Topic: Vampire's Embrace

Blood Sister

Date: 2011-10-24 20:12 EST
It was a cool New Orleans evening. An aristocrat was holding a party for his son returning home from the War of 1812. An elegant party was held in the Greek revival styled mansion, but the life-changing events were happening in the old mausoleum cemetery not far from the home.

Three lives were changed that evening. These are each of their stories.











OOC: This is a private storyline for Madeline St. Claire and Blood Sister. Warning: Some mature themes including Violence & Gore, Profanity, and Intense Scenes.

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2011-10-24 20:26 EST
Chapter One: Never Alone

She awakened, slowly, wrestling with the grogginess of restless sleep. Her head spun and her body felt heavy and fatigued. "Perhaps I had too much to drink last night..." she thought. Her arms were already above her head, and her slight stirring inspired her body to stretch. It was dark and while her eyes had not yet adjusted, she felt immediately that something was not right. This was not the first time she'd awoken in an unfamiliar place following a high-society f?te, but her arms and legs felt heavier still. The air was cool and damp, and her bed cold and hard. She swung her legs out to stand and her feet suddenly stopped with a loud, metallic rattling. Startled, her arms jerked toward her body but stopped well short. These sudden discoveries conspired to create a slight shriek, but the sound barely passed beyond her lips. A panic gripped her and sent energy into her sluggish limbs, driving a feeble struggle against the iron shackles binding her wrists and ankles to the cold slab she laid upon. The same energy fed her desire to scream, but the thick cloth gag ensured that little more than moans and faint wails could escape. Having exhausted what little vigor she had possessed through futile struggle, she fell limp and darted her eyes around the room. Though utterly dark, she could make out what appeared to be the outline of several shelves containing a long lump of....something. She strained to gather more details when she heard the latch of a door at the far end of the room. Torchlight flickered from beyond the doorway as she turned her head to look. A ghastly, hooded figure entered, inspiring her struggles and muted cries anew.

* * * * * * * * * *

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2011-10-24 20:32 EST
"What do you think, Nkiru?" she asked, studying herself in a series of full-length mirrors. She had selected an elegant black Empire-waisted dress, as well as matching silk slippers and thin silk stockings. Perhaps her dress showed off just a little too much of her bosom and shoulders, and perhaps black was a bit daring, but not so much as to be scandalous; besides, she did enjoy the attention from the so-called gentlemen. Black would be a little warmer, as well. Winter in New Orleans was far from harsh, but it was winter all the same.

"I think you are quite beautiful, Mistress Madeline," Nkiru replied, "and you will be the envy of every lady at tonight's promenade." Nkiru was Madeline's faithful maidservant. She was plainly dressed with a refinement to match that of her speech; while she may have been a slave, Madeline never treated her as such. Indeed, as young Madeline's own grasp of writing, speech and poise increased through the finest tutors each day, she eagerly passed that education to Nkiru each night. Nkiru did not share Madeline's love of the library, but with her own workload it was difficult to find time for it anyway. Nkiru busied herself with drawing Madeline's long black hair into a loose bun.

Madeline sighed softly, believing Nkiru had not heard. "Remind me, who is this celebration in honor of?"

Nkiru smiled slightly, saying "Martin Silas, mistress. In case you did not notice the recent lack of cannon fire, the war has ended." Madeline smiled. Years of tutelage and being treated as an equal bred a familiarity between Nkiru and Madeline. Nkiru, of course, was always careful not to display such familiarity in front of Madeline's parents. "As such, Martin has been released from the Army, no doubt due to his father's influence. He arrived home this passing Sunday. It's fortunate he was commanding a regiment here, or his return home could have been quite a longer while."

Madeline sighed, staring seemingly through one of the mirrors. She had not been close to the conflict in the city, but the sounds of battle raged for weeks and she often found herself staring from her window at night, watching for the flashes of light and the following crashes from cannons, as though observing lightning and thunder in a storm. The distant fighting had been exciting; the idea of snoozing her way through a party full of stuffy Army types was not nearly so.

Nkiru sensed her waning interest. "Need I remind you that the Silas family is quite influential" Everyone of standing will be there. I'm sure you will find several young gentlemen to....pique your interest."

That was certainly true. The Silas mansion was quite large, as was their plantation. Surely she could find someone for a pleasant rendezvous, and there would certainly be no shortage of places to hide it. She began curling her hair with renewed interest. With her parents away on business, she could really turn up the heat without fear of being scolded by her prudish mother.

Nkiru saw Madeline to the door and threw a black shawl around her. Madeline tugged her gloves a little to get them on comfortably, then hugged Nkiru and stepped outside. The family's carriage was waiting, though the driver was unfamiliar to her; she'd heard her mother had sent the previous driver to work in the fields for looking at her in a lewd fashion, or some other nonsense. She did seem to get rid of many a driver, especially after returning from visiting her own parents.

The driver opened the door for her. "Good evening, driver. A pleasure to meet you! What's your name?" she asked. "Tendaji, ma'am," he replied. She smiled and said, "Lovely. How are you tonight?" "Ahm jes fine, ma'am. Les git ya to dat pawty, huh?? he said. Obviously, he was not the talkative type, so Madeline settled into the carriage and silently rode to the party.

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2011-10-24 20:36 EST
* * * * * * * * * *

Madeline's futile struggles and cries did nothing to improve her situation, and the figure strode toward her unfazed. It placed a hand on her stomach. "Easy, child," it said with a voice both somewhat familiar yet indistinct, "It will be over soon." This, of course, did nothing to calm her. She continued to thrash at her bonds, pleading and sobbing through the thick cloth. Another robed figure entered. "How is the offering?" The first figure looked to the door. "She is restless but full of life. The drug must have fully passed by now." The second figure replied, "Excellent. The ritual is prepared. We wait only for the proper hour now." With that, the second figure left.

Madeline plead desperately with tear-streaked eyes and heavy sobs, but to no avail. "Now, child, despair not. After all, you brought this on yourself. We needed a woman of sin, and you were only too eager..."

* * * * * * * * * *

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2011-10-25 21:55 EST
The Silas mansion was indeed resplendent. The mansion itself was of a Greek revival style, and the surrounding landscaping was impeccably manicured with a variety of shrubs and flowers. Inside was no different. The highest ceilings, the finest tableware, the most expensive decorations. Maybe this wouldn't be a bad party after all.

Madeline stepped from her carriage and entered the mansion. A servant immediately offered to take her shawl. As she casually walked around the front hall, she drew many looks from the ladies, some of silent offense, others of envy. The gentlemen, however, were far more approving. It was not long at all before she was flooded with how-do-you-dos and other pleasantries. Her deliberate allure had its downsides, though; up came Peter Goodwin, a wealthy but portly and altogether unappealing fellow.

"Ms. St. Claire! How delightful to see you!" he droned. "I must say, you look positively ravishing tonight." He made no effort whatsoever to conceal the fact that he was undressing her in his mind, a fact that made Madeline nauseous. "I see that you are here without a gentleman to escort you. I would be happy to take up that role on your behalf to protect you from untoward advances while you are here. Might I suggest we retreat to a guest room upstairs" I can assure you, you will be much safer there." Madeline's eyes narrowed seductively, and she flashed a tiny smile. "Oh, Mr. Goodwin," she leaned in suggestively to whisper in his ear, "what would your wife say?" With that, she left.

Nursing a glass of champagne, someone finally caught her eye. Truly, she had noticed the young lady in the corner much earlier, but as the night wore on it seemed as though she was always looking her way. The young lady offered an inviting smile. With so-called gentlemen like Mr. Goodwin as the alternative, she accepted the invitation. "Good evening, miss. I couldn't help but notice you've been alone all night. Might I make your acquaintance?"

Their eyes locked and she smiled. Such deep eyes...."It'd be my pleasure, my lady. Sarah Whitaker. Enchanted, truly." Madeline returned the smile and introduced herself. "Madeline St. Claire. A pleasure." She laughed slightly, saying "No need, my lady. I know who you are." Madeline was puzzled by her reply until she continued. "Your family is quite well known here.? Madeline supposed this was true; her family was not so well off as the Silas family, obviously, but her father was no stall merchant either.

At ease once more, Madeline pressed her for conversation. Her efforts proved fruitless, however; she spoke much but said little, and every evaded question was met with a question for her. Perhaps it was the mystery, or perhaps it was simply that she found her strikingly beautiful, but she was enraptured by the conversation nonetheless. She found herself wanting to continue it somewhere more private; it was then that Sarah suggested a walk around the grounds. Madeline eagerly agreed, to Sarah's delight. She suggested they bring a bottle of champagne with them, to continue the celebration of their chance encounter. She was more than happy to do so. Once she had returned with the bottle she left, and Madeline followed several moments later so as to avoid scandal.

They continued their idle conversation as she led her to a grove of trees near the property's edge. Madeline was still sipping from her glass as Sarah guided her into the grove with a hand at the small of her back. She felt warm at this gentle display of control. She removed her cloak, placed it on the ground and guided her to sit upon it. She refilled a glass of champagne and offered it to Madeline. Madeline thanked her and sipped from it; anything to quiet the flutter in her stomach. She poured herself a glass and set it upon a nearby tree stump. She was speechless when Sarah took her hand and kissed it. She struggled somewhat to remain so when she placed several more kisses up her bare arm in succession. Her heart began to quicken more and more with each tender kiss. In a further effort to calm herself, she drank more of the champagne. When she had kissed up the full length of her exposed arm, Madeline could barely keep from stirring. When Sarah took her again by the small of her back and moved past her dress to kiss her shoulder, she could no longer contain herself and let a small moan escape her. Her breathing began to quicken. She again took from the champagne glass, leaving it empty. She attempted to replace it upon the stump, but a sudden tingling wave caused her body to tremble and her hand to miss its mark. Sarah continued up her neck until it was more than she could bear. She moaned audibly. Sarah's gentle attack on her neck continued unabated until Madeline could stand it no longer. She gripped Sarah's head firmly to pull it away, and once her face was in sight she kissed her fully. She returned the kiss with equal fervor as Madeline's hands began to wander, searching desperately for any path inside Sarah's dress they might come across. Lost in the ecstasy of her passion, she paid no mind to the way the world seemed to be slowing all around her. When the world stopped, she slipped away into unconsciousness.

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2011-10-25 22:01 EST
Gripped with terror, her mind began to race frantically. Where was she" How did they take her from the party' Surely someone must have noticed her absence! Almost as if on cue, the figure spoke. "No one noticed your abrupt departure, I'm afraid. It's said that such disappearances are a habit of yours, almost expected." She winced slightly; it was true that she got swept off her feet at parties more often than not, and she did nothing to prevent it. It could even be said she encouraged it at times. Everyone would just assume a fine-looking lad had caught her eye once again and think nothing more of it. "But if they'd known you had slipped away with a woman....oh, just imagine the scandal." It was then that Madeline recognized the voice. Sarah! She gasped at the sudden revelation. "Figured it out, have we?" Sarah threw back her hood. "We've been watching you for some time, my dear. Our ritual called for a high-born woman of sin, but never did we suspect we would come across a treasure such as yourself! Our hopes lied in finding perhaps an adulterous wife, but the value of a true affront to God such as yourself was immeasurable." Madeline knew, of course, that her varied palette would have been the height of scandal if it had ever been discovered, but this was not the peril she'd had in mind. "It was readily apparent to us that our best hope of seducing you was with the hands, so to speak, of a woman. Even the most handsome gentleman never roused your interest as quickly. Your depravity led you right into our trap, I'm afraid." Madeline lay still and silent, staring listlessly up as though the ceiling itself bore the crushing weight of her shame.

The second figure returned. "It is time, sister. The hour of our dark god is upon us. Prepare the girl." Sarah nodded as the figure left once more. She turned to Madeline and taunted her, "I do hope it was fun while it lasted, my dear, but your time is nearing its end." With that, Sarah drew from her robe a wicked dagger, the blade's keen edge shining brightly even in the darkness. Madeline's muted screams and helpless thrashing began once more. This time, a third figure entered the room with the second. Both carried a small variety of objects; one, a set of candles and a large bucket, and the other a large and worn leather-bound book. The third figure set the book on a nearby slab and began paging through it. Soon, he began to speak. "As I speak the incantation, if our belief is strong, the Barons will answer our call and grace this girl with their essences." Sarah sneered, saying "Why wouldn't they' This whore eagerly allows anyone else to enter her..." The man raised his hand. "Enough, child. Have respect for the one who will bring us power." He turned to Madeline and smiled. "Your sacrifice will not be forgotten, young one. In consuming your empowered blood, we will gain power over life and death itself. Jackson may have kept New Orleans safe from the British, but the Americans will not keep it long from an army of their own dead..." Madeline's mind immediately recalled the large bucket and blanched at the realization of its purpose. She began to thrash frantically against her bonds. The leader turned to the other hooded figure, saying "Hold her. The cut must be precise if we are to pay proper respect.? The figure obliged silently, his muscular arms holding Madeline's head and chest still with alarming ease. Madeline, of course, continued struggling in earnest. The leader began his insidious chants. As the chant drew to an end, Sarah brought the blade near. Madeline began to scream in terror as the blade drew closer and closer, but her muted cries would reach no one. The giant turned her head to the side and pulled it toward the edge of the table. Madeline was paralyzed with the fear of what would inevitably come next.

She felt a stinging sensation in her neck. Her cries became quiet gurgles as a strange warmth began to pass over her skin. She saw a smile creep onto Sarah's face as her vision began to blur. Her eyelids grew heavy, and she felt a growing urge to sleep....Her eyes crept open to find Sarah fixated eagerly on something below. Her vision blurred once more and her eyelids fell. Fighting the overwhelming feeling of fatigue, Madeline opened her eyes again. This time, Sarah looked toward the door, her face one of shock as something flew across the room and knocked her down. The blur set in again as she continued to flit in and out of consciousness. Her eyes opened to the sight of a woman of slight build and the giant man, their arms locked against each other as they wrestled around the room. Her vision faded once more as she heard a loud crash. Her eyes fought to see once more, but the struggle was becoming difficult to overcome. She saw the blurry face of what appeared to be a woman, her lips moving but making no sound beyond a tired hum. Her eyes closed one final time as the last remnants of life slipped from her.

Blood Sister

Date: 2011-10-26 19:14 EST
* * * * * * * * * *

Leta heard about the mystical properties of the book of Eshu of Macumba. This voodoo book came straight from Brazil, carried by slaves who were stolen and brought to the Americas to work in the south. She knew this book was too important and tracked it down to an upper class, ignorant group of New Orleans voodoo practitioners who wouldn't know a voodoo doll from a stuffed teddy bear. She watched them, waiting for the time when they would reveal the book from their hiding place. It wouldn't take long for the group to slip up.

There was some formal event. A rich man's son was coming home from the War of 1812. Leta's vampiric gift of foresight divined that the group would pull something then. She attended the party, dressed in her best and looking as beautiful and fake as the other nobles of New Orleans. She watched a young woman, who introduced herself as Sarah to one of the guests. Leta could sense that Sarah was one of the bookkeepers. She began searching the beautiful plantation manor trying to find the book, but to no avail. She then decided to follow her only lead, Sarah.

Leta had stalked Sarah and hunted her down until she was led to a grove of trees near the plantation's edge. Beyond was a cemetery full of graves and mausoleums. She could hear the voodoo chanting easily with her acute vampiric senses and rushed towards it. The chanting stopped and her acute senses allowed her to hear a woman's muffled scream slowly fade as she came to the door of the mausoleum. She observed Sarah holding a dagger slicing into some poor, beautiful damsel in distress. A large burly man stood holding the victim down as the leader was facing away from the door, holding the book over the victim. The book. It was there.

Leta charged at the leader and jumped on his back. Her inhumanly quick movements caused most of the candles and torches to flicker and die, leaving the room darkened in patches of light and shadows. She swung over his head, hurtling him forward, causing his neck to break and throwing him into Sarah. Her small frame fell back under his weight and hit her head, rendering her unconscious. Leta sprinted into the shadows as the husky man tried to see what was going on.

Darting in between light and dark, she tempted and toyed with the strong man. He charged at her, but she was too quickly upon him, and jumped on his back. She tried to pull him over as she did with the leader, but this one was stronger than she gave him credit. She began to wrestle with him, struggling, but still managing to break bones. He eventually slowed and she jumped off, returning to the dark. He panted, catching his breath. She could smell the adrenaline from him as she slowly went into a small corner of light. He took a deep, painful breath, and charged at her with enough speed to extinguish the few lit candles left. She waited until he was just upon her, then she instantly stepped back into the shadows. He hit the wall behind her with such force, it was too much for his already mangled body to take.

Leta laughed and kicked the strong man's body, causing it to crumple and contort around itself. She looked over at the victim, laying on the table slowly bleeding to death. She looked down and saw the book. She leaned down and picked it up as she said, "Stupid girl." She walked over to the poor woman and said bluntly, "Such a waste" a waste of good blood and a waste of such beauty." She smelled the scant amount of blood slowly draining from her lifeless body. "Hmm. Aristocrat. How I would have loved to have tasted you,? she said as she walked out the mausoleum door, clutching the book close to her.

* * * * * * * * * *

Blood Sister

Date: 2011-10-26 19:39 EST
Chapter Two: Vampire's Embrace

Lydia heard rumors that Leta was looking for some special book, something that would further her malicious causes. As she usually did, she followed her sister to stop her. She ended up in New Orleans. She heard word that a special voodoo book was going to be used by some new novice group who could be found at a party held in an upper class plantation manor outside of town the next evening.

Dressed in a beautiful long gown, Lydia was welcomed into the formal event. She sipped sweet iced tea and mingled with the crowd. She learned that the party was for Martin Silas, whose parents were holding the event to celebrate his safe return home from combat in the War of 1812. She observed many of the guests, learning their secret affairs through subtle eye glances and hidden business agendas through coded messages of common conversation.

Lydia had hoped to see Leta among the faces but, instead, her glances always returned to a different young woman with black hair. She watched as the young woman was approached by another woman who introduced her name as Sarah. The woman then revealed her name as Madeline St. Claire. They spoke for a while and then Sarah left. Not long after, Lydia watched as Madeline subtly followed Sarah, trying to evade any suspicion. Lydia returned to her goal of finding her sister. She knew she was there. She could sense her. She could always sense her.

After combing the manor, Lydia found no trace of Leta and turned her attention to searching outside. She made her way to a grove of trees near the plantation's edge, next to cemetery full of graves and mausoleums. It was then when she saw he sister running from one of the mausoleums, clutching what looked like a book. Lydia quickly sprinted to the mausoleum and glanced inside the pitch dark tomb. She could sense some people still alive, barely. That was uncharacteristic of Leta.

Lydia rushed into the mausoleum. She could see clearly in the dark with her vampiric eyes. She noticed the three bodies on the floor. She recognized the unconscious Sarah and two other men, dead, in long robes. She looked around and noticed Madeline laying on a stone slab while slowly bleeding to death from the cut marks on her neck. Lydia ran up to her to assess her. She had just enough time. She drove one of her fangs into her wrist and placed her wrist against Madeline's mouth, trying to drip some of her blood into her lips.

Slowly, the woman began to move her lips, lightly sucking on Lydia's wrist and drawing the blood from her. Lydia had never done this before. She didn't know how long to let the woman feed off of her to save her life. Save her life" Was that what she was doing" She hated this vampiric curse that was forced upon her by her sister's doing, and now she was doing the same. Her thoughts distracted her and she began to feel faint, losing so much blood. It took all of the little strength she had left to pull her wrist from the woman. Weakened, Lydia needed to feed. She again noticed the unconscious Sarah, full of life and blood, but she refused to drink from her.

With a stumbled step, Lydia made her way out of the mausoleum into the cemetery. She was lucky enough to find a rat, but with her dwindled abilities, it proved a bit of a challenge to her. With enough patience, she managed to grab it and quickly drink it dry of blood. She had to find several others before feeling up to returning to aid Madeline. She grabbed one more cemetery rat and returned to the new vampire in the tomb.

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2011-12-28 20:18 EST
* * * * * * * * * *

Madeline woke suddenly and sat up with a scream. Her eyes flitted back and forth, looking around the room. Had it all been a dream' She buried her face in her hands. Her skin felt cold, but she felt this was probably just a side effect of that terrible nightmare. Once calm, she removed her hands from her face and looked around....She found herself in the same room as in her nightmare. She stood from the cold slab and nearly slipped into a fall. She looked down and saw the same large bucket on its side at the edge of a large puddle of blood. "Is that..." she thought. "That can't....that blood can't possibly be mine..." She took a step away from the slab and saw the hooded figures from her nightmare. The giant's body was twisted and broken. The leader's head lay in a wholly unnatural position. Sarah's body was beneath the leader's. She had almost not noticed it, but something drew her attention to it. It was at this time that Madeline realized the torches and candles in the room were not lit, and yet she could see with little difficulty. Suddenly, a strange feeling began to well up inside Madeline. Her eyes narrowed as she trembled slightly. Hunger? Whatever the feeling was, it was getting stronger. She began to feel a panic creep into her mind, but from what she did not know. Her eyes darted around the room frantically, and she felt her lips begin to part and curl. She heard a small moan from where the leader and Sarah laid. Instinctively, she turned quickly and directly to it and saw Sarah stirring, struggling to get out from under the dead leader. A rush of euphoria filled Madeline...

* * * * * * * * * *

Blood Sister

Date: 2011-12-29 01:04 EST
Lydia entered the dark mausoleum, with a freshly caught live cemetery rat in hand for Madeline. She looked at Madeline and saw her mouth covered in blood and Sarah's lifeless body in front of her. Lydia gasped and dropped the rat which quickly scurried outside. "What have you done?" Lydia said with a sadness on her face. Madeline stammered, "I-I-I don't know! I don't know! I saw her moving over there and the next thing I knew, I was here and she was dead!" Tears began to well up in Madeline's eyes and she wished desperately to wake up and bring this terrible nightmare to its end.

Lydia felt sorry for the poor soul. She had done this to her. Anything that she would do was on her hands now. Sarah's life was lost because of her doing. Lydia knelt down beside Sarah's body, pretending there may be some chance to help her, but her assessment was in vain. She said softly, "I'm sorry." She stood up and looked at Madeline and repeated, "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault." Madeline stepped back, tears streaming down her face. "What is" What is your fault?" Madeline gazed at the chaos all around her. "What is happening here?" Madeline's eyes turned to her hands. A foreign skin peeked out from under the splashes of blood, pale at first but slowly filling with color. "What is happening to me?"

It was Lydia's turn to cry. Her eyes teared up as she explained, "You were going to die. I had no other choice. I wanted to save you, but I fear I have only condemned you. You need to understand that you....what you were....is dead now." Madeline's eyes widened as she struggled to understand. "What' What are you saying" I'm not dead. I can't be! I'm right here, talking to you! Unless..." She looked to the floor. "Is this what death is truly like" A nightmare of madness and chaos?" Her eyes shifted to Sarah's body as her hysteria continued to grow. "I can't have done this. It's not possible! I'm no killer!"

Lydia choked back her tears, trying to stay in control to better help Madeline transition. She felt like she wasn't helping but at least Lydia was there for her; Lydia had no one to help her when she turned. She swallowed hard and said, "What you were before was no killer, but you are not that person any more. It's your instinct now." Madeline shot back, "What do you mean, I'm not that person any more" I'm still me! I know who I am!" By some strange urge, she bared her teeth at Lydia. "I am not a killer! I didn't do this! I couldn't have! I don't even know how she got there!"

"Think back," Lydia said calmly, "When you awoke here, you must have sensed her, sensed the life in her. It was strong. I could sense it when I left you. It took everything I had to leave her." Madeline thought for a moment. "I think I did feel something when I was looking around earlier..." she said. "But why' What does it mean?" Lydia looked at her and paused before she asked, "Do you sense it in me?" Madeline looked at her a moment before saying, "No....but....why would I sense it in anyone" That's not natural."

"We're not like them, not anymore," Lydia said with a heavy heart, "You were going to die from blood loss so I gave you my blood to save you. You're like me now." Madeline paused, and with a concerned look, asked, "Like....you?" Lydia's words were solemn and serious as she carefully articulated each word clearly. "I am a vampire," she said, letting her mouth remain slightly open, displaying her fangs. Madeline's eyes widened in shock and she took a step back. "What- That's not possible!" She shook her head. "No. Surely those are false teeth. Surely Sarah is not dead. Surely I had too much to drink last night and this is all a cruel joke!?

Blood Sister

Date: 2011-12-29 01:11 EST
Lydia looked down and shook her head. She peered up at Madeline and said, "The sooner you realize this, the sooner you can move on from this. I know you need time to understand and now you'll have all the time in the world, but you need to know you can't return to that party. You can't return to your old life. You life is different now. You are different." Madeline's features hardened. "You can't fool me. This is nothing more than a joke. A joke in poor taste, at that! I shall clean myself up and return to that party. Everyone will have a good laugh at my expense and the party will go on as normal. I will go on as normal." As normal" What a strange thing to say. Madeline dismissed the thought and began walking to the door.

Lydia quickly rushed to the door to block her way. "I'm sorry. You cannot be trusted. I should have never left you here alone with Sarah. That was my error, but I refuse to have more blood on my hands." Madeline gave Lydia a severe gaze. "Get out of my way this instant! This terrifying ruse has gone on long enough!" With that, Madeline attempted to push her way past Lydia. When Madeline got close, Lydia grabbed her arms with both hands and lifted her a few inches above the ground. "This isn't a game!" Lydia shouted, baring her fangs. She threw Madeline back a few feet from her.

Madeline's landing was entirely without her typical grace and refinement. She rose quickly to her feet, almost too quickly. Her eyes narrowed toward Lydia, and she spread her fingers like the paws of a threatened cat. Madeline bared her teeth and hissed at Lydia. Then, almost as suddenly, her expression changed from one of anger to one of confusion. Why had she just done all of that' She was a woman of class, not some wild animal. Lydia stared at her and said calmly, "Do you see what you've become?" Madeline recoiled sharply. "No! I....It's the....It..." She could no longer bear the strain of the night and fell to the floor, sobbing. Lydia walked up to her and knelt down beside her. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I've done this to you. I hope one day you can forgive me.? She slowly reached out her hand and delicately placed it on her shoulder.

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2011-12-29 16:13 EST
Madeline cried for some time until her tears finally ran out, and she sat numbly gazing around the room. Her eyes stopped on Sarah's lifeless corpse a moment, and she weakly uttered "Did I...?" "No," Lydia said softly, "Her death was from my error. Her safety was my responsibility, as is yours. What you need to focus on now is adapting to your new life. There are new dangers out there for you now. You need to keep your wits about you. "

Madeline swallowed forcefully in an attempt to collect herself. "Dangers" What sort of dangers?" She was her father's daughter, after all. He would not have allowed misfortune in business to cloud his head. He would have taken stock of the situation and tried to make the most of it. He was good at it, too, else he would not have left Madeline nearly as much comfort. "You must stay out of the sun at all costs. You are stronger now, but not invincible. Fire is especially harmful to you now. Take care not to be too near it, and certainly do not let the flame touch your body. You will feel a hunger and you will need to feed, especially when you are hurt," Lydia replied. Madeline asked hesitantly, "Feed" You mean..." Lydia nodded, and Madeline was visibly unnerved. Her father never had this much trouble keeping collected, but then surely he never faced a challenge such as this.

Blood Sister

Date: 2011-12-29 21:45 EST
Lydia could see she was disheartening the girl. She spoke gently, "It is not that bad. Some even choose this way of life. You have the potential to live forever. You have more acute senses. You are stronger and more agile. Each of us are different in minor ways. You will learn more abilities as you go." Madeline sighed. "I wish to return home," she said. "You need not worry. I am afraid to go anywhere else. I think I just need to be home and feel like some part of me is still normal and safe." In truth, she wanted nothing more than to climb into bed with the hope that when she woke, this nightmare would end.

Lydia nodded again. She didn't know what more to say. Finally she said, "If you need anything in the future- anything at all- please contact me. I will be more than willing to help you. I will be staying at the Hotel St. Helene in the city for the next few days." Madeline knew the place; it had opened just recently and she'd been taken there several times already. "Very well. I shall return home. I think perhaps I will call on you soon. I..." She trailed off. Her head sank, and she left.

She gently turned the handle and entered the side door of her family's mansion. Her eyes darted around before she felt confident that no one was in the hall. Indeed, she had no trouble seeing it clearly despite the darkness. She began the familiar creep to the stairs. She had plenty of practice sneaking through the house to avoid the attention of returning home in the small hours of the morning, and did not worry about waking the servants. She padded up the stairs and to her room without so much as a shuffle or a creaking floorboard. She wearily changed into her nightgown and climbed into her bed. The exhausting nature of her evening put her to sleep as soon as her head rested on the pillow.

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2012-07-28 00:15 EST
Chapter Three: Dreams and Nightmares

She awoke with a stretch, and glanced about. She pinched her arm. "I'm awake....I'm alive. It must have been a dream after all..." Madeline thought. To her dismay, though not entirely to her surprise, she could not seem to remember what had happened last night. The stretch was not entirely comfortable; practically every muscle in her body was sore. Whatever (or indeed, whoever) she had done last night, it was obviously quite vigorous. She did not remember closing the curtains but thought nothing of it. Nkiru was an excellent servant and probably closed them the night before. She rose from her bed and walked lazily to her vanity. She yawned terribly; the horrible nightmare did not promote sound rest. She stretched once more before her eyes shot wide open at the image in the mirror. She could not believe how pale her skin was. While she did not spend inordinate amounts of time in the sun, she was proud of her skin's healthy tone. As her eyes widened, she could see that even they were different. In place of the lovely green now stood a listless gray. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain inside her, more than mere hunger. She became more concerned about last night's indiscretions. What if she had acquired some horrible illness during a....more intimate social encounter? She would send for a physician first thing in the morning, she decided. She moved to the window and threw open the curtain.

Outside, it was the dead of night. Madeline was surprised by this; no lamps in her room were lit, and yet she had no difficulty seeing to make her way around the room as though it were daytime. The sharp pain in her abdomen brought her attention back. There would be time to think about this later. For now, a quick meal was needed. She carefully opened her door, not wanting to wake her servants in the middle of the night for something so simple as a midnight snack. She resigned herself to inevitable failure, however. Nkiru, ever the faithful and dependable servant, always heard Madeline whenever she made her way to the kitchen and always woke to tend to her needs. She crept into the kitchen, pondering what might make her feel better. She settled on something simple: dried meat and a couple rolls of bread. Madeline was not much of a cook; she had servants for that during the day, though they would have been happy to help her now had they known. She took a bite of the bread. Delicious, as always, but tonight it seemed strangely empty. Soon she found herself eating the rest of the roll with some measure of speed, but still without satisfaction. She consumed the other roll rather more voraciously, and was still disappointed. She bit into the dried meat and found it more satisfying, if only barely so. She finished the food quickly, and felt almost no satiation by the end.

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2012-07-28 00:22 EST
It was then that she realized Nkiru had still not come in to prepare her something to eat. Even at her quietest, Madeline could not even set out her choices, let alone prepare anything or eat it. "Perhaps she finally took my advice and tired herself from a night out," she thought. She took pride in the fact that her servants were all paid a fair wage. Some quietly disapproved of her treating 'the colored folk' so well, but to Madeline they were people, and people like to be paid for their work. Madeline crept just down the hall to Nkiru's room and gently turned the handle. There she was, lying in bed. At least, for a moment. The turning of the door handle roused her from her sleep. "Mistress?" she asked while rubbing sleep from her eyes. "Is there something I can do for you?"

Madeline smiled and said, "No, my friend. I was just up having a snack and wanted to see how you were doing." Nkiru replied, "How I am doing, Mistress?" Madeline chuckled slightly before saying, "Yes. My tromping around the kitchen has never failed to wake you, so you must be exhausted from your enjoyable evening." Nkiru's expression changed to one of puzzlement. "My enjoyable evening, Mistress" I was here, tending your home. I wanted it to be well cleaned before your return. It did not take much effort, to be honest, so I retired early." Now it was Madeline's turn for confusion. "Ah. I see. I'm sorry to have disturbed you. Please, go back to sleep. I will be doing the same." She thought a moment. "Why don't you take tomorrow off and finally do something for yourself" You'll be paid for the day, of course." Nkiru nodded, saying, "You are most generous, Mistress." Madeline smiled and closed the door.

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2012-07-28 00:23 EST
Madeline began to walk to her room, but her mind was still filled with the images of that terrible nightmare. She returned to her room, but instead of going to bed, she changed into a simple dress and practical shoes. Well, simple and practical for her, anyway. She made her way to the entrance of her home. She felt slightly uneasy as she realized she could barely hear her own footsteps, yet there was not quite silence. For a moment, she thought she could hear one of the servants turning in their bed. She exited quietly, and began to walk toward the Silas mansion. She did not want to bother a carriage driver over her strange feelings, but she could not get the mansion or its neighboring cemetery out of her mind.

Soon she was entering the cemetery. She remembered being indoors, so she set out to the impressive mausoleum atop a small hill. The door was slightly ajar; rather strange, for surely such a structure would remain locked to keep thieves out. She entered, descending a smooth stone staircase. As she made her way farther inside, her surroundings seemed more and more familiar. She made a short series of turns, not really knowing why. She saw a door, or rather, what remained of it. Two large pieces dangled loosely from the hinges, and the rest was in smaller pieces spreading inward. She moved to the doorway and a gasp escaped her lips. The stone slab. It was right there, right in front of her, and....the blood. Right where she remembered seeing it in her dream. She stepped cautiously toward it, looking around the room. She shrieked when her eyes fell on the two broken men on the floor. Trembling, she crept toward them. Surely they could not be the same men from her nightmare. Surely....She pulled one of the bodies back, and she was met with the dessicated face of a young woman.

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2012-07-28 00:25 EST
Mature Warning: attempted sexual violence, and gore

In a flash, she was running back the way she had come, screaming hysterically. She raced up the stone stairs, desperate to escape. In her haste, she did not notice the door was now fully opened. As she exited, she saw a bright white flash. When the flash subsided, she found herself tumbling down the stairs. She landed almost in a seated position, which unfortunately propelled her head sharply into the wall behind her. She slumped to the floor, still conscious but dazed and struggling to right herself. A pair of hands grabbed her arms roughly and thrust her upward. "Well, look what we got here!" a man said. "They said this one was loaded with the good stuff, but I didn't think they meant this!" Another man laughed. "We'll owe him another few trinkets for this surprise, we will." Madeline shrieked and struggled but to little avail. The first man held her arms tightly behind her while the second began rifling through her bag. He dropped it in disappointment, saying "Bah. Bitch hasn't got a thing worth taking." The second man asked, "Are you sure about that...?" Madeline's eyes widened. The second man stroked his chin and looked her over for an uncomfortable length of time. "Hmm..." He approached and began running his hands over her body. "You're right. Surely she's got something of value on her..." His hands came close to her breasts. "Don't you, my dear?" Madeline struggled to escape, and to her surprise she thought she might break free from the man's grasp. "Best behave, bitch!" The sharp blow to her nose stunned her and subdued her struggles. "I think I'll have to teach you a lesson." She felt the blood trickle down her face, and her nose was certainly broken. Madeline cried out in pain. "Go watch the door. I'll need a few minutes to put this one in her place." The man behind her groaned, saying, "Come on, Nate! I found her too!" The man shot his partner a dirty look. "You'll get your turn. Now, piss off and get the door!" The second man threw her roughly to the floor and stormed off.

Madeline was barely aware of anything that had happened after her nose had been broken. Instead, her mind was focused almost completely on the welling feeling inside her. Soon she found it difficult to think. As the man saw his partner off, he began to turn toward his easy conquest. Much to his shock, Madeline was not laying on the ground at all. She was upon him in an instant, leaping toward him and wrapping her legs firmly around his waist. He had no time to ponder that turn of events, however, as she bore him to the ground and sank her teeth into his neck. Her hands tore into his chest with savage ferocity, easily rending his clothing to scraps and raking deeply into the soft skin beneath. A sound of bewilderment barely escaped his lips before being followed by hysterical screaming. That, too, came to an end rather abruptly as Madeline wrenched her head back violently and tore his throat out. He gurgled futilely as she spit out the chunk of his flesh, and she went for the wound, trying to gorge herself on the warm fluid escaping it.

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2012-07-28 00:26 EST
The other man had heard the screams, and came running down the stairs. "What in God's name—" he began, seeing his friend torn to pieces and his blood scattered everywhere. He went for his knife as Madeline rapidly stood, almost too rapidly. The front of her dress was now a deep crimson, the same as her hands and mouth. He had only just wrapped his fingers around its handle when Madeline let out a deep hiss and extended her open hand toward him. The man froze suddenly, his arms locked straight and balancing on the tips of his toes, as though something were tugging him upward. Madeline smiled cruelly before flicking her wrist, sending the man crashing into the wall beside him. The man screamed in horror, but was otherwise unable to speak. Madeline began to close her hand slowly and the man's horror turned to agony. She became aware of the man's heartbeat suddenly, and instinctively she turned her hand and closed it in a sideways motion as she pulled her arm toward her. The man began to bleed from his eyes, his nose, his mouth, even his ears. The blood moved in a rough current toward Madeline, the floating spray lightly spattering the wall before forming a loosely formed stream. She consumed it eagerly as it passed her lips, her eyes closing as she drank in its warmth.

The sudden rush broke her concentration and the man fell while she was enraptured by the wondrous feeling. The man struggled limply to stand but there was no hope; he had lost quite a bit of blood and was too dizzy to right himself. Madeline eased out of her euphoria, her eyes opening slowly, a sinister smile on her face. She saw the feeble man lying on the floor and moved to his side. She knelt, laughing gently to herself as she took his knife. She began slowly cutting into his skin, spilling more of his blood. He cried out in pain as she continued with more and deeper cuts before finally grabbing him by the hair and latching onto his neck. His weak struggles and cries subsided, and he even began to form a weak smile as his life force flew from him and into Madeline. At last, he expired. Madeline's eyes closed again as she took in the last drops of his life. She stood to survey her handiwork, at first with satisfaction and even pleasure. The feelings subsided, however, and soon she found herself mortified with disgust. She took in the sights of the two men, the one torn to shreds and the other sliced up like a game hen. She saw the blood....so much blood....the walls were sprayed with it, and as she stumbled back in shock and horror, she slipped and fell. She was shocked to find the floor slick with it, and saw that she was covered in it. The images tore at her sanity until she could do no more than simply sit and stare.

Blood Sister

Date: 2012-07-29 22:45 EST
Chapter Four: The Real Monster

Leta took a few calculated steps out of the shadows of the mausoleum. She had seen more than enough. She had a half smile on her face as she looked down at the girl. So new. So fresh. So malleable. She said in a soft tone, "It feels good, doesn't it?"

Madeline's eyes widened. "You!" she said, half in disbelief and half in shock. "What has happened to me" What have you done to me"!" Tears began spilling down her face. "Tell me! These men....I....KILLED them! I-I didn't just kill them....I..." Leta's eyes narrowed for a moment. What had SHE done to her" She didn't make this pathetic creature...

Lydia.

Her twin sister must have taken pity on this girl after Leta left her for dead here last night. If the girl knew Lydia, no sense in revealing more than Leta had to. She quickly began to play the part of the nurturing woman who saved her life, knowing full well once she had gained her trust, she could manipulate her in any way possible to accomplish her goal. She offered the girl her hands to help her up and she said sweetly, "Oh no, my dear. You did a wonderful thing. You saved more people heartache suffered from these men. They are the monsters, not you."

Madeline recoiled from her. She was having none of it. "Can you not see what I've done"!" She gestured toward what remained of the men. "Look at them! That man's throat was torn out. I did that! I bit him and tore his throat, his life, like some deranged beast!" She shifted her attention to the other man. "And this man....somehow I held him still, and while he was helpless I cut him, and I cut, and I cut, and..." Madeline stopped short of saying how much she had enjoyed it all, profoundly disturbed by that fact. "What have I done" What horror have I become?" Despite her protest, she could not shake the memory of that feeling, the power, the thrill, the delight....Part of her wished that it had lasted longer, that she could have caused them greater pain and drank further of their fear and agony. Part of her hated herself for it.

The pretend softness of Leta's eyes faded as she glared at her for a moment. She then offered a quick smile and continued her pleasant tone, "Dear child, you had no choice. You know what those men would have done. Do you think that they would have had any sympathies for the pain they would have caused you? You have done no harm tonight.?

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2012-07-29 23:01 EST
Madeline shuddered visibly; Lydia was right. Had it gone on, they would have laughed and reminisced. They would have gone to a pub as though they'd finished a hard day's work. And she....killed them. And she liked it. Lydia's words did make sense....No. Madeline shook her head sharply. "No. You can't tell me this was right....it was so horrible..." Her features shifted as she struggled for words; she felt a familiar sensation building inside her as her eyes narrowed. "They deserved it. They brought it on themselves!" A smile worked its way onto her face. "They were evil and malicious, and deserved this cruel fate! They had to pay, and I made them!" She stood and approached the corpses. "I made them! I only wish they had not perished so easily. The way he squirmed when I cut him with his own knife..." She laughed gently at having bested her attackers with fear and suffering, just as they would have done to her. "How quickly such a man turns to terror when his own tools are turned against him..."

Leta's eyes glimmered as she saw the girl's pleasure of killing the men slowly resurfacing again. Lydia may have turned her into a vampire, but SHE would revel in the enjoyment of turning her in her own way. She smiled a more sinister smile. "Yes, and you did so with such skill...Tell me, do you know all the powers you possess" I bet you have many more abilities that you are not even aware of...Maybe I could help you foster those gifts," she quickly added, remembering to follow her own lies, "that I gave you.? Madeline replied, "I did not even know I could do the things I've done. I didn't even believe any of this was real until just a short time ago..."

Blood Sister

Date: 2012-07-29 23:38 EST
Leta said bluntly, "Have you noticed anything different' Things that you can do, or that you have sensed, that you couldn't before?" Madeline thought a moment. "I do seem to notice more. I'm sure I heard my servants turning in their beds. And I can see so clearly, even in the dark. I did not realize it was night at first." She gestured toward the desiccated man. "And this....I could....feel his blood, move it....tear it from him..." She trailed off, her calmness unraveling as she began to think of all she had just done.

Leta became terse, "No something more important. Something I can-". She stopped mid-sentence and corrected herself in a sweeter voice, "Something special in you that I can help you to learn and grow and develop into your own unique gifts. We each have a few different talents, you know. We will just have to find yours."

"But I do not even know what to look for," Madeline replied. "How will I-" She stopped abruptly, looking away. Why was Lydia here" Madeline was drawn here because of her 'nightmare.' Lydia couldn't have predicted that would happen. She looked at Lydia once more. "How is it that you are here" It seems so strange, even considering everything else."

Leta didn't need to tell her why she was there. The girl just wanted to know why Lydia was there. Why would Lydia be there" Of course..."Well, my dear, I felt as those it was my duty to watch over you. I brought you back into this world and I wanted to make sure you would be safe," she began to twist false compassion into manipulation, "and I was hoping to help you develop your new abilities."

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2012-07-29 23:51 EST
It did seem like the Lydia she met that fateful night, but something was not sitting quite right with her. "If you had been watching over me, why didn't you help me fight off those men" You don't know what I can do. I don't know what I can do. How could you be sure I would've been alright?" Her face grew serious. "I want to know the truth." Her eyes narrowed, looking straight into Lydia's. She felt a strange sensation as she said, "Tell me."

Leta's eyes narrowed. When Madeline looked at her and told her to tell her the truth, she could feel her feeble attempts to influence her and dominate her into telling her. Leta grew angry, but remembered herself, knowing that the poor stupid, stupid girl didn't know any better and probably didn't know what she was doing. She smiled and said sweetly, "My child, that is why I came" to look after you. I would have not allowed any harm to come to you. I was here if you would not be able to defend yourself, but I knew the power in you and I knew you would need to see that power for yourself" to see what you could accomplish. Imagine how much more you could accomplish if you allowed me the honor of helping you to find a way to develop your gifts."

Madeline thought for a moment. "I suppose you're right," she said. "I'm sorry. I'm just frightened and lost. If you wish to help me, I would welcome it." She saw the two corpses in the corner of her eye once more; she'd do anything to avoid something like that again. Her features warmed to Lydia. "But where do we begin?"

Leta smiled sweetly and looked at her as she said, "I'm glad you asked, my dear. Come with me." She put her arm around the girl and began to walk up the stairs and into the night with her. "I know the perfect person who can help??

Blood Sister

Date: 2012-12-15 09:07 EST
Chapter Five: The Baptism

Leta told the girl many fantastical stories of the power she could possess with the right training. Because the girl was so special, she would take her to someone even greater than herself to receive optimal training.

Leta did just as she was instructed. She brought the girl to the man, one of the elders in The Company as a favor to her own elder, who she had worked for almost four decades. He had ordered the magical book she had stolen, but when Leta delivered it, the book was blank. Leta foresaw that the girl, Madeline, was bound to the book. She imagined that she was connected to the book due to the previous owners botching a sacrificial spell on Madeline that she witnessed. When Leta told the man, he issued her to retrieve Madeline at once and bring her to him. Leta obliged, and she quickly found the girl and brought her to him.

Madeline recognized the Hotel Ste. Helene immediately, having visited before. She followed Lydia through the doors. It seemed no staff were about but it was just as well, since she would surely have drawn unfavorable attention with the splashes of crimson all over her dress. They continued up the stairs and to the third suite on the left. She'd never been in the suites before, but expected they were quite nice given the quality of the regular rooms. This was far from her mind tonight, however. The horrors she had witnessed (indeed, that she had created) were still fresh and left her listlessly following Lydia wherever she went. Lydia gestured to the door, and Madeline entered. As she stepped through, the door shut behind her. She turned; Lydia was nowhere to be seen.

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2012-12-15 17:05 EST
A man spoke. "Welcome, child." She turned sharply as the man came from around a corner. He was about six foot with blond hair and blue eyes. He wore the trappings of a gentleman, but his build spoke more to that of a farmer or laborer. "Do not be frightened. I mean you no harm. Please." He extended a hand toward a chair and gazed warmly into her blank and disinterested eyes. "Sit." Madeline obliged. He continued. "Your friend was wise to bring you to me. I assume she told you who I am and what I represent." Madeline nodded absently as he approached, carrying something. "Good. I believe we can help each other." He placed a book on the table in front of her. She looked at it, then back at him, puzzled. Their eyes met again as he said, "Open it. Tell me what you see." The cover was plain and unassuming. She took the cover in her fingertips and opened the book. As the first page became visible to her she gasped and dropped the cover. The book fell open and she saw the page plainly. There were strange, archaic symbols interspersed around several blocks of text; she did not immediately comprehend what she saw, as the words and images seemed to pulsate and sway with some kind of strange energy.

"I....what trickery is this?" she began. "The words move as though they were alive." The man smiled slightly before looking her over, seemingly noticing the mess for the first time. "Ah. Where are my manners" I'm told you had an....eventful night." Madeline turned her gaze aimlessly across the room, sinking back toward the numbness that had carried her this far. He took her hand and looked into her eyes, his face one of care and concern. "Come. I've had a bath drawn, and new clothing delivered." She stood without question and he led her to the bath. Several candles flickered around the room, each giving off the scent of lavender. "Please, take your time. I will be outside when you are ready to continue.? The door shut, and she slowly undressed. The blood had cooled but it still ignited the same feelings of disgust and disbelief. She piled the dress and undergarments crudely into a bin.

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2012-12-15 17:12 EST
She slid gently into the warm water and she moaned slightly as the heat slowly inched up her skin. The warmth of the bath and the lovely scent of the candles worked well to relax her, and within several minutes her mind was already coming back to the world. She began to think. How did this happen to her" Was it real" She pinched herself and did not wake; it was the stuff of nightmares, but it was all too real. She died, and yet she woke from death. She killed that woman, Sarah, drinking the last drops of her life. She brutally killed those men; they deserved to die, surely, but to tear one to shreds was something she would have expected a wild animal to be capable of, not a thin and graceful young woman such as herself. And the other man....she still could not comprehend what she had done to him. It was as though she grabbed his very life force with tremendous strength. She shuddered at the thought of sadistically slicing into his skin, prolonging his already considerable torment. Their blood, too, had tasted so sweet, so delicious that she could not stop herself from consuming every drop she could. She closed her eyes and sank beneath the water's surface, still thinking.

And how did Lydia know to find her there" Why would she have returned there" Had Lydia been following her" Maybe Lydia was just consumed with guilt and trying to watch over her; she had mentioned the dangers of sunlight, and perhaps there were many more that Madeline was not yet aware of. What even was she" A vampire" Was such a thing real after all" Lydia mentioned she would learn of the new gifts she now possessed. What did she mean' More questions for the strange man outside; she smiled slightly. Ordinarily if she were bathing in a hotel, the strange man would be in the tub with her, both of them under the pretense of washing off the sweat of their recently-concluded exercises, while in practice trying some new ones. It was then that she realized one of the gifts she had gained; upon opening her eyes, she saw that she was still underwater. She had not kept close track of time while so deep in thought but she had to have been underwater for several minutes at least. She then realized that she was not breathing. Perhaps she had not been since she awakened from death, and merely pretended to do so to soften the blow to her mind. She rose above the water, satisfied that she was at least presentable now that the blood was gone from her skin.

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2012-12-16 17:33 EST
True to his word, it at least appeared that the gentleman had remained outside. She dried herself and began to dress. The dress provided was a white evening gown, simple but well-made with fine materials. It showed much of the skin of her upper chest and shoulders, but tastefully so; it was quite like a gown she might have found in her own wardrobes, and that did much to put her further at ease. She stepped into the matching slippers and opened the door.

The man studied her as she entered the room, noting the precise and graceful movements as well as her figure in general. If he was pleased, however, it did not show. "Are you feeling better?" Madeline nodded. "Yes....it's still a lot to take in, but I have collected myself for the moment." She smoothed her dress a little. "Thank you, by the way. It is good to be rid of those....horrid..." Her voice wavered. The man stood and took her by the hands. "Come now, child. It is alright. You merely did what you had to do." He smiled. "Many would have done the same in your place." Madeline doubted that many could have done it in the same manner. "What has become of me?" she asked.

The man walked slowly around the room as he spoke. "Surely you accept that you are a vampire by now, yes?" She nodded, if weakly. "Good. You may have heard some things about our kind. Some are ridiculous superstitions. Some are true. Many lie somewhere in between." He gestured toward the bathroom. "Obviously, water does not hinder us as some folklore would have it. Stakes simply paralyze, and only if directly through the heart. Garlic" We merely sense odors more acutely than men. The crucifix?" He smiled as his hand entered his jacket, and out came a small cross. "I find it to be a delightful trophy." His expression became serious. "Fire is quite harmful to our kind. While you may find your body can recover quickly from most injury, burns will take rather a bit more time. Beware the sun. Should its light touch you, it will consume you in flame with great speed." He shuddered. "I only hope death comes more swiftly." He clasped his hands behind his back before continuing. "On the topic of recovery, you will no doubt recover from minor injury in mere moments. Cuts will close and bruises will fade before your eyes. Broken bones will set and heal in hours rather than weeks. Even the loss of a limb is a mere inconvenience for a matter of days. All of this is quickened further when consuming blood." He paused. "Blood. It is what you live for. It is your life. If you want to live a good life, I recommend the blood of humans. Animal blood is only just enough to prolong your survival, and offers nothing beyond that.?

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2012-12-16 18:02 EST
He stopped and turned to face her. "For those like us, human blood grants even greater benefit. Those of my clan are able to use the blood of humans to fuel magical abilities. Our power is limited only by our creativity and patience." He looked her over intently. "You were not sired by one of us, yet you are nothing like the vampire who sired you either." He motioned toward the book. "And you can read this text, even when I cannot. Nor can any of my kin. Its magic must have touched you somehow, bound itself to you and you alone. Please." He extended his arm toward the chair and looked at her. Their eyes met. She could not explain it, but every time she looked into his eyes she felt calm. She was rather envious of and even slightly attracted to their lustrous color. "Open the book. Tell me what you see." She opened the book once more. The swirling colors and swaying lines were less startling this time, and even began to subside until they were little more than faint shimmering. She skimmed the page; whatever the symbols were, she could make no sense of them. Undaunted, she blinked and resumed her study. As she focused intently on a set of symbols, the pulsating suddenly intensified. She gasped as the symbols began to burn with searing light and seemed to surge into her eyes. She recoiled sharply in her chair, slamming the book shut, but by then it was over.

The man stood still, simply observing events unfold. To him, she had looked over a blank page before closing the book. He waited for her to calm herself before asking, "What did you see?" She stammered, "It— They— The letters shone like the sun, and leaped from the pages..." She collected herself for a moment before opening the book; where the strange symbols had once been, there were now words she could clearly read and understand. "I can see words..." Her voice began to reflect some measure of excitement. "I can read this!" She read intently. It appeared that she had opened the book to a page describing something remarkably similar to what she had done to the second thug earlier. As she read the page, she began to feel a strange tingling sensation as the words began to vibrate. The tingling intensified along with the pulsating and flashing of the words as she neared the end of the page, but it was still not significant overall so she pressed on. As she read the final words, they began to surge and flash. She convulsed in pain. Her eyes shot wide and her back arched as she was filled with a sense of burning, as though her blood were on fire. She began to scream when a pillow was pulled forcibly over her face. She began to lash out with her arms as the pain continued to overwhelm her. Finally, she fell from the chair and lost consciousness.

Madeline St. Claire

Date: 2012-12-16 18:13 EST
She began to stir. The man took her gently by her shoulders. "It is alright. Be calm. It is over." She looked to him and felt herself at ease once more. "I hope you'll pardon the pillow, but we could not afford someone hearing your screams." She closed her eyes for a moment to further calm herself. When she opened them again, he helped her to stand and said, "Better" I think we've done enough for one night." Her neck itched, and she scratched it without thought. "Whatever other secrets this book holds will take time and patience to discover." She felt strange, as though her hunger was not quite fully satisfied anymore. Perhaps the book drained her strength somehow. "I have a man downstairs. He will take you to your home." She scratched her neck again; had she been bitten by a mosquito' The irony did not escape her notice. "I will call on you again very soon. I can help you learn to control and expand your power, but you must help me in return."

"Very well. Thank you..." She realized she did not know his name. "What did you say your name was?" He smiled slightly. "I did not. I am here as a mentor. For now, you may call me that." Madeline nodded; she was a stranger in a very, very strange world now and was not about to risk this man's guidance over a name. He opened the door and allowed her to pass through. "Goodnight, young Madeline. Gather your strength. You will need it.? The door closed as she began walking down the hall.