Chapter Two

            The mist hadn’t returned and, for once, the sun was out and scowling down on the world. Dragging myself out of bed I got dressed, threw my phone, purse and keys into my bag and ran out of the door. Late again. I got to the bus stop just as the bus doors were closing and sprinted the last couple of paces knocking on the door. The driver noticed me and let me on. There were no seats left so I grabbed one of the poles and slumped against it. I bumped into someone and turned to say sorry, meeting a glare so powerful that I stepped backwards into someone else who pushed me back into the other girl. This wasn’t unusual; the people I’d bumped into were my old ‘friends’ Samantha and Emily. They’d stopped speaking to me since my dad won the money. It wasn’t jealousy, it was because my dad didn’t want me speaking to them anymore, he said they were a bad influence. I was going to ignore him but I told them what he said and they just stopped speaking to me.

            I battled through Monday and left quickly, bypassing the bus and wandering up towards the train station alone. The drab people of Glossop milled around staring at the floor and bustling aimlessly. Occasionally I noticed one of the rare people who seemed to be happy with their life floating around the town, which always freaked me out. I never understood why sunlight made people so depressed around there. They were depressed when it was sunny and depressed when it was overcast. I suppose it was just that valley, it sort of harbored hate.

            I ducked into the train station, I’d just seen Robert. We used to be friends but then he got new ones and they hated me. I stood behind one of the supporting pillars, almost praying they wouldn’t see me. Too late, they were coming towards me. I tried to act natural, sitting on the back of a bench, my feet on the seat but they headed straight for me. I lowered my head and tried not to flinch as one of Robert's cronies, a young lad with black hair and rosy cheeks, spat at my feet. Robert himself had never done nor said anything to me but that only made me more scared of him.

            “What are you doing here alone? Have you lost your little followers?” sneered the young lad.

            “They’re… busy…” I faltered, I knew it was strange for me to be seen without Emily and Sam and they knew I wasn’t telling the truth.

            “Don’t lie to us emo bitch!” shouted a willowy figure beside Robert. Robert remained silent, staring, his porcelain skin shining in the mocking sunlight. Then he stepped toward me, leaning in, breathing deeply, an apologetic yet almost hungry look in those grey eyes. When I couldn’t take it any longer I moved to push him away but he stepped backwards, shocked. “I don’t want your smell on me.” he whispered, barely audible and yet he looked pained. Then he was blocked from sight, the girl stood in front of me. Robert warned “Don‘t Sarah.”

            “Don’t you touch him!” she hissed and then my nose exploded with pain, I couldn’t breathe, my passages clogged with blood, I swallowed and looked up. Sarah’s face in mine, she spat at me, “Get it?!” she yelled then stood and looked around, the remaining four looked bewildered, Robert had disappeared.  The girl’s phone beeped, she glanced down, nodded at the others and they left. I was alone.

Chapter One

It was misty and cold; no surprise in that depressing little place but there was no point going out. I was bored out of my mind. I was the sort of person who absolutely hated being stuck inside, but then, I was the sort of person who hated a lot of things. Deciding on a film, I grabbed it off the shelf, put it on and sunk into my bed. The Little Vampire, I hadn’t seen this film in about five years. I prepared for a long day.

            Three films and seven hours later it was midnight. I jumped up to switch off the television. Wandering over to close the blind I noticed that the mist had cleared. I was itching to get out of the house. Grabbing a scarf and my coat I crept downstairs and towards the door, slipped into my shoes and left. Sneaking out was easy in that house; it was pretty big, not huge but the sort of house that screams money. We had never really had the need for more money, in fact, we were pretty well off, but then my dad won the lottery. £10 million. Bought the ticket as a dare. We gave loads to charity, paid off our debts and bought the house. I hated having so much money, it alienated me, but that’s what you get when your life is run by such an impulsive father.

            Once I was out of the house I felt so free. I loved the darkness, always had done and now I suppose always will. I just walked through the little village, keeping to the shadows in case someone saw me and told my dad. I used sneak out a lot, he hated it. I came to a little turning between two houses and followed the unkempt path towards Spring Bank, then stopped. Three cars I didn’t recognise were pulling up outside number 1. Finally! Someone was moving into that house, it had been up for sale for about two years and no-one had wanted to buy in such a remote area… but now there were new tenants. My mind told me to go and greet them, but something made me hang back, perhaps it was the wind blowing my hair into my face and

making my scarf flow out behind me, warning me back, or perhaps I thought they would think me weird for wandering around in the middle of the night. Even though they were moving at 3 in the morning. But whatever it was I didn’t move, I shifted behind the fence so I had a clear view of them and, silently, hardly breathing, I watched. Out of the first car an absolutely beautiful, yet slightly irritated looking young woman emerged, locking the car and peering in at the window of the second. Two equally stunning people climbed out of it, the girl with a nervous shudder and the boy grinning. Then finally, from the third car came two entirely flawless adults, the man walking over to the door and unlocking it and the woman following, they headed inside and then all I could see was the younger girl, a nervous smile toward the house.

            Then the wind changed. The smile faded, her face was turned towards the alley I was standing in. I was petrified. She seemed to see me, I realized I had poked my head above the fence, craning to get a better look, then I ducked, turned and ran. I wasn’t the sportiest of people and I used to avoid running at all costs but I was scared, I don’t know why. Maybe it was the way she automatically knew I was there; I thought she would have turned to look in my direction even if I was hidden. When I reached home I fumbled with my keys, dropping them twice before I managed to get into the house. Luckily, my dad was still asleep and I slipped upstairs into bed, after all, tomorrow was Monday and I had a holiday job so I had to get some sleep - my usual ritual of whole nights of reading couldn’t continue for long.

It's in the Blood - Prologue

My story begins a year ago. I was ordinary then, more or less. Not at all like the person I’ve become. Let me tell you how my life changed. Some of it may be hazy - my mortal memories aren’t as sharp as they could be. Yes. I’m immortal, creature of the night, demon, Vampire, whatever you wish to label me as. But as always, labels don’t stick forever. Someday we all have to die. Even us, the so called immortals, must have our days numbered. Labels can also change. I’ve met so many demons and creatures that call themselves vampires. I don’t think any of them are identical. I’ve met some that don’t drink blood; I’ve met some who spend their entire existence lusting after it. But I’ve met many who are almost ordinary, almost human. I tried to be like them at first. Then I tried other things. Now even I don’t know where I fit in. Not yet.