The Lost Vampire

The Lost Vampire: Chapter Four

**Unedited**

Living with a Human

While over the years I've made many human acquaintances, I never stayed long enough in one place to form any lasting relationships. I wasn't always alone, however, for the first five years of my life I lived with another vampire, Gerard. He found me alone in the forest surrounding his land; a new-born vampire with no memory of the human I was before, instead just a feral blood-thirsty animal who was drawing too much attention with a trail of dead bodies. Whether it was pity why he didn't just kill me, I never asked. Instead he took me in as his ward, assuming the role of my absentee Maker. He taught me how to control my thirst, to think smart in living a hidden life in plain view of humans without much suspicion. This was the nineteenth century after all and our living situation often circulated the rumour mill of London society; the mysterious and recluse Lord Bromley and his long lost seventeen year old niece that appeared from nowhere. I was quick to learn that society had expectations of a young lady my age, which often included entertaining suitors. I remember the few brave souls that dared to approach Gerard, watching them run for the hills when they got a glimpse of the future they were so fervently advocating for. Needless to say Gerard was less than amused at my actions and eventually I too began to tire of my childish and quite frankly ungrateful antics. But he never sent me away, despite how much I disrupted his peaceful existence. I remember the day that I went to office and told him that the best thing I could do to show my appreciation for all he had done for me, was to leave. As expected he objected to my departure; he was a bit of worrier, concerned that the secrets I carried would be found out and the dangers that would follow them. Though it wasn't perfect, we had become a family and neither of us wanted to see the other suffer. In time I got him to see my side of things and it being time for me to find a way pass my abandonment issues, to let go of the bitterness that consumed me every day and perhaps find some answers to my origin; my future was unclear but I knew it wasn't s there at Bromley Manor. It was time to stop pretending, trying so hard to hold onto a human existence with no real understanding of who I was. And so I left that part of my life behind and sought out a new beginning, embracing the new me, a vampire with no past.

The next fifty years was spent truly embracing the decadent ways of vampire; it was fun life but not a full one. Travelling and frolicking across the continent with other vampires; killing without conscience, I even made few headlines along the way and while it was nothing to be proud of I revelled in my fifteen minutes of fame; it was a different time persons weren't so mindful of people vanishing without trace, which only encouraged our irrepressible actions.

Gerard always said that our control came from our human side, sympathy for others. I could still hear is voice, "Yes we are vampires, a predatory species that need blood to survive but it's important to remember we were once human too," and for my time spent with him I respected his way of life. But once I got out in the world I didn't feel the need to lead a tamed life and with no memory of my life before I turned it was easier to justify my actions. I didn't care about the carnage or the broken families we left behind, we were selfish beings and after five decades the day finally came where I had to face that cold hard truth.

The night that part of my life ended I witnessed a particularly vicious coven of vampires slaughter a farmer and his family. The gruesome scene forever engraved in my mind; I watched as they murdered everyone, even the children and for the first time I truly saw us for the vile creatures we are, creatures that senselessly kill for pleasure. Disgust was all I could feel; disgusted at myself that I did nothing to help and though I knew I could never harm children I was no better than them.

After that I sought a bit solace and distraction from an old friend, which went well for a time until I lost someone very dear to me and my retaliation led to a disastrous and bloody end for more than few inhabitants of that island. That was the straw that broke the camel's back and the last time I got so deeply involved with humans.