The first time is always the hardest. The overall shock hits you emotionally, mentally. An internal battle with yourself, the arduous struggle to acceptance. Some never make it that far. With sharp analytic eyes, I approached the boy silently, wondered if he’d be any different.
Sat down on cold cement, illuminated beneath the weak yellow beam of a lamppost, a girls head rested in his lap. His head was bent down to hers, rocking her back and forth whispering senseless words into her ear, runs his fingers through her matted blonde hair. I cleared my throat authoritatively.
His head swiveled towards me swiftly, almost violently. Blood coated his trembling fingers. He looked me in the eyes.
“You made me do this.” His breathing came out in ragged spurts. “Why?”
His voice cracked. I ignored him, making my way closer. He watched me like a hawk as I circled around them, a lion cornering its prey. Leaning in, I clucked my tongue disapprovingly.
“You’ve made a mess.” The girls eyes were closed, face expressionless. One could almost believe her to be asleep if not for the mangled state of her body. Arms snapped and twisted into impossible angles, deep gouges slashed through her skin, a hefty chunk torn out of her throat. Blood was pooled around her, splattered across the abandoned alley, soaked into the boys clothes. My eyes caught his again. “I’m mildly impressed at the level of savagery, actually.”
In a blink the boy was on his feet, one hand wrapped around my throat, the other threaded into the lapels of my coat. The corpse lay abandoned at his feet. Funny how easily one can forget in the face of anger.
Dark fury raged within those dark eyes of his as he stared me down, teeth gnashed together. A smirk played at my lips.
“You think this is funny?” he spat, digging his nails further into my throat. I wanted to laugh. His attempt at intimidation was amusing at best, a kitten who’d only just discovered its claws. “A girl is dead because of you and you make jokes? You’re sick.”
“You’re right.” Gripping his wrist, I twisted it until I heard a pop followed by his screaming howl of pain. I grinned, then planted my boot straight into his gut. He grunted, falling back roughly. “But you’re also wrong.” I waited for him to look up at me, face twisted into a snarl.
“What part did I get wrong?”
“I didn’t kill her. You did.” My lips curved upwards. “You’re right about the second part though, I am thoroughly unhinged. Comes with the territory.” He flinched when I suddenly crouched down. “But I did warn you of the price of immortality. I gave you a choice. You made it.” I flicked my gaze to the body. “And choices come with consequences, Daniel.”
His entire form seemed to crumple in on itself.
Brushing myself off, I made to stand up. A hand gripping my pants halted my movement. I glared.
“Hands off, you’ve already ruined my coat with your filthy little digits.”
“Please.” He whispered. “Save her like you saved me. I can’t…” his words broke off in a sob. Shaking him off irritably, I poked at the girl with my boot disdainfully.
“Can’t save a corpse, stupid. Her body went cold a while ago.” I looked at his pitiful hulking form in disgust.
“I should have died,” he whimpered. “She’d still be alive if you hadn’t- if I hadn’t…” Body trembling, he bowed his head towards the ground.
“Death is still on the table, Danny boy,” I said. A wicked thought came to mind, and I lowered myself to his level once more, lips dangerously close to his ear.
“Tell me Daniel, was she delicious? I bet she was. Did she taste like warm ambrosia when you ripped her throat out like a feral beast?”
With an animalistic growl he threw a heavy fist at me. Laughing loudly I fluidly dodged the clumsy swipe.
“What do you want from me?” his voice was hoarse, broken.
“I want you to make a choice.” I wanted to know what side of the spectrum he fell on. The weak can never survive.
“There are no choices left to make. I’m a murderer. I killed my own- she’s dead. My sister is dead.” He curled further into himself, his voice falling to a whisper.
“You have two, actually. Look at me.” His eyes slowly rose to meet mine. “Now you can stay here and wallow. Die if you want, the sun will make quick work of you in just a few short hours.”
His brow furrowed. “Or?”
“Or, you can come with me and I can show you what it really means to be a vampire.”
I fished a pack of smokes out of my pocket. “Once more, the decision is in your hands.”
Placing the cigarette between my lips, I pointedly flashed my teeth.
“Choose wisely. It could be the last decision you ever make.”
I flicked my lighter. Daniel’s face was wavering, uncertain. I scoffed, taking a drag as I turned my back, made my way to the end of the alley.
“Stop.”
I stopped. Took another long inhale of smoke, lazily turned my head. Daniel looked at the girl once more, eyes hooded, mouth a solemn line, then rose to his feet slowly, eyes locked on me. I smiled.
“Good choice.”
