The Past (3)

Lena stood frozen at the doorway, her breath shallow, eyes fixed on the vampire in front of her. The shadows around him seemed to flicker with an unnatural darkness. His smirk twisted cruelly as he leaned casually against the wall, as if they were old acquaintances. But Lena's fingers itched, her body tense, ready to launch at him in pure rage.

The hunger inside her was gnawing, a beast she had barely kept at bay for weeks. The thought of tearing this monster apart, of unleashing her fury, was almost irresistible. But the vampire's eyes gleamed, sensing her intent.

He raised a hand, his voice calm, cold. "Now, now, let's not cause a scene," he said smoothly. "We wouldn't want your precious family to wake up, would we?" His gaze shifted briefly to the upstairs window, where her children were sleeping soundly. "I don't think they'd understand the... hunger inside you."

Lena's grip tightened on the doorframe, her knuckles turning white. Every muscle in her body screamed at her to attack him, to tear his throat out. But his words cut through her. The last thing she wanted was for Ellie or Charlie to see her like this — to see the monster she had become.

Her throat burned with a growl as she spat, "Get away from my house."

The vampire's smile widened, almost amused. "Or what? You'll fight me right here? In front of them? Let them watch their mother, twisted by this... curse?" He took a deliberate step forward, lowering his voice to a dark whisper. "Or better yet, why not tell them yourself? Let them know what you really are. You think they'll look at you the same after that? Your daughter, your husband… they'll be terrified of you forever."

Lena's heart clenched painfully at the thought. The idea of Ellie's innocent blue eyes widening in horror, of David pulling their children away from her as if she were some kind of predator—it sent a wave of agony through her.

Her lip curled back, teeth bared, but she managed to hold back the urge to lunge at him. "We'll take this somewhere else," she hissed through clenched teeth.

The vampire raised his hands mockingly, as if in surrender. "As you wish," he said with a chuckle. "Lead the way, little fledgling."

Lena glared at him, then turned sharply, striding down the street without looking back. She could feel him following her, his presence looming behind her like a shadow. They walked in silence until they reached a narrow alleyway a few blocks from her home. It was dimly lit, with trash cans lining the walls and the faint smell of decay hanging in the air. No one would see or hear them here.

As soon as they were far enough away, Lena spun around, her fists clenched. "What do you want from me?"

The vampire grinned, stepping into the faint light. His face was pale, almost sickly, but his eyes gleamed with a predatory glint. "Ah, where are my manners? I never did introduce myself properly. The name's Viktor." He made a mock bow, his movements graceful, almost theatrical.

Lena's jaw tightened. "I don't care about your name. Why are you here?"

Viktor straightened, his smirk never fading. "I'm here to see how my little creation is doing. After all, I was curious. Most newborns don't last long without… feeding." His eyes narrowed with dark amusement. "And yet, here you are. Still clinging to that pathetic human life of yours."

Lena growled, the sound more feral than she intended. "I'm not like you."

"No?" Viktor's brow arched, his smile growing more sinister. "You're more like me than you think. You're just delaying the inevitable, Lena." He took a step closer, his eyes gleaming. "Tell me, how long do you think you can resist? How long before that thirst takes over? Before you lose control and rip into your loving husband, your darling children?"

"I'll never hurt them," Lena spat, her voice shaking with fury.

Viktor chuckled, the sound low and mocking. "Oh, Lena. Sweet, naive Lena. The thirst doesn't care about your family, about your love. It doesn't care about who you used to be." He took another step, now standing only a few feet from her. "It will take you, consume you. And then you'll be nothing but a ravenous beast, hunting down whatever warm body you can find. And when that happens, you won't even remember their names."

Lena's fists trembled at her sides. "Shut up," she hissed.

Viktor's grin widened. "Oh? Did I strike a nerve?" He moved even closer, his cold breath brushing against her skin. "You've done well so far, I'll give you that. You haven't killed anyone. Yet. But tell me… how much longer can you hold out?"

Lena's breath came in ragged gasps, the hunger inside her gnawing at her insides like a rabid animal. She had been fighting it for so long, barely keeping it under control. But Viktor's words cut deep, stirring the dark part of her that she tried so hard to suppress.

"How much longer," Viktor continued, his voice a venomous whisper, "before you give in? Before you tear into someone? A stranger? Or maybe your little Charlie, when he hugs you too tight, and that smell—his blood, his warmth—it's just too much to resist."

Lena's eyes flashed with fury, and before she could stop herself, she lunged at Viktor, slamming him against the wall of the alleyway. Her hand gripped his throat, her nails digging into his skin, but Viktor didn't flinch. He only smiled, even as her strength pinned him in place.

"You won't touch them," Lena snarled, her fangs glinting in the dim light. She could feel the thirst burning in her veins, the hunger rising with each second.

Viktor's smile never wavered. "Oh, Lena. You still don't get it, do you?" He reached up, gently prying her hand away from his throat with ease, his strength far greater than hers. "You're not in control. The thirst is."

Lena staggered back, her breath ragged, her hands trembling. Viktor straightened, brushing the dust off his coat as if nothing had happened.

"Sooner or later," he said, his voice calm, "you'll realize that you can't fight it. You'll feed. And when you do, it won't matter who it is. You'll drain them dry."

Lena's heart pounded in her chest, a sickening dread settling in her stomach.