• I stared with blank incomprehension at his face, distorted with grief.
    " This... wasn't supposed to happen..." He choked as he placed his head in his hands. A protective sadness washed through me.
    " What's wrong?" I whispered. He looked up at me and his eyes pleaded with something. Those beautiful, tortured gray eyes. I wanted to reach out to him, tell him it was all okay. But something inside of me assured me that all was not okay.
    His face felt vaguely familiar and I found my fingers probing the contours of those soft cheekbones I seemed to know so well. Who am I? What am I? Where am I? These questions slowly trickled upwards like a tide slowly rising over a bewildered bed of sand.
    Crimson eyes slashed red and hot through my mind, something sharp and red glinted from between curled lips. My body convulsed with the sudden shock of memories and the man in front of me merely began to sob again.
    Silhouettes of something distant and soft burned holes in my vision. A sudden thirst flared in my veins. Drink, I must drink, what must I drink?
    " Die... die... kill you... bloody... filth... die..." Chanted the ghostly voice in my mind, sending new memories. Blood spatter, along the walls, against the once pure grand piano. Two heads held up by long, thin fingers knotted through their hair. Their faces lost in eternal shock and revulsion. Long black hair wafted softly in a lazy breeze that had sifted through an open window.
    A sickly smile turned towards me and seemed only to stare at me.
    " Your lucky." Whispered the familiar voice. " I killed you first."
    I lept from where I lay, the womans eyes widened in horror. Something was happening, my body shook with anger... animosity... hatred as I tore towards the stunned murderer. My hands closed on her face, I could feel the lips trembling underneath. My fingers tightened against this magnificent face, the piano began to sing a silent song of mourn. Blood streamed down the pale skin as she whimpered in pain.
    " Your supposed to be dead..." simpered the woman in disbelief. Was I? All I new was this red mist that clouded everything. Precautions, hope, happiness, sadness, everything it cloaked. Anger pulsated through my veins, bloodlust pressed my fingers forwards.
    A crack sent the woman into horrified shrieks.
    " Sister... my sister... stop..." She screamed in bloodcurdling horror. Sister?
    My grip did not loosen, but instead it tightened. Her body flailed against me but my body felt as though it were made of stone. Then she went limp. The screaming muted and her body sagged like a torn up rag doll. I released her and her body crumpled easily onto the floor.
    The white dress that I was supposed to have worn was now stained a crimson red. The macabre scene that filled my eyes now did not frighten me. It excited me, I fell to my knees and scooped up the two severed heads. Smiling childishly at the piano that still tinkered its bloodbathed lullaby.
    Gossamer curtains reached out and curled softly around me, before returning back when the wind no longer held them in its control. I held the two shocked faces into my chest and felt a sickening pleasure.
    Now we could be together... forever.
    Tears had been streaming down my face. Merging with the sobs of the man before me.
    " Who are you?" I asked.
    " The one who did this to you." He cried, waving his hands towards me.
    " What did you do?"
    " Everything."
    " What is everything?"
    He looked up at me in pain.
    " Everything bad that has ever happened to you since that night. That's what." He whimpered.
    " The night... I killed her?" I questioned softly.
    " huh? What are you talking about?" He said, his head finally rising from the shelter of his hands. I stared blankly at him. How was I to understand what this strange man was talking about.
    " I'm sorry but I don't know who you are." I fluttered quickly. He sighed and heaved himself up. He looked at me thoughtfully then continued.
    " Shall I explain everything?" He asked, his eyebrows raising expectantly. It was odvious he was working hard to mask his grief.
    " I-if you could." I stammered at his sudden change in visage.
    He sighed again. And stood so suddenly I started. He moved swiftly towards the nearby window and seemed to calculate for a moment before opening his mouth too speak.
    " Your mother was named Maria Whitmoore. She was known from all over as the "Teller" I guess you could say. She could supposedly see into the future. Something humans seemed to fawn over to some strange degree." I nodded, sucking it all in eagerly. This was something even the other me didn't know, the person I was before tonight. The person who hadn't forgotten anything. It made me feel triumphant in a way.
    " She was very beautiful, long blonde curls and large sapphire eyes. But of course she was a night creature. And one exceptionally powerful one at that. She is considered the closest relative to our original "mother". Her blood is the purest. You see, over the decades things have happened. After vampires and people intermingled it was only a matter of time before an unwanted product arose. Of course, I'm pretty sure you know what I'm talking about?" He asked, looking at me again with probing eyes. I nodded quickly. They fell in love.
    " Maria lived a sheltered, and more then that encaged life. She was used as an icon, and idol. During the Renaissance she was asked many questions that she was pressured into answering about the future. Our kind was enraged at how they had treated her. To us she was basically a Queen. Pure blood had given her special gifts that us NORMAL vampires couldn't even dream. And here they were, using her to play their little Fortune Teller games.
    At that time my father was one of her most trusted servents. She confided in him everything that she thought and he kept it locked perfectly. I was young then. He would often come home and tell me stories about things that happened in the mansion, it was great for me.
    It wasn't until they announced her marriage that our feelings grew from rage to pure contempt. She was to be married off to some pompous Duke. The others felt it had gone far enough but I was too young to understand. And just like that, a set of twins was born."
    He seemed focused at something beyond the shattered glass of his window. The wall that blocked me now felt as thought it were wavering. Trying to liquify and reveal everything to me. I pushed harder and tried to break it down. What he was telling me was weakening whatever my mind was trying to hide.
    Soft billows of golden hair hung in picturesque perfection around a beautifully glowing face. Alabaster skin and pure, crystalline eyes gazed affectionately at my face. This face quickly melted away into nothingness and I found myself no longer in the warm study.


    The intimidating white walls that towered above her head shimmered dully in the pitch blackness of the night. Star smiled down on her allowed the moons light to carress her skin.
    " How am I supposed to get out of here?" She huffed helplessly. Her breath rose in visible white ghosts.
    She groaned impatiently at her own stupidity. She had tried so many times to leave this awful place but she didn't have any luck. Frustration sent her running madly along the wall. Her breathing didn't change and she didn't feel tired.
    The maids were no longer enough, already five of her butlers were hanged because of her false accusations. She couldn't keep pinning her dining experience on others. Especially since the only one left was Marcus.
    A flicker of two beautiful children lingered in her mind. Again fear came forwards as well. Twins were a bad omen, normal vampires didn't have twins. It was hard enough to put all ones energy into one child, but twins was terrifying. Twins ment a human was involved.
    Humans were so lucky, the reproduction process was so much easier for them. Their bodies were strong enough to handle even triplets! But she knew she had long since revelled in what she was.
    She could here a fox call to its mate, she could hear the all too steady beating of her own heart. And she could hear a sudden crash. Her head whipped in alarm at the close proximity of the sound. She wheeled around to find one of the meticulously tended rose bushed ruined.
    " s**t..!" Spat the person who lay stunned in the bush.
    " Are you okay?" She whispered.
    The form froze for a moment.
    " Yeah."
    " Phew, good. I thought I would have to explain this one too." She laughed.
    No reply. She stepped daintily towards the now flailing body.
    " Do you need help?" She asked politely.
    " No, no, I'm just fine!" Choked the voice.
    She shrugged. " Okay. I'll be just over here if you need me."
    Placing herself lightly on an ornate bench, she watched in amusement as the intruder tried to right himself. Once he did, she could scan all of his features thoroughly.
    He pulled himself off the bush and stared, disoriented and confused, at her.
    " Wow." He breathed. His eyes were wide as he seemed to drink her in, she fidgeted with the uncomfortable thought.
    " Are you going to get something for that?" She added, pointed towards the numerous beads of blood that converged over his skin. " The thorns must have hurt."
    He looked quickly from his arm to her face and became suddenly engrossed in the pain.
    "Aw man! Hurts! Hurts!" He howled and began dancing around the still courtyard. She threw her head back and laughed uproarously at the uncouth display.
    " Wait here." She gasped between giggles and she stood and ran inside. She had become an expert at sneaking around the mansion and it was easy to find the bathroom. Noiselessly she sneaked a roll of bandages from one of the shelves and dived back into the night.
    When she arrived back, she found the boy sitting crosslegged examining his numerous wounds.
    " Here." She tossed the bandages towards him. He looked bewildered.
    " Didn't you say you were going to help me?" He asked.
    She smiled mildly. " Didn't you say you didn't need it?"
    He clicked his tongue but reluctantly took the roll. Watching him as he roughly wrapped the bandage along his arm, she couldn't help but chuckle.
    " So..." he began. " Are you Maria Whitemoore?"
    " Yes."
    " Wow." He breathed again. " They weren't joking when they said you were beautiful."
    " Thank you." She laughed.
    " I didn't think I'd actually get to meet you. The other guys dared me to climb over the wall you see. Harder then it looks! Much harder!" He rambled, but caught himself and ended it quickly. " But I digress!"
    " Yes I know what you mean. I've tried so many times to get over it." His mouth twitched upwards slightly.
    " You? You've tried to leave this place, and go out there?" He stammered incredulously. Gesturing towards the outside world.
    " Yes." She sighed wistfully.
    He whistled in disbelief. " What?" She snapped.
    " Well, it's just that every girl in town wants to be like you. Your pretty, smart, rich..."
    " Don't ever want to be like me!" She snarled angrily. He paused for a moment.
    " I'm sorry." He whispered. The sharp tone to her voice must have offended him.
    " No. I'm sorry. That wasn't very lady-like of me. It's just that being me isn't all it's cracked up to be."
    " How?" He queried, odviously confused by my curt rebuttle. I scowled at him in annoyance.
    " Confidential." I smirked, his eyes narrowed.
    " Why so sour?" He asked, raising his eyebrows sarcastically.
    I ignored him and stood to head back inside. It had been an uneventful meeting that I was intent on forgetting. As quickly as possible, he was human.
    " Wait!" He called after me frantically.
    " What?!" I snarled back at him. All politeness had vanished since I knew I didn't need to bother being polite to this... human. "Have you fallen for me?" I scoffed caustically towards his suddenly red form.
    " What would you do if I have?" He said. It was like taking a pistol and shooting me point-blank. Bang. Kill me now, I pleaded with myself.
    I turned abruptly and headed quickly towards the suddenly inviting french doors. A strange warmth wrapped around my wrist, my skin crawled underneath it. I tried to pull it free but I find myself unable to without unleashing my sickening power.
    " Please wait." He pleaded.
    " No." I snapped.
    " Please."
    " No."
    " We're getting nowhere..."
    " Then let go."
    He smirked. " No."
    I found my whole body shaking in rage. Never in all my life had I ever been treated like this. I had always been touched as though I were a fragile vase. Easily broken. Even though the humans didn't understand the irony in their behaviour around me. THEY were the ones to be broken, didn't they get that?
    " Let. Go. Of. Me." I hissed between clenched teeth. I felt the warmth tighten.
    A flash of indignant anger sparked inside of me and I lost control. My hand came in contact with his cheek, sending him stumbling into yet another bush. He gazed up at me in complete shock.
    I glowered down at him and tears began to wet the horizons of my eyelids.
    " I hate you!" I screamed. A dim light lit above me.
    " Lady Maria?!" Cried a deep voice from above.
    " Marcus! Arrest this boy, he tried to violate me!" I whimpered between tears. A sickened Marcus appeared quickly in the door way and tore towards Alex. He yanked him roughly into the house and closed the doors delicately behind him. Smiling apologetically at me through the clear glass.
    I watched as they disappeared around a wall and I knew what was happening. Would they kill him? I thought and was strangely horrified at the thought.
    What was happening to me?