The Immortal: Vampire (Story)- Chapter 2

My thirst is overriding all my senses. And the boy before me is making it ten times worse.

Katrina has taken Chris somewhere where they can still see me, but I can't see them. It's safer that way, as my blood lusts are unpredictable and unimaginable in their brutality.

The boy has no idea what''s behind him, though he's getting skittish. Every few moments he glances up from his guitar, looks around, then goes back to playing. The game is almost up.

Finally, I grow tired of waiting and step into the gentle glow of the light emanating from the only light-post in the park. He sees me and, realizing I'm probably just a homeless man, he breathes an audible sigh of relief.

"You scared me, man." he says after a moment.

I take a step closer and feel my eyes change from gray to blood red. He's seen it too.

"What the Hell man!" He calls, falling off the park bench and dropping the guitar.

He tries to scramble away but I catch him by the leg and drag him back toward me. He is screaming horribly and I silence him by clapping a hand over his mouth.

"You attracted the Devil to your audience. Now...you pay the price." I growl into his ear.

He bucks in my arms as my teeth pierce his jugular. Shivers course through his body as I slowly drain his blood. My eyes turn back to gray as he sinks to the ground, lifeless. I release him and lick my bloodied lips.

"It is safe, Katrina. Come to me." I call to her using only my thoughts. I know she will hear me.

I'm not long in waiting as she and Chris appear from an alleyway downwind of me. I watch them silently.

"You look a bit better now, Arian. How do you feel?" Katrina asks when she's close enough to hear my response.

"Content....for a while anyway." I reply.

"Good enough, I suppose."

Chris, who's never seen a vampire feed before, hangs back away from us. He seems wary, lest I'm still hungry.

Katrina steps forward shyly and rubs away a spot of slowly drying blood from my lips with her thumb. I don't try to stop her, as I would have when we'd first met. Women are more cleanly in their habits and always try to keep us men clean. It's a full time job.

"Someone's coming." Chris informs us.

I can tell it's not human. Humans are louder and have a distinct scent for their species. Whoever's near is too quiet and smells like burnt flesh. A demon, unless I'm mistaken, but what type or rank I cannot guess. All his scent says is that he's male, fire related and probably exiled from wherever it is he came from. A dangerous mix, especially if he sees Chris.

"Chris, get behind Katrina and I." I order him, growling slightly.

He obliges with no arguments. Katrina moves to my side, nearly pushing against me to be sure Chris is as hidden as possible.

"Who dares kill in my presence?" a voice calls from nearby.

The person it belongs to couldn't be more intimidating. Nearly seven feet tall and at least two hundred and fifty pounds. His black hair is shoulder length and slightly frazzled, while his dark eyes seem light filled...glowing even.

"I believe it's your job to identify yourself, demon, before we identify ourselves." I reply with authority.

"My name is Nicolai Aleph. And I'm not a demon, vampire." he growls.

"Then what are you?"

"Dragon-kin"

"What?"

"It's a human descended from dragons, Arian." Katrina whispers.

"Now, your names, please." Aleph says

"I am known as Arian, born in Rome four thousand years ago, made a vampire twenty years later." I reply regally.

"You must be a relation to the noble family of Caiden, no?

"My father was of them."

"Interesting. And you, miss?"

"Katrina Brookaven, born in London 1784 and bitten in 1804." Katrina replies, no hint of fear in her voice though her body remains rigid...she's Changing against her will.

"Bitten? Then you're a..."

"Werewolf."

Aleph nods, his expression one of thoughtfulness. "And the boy?"

Chris comes forward between Katrina and I, trying to seem calm though the smell of his fear is making my thirst rise again.

"Chris...fire demon. I don't know my age but I can say I'm at least a thousand years old..." he says hurriedly.

"You pick strange companions, I must say." Aleph says after a moment of silence.

"We stick together as a rule of survival." Katrina replies, shooting me a look to hold my tongue.

"Survival from what?"

"We are...slaves in the fighters realm."

"What!?"

"Once a Gladiator, always a Gladiator." I say quietly.

"Can you not leave?"

"No. Where would we go? We'd be found quicker than you believe...plus fighting makes us less likely to kill people."

He looks at the dead body a few feet away. "I see."

I growl and turn my back. I made a simple mistake in killing this boy, but he doesn't have to rub it in my face. Just to show him, I pick up the body and begin carrying it elsewhere.

The fighting will start soon. Katrina will watch Chris and I'm sure Aleph will follow us tonight. For now...I must bury the body.