like I said, purely teenage fantasy. Though I wanted to ignore this fact back then, I was still a hormonal teenager like every other girl my age. Even if I had been truly straight it would have never worked out anyway. I was too busy with my ambitions and the boy got drafted into the war only to die a few months later.
Truthfully I didn't desire a relationship, for my family and a profession in music was all I desired to have at the time. Yet I never got the opportunity to ever work again towards my dream as life took an unsuspected turn. Two of the most important people in my life and my biggest supporters were now gone, the passion for my craft beginning to fade along with them. The life I once knew was gone, becoming only a painful memory.
It was a special day, my father promising he would take the whole day off to spend with me. It's almost comical now, for that horrible Christmas song they play nowadays is rather painfully ironic looking back. All I wanted for Christmas that year was for my father to be home for my 19th birthday. It would be our last one together for some time as he was busy with work. All the while I would also be busy after a hard fought fight to study music at a local community college the upcoming fall semester. With a little puppy eyed pleading on my end and my dad being the man he was, pulling a few strings at work, he did as promised. I'll never forget that day, first starting off as one of pure joy.
Dad took me to some of my favorite places, treating me although I only wanted one thing and he knew it all too well, Him. We went for a walk through the city, talking about life and where it was taking us. My dad and I were alike in so many ways, having similar accents, traits and mannerisms. It was as if we were kindred souls. Yet when I first told him of my plan not to take my Juilliard scholarship, he was rather disappointed as he knew what I was giving up by doing this. Yet my father on this day said he was very proud of me, being such a good daughter and sister to our newest addition. He said he knew I would find ultimate happiness in life, for like him I strived to put others before myself.
That day I was captured in his unconditional love. He told me we could spend the whole day alone together if I wished, for he knew how much our time together meant to me. We didn't have much of it anymore, yet I cherished every moment with him as if it was our first and our last. Yet that night I wanted my whole family to be together, all together as it should be. He rented out one of the most extravagant restaurants in the city for the occasion, enjoying each other's company in bliss.
My day of joy turned into a night of unbearable sorrow. With my father's job also came with enemies. Some were not happy with our government system in New York, wanting to fight back. My father being a frontrunner in congress turned him into a target, which resolved in his and mother's bitter end.
It was past ten in the evening, my family and I finishing up rather late as we walked out of the restaurant to an empty courtyard. We were alone, or so it seemed. Father put his arm around my shoulder and looked to me with a warm grin.
"So did you have a good birthday my dear Liza?" He asked before putting multiple smothering kisses to my cheek. I just laugh and nuzzle into his touch. Liza was a nickname my father had given to me a very long time ago. Overtime it just became a permanent part of me. Only my family and close friends called me by that name. Yet when my father said it, no matter how much time had passed, I was reminded of the love he had for me as his little girl.
"Yes Papa. It was one of my most memorable yet." I wrapped my arms around his side tightly. I then smiled up at him. "In fact, it was perfect. Thank you." He smiled back as he puts a kiss onto my forehead.
"Greggory..."
Everything was perfect, until I heard my mother calling to my dad. I looked ahead and saw the shadows of three men. My father looked over as well as he saw my smile had faded.
"Is everything alright gentlemen?" He called out to the figures, only to be followed by blinding light then a deafening gunshot in our direction. I watched in horror as my mother fell to her death as one of the men shot her, father holding me and Evelyn back.
"MAMA!" I screamed yet he turned to me, grabbing me by the shoulders to quiet me. He glanced at the two men then turned back to me in distress.
"Liza go. Take Evelyn and run."
"Papa no..." I pleaded, my eyes flooding with tears. He wiped them with a loving hand, pulling me into a full embrace. I silently wept onto him, never wanting to let him go. He pulled away to grasp both sides of my face.
"Please be strong for me Elizabeth. Know that I love you and you will always be my little girl, my beautiful, wonderful girl. Take care of your sister. Never lose sight of her do you understand? Remember me and your mother by never losing your spirit or allowing anyone to take it from you." He leaned in to give me one final tender kiss upon my forehead, my tears soaking his face. He then went to embrace Evelyn tightly before he was pulled back by two pairs of hands and was thrown into the center of the square. Dad tried to defend himself, yet he was exceedingly outnumbered. The men beat him to death, my screaming drowning out his sounds of agony from my ears. Evelyn turned herself away, not being able to bear witnessing what she already had experienced in her life once before. I couldn't tear my eyes away, even after the men leaned over my father as he took his final breaths.
"PLEASE PAPA...NO! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE YOU BASTARDS!" My voice wouldn't stop, lashing out and crying to blind me from the excruciating pain. The men hearing my spats of despair only inched closer, ready to take their next victims. Yet I soon witnessed that they would become the victims, paying for their vicious deed. Soon I felt someone wrap themselves around me in a rapid powerful embrace, sending me to the ground in a gasp of paralyzing fright. A pair of arms sheltered me from the sight of death as my sobbed cries filled the open air. A beautiful soothing voice then surrounded me.
"Please don't cry young one. Let my embrace immerse you in comfort even as the darkness settles in. I have lived a long existence. And I have seen even in death, there is meaning my dear."
In that moment I was in the embrace of Annabelle; My savior, my downfall. At first I was afraid of the woman and her intents. Yet this sense of an odd affection soon became something more. For some time I tried to deny any attraction or true connection to the vampire, even after becoming sired to her. I refused to drink her blood for a short period after I turned, soon telling myself I only fed from her to curb the cravings. Yet we both knew I was lying to myself, to the very bond that still ties the both of us together to this day.
As time went on the pull became too strong. We began a dangerous game. She would reel me in with her advances, almost fully giving myself to her as the sire bond beckoned me into a web of lust. I believed Annabelle was only toying with my emotions when I was human then even more so as a vampire. She now enjoyed the benefits of having someone to control, surrendering myself to her as she had her way with me. It became all too much, the blood, the lustful desires, this new life.
When I left her, things only became worse. I longed for not only her blood, but for her to be near again no matter how resentful I was of this eternal contract. Leaving Annabelle also only made my darkened desires more dire. I was tempted to use women for my own pleasure, almost giving in for I was attempting to replace the powerful pull of the sire bond. I fought myself, yet gave into the other lust that controlled me the most, Bloodlust. And that only made me a killer, not being able to control either lust that Annabelle had awoken within me.
I gave up much of my past life, for it was not part of my world anymore and I was too dangerous. Yet once I started to regain myself again after a couple decades, I decided that going back to school wouldn't be such a bad thing. I would learn to control my cravings around humans, while also being able to regain a somewhat normal life. I also was able to finally seize the opportunity that was taken away so long ago. I began to attend college as a music major. Even Annabelle had reminded me my parents wouldn't have wanted me to let my passion die with them, but to continue in it and keep it alive. The piano became a good distraction to keep my mind upon my undying love for music rather than my newfound hunger for blood. I also liked the idea of school, for I wanted to stay well educated and integrated into human culture.
Evelyn couldn't think of anything worse. I never forced education upon her after what she went through as a human during her own school experience. Yet there were repercussions, for now as a vampire there were many things she loved about living with me while I went to college: The partying, the sex, the blood. She reveled in this life even as I threatened her to stay behaved or I would do whatever was needed to subdue her monstrous side. She never listened however, loving to test my newly formed sense of control and knowing I truly had no way of taming her. I would try being the responsible older sister, yet she had her own rule book and game plays always working out in her favor. Although I never lived on campus for obvious reasons, I would often get invited to parties. I found them to be rather a waste of time and way too great of a risk.
All the while Evelyn never turned down the opportunity for her view of a good time. With her enhanced appearance she could pass as a freshman, more like fresh meat to every gawking male on campus. She wasn't one to hold back either, whether it be her sexual desires or her killer instincts. This forced me to go mostly out of mere obligation to keep her from killing an entire herd of horny college students, not for my own personal enjoyment.
Attending college after all this time of wandering, I made it a rule that I would not use students for my own selfish needs. I would use blood bags or go off campus to feed and that was the end of it. I vowed to myself to only feed upon men, for women were too much of a temptation for me. I mostly denied humans their typical advances, for I didn't want to be the used or the user anymore. Being bisexual Evelyn would try to get me to let loose from my no women rule, even if it was just for one night. I resisted, even as not only their blood called to me to take from them, but what many of them tempted me with time and time again. I had the rare friend, never lovers except for the one quite some time ago. After my traumatic first time with a human, I never allowed myself to become romantically attached to one again.
With Evelyn's track record however I couldn't even keep a good friend around. Boys would either try to befriend me to get in bed with her or myself, if they were brave enough to pop the question. Many girls labeled my sister as 'The slut who slept around'. This surely did not settle well with me. Even though Evelyn enjoyed testing my nerves with her boy toys, I know the truth. All she does is to numb the extreme abuse and neglect she suffered throughout her adolescence, her father never showing her what a good man looked like. It made her weary of them as a human, even of my own father for quite some time. Yet as a vampire this turned to pure lust, a spiteful lust at that. This was not only for blood, but for physical pain and pleasure.
There were times as the last where she got way out of hand. I had been stupid enough to let her wander the homecoming frat-house party by herself as I found a beautiful human that was actually a pleasure to talk to. Although beautiful she had a brain in her head with rather innocent intentions, only joining a sorority to help pay for college. I couldn't deny that her scent wasn't repulsing either.
For the first time in many years, I had so foolishly let down my guard. With a few drinks of hard liquor in my system, I was moments away from breaking two of my own rules. I hadn't tasted another woman's blood in years, yet alone be intimate with one. I was just about ready to lead the girl away from the party's festivities to have just a taste of my true craving, maybe even a deeper taste to quench my long lost hunger for sex. Yet I quickly came back to my senses, only to find that my sister was nowhere to be found. When I got to her it was all but too late. There is a reason why I have made it a rule to avoid both parties and getting too friendly with humans, for they only blinded my better judgement. This incident however was my final straw with Evelyn.
I have made the decision to attend high school for the first time since the 1950s, for now I have someone else I need to tame. This would also be Evelyn's first time back to school since she turned, making her mood with me even more irritable. I enrolled as a senior so she could a junior. With a more supervised setting and not one filled with dorm rooms, frat boys, and booze, I think it will be an easier task to keep Evelyn in line. I could care less if she compels someone to do her homework for her. As long as I can keep a watchful eye on her here, my job to prevent further damage is done.
"Well...not quite..."
I can't stop thinking about that human girl from the night before damaging my mind. I don't know who she is, yet I have a feeling that night wouldn't be the last time I saw her. It seemed as though she was much more than a simple attraction. Her being immediately attacked my senses, making me want to draw closer.
"How can I say this...about someone I barely even saw?"
My mind then begins to think about the whispered voice speaking to me as I fed on that man. Annabelle as my sire is able to communicate with me through my own thoughts, the capacity of those abilities I do not know. Yet this voice made me unsure if it was just the beast in it's wake or my maker. Whenever Annabelle spoke to me in this way I greatly felt her presence, usually in close proximity to one another. Her voice I would have known anywhere, hitting me like a wave. This voice sounded as though it was in the distance of my mind, yet was calling out to every part of me in urgency.
"Was this truly a sign of what's to come? What does this all mean?"
I have a bad feeling that things would be soon shifting. I do not know of what lies for me here, yet it seems New York brought me back for a purpose of it's own.