“So how did it go?” he asked her as soon as she’d come to see him.
“Well, she tasted blood like you wanted but no she didn’t taste yours, she tasted mine. She bit my arm but not on purpose but our blood back fires and sates though not for long she needs human blood and soon or she’s going to die for sure, and she still refuses to be called one of the damned. And honestly I think that’s what she wants. She misses her family and has unfinished business in the human world. She wants to make a deal with you, and she wants to talk to you.” she informed him.
He went to see her on that note. “You wanted to speak to me? He asked her not as a question. “I have unfinished business as your pet has already told you. I want to see my family and I know I can’t but I just want to look at them and see the look on their face when they find what their daughter has become, and I miss my sister. I’m sorry about her arm, I really am. But I want my family. I won’t taste any more blood until you bring them to me and you put your spell on them.” I made myself clear as to what I wanted.
“But_ I can’t, you know that it’s risky.” He pointed out.
“I know it is but please it’s what I want and if you took a risk getting me then you can do the same for her please. I want them to know that I’m sorry. Don’t you wish you could say those words to your own family, and besides they don’t have to see you, you can put a disorienting spell on them or something? If I’m going to be like this forever, then I don’t want to be lonely in my forever so they mine as well join me.” she made a point.
“Please, it’s all I want it’s all I ask, I want them to know.”
“No you don’t understand, what you’re asking me to do I can’t do then they’ll know we exist and that can’t be good.”
“But what about what you asked of me what you did to me. They’re probably already wondering what happened to their first born, and instead of losing one like you, I’m losing both. And you can just create another and I can’t. He probably brought me to you when he realized what he’d done and that’s his way of hiding me. Please I’ll lure her out and you pretend to kiss me and then she’ll catch your eye and then you can do it and get my mother too or she’ll be afraid, lie if you have to. Can’t you make them believe you? I’ll go with you. I’ll even under your guidance teach them both to hunt for themselves. I’ll do the rest if you just do that much.” I reassured him he wouldn’t be on his own for this.
“I knew you weren’t going to be easy going about this, but we can try and if she doesn’t learn to feed on her own then she’ll be disposed of. You’re lucky I was considerate of you, and you’re lucky I like you.” for her family she’d be cooperative it was pretty fair considering what he’d taken from her. She just hoped her sister would understand.

“Are you ready?” I asked him nervously.
“You’re already having second thoughts.” He guessed.
“Well it’s just that I don’t want her to see me like this,” especially my sister it’s not so much my mother but_” she broke off.
“But?” he probed her.
“But I feel selfish, just because I have to live this life doesn’t mean they do. It’s not so much the blood that bothers me, it’s taking blood from the innocents that have done no wrong that didn’t do anything to deserve what they got.” I informed him of my troubles. And besides, my sister is kind of crazy.”
“You think it will hurt them, but it won’t and they’re the ones that make it hurt them.”
“No, it’s not that_ I just thought they’d be more at peace knowing what happened to me. And I don’t even remember how I really came to be here, I mean it’s all a blur. When will I remember? I think about it all the time.”
“That’s not what I expected to hear. You’re more curious than hurt and more scared than not but for them not for you,” He reasoned with her.
“No,” I just I want to go back,” she emphasized, and it’s the fact that I can’t that scares me because we’re talking about forever. By the time I remember they’ll be dead. And I want my sister, but I don’t know if she’ll even understand me and why I did chose the life I did. But I didn’t choose this you chose it for me.”
“There’s no turning back now,” he told her surly,” time for the plan but there’ll be some changes.” He smiled wickedly at her.
“Run, just run and we’ll take it from there,” he promised her.
She did as she was told and ran. He could run a lot faster than her however. He reached out one long arm and grabbed her by the middle of her waist. This is all a part of the plan. He assured her.
“I don’t know how I ever came to trust you,” she hissed.
Just go with it, he told her, you’re doing great.
“Just_ let me go! Please,” she pleaded and a tear fell from her eye.
He put her down, and began to kiss her and her arms wrapped around him. She went around back to her sister’s window and knocked on it her sister Catherine’s eyes went wide.
“Mom, mom it’s Anna she’s back! She exclaimed.
“Calm down sister, I’m not here to stay but I hoped you’d come with me. Do I tell her? I thought to myself. Then a response came, no its better she not know what is to become of her. It wasn’t my voice but his.
I continued to speak: “Don’t be afraid, she assured the girl, I’m not going to hurt you.”
But she couldn’t hold her gaze to the girl for long. Somehow, the girl broke her gaze and the girl that was now a part of her soul shivered and thought: What am I doing, I am going to end up destroying this girl’s morals. This isn’t even me what was I thinking coming here? Her mind is already excited at the sight of me.
“I can’t stay here Catherine, that was her name, I have to go away I just wanted to see you again before_ before I destroy your life and give you mine is what I wanted to say but I didn’t.
“Listen to me Catherine, I am one of the damned, do you know what that means?” I asked her.
“Damned, what for?” I contemplated.
“I-I killed someone.” I stammered.
“What, why do you come to me then, I asked her.
“Because I want you to join me,” I said pointedly, I miss having you around.”
“No, no that can’t be true, that’s absurd, why, why me? Why now? Because_ she threw her arms around me, and jumped back when she saw him.
“Why are you so cold? She asked in her silent mind, what is he doing here, I’m scared sister. What does he want?”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,” he cut me off.
“Allow me to explain since she can’t.” he offered.
“You saw us, but we sought you out_ do you know what that means?”
All of a sudden she yelled at the man, in anger or more desperation to understand. “I’m not a child; I’m not an ignorant stupid child so stop treating me like one. I know what it means, I said in a calmer voice. You want me to join you, or more she does. I sighed, but I don’t know you, not any more. It’s just too hard to understand. He’s brainwashed you, and look what he’s done he’s made a servant out of you!”
She shot him a look and he was red in the face, by her retort.
“Catherine, Catherine don’t yell! She exclaimed. Someone might hear you!”
This isn’t going as planned, she’ll ruin us. He informed her as she tried to calm her fifteen year old sister. It wasn’t working apparently, not well enough. A woman entered Catherine’s room, then when she heard her daughter’s voice.
“Catherine her mother asked, who are you talking to? She wondered.
“Anna, my sister the one that disappeared years ago,” she’s here!” she was happy now almost proud that she found her after so long without her.
“What do you mean ‘here’? There’s no one here but us. She’s dead, remember?” her mother pressed.
They’d already moved on, she knew at the sound of her mother’s voice and she was just making it worse for every one by showing her face around here again. Especially as what she’d become, a vampire uh, the name disgusted her and she wondered if it even fit her anymore. Monster was more like it. I couldn’t see her any-more and she couldn’t see me anymore either because she couldn’t keep her mouth shut about her and couldn’t keep their secret. Why had she thought to let her sister in on this? “Let’s go,” I said sadly, I can tell when my presence isn’t wanted.” And with that, I left.

“Why me, why did you change me thinking I could get back at the assholes in this world, why only for that purpose and not something more?”
“Because there is nothing more to this life,” he said coldly, you kill you feed, you don’t get too close.”
“But why, why not get close?” She already knew why but she wanted to hear it from him. “People like us will use your loved ones against you,” he flinched when I touched his arm as if in pain so strong it felt like poison gas splashing everywhere it was hurting, as if that was the only way to make it stop. “They know how bad it hurts,” he pointed out but they don’t know enough about losing the one’s they hold dear.” He closed his eyes.
“What happened?” I asked him eagerly, hoping to know more.
So he sat back against the tree making him -self comfortable. “I just hope she didn’t follow you,” he said coldly,” I haven’t fed tonight at all.”
“I have painful memories, too, Anna,” more pain than what you’ve probably had in your whole life combined. You didn’t lose them, they aren’t gone they’re just distant but they aren’t dead,” he told her, and I didn’t change you for the reason you think. I’ve been through so much and I just needed a companion I just- I’m sorry to say that I’m not sorry for what I did to you. You have it easy compared to me,” he told her.
“What happened to them then?” she asked him. “You aren’t going to believe me even if I told you and I’d have to start at the beginning.” He told her, it’s a long story, and you aren’t going to believe me any way.”
He reasoned with her.
“Try me,” she challenged, and he smiled settling back into the comfort of the trees.
So he started at the very beginning of the story: “We’ve met before, your mother and I once when you were very little,” he began, your mother had a hard time conceiving a child,” he continued still, she was infertile and the doctor forbid her to try to even get pregnant, she didn’t listen and she ran off with him. She found out she was to have a girl and she was excited at first, she didn’t know anything about a second child she was to carry soon after the first.” He paused as if he couldn’t continue, and looked at her.
“It’s okay, I’m not afraid.” She informed him, because we can get through this, in fact I think we can get through anything.” She was so confident.
“You should be,” she looked at him confused. He found his voice again that he’d lost for a moment. She was so beautiful, he thought and brave too, damn when will I get a girl like her? But he didn’t say this out loud, but it was as if she’d heard or seen his expression or read his thought.
She leaned in close to his face whispering, “Don’t be afraid,” she pleaded, why do you have to be so tense all the time? You can kiss me its okay.” She assured him.
But he still didn’t meet her eye. “What are you so afraid of?”
“Nothing,” he said but the thought of a lie bothered him she could tell.
He continued, “Your mother didn’t want to carry a child of the damned and for years she feared it might happen,” he breathed, but it didn’t with you. But when she got pregnant a second time, one of the damned came to her she ignored him. But when she did give birth there was something about her new child that made her regret keeping her. Something that made her regret her ignorance of the intelligent man. So she sent the child your sister Catherine, to a Psychiatric Ward, where they put her in binds on a bed and she cried and no one came so she just lay there and when someone did come it was someone whose face she didn’t recognize.
Someone with red eyes, a cape and a desire to help her; he looked at her and she didn’t meet his eyes. When she did, she asked him what he wanted. To get you out to help you get back at them, every last one, take my hand child and you shall forget about pain and love and the kindness of your heart will turn cold and black. You will feel nothing.” He promised she and she accepted and he took her hand and kissed it and it turned to ice and her hearts warmth melted and also turned to ice.”
She interrupted him,” But who would want that? Why are you telling me this?” she wondered why she’d even asked.
“I’m getting to that, just be patient.” He promised her.
“That’s why you couldn’t touch her with your gaze her soul is in holding, she doesn’t have one when he touched her that night in The psychiatric Ward, he took her soul her warmth of her heart is gone. She is soul less. And everyone around her, everyone she touches becomes soul less, but listen to me Anna,” he looked at her, only a person like her can hold that much evil inside themselves.”
“What are you saying, she can’t be helped because my mom’s the reason she’s soul less.”
“No, I didn’t mean it like that_” I cut him off.
“Then what did you mean?” I snapped.
“Anna she’s distancing you from every one you love_” he started again until I broke him off a second time.
“I don’t love you,” I retorted maybe I did for a split second but what you’re asking me to do is not just hard, it’s impossible she’s inside me now and I won’t destroy that for you. I won’t kill her for you, she’s a part of me my family the only one who’s ever understood me.”
“She’s putting words in your mouth you don’t know what you’re saying_” he tried again, but eventually gave in.
“Maybe you’re the one who doesn’t just leave me alone!” I requested and left for somewhere farther away so she’d not have to return to where she’d been to face the truth. What he’d told her made so much sense…

So I went to find her, the girl the one he’d mentioned, and where you’re probably wondering? My old house, my old child hood house; they let her come back to live with them for a while, because they were afraid of her because they’d known what she’d become. But she’d left, to find me but I knew she’d be there now, probably sleeping or maybe not.
When I got there, her room was empty her bed freshly made as if she never slept in it. I knew why: they’d sent her somewhere else, to a psychiatric ward when she claimed that she’d seen me. So I was surprised to see her standing there outside already waiting for me.
I knew she wanted to tell me something, and I had a pretty good idea what it was, but I would listen because I wanted to get every last missed detail of what happened to my dad. “Hello Anna, how nice to see you,” she informed me, her evil venom like smile spreading across her face. “What do you want, Catherine?” I asked her. “I want to make you pay for hurting me, making them send me away.” She told her half-sister. “It’s your fault I am like this, after all. But maybe we can make up, and be friends again; however a little blood will have to be spilt for this.” She smiled again at her. Only this time Anna wasn’t looking at her, she refused to look at the girl who’d grown so evil, and the one she’d called her sister so many times, the name died on her tongue and the blood in her veins became chilled. “Don’t meet her eyes, don’t get too close, and don’t let her touch you,” a warning called out to her but the voice seemed distant, and far away. Her thoughts were interrupted.
“Okay,” she said calmly, “but first I want to know why you pointed your finger and accused dad. He was the only family I had at the time, and now he’s dead in prison.” She informed her half-sister. Her sister only smiled,” People like that don’t deserve to not feel sorry,” she told her sister. I did it because it was better than not doing anything.”
“Wait, wait you bit him?” I asked her.

“He was technically asking for it, but no I didn’t because I wanted him to pay for what he’d done and I wanted him to feel it.” She pointed out, all that pain you felt as he was hitting you, and I wanted him to feel what it was like to be the victim. In knowing what he’d done in letting his daughter fall to the damned? And knowing the other would soon follow suite. She had lost her smile; he killed himself in prison by his own hand.”
“What kind of sister are you?” I asked her in disgust.
“The worst kind,” she said, “but does it really matter where all the hate comes from? I did you a favor a lot more than you’ve ever thought to do for me. I hoped you’d come, when I was in that room, and It was so dark. I called for you, but you never came. I was scared then, but I’m not anymore I’m just cold.” And soon you will be too, the thought flashed quickly through her mind. “I can help you please let me,” I said, please.”
The girl laughed and it was cold and dry. “How, you can’t help now it’s too late for me,” she informed her, and I won’t let you.” She reached out and grabbed her step sister, Anna’s throat. She threw her backwards on the ground, and Anna stumbled. “This will only hurt for a second.” The girl promised, before removing the girl’s hair from her neck.
“Please, please don’t hurt me, I_ I didn’t know where they sent you, so I couldn’t help.” She informed the girl.
“That doesn’t change anything,” the girl told her but her fangs disappeared momentarily.
“They- lied, mom lied,” I informed her, whenever I asked about you she wouldn’t tell me where you’d gone_”
“It’s not entirely their fault; I shouldn’t have taken his hand_” she broke off when she heard heavy footsteps approaching from somewhere behind her.
“Whose hand, who’s done this to you?” I asked her.
“I choose to say no more,” she told her sister.
“You better not,” a voice said from behind her. Before she could say anything, a hand struck her in the side of the face, leaving bloody gashes behind. Catherine stumbled and it didn’t appear she’d be getting up any time soon. “Hello, Anna,” he said smiling. She recognized the man almost instantly. “It was you; you’ve been with me the entire time ever since the hanging of my father. In the forest, I informed you of my troubles with blood and the killing of innocents. I told you I wanted to see my family again, and you only accepted when I mentioned Christine. So you could use her. Did you make her point her finger to my father?” She asked him almost yelling.

When he didn’t answer, this made her more suspicious. “Did you?” she shouted and began to rapidly shake his shoulders, and she met his eyes, which were red then it all came into place. “Oh my God, you didn’t! She was even more devastated when it all began to make sense to her.
“You tried to use me, when you couldn’t use her, when you couldn’t get her to obey you. You’re the one who changed her, and made her damned, and you came to her and made her forget everything she ever cared about! How could you, she trusted you and you took advantage of her. You went to my mom, and she requested you to protect me, you’re the one who drew my blood, and you sent an innocent man to prison to pay for your crime. And you took her soul, but in turn what did she get? Answer me that. How will I ever forgive myself for this? You bit me and made me damned like her. You figured that if you had us both, no one would ever find her and the whole time I sided with you! I’ve never been so disgusted with myself. You wanted her to get me, and turn me cold, tearing open my families wounds in the process. But in turn, you got two pissed girl’s and when she tried to decide for herself when she finally decided what it was she wanted you threatened to return her to the ward. Who the hell are you; I don’t know you and you me. All you ever cared about was what you wanted, never thinking about anyone but yourself. What about me, you care about me, don’t you?”
“Of course, I do,” he told her.
“Bullshit, what do you want from me?” I asked.
“You still have a choice_” his voice broke off.
I knew where this was going, already, I didn’t need any hints.
“No, no I won’t give into you, ever again.” I promised him.
“What if you didn’t have a choice?” he asked her, waiting for her to answer.
“I- don’t,” she began to deny him. But even she was having second thoughts, but she wasn’t just going to get up and walk away from her sister not this time. She didn’t have the cold heart to do that again.
“Okay smart ass, what’s my other option?” she challenged him.
“You can still save her,” he told her.
“What, how?” I demanded.
“Sacrifice yourself; her soul is still in holding.”
“What do you mean sacrifice myself, and what do you mean, ‘in holding’?” she asked.
He didn’t answer her, and in an instant she knew. She had to sacrifice her blood, to save her sister’s soul which meant he had to bleed her and drink it. “That won’t work I’m already a vampire.” He already knew this, but knew she was lying. She looked more closely at him for the first time and noticed he was wearing thick, leather gloves. “Why are you wearing gloves?” she was even more suspicious and felt even more stupid for not noticing them before. He still didn’t answer her. So she went for his gloves to see if she could get a reaction from him. When I finally got the gloves away from him, I noticed one thing, the thing being his hands were covered in blood. He had killed, she guessed. “What did you do?!?!” she exclaimed in agony. “Let me explain, he tried, but she was not listening anymore. “You killed someone I know, who did you hurt? It better not have been my mother’s blood, or so help me_” her anger was about to the point of boiling over. “It’s not your mother’s its Catherine’s I just never washed my hands after I drew her blood. And really it was quite easy, you see_”
“Don’t, don’t you even say she was an easy girl, an easy target.”
“You want to save her don’t you he said, changing the subject to something no less scary than before.
“I’m not so sure,” she said, I don’t want to be cold like her, forever.” She shuddered at the thought of it.
“No?” he was taken aback by her answer, in fact Catherine practically begged for his gift.
“You heard me, I said no,” she said angrily.
“You don’t have a choice,” he informed her, what about Catherine?” He reminded her.
“What about her, she’s stupid and it’s her fault she’s in this mess.” She said with a sigh.
“Enough talk. What do you want from me?” she said with impatience making its way into her voice.
“I just want a taste,” he told her a smile made its way to his lips, and he waited.
“Uh, very funny,” and she began to walk away just to see his reaction to the rejection, Wait a minute, what?”
Catherine woke up and rubbed her head, and for a moment was disoriented with the room spinning around her. “What’s so funny?” I asked. He answered her instantly, “What you just got your friend in the middle of. You bit off more than you could chew. Now you have to let her in or let her go.”

“You know that’s not what I meant. I’m not actually going to bite you,” he promised her, “God no, I just need to bleed you into a goblet, and throw it down into the well and her soul will be freed, in turn for yours.” He informed her.
Catherine started to shift and said,” “No, no don’t do it!” she shouted.
She finally caved in. Not to her own accord of course. She walked over to him, and put both of her hands on his face, and tilted his face toward her neck. And she was taken aback when he shouted, “Stop!” And when he reached out for her, his hand touched her and whispered, ”You will feel nothing.” He promised, and her heart ceased to beat, and turned cold like her sister’s, only this time a lot colder. Her hearts warmth had melted turned to ice. And everything went black, he had them both now, under his spell and in the end he won. “What did that get you?” the girl’s words and also the words used by his mother many times. Revenge, after all he had won at his own game. He had come to terms with his obsession with her and her blood. He put his lips to her neck, and had a taste. In the end he had won and they had lost. “What did that get you?” the words of the girl echoed in his mind once more, and then died away.
Forget about love, forget about loss, embrace the love before all is lost or in the end be lost. Embrace love before you distance yourself from those you hold dear.
The End