I wrote part of this story AGES ago but I deleted it; then decided to write it again after reigniting my love of vampire stories and lore. Well I hope you like what I have so far and feel free to respond if there are mistakes (this is just the first draft). I'll add more when I'm able to!!

Ja ne! Yuki

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"Donovan, where are you going?"

I paused as I slipped on my leather trench coat. Glancing over my shoulder I saw the petite form of my newest fledgling. The blonde child stood, hugging the hand rail that led to the second story of the Victorian home. Her sparkling blue eyes seemed to catch the tiniest fraction of light and glistened joyfully.

"Out." I replied softly. I ran a hand through my midnight hair and smoothed my trench coat. "Why do you ask?" Her name was Tabitha, a girl forever stuck at the age of seven. From the moment I saw her, lying bloody and beaten in an alley smelling of trash and excrement, I knew she wouldn't live. I felt pity for her and as her eyes met mine I felt something stir deep within my stomach. Her bloody hair fell before her eyes and I saw a shadowy figure lingering above her; death was all too close.

"What am I supposed to do?" Tabitha asked.

"Ewan can entertain you tonight." I looked at my blonde doll and smiled slightly. "I just need some time to myself, love."

Tabitha blinked those crystal eyes and a look of confusion washed across them. "Ewan still isn't home; he's still out hunting I think."

I cursed beneath my breath and heaved a sigh. "You'll be fine by yourself; I'll lock the door and you mustn't open any of the windows."

"What happens if someone comes to the door?"

"If it's Ewan he can let himself in. He should be back before ten to watch you, just like he promised" I replied. I approached Tabitha; she recoiled slightly. She was still frightened of me, even two years after I found her. "If anyone else comes to the door, ignore them; no one can get in." I kissed Tabitha's forehead and turned away in silence.

I heard Tabitha step down from the stairs and I slowed my step. "Can I have a mother?"

Taking hold of the door's handle, I lowered my head and held onto that brass knob tightly. "Tabitha, darling, I told you it's not possible. I cannot force a woman to become a mother for you, let alone make them one of us." I stood straight, trying to regain my composure. "I'll talk to you when I get back."

Whispering a good bye I stepped out of the lavish Victorian home. I bolted the door and strolled down the sidewalk. For a moment I paused and looked toward the window to Tabitha's room. The soft white curtains stirred and I saw her small face peer from the windowsill. We looked at each other; she turned away and disappeared from the window and I began to walk away. I was beginning to think she really hated me.

**********

I went to the same dark café every week, so much so that the workers knew my name and I what I needed. Tonight, though, I sat at the bar, watching the young crowd mingle and listening to the local blues and jazz bands play. In a way I wanted someone to sit beside me and strike up a conversation. My mind was stuck on Tabitha and that sad, disappointed look in her eyes. Then that ever present thought slipped into my mind; why didn't I just let her die?

"Looks like someone is deep in thought."

The voice was soft and alluring, coaxing me from my frightening thought. I blinked and turned my head slightly to look at the person from the corner from my eye. His evergreen eyes met mine and his lips turned upwards in a slight smile. There was something about him that was familiar. His earth colored hair was tied back, loosely, with a blood red ribbon. The ribbon seemed to hold an otherworldly origin to this stranger who wore the remnants of a business suit that, like its owner, had a rough day.

"Despite the occasional interruption of ghastly music, I find it easy to lose myself in thought around here." I took a sip of the cappuccino in front of me. Finally I turned and looked the stranger straight on. "What brings you here? I've never seen you before."

The man smiled again. "It looked like a quaint place so I thought I'd take a look." A waiter suddenly appeared placing a mug in front of him, filled with something I couldn't see. He thanked the waitress and looked at the cup. "I'm not from around here and I heard this café was an interesting place. A friend of mine lives a few blocks away and said I'd like it; it was full of people filled with lore of the occult and vampires."

"The only type of vampire here," I said with a soft laugh. "are the ones who wish they were real." The stranger chuckled and I watched as he downed the strange liquid quickly; there was something peculiar about him. "As for the occult, you will find a lot of people here willing to talk about it but very few who know it first hand. Why are looking for such people?"

The man produced a card and slipped it towards me. "My name is Adrian; I'm a writer of many subjects. There is a story I'm interested in and, so far, it's led me here." The card was black, catching my eye quickly and drawing it to the gold letterings of the stranger's name and occupation. Despite the fact that the card was plain it was intriguing because of it. "I'm beginning to think that I might have been led astray, though."

I pocketed Adrian's card and took a long drink of my cappuccino. "Believe me; sometimes losing your way is best." I looked down at my cup, staring at my cloudy and distorted image. That is one thing about vampires people don't understand; we still have a reflection. "For conversation sake, tell me a little bit about you."

Adrian laughed softly. I could feel his eyes on me the whole time he spoke. "Well, there isn't much to say. I'm a writer; I write anything from fiction to biographies. I've traveled the world twice over but nothing seems the same. I do manage to go back to Romania once a year to visit family."

My head shot up when I heard that word. I turned in my seat and looked at Adrian; my eyes were wide with wonder, betraying me in their usual way. "You're Romanian?"

"Yeah." Adrian said with a bright smile. "My parents were born and raised there, but I left when to study abroad. Sometimes I wish I would've stayed; it would've been nice to watch the country change and grow."

A smile danced across my face. "This is the first time I've found someone who is from Romania."

"Really now?" Adrian said, cocking an eyebrow. "I thought that you'd find many while living in the States."

I shook my head. "You'll find many mixes but rarely those of pure blood." For a moment I pondered over those words. In a way I was talking about being Romanian but it also pertained to being a vampire. Watching Adrian when I spoke I could see something shift in those emerald eyes; it's like he knew something.

"Now," Adrian quipped, "why don't you tell me about yourself. It would be nice if I could get your name."

Now it was time for me to laugh. "My name is Donovan. Originally I was going to work with money, much like my father, but music ended up calling to me. I left Romania before I turned twenty to make a name for myself. I've traveled the world myself, but I never went back to Romania; all that I find there is pain and horrid memories."

Adrian rested his chin on his hands, watching me intently. For a moment my mind raced back to my childhood, to my first meeting with Vlad; he watched my father the same way. I shuddered, despite myself, and turned my eyes to something else. Still I could feel his eyes studying me.

"What about family?" Adrian caught the attention of the waitress that had served him earlier, whispering something in her ear. "Tell me about your father, mother, or even your own family."

"Well," I sighed, "my mother died when I was ten; she was murdered. My father cut himself off from the world after that. He worked for a well known man in Romania, helping him with financial matters, even after my mother's death. As for me, I still haven't found that certain someone but I adopted a girl; I wanted to give her a second chance at life."

Adrian smiled softly. "You sound like a courageous man, Donovan. You've been through a lot in your life but I can tell you try to bring out the best in everything."

"Sometimes even the sun can't shine through the clouds." I muttered. I cradled my drink for a moment, my mind wandering. Deep within my thoughts I heard a shrill scream; my head shot up and I listened closely. There was only music and the whispered conversations around me. Was I hearing things?

"Are you okay?" Adrian asked.

Once more I heard the scream. I stood and looked around; no one else seemed to hear it. "Yeah." I said softly. I held my hand to my forehead as the scream ripped through my mind once more. "I. . . . I just need to get out of here. It was nice meeting you."

Adrian nodded. "Give me a call sometime. It would be nice talking to a kindred spirit."

**********

The screams had stopped when I left the café, but I wandered home in a daze. I didn't imagine it, I knew that much, but it was like I was the only one who heard it. Those thoughts tugged at my mind endlessly as I strolled down dark streets, passing by a few bums and the city's endless supply of hookers. It was true that I had yet to hunt but I couldn't bring myself to do so; those screams were etched in my memory.

I rounded a street corner, watching as the ever familiar Victorian houses passed by. I loved the houses in the neighborhood and obsessed on making sure that my own home would live up to such beauty. The street was a dead end, though, with my lavish home being the last on the street, a star in the neighborhood's crown due to the fact it looked like it would have the day it was built.

As I came to the cast iron fence around my home I noticed two figures lingering around the gate. Walking ever closer to the two figures I recognized one of them; it was Ewan. A woman stood beside him, scantily clad in a mini skirt and a belly shirt that seemed too tight. She was giggling like a child but when her eyes fell on me she grew silent. The woman quickly clung to Ewan and whispered something to him. Ewan looked at me, trying to focus; he was drunk again.

"Don't worry, hun." Ewan laughed, wrapping his arm around the woman's waist. "This is the guy I live with."

I narrowed my eyes, my hands forming into fists as they lay at my sides. "Are you just getting home?"

Ewan smirked and nodded. "I've been havin' a hell of a time tonight. My lady friend is gonna help me end it with a bang."

With the speed of lightning I had Ewan by the collar of his jacket. "I told you to be home by ten; Tabitha needs someone to watch over her." Suddenly my mind snapped; the screaming had to be Tabitha's. I was connected to my fledglings by either sight or sound; I could hear Tabitha and with Ewan I could see through his eyes. "Tabitha."

I pushed Ewan violently away from me and ran up the side walk with amazing speed. Without thought I pushed open the door, nearly causing it to fly of its hinges, and dashed inside. Darkness swallowed me whole and I forced my eyes to focus. As the darkness pulled away I began to see what was left of my home.

The family room was torn apart; the couch thrown to one side and pieces of art shattered and torn. I felt my stomach churn from utter fear as ran from room to room, calling out to Tabitha. Each room seemed worse then the last; table and chairs were overturned, glass shards glistened on the floor, and small drops of flood dotted the walls. Never in my life had I seen such a thing.

"Donovan." It was Ewan's voice. I rushed to the front door where my fair haired fledgling stood, the whore still clinging to his arm.

"I can't find Tabitha." I gasped. I felt tears welling in my eyes as I spoke. Did Tabitha really mean so much to me that tears would be forced upon me?

Ewan pulled away from the frightened woman by his side, his eyes intently on my own. "I'll check the basement; you check around up stairs."

Once more I was blessed with a sudden spurt of speed. I dashed up the stairs, the tears still stinging my eyes as I round the corner that led to Tabitha's room. Her night light was still on yet she wasn't there. The room seemed to unveil it's terror to me as I inched ever farther into my child's room. Her bed was torn apart, her pillows gutted as if they were fish. The window was part way open as if Tabitha tried to escape from her unseen attackers. Feverishly I turned to the closet, throwing open the doors like a mad man. I pushed aside aging clothes and toys, yet she wasn't there.

"Tabitha." My voice seemed distant as I called for my fledgling, but she didn't answer.

Once more I dashed down the hell, this time towards my own room. I came to a sudden stop, my heart racing as I faced a closed door. I closed my eyes, preying that Tabitha was safe inside the room. As I opened my door, though, I knew that she wasn't even in the house.

The smell of death seemed to flow from every corner of my room as I stared, in fear, at the mangled body of a man. He was propped up against the wall; his lower lip had been torn away and one eye was completely gone, yet there was no blood. It was the mark of a vampire. I could only figure it had been Tabitha who attacked the man, but that still didn't explain what happened to her.

"We couldn't find her in the," Ewan quickly appeared beside me, his eyes focusing on the body before us, "holy shit what the hell happened to him?"

I couldn't turn away from what I was seeing, not even to tell Ewan what I knew. Everything around me seemed to grow silent; Ewan stepped I front of me, his mouth moving, but I heard nothing. I blinked and felt the tears starting to roll down my cheeks and soon Ewan was crying as well.

Suddenly a scream pierced through that horrific silence, seeming to cause my mind to snap like window under pressure. I spun around violently, my hand instinctively going to grab the person's throat. My eyes came in contact with the young hooker Ewan had brought home. Her screams didn't seem to end and she began to scratch at my hand and face angrily.

"Let me go you son of a bitch." the woman wailed, her teeth clenched in fear and anger. She began to kick wildly, her feet coming in contact with my legs and stomach yet I felt nothing; I was numb to the world.

"Stop screaming." I roared. I tightened my grasp ever so slightly, stifling the woman's screams. "You either shut up and get back to your damned street corner or I snap your neck; no one will miss a scum of whore."

Those vacant eyes seemed to fill with anger when I spoke and soon she looked at me with an anger only a woman could have. "Don't you dare call me a fuckin' whore; the minute I get outta here I'm goin' straight to the cops. I can't wait to see your face plastered on TV when you're found guilty of murder."

"I didn't murder anyone." My voice seemed to echo through the house, yet it didn't faze her.

"Donovan, let her go." Ewan cried. He tried to pull my hands away but I was too strong. "I can take care of her; just let go."

A growl seemed to come from deep within my throat and I felt heat rising in my face. With my free hand I pushed Ewan away, sending him crashing against the wall. He landed with a thud, leaving a slight dent. Once more the woman started to scream and kick wildly. I knew I could kill her if I just squeezed her neck just so but that would be too quick of an end for such an annoying creature.

I brought the woman closer to me, avoiding her flailing hands and filed nails. Turning my hand I exposed the woman's neck and I went in for the kill. She smelt of smoke and cheap perfume. She screamed the whole time but, as I drained her strength, she didn't fight. I dug my nails into her neck, feeling her blood beading around my fingers as tightened my grip. I could feel her tears slowly falling onto my neck and cheek when she finally realized what was happening; she was a vampire's dinner.

Then it was over; I let the limp body fall to the floor, hearing a sickening crack as she landed on her neck. The fingers on my right hand glistened with blood as moonlight streamed through a window. Shamelessly I walked over to Ewan and knelt beside him; he looked at me, a little miffed. My face was blank of emotion as I held his face still with my hand and smearing the whore's blood across his lips.

"You have poor taste in prey." I muttered as I stood. I licked the remaining blood on my fingers dutifully; blood was hard to come by at times and I knew never to waste.

Ewan licked his lips and he stared at me angrily. "I don't care if my taste doesn't fit to your standards, but a meal is a meal." He stood and looked down at the woman's body. He nudged it with his foot and ran a hand through his flaxen hair. "Thanks to you I don't have a meal."

I frowned. "And thanks to you Tabitha is gone." Once more I felt tears forming in my eyes. "You said you'd be home by ten; I told you I was going out for the night. Why did you have to be three hours late? Does it take that long to pick up a fuckin' hooker?"

"You know I didn't do it on purpose." Ewan spat.

"I don't care if you did or didn't." I retorted. "I want you to get rid of both bodies tonight. Because of you they're here so it's your chore." Ewan opened his mouth to reply but decided not to say a word. I sighed and stepped over the woman's dead body. "I'm going to pick up Tabitha's room. I'll see you tomorrow."