A Frozen Kiss

Bloodwalker

The darkness calls out. A heartless cry for its gain. You resist now, but...

Aubrey opened her eyes and looked around. The forest was sparser here, and she could see in the dim light that she was in a clearing. Just as she stirred to get up, though, she saw it: a dragon lying there, right in front of her. She screamed and fell down again, but it didn't move. She paralytically examined its dark form. It just laid there in the grass...

It was a creature of brute strength; massive teeth, bristling, scaly muscles and huge claws. She couldn't help but be enamored by the incredible lizard. As her fear began to evanesce, she began to feel emotion well up in her heart, and her throat caught on a painful memory.

Suddenly, a voice came from the trees, "Don't worry, that thing took a tumble down the hill, just like you. Dead as a doorknob, though."

Aubrey looked at the sky, "Who are you?"

There was a second of silence, "I'm not one of those apostates like your 'friend'. I'm Serana, the night terror."

And before Aubrey knew it, she dropped from the trees. She was, well, would be something like 16. Thin and pale, she was somewhat like Aubrey, but her eyes were red, almost like dry blood, and her hair was as dark as midnight. She put a clawed finger on her chin, "Hmm, I think you'd do nicely, you didn't get bitten, right? That venom is disgusting.

Aubrey could barely breathe. Seeing a real vampire for the first time was almost bewildering. Serana looked skinny and young, but Aubrey could see strong, small muscles running along Serana's legs and over her arms. Aubrey felt a little odd for thinking it, but she was a little hot...

"Maybe I'll just kill you. You're pretty much a kid, I would be better off taking your strength for myself. I could turn you...Hmm, you do feel...strange...like somebody who could be nobody. You might make a good vampire..."

Aubrey's breath was blown away, "Please, I never hurt anyone, I-I...This can't happen...please!"

 Serana fell on Aubrey and pinned her down, "This was never a game of morals; I'm thirsty..." She dragged her claw across Aubrey's face, leaving a thin, growing band of blood stretching over her cheek. "And you're delicious."

Aubrey felt Serana's claws digging into her neck. The pain was something entirely unique to everything she had ever felt, like some kind of burning, seeping into her like an insidious fire, but something was odd; there was no...push, it almost felt halfhearted. What she felt next wasn't agonizing, though; it was terrifying.

Serana's teeth fell to touch her pasty skin; it was the touch of the last thing she would feel before she was changed forever. It was the face of death, and she wasn't ready to die.

BANG

She twitched at the blast, droplets of blood spraying over her face. Aubrey's eyes flashed open as Serana's head was blasted back before she fell limp on her. On her face was the perfectly preserved expression of bewilderment.

Aubrey could feel cold liquid seeping into her wool shirt at the edge of her armor. She pulled Serana's twitching head up to see a hefty bullet hole, pouring blood and chunks of brain and bone like a water bottle dropped on its side.

Nithriel slid down the hill. All she was carrying now was her empty revolver. When she got down, she took a step, then stopped herself.

"Nithriel! You saved me!"

She frowned, "Aubrey, you need to get up the hill! Now!"

Aubrey got up and looked at Serana's body. They were alike in so many ways, but they were, where it mattered, polar opposites.

Nithriel looked her in the eyes, "Aubrey, you need to get out of here. leave."

Aubrey looked puzzled, "What do you mean?"

Her eyes scrunched up...like she was close to crying, "Aubrey...I did something...awful...to survive-to save you. you need to get back as fast as you can. You can, but I can't come with you. I...I'm so sorry..."