POV: Jared – Vampire – Original Character (I Invented Him)
I stared down at the lifeless body of my human prey. As usual, I felt a stab of guilt at what I had done, but I fought it, knowing that guilt would do me no good. I was a vampire now; I had best adjust to murder and bloodshed, unless I truly wanted to hate myself for the rest of eternity. Every time a victim fell before me, their blood filling my body and mind with animalistic thirst, I felt a sense of remorse, the small piece of humanity that reminded me that murder was wrong. That I was monster. That the humans had done nothing to deserve this fate.
What have I done? I thought. What have I become? I have my immortality, but this… this violence… is this really the life that I wanted?
I sighed a long, forlorn sigh and wondered if I would have been better off as a mortal. As a human. As a creature with a passion for something besides death.
"Satisfied, Jared?" Heidi's voice yanked me back to the moment.
"Yes, Heidi," I replied. "You… chose the humans… well."
"Extremely," Aro added, wiping blood from his face. He turned to the two other guards beside me. "Clean up this mess. We had best be rid of this… waste," he instructed, waving his hand dismissively at one of the pale, bloodless corpses littering the immaculate floor of the marble chamber.
The guards habitually chorused, "Yes, Aro", and Aro, Caius, and Marcus turned to recede to their thrones. Unexpectedly, Aro instructed, "Oh! I almost forgot. Jared, unlock the door."
"Yes, of course," I respectfully replied. Aro was my master forevermore; I wanted to get on his good side. I speedily walked backwards several steps, still looking at Aro.
"I hope that I have proven myself worthy of the immortality that you saw fit to bestow upon me," I continued, reaching back towards the door. "I have more self-control than you think." My hand fumbled around, blindly groping for the door handle. "I intend to serve you to my utmost ability," I added, still feeling around for the door. Finally, feeling somewhat stupid, I wheeled around to face the door from the front.
And gasped.
The door was open.
I had forgotten to close the door.
"Oh, no..." I began. Without warning, Aro, Caius, and Marcus turned to stare. It took a moment for them to realize the source of my shock, but it was then that Aro's face twisted into an expression that could only be described as furious.
"Guards!" Aro shouted. The two vampires that were cleaning the floor turned to face him, and he demanded, "Leave us immediately! And summon Jane and Alec. Quickly! Do not delay!"
The guards flatly responded, "Yes, Aro."
No, I thought. No, no, no!
I turned to flee, but Aro wheeled around like lightning, glowering at me with eyes that looked even more bloodshot than usual. "Stay here, Jared," he ordered. The expression on his face, coupled with the irate countenances of Caius and Marcus, made it clear that I had best stay put. In the two years that I had been a member of the Guard, I had never seen them so… angry. Their muscles had abruptly stiffened, making them look like a trio of snakes poised to strike.
I heard a childish, beatific voice from behind me. "Greetings, Aro."
A second, more masculine voice added, "Yes, greetings."
I turned to see, as expected, Jane and Alec. Jane apathetically asked Aro, "Is there a reason for the summons? It was rather… unexpected. I do not appreciate interruptions from the guards."
Aro glared at me, and then turned to Jane, explaining, "We have important matters to discuss."
"Regarding?" Jane pressed.
"Jared," Aro clarified. "It appears that he's made… a rather critical mistake."
"I see," Jane replied.
Caius added, "We have important matters to discuss."