Chapter 4: My Thirst

I awoke again, this time from my thirst. My thirst for what, I had yet to realize. Sitting up in bed, I no longer felt pain or discomfort but was filled with energy. Lainey lay asleep beside me. I leaned over her, watching her breath. Long eyelashes flowing from the eyelids that covered her beautiful sea green eyes. Her jet black hair cascading over her shoulder and across my pillow. Closer I leaned smelling the sweet skin of her neck. Feelings of an insatiable thirst drew me closer still, till my lips touched her neck. She awakened, startled from the brush of my lips and sat up next to me. "Hey, are you feeling better? What time is it?" Lainey asked. Twelve-sixteen a.m. glowed neon green from the nightstand next to my bed.

My thoughts were a blur. Feelings were surfacing that I could not yet comprehend. Whatever these feelings were I felt frightened by them. And little did I know, for good reason. So I asked Lainey to leave, telling her I needed time alone to gather my thoughts. The truth being that I was afraid. Afraid of what? Hurting her? Maybe. I was so confused. As she left, puzzled and worried for me, I felt I needed to find this man Sebastian. I brushed my hair and caught a glimpse of my neck in the mirror. Amazed, my wound was but a mere speck. Gone...healed. I quickly threw on my clothes and ran out the door to my apartment. Hoping I would find Sebastian, I headed 4 blocks down to Frankie's bar where we had first met.

I stepped down the stairs from my apartment building onto the sidewalk. It was chilly but I wasn't cold. As my feet carried me quietly towards the bar, my thirst almost feeling like a hunger, would not be denied. Staring at the faces of the people I passed along the way, my thirst grew more and more intense. Two woman smiled as I passed them. Funny, I did not feel the hunger for them as I had the others.

Almost a block away from Frankie's, I saw Marc walking towards me. A good friend he was, we had known each other since high school. As we met on the sidewalk, in a friendly gesture, Marc grabbed my hand and held it as we walked together. I felt myself leading him down the alley next to Frankie's. He looked me in the eye not questioning me for the reason, but willingly following. Shoving him into the dirty wall next to a dumpster I kissed him hard. Biting his lip, ahhhh...the sweet taste of his blood filled my mouth. Before he could utter a sound in pain or question, I had moved to his neck and my teeth easily sunk into the soft flesh of his neck. His warm blood tasted so sweet and satisfying. No longer was I thirsty. Hearing laughter behind me, snapped me back to reality. I stood up, looking over Marc's lifeless body. Tears welled up and I felt as though I was choking, not able to catch my breath. What had I done?! I spun around to see who the laughter was coming from. Sebastian was there with a devious smile crossing his strikingly pale yet handsome face. Looking back at Marc again, I could not control my cries of horror at what I'd just done. I knelt next to Marc and Sebastian knelt beside me, smelling Marc's neck he would not drink of his blood, for Marc had already passed. "Never drink from someone who's heart has ceased to beat" he warned. My instincts told me to run, to get away. But I couldn't. Hate for Sebastian was growing, but I needed him. He took my hand, pulling me close and licking the blood stained corner of my mouth.

"Come my dear"...