Ok, so I know I promised this in a few days and it's been like, four months, but give me some credit, I had MAJOR writer's block on this story! And I won't even bore you with an author's note, here's Chris's story.

Into Chris’s Memory

The year was 1610. I had been a vampire for just under six years. I was used to my powers, but the idea of working for a living was still drilled into my head. My sire could not persuade me differently, so, finally, reluctantly, we built a small hut on the outskirts of the fief Dartmouth. I got a job there as a night soldier.

Once, while I was off-duty just before sunrise, I saw the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen. She had the loveliest bright green eyes and long, silky chestnut hair. Though she held herself proudly, her face was kind and you could tell she didn’t hold a single grudge against anyone.

I saw her more often after that. Where all the other soldiers and servants avoided me and said I was strange, she smiled at me. I suppose I still hadn’t gotten used to the fact that I was eternal and humans were not and I fell in love with her. Secretly, of course.

It was one night when I was feeding from an extra body in the forest with my sire that I found out her name.

I was bent over my prey when I heard a rustle in the leaves. Knowing that my sire would never make such a noise, I lifted my head. As it were, my face was pallid, my eyes gleaming, and my fangs were dripping blood. I must have looked quite frightening.

A hunter dressed in the finest (though ripped) brown leather wearing a soft, leather cap stood before me, bow raised and knife glinting from his waist.

“You’re a human.” The voice sounded female.

I noticed the hunter’s eyes. They were bright green. It was the Lord of Dartmouth’s daughter.

“No,” I whispered.

“You-you work for my father.” She gasped and covered her mouth as if she had just let something important slip.

“I didn’t know my lord had a son,” I said with a smirk.

“Please, tell no one!” she whimpered, hand still over her mouth.

“Your secret is safe with me, my lady. As long as mine is safe with you.” I gestured toward the lifeless body next to me.

“Of course. We humans eat other animals because we believe we are the highest on the food chain. We’re not. You are. Feel free to eat to stay alive.”

I stared at her upon the completion of her little speech. No one had ever put it that way before.

“I am Christoph.” I inclined my head to her.

“Arian. Won’t you keep me company while I hunt? It is dangerous in these woods, I would feel better if I weren’t alone.” She held out her hand to me. I hesitated. I didn’t really wish to walk around bloody and murderous. The beast within was close to the surface and the last thing I wanted to do was hurt Arian.

“Come back for me in five minutes,” I finally said. She nodded her understanding and disappeared into the undergrowth.

I quickly robbed the corpse next to me and wiped my face on his tattered vest. Waiting for the lady’s return, I finger-combed my hair and stood against a tree.

The sounds of soft footfalls finally alerted me to her presenceand brought me out of the shadows.

We hunted together that night and many more nights, becoming close friends. Secretly, of course. If her father or any of the other soldiers had found out, I would have been lynched and then I would have had to reveal my secret and leave causing me to endure the wrath of my sire for creating the whole mess.

So, yes. Secret friends was definitely the better option.

Soon, Arian had turned 17 and her father urged her to choose a husband. She was lucky that she hadn’t been betrothed. Everyday, she’d come to me and tell me stories of her latest suitor, laughing the whole time.

I was amazed at how long it took me to realize that her laughter didn’t reach her lovely eyes.

It was one day in late fall that I finally decided to do something about it. She was talking of one particularly feisty man.

“Arian, I love you.” I had interrupted her narrative and she appeared surprised.

“Y-yes, well, I love you, too.” She appeared nervous.

“You’re lying. It’s alright.” My non-beating heart shattered into a million pieces.

“No, that’s not it. I-I really do love you. But I can’t do anything about it. I mustn’t.” Her eyes begged me to understand and I did, though I didn’t want to.

“Arian...”

“Christoph, please! I need to marry soon! I can’t be fooling around with a foot soldier!”

At those few words, I felt the familiar ice rush through my veins, neutralizing my face and softening my voice to a dangerous level.

“Fooling around with a foot soldier?”

It apparently occurred to her that she was talking to a vampire and, though I was a bit wet behind the ears, I was still thousands of times stronger than she would ever be.

“Christoph, please, understand me. Please.”

“Arian, you rebel all the time. Do it once more, please.” I couldn’t believe I was begging for something and to a human, no less.

“I–I just can’t.” She turned away and wouldn’t meet my eyes any longer which infuriated me.

“Arian...” This time, it was a low growl. Without speaking, she stood up and ran out of the forest. She knew full well that I could follow her and also knew that I wouldn’t. I let her run away and when the sounds of her footfalls were farther off in the distance, I made my way silently to the edge. I could vaguely see her entering the palace and I realized then that it would be a long time before I saw her again.

It wasn’t as long as I had suspected, though. Exactly one week later, she found me bent over a deserting soldier. Hastily, I straightened up, though the blood had never bothered her before.

“Christoph.” Her voice was cautious, polite. She nodded at me.

“Lady Arian.” I inclined my head, barely managing to hide the ice in my voice.

“Christoph, I’m sorry.”

“For what, Lady? After all, I’m only a foot shoulder.” She winced as though hurt, then continued on.

“I love you more than anything, Christoph. But I can’t be with you. Please, please, understand this!” I could hear the traces of hysteria bordering panic in her voice.

At this, I stood up and in one quick step, was looming over her slender frame. I felt her shudder as I took her wrists in a grip hard enough to shatter the bone and drew her even closer. I mashed my lips to hers, loosening my hold a bit and giving her room to move if necessary. She sagged against me, using my supernatural strength as a wall against her drooping form.

After that night, it was hard to keep us apart. She couldn’t acknowledge openly that I was her lover, but she could see me every night, which she did.

The first time we made love was nearly a month later. We were hunting and she was exhausted. I made camp and a fire and laid my soldier uniform out for her to lie on. I stretched out beside her, and for a few moments, we gazed at the stars that could be seen through the trees.

“Christoph...”

I looked at her, curious as to the reason her voice sounded so different.

“Yes, love?”

“We can’t be together forever.”

It took me a moment to admit it, but this statement gave me a fierce pain where my heart used to beat. Then the pain was replaced by determination and I spoke with a blazing conviction.

“Yes we can.”

“Christoph, I can’t become a vampire. For the sake of my territory, I cannot become a vampire.”

The statement, though true, depressed me.

“I will always love you. Until I die.”

And she understood my feelings.

“Christoph, I’ll never love another as I love you.”

“And neither will I, Arian.”

She was silent, looking at me as I looked at her.

“Christoph...” That damn tone again.

“Yes, my love?”

“Make love to me. Please.”

I was taken aback. Of course I had thought about it plenty of times, but to hear Arian suggest it? It thrilled me to the core. The core that was rising pretty damn fast.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I love you and we may never have another chance.”

I did my best to ignore the last statement as I showed her what a vampire in love could do for his woman. She was even more exhausted when I was finished as she lay, entirely spent, in my dead arms.

I brought her back before dusk, ending the happiest night of my existence.

“Thank you, Christoph. I will never love another as you.”

“And I will never love another as you, Arian. But why are you saying goodbye?”

And she would not meet my eyes. When I realized that she was crying, I lifted her chin up, forcing her to. “Arian...”

“I’m getting married. Next weekend. This is the end. Good bye, Christoph, my love.” She leaned in to kiss me, and then walked away, out of my life.

“Arian.” She paused, indicating that she had heard my whisper. “Arian, I love you.” And then we both walked away.

I never saw the one woman I had loved ever again.

Tera: So, that was it. I PROMISE theend ofchapter 6 (it's in three parts) will be up soon as everyone who I expect a review from reviews. I've already written it.

Chris: -sniffle- That was such a sad story!

Matt: .....GET A GRIP, VAMP-MAN!

Chris: -cowers-

Matt: -fist/forehead- Reply to reviews, Tera. You owe them that much.

Tera: Righto.

Jinxed4ever: Yay! e-cookies! Muses own. -pokes Matt-

SKATEnaked-BlindReaper: You know what I love love love? Your penname. It makes me happy, I don't know why....Where/how did you come up with it?

KembryanStrife: Please don't be mad at me -le cower- I was busy fending off evil "fans," remember? I LOVE YOU, KEMKEM! -attack hug-

Blackrose113: I love you for loving my stuff! YAY! -net hug-

Joker is Poker with....: Heh, don't be embarrassed.I LOVE vampires, but I don't read many vampire stories...though if you want a really good one, try the Southern Vampire novels by Charlaine Harris. (Those are found in a bookstore, not fictionpress)

A dark rose: Glad you like it! By all means, babble about vampires, it doesn't bother me a bit!

Matt: Well, now that that's over with, please review, we have many more things to update. Farewell.