Chapter 2:
Home is Where the Blood is

Although my first day at Bathory Junior High was a little shaky and even dangerous, the rest of the week went perfectly. It had seemed that D'ablo had put his minions to rest for a while for I did not see any suspicious happening any day. And, truth be told, I enjoyed being back at school. When I was not attending any school whatsoever, I just sat lazily around my house, lounging on the lounge chair, doing what all vampires do: drink blood. This was a normal routine for my days off from school and it was just plain boring. Still, even though my vampire teachers seemed oddly "normal" for the rest of the week, I was still skeptical about their staying in the small, unknown town of Bathory. Then again, Vladimir Tod and his brother, James, lived here and there was many reasons why it was the perfect place to stay. There was something going on and I knew the solution was not that Debra and Demetri split up from their beloved master. That would not happen, as long as they were alive (which could be forever.) I hoped the answer would come to me soon. Because if it didn't, it might just be too late.

Fortunately, the week was soon over and the weekend arrived. Soon, the last school bell rang on Friday and I hurried out of the school, a smile on my face as I exited the school grounds. This weekend, I would return to my true home, to see all my friends, and especially, I would see my best friend, Jeff. I laughed for a moment. I was so excited that I wouldn't even mind meeting up with the bullies again. This time, if any of them bothered Jeff or any of my friends, they would be in for a rude awakening. My fangs slid gently out of my gums as I remembered the look on their faces when they first saw the true side of me. They would be sorry.

I woke up on Saturday morning as soon as the noisy alarm clock sounded. Stretching, I placed my legs over the side of the spring mattress and stood up. The morning sunlight shined in through the window, bathing the room in light. Smiling, I crossed off the date on my calendar. Today was finally the day I would see Jeff and his family.

I crossed the room and picked up a small picture frame that sat on our bedside table. In the picture were two families standing in front of the large sign for Hershey Park in Pennsylvania. Everyone in the picture had a wide smile on their face and wore brown T-shirts that read in large, broad white letters: "10th Annual Family Outing" with a small picture of a cartoon chocolate bar below the words. In the front stood two young children who had their arms slung across each others shoulders. Those were days that I remembered the most.

Before any school year started, Jeff and my family would visit a new place, whether it would be an amusement park, shown in the photo, or a museum or even the world's largest ball of twine. Sighing, I kissed my fingers and pressed them to the two people posed next to Jeff's parents. My mother and father we're always the ones who organized these trips. Slowly, since they died, my past had faded. No more trips together as a group. Those days were over.

I walked over to the small mirror hanging in the "master" bathroom and checked my fangs, which were protruding slightly. This sign only meant one thing: I was hungry. My stomach growled loudly like a wolf, confirming my hypothesis. Quickly throwing on a pair of ragged old clothes, the only pieces of wearable items I had for now, I ran downstairs to the inviting smell of petit déjeuner: breakfast.

"Well, good morning James." Nelly greeted me with a toothy smile. I returned the favor and was glad to find an already filled to the top mug steaming with hot red liquid. I was quenched and now was the perfect time to drink. I nodded to Nelly, as a signal of thanks, and slurped down the red rubies. Vlad watched me, slowly shaking his head in disgust. He shuffled out of the room after he placed his mug in the sink. Most likely, he was going to call his best friend, Henry.

When I was done, I took a long breath, for I had almost drowned in the only thing that kept me alive. Nelly giggled.

"Hungry much?"

"Yeah. I think it's just nerves."

"You have a right to be excited." Nelly exclaimed. "I mean, you haven't seen your best friend in over a month!"

"Thanks for reiterating that for me." I scowled. For a second, I was a calm, young vampire, not worrying about the future. Now that she mentioned it yet again, it all came flooding back to me and now, I was more nervous than I was before. The key word? I haven't seen him in over a month.

"No problem." She replied sarcastically, slightly rolling her eyes.

"Nelly?" I asked in a quiet, innocent tone.

"Yes?"

"What if… you know… what if Jeff has changed? What I really mean, what if he doesn't want to be my friend any more? Do you think he thinks I am a monster? What if…."

Nelly raised a hand, signaling me to stop.

"Calm down, James. Everything will go well o.k.? If he's actually your best friend, nothing should have changed his opinion about you in only a month. Comprehend?"

I nodded in answer.

"Good. Now hurry upstairs and finish packing. I am planning on leaving in 20 minutes or so." And with that, the brief "cheer up champ speech" was over. The conversation was followed by a quiet, long pause. Then, as if by natural reaction, I stood up and obeyed her orders, dragging myself upstairs and into our miniscule bedroom, barely fit for one person. Try fitting two oversized spring mattresses into a closet and you can imagine what our room looked like.

I hastily through random clothes into my suitcase, choosing only necessary items. One sweatshirt, a couple of long sleeved polo's and shirts, my only pair of sneakers and many pairs of socks and, dare I say it, underwear. I mean, what else was there to pack for a one weekend stay at my best friend's house? If worse came to worse, I could just borrow clothes from Jeff. The only thing I would not let him lend to me is, you guessed it, underwear. I shivered at that thought as I double checked my inventory and zippered the stuffed backpack, threatening to explode any second.

Swinging it over my shoulder, I lugged the heavy backpack down the stairs and dropped it on the rickety floorboards, making yet another dent. This didn't surprise me anymore.

Nelly joined me shortly afterwards, wearing her routine nurse outfit. She carried a small black handbag with a small golden buckle; just one of many bags that she had stashed in her closet.

"Are you ready to go, James?" She asked politely. I replied with a short "Yes" as I focused on something else, like the sound of blasting gunshots emitting from the TV in the living room. Vlad was still blabbering on the phone with Henry. I mean, I know that a girl can talk a whole lot on a phone but have you ever seen a boy talk on the phone for almost an hour? If so, contact me when you do.

I rocked back and forth on my heels as Nelly searched through her pockets for the house keys. After a moment or two, it became agonizing to wait any longer and as quick as a cheetah, I went into her left, bottom coat pocket and pulled out a pair of shining silver keys. I felt guilty about doing it and I know I was going to get a long chat from Nelly on the way to Glen Rock. You see, Nelly had a rule about using vampire powers in pubic. And, even though we were standing on the front, vacant porch with nobody around us except the old, deaf man who lived next store, apparently I had broken that rule. As with any rule, come consequences.

After what seemed like hours, I started to debate whether I should run straight to Glen Rock. Right about now, it seemed like a good plan. If I started now, I might even be half way there in less than fifteen minutes. But, even though I was very fast, if a human saw the slight blur of me running past them at ultrasonic speed, they would be suspicious and, as they say, suspicion leads to curiosity which, in turn, leads into trouble. Besides, Nelly wanted to drive and I respected that, even though she was slower than a snail.

As soon as the car door creaked open, I through my backpack into the back seat and clambered into the front, waiting to hear the purr (O.K. more like the roar) of the engine. I twiddled my thumbs in anticipation and anxiousness as Aunt Nelly climbed into the driver's seat and inserted the car keys into the ignition. With a slight twist of her wrist, the car came to life. Nelly backed out of the driveway, looking behind her to make sure she wouldn't hit anything, such as kids, even though I clearly knew there weren't any kids living around her. The only thing she might hit is a garbage can or the old cat living next door.

The car ride there was quiet and peaceful until Nelly decided to reiterate and add to her "cheer up champ" speech and old time classical music, thanks to Nelly herself.

As we arrived in Glen Rock, I stared in awe at the blurred scene around me (it had rained a little on the way there, which, in turn, fogged up the window, crystallizing and scattering the outside view). Nothing had changed. My little town had stayed the same, almost as if it knew I was returning home. I smiled and was glad as we pulled up at the familiar house I knew all too well. The crème colored siding, the black shutters and slated roof, the almost too green to be real grass, and the multicolor garden that bordered the house. I was finally here. Jeff was only a couple of footsteps away and, at this point, I couldn't wait any longer. Slamming the car door open, I nearly jumped out onto the curb, landing with a loud crack on the rough, bumpy surface of the pavement. Looking down at the sidewalk I realized I did a bit of damage. Beneath me looked like a mini magnitude 8.5 earthquake had occurred. Let's just save the details for later. I whistled casually, not to make Aunt Nelly any bit suspicious.

Nelly exited the car and I helped her unload my heavy backpack which was too heavy for her to carry. She beckoned me to go ahead and I gladly accepted the offer. Turning on my heels, I walked up the long pathway leading to the door of Jeff's house. It reminded me of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz as she proceeded down the yellow brick road to the Emerald City. I wondered if the was as anxious as I was.

Once I reached the 3 grey doorsteps, typical to a house in Glen Rock, I took slow baby steps. I was almost there. I could make it. In just a minute, I would see Jeff's bright smile, greeted by a long man hug. What was so bad about that? In truth, it wasn't like the world was going to explode. And yet, adrenaline pumped through my veins and my heart beat was faster than a racecar.

I bit hard on my tongue, piercing it slightly, as I reached the large oak door with a brass knob. Next to the door laid the key to my entrance: the doorbell. With a gulp, I swallowed the thick blood that rushed into my mouth, which calmed my nerves a little, but still I was shaking. Raising a jittery hand up, I pressed the button and, inside, I heard the loud chime.

As I heard footsteps inside, I retracted my fangs, afraid anybody except Jeff would answer the door. But as my fangs slid easily into my gums, a troubling though came into my mind. Had Jeff told anybody my dire secret; the secret that meant life or death? As the footsteps came closer and closed, my hand closed in a tight fist. As I released the tension in my hands, I saw the deep, purple splotches lining my palm, where my fingers dug into the smooth flesh. Taking a deep breath and holding it, I closed my eyes as the door clicked open and the person, whoever it was, stepped into my view.

"James!" I heard a booming, familiar voice scream. My eyes jerked open and I sighed in relief. I returned the call with a wide smile and happy expression on my face.

"Jeff!"

The tall figure of a boy about my age stood in front of me. His blonde hair was messy and ruffled and his blue eyes shimmered with excitement and joy. I stared up at him and although he was only about an inch taller than me, he had the stature of a giant.

With a reach of his arms, Jeff pulled me into a bear hug, clasping me in a tight hold. I struggled to breath. I didn't expect his hold to be this hard.

When he finally let go of me, I gasped and took a deep breath in, filling my lungs with life saving air.

"Hey buddy." I said after a moment or two after I had regained myself.

"Oh, I've missed you so much!" he replied exuberantly. As he spoke, he glanced at my body, examining it closely. Truth be told, I felt a little uncomfortable.

"What are you looking at?" I asked him in suspicion, cocking an eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing," He replied, surprised that I noticed his brief exhibition into the world of body examination. "It's just that... well... you've changed."

I stared in disbelief at him. I had changed? What did he mean? "In what way?"

After staring at me, he made his decision about what to say and spoke softly but fast, afraid not to hurt my feelings.

"Well, first of all, your paler than the last time I saw you. And, your eyes are black. You're also a bit thinner. But other than what I just said, you haven't changed much." He looked down at me, waiting for something. He smiled weakly at me and I returned the favor, trying to ease the tension. I knew, deep down, something was wrong. I mean, try to imagine not seeing you're friend in a month. Now imagine that you're friend is a vampire. Hopefully, you can see the point I am trying to make.

"Are you ready to come inside?" He asked, snapping me out of my daydream. Tuning back to reality, I took in my surrounding and once again, recalled where I was and what was happening. These daydreams were becoming more and more frequent now and days. Soon, I would have to go see a shrink. I could only imagine what the scene would look like.

So, what has been troubling you lately?

Well, to begin, I am a bloodthirsty creature of the night who is trying to make it through the year without revealing my secret. Oh yeah, did I mention someone wants to kill me?

I merely shivered at the thought. At least Vlad wasn't here to read my mind. Then, I would be in trouble.
I soon noticed Jeff was starting to get a little bit impatient. It was time to enter the realm of my friend's house.

"Uh…. yeah!' I replied. Before I entered the all too familiar house, I looked behind me, only to find that Aunt Nelly was gone. I shrugged my shoulders, knowing that Nelly had to get back to her day job. Although a nice "Goodbye!" would have been nice. Instead she left me abruptly, alone to face the troubles ahead.

I turned back to Jeff, who was leaning against the doorway, quietly tapping his foot, waiting for me to approach the entrance. When I finally was close enough that I could smell the aroma of 4 humans emitting from the house, I signaled Jeff to lead the way. As he stepped into the large entrance hall, I followed in his foot steps, nearly tripping on the edge of the slight rise to the floor. I glanced around the room for a second as Jeff tidied up the house a little. Yet again, I realized the only thing that had changed in a month was, you guessed it: me.

As I was about to slip into the void of another day dream, Jeff was there to save the day. I flinched slightly as he screamed, snapping me out of my mind and back into reality.

"James! What are you thinking about?"
I thought for a moment. I couldn't tell him anything. That is, unless he wanted nightmares for the next month or two. I felt a little guilty for keeping secrets from my best friend. But for now, it was the only thing I could do to keep him safe

"Nothing. It just feels good to be back."
Jeff nodded suspiciously. I knew he was curious, but I was grateful that he was able to keep things to himself. He stared deeply into my coal black eyes with a mysterious expression and I became a little uneasy. He wasn't part of the plan, was he?

"Are you hungry?" he asked. I shook my head but soon realized that I was. As he spoke the dreaded words, my stomach growled like a lion and lurched, causing my fangs to grow longer, the sharp tips digging into the soft tissue of my cheek. After all, I was standing in the same room with the first person I had ever drunk the red life giving drink from. And today, I vowed I wouldn't live that moment again. So instead of listening to my vampire instincts, I held my breath. A traditional vampire could hold there breath for as long as twelve minutes at a time. But since I was only a half-vampire, I could only hold my breath in for 6 or 7 minutes before I choked and fell straight on the floor, lifeless. I had to make it fast or Jeff would become my next meal.

.
"Yes." I said through clenched teeth. I took in a tiny breath and even then, I could smell the succulent aroma of Jeff's O positive blood. It was like smelling a cookie baking in an oven. You just want to take the hot cookie out and rip it to pieces, enjoying every bite. To me, Jeff was a human cookie, filled with red, sticky liquid that would fill me with life.

Unfortunate enough for me, Jeff was a motor mouth. It was like a never ending ad on a TV: All Jeff, All the time. And so, the talking began.

"O.K. But one question," he gulped, thinking on how to phrase his sentence, "Do you need to, like, hunt? Because I was thinking you are a vamp....." I stopped him in his tracks. Vampires have ultrasensitive hearing. My hearing was at least ten times better than an average human. Even the slightest noise, such as pin dropping, I could hear. And right now, at the top of the stairs, I heard the light tip-tap noise of someone walking. It was none other than Jeff's brother, Robert. Which meant big trouble if Jeff spoke anymore. This was not the right time to mention that I was a vampire.

Before he could say anything else, I ran fast like lightning by his side and place my hand over his mouth. I felt him flinch as my ice cold hand touched his warm skin. Leaning into him, I whispered quietly into his ear, "Don't say anything about me being a vampire right now. Your brother is at the top of the stairs."
He nodded in response and we waited silently for the footsteps to pass. Once the coast was clear, I removed my hand from his face and wiped it against my shirt. I did not want Jeff's scent on me when I was still hungry.
With a friendly smiled, I answered his question

"And by the way, I don't need to hunt. I brought my own blood." His eyes grew wide with confusion and fear. Even though I couldn't read his mind, I could tell by the look on his face that at this very moment, he though I had a body lying in my bag, just ready for me to feed on. Who wouldn't expect that of a vampire? I decided now was the right time to show him my secret stash.

"Follow me." For a minute, he did not move a single inch; frozen solid to the spot like he was a statue. Finally, he inhaled, still pale as a ghost, and moved his feet forward. Step by step, I started to walk towards my backpack, which lay lopsided on the floor, as he followed slowly behind me.

Leaning down on my knees, I pulled the zipper until the inside of the small backpack was revealed. Sticking out of the backpack were the small, metal packages that held my blood. Right now, I was grateful more then ever that Nelly had packed it for me. Or else I might be here right now, feeding directly from the source. I looked up for a moment and saw the beating of the large vein sticking out from Jeff's neck. All it took was one bite, to get the juices flowing out into my mouth…. No! I would never feed from a human. Part of me was human. And that would not change. Reaching into the bag, I picked out the first one that I touched. Vampires aren't that picky when it comes to blood, even though I did have my favorites. I sniffed the aroma emitting from the shining silver package and, as I did so, my fangs lengthened. I stood up and beckoned Jeff to move faster as we shuffled into the kitchen. At least there were over thousands of different of aromas coming from all the food in the house, which might distract me from the delectable smell of Jeff's pulsing vein.

In the middle of the fairly large kitchen stood a small island, surrounded black leathered bar chairs. I sat in one of them, settling my self into the seat, letting my incisors grow to their full size. Jeff took a seat next to me, looking nervous as ever. I could hear his heart beat growing quicker and quicker. I wouldn't blame him. Standing in the same room as a ravenous blood feeder wasn't exactly calming.

"Now watch" I ordered him as I raised the snack pack to my mouth. Clamping on the outside of the package, I let my fangs slide into the metal, piercing it all the while. Sooner than later, the sweet juice inside the pack started to spill into my mouth, filling it with he sticky, salty, metallic taste that suited my hunger. It started to get less tempting to bite Jeff as I sipped down a package or two. Jeff was paler than a ghost and he looked like he was going to faint as I sucked on the very thing that kept us both alive. He was also a shade of bright green, which might also have meant that he was going to vomit any second.

Once my belly was full, I stood up and walked over the trash can at the foot of the island. Unfortunately, they didn't have a biohazard bin but what normal person would? The lid of the bin flew open as I pressed on the pedal. Easily dropping those packages into the mountain of garbage, I was thankful that the smell was so strong, not even a full vampire could smell the emptied packs. Maybe only a hint, if he or she was a skilled hunter.

As I turned my attention to Jeff, I noticed him swaying from side to side, threatening to fall off his seat. I placed a hand on his should and steadied both him and the chair.

After a while of staring aimlessly into my eyes, Jeff snapped back to his normal self. Some of the color returned to his face and he no longer looked like a sick puppy. I was glad that he was able to make it through. Otherwise, I wouldn't know how to explain what had happened to his confused parents.

"So, you never feet from a human or animal?" Jeff asked, curious but scared, too. I answered with a short nope. He merely nodded in reply.

"Where do you get, you know, those packages from?"

"My Aunt Nelly is a nurse at our local hospital. There is storage of blood donations there for people who might need blood. But, there is an expiration date on the blood, even though blood doesn't expire, and once they "expire" they are considered old and in turn, are forgotten. She brings them back for my step-brother," It felt weird referring to Vlad as that. But nobody knew we were actually related, "And I. Truthfully, it tastes like… like… like blood from the source." I stared thoughtfully at Jeff as he shivered. Maybe it was the wrong idea to mention that.

Looking down at the floor, I shook my head, knowing that this would not a normal friendship anymore. Every action I did put Jeff into more danger. For a second, I stared into the deep void of endless space, wondering if this friendship was such a good idea. It was so easier to be around my kind. But could I really let go of my best friend, who I had been with since I was an infant?

Suddenly, I felt someone looming over my shoulder. I jerked my head around and found myself face to face with Jeff's round, green eyes. He noticed my pain, my agony, my sadness. A small tear droplet formed in my eye and dripped slowly down my face, landing on the tiled floor.

"I'm sorry James!" Jeff blurted out. I was surprised at his outburst. What was there to be sorry about?

"What are you sorry about?"

"I know you are upset that I do not fully understand the point that you have to drink human blood. But, trust me, I do! Its just, well, the thought of drinking blood kind of grosses me out. You might not know this but I can't stand the sight of blood. It makes me sick." I laughed and patted him on the back.

"Well, it's a great idea you're friends with a vampire then!" I said to him sarcastically. He giggled and we sat there for a while, friend with friend, laughing cheerfully. I felt normal, for once in my life.

After our hysterical outbreak of laughter, we spent the rest of the afternoon talking about various things, such as life since I left and what was going on around the town. The whole time, a smile that spread from cheek to cheek was written across my face. The real, non- vampire James had come back. I had finally returned home.

Saturday night turned out to be a big night for the students of Glen Rock Middle School. The biggest party of the year was being held that very night, but unfortunate enough for me, it was a Halloween party. We sat in the kitchen, brainstorming what I could wear to the party, without looking out of place.

"How about you dress up as a detective?"

"No."

"A zombie?"

"No."

"A ghost? A serial killer? A wizard? A vampire?"

"Hold on. Stop right there." I motioned him to stop. I knew what I could be tonight. The perfect costume. A vampire.

"You want to be a wizard? O.K. well, I don't have any wizard costumes on hand so we could run quickly to the costume store and see what they have…."

" No, Jeff! I want to be a vampire!" I yelled. He flinched but then a flashing, bright smile appeared on his face.

"That's a brilliant idea!" I nodded in answer. "Well, in that case, come up stairs. I have the perfect outfit for you!"

I swear after about an hour of preparing our costumes that Jeff's future job could be a horror movie makeup artist. Of course, there wasn't much work to be done on me, exactly. I already had the ghostly pale skin, the razor sharp fangs, and the dark black eyes. All Jeff had to do was add some "blood" dripping down from my lips. To complete my ghoulish outfit, I put on a black cape with a white collared shirt, black dress pants and black dress shoes. As I examined myself in the mirror, I finally realized how amazingly perfect the outfit was. Tonight, I looked like a true creature of the night.

Jeff decided to go as a zombie. His face looked dastardly horrible and he was scarier then ever. He truly looked like a walked dead person. As we walked the streets of Glen Rock, I took in the smells of fresh candy, pumpkin glowing in the candle light, and smoke emitting from fireplaces. Children laughed and skipped merrily around me, holding there filled to the top good bags. This was the only time I could recall since the incident that human food made my stomach growl. A little boy dressed as a Star Wars character ran past us, holding a candied apple. I just wanted to rip it out of his hand and devour the whole thing in one bite.

The full moon shined high in the air as we reached the party house. Inside were the glowing lights of disco balls and music blasted through the window. Halloween decorations engulfed the house, making it look almost haunted. I remembered some of the familiar faces of students entering the party, although it was hard to tell, for everyone was wearing costumes that made them look like a whole different person. I tingle ran down my back as I recognized a pair of students dressed in the same outfit: The Miller bullies. My mortal enemies. But tonight, they would not ruin my night. Thankfully, my nerves untwined and instead butterflies fluttered around in my belly as I recognized yet another student dressed in a blue sparking silver ball gown: Julie, my sixth grade crush. She barely noticed me as she walked past holding her bag of candy, but one day, I vowed I would make her take noticed of the boy who loved her most: moi.

We followed the crowd of students inside as we all pushed each other through the small doorway. I was surprised no one was here to keep order let alone take notice of who was coming to the party. The ear pounding noise of pop music entered through my ears as we moved through the crowd towards the speakers. I stood there amongst unfamiliar students, listening to the sounds and trying to figure out what to do. Suddenly, Jeff grabbed my arm and pulled me to the middle of the dance floor. I tried to pry him off but was lenient too. I wouldn't want to break his arm in front of all these people. So, I let him drag me until we finally reached our destination, where he broke his stronghold. I stood there, scared out of my mind, as I realized what everyone wanted me to do.

"Dance... Dance… Dance… Dance!" the crowd roared around me. There was only problem… I didn't know how to dance!

The crowd continued to cheer around me as I looked at what every one else was doing. I started off tapping my foot and then moved on to a swaying motion. Before I knew it, the music overtook me and adrenaline rushed through my veins, causing me to dance full swing. I jumped up and down like a maniac, grooving to the music, the students screaming as I did so. Sooner or later, I was leading the whole dance floor, everyone copying my every move. It was so fun!

I danced the night away as twilight turned into night. The party was over by the time the clock chimed midnight and I fell to the floor, exhausted. All the candy and sugared drinks I had drunk that night hyped me up and now, they decided to crash. As I lay on the floor, the students filing through the door, Jeff lent me a hand, lifting my aching body off of the hard surface covered with junk of all kind. I leaned, nearly close to losing my consciousness; on Jeff the whole way home while I looked at last minute trick or treaters gathering their goodies around me. This was officially the best night ever!

Demetri was finishing up last minute papers and files when the clock chimed midnight. The ringing of the old grandfather clock rung in his ears as he put on his best jacket and slipped on his black leather gloves. Tonight, Halloween night, was the time he had been waiting for. Oh what agony it had been to teach those menacing, little brats called children. As he lead the class everyday, the fresh, sweet blood that ran through the student's veins would fill his nose with aroma that made him salivate. It had been torture not to attack all the children and have the finest meal of his life. But that would have ruined the plan and Demetrius would have never dared to disobey his master's orders. Besides, tonight he was in for a treat. Tonight, he would get the revenge he so desperately wanted. Focusing only on the little blood that he had left running through him, his fangs elongated to their full length, sharp as a dagger, and dangerous enough to kill you. His stomach growled in anticipation of tonight's hunt. It only took a little bite and a swallow of blood for his duty to be complete.

As Demetri searched the near empty streets for last minute trick or treaters, his tongue was as dry as a desert, parched from 3 months without a single drink. His bones protruded from his cheeks as if he were a starving child from the rural areas in Africa. He had to be careful for his lack of nutrition made him vulnerable to the littlest of things, such as bright light. Demetri crept slowly and silently in and out behind buildings and back allies until finally he had his pray. A little kid, about 11 or 12 years old, was dressed up as a ghost. His bright white costume flowed behind him as he searched through his bag for a treat. Demetri smacked his lips and could almost taste his blood on his tongue. He sank low into a hunting pose as the kid, who after a brief mind read, was named Tomas (Demetri scowled at the very mention of the name), skipped merrily along. He was prepared to make the fatal jump. Finally, the kid stopped to fix his bag like costume, and now his target was in sight. With a slight growl and a bearing of his fangs, Demetri leaped into the air and landed with a thud, and then a crack, as the kid's right leg broke into two. Tomas screamed in pain as blood spilled out from where the bone stabbed through his fragile skin. Demetri laughed and continued to torture the kid, hitting and kicking him until he was close to dying right there on the spot. Demetri watched as he sat upon the small body. Tiny droplets of both blood and tears dripped down his shredded, mangled face and he called out for help. But there was nobody in sight.

"Help! Help!" Tomas yelped, trying to get somebody's, anybody's attention. His voice crack as the man clamped a hand on his throat, strangling him and there by depriving him of life giving air. He struggled to breath but no oxygen entered his lungs.

"Enjoying it, Tomas?" the man scowled. He looked happy at his pain and torture. Tomas' body was torn a part, a limb missing there, a broken bone there. It was a bloody mess and still, the guy smiled, still kicking and punching at every chance he got.

"How did you know my name?" Tomas gasped, gulping for air. The man made a tighter hold around his throat. It was no use at this point to even try to break free.

"Ah, I know a lot of things Tomas. For example, I know where you live. I know where you go to school. I know that your best friend is named James Tod"

"What do you want from me? Why are you doing this?"

"Because I enjoy seeing you in pain and agony. It makes me happy. It might not be pleasurable to you," He smiled and the moon glinted off of his pointed incisors. Tomas' eyes grew wide in fear, "but it is to me."

"What are you?" Tomas whimpered.

"You're worst nightmare."

Demetri, smelling the blood wafting through the crisp night air, could wait no longer. Hold the boy tight against the cement, he tilted Tomas's head and leaned in. Opening his mouth and exposing his fangs, he bit down, hard. The boy screamed and wriggled underneath his weight. Demetri punched the child in the side of the head and the boy slipped into unconsciousness as Demetri drank. Luckily, he had the self control that was needed to perform the job. As blood flowed into his mouth, Demetri muttered a few words in his native language, Elysian, touching the puncture wounds. Almost immediately, the wounds that covered his matted body began healed and Tomas gasped, breathing in a mouthful of pure air .The transformation started to kick in as Tomas, who thought he had been healed miraculously, began to shake uncontrollably, almost as if he were in a seizure like stated. Blood spilled out in gallons out of his half opened mouth and his eyes rolled back into his head. Demetri laughed and patted the boy on the head.

"I'll see you soon, little one."

And with that, Demetrius stood up and walked away, leaving the young boy writhing in the middle of the road to die and relive again as a creature of the night. His work was done. The killing had begun.