Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the AAR stories. Please review your input means much to me. Don't make me threaten you like other authors cause unlike other authors I post very frequently. I'm making this up as I go along and I can just as easily stop making it up. I'm very proud of this chapter I think it went well; review flame thanks. Many Luvs.
Aubrey awoke to the sound of horse calls from somewhere off in the distance. He willed his mind to focus and stop spinning. He became more aware of his surroundings as he felt the floor come back. He was lying face down in hay. He tried to remember but couldn't there seemed to be something blocking his memories. Like a haze, a moment of panic over came him and then he relaxed. He stood still a bit dizzy he made his way out of the stable. He was thirsty. He opened the barn door and stepped out into the night, something was wrong had he slept through the rest of last night and through the day it looked as if it was dusk out. In the distance he could make out his dark home, he could even make out the welcome sign that his sister had made and hung on the door 2 years ago. And if Aubrey squinted he could even make out the many houses that lay below them.
He stumbled towards his home he was so god damn thirsty he could never remember a time in his life when he'd been so thirsty. He stopped at the well pulling up a bucket of water he drank deeply until there was nothing left. Still thirsty it was beginning to turn into pain. Forgetting his home walked in a drunken manor across the yard to where the horses were grazing Faye had not gotten them all inside. That was right Faye, she was dead, gone and that woman what had that woman done to him? He tried to recapture there conversation but couldn't quite put a finger on it. The horse looked up in surprise as he saw Aubrey stalking towards it.
"Sugar-cane. It's okay it's just me." He pet the horse's mane lovingly until the horse settled down. Aubrey inhaled deeply and much to his surprise a pain struck in his chest, had he been breathing before now he couldn't remember. Breathing was second nature you couldn't live without breathing he exhaled the air and took another deep breath it felt like a thousand knives. He stopped a moment, waiting for his brain to tell him to breath he felt no need. He laid his head against the horse's neck.
'Bump, bump, bump' a low hollow noise came to Aubrey's attention it was soothing like a baby's laugh. Again it came 'bump, bump, bump.' Like a pulse such a gentle pulse. He closed his eyes it brought him comfort. The next thing he knew he could taste a warm elixir rushing through his veins fur in his mouth. It was oh so good, like the first time a child ever tasted candy. He could feel the thirst diminish slightly with every drink he took. And when there was nothing left to suck he pulled away the hunger dulled but still there. Little did he know it would always be there; for an eternity.
"Ha. . . encore!" Aubrey stood up focusing his thoughts he found he could think more clearly now. A cold chilling laugh, he recognized this laugh. . . Ather! The name screamed in his head.
"What a show." She said motioning to the dead horse. "Not exactly my taste but a good starter."
"If you had shown him he wouldn't have had to figure out on his own." This was a man's voice. Aubrey spun to the sound of it and saw the voices owner. He was tall and sleek, tan with sparkling green eyes, hair black. Aubrey had never seen someone as tan as him but he knew they existed he was well educated about the outside world.
"Beautiful." Aubrey spun back around to face the woman.
"Don't you think Jager?" That was apparently the man's name for he answered.
"Gorgeous," he replied.
"I told you it would work out!" She hissed at the man named Jager.
"I didn't doubt you blood-sister. I just wanted to see it with my own eyes."
"Boy!" Ather directed her attention back to Aubrey.
"What have you done to me?" Aubrey growled back. He could feel a pressure on his bottom lip his teeth seemed wrong they felt wrong, razor sharp.
"What have I done to you?" She snapped back. "I've given you everything eternal life, unbeatable strength, a second chance, eternal beauty." She took a step towards him on the last two words.
"And you are beautiful aren't you?" She seemed to be asking herself this as she stepped forward again, gazing up into his eyes. Her hand caressed his cheek. "Beautiful," she whispered again. He shoved her and she fell to the ground.
"Do not touch me, wench." He hissed back at her, her eyes widened in fear for a moment but the look was interrupted by quite a different kind of laugh. A deep jolly one, manly, it was Jager.
"Perhaps to powerful for you Ather." She shot him a look to kill.
"I' am no ones." Aubrey whipped his face where she had touched. The hunger was coming back.
"The hunger burns in you doesn't it young one?" Humor flashed behind her eyes. Eyes Aubrey would grow to hate.
"You can only sedate it with a kill." Aubrey couldn't believe what he was hearing this woman was suggesting he kill someone.
"What's wrong boy? You killed those wolves without blinking and eye."
"That was different." Replied Aubrey. "They were attacking the villagers and they needed the food."
"So perhaps if your prey attacked you, you could kill them."
"No." Aubrey stated bluntly.
"But it's just the same young one. If oh say a man attacked you, you are hungry. There would be no difference you are special now there is nothing you can't have."
"Then perhaps your death is achievable." Growled Aubrey the longer he talked the more he could twist the conversation in his favor. He could already tell she was becoming irritated. Jager laughed again.
"The boy's got quite the feistiness in him Ather." His eyes beamed at Aubrey, they were so sparkly.
"His name shall be Eric." Confirmed Ather proudly.
"And why is that?" Asked Jager.
"I need no reason for naming my fledglings. He is Eric."
"I will not be talked about like I'm not here." Shot Aubrey, he was comfortable now and leaned against the nearby tree folding his arms over his bare chest. He'd almost forgotten he was out here in the cold nearly naked but for some reason it didn't seem cold. He shrugged this off.
"And I will not be called Eric, I will stick with my birth name. Aubrey." He wasn't sure what was going on but he didn't like the sound of this woman changing his name. It only gave her more control over him. Not that she had any to begin with.
"Oh, but you will," shot Ather. "You've left the human world behind you, now you need a new identity."
"I have not become a new person I shall keep my name."
"You cannot," shouted Ather beginning to lose her patience with him, again. "We all have new names when we've been changed it's our way."
"I said I will keep my name, Aubrey. But thank you for the offer." There was no room for argument in his tone.
Ather growled "fine."
"Come with me then and I'll teach you." Ather's tone seemed to be pleading with him. Aubrey smiled at this he'd always gotten a sense of ownership over those who were pathetic enough to beg with him. He saw things his way and no matter how much pleading one did it would not change his mind. Especially if he didn't like you, he didn't know why he was like this. His mind worked differently than others. And he knew he had no respect for this woman.
"You have nothing to teach me. If all I must do is what I did to this horse then it's pretty self explanatory."
"Why you ungrateful little fledgling." She advanced on him; Aubrey stood straight, arms dropping to his sides. She hesitated he knew he was stronger then her now. Aubrey could tell she wanted to say more but kept her mouth shout, lips pursed in a small line.
"Fine," she spat. "If you want to die see if I give a shit." And with that she disappeared. Jager stayed a moment longer eyeing Aubrey. Offering one last piece of advice, "Leave your family if you know what is good for them, and feed soon." And with that Aubrey was alone. He looked back at his home he wondered if his father would make it through the night, not likely. He didn't care his father had always been just another pain. But he knew he'd miss his mother, and Elsie. But it was like Jager had said he couldn't go back, he didn't belong.
He was struck by a thought, he could go anywhere he liked he'd always been stuck in this little village with one sided views, protected from the world beyond. This was his escape he'd been hoping for. He could go anywhere do anything. He wasn't sure where he'd go but anywhere but here sounded good to him.
He could stay with one of the young woman until morning they would take pity on him. And perhaps have a little more excitement before he left. And if he smiled very big and whispered words of seduction to her she would cloth him. He knew just where to go. It was still dark when he approached. Melinda's house out the skirts of town, she had been the youngest from earlier that evening.
He had feed on some village bum before he came just to be safe, Aubrey was getting the hang of this and fast. Murdering wasn't very hard and it was over before he even realized it he'd hidden the body in bushes.
He threw a rock at her shuttered window. No answer. He threw another perhaps with a little too much strength, for it broke through the shutter and he heard it land on the floor. A new found strength, he would have to be careful with this he reminded himself; learn to contain it. A figure in the window, "Melinda," he spoke quietly as to not wake her parents they'd already caught him with their daughter once he did not want repeat of that situation. But the voice that spoke was not Melinda's.
"Sweet Jesus, you stay right there." She sounded pissed. It wasn't there mother there mother's room was on the first floor. A moment later the front door opened and the form came towards him. Of course Aubrey was struck with a thought, her older sister Elizabeth. He had forgotten about her. She wasn't much of a flirt she was Aubrey's age and he doubted if she ever had sex. She was small about 5' 6" with short curly black hair. It came to about her chin in different layers. She was white as hell, even before seeing Ather he knew there were some white ass people out there. She had a light freckle on her nose and high cheekbones, and eyes as big as an owls; a deep chocolate brown. A small round face and full pale pink lips, her features and body type would have made her attractive; if she wasn't such a stick in the mud. She had always helped her father with hunting, and fishing. She went to church regularly and sang in the choir. She believed boys were the devil. She took one look at him and crossed herself. There he stood shirtless, shoeless in the middle of the winter throwing rocks at her little sister's window. Now he could see how this could be interpreted wrongly.
"Now there is a perfectly acceptable. . ." He was going to say reason but was cut off by a slap to the face. He didn't flinch. It didn't hurt.
"How dare you Aubrey Karew coming down her in the middle of the night seeking my little sister, for a little bit of fun. And in nothing but your birthday suit to. Have you no shame boy.! Now get off my property before I call my pa."
"Now there's no need for that and there was no need to slap me either."
"Go home Aubrey." Her tone was sharp.
"I can't, is your sister home I'd prefer to talk to someone sane."
"No, and even if she was I wouldn't bring her down here for you to talk sweet words to." Her eyes flashed defiantly. Aubrey inhaled deeply trying to keep his cool. He found it was beginning to hurt less.
"Where is she?"
"Spending the night at Leana's, you're not actually thinking of going over there to find her are you?" Her face looked horrified. Aubrey almost had to smile at this; this woman was defiantly a virgin.
"No." He replied honestly. "I was hoping you might help me." She raised her hand to slap him again.
"Not like that, not like that!" He shielded his face.
"Jeez women get your mind out of the gutter." She turned to walk away and he caught her arm. "Please."
Their barn was nice and warm he snuggled up into the giant woolen blanket that she'd brought out for him. The stable reeked of horse poop. He could see some in the corner of his eye but he was trying not to focus on it, instead he watched the horse that shared the stall with him, sleeping, the gentle breaths heaving in and out. That was one thing he admired about animals, their complete innocence and dependence of the world and people around them. Aubrey heard the barn door slid open and then shut again. Elizabeth appeared in the stall way. I brought you some of father's clothes she set them down beside him. And some food she held out a plate of smoked salmon, and tweed soup.
"No thank you." He felt bad turning down the offer, but the smell of the food made him want retch.
"Fine suit yourself." She set it down outside the stall door, and the dog began to eat gleefully.
"Thank you."
"For what?" She asked directing her attention away from the dog.
"For letting me sleep in your wonderful stable." He said the last part with a bit of sarcasm in his voice, while flashing a killer smile.
"No problem." She replied not returning it. And with that she left, slightly chilly he thought to himself. Aubrey stood up to stretch letting the blanket fall to his feet he paced like a caged tiger. Too much energy for the small stable, he caught his reflection in the water troth turning to it he barely recognized himself.
The first thing he noticed was his crystal blue eyes had been turned black contrasting with the whites of his eyes. His skin was flawless all those little flaws which life had given him, gone. His hair seemed to have more of a sheen to it. He smiled; his teeth had always been perfectly straight but now any stain from over the years had vanished, pearly white making an even more dashing smile. He looked down at his arms it was really the first time he'd had to look at himself since, whatever it was that had happened to him. The bruises on his arms had disappeared leaving his arms even more toned looking than normal. He couldn't see it, but he could only guess that the injury from this morning had vanished to. He was like . . . like . . . perfect.