Chapter 6 – Revelations

"I'm really sorry for being such a massive pain in the ass and a little erratic. You just reminded me...so much, of an old friend...his name was Brad, and your clan murdered him about three months before I became one of your kind."

"Oh, I see. Well, I am truly sorry for all of your losses – maybe I shouldn't try to remind you of him, I should go."

Cain turned on his heel and began to walk away.

"No! Don't go just yet! I'm sorry if I said something wrong..."

"No, no, do not worry – you stress too much Alice. I believe that is why you have so many breakdowns in such a short period of time. Tell me more about your friend. I want to know about him, and how he resembles myself."

"Where should I begin?"

"From the beginning, perhaps?"

"Well, he was 17 when he was...taken away from this life. We went to the same preschool together – Preston, if my human recollections are recalled correctly. At the beginning, we were mortal enemies, hating each other and making mockery at each others expenses at every opportunity we had. Slowly, we learned to just ignore each other. Primary school came, and we had moved our separate ways, taking education at separate schools in the town. I had seemingly forgotten him, but by the time high school came rolling around, I recognised him walking down the corridor. We exchanged the strangest of looks, and continued on our ways. In Economics class, we happened to be paired together for an assignment, and I guess, that was where our friendship really began, after realising how much we had in common, yet not taking the time to develop our understanding. I'm sorry I am rambling right now, but you just look so much like him your facial structure, your eyes...your laugh...."

"Maybe I should go."

Cain looked quite disturbed and began to head for the doorway again.

"Wait! Why is it that every time I speak, you seem to forget in my existence, and you have a weird, almost painful, expression, that suggests to me that I'm discussing things with you that you would rather not discuss. Am I correct?"

Alice was beginning to take charge now, and would not rest until she received at straight and logical explanation for the behaviour of Cain.

"Look, its complicated, and you'll be devastated! I really cannot confess...it isn't right..."

"I don't care, please, just tell me! I want to know, is it because of what I said about Brad?"

"Okay, fine. You want to know the truth? I...I am Brad. Your friend. At first, I couldn't recognise you, I assumed the name of Alice was common and that you were another girl that Darien, being the womaniser he is, picked up off the street. That night he, he changed you, I shadows disfigured your face, and although I began to believe it was you, I let it slide and let Darien take control. When I first saw you, I thought that it was you, but I couldn't be sure. I saw your eye colour tonight and became convinced it was you – your eye colour hadn't changed during your transformation. I never died, yet I was close to it – I told the truth when I said that I was mauled, and that Darien saved me. Believe me I wanted to tell you – but Darien and the coven forbid the thought, and claimed that to find you and tell you of my whereabouts would be the ultimate give-away for the whole vampire residency in the town. Darien had been watching you, wanting to change you for some time now. He knew you ways, but was not prepared to take action, so soon after my own disappearance."

Alice remained still as a mountain, unable to express any forms of emotion. How could it be true? Why was this only happening to her? Her mind became warped with the overload of information she had received that night.

"Don't give me false hopes Cain. If you really are Brad, why is your name Cain, and also tell me something only Brad would know about me."

Alice was sure that this supposed vampire would be proved wrong of his sensational exaggerations of being in the persona of Brad in his previous life. Yet it was strange – he did resemble him in more ways that one, although the light was faded and poor, she could still make out some human resemblance to the boy she had become so closely attached to.

"Darien suggested a change of name to conceal my identity when he wanted to change you – he didn't want you to recognise me in any forms, though in the back of his mind, he hoped you would never find out what happened to me. I guess tonight, when I wanted to befriend you, I just wanted to remember you as you were in your human body, and when you mentioned my resemblance to Brad, I realised then that I couldn't hide the fact from you any longer – I am Brad. But to prove this fact to you, I will reveal to you one thing only Brad would know. I know that the emerald ring you wear on your middle finger was given to you on your sixteenth birthday by your parents Rosalind and Bobby."

Alice couldn't deny it any longer. This "Cain" must be her best friend Brad. She wanted to hard to deny that he too, had become cursed like herself – she didn't want that fate for him, or herself for that matter. Her Brad was alive and well, even if he was encased in this god-like form so unlike his human counterparts.

"I don't believe it – Brad!"

She jumped onto him with an overwhelming force, and felt like crying, yet she knew that it was not possible any more.

"Oh Alice, how I wanted to tell you! To visit you at school someday, to go to your house and tell you the truth about myself. It wasn't possible, and these three months I came to befriend Darien, despite his twisted ways. You mustn't tell him, or any of the clan about this. They cannot know, I would receive hell from Darien, and you would too. He is dangerous, much like the Morvents, and with his knowledge and power, he could destroy us in a single hit-"

The door suddenly flung open, and in entered a distressed Darien.

"Why are you both not at the living chamber?"

'Living Dead chamber would be more appropriate.' Alice mused in her head.

"Sorry Darien, I came to see if Alice was all right. She is feeling better now, aren't you Alice?"

Brad winked at her, as her face muscles tried to relax after the massive strain of smiling was over.

"Yes Br-Cain. I am much better now."

Alice knew her comment was terribly false, yet she did not know what else to say. The shock was still apparent in her tone, creating wavering speech. Darien produced a look of query, but he shook it off nevertheless.

"Good. You cannot feel sorry for yourself forever Alice. You must learn to embrace this life, we all have. Come, we must go downstairs now."

And with that, he went to the level, producing the secret spiral staircase she so detested. Alice followed Brad down into the dark and cold staircase, feeling a mixture of joy and relief at the events that had occurred that evening. How was this happening? Why me? All her thoughts congested her brain, as she tried to shove them into a dark corner at the back of her mind. She did not need this kind of stress at her time in life, it would be all too much to take.

Following Darien, the two outed vampires observed the vampires sitting beside each other of the old-fashioned couches staring at the visitors with expressionless eyes.

"Take a seat."

"Do you vampires not have any television, or even a radio?"

Alice was curious, since electricity seemed low in this place.

"No, only we have newspapers, which are secretly delivered to us by one of our faithful donors."

Alice hated the way which he referred to these human beings, once as she was, as donors. It made them seem common in some forms, almost like a word used in degrading someone considered lower that you in the food chain. It was true, vampires seemed to be at the top of the current food chain – humans could be crushed so easily with a simple movement of a vampire, and be drained of their blood so quickly. The thoughts almost made her sick, and she wanted to leave the room.

"I want to talk about our cover. I feel as if we are quite vulnerable, and when going out in public, we are exposed to the human species discovering that we walk, talk and look different to others. Also, these unnecessary killings Darien, we cannot continue to kill so many, we have just changed Alice here, and Cain was changed only three months prior. We have too many people in this coven, and we need to lessen our killing and begin to rely on our supplies and generous donors."

Luna spoke with the utmost confidence. She seemed to have the knowledge of the smartest scientist, yet a calm and charming air hung around her frame, her aura was pure, and her manner untouched by the callousness of an average human. However, Alice's thoughts were turned elsewhere, as she gazed upon the raging red and purple flames of the fireplace, almost jousting with one another as the twisted and turned in their flight. Wondering about the death of her other friend, Laura, she began to experience the overwhelming sorrow that engulfed her. She could hear the clan bickering about something, that would probably be considered meaningless to her now. She longed to see her friend. She wanted to visit the cemetery her friend was buried in.. She practically needed to like her life depended upon it, or her existence in this nauseous perfect form would be meaningless and fruitless.

The others were too busy debating the current affairs vampires faced in today' society to notice Alice's withdrawal of the conversation.

"Alice..."

A voice emerged amidst the chatter of angry debating voices. It was Luna, she seemed to tire of all the debating about situations and pointless chatter, and noticed my withdrawal from the conversations.

"I need to visit the cemetery."

Were the only words the Alice could produce.

"You cannot travel alone...it is too risky."

"I will if I have to. I know this town well. It wont be a problem."

"You should wait until dawn, and if you want me to, I will accompany you. You're not human any more, Alice, and the public is a risky place to be at any time."

Alice simply nodded, agreeing to Luna's help, yet she still felt this was something that needed to be completed in the company of oneself.