Warning: Work contains violence and mature themes which may offend some readers.
Chapter 2: The Monster In Me.
"The scariest monster's are the one's that lurk beneath our souls." Edgar Allen Poe
CHICAGO 1918
He was a monster.
A demon that needed blood to survive.
He sensed the change as soon as he awoke. The darkness that now lurked beneath a flawless surface. The thirst was unlike any he had ever felt before. It felt as though if he didn't feed soon he'd surely go mad. Only the hunger was constant and insatiable.
Now two weeks since his rebirth Edward stood watching the city busy itself. Lights twinkled as people went about their business unaware of the dangers, of creatures such as himself that prowled in the dark.
"I have some business I need to attend. Are you sure you will be okay?" He didn't need to turn to see who it was. His list of potential visitors unfortunately included just the one. But, due to proprieties sake he did. In the dim lighting he could just make out the Doctor's blond hair. "You have fed, so you should be fine," Carlisle continued.
"I have it under control."
This would be the first few moments of peace Edward would have to himself. Since he woke up he hadn't even had a mere second without Carlisle hovering. He felt as though he was a lab rat, kept locked up and monitored with the doctor calculating how long until he snapped.
There was a pause. Then Carlisle spoke once more in careful reminder. "Just stay in this apartment. Keep the doors locked."
Edward simply nodded his response. Eventually after running out of reasons to linger Carlisle left.
Edward returned to gazing outside the window at the life that was no longer his. It irked him that he was a hundred stories up and he could still hear the cars a couple of streets away. Still catch the faint flutter of trivial conversations. It was yet another reminder that he was no longer normal.
Carlisle should have just left him to die. The doctor may have thought he was helping him, but he was not God. No one should have the right to decide who lives and who dies. And no one should believe it their right to condemn others to this curse. It was for that reason Edward choose not to feign any gratefulness towards Carlisle.
He clenched his jaw in an attempt to keep the unquenchable thirst at bay. The foul substance Carlisle kept feeding him was never enough.
His fingers tapped against the large wall length window panel to distract himself.
It wasn't just the hunger, it was everything. It was him being locked here in this deserted building like some animal. He grinded his teeth further together in discontent as his fingers continued to tap against the glass. Drumming harder and faster following an unscripted melody.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Tap. Tap.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Tap.
He continued his tapping, fingers drumming harder and faster.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Until the glass gave away. Edward watched the as the crack spread, stretching across the seamless glass before it shattered beneath his fingers. He drew his fingers away to examine the damage. His hand remained unscarred as he inspected the all too pale skin beneath the moonlight. It was rather amazing.
His oche eyes moved across the window searching for glass that was still smooth and intact. He felt the flat surface with the palm of his hand testing its structure, before raising his hand in a fist and struck the window. Glass shattered showering tiny shards across the wooden floor.
Edward took a step forward to inspect the damage he caused ignoring the broken glass as it crunched beneath his bare feet. He's feet would be fine, as his hand. It came to him then that it would always be that way. He will always be this way. His body would never be bruised or broken. He would never age, his bones would never brittle. He would no longer be affected by diseases. At least that's what Carlisle had promised.
He wondered how much exactly his new body could take. His gaze landed on the empty street 40 odd floors below him.
No man could survive that jump.
But, he had already tasted death. Besides dead man had no need to fear death. Something he could only describe as adrenaline coursed through him at the prospect of it. A welcomed rush compared to the numbness that came with this life.
He was supposedly indestructible. It was time to see how much of it was true. He shifted his weight from one foot to another in anticipation. All he had to do was push his weight forward.
An easy jump.
With that thought Edward lunged himself forward passing through what was left of the window. He open his arms wide embracing the wind as he fell. No! As he flew, gliding toward the city. For a brief second there he could have sworn his heart was beating.
He felt alive!
The ground approached far too soon. The glee was quickly replace with fear as the pavement grew closer. Hands grasped at thin air in vain. There was no preventing the inevitable. So, he closed his eyes as he braced himself for impact. He plummeted hard against the side pavement.
When he opened his eyes it was to a face full of dust and rubble. A fit of hysterical laughter escaped him as he wriggled his body testing for pain. Nothing. A near hundred metre drop and … nothing! Edward pushed himself up, dusting his clothes off. He was more durable than concrete itself. His laughter rumbled through his chest before echoing across the empty streets.
When he was done laughing, he stood still taking it all in. It felt like ages since he felt the wind on his cheek. He could taste the freedom. No seclusion, no hiding, no Carlisle. There was an entire city to see. The creature inside him revelled in the delight of it all.
The world could not harm him.
Nothing could harm him.
He was in control. Edward Masen was in control. Not Carlisle, not this monster. No matter what they craved in the end he was in control.
Edward made sure to keep to shadows and alleyways void of people. The full moon shone brightly shedding some natural light and his newly heightened senses did the rest.
He walk with no set destination. It was relatively quiet, until he came across them.
Being what he was it did not take long for him to notice. He had turned around to leave not wanting to further tempt himself of what was rushing though their veins when a thought stopped him cold.
It wasn't his thought. Though the lecherousness unfolded in his mind as though it was his own. Hands moving roughly against a lithe feminine body. They had chosen this spot for the same reason Edward did. It was perfect, far away from prying eyes.
"Looks like we've got ourselves a party-"
"We'll split our prize four ways, ey.-"
"Isn't it quite a prize, fellas?"
A rowdy chuckle ran between a groups of four young man.
A piercing cry rang through the silent night, the cry was enough to cause him to move. Edward heard the sound of pearl beads hitting the pavement. Followed by the sounds of kicking and a surprised groan.
"That Bitch!-" One of the male voices cried.
"Get off me-"
"-She bit me!"
The men had a young blond lady trapped between them, cornered against a wall. Edward saw what seemed to be the leader of the bunch raise his hand and strike her down. Even sprawled on the ground she managed to glare at them intimidatingly. One of the men removed his belt, snapping the item threateningly.
"She's a feisty one."
"Trust us baby, when we're done with you you'll be begging for more you little whore." The one with the belt, the leader he decided, crooned with a sadistic smile.
Edward had had enough.
They made him sick. Savages… the lot of them.
"Leave her," Edward demanded. His voice seemed to echoed in the dark night as he stepped forward out of the shadow into the illuminating glow of the street lamps.
Five set of eyes snapped towards him in surprise. The girl managed to get up in the confusion, and stagger backwards. The unbelted man sneered, puffing up his shoulders.
"Trust me, you're gonna want to walk away son."
Edward took another stepped forward a self-assured smirk on his face. He was stronger than all of them. These men had no idea who they were dealing with.
"I said... leave her!"
"This Bitch ain't worth the beating you're about to get." The leader spoke.
It was the leader that broke the distance between them raising his belt to use as a whip. He didn't even get the chance to strike. Edward grabbed the belt ripping it out of his hands. He grabbed the ringleader by the collar. He was so close, practically teeth away from the blood rushing through man's veins; From the satisfaction from constant hunger.
They deserved it. They're monsters as well.
He sniffed, savoring the smell knowing that he would enjoy the taste before he even before he took his first bite. This is what he had been craving. Not that weak, foul bloodbags that Carlisle had been feeding him. This is what the creature he now was wanted. With that thought Edward bit through the man jugular, biting savagely through the flesh to get what he wanted. It ended too soon. Edward dropped the now pale limp body. Instead of satisfying his thirst it had opened a floodgate. He needed another.
The others gave him quite a chase. The cowards had ran before their friend even drew his final breath. In what seemed like no time there were three more additional bodies on the floor. Two of which still gasping vainly for breath.
Something dark in him revelled in the sight.
A small gasp drew his attention away from the maroon stained men. And his eyes met a frightened pair of sticking green. Those accusatory orbs managed to cut through his current high. Those eyes which now looked at him as though he here was the monster; they shone bright with fear.
He picked up her fallen purse flinching when she scrambled quickly away from him.
He flinched at her thoughts.
She'd rather be stuck with them than be here with him. Even with what she knew they were about to do.
A strange mixture of anger and hurt brew within him.
"I'm not going to hurt you." Even as he spoke those words he felt the monster stir once more.
"Your eyes…" It was the first time he heard her voice and it was laced in fear of him.
She would taste like heaven compared to the brutes, an inner voice he was ashamed to sall his whispered. She looked so good. Downright delectable. With her top button undone, her chest heaving. His eyes was drawn to her lips and a trickle of red. Her lips had been busted from when she'd been struck down.
The red shown so temptingly against her pink lips. He only had enough strength to send her a warning.
"Run!"