《Vampire Life: Sara》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    A person would think that walking at night would be perfectly safe in most cases.  I would say the same; however, there is always that rare occasion in which you encounter something unique.  I experienced such an occasion while walking down an old dirt road.  I technically walked on what would be considered the median.  This median remained relatively flat without any significant vertical deviation, which made my stroll much easier.  However, at two o¡¯clock in the morning, one does not expect much traffic.  Unfortunately, I found this not the case tonight.


    You see, I had taken an excursion toward one of the new covens that had been established recently.  The Council had intentionally chosen the new location with care.  I walked toward a sprawling fifty-acre piece of land.  This new group was an expansion of a much larger coven.  The Council chose a relatively new leader but with sufficient experience to guide this new coven to prosperity. Even with that in mind, a small amount of assistance to make sure nothing terrible happened never hurt.  I decided that instead of taking flight, I would simply walk and enjoy the cool air.  There are times when traveling in my human form has its advantages.  I took a moment and looked up at the sky. I examined what seemed like an ink of black tar floating above me.   My travels took me far from city lights so I could enjoy the stars during my time.  These specks of dust that sprinkled the canvas above seemed as though sands of light poured away from the earth.  However, the stars became obscured by a set of bright headlights illuminating the path of a car.  Even at a distance, the lights wobbled a little bit erratically.  However, I found a problem lurking in my future. As the vehicle came closer, I realized that the velocity at which the vehicle traveled remained not in excess but moved quicker than what I would consider safe at this particular time of night.


    As the car approached, I noticed that the vehicle veered from side to side occasionally.  As the car loomed even closer, the driver suddenly decided to turn off the road. Even though many miles of road stretch in both directions, yet the occupant veered off precisely where I happened to be walking.


    From the momentary glance I took toward the driver, she concentrated on her cell phone, either texting or talking. As the car veered in my direction, time seemed to dilate, which was not an illusion of the mind but simply that my reaction time far exceeded that of any human. As time began to slow, I realized the trajectory of the vehicle aimed at an ancient tree.  The gnarled branches extended far in the velvet darkness, reaching for those specks of bright sand.  With centuries of rain and nutrients,  the trunk had grown rather large.


    Quickly I estimated that the motorist would not survive a direct strike with this object.  Unfortunately, the situation forced me to make a choice.   My choice became to move out of the way, which I possessed more than enough speed to do or let the car me.  I could use that to change the direction of the vehicle away from the tree. Being a Keeper came with obligations. I am to protect both vampires as well as humans from each other and themselves.


    In the end, I had no choice but to let the car hit me. With that in mind, I positioned myself to do the minimal amount of damage to the vehicle but push the trajectory sufficiently to miss the massive obstacle in the path. I could not have anticipated the young drive pressing the accelerator, which caused the vehicle to move faster than I had initially thought.  The addition of speed meant I would have to absorb an even more significant amount of energy to redirect the vehicle. In the end, as the car struck me, I  succeeded in directing the vehicle far enough away from the tree, so no major damage was sustained.


    However, this impact sent me flying through the air with a fair amount of speed.  I chose to be hit by the front side panel of the vehicle, which projected me in the direction of yet another obstacle. I sent the car into the barbed wire fence, which would absorb the energy and slow the vehicle down a little bit.  I was not as lucky. I flew toward the pipe fence that was old and rusted.  As I struck the piping, I felt the material give way. This was most painful at the velocity at which I traveled.  The more detrimental part of the impact turned out to be the angle I hit the pipe. This caused the pipe to break. A sharp extrusion formed and successfully pierced my upper back that left me hanging slightly above the ground from my torso. Even though I could not die, the Gods of Old did not give me an option not to feel pain. Even after millennia, sometimes the shock of pain can still distract you for a moment. While I hung gathering my senses, the driver successfully extricated herself from the vehicle. Luckily she was relatively unharmed, excluding a bruise or a scratch. She instinctively hunted for the object that she struck.  She quickly found me hanging from a fence with an iron pipe protruding from my chest. Even though she seemed rather intoxicated, the adrenaline definitely helped her focus. She tried to find her cell phone in order to call for medical assistance.  Luckily for me, the phone had been sent flying after the impact.  After only a few moments, I gathered myself enough to realize the driver was experiencing sheer panic.


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    Gently I asked, ¡°What is your name?


    Without truly seeing me, she responded with a squeak, ¡°Sara.¡±


    ¡°Sara. A very nice name.  Please come closer to me.  I will not hurt you¡±, I asked with the same gentle tone.  As she approached cautiously, the true level of panic became evident. ¡°Sara, look at me. Now take a deep breath.  You are in shock and having a panic attack.  I assure you, that is not necessary.¡±


    She looked into my eyes and took a deep breath.   As some of the panic subsided, the fact I had a pipe through my torso sank in.  ¡°We have to get you help.  I can¡¯t find my cell phone, but I will keep searching for it.¡±  Even though she contained less panic, she still spoke very fast, and her words tumbled over themselves.


    ¡°That will not be necessary, Sara.  I do thank you, however, for checking on me.  Now, if you will simply turn around for a moment, I need to extricate myself from this pointy situation¡±, I said with a slight smile.  Shock roiled her face, but she did as I requested.  I put my feet and hands in the appropriate places and pushed myself off of the pole.  ¡°That is better.  Now you may turn back around Sara.¡±  I fully expected to be pelted with questions once she did.


    Once turned around, Sara¡¯s jaw dropped open like a ton of bricks.  Even intoxicated as she was, the facts that struck her eyes were not lost on her.  ¡°That is impossible.  No one can just get up like that and survive.  You should be dead!¡±


    I smiled slightly and replied, ¡°you are one hundred percent right.  Good thing for me, I already am.¡±   Even though I knew she would not understand the implications of my last statement, I enjoyed the look of confusion that slid across her face.  ¡°I tell you what.  Your car does not look like it is in any condition to drive.  For that matter, neither do you.  With your permission, I would like to pick you up and carry you to a safe place.  It is not far from here, and it would give you a chance to rest.¡±


    ¡°Carry me?  How can you do that after having a pole through you?   Besides, I am in better condition than you think¡±, she replied with conviction.  Even though she truly believed what she spoke, I knew from experience that the adrenaline would burn off quickly.  This would leave her in a weak state.


    I took a few steps slowly toward her.  I made no fast movement or aggressive actions so as not to cause her more distress.  ¡°I know you believe you are alright. However, I can tell you that the shock and adrenaline will catch up to you shortly.  I am simply offering an alternative.  If you wish to walk with me, you are most welcome to do so.¡±  I knew that within the next ten minutes or so, she would crash, and arguing with her at this point would prove fruitless.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± She asked.


    ¡°About a mile up this road to a house.  You will be able to rest and find sustenance there.  So will I.  I do not wish to leave you here alone on the side of the road in the dark.  Please accept my offer¡±, I said as I willed her to follow me.  I would not force her, but my concern for her well-being was genuine.


    After taking stock of her situation and lack of other options, she finally agreed.  Falling into step with me, we began a mostly silent trek to the coven.  Sara had a great many things to process, so I let her contemplate as we walked.  As I expected, about ten minutes into the walk, she stumbled and almost fell.  She recovered but stopped walking.


    ¡°I think you are right about being tired,¡± Sara said suddenly.


    She fell to the ground but never made it all the way.  I anticipated this outcome and with the speed born of my kind, I simply caught her while swinging her up into my arms. After she laid her head upon my shoulder for just a moment, I could tell that exhaustion took over. This provided me more than one advantage. The first benefit became the lack of need to be concerned with her health temporarily.  Secondarily, this allowed me to travel at a much greater speed.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    We arrived at the coven within mere moments. With basic greetings I explained the circumstances in which I had found myself just prior to arrival. This coven was well equipped for humans. The previous coven maintained a human population. I was directed to a bedroom where I could lay Sara down for rest. Sara woke shortly after arrival. I requested sustenance for her in advance of her waking. The provisions that appeared were a simple sandwich and a glass of water. Bringing this to her and setting it on the side table next to her bed I inquired.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    Slowly she sat up. ¡°I think I¡¯m ok. I¡¯m a little sore but I don¡¯t think anything is broken. Where are we?¡±


    I smiled and gently told her, ¡°you are currently in the country about a quarter mile from where we were. You have only been unconscious for about thirty minutes. While I waited for you to wake up I requested a sandwich and some water for you. You are more than welcome to partake.¡±


    As she picked up the sandwich and took a bite, I could see the curiosity burning within her. Luckily for me there was very little fear. ¡°I suppose I have a little bit of explaining to do. Let me start by saying that everything you saw was real. Neither generated by your imagination nor created from shock. Even though I have changed shirts and my wounds have healed, I became impaled upon a steel pipe. Now that you are no longer in shock or as intoxicated as you once were, I can explain further why.¡± Rather than standing the entire time, I walked across the room and sat in a chair. She continued eating her sandwich and drinking water on the edge of the bed.


    ¡°Let me preface this explanation with a few things in advance. The first one being that there are things in this world that have been made out to be fiction or mythology. In some cases that was intentional, however this does not change reality. Reality can be a little disconcerting so please do not fear for your life or for your safety. I hope that I have proven by now that those two things are my top priority.


    You were wondering how a man was able to extract himself from a steel pipe and still live to tell the tale. You also mentioned that I should not be among the living. This proves where reality takes a slight twist from what you might believe. Few entities in this world can heal themselves rapidly. One of those creatures sets before you now.


    I shall be the first to inform you that the creature¡¯s mythology known as a vampire does have truth within. They have existed for millennia but remain hidden from the human world. Of course anyone can say that a vampire exists however I am willing to provide proof. As proof I provide myself because a vampire sets before you.


    Most humans fear vampires. They are afraid that we wish to kill them. Many movies and books have portrayed us as monsters. Yes, blood is required, and human blood provides more power than that of an animal. However, most vampires stopped taking blood from humans without consent. Over time we developed more efficient and humane methods. Today we ask humans to provide us with blood voluntarily. In return for their blood, we offer services such as healing. There are actually many humans that know we exist and they provide assistance each day¡±, I said. As my voice faded from the room I knew she still had not absorbed everything yet. However, time would resolve this issue for her.


    ¡°I believe you. I also believe that you won¡¯t hurt me. Is everyone here a vampire?¡±, she asked. Sara still exhibited calm that would only last until she actually faced the reality of a vampire. Seeing a vampire with fangs exposed would be a completely different ordeal.


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    ¡°Not all in this coven are human and not all are vampire. Let me digress for just a moment. How are you feeling? A sandwich and water only helps so much¡°, I asked gently.


    Sara took a moment to assess the question and give me a complete answer. ¡°I¡¯m extremely sore. My chest hurts where I hit the door I think. There is pain in my back and my neck but I think that is normal. Do you have any medicine here that I can take?¡±


    I chuckled slightly at the question of medication. She didn¡¯t know that I could heal her completely in a matter of seconds. With this in mind I made the offer. ¡°We have no need for medication here at the coven. Any injuries both minor and life-threatening, are handled quite easily. Let me make this offer to you. You have the right to refuse and I will not force anything upon you. If you wish to be healed completely, simply drink this,¡± I said. I extracted a small vial of a red liquid out of my pocket. I carried several on hand for this very reason. Held within this small glass tube resided blood I donated. My blood had far more potency than that of any other vampire in the area.


    With a single look at the vial she recognized that the vessel contained blood. Due to the potency of my blood, only a small amount was required. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that all I need to do is drink that and I will be healed?¡±


    ¡°Yes. This small amount will provide you with more healing than your body needs at this time.¡± I said as I proffered the vial in her direction.


    Sara slowly reached out and took the vial from me. I did not see any fear or disgust in her eyes, but I did see confusion. She obviously did not understand how something of such small quantity could heal her. To my surprise she asked no further questions. Sara simply opened the vial and poured the contents into her mouth. Not long afterward the power held within flowed through her veins.


    Sara¡¯s eyes glowed very slightly as the power surged through her body. Even though not visible from the outside, I knew that all of her injuries, bruises, and damage just healed themselves. A small look of shock on her face surfaced.


    Suddenly a burning question struck Sara. ¡°Oh my God, I just drank vampire blood! Does that mean I¡¯m going to become a vampire now?¡±


    With a chuckle and a smile I simply replied, ¡°No. That process takes more than just drinking a vampire¡¯s blood to take place. I am surprised however how quickly you drank the contents without question.¡±


    Sara smiled slightly and responded, ¡°I knew how bad it was going to hurt in the morning. I was not looking forward to that and medicine is medicine.¡±


    ¡°You are quite accurate. How do you feel now?¡± I asked.


    Sara contemplated the question again for just a moment and then with a smile said, ¡°I feel strange. My skin tingles and I feel very warm inside. I feel like I could run a marathon and not even be breathing hard.¡±


    Keeping the smile upon my face, I responded, ¡°you probably could run a marathon but I don¡¯t guarantee you wouldn¡¯t be breathing hard.¡± I laughed a little afterwards at the thought.


    ¡°You are welcome to stay the night here until light returns. At that point I can take you home or I can call you a cab should you wish.¡±

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    Shortly after our conversation, I provided Sara with my cell phone in order to call her parents. Unfortunately, Sara found herself unable to reach her parents which forced her to leave a voicemail. We continued to chat about various information in regards to the vampire world. I also found out more in regards to Sara¡¯s life. Some of the information she provided regarding her day to day activity including the relationship with her parents disconcerted me in general. However, I knew very little about the societal norms between a parent and a child in the human society that raged around me. I simply stayed absent of the human world as much as possible. however on occasion such as this, I took the opportunity to learn more. As time passed I began to question whether or not her parents would get the information that she had provided in the voicemail. We found that the information was received but not prioritized . Within about an hour my phone rang with a number that I recognized.


    I slid my finger across the screen to indicate that I wish to answer the call. ¡°Hello, my name is Charles. Is this Sara¡¯s parents?¡± I simply started the conversation with.


    ¡°Yes we have a daughter by the name of Sara. We received a message that she had been in an accident and to call this number. May we ask who is speaking and where our daughter is?¡±, came the frank but polite question.


    ¡°As I said, my name is Charles. Your daughter is here with me both safe and unharmed. We encountered each other during an accident last night. I will let her explain the circumstances. If you will hold on one moment, I will hand the phone to her.¡±, I responded with equally polite tones. As I looked over at Sara, I noticed that she exhibited a pallor already as white as a vampire. I could sense the fear and apprehension rolling across the room. With an outstretched hand, I proffered the phone.


    With a shaking hand, she took the phone from me. ¡°Hello Father¡±, escaped from her lips. Even though she held the phone to her ear I could very easily hear the conversation.


    ¡°Sara, the man on the phone told me that you were in an accident. Is this true?¡± came a terse set of words from the receiver.


    ¡°Yes Father¡±, came a scared voice from Sara.


    ¡°What  happened  Sara?¡± the father asked very tersely with mild aggression.


    ¡°I was driving down the road last night and I looked at my cell phone for just a moment. When I looked back up there was a man standing on the side of the road. I lost control of the car and ended up going through a barbed wire fence. He was kind enough to provide me with shelter for the night.¡±, Sara said very softly and meekly.


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    ¡°Where is the car? Is a damaged? Why did you just not drive it home?¡±, came a rapid sequence of questions from her father.


    ¡°The car was broken and I couldn¡¯t drive it home. It is right up the road from where I am now. I am so sorry father.¡±, she said almost in tears.


    By this time I expected very little from the father in way of concern for his daughter¡¯s wellbeing. However, I will admit that surprise caught me with the next statements.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that you wrecked the car. That will cost us a fortune to fix. Have this Charles person send me the address of where the car is and I will have it towed back to the repair shop. I am very very disappointed in you because you knew that it is dangerous to drive at night but more importantly that the car you drove was priceless. Obviously you¡¯re going to be grounded when you get home. As for you getting back home, you put yourself into this mess and now you must figure out a way to get out. I will not come to get you so don¡¯t ask.¡±, came a very short and angry response.


    ¡°But?¡±, came a confused voice from Sara as the line disconnected.


    Sara silently handed back my phone. She was visibly upset. I found myself a little bit distraught as well. Though I had limited interaction with humans and even less interaction with human parents, I found the situation difficult to comprehend. Sara¡¯s parents came across more concerned in regards to the vehicle than their offspring. But from the reaction of Sara, this seemed to be normal within her life. She did not shed a tear.


    ¡°Sara? Before you explain, keep in mind that I could hear both sides of the conversation. Vampire hearing does have its advantages. I am not well versed in human society or customs however this does seem to be a little bit odd to me. Please do not worry about getting home. I will be more than happy to take you to your residence.¡±, I said with what I hoped to be kindness and understanding. I knew at this point that she would not be receiving that from her parental units so I tried to provide as much as possible.


    ¡°They are not due back till tomorrow anyway. They have no idea when I come and go most of the time. Most of my day is spent at the house with the staff. In some ways they¡¯re more like family then my parents. As for his reaction, I was actually expecting much worse. I think the only reason he did not yell more and call me names was simply because he knew that you were here.¡± she said.


    I pondered for a moment the next best options for Sara. ¡°Well if your parents will not return until tomorrow, I do not see the point in rushing to get you back to an empty house. You are perfectly safe here and no harm will befall you. Let us continue your education in regards to my world. I know you still have a million questions¡±, I said with a slight smile. Sara smiled back and seemed to feel better at the prospect of learning more about a world she did not even know existed twenty-four hours ago.


    She indeed had more than a million questions to ask. I took her downstairs and introduced her to some of the humans within the coven. She immediately bonded to one of the older females. I had a feeling that the reason stemmed from the almost motherly attention Darla provided. Darla instantly took charge of Sara and provided for all of the needs that the child had. After about an hour, Sara returned to the room in which she slept the night before. She found me sitting in the chair starting into the distance. Sara had showered and wore clean clothing. The clothing from the previous night lay folded neatly on the bed both clean and pressed.

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    ¡°Charles? Are you just going to sit in here all day?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Unlike humans, vampires do not need to move as much. I have sat in the same location for weeks at a time. In this case, I have been taking the opportunity to figure out what the proper next step would be in regards to you. I think tomorrow morning once you arise, we will make sure that your parents are home. I have had a vehicle brought here for our use. Have you spoken with any of the vampires?¡±, I asked.


    ¡°Most of the vampires are locked in their rooms and have not come out. I have only seen one for a brief moment but as soon as he saw me, he immediately vanished.¡± she said with a bit of confusion.


    I actually laughed a little at that. With a slight smile I explained, ¡°you probably saw Darryl. He is still a very young vampire and not comfortable around humans. As for the sudden disappearance, Darryl simply moved faster than you could perceive the motion. It only appeared as though he vanished. Do not worry, Darryl is harmless. He is just simply scared of humans. He came to us from across the sea where vampires are far less accepted in the human world. If I remember correctly, Darryl actually was locked in a dungeon for over 50 years with little to no food ever provided. He lived on animals such as rats and anything else he could get his hands on. Luckily one of the jailers showed kindness enough to provide him with sustenance to keep him from going crazy. In the end, the jailer actually left the door open for him to escape. But that story is for another time. It is getting late and I know you have been extremely busy all day. Please feel free to go to bed and get some rest whenever you need. I actually have some business that I need to attend to. I will let Darla know that I am leaving for a short time. I am sure she will be more than happy to watch over you.¡±


    Before she even realized she asked the question, ¡°may I go with you if you leave?¡±


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    With a smile, I said ¡°unfortunately under this circumstance, you would not be safe to travel with me. I must go settle a dispute between two groups of vampires. Although the chance of violence remains minimal, having a human within range would cause an added distraction. I could not guarantee your safety at that time. Do not worry, I will return before daylight.¡±


    Although Sara seemed disappointed and disheartened by the fact, she seemed to regain some of her luster held with her personality naturally. Sara said, ¡°I hope to come back here one day but I don¡¯t think my parents will let me. Maybe you can visit me from time to time.¡± Her eyes held almost a yearning for a positive answer from the suggestion.


    ¡°Do not worry Sara, you are still far too young to understand everything that my world has to offer which includes the dangers you would face, however, once a human knows about our world, most find the knowledge hard to forget. Besides, I have no intention of leaving you with your parents if your safety and well-being remains in question. I plan to check on you from time to time.¡± I said.


    With a very large smile and a slight bounce Sara left the room. I had contemplated much while Sara remained with Darla. I remained unsure as to my next steps but under the circumstance I had more pressing issues to take care of. Slowly I stood and walked out of the room toward the front door. Making sure that Sara could not see me, I took two steps forward and changed into my true form. With two large thrusts of my wings, the power generated easily lifted me from the ground as though I weighed nothing more than a bumblebee. I climbed in altitude and gained speed while slowly angled toward my destination.


    After resolving the issue between the vampires, I glided back to where Sara slept. Landing quietly as a feather on the ground, I immediately reverted back to my normal human form. As I opened the door to the coven I found several vampires holding a conversation in the front  foyer. Most vampires moved about during the night even if they did not leave. I went to the room where Sara slept to check on her. Darla sat dozing in the chair across from her bed. Without a word I walked into the room and Darla looked up. With a smile, she got up and walked out of the room. I could tell that Darla needed rest but she was not going to let this young girl out of her sight in my absence. Darla was the reason why I knew Sara remained safe while I dealt with issues within our world.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    I took Darla¡¯s place in the chair until morning light. Sara rose shortly after sunrise. Sitting up on the side of the bed she cleared the sleep from her eyes and the fog from her brain. Looking up at me she smiled.


    I returned the smile, although not quite as brightly.


    ¡°How did you sleep?¡± I asked


    ¡°I slept better than I expected actually. I figured that I would not sleep well because I was not at home in my bed.¡±, she responded.


    ¡°That is most interesting. What time do your parents arrive today?¡± I asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re actually probably already home. They were scheduled to come in very early in the morning.¡± she said. Apprehension crept into her voice.


    ¡°Very well. I will have Darla bring you some breakfast and let you get ready to go. Simply come downstairs when you are ready and I will take you home.¡± I said as I stood slowly. After a small glance back, I walked out of the room. I went downstairs and spoke with Darla to relay the request for food. Darla proceeded to take care of Sara in her usual motherly fashion.


    In the meantime, I took care of some other business that required daylight. Within about an hour Sara walked down the staircase in the clothing worn upon her initial arrival at the coven.


    ¡°You look ready to go. Please follow me.¡±, I said. We exited the coven together. I walked up to the car stationed in the driveway and proceeded to open the passenger door for Sara. Sara looked a little shocked. I was unsure why however, as Sara approached closer to the car, she realized that we would be taking a very nice Porsche.


    ¡°This is a Porsche. I¡¯ve always wanted one of these but my parents have said refused. They made me drive one of their cars. I never really understood why because their cars are worth so much more than what I wanted to drive. I think that my parents felt as though something this cheap would cause others to look down upon the family,¡± Sara said as she climbed into the passenger seat.


    I closed the door behind her and proceeded around to the driver side. After entering the vehicle myself, I started the car. I said with a smile to her, ¡°well I wouldn¡¯t exactly call this a cheap car, I didn¡¯t want to seem too posh when meeting your parents. However, I figured taking you home in an old pickup truck would have made a poor impression.¡±


    ¡°I would have loved to see my parents face if we drove up in an old pickup truck that smoked out the pipe and barely stayed running. They would¡¯t know what to do.¡±, she giggled.


    I could tell that as we closed the distance between the coven and Sara¡¯s home, she tried to hide the growing apprehension and fear. I did not know what waited for us however, one certainty arose which contained a potential for a very uncomfortable meeting between Sara¡¯s parents and myself. As the driveway rolled into view I slowed the vehicle and gently came to a stop outside the home.


    I looked over at Sara and said, ¡°Welcome home. I know this is probably the last place you wish to be at the moment but it is where you belong for the time being.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± she said. The disappointment clear in her eyes.


    I exited the vehicle as smoothly as I had entered. I strolled to the far side of the car and preceded to open the door for Sara. She slowly climbed out and politely waited for me to close the door behind her. Side by side we approached the main entrance holding a traditional knocker. Though the door existed for a short time in terms of chronological time, the appearance appeared as if the elements had beat upon the surface for centuries.


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    I looked down at Sara and asked, ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    Sara¡¯s response lacked words but simply nodded. I reached up and swung the knocker three times. Each time the knocker fell, a loud boom sounded through the entire house. Only moments passed before the door swung open and an attendant greeted us politely.


    ¡°Greetings. My name is Charles. I¡¯m sure you already know Sara. As promised to Sara, I have returned her to her home. Are her parents here and available to speak with me?¡± I explained smoothly. Expecting to have my request to entry to be rebuffed immediately, I realized after the fact that my presence was anticipated. An invitation to enter the home was presented to me through the attendant. I gracefully accepted the invitation and crossed into the main foyer with Sara close behind. The attendant led a path through ornate hallways and entryways. The entire pathway appeared to present wealth and prestige. We finally found our way into the back area where the pool lay. I found myself facing two middle age adults each sitting at an ornate exterior table. Spread across the table lay multiple forms of human food. Included upon the table stood glasses of wine, pitchers of water, and bottles of simple carbinates drinks. Sara¡¯s father stood as I approached.l


    ¡°Welcome Charles. Thank you very much for taking care of our daughter Sara. We really do appreciate all of the care and kindness you have shown toward her. Please have a seat if you wish. There are multiple divine morsels upon the table that you are more than welcome to partake in. We also have a very nice wine if you wish. Otherwise we have basic drinks such as water and multiple forms of carbonated drink.¡± said Sara¡¯s father with a exuberant smile playing across his face.


    I knew how to play this game. I¡¯ve played it for thousands of years when invited to the vampire council. ¡°Greetings. I highly appreciate the offer however my normal choice of sustenance will not appear upon your table I¡¯m afraid.¡± as the final words crossed my lips, I heard Sara giggle slightly behind me.


    ¡°Sara! Do not laugh at adults like that. You know better.¡±, Sara¡¯s mother hissed loudly in her daughter¡¯s direction.


    With a polite smile I turned to face Sara¡¯s mother. ¡°Do not worry Madame, Sara has been around me for the last few days while we waited for your return. During that time she learned a great deal about me, and my¡±, I paused for just a moment while choosing the next words, ¡°peculiar nutritional needs.¡±


    ¡°I understand Sara was in an accident near you. Were you harmed?¡± Sara¡¯s father asked the obligatory question.


    I knew the only reason that this question crossed his lips was to ensure no lawsuit waited in the future. ¡°I assure you Sir that I am well and unharmed at this time.¡± I responded.


    Sara¡¯s father turned and looked at Sara. Even though he attempted to hide the fact that anger boiled just below the surface, one could still hear the reverberation of undertone in his voice.


    ¡°Sara. I see you are well and in one piece. We are unfortunately unable to say the same for the vehicle you were driving. I¡¯m afraid that you will be grounded for an extended period of time. You knew the consequences if something were to happen. You may go to your room now.¡± her father said dismissively.


    Sara looked hurt as though struck in the chest by an anvil. She glanced up at me and with the slightest of nods I acknowledged her. She walked away with her head down and her metaphorical tail between her legs.


    ¡°Please do not view her actions too harshly. Though I cannot speak for her state of mind at the time, what she said was true in the fact that I was walking along the side of the road enjoying the night. The sudden appearance of someone in your headlights can be very disconcerting to young drivers from what I understand.¡± I simply stated.


    With a slightly less polite smile Sara¡¯s father responded, ¡°I ask that you do not presume to tell us how to raise our children. You have no idea what we have gone through or the sacrifices we have made in order to provide the life that Sara currently lives.¡±


    With a sly smile I simply responded, ¡°no offense intended however do not underestimate my knowledge or experience. Many have in the past and it is never bode well for anyone.¡±


    I raised my head to the sky and looked back at Sara¡¯s parents moments later. ¡°the day is still young and the beams of light are fresh. There is much more for each of us to do held within this day. With this so, I shall take my leave and return to my responsibilities.¡±


    Sara¡¯s mother smiled and said, ¡°it was nice meeting you Charles.¡±


    With that I simply turned and followed the attendant back out of the home the same way we came.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    After re-entering the car, I sat for a moment and contemplated my next steps, both in regards to Sara but also of today.


    The daylight waned as the sun grew lower in the sky. Although I had taken care of many things throughout the day, the situation with Sara still lingered in the back of my mind. Most vampires in our world care very little for humans in any form. However I have found myself to be a minority. The God s of Old tasked the Keepers with not only protecting their kin but also the humans in which they feed upon.


    Even though my age spans millenia, I still find myself partial to the old values of shilvary and the medievals mentality of a knight. With this in mind, I found myself unable to walk away when I felt that harm could come to Sara. I had given my word to check on her well-being, and I intended to keep this word.


    As the grey light of darkness began to creep across the sky, I stepped back out into the darkness that crept up upon the world. As I did so I transformed into my true form. Currently I resided a considerable distance away from where Sara lived but it would not take me long to traverse this distance. I took to the sky just as the last rays of light struggled to hold on to the sky.


    By the time I arrived at Sara¡¯s residence, the darkness of the sky had swallowed everything whole. From the direction in which Sara had walked when dismissed by her father, I knew the general area of the house that she must stay in. I easily found the balcony that sat just outside of her bedroom. I did not wish to enter the home nor scare anyone within so as I landed gently on the balcony. I resumed my normal human form. With steps as quiet as a feather I moved into a vacant corner shielded from light and simply waited patiently. Although I had the ability to cloak myself within the night, I did not feel the need to do so for dark wrapped my body and as a vampire I stood extremely still. The chances of being seen by a human were extremely limited. As I stood silently on the balcony I could easily hear the movements within the bedroom. Papers wrestled, sheets rubbed against each other, and in some cases even the exasperated breathing of Sara herself. About one hour after I arrived, I heard the door began to open to the balcony, and I watched as Sara walked out to sit in one of the fluffy chairs. She relaxed comfortably in the cool night air in flannel pajamas with various characters and shapes upon them. Not wanting to scare her I made no sudden moves. I softly started to walk forward fast enough to get her attention but not to be perceived as a threat. Sara quickly looked up with a moment of fear in her eyes but that fear quickly faded once she realized who stood up on her balcony.


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    I smiled slightly and greeted her, ¡°Hello again Sara.¡±


    To my surprise Sara jumped out of her soft chair and flew with great speed in my direction. She flung her arms around my waist giving me a very large and exuberant hug. ¡°Charles. I didn¡¯t expect to see you again. I am so glad you are here.¡±


    I gently pried her from my waist and separated our distance to a relatively normal amount once again. Vampires as a whole do not typically want to be hugged by a human. The temptation of blood is strongest when in such close contact.


    ¡°I gave you my word Sara that I would check on you. I got the feeling from your parents that your punishment would be harsh. Maybe even more so because of my presence.¡± I said


    Sara¡¯s head drooped slightly as she looked at the floor. ¡°After you left, my father came into my bedroom and told me how dangerous you are. He called me many names that I¡¯ve heard many times before so that didn¡¯t hurt my feelings, but him calling you dangerous as though you would harm me, hurt my feelings the most. At the moment, I am grounded to my room and I¡¯m not allowed to leave it. The staff bring me food when I request but they are not allowed to stay and keep me company. In my father¡¯s anger, I was told this would be my punishment for at least six months. Although I do not believe it will last that long, I have never seen him this angry before so I¡¯m not sure.¡± she responded.


    I waited a moment after she finished speaking and replied, ¡°I understand that you feel the punishment is harsh. However, you are safe and sound here within the home. That is what matters most. I will check on you again in the future but I wanted to assure you that I had not broken my word.¡±


    Even though I knew that Sara was deeply disappointed that I did not take her away, that option had never crossed my mind. She was far too young to understand the complexities of our world. Adults in the human world do not come of age until eighteen years old and vampires do not truly become wise for hundreds of years after being turned. Once these two situations are combined, the potential volatility can be dangerous for both the human world and ours.


    As the months passed, I checked in on Sara from time to time. We sat many nights talking about my world but also I gained more insight into the young woman¡¯s mind. She contained curiosity that bound from her like an antelope escaping a predator. Sara actually enjoyed history more than most humans which meant she could hear in detail what the world was like thousands of years ago. Sara also enjoyed listening to the adventures of my long life. She fell asleep in the fluffy chair many times while listening to me speak about Egypt, Someria, even the Wild West.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    Her father was a man of his word. Six months had passed before she was allowed to leave back into the normal routine of the human world. Although I found this disturbing I chose not to intervene because no harm fell upon Sara. I had visited often enough to help alleviate some of the social absence that was thrust upon her.


    Shortly after Sara began returning to the human world within when she lived, I received a message from Darla. The note simply said ¡°She is waiting for you¡±. At first I didn¡¯t understand what Darla meant but shortly after reading the note, I realized Darla spoke of Sara.


    Later that night I arrived at the coven where Darla resided. As soon as I entered, I smelled blood. Although this was not abnormal, my senses told me that it was fresh. This caused great concern because I knew Sara supposedly waited for me in the coven somewhere. I knew Darla would not let anything happen to her however if a vampire were to lose control, anything could have happened.


    I immediately followed the smell of blood to the bedroom where Sara had stayed previously. I burst through the door and found that human blood resided on all the walls and furniture. Instantly I turned to find the nearest vampire. Looking in each room, I found nothing. After searching the entire coven, there was nothing alive or dead still there. Then I smelled the scent no vampire wants to smell. Hunter¡­


    I reached for my cell phone just as the ringer sounded. I didn¡¯t look to see who the caller was but answered it blindly.


    ¡°Yes!¡±, I said into the phone a bit louder than expected.


    ¡°Charles? What is going on?¡± Came a female voice.


    ¡°I just arrived at the new coven in Ohio. There is nothing but blood and death here. I can smell a hunter has been here.¡± I said calmly after regaining my composure.


    ¡°Ah. That is actually what I am calling about. They were indeed attacked by hunters. The vampires were able to kill one of the hunters but a second escaped. The coven is currently hiding in the original coven.¡± Came the same level female voice like the weather was our biggest issue.


    ¡°Was anyone hurt?¡±, I asked.


    ¡°Nothing serious. All the vampires and humans made it to the other coven safety including your human child.¡± The female voice explained . As a whole, vampires were not always the most forthcoming with information in an expedited manner.


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    ¡°Thank you for the information. I will follow up with you once I have checked on the survivors and find the hunter that escaped.¡± I said as I disconnected the phone. I took a few minutes to take a closer look at the remains of the coven. I found several pieces of evidence of what had transpired. I had obviously over looked these things when I first entered the house. Pieces of human tissue including spray patterns of blood, became more apparent in various places I looked. I also noticed that the most significant amount of blood resided in that single bedroom.


    Now I turned to the exit and walked swiftly back into the darkness of the night. As I crossed the door frame, my true form erupted into existence. Without even a backward glance, I immediately thrust my wings against the fluid surrounding me. To the sky I took soaring to the heights within mere seconds.


    The new coven that had been created lay only a few miles away. Even as I approached the large coven, I could see that the guards were on alert. Four guards immediately rushed out to confront me. I landed one hundred or so yards from the house. An immediate challenge came forth even as I transform back into my human physique.


    ¡° I don¡¯t know who you are but you will stop or we shall kill you!¡° Came strong voice from the first male vampire.


    ¡°I realize you do not know who I am however, I am of your kin. I just came from the coven that has been attacked. Now take me to the survivors.¡°, I immediately responded with just as much command held upon my tongue.


    Taken aback by my tone and commands, the guard bristled. ¡°You shall not pass until you have been invited by our leader. Please do not make us use force.¡±


    Without any further conversation I moved faster than even this vampire could react. All that could be seen by him was a blur of motion as I blazed past him into the distance. Although he attempted to catch me, he stood no chance. I reached the entrance of the coven before the guard had even crossed half the same distance.


    Without ceremony or patients, I ripped the entrance door open. The guards were just now getting to the coven itself so I entered unchallenged. I knew where refuges were lodged so without the need for directions, I moved rapidly to that location. Although I moved through hallways and doors at a rapid clip, even I could not move as fast as my capabilities held.


    Even so, within moments I stood centered inside a large room with multiple beds lining the walls. Although this room would seem barbaric to some due to the unadorned walls of stone and simple bedding made available to the guests, most would not know that in many cases, vampires do not require vast amounts of ornate accommodations when the minimal would be sufficient.


    Of course there are always vampires that feel because of our race¡¯s superiority to humans, the best and most expensive items should always encircle us. These type of vampires live in a mansion rather than chose to live in mundane covens outside of human society. Our covens, though not directly in the middle of the human community are exposed to human culture easily.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    Quickly I found Darla in the rear of the room and moved with expedient purpose directly to her side. Darla had been around vampires for many years so having me suddenly appear beside her did not surprise or cause shock to her.


    As Darla looked up at me, I immediately asked, ¡°Where is Sara?¡±


    Without a word Darla simply walked toward to recessed door farther back in the room. She simply opened the door and gestured. My attention swarmed the room like locusts in a field. I found Sara sitting on the bed provided. Although not crying actively any longer, the fear of what happened clearly still rang in her mind.


    ¡°Sara¡±, I simply said calmly.


    ¡°Oh my god!!! Charles!!!¡±, screamed Sara as she rushed at me.


    Again, she almost forgot that vampires don¡¯t like to be hugged or have close contact with humans usually but this was understandable under the circumstance. Even as she approached I crouched down to be at her level. Quickly she realized that I didn¡¯t like to be hugged and stopped her sudden approach. As though all the energy that she intended to use within the hug turned into verbal expression.


    Speaking so fast that even I had difficulty understanding each word that burst forth from Sara. ¡°Charles! Do you know what happened? Who were those people? They just burst into the house and started shooting. Were they robbers? What did they want? How¡­¡±


    ¡°Sara¡­calm down. I will explain this to you in due time.¡± I interrupted her. I knew she had a million questions but my primary concern was her safety and health. ¡°Are you hurt? Do you need anything?¡±


    With a moment of shock, Sara seemed to wilt slightly and I could tell the adrenaline rush had been running extremely high in her body. This was not surprising given what she had been through. Once she relaxed a second, the response came. ¡°I am fine. I got cut on the way our when Darla grabbed me but they applied a bandage to it when I got here.¡±


    Scraps and bruises were expected so I didn¡¯t waste time trying to heal something that minor under the circumstances. With a gesture, I guided Sara back to the bed where she sat down. I crossed the room and brought a simple wooden chair closer to the bed.


    ¡°Sara. I am very sorry that you had to experience something like this. I am extremely pleased to see no harm has befallen you. I will find the people that did this, I assure you.¡± As I spoke Sara smiled a little. I continued by answering some of her questions. ¡°The coven where you were, came under attack by Hunters. This group of humans use our blood to give themselves faster reflexes and better skills but in the end, each of them is only human. The humans in this group seek to destroy vampires. Some have personal reasons and others simply feel we should not exist. Either way, as you have seen, the Hunters will attack our covens.¡± I continued. The confusion on Sara¡¯s face blossomed as I spoke.


    ¡°But why? Vampires seem so nice. All the vampires here have made sure I was safe and not hurt. They made sure I left the coven first before any of them. They protected the other humans in the house even¡±, came Sara¡¯s confused response. She truly did not understand how anyone could want to hurt vampires. This both saddened me but also gave me hope for the future of both races.


    ¡°Sara¡­¡±, I paused to think for a moment. ¡°What you have experienced so far is the civilized version of vampire society. We go to great lengths to stay out of the lime light. However, there are many vampires in the world that do not feel the same. They feel as though humans should be our slaves or subjects. Many feel that because we are superior in just about every way, we should be ruling the earth. Let me be the first to tell you, we tried that many many years ago. The idea did not bode well in the world.¡± I smiled slightly at the memory as I spoke. I continued to explain as Sara watched the memory flash across my mind.


    ¡°You have to understand Sara that there are dangerous vampires out there. Killing a human to these vampires can be a sport. The hunt provides them with exhilaration. No matter how many of them the Keepers find, there will always be a hundred more. This is why I have taken extreme precautions in regards to you. I did not wish any other vampire to come for you. Sometimes, those vampires I spoke of will try and get back at the Keepers by destroying what we are trying to protect. I trusted the vampires within the coven I took you into without question and they did not fail me. I am most grateful to them and will continue to protect them by finding the Hunter that escaped.¡±


    Sara listened intently and continued to absorb every word that escaped my lips as though each held life¡¯s essence. She was far to young to comprehend exactly what I spoke of but in the end, Sara at least understood that danger lurked in our world. My only hope at this moment was to make sure nothing further happened to Sara.


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    ¡°I need to speak with some of the other vampires and get details of what happened but as long as you remain here, you are safe¡±, I assured her. She seemed to relax slightly at this thought.


    With a slight smile I stood and exited the room. As I entered the large chamber again, I found three guards standing there with Val. Val, short for Valentine, presided over this coven. He stood a mere five feet ten inches in height but being of Nors blood originally, bristled with muscle and stature many of this time no longer possessed.


    Without preamble I spoke to Val, ¡°Thank you for taking in those that were attacked. What information have you been able to gather so far?¡±


    Val took a simple step forward and responded, ¡°We know of only two Hunters in the attack. One of them made it upstairs to the young humans room were she slept. Luckily for her, one of my guards was there checking on the coven. The normal Keeper for the coven had taken leave. The Hunter that made it to the human¡¯s room was most unlucky.¡±


    I laughed slightly. ¡°Let me guess, your guard sat within the room.¡±


    ¡°That is correct. Darla had gone down to take care of some chores and left him to watch over the human female. As soon as he realized what was transpiring, my guard grabbed the human and helped her escape from the window. Once she was out of the room, he offered no quarter to the Hunter,¡± said Val. Pride shined from his words as he spoke them.


    I actually smiled this time, ¡°I saw the scene.¡±


    Val smiled back. ¡°Yes, it was glorious. Apparently the Hunter had skills in which hand to hand combat resided. My guard played with him. Ultimately when he got tired of the battle, he simply ripped him apart into multiple pieces.¡±


    ¡°My thanks go out to your guard. Now do we have any information in regards to the Hunter that escaped?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No. That Hunter was downstairs but I do know that the rest of the coven made sure that he didn¡¯t leave unscathed. From what I understand, there is a high likely hood that that Hunter is already dead from his injuries¡±, Val said.


    ¡°Well I will find him dead or alive to make sure but again, I offer my thanks¡±, I said with a slight bow. To my surprise Val bowed back slightly.


    ¡°You also have my gratitude in this case as well¡±, Val said.


    Confusion came to my mind as to what this gratitude spawned from but even so I said, ¡°You are most welcome. May I request the reasoning behind such a gesture?¡±


    ¡°For not killing my guards when they tried to stop you from entering the coven. I can only imagine the restraint you exhibited.¡± Val said with a slight smile again crossing his lips.


    ¡°Ah. Well they were doing their duty to the coven. Due in part to the necessity of the situation, I chose not to engage nor explain.¡± I said as understanding blossomed. ¡°Are these the guards?¡± I asked gesturing to the three standing behind him.


    ¡°Yes they are. They wanted to see who could get past them so easily.¡± Val said in response to my inquiry.


    With that I stepped toward the three guards. ¡°Greetings. You have my apologies for being ill-mannered earlier. My name is Charles. I am a Keeper from the Gods of Old. Simply put, I am far older and more powerful than anything you have thus encountered most likely. Feel not as though you failed. I offer my thanks and praise for all you have done.¡±


    Each guard nodded to acknowledge my statement. They turned in unison and walked from the chamber. I watched them leave and turned back to Val. He stood patiently waiting.


    ¡°They are brave and valent vampires. You are lucky to have them Val. Please see that they are taken care of properly.¡± I said as I turned.


    ¡°Of course Charles. Now, what shall we do with the refugees?¡± he asked politely.


    ¡°I will make the necessary calls and have the old coven repaired and cleaned. In the mean time, I must find out why Sara has returned to our world¡±, I said. ¡°If you will excuse me.¡±


    I turned back to the room where Sara resided. As I entered, she looked up. I walked back to the chair and sat down. I waited patiently for a moment for her to settle again.


    ¡°Sara, why did you return to the coven?¡± I simply asked.


    Sara looked down almost as though embarrassment ran through her mind. She slowed looked at me again and began to explain, ¡°I want to be a vampire.¡±