My rival. (GXG)

A quick cigarette

Beverly went home alone after they had left the palace. Max had wanted to stay for a sleepover, but Beverly excused that her father was drunk and she was feeling quite sleepy. It was quite hard to convince Max, but she gave in when she saw Beverly wasn't really feeling it. She just shrugged her shoulders and gave her a warm hug.

God, Max was an awesome friend. At least Beverly had something nice in this atrocious life.

She walked up the stairs and into her room, with the book she had taken from the palace's library, passing her drunk dad downstairs. She was quiet, so he wouldn't hear her footsteps. With a sigh, she locked her door and took the book out of her backpack, sitting at the desk, crossing her legs.

Her fingers brushed over the title. 'The history of vampires.' The cover was just beautiful, and antic. A pale-colored green, like the leaves that rustle during a harsh autumn. The golden embroidery surrounding the tile was folding down into thin waves, creating a rose crown, empty inside, so that only the outline would be visible.

She opened the book and was met with a...note.

The note was written in elegant cursive handwriting. "To everything that must begin, an end must await at the crossroads of life. The darkness only exists to enhance the light." She sighed through her nose. She pressed her lips together and read the last paragraph again.

"The darkness only exists to enhance the light..." The words left her parted lips in a mere whisper, wisdom channeling through them. Her blue eyes relaxed as she raised herself from her desk, going to turn the lights off and lighting her lamp instead.

She flipped the page, her eyes focusing on the title. 'The mystery of the untouched.' They raked down the letters, and she began reading.

'Whatever it is that guides us through this chaos of life, or if it is our god, our hearts shall stay in touch at all times. It opens more than an intelligent mind does, and therefore, our biggest struggle should be about feeling everything around us. The cryptic essence of life pours into each one of us like a river flowing down a rusty forest, painting the natural image in vibrant colors.

We, the followers of the night, shall dedicate our whole loyalty to those who surround us, as we are the blade that can help their shields during war. Let us embrace the interconnectedness of all beings and strive to bring light to those who are lost in the darkness. We can focus on the darkness within because, as long as our soul stays light, the shadows will never dare lurk in our hearts. We, the knights of the full moon, are made to protect everything that lives around us—every sparrow that breathes, every soul in need and let the shadows unleash their hatred and horror on the depths of our souls.

A vampire shall be considered a being only when love dares to establish our hearts. Our allies, our friends and family, humans—oh, what a beautiful word I dare say, for it is the essence of our existence. Compassion burns in their veins, pours into their actions and heals all of the wounds around them. They shield our weak spot, the one that our vampiric instincts and powers could never dodge. Living beings that feel and can mend the dark of this world with just their presence.

They taught our ancestors how to feel, how to heal other people's souls, and how to be vampires in their true meaning. The love they brought with them has been passed down for generations, it's like a fruit, one you'd grow instead of eating, something that used to be weird to a being with fangs.

Our primal instincts are to feed and destroy everything in our way. The darkness used to lurk in us like a swam full of venom, void of vibrancy. But humans have shown us kindness, taught us to embrace the beauty of their nature. They rescued our petrified souls with their grace, and they established us as people.