The Beginning Of The End

Everything comes to an end, whether it may be the death of a family member or the destruction of a worldwide underground organization. Such is the will of the cosmos. Nothing lasts, especially when the head of a royal family of bloodsuckers dies. The power struggle suddenly fights its way to the surface and snaps the tension between families. Wars wage, thousands of brethren die. For what, a seat at the head of the table? To play chess with the ancients, and lose? There is no gain, no number one, but there is blood, a lot of blood.

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[3 Months Earlier]

I looked at my phone. There are eight messages from my mother. What is it now? I called her phone, but there was no answer. Huh, wonder why she wanted to talk to me so badly? She never, ever, calls me. I wouldn't call what I am feeling worried, more like unease. Something has felt off since I got off the plane. I couldn't quite figure out why, though.

Michigan, well, it's quite cold. It doesn't do any good for my hair. Speaking of, I have to dye it soon. Brown is getting old. Maybe a light blonde would look good? After trying to get my hair in a bun for what felt like 10 minutes, when in reality it was 2, I decided to get a cab from the airport.

The airport was small. There were not many stores, not even a burger joint. I could do with some fresh meat right about now. My stomach, in response to the thought of food, grumbled loudly. It has been about a week since I was fed. If I could find a place to eat some food to stave off my need for blood, then I can drink some when I get home. My stomach seemed to agree as it made a small gurgle.

After walking for a good five minutes, I finally arrived at a restaurant. While the menu looked pricey, I decided that this was an emergency. I didn't want to be responsible for the taxi driver. I walked into the restaurant and looked around. It was a nice place to eat. The decor was on point with the restaurant's menu, steak. It had all the furnishings of a normal steakhouse, dine-in seating, a few televisions, and some moody lighting. It set the mood.

The smell of meat hit my nostrils as soon as I stepped closer to the waiter. Ah, man I can practically taste the spices.

"Welcome to Flinn's Steakhouse. A table for one?" The waiter asked.

"Oh, yes," I responded. I followed the waiter to a table and took a seat.

"What would you like to drink miss?" The waiter asked.

"Water is fine," I say. The waiter then shuffled off to grab my drink after leaving a menu for me to browse. I didn't bother myself with anything except the steak since I couldn't eat anything else. After a few moments of browsing, I heard a cup touch down onto my table. I looked up from my menu and smiled. "Thanks," I say.

"No problem ma'am, have you figured out what you would like to order?" The waiter asked.

"I want a T-bone steak with no sides or appetizers," I said. The waiter scribbled some notes on his pad.

"How would you like your steak?" He asked.

"Rare," I say.

"Is that all miss?" He asked.

"Yes," I respond. He then went to the kitchen to place my order with the cook. I hope this doesn't take too long, I'm famished. I take out my phone and start browsing social media when I hear a cough. I look up to see a man staring at me. He cleared his throat again and introduced himself.

"Hi, I'm Gerald," He says.

"Hello? Do you need something?" I asked. His face grew a little red. He swayed side to side, looking nervous.

"Well, I was wondering if the seat across from you was unoccupied," He said.

I blushed a little under my pale complexion. "Er, well, no. Feel free," I respond, waving my hand at the seat, inviting him to sit down. He sat down and looked a little red in the face.

"It's a pleasure miss..." He said, asking for my name.

"Alice. So, what brings you to my table?" I ask with a smile on my face.

"Um, b-because," he sighed, regaining a little bit of composure, "I was wondering if you would be up for c-coffee?" He asked. I looked at him and just about died inside. A vampire and a human, no way. Incompatible to the highest degree. My face grew redder by the second. I was beginning to get distraught. Maybe if I lie he could go away? I decided to try and lie, if it didn't work I could just tell him to screw off, yeah that works. I sigh and look him in the eyes.

"I'm sorry, I'm already taken," I lie. His face dropped.

"Ah, well, it was worth a shot," He said wiping the frown off of his face, replacing it with a faux grin. "It was nice meeting you Alice," He says. He walked away from the table, and to another one. My waiter appeared a moment later with my bloody steak. I thanked him and started to dig in. The blood off of it was sooo... good. This should hold me over for a day or two.

After finishing the steak and paying the check I left the restaurant and went to the front of the airport. As I approached the front of the building I licked some of the blood off of my fangs. They had finally come in. I have been waiting for years now. Ever since my mother showed me hers, I was waiting eagerly for mine to grow in. I was changed 2 years ago.

After the initial blooding, the body has to adapt to the change in heart pace and lessened amounts of blood within the body. Due to this the human body makes itself into a blood drinking machine to supply it with the nutrients it needs. Since the heart slows, the body can't eat normal foods since the digestion tract uses too much of the bodies energy, and it wouldn't receive enough oxygen. Meat and blood are readily absorbed, however.

The body also grows fangs to more easily drink blood from normal humans. A vampires body turns into the perfect killing machine in a sense. We have heightened hearing, sight, smell, and inhuman reflexes. Older vampires also acquire powers. An individuals power is based off of how their body reacts to the evolving process, so to speak. If a person is in a fight for their life, they will gain a power that most benefits them. Though, I'm much too young to have any. I sigh, I won't have any for the next hundred years or so.

I hail a cab and get in. I place my carry-on bag next to me and I recite my address. The cab driver nods and we start driving off towards my home. It's been awhile since I've been there. I wonder how everyone is doing? The twins are probably wrestling like usual. Sera is probably in the library reading. Lily is most plausibly in the garden.

Everyone has their chosen subject of attention. I have nothing to show for the past two years except my fangs. Well, I did get a job. I'm using my only vacation days to come and visit. If I get thrown out again I'm calling it a waste of my off days.

I looked out the window at the trees. They were a blur, if I chose to, I could enhance my vision. But I was tired. I just wanted to get to my house and lay down. I won't sleep, but I need to give my muscles rest.

The trees slowly disappeared and were replaced with a suburban area. Another 3 miles and we made our first turn. The road before this had pretty much been a straight drive. Another turn brought the taxi down an off-road. The snow at this point was about 6 inches. The taxi was having a hard time staying on the road. Ten minutes passed and we reached the driveway of my house. It was quite old. It did have a lot of space, though. The masion had an indoor pool, indoor garden, and a home theater that was recently installed. Being immortal sure had its perks, however, every other year we have to change our identities or the government gets suspicious.

I got out of the taxi after paying the fair and waved him off. I walked up the snowy path and reached porch. Everything in the house had been recently refurbished. There was a new coat of paint on the outside of the house and porch. It was a white-beige color. It reflected the snow and made it quite bright outside.

I walked onto the porch and made my way to the door. I knocked and waited for the door to be open for me. My family usually has a maid with them at all times. They're neat freaks. I shook my head and knocked again. I have been waiting at the door for a good five minutes before finally someone answered it.

The door swung open. I gasped in shock. Sera was covered in blood. Her glasses were cracked and her left arm was broken by the looks of the swelling.

"Oh, look who finally decided to show up. Glad you could make it sis. Y-ya mind..." Sera said slumping to the ground. "Oh, no," I say. I began to try and shake Sera awake, but to no avail. She was out. My feeling of unease became one of pain and worry.

'Where are the others,' I thought to myself. Who could've done this. Who could harm Sera. Sera let out a soft moan. She must be in incredible pain. For her to even be able to walk to the door to answer it was a miracle in itself. She was always a tough cookie, I can give her that much.

I lifted her up and walked into the mansion. The marbled interior looking a lot less inviting than it usually was. There was blood everywhere, multiple bodies, and Lily. Lily was dead. She had a stake in her chest. My world came crashing down. Lily was just a girl. How could they! Anger started swelling in me. I would find who did this atrocity and gouge their eyes out. I walked slowly into the living room and set Sera down onto the couch carefully. I felt Sera's left arm. The bone was out of place. I put a small book I had in my purse in her mouth and popped the bone back into place. Sera woke up and screamed. It was heart breaking, but I had no choice. It would've healed that way.

Sera took the book out of her mouth and sat up. "Lily..." I say.

"We were attacked by the Donahughe's," Sera said.

"Where's mother?" I asked.

"No clue. She up and vanished when they attacked. Had she been here L-Lily... she would still be alive," Sera says. I looked down. I would cry but I can't. The grief was overwhelming. If I had come just hours earlier this wouldn't have happened. I cursed myself for being so absorbed in my work. I took my head into my hands and stayed like that for a moment.

"So, you don't know where Mom went?" I asked.

"No," Sera says. She looked distraught. I got up and went over to her and embraced her in a hug. This was my way of apologizing. To say I'm sorry for not being there when it mattered most. Not being able to save Lily absolutely crushed me. She was only a little younger than I was and she had a brighter future than I did.

I released the hug and walked over to Lily's corpse. She was lying peacefully with her arms crossed over her chest. At least a blow to the heart was a quick and near painless way to kill a vampire. At least she didn't suffer. I leaned down and carressed her cheek. Her blonde hair had fallen around her head like a halo when she fell to the ground. Her eyes were closed. She was so beautiful, even in death. I whispered to her.

"I'm sorry. I will find who did this and I will end them. They will pay tenfold for what they've done to you my sweet angel."