Chapter one:
I awoke to sunlight spreading across the small room. The hard wooden floor hurt my back, new pains ignited as I tried to move. The bruises spreading across my body ached. I heard my parents packing, knowing they would be leaving soon. We had to run, but this time I knew they wouldn't be taking me with them. After last night's beating, they thought I was dead. I thought I was dead. Deep gashes ran down my arms, a large gash along my forehead pounded. I felt the sticky liquid around me as I tried to get up. The pain was too much and I once again collapsed in the pool of my drying blood. I heard my parents go through the door, laughing at me as they walked passed my broken body. They would be here soon, the perfects. They would kill me and anyone who wasn't able to escape. They had taken over our world with their technology and weapons.
I eventually got up, staggering my way to the room which was once mine. I frantically searched for my box, finding it hidden under my bed. I grabbed the inch long needle and jammed it into my vein, injecting the bright red liquid. I felt my body healing, as I fell to the floor once more, drifting back to sleep for what could be the last time. When I awoke next, it wasn't to the calm sunlight as I had last time. Bombs were dropping all around my house and I could hear their troops running through the streets, hearing the cry of mothers as their babies were killed before their eyes, knowing they were next. With my body healed, I got up and ran; hiding in my lock room I had been making for years, one my parents didn't know about. I looked through the crack in the wall that had formed. They were entering the house down the street; I knew they would be here soon. I heard the screams and gunshots. I sat there, tears pouring out of my eyes, the loss of friends crushing me, waiting for my turn to be on the other end of those fires.
I sat there for what seemed like hours but would have only been minutes, so many thoughts running through my head. I screamed as the window next to me shattered, knowing it was my turn to die. I looked up at a boy, looking around the room through thick dark lashes. His blonde hair fell over his eyes, each strand flicking everywhere. He held a massive gun in his hands, his eyes tortured. I whimpered knowing instantly he was a perfect. He was glorious, his dark green eyes held a fire in them, his hair not to long but not short, curling on his high cheekbones. His perfectly toned body and flawless skin was enchanting. I whimpered as I back into a corner, hiding behind a door hoping he hadn't seen me. I hid behind my black curls, making myself seem as small as possible. I didn't want to die by the hands of one of them. I shut my eyes, holding my breath, hoping he wouldn't hear me. Suddenly I felt a hand on my arm, grabbing me and yanking me up. I went to scream but a hand came over my mouth, I opened my eyes to see the boy looking down at me. I glared at him, why didn't he want me to scream, he was going to kill me anyway. The next thing I knew we were sprinting off into the forest behind my house. He was pulling me faster as I stumbled along, trying not to trip over the large roots he was clearing with ease. He was faster than me but that was to be expected. They mutated these people from children, giving them heightened abilities. They were trained as the ultimate fighting machine. I didn't know where he was taking me, he kept looking around as he was running, dragging me along behind him. Was he taking me to some killing ground? A torture centre? I didn't want to think about it, fear spread through my body.
After what could have been hours of running, we finally stopped, I was breathing hard, on the verge of hyperventilating. I was strong, I was a fighter for my people, trained, but I would be no match for him and I knew it. I watched as he scouted around, looking for something, I sat on a log, assessing the not healed gashes on my arms, trying to block out the pain pulsing through my body. I sat there trying to catch my breath. When he found what he wanted, he grabbed my arm and we were running again. This time we only ran for a few minutes before reaching a cabin. It was small and he shoved me through the door forcibly, slamming it hard behind us. He started looking around the small living room, finally finding a match and lighting gas lanterns all around it. I glared at him.
"Who are you and what are you doing with me? Is this some game, some torture chamber? You are sick, you and your stupid people. Just leave me to die." I screamed at him, running my words together trying to get everything out, still in shock.
"I am trying to save you." He stated, glaring at me as I glared back.
"You really think I would believe you, one of them, the people who have been trying to kill me my entire life? How stupid do you take me for?" I screamed at him, knowing it was a bad idea. He could kill me any second and so far he had kept me alive. I was just too angry.
"If I wanted you dead, you would have been dead the second I entered your pathetic room. Your whole community is dead, your parents could be dead, I didn't have to save anyone, but I couldn't kill you and now I could be killed because of it." He told me through his teeth, still glaring at me, his eyes still had a fire in them, but a wave of fear flashed over them for a second before his face became unreadable.
"B but why?" I blubbered out. Tears fell down my cheeks betraying me. I wiped them away with my hand, staying strong. I would never trust him. I knew this was all a sick game, something he probably amused himself in playing. Making people trust him then killing them anyway. He looked at me, something flashing across his eyes I couldn't make out.
"I don't know." Was all he said, before he turned and walked into another room, I was tempted to follow him but didn't. I went and sat on a couch, relaxing into it. It was more comfortable than anything I had ever experienced. I wish I could have fallen asleep but I knew it was too dangerous. "You can sleep if you want. I am not going to hurt you," He said, making me jump. I looked around to see him carrying fire wood, taking it towards the fireplace "though I must admit, the bed is much better than that tatty couch." This confused me for a second, how could this be a tatty couch? I looked at him, distrust spread across my features. He sighed, walking over to stand in front of me, "I know you don't trust me but I can't kill you, I don't know why. If I could, you would have been dead right now and I wouldn't be risking my life to keep you safe." I looked at him bewildered. I sat there for about fifteen minutes before I finally answered.
"Why didn't you let someone else kill me then?" I looked at him, watching every emotion cross through his eyes. I had a way of telling if someone was lying.
"Because it wasn't that I couldn't kill you, I don't want you dead. I don't know why and I can't explain it, I don't even remember what happened really. But now I am a betrayer and I could be killed." He sighed looking away, seeming deep in thought, "The bathroom is through there if you want to clean up. You look a mess." I looked down at my clothes, blood still drenched them, I still had slight gashes down my arms but the Paramox had taken care of the main damage, now the cuts had scabbed over. I nodded, getting up and walking to the room he had pointed at. It was rather large, a full wall length mirror along one side, connecting to the two sinks. The shower in the corner was huge. I shut the door, walking over to the mirror and gazing at myself. My large green eyes were dull and lifeless. My long black hair was knotted with dried blood; the gash on my forehead was long but healing. My lips were red and cut, standing out against my fair skin. I was plain compared to the perfects. My skin and hair was dull and had no life. Years of never been taken care of took its toll. I stripped out of my clothes and got into the shower, letting the warm water pour over my body. I stayed in the shower for twenty minutes, relaxing my bruised, strained muscles. Everything about what was happening was so wrong. I didn't know what to believe anymore. Was I just going to accept this fate and trust him? Questions buzzed through my brain as I stood there, letting the water run over my face and get caught in my eyelashes.
Eventually I shut the water off and got out, wondering what I could possible wear. I got back into the skirt but my shirt was unwearable. Blood was drenched all over it. I looked around seeing a cupboard on the opposite wall. Walking over and opening it up, I found a large dress shirt. I assumed whoever lived here before we did was a man. The shirt covered my skirt and came down to my knees. I had to roll the sleeves several times so that they sat as three quarter length. With my wet hair falling in curls down my back, I walked back outside into the living room. He was sitting on the couch, deep in thought. A small dimple had formed between his eyes and it made me want to laugh. That thought made me stop in my tracks. What! How could that creature make me want to laugh? He is what I had been trained to kill my whole life, what had been trying to kill me my whole life. He was the perfect form of everything I hated, yet I felt like I trusted him. I was scared; I didn't know what I was thinking. I walked over and sat down in the armchair opposite where he was sitting. I saw a small smirk cross his lips before he quickly wiped it away.
"What?" I looked at him accusingly. "Why am I here, what is going to happen now?" I shot questions at him, not caring if he kept up or not. He sighed again and looked at me.
"Nothing and you are here because as I stated before, I couldn't kill you, nor could I let anyone else kill you. I don't know what is going to happen now; right now I am trying to think of a plan that won't get us killed." He looked at me, his eyes wandering up and down, assessing me. I wanted to snap at him but didn't have the energy. All I wanted to do was sleep, whether I never woke up or not, I was exhausted. He seemed to notice my tired expression and nodded towards another door. I looked at him, got up and walked over to it. Opening the door I saw a large double bed in the middle of room. For such a small cottage, it seemed to be furnished rather well. I would have gone out and asked him what this place was but I didn't have the energy. My bruises were aching and the gashes all over my body burned. I almost collapsed on the bed as I clambered in, falling asleep within seconds.
I woke to the smell of something cooking. I didn't know how long I had been asleep but the food was tormenting. I got out of bed, slowly making my way to the door, peeking out to see what was going on. He was standing in an open room with his back to me, leaning over something in frustration. I walked over to see what was happening; he was cooking eggs, and not doing very well either. I sighed, grabbing the pan from him.
"Here." I said, emptying the eggs into the bin and getting new ones. After cooking them he passed me two plates, serving them up we sat down on opposite ends of the table to eat in silence. After I finished, I took my plate to the sink and scrubbed it clean. I walked slowly back into the living room, once again taking a seat on the armchair. I was in deep thought when I felt something on my arm. I looked down to see his finger running along the gash, healing it as it went. My mouth almost dropped open, how was he doing this? I watched as he did my other arm, then my forehead. He opened his mouth slightly but then shut it again, furrowing his brows, creating the dimple between his eyes.
"Who um… who did this to you?" he looked at me. I looked down ashamed, not wanting to make eye contact. Did I lie to protect my parents or did I tell him. Did I want to protect those monsters?
"My parents tried to kill me," I said, still not making eye contact. "They have beaten me since I was a child, but this time they tried to kill me. I would have died if I didn't have the paramox, but it didn't work as well because I had been unconscious all night. It was trying to heal old wounds." He looked at me startled for a moment, confusion took over his features.
"You mean to say you survived an entire night with your arms and head open, bleeding?" I looked up at him, confused once again.
"I guess, I don't know, I really don't remember much." I sighed, why was I telling him this? Since when did I give up so easily? I looked back down at my arms; thin pink lines followed my vein down to my wrist. How I had survived the night confused me. He stared at me for a second before turning to go sit on the couch across from me. He sat down, sighing, emotions flashing across his eyes.
"Anyway, my name is Will." He said looking at me. I was shocked for a second but I tried not to let it show. I didn't know they had names, I assumed they'd be numbered or something strange.
"I I'm Blake." I looked down, where I came from; everyone had a boy's name. They named us so they could take everyone into the army. He looked at me for a second, eyes blazing before he eventually looked away. "What are you?" I asked, before looking away. He looked down ashamed, thinking before he answered.
"I am a new race of warriors that the council has been creating. We are stronger, faster and are better than any solider they have ever created. They gave us powers, abilities to do the supernatural. I suppose, where you come from, we follow the main traits of what you call vampires." I stared at him, totally confused, vampires were just legends that the elders spoke of to frighten little children into being good. They were monsters, feeding off the innocent, creatures of the night. He seemed to see the confusion flashing over my features. "We do not follow all of the traits of vampires your elders would speak of. We were made by design; we walk in to sun, crosses, garlic and stakes to not harm us." Fear took over my body; maybe he was going to eat me. I started to scramble backwards, over the top of the couch, sprinting towards the door. He stopped me within seconds. I struggled against him, biting and clawing, his grip just tightened on me as he got me to the floor, blocking me with his body. I looked up into his eyes, sweat pouring down my forehead.
"Please don't eat me." I begged, staring into his eyes, begging him with mine. I didn't want to seem weak, but I was terrified. It made sense; he wanted to bring me here to eat. He was going to torture me until I was broken. A new wave of fear spread through my body, tears poured from my eyes, I tried to wipe them away but his body blocked me. I stopped struggling and just lay there, trying to make myself black out. He looked down at me, so close I could feel his breath go over my skin.
"I am not going to eat you," he said, getting off me slightly but still holding onto my arm. "It is true that when they first inject us, we are out of control, but we don't need to survive fully on blood. I can eat food as well. I only drink animal blood." He said, as I pulled my arm out of his grip, looking at the forming bruise. He grabbed my arm again, I thought he was going to bruise it more, I whimpered. This time I felt the healing, a calm wave spread over me as I felt my body mending. When he was finished, I was in a state of relaxation. I didn't want to move, calmness spread through my body, bliss. He helped me up as I stumbled lazily to the couch, lying me down, he moved to the armchair across from me, he started talking but I was only half aware of what he was saying. By the end, I was asleep.
I was running. Making my legs carry me faster, hearing their shouts behind me. I pushed my new body faster, flying through the trees, he was right behind me, but who was he? I wanted to stop and look but I couldn't my body kept taking me faster and faster, fleeing the sounds coming from behind me. Next thing I heard a fatal scream, I turned to see him crumbled, a dart in his neck. I ran back, picked him up and ran faster than I had before. I wanted, willed my body to look at his face but couldn't. Then we were falling.
I woke with a start to the dream. Sweat ran down my face, my heart racing. I looked around for Will but I couldn't seem him, I sat back in the couch, thinking about the night before. I tried to remember what he was telling me in my bliss like state.
"I only drink animal blood, I wouldn't drink any blood but without it I become weak. When we are first injected with the infection we are blood crazed animals. The council didn't know what to do so they starved us, trying to kill us, some of us controlled our thirst, and we got out. Many died. The drug took over our bodies killing us and turning us into what we are. The undead. They tried to breed some of them, wanting to create a super race, it resulted in the mother and child dying. They don't know we can change people, nobody told them. Most of us hate what we are."
I tried remembering more, but my brain couldn't find it. I heard the door open and I leaped into a fighting stance. I would no longer be as weak as I had been the last few days. He looked at me concern in his eyes as I contemplated whether to attack or not. I was stronger than most, one of the best fighters in my village and they had killed them, and he was one of them. I leaped making my body colliding with his and I grabbed for a knife. I didn't know how to kill him but I had to try, I had to free myself. The last thing I remember was a long needle injecting into my skin, making me dizzy, black spots began covering my vision and falling into someone's arms.