From Stone To Ashes (Chapter 3)

Within the darkness of the mausoleum, Julia awoke. Her eyes shot open and her mouth curved slightly upwards in a hideous smile, fangs protruding. She felt the marble slab she lay on top of beneath her bare skin, but could not feel the iciness of it. She lay still, staring at the ceiling. She had no sense of identity, no sense that she was out of place. But she knew she was alone. She sat up quickly, an urge erupting inside of her. Where was everyone else? She needed someone to be with her in this dark place. She needed another body. She needed... something.1

In one fluid motion, she lifted herself off of the tall marble coffin. Julia could feel more stone and dirt beneath her feet as she started walking. At one point she heard a squishing sound as she stepped on a wet cloth. She made her way across the room to the far left wall and pressed herself up against the rugged stone. She ran her fingers across the walls bumps and cracks. Every touch, every sight, every sensation was enticing. Julia tiled her head up and saw how damp the ceiling was. She could hear mice just outside the walls. Everything was wonderful. She closed her eyes and smiled stupidly. 2

Quickly after, she felt a sharp sting in her mouth. Her teeth had sunken quite a way into her bottom lip. Slowly she lifted her teeth out and felt the blood begin to trickle down. She tasted the thick liquid in her mouth and felt no pain. Suddenly, a warm, electric feeling shot through her. She remembered this feeling very well, almost like the same thing had just happened. Before she knew it, she was leaning up against the stone wall sucking enthusiastically on her own lip. 3

"You're awake." a voice said from out of nowhere. Julia looked up. There was someone standing in the doorway.4

Zachary peered at the girl before him. He had no idea if he had just spoken what he thought. He stood completely still, in awe of the new vampire. Her dark auburn hair was shining as it flowed down her back, contrasting perfectly with her porcelain skin. Blood ran down her mouth and her questioning blue eyes were open wide. Before Zachary could think enough to form a complete sentence, the girl had pinned him to the wall with her forearm, feebly trying to crush his neck. 5

She made no attempt at talking. She peered aggressively into his eyes and held him up to study him. Zachary looked back at her purely intoxicating profile, but forced himself to look away. 'The siren...' he thought to himself.6

He easily pushed her arm away and forced her away from him, onto the ground. Her skin glowed as she fell on her side, lending her more of an innocent tone. As Zachary's eyes locked on the vampire, he compelled himself to force out the memories of the other one. He couldn't think of her. Not now.7

Julia pushed the hair in front of her eyes out the way as she got up off of the ground. She faced the man who was still near the mausoleum door. His whole appearance was dark. The aggressive look to Julia's face was gone. Now it was full of simple curiosity. "Who are you?" she asked in a low, melodic tone.8

Zachary looked at her. She didn't remember him, and she most likely didn't remember herself. He could see there had been a change in her. He knew this vampire was now nothing like the woman he killed.9

"My name is Zachary." he said. While looking at her, he remembered to have the decency to get her some clothes. He grabbed a rag from the corner near to where he was standing and offered it to the vampire. "Put this around you." he said gruffly.10

Julia did as she was told. With the rag around her, she took the first real look at the place she was in. Her eyes wandered about. It was a dark, damp, rather unwelcoming place. She looked over at the marble coffin where she once lay. "We're in a tomb." she remarked in a cautious manner.11

"You've been biting your lip." Zachary said, ignoring what she said. Julia put a hand to her lip and felt blood coming out of it. She now looked bewildered. Zachary shook his head slightly, finding humor in this. "If we all just bit ourselves to feed all the time, we would get shriveled up rather quickly. There's no nourishment in old pre-cycled blood at all."12

The new vampire protectively put her hand up in front of her and took a step back. "What do you mean?" she asked.13

"You're dead, like I am." Zachary responded cooly, taking a step toward her. "But to keep 'living' the way we are supposed to, we drink what keeps the real humans alive. Their blood."14

"I'm dead? I'm dead?!" Julia cried frantically.15

"Yes, you're dead." Zachary repeated. He took cautious steps toward his new vampire until he could put his hands on her quivering shoulders. "Now, do you remember your name?"16

The girl looked at him with wide, strained eyes. "J-...Ja-...Ju-...Jul-...Julia... Julia!"17

"Do you like that name?" Zachary asked patiently. 18

Julia looked around the room frantically and did not respond.19

"What do you want me to call you?" Zachary questioned.20

Julia looked down at the dirty marble floor and thought for a moment. "I don't know." she said quietly, miserably.21

On a flash instinct, Zachary wanted to hold this girl to him. He tried shaking the thought away. He kept her at arm's length, his hands on her shoulders still, starting to get lost in his own thoughts. Zachary gazed down at her. Even in her sadness she was beautiful. He hated how the rag covered her skin and the beautiful light it seemed to emanate. 'She's only a pawn', he tried reminding himself, 'a pawn to get at the amethyst I need desperately.' But Zachary wanted his companion back desperately too, and the similarities between her and the new vampire were unmistakable. 22

After a few moments spent trying to get his mind right, Zachary tilted her face up towards his. He looked at her intently. "Would you like me to name you, then?"23

Almost instantly, Julia pulled back into the darkness. Zachary looked at her curiously. He had frightened her somehow. However, through the shadows, Zachary could see the sad girl slightly nodding her head. She wanted a name. 24

Quickly, a name came to him. Without any hesitations, Zachary said "Anastasia. That's who you are now."25

The new vampire came forward into the now blue light that was flooding into the room. "I don't understand you." she said.26

"You don't have to understand me." Zachary said as he walked over to the marble coffin and pushed the top of it to the side. "But you may get to know me over time, whether you want to or not." The inside of the coffin was empty. There was enough opening between the coffin and the top itself for a human body to get in and out. "Now come, we have to be quick." Zachary beckoned.27

The vampire came to Zachary's side and peered into the stone coffin. Without words, Zachary took her hand and helped her inside. Once she was lying on her back, she looked up at Zachary, who looked unhappy himself.28

"Push the marble top off come night time. You will sleep in here during the day." Zachary looked to his right and saw the amethyst still lying on the marble top. He looked away, and then looked down at the vampire. "Tomorrow evening you will feed Anastasia. And then... the world will be yours."29

Zachary laughed at the humor of what he just said and slowly closed the coffin. The young vampire was entering her first hours of darkness. Come night, her rebirth would begin.30