Bitten

Hey, I didn't ASK to be a vampire slayer. I didn't exactly have a choice. Every female born into my family since God-knows-when has had that responsibility thrust upon her shoulders. No consent from the recipient; it's almost like those polka-dot underwear that your clueless aunt gives you every year for your birthday, only you can't just shove this "gift" into your underwear drawer, because it's your duty to exterminate all vampiric lifeforms. Vampires won't slay themselves.1

One of the more sucky aspects of being a vampire slayer is the hunt. It's the part where we have to parade around wielding a crossbow, or perhaps a huge wooden stake, and sometimes a huge crucifix (the police are often a problem with the first option), searching for the parasite in question. The reason it's such an undesirable way to spend a Saturday night is mostly due to the confusedly contemptuous stares I usually receive from the clueless bystanders. Of course, I always return their glares with a nice little glower of my own - and, on occasion, an impolite hand gesture - but that doesn't make me despise them any less.2

The hunt in question was particularly nasty, because on top of the fact that it was nearly pitch black out (the city was too cheap to light the obscure back roads I was sticking to), it was also raining. In addition to that, it was the night before Halloween, and there were countless things I'd rather be doing than chasing vampires.3

Aided only by the feeble glow of my flashlight and my acute nose, I'd already followed the trail of acrid vampire stench to a huge, warehouse-like building, inside which a costume party was taking place. I was standing outside, contemplating whether or not I could pass for someone who was dressed up for the coming holiday. I was simply wearing jeans and a white tee shirt, though my top was closer to a murky brown. My crossbow was slung over my back, and my hair was matted to my face by the pouring rain. I wasn't sure who I looked like, but I did look like I was dressed in a costume. Not a very tasteful one, perhaps, but a costume nonetheless. I pushed open the door and walked in.4

I could tell at once that I wasn't going to fit in at this party. First of all, everyone appeared to be wearing masquerade masks. Second, because the costumes were so amazingly intricate and beautiful that I was pretty certain they had been designed in New York.5

Sighing, I dragged my sodden self through the crowd, searching. I acquired many "Oh-my-God-I'm-so-much-better-than-you" looks from the snobs surrounding me. I averted my eyes, not wanting to betray how scared I was. No matter how many vampires I destroyed, the hunt never lost its thrill.6

"Hey!" I looked up at the familiarly loud voice calling through the crowd. The speaker was not hard to spot -- it was my best friend, Arina, easy to see with her Amy Winehouse hair.7

"I've been looking for you everywhere," my accomplice informed me. Her expression turned to one that was appalled. "What are you wearing?" she inquired.8

I sighed. I loved my friend, of course, but sometimes her rich breeding and untamed sense of fashion got on my nerves. "Ari, as my sidekick you will learn to curb your Prada sense."9

I didn't like to call her my sidekick, but that's really what she was. She didn't have the slaying-strength I was born with, so she didn't actually shoot bloodsuckers or stab them, or burn them or anything. But she had been gifted with a sense of smell almost as refined as my own, therefore she gave me tips as to where I could find a vampire.10

She smiled, ignoring my comment. "By the way, there's someone I'd like you to meet."11

All the while she'd been in front of me, I hadn't noticed the beautiful woman standing patiently behind her. The lady smiled, and I froze in fear. There was something wrong with her.12

She could win a beauty pageant. Her fair blond locks were styled in a complicated up-do. It cascaded down her slender neck and shoulders, contrasting sharply with the bloodred fabric of her beautiful off-the-shoulder dress. Around her eyes was painted a design in black paint. Her smile revealed shockingly white teeth. Her dark eyes betrayed no emotion.13

Her skin was deathly pale, and her teeth were a little too pointy. She was a vampire. 14

"It's great to meet you, Zoey," she smiled, oblivious to my analysis. "Ari's told me so much." She extended her hand invitingly. Yeah, right. Sure, I'll shake your hand! Careful of the wrist, make sure you don't bite it...15

Some sense pushed through my blinding terror, and by some miracle, I forced myself to smile. "I'm sorry, I don't know who you are." I tried to make my smile polite, but I didn't take her hand.16

She looked to Arina and chided, "You didn't tell her about your own sister?"17

I was frozen in shock once again. Of course, I knew Arina had an older sister; she was in college. What I hadn't been aware of was that she was a leech.18

"Well..." Ari was obviously uncomfortable. "Zo, this is my sister, Juliet. Juliet, this is my best friend Zoey Armageddon."19

I saw her eyebrows shoot up at my dark surname. I ignored it. I was bringing about Armageddon for the vampires (hopefully), so it fit. She recovered quickly. "Call me Jules." Her smile widened.20

I widened my grin in return, trying my best to stay clueless-looking, like everyone else at this party. "Okay!" Maybe that was a little over-confident. I'd need to try harder.21

"So, Zoey," Juliet was obviously trying to make conversation. "What do you like to do?"22

I was taken by surprise. Usually when I encountered a vampire, all they did was try to lure me into a dark corner so they could bite my neck. None of them had ever started with asking personal questions. So I stuttered, "Uh, well, um...I do some sports, I guess, and...reading. Lots of reading." That last part was true, at least. I didn't add that they were usually vampire "novels."23

"Really." It wasn't a question.24

Our attempt at conversation was interrupted by a cell phone ring. Jules smiled guiltily. "Sorry, that's me. Excuse me for a sec." She disappeared into the crowd.25

As soon as she was out of earshot, I rounded on Ari. "She's a vampire!" I exclaimed. How's that for news?26

"I know she is! But what was I supposed to do? I couldn't tell her I knew, or she'd kill me."27

That made sense. "Was she one last time you saw her?"28

"No. I guess she got bitten at school. Can vampires go to college?"29

"Yeah, if they're in control of their blood lust. Usually only the older ones can do that. Maybe she was just too tempting, or maybe the leech didn't go to school there..." I frowned. The many possibilities couldn't distract me from the fact that kept creeping into my mind.30

"We're going to have to kill her, you know."31

Ari took a deep breath. "I know."32

I stared deep into her eyes. "Will you let me?" It was her sister, though I didn't know if she could really be called that anymore. It seemed fit to ask permission.33

Though Ari looked like she was about to cry, she replied, "Yeah. I don't really have a choice, do I?"34

I shook my head. "No, not really." I was distracted my friend's sadness, but it was then that something came to me. "Ari...where is she?"35

Arina gasped. "I see her."36

I squinted through the mass of humans, following Ari's gaze.37

Her sister was in the far corner, smiling and flirting with a boy. My heart sank. As we watched, she said something, then led the unknowing guy out the big double-doors that was the open doorway to the real world.38

"Oh no," I whispered, fingering the string of my crossbow.39

We didn't need to speak to know what we were going to do. At almost exactly the same time, we began to shove our way through the crowd, headed for the doors. Most of the guests instinctively shied away from me and my grime anyway (also, my crossbow may have helped a little), so our pushing skills didn't get put to much use.40

Finally we reached the doorway. It was still raining, but the comforting metallic smell of the rain was completely washed away by the putrid stench of our leech. I wrinkled my nose, and Ari did the same, and we delved into the damp darkness.41

Tracking the thing that had been Ari's sister was not a difficult task. The stench was almost unbearable; she hadn't traveled far from her starting point. After just five minutes of searching, we found her.42

They were sitting on a bench, not doing anything in particular. I found this very peculiar. What was wrong with her? I mean, I wasn't saying there was anything bad about the boy still being alive, but something was up.43

Then they started to lean into each other, and I knew very well what would happen in just a matter of time. I couldn't let her get him.44

"Okay, Jules," I stepped from the shadows, my heart pounding, "let him go."45

She looked up at me in surprised hatred, but quickly erased the hatred part. "Zoey! How did you find me?" Her victim looked up too -- he appeared to be drunk.46

I fingered the wooden stake that was laced through my belt loops. I'd have to use that, since the crossbow was only for sneak attacks. "Listen, Jules. I know what you are, okay? I'm here to kill you." This part was going to sound Buffy-tastic. "I'm a vampire slayer."47

She laughed -- a high, girly sound. "Zoey, you don't understand! I'm different! I don't want to feed on humans. I was one, until just a little while ago. I love them. I only feed on animals." She smiled at the boy she was wooing. "I was just being a girl."48

"I'm only fourteen, but I've slain plenty of vampires. And most of them had more convincing acts then you do."49

"Maybe she's telling the truth," Arina's voice in my ear whispered.50

"Ari, no. She's lying. She's a vampire. She's not your sister anymore." I tried my best to convince her.51

Arina looked sad, but I had to ignore that. I needed to kill this leech.52

I already had a plan. I'd had one from the moment I saw them on the bench. Slowly, I walked over to the couple, and put my hand on the shoulder of the human, trying to get sense into his drunkenly hazy mind.53

"Okay. Do you know who this is?" He shook his head. There's a surprise. "She's a vampire. You know, like Dracula?" He looked blank. I sighed. "Here, I'll prove it."54

And I took out the stake, stabbing Ari's sister in the heart. My eyes never left the boy's face.55

They stayed glued to his face during Juliet's little gasp of surprise, or Arina's bloodcurdling scream of internal agony. Only when I felt a sharp pain in my wrist did I whirl around.56

Jules was smiling in an evil manner that made my skin crawl. A little trail of blood snaked down her chin.57

My blood.58

Now it was my turn to gasp. She'd bitten me. The only way to be turned into a vampire was to have a leech suck blood from one of your major veins. That's what Juliet had just done.59

The vampire's voice was raspy and quiet. She was dying, but managed to make a last speech. "You're right, Zoey. I'm not different. I crave human blood just as much as the rest of my kind. You know what? Your blood was the sweetest I've ever tasted." She grinned nastily. "Goodbye, little vampire." With that, she burst into flames and was gone forever.60

I could hear Ari's sobbing. I could hear the boy's screams. I could hear the rain pattering down all around me. I could hear them, but they were vague. I was staring at the cut on my wrist, which was still bleeding. Eventually, however, it would stop, as would the rest of the blood in my body. It would dry up, and I'd be trying for the rest of eternity to get it back. I'd steal other people's blood, and their lives as well.61

I stood up. I couldn't stay here. So I walked away. I walked away from my bushy-haired best friend, away from the terrified witness, away from my vampire slaying.62

I was starting a new life. I'd become my enemy. I was a vampire.