A Modern Vampire Tale

As I sit in this bar, I cannot believe the shit I'm hearing. Because this bar is basically a club, the other half has a place where people can dance, there's a dj, et cetera. But sitting in the bar half, I'm still subjected to this shit called dance music. Frankly, I just don't understand it! I mean all it is, is some musical notes, followed by some sound effects, and maybe some vocals. But all that aside, as I sit, I see a beautiful woman looking over at me. I signal the bartender, and I buy her a drink. I watch as the bartender hands her the drink, she smiles, then walks over to me.

"Hi!" she says to me "I'm Natasha."

"Pleasure to meet you," I tell her "My name is Eric."

She comments to be about how the name suits me. I watch as she quickly sucks back her drink, I order her another, I know that more will come.

***

We walk out of the bar, it being after two the bar is now closed. I take her into the alley behind the bar, and we begin walking. About halfway through, I push her against a wall. She takes this sexually, and begins kissing me. Her kisses are wet and sloppy, I'm quickly becoming

disgusted. She takes my right hand, and places it on her breast. I squeeze it, giving her a small amount of pleasure. As I do this, I pull a small knife out of my pocket. In almost the blink of an eye, her neck is opened, and the red stuff comes pouring out. As she falls to the ground, I get down all fours and begin drinking up her blood. I'm sure if someone was watching, they would compare me to some wild animal drinking from a stream. I stand up, wipe the blood from my mouth, and lick it off my hand. My name is Eric...I am a vampire!

Eventually, I make it back to my apartment. Being a vampire, people assume I'm like those vampires out of the movies. First off, forget that shit you see in the movies. I don't wear that stupid frilly stuff...anymore. I admit that centuries ago I did wear that stuff, but that was the

fashion then! Garlic doesn't do shit, except give someone foul smelling breath. Crosses only have an effect on me if the person has any faith, fortunately in todays society that's rare. Of course where there's bullshit, there's also some truth. I can be killed by sunlight, a stake through the

heart, or decapitation of my head. Yes I do have a coffin, but I don't sleep in it all the time, as I have a bed and couch in my apartment. Also as shown at the club, I do drink peoples blood. I do sometimes just go and bite their necks, but that has become so cliche, I've tried new ways

of getting blood. My favourite has to be slitting throats, there's enjoyment watching them struggle with their last bit of life energy, plus police will just think it was the work of a serial killer.

***

As I get up, the sun has just finished going down. The problem with being a vampire is no sooner I'm up, I'm hungry! It's early yet to go out and feed, so I walk over to my fridge. I remember a Canadian show called Forever Knight, it was about a cop in Toronto who was a vampire. He didn't attack people for their blood, instead he kept wine bottles with animals blood in his fridge. I grab a bottle out of my fridge, and drink the blood right out of the bottle. And

they try to tell us television isn't good for anything! While I wait for it to become later in the day, I decide to watch a movie. I look through my collection to try to find a good movie to watch. In my collection I have a lot of vampire films, mostly for a good laugh to see how Hollywood portrays vampirism. You would think a place full of bloodsuckers, they would know more about the subject. I finally decide on Vampire Hunter D, because when it comes to violence you can't argue with Japanese animation!

***

As I take a walk down the street, I think about it and decide I'll start with a prostitute. As I walk, I fail to notice someone coming up behind me, they put their hands over my eyes.

"Make a move and I'll stake your bloodsucking ass!" says the female voice

"I don't think so" I say as I sniff the air "..Cassandra!"

"No fair," says Cassandra, as she takes her hands off my eyes. "Sniffing isn't allowed!"

"Tough!" I say as I smile at Cas, my fangs clearly showing. I sometimes have to laugh at Cas's immaturity. She was twenty when I changed her over, so she wasn't very mature emotionally. Her "fits" she has sometimes are pretty funny.

"So," she says "what are you up to?"

"Doing some feeding," I say "thought I'd start with a hooker."

"Well," says Cas, as she points at a girl a little up the street. "May I suggest her?"

"You not like her?" I ask

"She's a bitch!" said Cas "You'd be doing both of us a favour."

"Thanks," I say as Cas and I exchange kisses on the cheek. I hear the sound of a honking horn, and look to see someone signaling for Cas. "Looks like you get a chance to feed too!" I say

"Looks like it," said Cas "Well see ya later then."

"Yeah, see ya" I say, as I walk over to the woman Cas hates.

"Looking for a good time?" the woman asks me

"Yes," I say "Yes I am!"

As I walk out of the rundown hotel room, I wipe the blood off my mouth. The good thing about killing a hooker, is that they usually take Johns to rundown shitholes like this. These places are usually pretty deserted, except for the guy running the place. As I walk towards the front

doors, I forget that I'm still holding the bloody knife in my hand. The hotel manager however, quickly notices. He runs up to me, handgun in hand.

"Alright asshole!" the guy says to me "What the fuck did you do to Kim?" I say nothing as I grab his hand holding the gun, and push it back, opening his hand, blood falling to the ground. Before he has a chance to do anything, I stick my fangs into his neck. I get a lot from him, as he's bleeding like a stuffed pig.

As I walk down the street, I decide that I'll hit the bars and clubs again. As I look down the street, I see Cassandra walking towards me.

"So," said Cas "how was it?"

"She was a little too willing." I said "she thought it was all some kinky sexual act...up to the knife point anyway! How about you?"

"Well," said Cas "it was pretty much over before it started. This guy wanted a bj...let's just say I kinda bit off more then I could chew. On a positive note, at least there was more blood!"

"I would think so!" I said "Anyhow, I'm gonna hit the bars and clubs now."

"Picking up more innocent girls with offers of sex, only to feed on them?" said Cas.

"Well," I said "it worked for me when I picked you up!"

"Fuck you!" said Cas, as she smiled and stuck up her middle finger in front of me.

As I walk into a bar, I hear music from that white rapper, I think his name's Eminem or something. Like dance music, I don't fully understand the popularity of this hip hop music. Of course that's not to say I don't like it...I just don't fully understand it. As I look around I see a woman sitting at a table alone, I take a seat and begin flirting with her, she enjoys it. As she begins talking about something, I'm not really sure, quite frankly I really didn't care! As I looked around the bar, I see a woman sitting at the other end of the bar with a couple

people. "Maria?" I think to myself. I close my eyes, and when I open them I see a ballroom that I was in in the late 1800's. Having been turned in the early 1800's, I looked the same as I was when I was changed. Twenty five, handsome, and a vampire. As I look forward, I see Marias face meeting with mine as we dance. Maria and I had been together for quite awhile now. She knew that some nights I would go out, what she didn't know was that I was killing and feeding on people. As the song came to an end, an angry mob came running into the ballroom towards me.

"There he is!" yelled one of mob members "There is the vampire that's been killing our people!" I quickly grabbed Maria's hand and we began running, the angry mob following behind us. As we ran, they began throwing things at us attempting to stop or kill us. As we continued running, I heard Maria let out a painful moan, and she fell to the ground. As I looked down, I saw a stake sticking through Maria's chest. One of the townspeople had thrown it trying to stake me, instead killing my poor Maria. As I knelt down in front of Maria's body, I felt the sadness and anger highten my bloodlust. As if almost uncontrollably, I began tearing my way through the mob. By the end, I was covered in blood, and the angry mob had been torn to shreds. I closed

and opened my eyes again to find myself back in the bar.

"Hey!" said the girl sitting at the table "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I told her "yeah I'm fine." I looked over at the woman, and watched as her and her friends walked out of the bar. I looked back over at the woman. "So," I said to her "wanna go back to your place?"

"Thought you'd never ask!" said the woman, a smile on her face.

***

As I laid in her bed covered by only the bedsheet, I looked over at her. I kinda feel bad now that her sheets are stained with blood, but now I don't think that matters. The way I look at it, we both got something that gave us some pleasure. She got probably the best sex I've given in about nearly 200 years, and when finished I got a feast. After getting dressed and taking any money she had, I decided to head home. As I walked, I kept seeing the woman from the bar in my mind. The questions kept running through my head; Who is she? Will I ever see her again? Will she love me? As I passed an alley, I heard the painful yell of a man, followed by the sound of a body hitting the ground. I walked into the alley to see Cassandra, her shirt ripped open, feasting on the neck of some poor, horny son of a bitch. She looked over, smiled at me, blood covering her mouth and teeth, and went back to feasting. As I got back into my apartment, I couldn't stop thinking about the woman from the bar. As I looked outside, I could see the sun was beginning

to rise. After closing all the shades, I went and laid on the couch. As I drifted off, the woman from the bar was the only thing on my mind.

***

I walk into a nightclub, I cannot believe the volume of the music, it's almost deafening. As I look around I see people dancing, they all look like they don't have a care in the world. Slowly I make my way to where there is the biggest concentration of people, I dance trying to blend in. As a girl begins dancing very close to me, I slowly pull out my knife. Anyone who could see it, would probably tell you how cool it looked as I slashed her throat under the strobe light. Watching in slow motion as the knife came across her throat, and the blood began spilling out. Acting quickly, I pulled her close to me and began drinking the blood making sure none of it spilled. As I look around noone seemed to have even noticed what I did, I look at it as a victory. As I drop the girl and make my way out of the crowd, I see the girl from the bar dancing with her friends she was with last night. Slowly I make my way up to her, she turns around and

begins dancing in front of me. As I look at her, I notice how hauntingly beautiful her eyes are.

"Hello," I say to her "my name is Eric"

"Hi," she says "name's Madison"

"Madison!" I say "beautiful name, it suits someone as beautiful as you." As I smile at Madison I watch as she smiles back, her face going red from embarrassment. As I stand there in front of Madison, I watch as her friends smile at her as they walk away. Madison and I walk over to a table, sit down and begin talking. As she speaks I don't comprehend a thing she's saying, all I can do is concentrate on her beauty. After some time, she asks me to come back to her place. As we walk away from the club, we see cop cars pull up, and police officers run into the club.

"What's going on?" Madison asks me.

"Probably a fight or some underage drinkers" I say calmly. Eventually, we get back to her place. Almost immediately, I begin kissing her, she must think I'm really horny. As I continue kissing her she tilts her head, her neck is now in plain view. As I move down and begin kissing

her neck, I feel the lust for blood increasing. I pull my mouth a little bit away from her neck, opening my mouth my fangs are in plain view. I get right up to her neck, aim, ready to bite, but find I can't do it. "The hell?" I think to myself. We make our way to her bed, I watch as she

undresses. As she gets into the bed, I strip down and get into the bed with her. I watch as with a free hand, Madison turns off the light by her bed.

***

I stand by the window in Madisons bedroom, and stare outside. I look over at Madison, who is sleeping peacefully. I think to myself, for someone who's technically been dead for about two hundred years, I have a strong and active sex drive. As I continue to stare at Madison, I begin

to wonder why I didn't feed on her. As I pondered this, I looked outside and saw that the sun was beginning to rise. Giving Madison one last look, I leave her home, and head back to my apartment. I get back to my apartment, and think about where I want to sleep. I think I'll sleep in the

coffin this time, I think to myself as I lay down inside it. As I begin to close my eyes, I pull the lid down.

***

"Pulling an all night feeding frenzy, were we?" I heard Cassandra say, as she walked up behind me.

"You could say that!" I say as I turn around, a smile on my face. I watch as Cas comes close, and begins sniffing around me.

"Smells like you had another kind of frenzy," said Cas, a mischievous smile on her face. "..A sexual one!" I say nothing, and continue to flash a smile at Cas. "So," she says "what was her name and how did she taste?"

"Her name's Madison," I said "as for the taste of her blood...I don't know."

"Why not?" asked Cas

"I didn't bite her!" I said

"Why didn't you bite her?" asked Cas

"I don't know!" I said

"Oh!" said Cas "I see what's going on here!"

"What?"

"You love her!" said Cas

"No I don't," I said "living humans are nothing but food to me!"

"It's different in this case," said Cas "it's just like Maria." Completely catching Cas off guard, I grabbed her by her throat and slammed her against the wall.

"I've told you before," I said angrily, my fangs showing. "You were to never mention that name again!"

"Why?" said Cas angrily, as she made choking noises. "Because you know it's true?" The anger look comes off my face, as I loosen my grip on Cas's neck. I just stand there, listening to the sound of Cassandra trying to catch her breath. Acting very quickly, I walk away from Cassandra,

and head over to Madisons home.

As I float up to Madisons window, and look into her bedroom. I watch as she sleeps peacefully, probably resting before heading out to a club or bar. I stay by the window a few mintues more, I then begin to feel the hunger. I come back down to the ground, and decide to go to a club.

***

I step out of one of the washroom stalls, and wipe the blood off my lips. As I take one last look inside the stall, I see the woman I just finished feeding on. Having been in the club for awhile, I managed to pick this girl up and get her very drunk. When the idea of a quickie in the washroom came up, she jumped at the idea. Next thing she knows, a little sex, and a lot of blood gone. As I walk out of the washroom I feel nourished, yet the enjoyment of the feeding wasn't there. I begin to think, could Cassandra be right? Could I actually be in love with Madison, as I was with Maria? As I walk back into the noise of the club, I see Madison walk in. My feet off the ground floating just above the floor, I make my way over to Madison. Putting my hand on her shoulder she jumps, I think I may have caught her off guard.

"Eric!" she says "Didn't think I'd see you again. Where did you go?"

"I'm sorry about that," I say "there was just something important that I had to do. If I didn't do it...it would've killed me!" Madison and I order our drinks, take a seat, and begin talking. We talk for some time about every little thing we can think about, I can tell though that she's curious where I went after leaving her house. I think about it, and decide that I'm gonna tell her I'm a vampire. I didn't tell Maria, and because of that she was just an innocent caught in the crossfire, I'm not gonna let that happen again.

"Madison," I say "I think I should tell you that I'm..." I'm interrupted by yelling coming from the other side of the club. I watch as a group of people are looking over at our table, one of the people pointing.

"There he is!" said the guy pointing at me. "He's the one that was with that poor girl!" As the crowd comes toward the table, I grab Madisons hand and quickly run out of the club. As we run, behind us an angry group of people follow. I lead Madison into an alley, and like something out of a cartoon, we see the people run by the alley.

"Okay," said Madison, catching her breath. "What the hell is going on? Why are those people chasing you?"

"Well," I say "..this isn't really easy to say."

"What?" asked Madison "Are you some kind of serial killer or something?"

"Something like that," I say "..I'm..a vampire!"

"Yeah," said Madison "you and every other horny guy in this city, don't think I haven't heard that before!"

Before I have a chance to say anything, I turn around to see one of the people from the angry group coming towards me.

"Die, you murdering motherfucker!" yells the man, as he pulls out a handgun. I run towards him, grab him, pull him towards me, and sink my fangs into his neck. As I feed, the blood I don't collect forms a puddle around his body. As I drop his body and look over at Madison, she has a look of fright on her face. I reach out my hand trying to say something, but before I can say anything she runs out of the alley screaming.

"Shit!" I say to myself, I run out of the alley, and try to track down Madison. As I look ahead of me, I see her run into an abandoned building. As I begin heading towards the building, I'm stopped by about five people from the angry group from the club. As I look around me, they have me circled in. Feeling outnumbered, I hear a noise from outside the circle. All of a sudden, two of the guys from the group are dead. I look to see Cassandra standing there, blood on her mouth, hands and clothes.

"Thought you could use a little help!" said Cas, a smile on her face. I smile back then together, we finish off the three other guys. Cas walks up to me, pulls me close to her, and our lips lock. "You love her," says Cas "go get her!" I smile at Cas, then head towards the abandoned

building. As I walk in, I hear footsteps running in the darkness.

"Madison," I say "please, I know you're in here, please come out. Look I'm not gonna bite you, okay..If you can hear me...I love you!" There is silence for a few minutes, I then hear the sound of slow moving footsteps. Then in the dim lights of the building, I see Madison come towards me. She walks up to me, and I wrap my arms around her. As I hold Madison close to me, I see a dim shine in the distance. I hear the sound of a shot being fired, Madison then falls to

the ground. From out of the shadows, comes the final member of the angry group. In one arm he holds a rifle, in the other a metal spike.

"I saw what happened to the rest of the people." said the man "I know what you are, you're a goddamn vampire! You must be destroyed!" The man throws the spike. Before I can do anything, Cassandra jumps in front of me, the spike goes into her chest. The anger, causes the bloodlust in me to become stronger then ever. Unable to control myself, I make a superhuman jump towards the man. Like a wild animal, I begin a massive attack on him. Blood, and limbs begin flying everywhere. When all is said and done, there is little left of the man. I walk over and kneel in front of Cassandra.

"Eric," Cas says weakly "save her, you know what you have to do."

"What about you?" I ask

"My time here's finished," she says "it was great being with you, though I acted like a bitch sometimes. I still had the same love for you I did the first day we met!" I smiled, pulled Cas close to me, and our lips locked. I watched as before my eyes, she disintegrated into nothing. I walked over to Madison, and held her close to me.

"Madison," I said "I want to save you, but I have to do something I promised I wouldn't! If you don't want me to, please tell me." I watched as Madison said nothing as she opened her eyes, she pulled her face to mine and our lips locked. I then proceeded to move my mouth from her lips to her neck, and bared my fangs. After a moment of hesitation, I dug my fangs into her neck, this caused her to let out a moan.

SIX MONTHS LATER

As I stand in an alley, I wait for someone to come walking down the street. Being in this new city about six months, I'm slowly getting used to its layout. I see a man walking down the street, before he has the chance to do anything he has someone on his back. The last thing he sees, is a woman digging her fangs into his neck. I walk over to the body and after she's finished feeding, I help Madison up. As our lips lock, we can both taste the blood from the fresh kill.

"How was he?" I ask

"Not bad," she says "I'm still getting used to this feeding thing though!"

"Don't worry," I say, as I hold her close to me "you will!" As we look in the distance, we see a drunken man staggering down the street. Madison and I look at each other, we both smile, fangs in plain view.

THE END