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The Innocent (Part 1 & 2)
The streets lights had just come on as the days sun finally set. Demitri made his way down the grime covered streets in search of his next prey. Querying eyes followed him with each passer by as he was quite out of place here, but those watching him had no idea how truly out of place he was. They must have thought he was mad, a young, paled skinned, seemingly harmless man, walking these streets alone; this was no place for a evening stroll, unless trouble was what he sought after. Despite his appearance, Demitri was in fact a fierce killer, far more dangerous than any of the night crawlers that meant to harm him. For they were the ones he hunted.
Three centuries had passed since he was unwillingly born into the night, and for three centuries he wandered alone, never desiring the company of another, for his misery was companion enough. Even the company of another immortal would not suffice, for the ones he did encounter were carnal, primitive beings whose only purpose was the hunt. Demitri however, only killed mortals to live, and found solace in the fact that he only hunted the vilest and wicked of human kind.
He leisurely made his way to the alley, one of many tucked between the rows of ramshackle store fronts and apartment blocks, which provided a multitude of easy prey and cover from prying mortal eyes.
The crumbling brick and mortar walls were lined with bags of trash, the smell of refuse and urine filled the air and the wet stick of the pavement adhered to each step. As he made his way farther in, he noticed an unusual quiet, even for his infinite immortal ears. The lack of movement puzzled him, something here was not right here. Curious, Demitri ventured further, until the dull thud of a mortal’s heart emerged, and in the distance a limp figure appeared. Sprawled on a heap of trash, lay a young woman, un-conscious and scarcely breathing.
There were times in the past when Demitri had encountered mortals approaching deaths door, and found no guilt in hastening their demise to feed. Their fate had already been decided. And as he looked down on the young woman, it was clear that she was fading. He knelt down to examine her more closely and grazed his long white finger across her face, gently moving her russet and gold laced hair out of the way. She was no more than 20, and dressed in the attire of a common prostitute. Her fair skin looked ashy and her tiny cheeks sunk in around the bones. She was the portrait of an angel in hell, and Demitri couldn’t help but pity the poor creature.
The visible vein on her neck pulsed and her weakening heart beat softly beneath her breast. Her scent was powerful and if he was to feed from her, now would be the time. He leaned in closer and prepared himself to bite, but before he touched her with his fangs, a low moan escaped her lips. Demitri pulled back, and watched as she unconsciously struggled to breathe harder. A fighter, he thought, unusual for the ones living in this dismal place. He now found himself questioning his motives. Was it that she was so close to death or the aromatic scent that burned his senses and called to him like no other creature before?
He held the back of her neck and lifted her closer to him, looking at her her intimately with his vampire eyes.
“Help me.” A soft whisper escaped her, and it was then that Demitri knew he could not take her life.
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The Innocent - (Part 2)
Several nights had passed when she finally awoke. Demitri tried to walk away – let her fate unfold but, something deep within him begged to keep her safe. Other than those he hunted never once did he risk exposing himself to a mortal as he was doing now. And as he carried her out of the alley he knew there would be one of two outcomes: she would die, or wake up to the pale skinned creature before her.
When he reached his loft several blocks from the alley he silently made his way up the stairs, through the heavy oak doors and to the bedroom he never used, and laid her gently on the large four poster bed.
The loft wasn’t a necessity for Demitri, only a luxury that as an immortal he found hard to give up. Centuries ago, the enduring chose to sleep in coffins or go deep into the earth, safely away from vampire hunters and the fatal rays of the sun. People in this century however, no longer believed in the undead; and modern architecture provided more than enough shelter.
He acquired it from one of his loathsome victims who no longer needed it of course. Sitting atop an old furniture store, the oversized apartment with its high basilica ceilings and polished wood floors was perfectly preserved in its prewar manner. The only modification needed was to the closed off storage attic, where Demitri kept his sarcophagus like chamber and slept during the day.
As the auburn beauty slept, each night when the sun set Demitri crept into the bedroom, only to find her unchanged. Her heart had grown much stronger and against his better judgment he would sit beside the bed and wait, watching her chest rise and fall with each breath.
To appear less unnatural he fed each night, slipping away for brief moments and returning with warm, blood filled skin. He examined himself in the mirror, tying back his shoulder length brown waves that usually fell around his distinctive jaw line and sharp features. He imitated common movements – much slower than was natural to him, and thought about what he might say when she awoke.
The moment her eyes opened Demitri froze, as though he had taken no preparations at all. The smell of her blood whirled into the air when she sat up; so alluring and yet so forbidden at the same time. He bit his lip in fear of what his true nature might cause him to do.
She blinked her weary eyes to focus and uncovered the most brilliant shade of violet he had ever seen, surrounded by long black lashes. Mystified, she scanned the room and then looked wide-eyed at Demitri. He focused hard on the sequence of movements it took to hand her the tray of food, which he prepared for her each night. She timidly reached out to accept it and when it was securely on her lap she quickly began to devour everything. It had been a longtime since he had watched someone eat - how strange to him that he had once been the same.
When she realized he was starring her cheeks turned the most enticing shade of red, making her all the more attractive and tempting to him. Her waves of long auburn hair covered her shoulders and made her violet eyes glow in contrast to her fair skin. Curiously she tilted her head and looked at Demitri waiting for him to speak.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you. I found you in an alley not far from here, and I brought you where you would be safe.”
Her mouth gapped in surprise, he must have forgotten to lower the musical chime in his tone, which she now obviously noticed.
“What is your name?” She whispered, taking inventory once again of her surroundings.
“Demitri.”
“Oh, my name is Lila. Thank you for helping me.”
“What happened to you that night?” He questioned.
She twisted awkwardly beneath the sheets. “I don’t know exactly. The last thing I remember is the fight I was having with Kayne. I live with him.”
“What were you fighting about?”
“I don’t know, he wanted me to…I - I just wanted to be normal again, he got angry with me.” She hung her head in shame.
It wasn’t hard to figure out what she was trying to say. Demitri saw it in the blood of those he hunted, the street thugs who lured the young and innocent girls into a life they never could have imagined. Even as a monster himself he couldn’t stand to see such innocent suffer.
“Don’t worry about that now.” He soothed. “Where is your family, I can take you back to them.” He swallowed the lump rising in his throat, what was he thinking?
“NO!” She said abruptly. “I have nowhere to go. My parents died when I was young, and I have been on my own since I was 18. My only home was with Kayne. If I go back there, he will kill me.”
She hung her head and a single tear rolled down her face. If Demitri had a beating heart, it was breaking for her now, but he knew she had to leave.
“We will find a place where Kayne can’t get to you.”
Her bottom lip puffed in a large pout and more tears flowed, she began to shake as the blood rushed to her face.
“Please don’t make me go. Who knows where I will end up? I can help you. I will cook, clean and whatever else you want. Nothing could be worse than where I have been I won’t be any trouble. Please.”
Her tone was now pleading; Demitri clenched his fists in frustration, she had no idea of the danger she was in. Even his feeble attempt at looking human could not have fooled her. Did she not notice his almost translucent skin, the pale green glow in his eyes, or hear the melodious tone of his voice? If she thought him to be an angel, her naivety was worse than he thought.
A hint of dawn crept through a crack in the window shade, there was no time left to argue.
“You can stay here for the day. I have to go for a while, but when I return we MUST find a place for you to go!” He said firmly.
She nodded lightly. When he rose from the wing back chair beside her to leave, she sprung from under the covers and grabbed his cold hand tightly between hers. Her assertion startled him and sent a wave of fire through his body. She affectionately rubbed her face in the palm of his large hand and kissed the top with her lips.
When she finally let go, Demitri fought back the urge to pounce on her, aching to caresse her flesh and taste her blood. But he couldn’t, not to one so angelic. Without saying a word, he turned on his heel and went to his chamber.
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To be continued........
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