Raphael awoke in pain and stiffness, not unlike previous nights of hunger and cold. He lifted his head to see what was happening, seeing the faint light of noon through some gaps in the forest’s canopy. He remained in shade, realizing he had spent the night outside and uncomfortably against a tree. Moving his sore neck as much as he can, he now recognized the weight on top of him. The body of the vampire was upon him, still not breathing, but he wasn’t sure if she would regain consciousness.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQtZE0wQWW
Slowly inspecting himself, Raphael could tell that he hadn’t gained any new wounds, though the ones he gained from yesterday were still there. They clawed at his senses as he wrapped the bandages tighter. Pulling himself free from underneath the vampire was no easy feat, as he carefully moved so as to not wake her. The process took longer than it needed to, with it reminding Raphael of trying to not wake a sleeping cat that perched upon one’s lap. The consequences of failure in this case far exceeded what Raphael had experienced previously.
After pulling himself free, Raphael inspected himself, the area and his belongings in his satchel. His scant amount of money remained intact, along with his journal, and some jerky. He frantically searched again, finding his query buried underneath the rest of the objects a familiar and worn piece of parchment. The letter of recommendation from his teacher remained intact, despite the lengthy and arduous journey from its place of creation.
Everything was safe and sound, as Raphael sighed in relief, taking in deep breaths. He could tell the area was quiet, as by the looks of it, the townspeople of Zori left and did not return through the forest, or at least navigated some other way. Either way, it looked like a clear shot to either return to the burnt town of Zori or try to keep moving on.
The option of leaving the sleeping vampire lingered in his mind, as he stood no chance at surviving against her wrath from what he could tell. That and unless he got a head start, there would be no escaping her, especially since she tracked him after he ran off from the inferno last night. Seconds counted, as Raphael considered that he made an offering of trust out of desperation. Could a monster be trusted, he didn’t know. There could be a place to hide elsewhere or to run as fast as he could. Seconds counted, as Raphael thinks that perhaps the creature is intelligent enough to honor a deal, and that running would be seen as breaking it. The risk of angering a ravenous creature would be confirming his own death. Seconds counted, trust the deal or save himself. Which one would keep him safe, what was this creature’s true nature?
Raphael’s puzzled mind obscured his senses as he failed to notice the vampire having moved behind him: his thoughts clouding his mind to when the vampire had awoken. Raphael is startled by the vampire’s presence, as he realizes too late that his chance of running had just slipped by, which he was about to take. He could see the hunger in her eyes, and he thought of whatever possible to stave it off.
“G-good morning, miss.” He said, his words coming out scratched and broken by thirst and panic. The vampire looked at his neck with hunger in her eyes, as he backed off from her. She moved closer towards him, as he offered his arm to her, keeping eye contact with her one visible eye. The vampire bit the arm, as Raphael felt his blood being drained. He pushed her off as best he can, seeing the vampire’s face had transmogrified. The jaw appears extended to increase the size of possible bites, the teeth now sharpened her resembles rows of fangs, and the consumed blood appears to disappear upon contact with the teeth.
The vampire growls, “Hungry, NEED.” as she glares at the man before her, that had not escaped her vision upon awakening. The hunger burned in her mind, but it was not as bad as before. The man looked at her, shaking, looking like he might try to run. She could hear his heart beating faster and faster.
He spoke to her with bated breaths, “You need me, I feed you,” pointing to her mouth, where the warmth inside was nourishing and calming, “I am hungry, you feed me”. The vampire was confused by the words, the thought of feeding another creature was alien at best.
She brought her arm up to make it available to the man, saying with her blood covered mouth, “Feed.” The man stared with an expression that the vampire didn’t understand. He said nothing for a few seconds, as he pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something under his breath that she could not understand.
The man spoke again, telling her, “I can’t eat your blood.” The vampire was lost, blood was everything, what else was there to appease the hunger? She heard a grumble, as the man clutched his torso. “I need food. You follow me back to Zori, you can have a little blood once we are there. Okay?” The vampire was still trying to come to terms with the prospect laid before her. To not eat blood is to die, does the man seek to die, is there something other than blood to eat?
Raphael stared at the vampire that appeared to have completely zoned out. He was confused, and a bit bemused at a monster being completely bamboozled. He grabbed what remained of his supply of bandages and wrapped his arm back up. Afterwards, he began walking back towards Zori, with the confused vampire coming alongside him. He could feel her gaze on his neck, as they carefully made their return to the charred ruins.
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Cloudy skies lingered overhead, as the blue above faded from view. The duo had walked a considerable distance, as Raphael’s recollection of how far he ran last night had disappeared in his slumber. The vampire trailed him, making his every step heavier with anticipation and tension. The trees cleared to reveal the town of Zori, blackened and alone. The buildings were left with only stone to them, the bricks and rock covered in soot.
Raphael saw the devastation, and the fact that he was alone with a monster. If he wasn’t worried about his safety, the sight before him would depress him. He moved about to survey the damage, looking for any places that managed to survive. He found some buildings that escaped damage, though none of the inhabitants remained, either killed or fled. A faint smell of bread lingered, as he followed it, finding some in a wooden cabinet next to a doll. Raphael could only guess it was kept by a daughter of the family that previously resided there. His hunger reminded him to not dawdle, as he ate the bread and kept searching.
The vampire continued to follow him, watching how he looked, only using his nose some of the time. The searching confused her further, as he looked for things with some inkling of knowing where they would be. Her only guess was that he lived here, why else would anyone search around here, checking every nook and cranny? Her thoughts pondered on living in a place like this, as she had no idea what humans were like, but realized that they were called humans. She thought more and more, as nothing came up, only instinctual knowledge and the drive to survive remained in her withered mind.
Raphael managed to search through the remains on the homes, finding little left. He perused and pondered, wondering as to the cause of the fire. It could have been the vampire, but she doesn't seem intelligent enough to plan an attack using fire. Plus, it wouldn’t be in her best interests since she only cares about feeding from the looks of it. The possibility of it being an accident came to mind, but he had no way to prove it. Gathering up some remaining bread, meat and other goods, he grabbed a spare satchel in addition to his own. He carried it over to his shoulder as he turned to check on the vampire, who watched closely, mostly with her focus on him.
Gathering up some water from the town’s well, Raphael filtered away any ash and debris using a spare cloth. He then pursued for a pot and what little usable wood remained to start a fire to boil it. He sat, watching the water and eating as the vampire watched, quietly sniffing the air. Raphael got to work setting aside the clean water for traveling along with cleaning his bandages. The vampire’s attention was elsewhere, which was perplexing but a relief compared to her staring. Raphael’s breath was heavy every time her gaze was near his direction, holding still like a deer spotted by a hunter. The vampire paid no explicit attention, either from lack of interest or Raphael’s improvised supply run. After some time, the cloudy skies began to lighten, and Raphael figured it was time to move out.
The air was calmer than before as the clouds parted further. The light of the late afternoon sky pierced the town as the man and monster gathered themselves. Raphael felt the warm glow wash over him. He turned to see the vampire moving away from the light, almost reflexively. He asked, trying to withhold his curiosity, “Are you scared?”
The vampire said nothing while trying to avoid the light. A cloud parted directly above her, as the sunlight pierced her form. Raphael watched the vampire’s skin sizzle, spark, burn and burst within a matter of seconds, as she screamed. Spontaneous combustion aside, he could tell she was in pain and burning. He ran back to the pot of water, grabbed the heavy vessel and swung it, releasing its contents upon the vampire’s form. Flames extinguished, the vampire ran towards whatever shade she could find. Raphael followed suit, confused as he wondered what the hell just happened.
Flames, pain, burning, so much. Light. Bad. Light. Bad. Light. Bad. Sun. Death. The thoughts swirled in the vampire’s mind. They were unfamiliar and recognizable, an instinct remembered. She recalled a warning engraved into her soul. Never step into the light. It was a certainty, like the hunger before, the fear reclaimed its place in her mind, driving her to any sanctuary from the fiendish form above in the sky. She found clouds that served as her savior, but their safety was fleeting and their presence was fading. The human was following her, as her pain was immense. The burning had stopped from whatever the human did to her, but the pain lingered. Hungry, her skin healed, as she needed more blood. The human arrived behind her, as she saw the opportunity for more blood and took it.
Raphael screamed as the vampire bit into him. He pushed her off as best he could as he yelled, “Stop it!” The vampire’s grasp was firmly in him, as she drank. Her burns appear to heal, as Raphael watched the skin grow over the wounds. Or rather, what looked like blood pooling over the wounds, before fading and showing new skin formed from underneath. The vampire’s grip on him lessened as he pulled himself off. He checked his arm as he watched, seeing the skin on the vampire’s body grow over the wounds, as they looked like they were disappearing already. The sight of healing occurring in observable time was unheard of and fascinating, but the pain Raphael felt was clearly more pressing. Food becomes energy, energy becomes health. This rule of nature seemed to apply to the vampire as well, though the specifics differed, there was at least some commonality between him and her.
The vampire’s pain subsided slightly, as the burns slowly began to fade. The human clutched his arm, as she wanted more from him. She stepped forward, as the human drew a knife. “That’s enough, I can’t give anymore”.
Unacceptable, the instinct for blood persisted, though the hunger seemed lesser than the day before, the instinct remained strong. She spoke, trying her best to recall words, “Hungry, need more”. The human appeared to not change his mind, as she considered pouncing on him.
He exhaled slowly, retorting, “You kill me now, you will be hungrier later. Is there any other food for you nearby?” The vampire thought, a sensation she has done her best at within the last day, but fails to find an answer. Confusion lingers, unable to accept the man’s reply, she lunges at him. The thought of sinking her fangs into him pleased her, with the pain in her chest alerting her to something else happening.
Raphael can tell she won’t listen, as he sidesteps her lunge and trips her. The vampire fell face first onto the ground, with the dirt covering her torn and burnt rags. Raphael could sense the frustration in her, as he says, “If it hurts, I can help, but only if you don’t eat me.” The vampire stared at him, as he sensed a resemblance to animals being confused by human speech. He sighs, the fear of being eaten alive being mitigated by the vampire’s dumbfoundedness. Raphael spent extra time keeping the vampire in the shade and looking around for any surviving clothes for her to use. There was very little he could find, managing to cobble together some men’s sized clothes. The vampire was of no help in clothing herself, with Raphael being too tired and low on blood to force her to do it herself. Trying to get her to move her limbs to fit within the fabric was a cumbersome conundrum, the creature falling over multiple times just trying to put on pants. If he wasn’t so exhausted or scared, he might have laughed.
The vampire said nothing as Raphael helped her towards the exit of the town, avoiding the sunlight and entering the safety of the canopy. Her immense strength was a detriment, as he spent most of the time wrangling her both through the trees while avoiding the light. Walking in parallel to the path away from the town, Raphael led the way towards finding some place to camp out for the night. Scents of wood and fresh leaves filled the traveler’s noses, with one enjoying the familiar comfort while the other pushed past the distracting smells.
Strange clothes, strange places, and a strange stranger made her confused, as she struggled to think. The scent of blood could only be found from the human nearby, as she wanted more, but his words repeated in her mind. There were no other fresh sources, and the thought was maddening. She wanted more now, but she wanted more later. Looping, the conundrum played upon itself, as her need was never-ending. The human looked at her as he walked forward, speaking aloud, “Can you hunt any game?”
Hunt. She knew the hunt, wherever there was blood, there was a hunt. Game. No idea what that meant. She replied, “I hunt. I eat.”
The human continued, “If we encounter any wild animals, we hunt those, no people. Is that acceptable?” No people. No. People. They had the best blood. True blood. A primal truth that resonated in her soul. But, it was rare. Hard to get. Other creatures have blood. They lessened the hunger when it really hurt.
The vampire spoke, “More blood. Man blood, best.” Raphael was piecing things together as best he could. She had preferences, or perhaps there were physical differences in the sources of blood that were overall better options for her. Given that wildlife was less dangerous to hunt than humans, Raphael figured it wasn’t just about what tasted the best.
He told the vampire, “Understood. We’ll keep going until dark.” The unlikely duo followed the path as the sun faded from view. The pace remained the same through changing circumstances, from avoiding patches of light to walking freely but exhausted.
Raphael found a thick patch of trees, where even the moonlight had trouble creeping in. He tiredly sat down on a patch of moss, as he kept his eyes on the vampire. In the blackness that surrounded them, he could barely see her, but swore he saw a faint red glow from underneath her bangs. Unsettled, he told the vampire, “Get some rest,” before remembering to mention, “And don’t try to eat me”, knowing full well his command was merely a vain request at this point.
The vampire heard the words, still wanting his blood, but the thought of being completely hungry later on was too frightening to consider. She was not tired, the trek was painful, but not tiring, as she still freely walked about. The human’s heart slowed from what she could hear, as he had fallen asleep within minutes. With nothing else to do, she wandered in pursuit of blood. She could smell it in the distance, less pungent, but satisfactory nonetheless. She chased it, as her hunger was miniscule compared to her feasting in the flames before, but the instinct and need rushed and pulsed in her mind. Hunt. Kill. Eat. Primal instinct that drove her, she knew not where it came from, but it was everything there was and is. The air shook as she leapt, catching a lynx right in her mouth. Biting and thrashing, the two beasts fought for only a few moments, as the vampire drained her prey. She released the carcass as she drank the last drops of life. She gazed at the moon, some familiarity lingering in her mind. Nothing came of it, as she chased further into the forest, looking for more to fill her as the moon blessed her hunt.
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Raphael’s limbs felt like rocks, as consciousness returned to him. He awoke to find the vampire huddled in the safety of the canopy, as the light encroached around them. He sat up, stretching to keep his limbs mobile and his mind ready, as he noticed blood on the vampire’s clothes. He asked, “What did you eat?”
The vampire looked at him, her body looking slightly refreshed, though not by much, saying, “Ami-ani-ami,” not managing to formulate the words.
Raphael interpolates, “Animals?” The vampire stared with a sense of confirmation, with Raphael sighing in relief. The thought of the vampire hurting anyone else would kill him out of guilt, as he realized now, given the rest he’s had, that he still doesn't know a lot.
The light surrounding them was prevalent, as there was no way the vampire would be able to avoid it. Raphael saw a possibility, trying to judge the vampire’s speed and perceptiveness. He watched as she sat, clearly wanting to move, but the light stood before her like swords of judgment. Moving ever so slightly, the vampire turned her head rapidly and watched him, his attempts at stealth dashed. He innocuously put his hands up to hide his intentions, stating “The clouds don’t seem to be around right now, might as well wait for a while.”
The vampire stared at him, as Raphael sat back down to eat some of the food he had gathered prior. He asked after eating, “Do you have a name?” He was loath to consider her more than what she appeared as, but having something to refer to her as might make things simpler. She stared at him, the question not landing.
Raphael sighed, mumbling, “Okay then,”, before continuing, “Do you have a goal in mind, or are you just eating for the sake of it?” The vampire appeared lost in thought. Any intelligent plans seemed unlikely at best. Raphael considered the question fruitless, before the vampire spoke.
“Hungry, Always. Always. I won’t die here.” The vampire spoke like she was repeating something she heard, like a child making sense of the conversations they were privy to but not included. “Reclaim? Return.”
Raphael was now intrigued, his initial dismissal proved void as he asked, “Reclaim what, return what?”
The vampire stared back, trying to find an answer, only saying, “Me. Reclaim, me.” The words were cryptic, but there was more to this monster than met the eye.
Raphael stopped to consider some more questions. He asked, “Is there anything else I should know?” The vampire stared at him blankly, trying to think of something, but the effort was too much to acquire any results. Without any satisfactory answers, Raphael kept watching out for any opportunity for them to move.
A few hours passed, with Raphael observing the vampire. He noted her mannerisms, clearly beholden to instinct and impulses, but were marginally more intelligent than their first encounter. Raphael asked the vampire, “Did you save any of the animals you drank from?” She shook her head no, as he sighed, hoping to get some meat to eat, and perhaps some material to sell should he make it to another town.
He spoke again, “If you find anything, let me know. You can have the blood; I will take the rest. You feed me, and I’ll feed you.” He made a showing of eating some smoked meat, as the vampire watched. Her visible eye shone with recognition and understanding, as the prospect of his blood in exchange for her help was enough for even a creature like her to understand. She nodded in confirmation, as the clouds began to finally cover the path eastward. The duo left the safety of the canopy, wandering towards whatever haven they could find.
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Walking. Walking. More walking. Alluring scents filled her nostrils as she walked behind the human, as his blood was there for the taking. It was weak, but given the lack of alternatives, it would be all the sweeter. But the fear of the hunger kept her at bay, the maddening need that drove her threatened to return.
As she walked, her small mind stilled. Hungry. Hungry. Not as hungry. An observation came to her in the briefest lucidity, ever since she reclaimed what was hers from the large thing that she killed, she wasn’t as hungry. Her instincts were duller than before, but calming. She remembered almost nothing, but knew this to be unusual, and she felt empty, her purpose unfulfilled. Was her hunger the only thing she knew, or was it the only thing she would ever truly be?
The human spoke aloud, “Are you tired?” His words ringed in her head, as she felt her inquiries slip away. Tired. Maybe. Hungry. Always. Going. Keep. Going.
She replied, “No. Keep going.” The human kept his pace as she followed along. She tried to recall what she was thinking of, but it faded like a breeze, intangible and fleeting.
Her steps through the brush and leaves were uncomfortable as her feet grew sore. The thoughts evaded her, as the human kept walking. Lonely treks seemed familiar to him, as to her. Familiar. Why? Silence permeated the forest as she tried to focus. She was familiar with the loneliness, she was. She is familiar. She is. What she is? What is she? What am I? “I am…”.
Raphael turned his head upon hearing her, curious as to the unfinished statement. He asked, “You’re what?”
The vampire appeared lost, mentally and physically, as her eye tried to focus, but lessened in intensity as her brow unfurrowed, merely saying, “I am hungry.”
Raphael sighed, stating “You’ve said that the entire time. Here, if we find something to hunt, you can go eat that.” Talking down to her wasn’t something he expected to do, but in this moment of calm, she seemed less like a monster and more like a pet. A feral pet, but a pet nonetheless. The vampire sniffed the air, as Raphael noted her senses must be quite sharp. Her head sharply turned, peering towards something that was imperceptible to Raphael. She took off, sprinting away, as Raphael was at a loss from the sheer speed at which she moved.
He watched her go, as she moved, rapidly slowing down before falling to her knees. The sight of rapidity to lethargy stunned Raphael, as he tried to process the sheer dichotomy and decline that he witnessed. The vampire tried moving some more, her movements sluggish, as Raphael saw the distance between them. The path laid before him, the light of day shining upon it, and the sounds of the vampire’s struggle to move further resonating in his ears. Opportunity was present. But the chances of disaster upon leaving her alone would not evade his mind, the thoughts of those she would consume if unshackled. His legs moved him away from the path, and towards the weakened monster.
Weak. Why? Her legs gave out from under her as she ran off to find more blood. She screamed trying to get her legs to work, the sudden numbness settling in. Exhausted. Fatigued. Tired. Painful memories from the encounter with the human return as she wants nothing to do with such feelings. She pushes herself off the ground as much as she can, her arms supporting her weight. They remained fixed, unable to push her further, but stand stalwart against gravity’s pull. Move. Move. She commanded her limbs to do her bidding, but it was fruitless. She howled in anger, as she smelled the human approaching slowly. Her eyes were on him, as she tried to bite him. He backed off, as she growled, “Blood. NEED.”
The human looked at her, stating “You need to calm down. You’re only going to hurt yourself. I thought you said you weren’t that hungry.”
She responded to his question, “No hungry, NEED. Need, more”. The human said nothing, looking her over. He silently pulled out the sharp thing as he cut his arm, squeezing off the nectar within, letting it drop in her mouth. Taste invigorated her mind instantly, as the energy pulsed through her. The pulse faded quickly, a fraction of the sensation from a full meal. The energy within her was enough to release her arms from gravity’s hold, as she tried to grab the human. He evaded her once again, as she stumbled again.
He spoke to her, “It’s this or go hungry. Accept some limits, and I’ll help you get more blood. No other humans. I have an idea. Alright?”
The vampire looked at him, the words flowing in her head, her mind rushing thanks to his gift. Hungry, bad. More blood, good. Want more blood. His blood good. He gives. The answer seemed obvious.
She replied, “More blood.” Raphael considered it to be a start, as he made sure to clean his wound. He helped pick her up, keeping his distance while doing so.
He looked in the direction where the vampire was trying to head to. Branches appeared twisted from a natural position, with some brush on the ground. Tilting his head, a faint outline of a hoof print was visible. Deer, and not just one of them. The vampire was onto a trail.
Raphael told the vampire, “If you find any other tracks, tell me instead of running off.” The vampire looked at him with a bewildered look. She turned to see what he was referring to, only now noticing the print in the dirt.
Her astonishment astonished Raphael. “Why’d you run if you didn’t see the tracks?”
She responded. “Blood. Smell. There.” She pointed in the direction of the print. Realization dawned on Raphael. She was not observant, but her senses were impeccable.
He mumbled, “That explains it,” before raising his voice, “We’ll make a detour and hunt the deer. Does that sound good?” The vampire’s attention was on the trail, as the answer was already set. He amended his statement, “We’ll go slowly, understood?”
The vampire was too focused on running after her prey, but her legs began to buckle under her. Raphael found a sturdy branch after some more walking to act as an impromptu walking stick. With a silent agreement, the two of them followed where their food had traveled unaware.
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Raphael followed the vampire closely. His eyes grew weary between watching her and the trails she was following. Her head seemed guided by her small but powerful nose. She moved without a care for her surroundings, while he threaded as lightly as possible.
The vampire spoke briefly “Near.” Raphael’s attention was roused, as he stepped ahead. The vampire tried to walk forward, as her legs were still weak.
Putting his arm in front of her, Raphael told her “Wait. They’ll run if they notice you.” The vampire growled, as Raphael pulled out his knife, keeping his eyes on the tracks and staying low.
“Follow me slowly.” He said as he carefully approached. From the distance, he could see the sunlight peeking through the canopy, likely a clearing of some kind. Stepping cautiously, he listened and watched as he moved closer. The faintest of rustling from around him could be heard, with the footsteps behind him keeping pace. Slow wind brushed against his skin, shaking the leaves with its embrace, but was quiet in its silent parade. Raphael stepped further, keeping his weight on his feet, stepping one long moment at a time. Beneath the wind’s presence there was a recognizable sound, that which heralded sanctuary and relief. Rocks and branches were heard being washed over, with the croaking of a frog nearby. There was water in the clearing, and where all thirsty creatures would return to.
Raphael knew fortune when it struck, as he continued onward. As the trees thinned, he slowed his pace, keeping out of sight. He saw a clearing within the forest, with a large stream within. And right at the stream was a herd of deer, content and alert.
Raphael watched, looking for how to capture the fauna. There were no places to approach without being seen, the deer had a full view of the space around them. He had no means of attacking at range beyond rocks, none of which would do the job. His speed certainly did not match that of a fleeing deer, as he turned to see the vampire still making her approach. The cards he held were better than what they were a few days ago, it was time to play.
The vampire tiredly walked towards the human, who stopped her, as she saw him put his hand up. She tried biting it to replenish herself, as he jerked his arm away from her. “Not me. Them.” He pointed to the deer, at least that’s what he said they were, as they grazed and relieved their thirst. She felt jealous of them, being able to do so, considering that maybe grass had blood that she somehow couldn’t smell.
The man spoke, “Listen, you stay low. I will chase them towards you, and you catch them. Got it?” Catch. Capture. Eat. Thoughts of getting to eat more, and not scraps, was more than enough to enrapture her.
“Catch. Eat. I hide.” The vampire painfully got lower to the ground, resting behind a tree. The human watched her before walking off, moving around the circumference of the dastardly light. She thought, her source of blood having just walked off, tricking her into staying behind. Having food slip through her grasp was infuriating, as she could feel that she had enough to finish him. She glared in his direction, keeping her eyes on him.
Raphael felt the glare of the vampire on him, the one eye he could see focused in his direction like a predator. His steps grew shaky as he tip-toed around the edges of the clearing. He kept his focus on his own prey, as he estimated his chances.
The stream was rather wide, so it was beyond the scope for the deer to cross. Should he chase the deer, he would have to consider his angle of approach, so as to corral them towards the waiting vampire. Given the burst of speed the vampire seemed capable of, the chances of at least one deer being caught would be enough.
The deer appeared anxious, as judging from the short grass around them, they had been there for some time. Raphael watched, as they could move at any moment. The vampire was obscured from his position; he had moved too far away to see where she was. He waved his arm towards the general area, hoping to get her attention, but he was uncertain as to whether she noticed. From his periphery he saw the deer looking around, the steps to relocating all the more obvious. Fortune’s favor had left him, as Raphael ran out to chase the deer.
The deer were startled, as they ran off away from the hairless creature that approached them, making some sound alien to them. Slender legs belied their speed as they returned to the cover of the trees. An instinctual fear diverted them from their path, as something lay in wait behind a tree.
The vampire heard the incoming prey, as she stuck her head out enough to see them. She could smell the blood, as her focus lay on a deer furthest away from her, which was the biggest and was the best catch in her mind. She ran after it, her speed far exceeding that of the deer. Her legs grew heavier as she closed the distance with every step. The sweet nectar was there for the taking, her hand just about touching the deer’s leg. The relief for her eternal need was within her grasp. The chance slipped through her fingers as her legs gave out again.
Raphael ran after the deer, having yelled to alert the vampire. His own exhaustion was kicking in, as he observed the vampire running past the deer closest to her, chasing another one entirely. Even considering the sheer impracticality, she tried and failed to keep up with her prey. He picked up his own pace; the deer were quickly out of range. He readied his arm and steadied his aim, spotting where the arteries in the deer were most likely to be.
The vampire landed on her knee, snarling as the deer escaped her grasp. The blood pumping both her and her escaping prey, she wanted to have it all. Cursing her legs as they buckled, she felt something fly by her head, watching the deer get cut by a thrown knife. There was form in its trajectory, having managed to nick the deer, causing blood to spurt out. The deer cried out in pain, as the vampire forced her arms to crawl towards the blood that stained the dirt. She cared not for how it was; blood was good even if dirty. She sucked up what she could as her prey limped, its speed only reduced slightly. Her mind refreshed for even an instance, she heard the human running to catch up. The knife being thrown could only have been him, she assumed, as she saw his efforts to be weaker, but begrudgingly more effective. She grabbed the heaviest fallen branch near her and swiftly threw it at the deer, its speed instant and faster than the deer’s own pace, landing a blow into its side that knocked it off balance.
A wicked crunch could be heard, the sounds of bone, flesh and wood all breaking in unison echoing in the forest. Raphael counted his blessings as his knife landed right where he wanted. Blood escaped the shallow but critical wound from the deer as the vampire began to lap at the ground where it landed.
His stamina began to wane as the deer were readily escaping his vision, but the sight of the vampire’s rapid and ludicrous recovery of strength kept him alert. She collapsed onto all fours after her swing, as Rapheal pushed himself to make up for her efforts. He saw the deer escape his sight, as they galloped away from the hunting foes. Cursing his fortune as the deer escaped, he glanced to where the vampire’s projectile had gone, seeing its destructive impact. The deer that the vampire chased lay on its side, fur covered with blood and bark as it cried in pain. The torso appeared to become slightly concave, as Raphael could tell that its breathing was evident and unnatural, it didn’t have long at all.
His breath gave out in tandem with his will, put his hands on his knees to keep himself upright. A powerful strike like what the vampire did to the deer only cemented to Raphael that she was dangerous and able to kill in an instant. Though this knowledge burdened him, her hunting was inefficient at best and hampering at worst. He walked over, seeing the vampire still on the ground and trying to push herself off of it. Her own exhaustion brought by her burst of energy, gone as fast as it came.
“Need some help?” Raphael carefully offered his hand, his other with the other knife visible.
“Blood. Need” The vampire only repeated her few words, as she tried biting his hand, as Raphael pulled it away. He kept the knife ready as he put his arm under hers to get her moving towards the defeated deer.
Blood. Need. The human was picking her up, and not giving blood. Anger flared within her, but the hunger moved her focus. Aromatic callings and sounds of pain summoned her attention. Her prey had been knocked over, and ready to be consumed. She tried to hobble over faster than her body would let her, with the human keeping his pace in spite of her efforts.
The human let go of her as they stood in front of the crying deer. She could smell the nectar inside, and not wanting a moment to waste, went to feast upon her prize. The human’s arm found itself in front of her.
“BLOOD. NEED. HUNGRY.” She growled at him, her frustration not hiding her intent to retaliate. The human gazed upon the prey for but a moment before swiftly striking it with his knife. The creature’s cries quickly weakened and were silenced. The vampire could feel its heart slow rapidly, the deer’s mind fading almost instantly.
The human removed his other arm from between the vampire and her prey, as her hunger overridden her temporary frustration. Her fangs transformed alongside the rest of her teeth, sharpening into their monstrous forms, as she opened her jaw fully. She chomped into the dead deer, and drank everything she could.
Raphael witnessed the vampire’s feeding, her horrible consumption ravaging the flesh that her fangs pierced and tore. Given the injuries it had already sustained, its whole body wouldn't be usable for food or trade, but given his experience, he’s worked with far less. He witnessed the vampire’s feeding, the savagery belied the unnatural means of eating, as the blood appeared to flow up and out of the wounds and into the vampire’s mouth. It appeared like the reverse of water falling off early morning leaves, the sight confounding and curious.
Raphael’s attention returned back to the task at hand. He began collecting the deer’s carcass to salvage it. The vampire glared at him, as he shakily worked in full view of her so as to not appear suspicious. 42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhaGO0dMVb
Carving the skin and fur as best he could, a decent amount of meat could be considered usable, with some of the pelt potentially selling for change. Raphael considered it the best he could do, leaving the deer’s carcass to return to the earth in peace. The vampire looked with some confusion, as she grabbed the carcass by the legs and began to drag it. Raphael asks with incredulity, “We can’t carry the whole thing all the way to the next town.” The vampire merely continued, replying with confusion, “Eat whole. More blood.”
Raphael was unsure of the vampire’s insistence being impressive or foolish. However, after getting her fill of blood, she showed to be able to handle the deer’s weight without issue, as Raphael sighed, hoping it wouldn’t slow them down as they trekked onwards. He signaled for her to follow, as they followed the stream to wherever it would lead.
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Walking. Walking. Even more walking. The vampire dragged the body of her prey as she followed the human’s gait. She knew not where they were heading, nor did she care. Her hunger was quenched by the blood she had siphoned from her now cumbersome luggage, but it wasn’t enough.
The human’s blood was better; it was always better. She knew not why, but it was a must. No uncertainties. No hesitations. She wanted more, but he kept pushing her off. He didn’t have enough, and she wanted more. She didn’t want to wait, but she waited, wanting more, following more, searching for more humans. She would have her fill, she had to.
Raphael lost track of how long it had been. After acquiring the deer carcass and already eating the usable meat, they hadn’t managed to make way to any sort of civilization within 5 nights. Though he could get water from the stream, food was scarce, berries were an occasional but inadequate reprieve. Raphael knew the vampire was aiming for his blood, but he didn’t question nor hesitate; doing so would only invite his demise.
Cursing his own decision was certainly one option to consider, but Raphael knew it to be foolish. At least he told himself that, as his minds flooded with questions to fill the void the hunger left within. What was this vampire? Where did she come from? How could she have been connected to that monster in Zori? When did she get to this location and begin consuming people? Why did she somehow agree to a last-minute bluster on his part, thus sparing his life? Who was she?
Raphael repeated the questions, who, what, when, where, why and how. They repeated, over, and over, and over, and over. Never coming to an answer, never making it towards an inquiry, let alone a hypothesis. Just mantras that cycled in his mind, as his legs continued their motions, left, right, left and right. The hunger was unbearable, Raphael could taste only his spit, and feared the worst.
Such fears proved true, as the stream he followed blindly came to an end, resting upon on a pond. Nary a sign of human trace, nary a signal of hope. Raphael slumped his head, muttering “Dammit all. Dammit”. His curses were halted by the sounds of growls. His blood ran cold, its warmth fleeing him as though it fled from its predator. Raphael, paralyzed from the hunger or the fear heard the vampire speak behind him, “Hungry. Need. MORE.”
The vampire spoke her words, the meaning of the words meant nothing compared to the need that drove her. The human didn’t turn around, which made his neck all the more inviting, as the vampire opened her jaw, baring her fangs to please the hunger just once more. Without any more waiting, she bit, and the human cried out as they do, and fell to the earth below. She drank, but the blood was weak, it wasn’t as good, it didn’t relieve the hunger as it did before. She was hungry, still so hungry.
Raphael’s pain was dulled thanks to his hunger, but he couldn’t push the vampire away. She screamed at him “Hungry. Blood, More.” He could only turn his head just enough to catch a glimpse of her cerulean orb glaring at him “Yours. Not. Enough”. Raphael, could only speak, his body too weak to push her away, retorting, “I’m, also, hungry.” The vampire snarled at him, with Raphael considering his demise from this cursed creature. IT would be quick, and there would maybe be a chance at peace finally.
But it wasn’t enough. It never was, it never will be. There wasn’t enough to make things up, and it wasn’t enough to end like this. Raphael, his blood cold and lessening by the second, returned the vampire’s words at her, “I won’t die here.” The vampire’s jaw loosed, as Raphael pushed off the ground, his bones threatening to snap, his muscles beginning to tear. He pushed himself up, with more regret than pride in doing so, as he sauntered ever slowly around, not knowing where, but looking for his salvation in what form he could find.
The vampire remained on the ground. Alien feelings prodded her mind. Uncertainty and confusion colored her eyes, as the human should be dead, but kept walking. He was hungry, but he kept moving. He shouldn’t continue to live, but he does. The vampire could only see it was strange. What sort of creature would do that? Why? How? Questions filled her mind, but the hunger drowned them out. It always does. It is truth. It is paramount. And her hunger told her, the human would bring her more blood. She followed, the limbering carcass in her grasp dragged along as she followed her salvation.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJukeA8o8uj
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Step. After step. After step. After step. Raphael could only repeat without questioning. The questions had ceased, for they got in the way of stepping. He slept, using what was left of his mind to step again, and again. The vampire was behind him; he paid her no mind. Just one more step. Repeating over and over, until it was done. When was it done?
He did not know.
He kept stepping. There was no certainty in the direction, there was no way to know. But he kept stepping. His body used to hurt, but he doesn’t feel it anymore. Perhaps it wasn’t bad after all.
It kept hurting, it never stopped hurting. Every step was tormentous, the hunger grew as the steps accumulated. The vampire couldn’t count the steps. She was hungry, that’s all there was to it. She followed the human. He hadn’t spoken in a while. It was better this way.
Maybe.
She stepped more and more, she kept her pace, wanting to claim her overdue prize from the human. But he stepped faster than her. She kept her pace, dragged her load behind her, and stepped.
When would the stepping stop? He didn’t know anymore. The land was barren of food. Nary a berry or brush alive was in sight. He thought he might join the land. But he stepped again. The stepped, again, and again, and again, and again, and-
He stopped. His eyes saw only faint glimmers like a muddy reflection, his ears pulsing to the drum in his chest. But his nose found stimulation. Smoke filled his nose, as his lungs burned from the black vapors, but his heart filled with reprieve.
He stepped, again, and again, and again, and again. His sight remained opaque, but the recognition cleared his cognitive haze. There was a fire, the familiar scents of cooked meats filling the air with sublime invitation. He stepped again, and again, spotting movement as he drew closer.
The human stepped further and further away. Her hunger weighed her down, but she stepped even more. The hunger would not be sated like this. It could not. This was enough, she would fill the hunger now. She stepped, further and further, having left the carcass behind. She stopped behind the human, as he spoke something that she cared not and could not understand. He raised his arm, as though the weight of the hunger hung like anchors. She stepped right behind him, baring her fangs to claim her prize as she saw another human in the distance. She cared not, as she bit, claiming her prize, and the hunger lessened once again.
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