Once Awakened: Chapter Six

50 Years after previous chapter1

I opened my eyes and stepped out of my coffin. Looking around, I saw the glass of blood that Romulus often set out for me. I took it and swirled the blood with my finger, still warm. He must have just left it. I drank it slowly savoring the sweet flavor and immortal strength that I so craved. 2

Then I found my cloak and put it on. I often went hunting alone now. Romulus had no need to come. I found he was right, killing got easier with time and the regret I used to have almost made me laugh now. I was truly a killer. 3

I still told my victims what I was, still gave them the blood, still told them to close their eyes. But I did not cry over them, I merely left them in search of my next victim.4

And tonight I went out to do it again. Fifty years later, by human years I was an old woman, but I would be forever young, forever be in the body of an eighteen years old girl. And as I set out in search of one who could give me the blood I needed I didn’t care about these thoughts. I cared only for getting what I needed, a true predator. 5

I finally found one who I would have, a man of perhaps thirty-five years. Silently I went up behind him and grabbed his arms with a speed that would have shamed even the fastest mortal. Before he could scream I whispered into his ear 6

“Be silent and stop struggling, my grasp is unbreakable to a mortal.” When I said it he froze 7

“God save me.” He gasped.8

“Too late for that, I’m afraid.” I said “Will you run from me if I tell you the truth? Its always better to know.” 9

“No” he said in a voice that shook with fear. I turned him around so he could see my face. 10

“I’m going to kill you.” I said no whispering, no disguising it, just plain and simple. I was going to kill him. But the moment I said it he tried to break away and run, useless. 11

“You liar!” I hissed angrily “You said you wouldn't run! Are you such a coward?” That stopped him. “That’s better. Now, if you wish, I will give you a gift before I kill you. If you don’t want it then I’ll just kill you now and be done with it. Do you want my gift?” He looked at me suspiciously for a moment then asked 12

“What gift?” 13

“I will give you a taste of our blood, only if you want it though. I do not give to those who do not want my gifts.” 14

“Why? Why would you do it?”15

“I don’t know, I’ve always done it, no one has ever said no. Do you want my blood, you’re still going to die but it will be a lot less painful and our blood is sweet to mortals and immortals alike.”16

“Alright then,” the man answered “I’ll take it.” I pierced my tongue with my fangs and only when my mouth filled with blood did I allow it to heal. Then I kissed him allowing my blood to pour into his mouth. When our lips parted I watched as his eyes glazed over and he shook in my arms. Had I not held him he would have fallen with such force he would probably be dead. When he stood on his own again I asked 17

“And what did you see?” I asked him slowly, as one might ask a child something. He looked at me as though he had never really seen me before. 18

“Who is she?” he asked “That girl, the one with the blue eyes like yours?” Talia, he spoke of Talia. So he had seen her, the only kill I had ever truly regretted. 19

“Her name is Talia. She is the first one I ever killed. I wish you hadn’t seen her, but I can’t forget her. She haunts me.” He continued to look at me but something, pity maybe, crept into his eyes. 20

“Do not let me haunt you,” he said “do to me what you will, but do not dwell upon it.” 21

“Don’t worry, I never do that anymore.” I replied. I brushed his long hair out of the way and he shivered at my touch on his neck. I whispered into his ear “goodbye” and plunged my fangs into his neck. He cried out in pain and fell on his knees. I fell down with him and took every last drop of blood he had. When I finished his blood I let him drop to ground. I walked on in search of my prey, and as I did I felt none of the regret I felt so long ago. 22

When I returned to the castle I found Romulus in a room I had never seen before, an art studio. I was about to knock but he told me to come in. When I entered I saw he was painting and the picture was so beautiful. I was of me standing by a window staring at the moon. It was so detailed that I could almost read my thoughts in the picture. And as I looked around I saw many other pictures, pictures of forests, of palaces, of children, I even saw pictures of the sun. The only sun I would ever see and it was so 23

lifelike I fought the urge to hide. 24

The paintings were so realistic I almost believed if I stared at them long enough they would come to life. I felt that if I watched and listened I would hear the laughter of the children; see the rivers flow, watch the leaves fall from the trees. With my immortal eyes I could see much more details them any mortal and the details I saw stunned me. Romulus had left out nothing. 25

I heard him break me out of my daze, “Sithandra, how many did you kill?” 26

“I have killed five, my lord. Their blood strengthens me but is not anywhere near as strong or as sweet as yours.”27

He rose and came to me. And, softly stroking my cheek, he spoke to me. 28

“I can still give you fresh blood,” Romulus said “You need it I see it in your eyes. Drink from me, please take what you need.” He stood behind me and held my right hand with his but gave me his left to drink from.29

I took his wrist slowly and sank my fangs into the vein swallowing his blood as it poured into my mouth. But I did not need much. And as I pulled back from his wrist I cut my tongue and kissed his wrist healing the bite. And as I did I felt him kiss my neck and release my hand. I was about to leave but I wished to speak with him longer. 30

“My lord,” I asked31

“Yes, Sithandra,” Romulus said “you know you can stay in here this room is not private. Here, have a seat with me.” He 32

pointed to a chair and I sat in it. “My lord, could you teach me to paint like this? It’s amazing, please; I want to learn to do this.”33

“If you want me to teach you I shall,” Romulus answered “But it will take a while, a long while. We might be vampires but it still takes us time to learn things. Do you still wish to?” Of course I did, I didn’t care how long it took. To paint like this, so lifelike so detailed, oh I would do anything. 34

“Yes, my lord, I want to learn.”35

“Then tomorrow night we shall begin, for it’s to late tonight, and you can drink from me while I teach you, it will save time.” 36

“Thank you, my lord,” I said and kissed his hand, “Thank you so much.”37

He was true to his word, the next night Romulus was waiting when I stepped out of my coffin. He smiled warmly at me and held out both arms beckoning me. I went to him and he wrapped his arms around me 38

“Drink, my love,” Romulus said “and taste the lessons I can offer you.” And as I bit into his neck, drinking his blood, I tasted the lessons of which he spoke. All the paintings he had done, techniques for painting, and other information. I absorbed these lessons easily. I now knew the other reason he would have me drink from him, only Romulus could offer them.39

I pulled back from him and kissed his neck healing the bite. 40

“My love, you grow sweeter as every night passes.” Romulus said softly and smiled at me. 41

He led me to his studio and we spent the entire night there. He showed me how to paint simple pictures, trees, the moon, things like that. I also painted him as he had painted me. He said I had such talent, I should have 42

been taught earlier. And Romulus showed me a studio he rarely used, for he had more that one, and said I could use it for my own paintings. 43

“Thank so much, my lord.” I had said to him 44

“No, Sithandra,” Romulus replied “thank you, I have never seen anyone paint as well as you, and your paintings touch me so deeply with their beauty.” 45

We did this for about five years; I would drink from Romulus, with him passing all he knew into me. We only hunted once every few months, and when we did sometimes we went together sometimes not. My talent with a paintbrush increased greatly and Romulus though said I was as good as he was, I doubted this very much. But still, it was what he said.