The Underground City of Cinders

Chapter 1

The moon cast brilliant rays through my bedroom window and I watched as the wind danced through the newly barren trees on the other side of the slightly frosty glass. Unpleasant thoughts flooded my head every time I closed my eyes which prevented me from sleeping for the past few nights. It is all his fault, I thought angrily, he did this to me. I felt like I was going crazy. It had been almost a week since I had mustered up the courage to show my face at school. I pleaded with my friends, desperate for them to believe what happened to me, but they all laughed in my face. Elizabeth, the crazy girl. That’s what they called me. My conscience stared at me with narrow eyes, ‘Who gives a crap what they called you? They’re losers. All of them.’ I nodded briefly. Part of me believed her.
I could barely mutter a handful of words to my mother, fearing she would think I was as insane as my friends seemed to believe. I rubbed my aching forehead. This migraine is killing me. A strand of auburn hair drooped in front of my emerald eyes and I neatly tucked it behind my ear. What is happening to me? A reminiscent image flashed into my mind. That man who cornered me in the alley… his eyes were so captivating. He was a vampire; that was the conclusion I surmised. Will I become a vampire? Why didn't he just kill me? My head felt like it was going to explode. My vision blurred and my world started to spin. I threw my legs over the edge of the bed and focused on the dark blue strands of carpet beneath my bare feet. Fingerlike shadows, cast from the leafless trees, swayed across the floor.
The moonlight beckoned, inviting me to leap from my bedroom window and plunge into the darkness below. A meager breeze chilled my alabaster skin and I could swear I saw a figure dart across my bedroom. I closed my eyes and rubbed my throbbing temples. I am going crazy. An unfamiliar voice startled me and I recoiled in surprise. There he is... That's him. My mysterious assailant was standing no more than five feet in front of me. What is he doing here?
"Hello Elizabeth," He spoke slowly as a mischievous grin appeared on his face, "You know who I am?"
I nodded slightly and reluctantly, "You're the man who attacked me. What’s going on?"
"My name is Dimitri Belikov. I can tell by the dumbfounded expression on your face that you already know I'm a vampire and you are changing into one yourself."
"So what happens now?" I questioned tentatively.
He sauntered over to me, "Well, that's up to you, come with me or stay here. I can take you to a place for people like us."
Dimitri's icy blue eyes seemed to bore into my soul. "Why did you do this to me? Why didn't you just drain all my blood and kill me?"
He smirked, laughing, "Is that really what you wanted me to do?"
I thought for a second. Is that what I wanted? "I suppose not. What made you decide to keep me alive?"
His laugh trickled into the air like honey, "Oh there is so much you don't know about our world. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough time to explain everything to you."
I sighed, "So what if I decide to go with you? What happens then?"
He shrugged, "I think you will be a lot better off at our city rather than holed up in your room here but the decision is yours." Dimitri sat on the bed and stared down at me with his piercing eyes. "You could be an excellent addition to our society."
My head was spinning and nausea bubbled up in the pit of my stomach. "Why? What about me is so damn special?"
He leaned down and pressed his lips against the spot on my neck where he first fed from me. Electrical shock waves traveled through my body which made goose bumps appear on my freckled skin. "The fact you are still alive right now is special." He ran his fingers from the corner of my jaw down to my shoulder. I shivered at his touch. I feel repulsed by his touch but at the same time, I feel drawn to him. It's as if I'm a moth and he's a raging fire. I know I will get burned if I fly too close but that doesn't make him any less alluring.
"Is there any reason my body didn't reject the change?" I asked.
He shrugged, unsure of the answer himself, "I've been watching you since that day. I wanted to make sure you didn't die."
Things were becoming more confusing by the second. "So I'm alive because you want me to be?"
"Well it's not only that. Your body is also very strong, if you weren't in the shape you are in now you probably would have died."
A bright red flush crossed my cheeks at his compliment and my conscience winked at me but I shook my head at her, “That still doesn't answer my question.”
"Well to be honest you were just going to be a snack but I sensed something different about you. Your blood... I can smell the power in your blood. You are no ordinary human. Even now as I'm sitting here next to you I can sense your power."
His words caught me off guard. "You can sense my power? You can smell my blood?"
There was a ravenous look in his eyes, "Yes. The thought of being able to taste your blood again has been driving me crazy."
I jolted away from Dimitri. I wanted to put as much distance between us as possible. My back pressed against my bedroom wall in a futile attempt to escape. In a flash, his icy blue eyes were no more than an inch away from my emerald eyes. I could feel his blazing breath against my face. He blinked. He reached up to touch my cheek softly. More shivers shook my body and he grinned. Everything about him seemed to lure me closer.
Dimitri braced his hands on the wall behind me and his eyes moved away from mine. I felt his lips on my cheek and then my neck. My eyes closed and I drew in a sharp breath, "What are you doing?" I cleared my throat and my voice sounded stronger, "You shouldn't prey on innocent humans. That's murder."
His eyes locked into mine again. There was a seriousness I had never seen before, "That's surviving."
He had a point and my head was too clouded to argue with him. He made everything seem so right. His lips moved back to my neck. The tingle of each kiss brought more and more goose bumps to my arms and suddenly the room felt deathly cold. I gasped at how quickly the atmosphere turned from burning to freezing. Dimitri's lips left my neck. His hand moved to my shoulder and a loud snarl shattered the silence of the night.
"Stay back," shouted an inhuman voice as a gust of wind raced through the room and whipped my hair around my face. A form materialized in the middle of my room. The form evolved into a woman and she stepped toward Dimitri and me. She had a strong resemblance to Dimitri, the same blue eyes and slightly greying hair. She placed a hand on Dimitri’s forearm and whispered something in his ear. Less than a minute had passed before she disappeared. I wondered for a brief moment if she was even real.
Dimitri peered at me and observed the look of utter confusion on my face as he tried to explain, "She is a very powerful vampire."
I staggered over to the window and heaved it open, trying to catch my breath, "What was she doing here?"
"She was checking up on me, making sure I follow orders." He joined me at the window.
"Orders?"
Dimitri hesitated and his words came in a whisper, "Your death."
A small gasp escaped my lips and I took a few steps away from him. He matched my retreat with a couple steps toward me. Panic erupted within me as my heels caught the underside of my bed and I fell through the air.
"Elizabeth," he said softly, "I didn't mean it like that. I'm not here to kill you."
I shook my head in disbelief. "That's not what you just said. Do you think I'm stupid?"
Dimitri sighed, pushing a hand through his perfectly styled, jet-black hair, "I can't lie to you Elizabeth. I'm not here to kill you or even hurt you. I saved you for a reason." He took another step toward me and continued, "When I let you live I took an oath to protect you. The only reason she wants you dead is because she is scared of you. She is scared of what you can do with your power."
"She's scared of me?" I asked, not quite sure I heard him right.
Dimitri nodded and sat next to me on my bed, "She is terrified."
I nodded slowly, "So does that mean I'm unsafe here?"
He shrugged, "I'm unsure but I know you will be safer in my city. The safest place you can be is with me." He moved closer to me until his thigh was touching mine. His faded denim jeans were rough against my bare thigh. I tugged at the hem of my plaid pajama shorts in apprehension. Can I trust him? He just told me he has been ordered to kill me.
He laughed his honey laugh again and played with a strand of my hair, "You know you really are amazing. All you need is the right environment and I think you would be an amazing vampire."
I felt my cheeks flush, "I want to go to your city." I pushed my fingers against the thumping vein in my neck, "Can you take me there?"
Dimitri looked a little melancholy, "If that’s what you wish."
I nodded, my head swirling. My words escaped my lips before I even understood their purpose, "Fine. There's only one thing left to do then."
There was a small hint of amusement in Dimitri's eyes, as if he were a child playing with his favorite toy. Almost robotically, I tilted my neck, exposing my artery. He understood. He smiled, "Sorry Elizabeth, but I just can't do that to you."
I couldn't stop myself as I pulled out the knife I had recently stored in my bedside table. I drew the knife across my wrist before I could react. Blood started to seep from the cut and it beaded quickly. Suddenly, the vampire side of me began to take over. I noted how the dark blood contrasted nicely with my fair skin. The intoxicating smell wafted into my nostrils and my throat felt parched. I had to fight the urge to lean down and lick the blood off my wrist. Dimitri's pupils widened and narrowed as if he was trying to look at something out of focus. I knew he caught the scent of the blood trail which was now dripping off my wrist and onto my pajama shorts. I looked up at Dimitri and a millisecond later, I was pinned to the wall.
Dimitri’s one hand gripped my throat tightly, practically cutting off my air supply, and the other was holding firmly onto my bleeding wrist. Deliberately he leaned forward and licked the line of blood off my wrist. His teeth sank into the wound. My body started to stiffen and small waves of agony crashed through my body every time he bit down harder.
He finished, it seemed, before he began. I rubbed my wrist. Ow! "Okay," I lamented, still unsure what had come over me, "it's time to go." I attempted to stand but my legs felt like lead weights.
Dimitri smiled, "Come on, I'll help you to my car." With one swift motion, he picked me up. It wasn’t what I expected. I guess I have been watching too many vampire movies. We didn't take off in a flash of speed but Dimitri didn't seem to have a problem carrying me either. Even as he carried me down a flight of stairs, he showed no sign of weakness. Outside it was raining. Typical for Oregon weather. Dimitri set me down and cautiously surveyed the area around us. The pavement was cold against my bare feet and I wrapped my arms around myself in an attempt to stave off the cold October winds.
"What are you doing," I inquired. Dimitri pressed a long, tanned finger to his stern, red-stained lips. I followed his gaze to see a figure in the shadows. I almost gasped. The figure moved very slightly. Battling to see through the darkness and light rainfall I realized no human would have noticed he was even standing there. Dimitri hissed. I only glanced at Dimitri for a brief moment but when I looked back at the figure, he was gone.
My heart was racing and adrenaline raced through me. My legs itched to run after the man but Dimitri had already started walking toward his car. I knew I needed to follow. My adrenaline began to subside when he opened the door for me. "Who was that?" I questioned.
He rolled his eyes, "Just get in the car. The sun will be up soon. We need to get somewhere to stay during the daylight hours."
I shot him a look, "So it's really true? If you stay in the sun you'll die?"
He laughed and it made me smile. I don't know why but I feel so comfortable around him. He answered my question still chuckling, "I think you've seen one too many vampire movies Liz. We don't spontaneously burst into flames but it is extremely uncomfortable. The sun usually gives us migraines and it will give us third degree burns if we stay out for too long."
My conscience raised an eyebrow at me, ‘Liz? Eww. He’s given you a pet name already.’ I rolled my eyes at him for making me feel stupid, "Yea, spontaneous combustion, what was I thinking?”