Darkness Within (Chapter 1: The Awakening)

It was only two hours from sunset, and I was still in my laden state of a vampyric sleep. I knew he was there, watching over my sleep, to ensure my safety. Even though we were two completely different creatures of the world, he seemed to care for me more than I had ever imagined. Again I hear the footstep as he enters my room, but stays in a dark corner as he does not wish to disturb me. Even though I was fully awake my body wouldn’t allow me to move to look at him. He seemed to understand what I was, he seemed to embrace it, and accept me for what I truly was, and what I had to do to stay alive.

His footsteps left the room once more as he would go out to make sure there was nothing in the house or around it that would bring me harm. He was so kind behind that mask of his, though he only showed that kind side of him when he felt it counted. The minutes ticked down to when I would be able to move once again into his embrace. But I knew I was in a weakened state from not feeding within a few days. He had warned me that I needed it. But I wouldn’t take his offering, knowing how much it would hurt him, even though he was offering freely to me. No… I wouldn’t allow such things. I just wouldn’t be able to bring myself to take it from him.

Two hours had passed as if they were days, and I was glad to be able to move once again. But only to still as I sat upon my bed, glancing up to see his glittering eyes in the dark corner once again, watching me. A slight shiver ran down my spine in a threatening way. Though I knew he would never cause me harm, it was only out of habit of what I was. I let my gaze fall as he seemed to notice the shiver that ran threw me.

“Why do you hide it, little one?” he would whisper. “Is it not enough that I know what you are, that you feel you need to hide your true self away from me?” he asked in that soft voice once again.

I couldn’t force myself to look at him; I just balled my fists, as if trying not to answer him. “Forgive me,” I would whisper softly. “I have had to live as if I were human for quite some time.”

I would stand after a moment only to have one of my wrists grabbed tightly. And then his voice softly whispered into my ear, “All I ask is for you to be well, and be yourself.” Another shiver ran down my spine at his voice. “You must feed, little one,” he whispered.

“NO!” I hissed at him twirling around quickly and backing into a corner as if I were nothing but a mere trapped cat.

But he would only turn to me and back me farther into the corner to trap me ever farther in his gaze. “You cannot keep starving yourself,” he said in a stern voice, turning it into a warning to myself that I was playing with fire. But I wasn’t playing; I didn’t want to take it from him. He would place a hand on my cheek, caressing it gently. But his eyes turned soft after a moment, as if he found what he was seeking in my mind. “Please… I do not wish to see you suffer so much, I offer it to you freely,” he whispered holding out his wrist for me.

I couldn’t look away from his angelic face, I knew what he was, and he knew what I was. And yet…he was the one there for me. I managed to look away after a long moment, as if trying to find some kind of excuse I could use. But my hunger had taken that away from me. He moved behind me, still holding his wrist out for me. I would gulp, taking in his scent; that was the only thing that provoked my hunger.