New Beginnings

Part 1 (Section 1)

Taking a slow breath, I shove shaky hands through my tangled mess of hair. It's been too long since I've had blood this sweet, and I lick my lips, savoring the taste still stuck to my tongue. Opening tired eyes, I step away from the body at my feet and out into the quiet street, taking in a lungful of cold night air. The warmth from the blood still coursing through me, I shiver slightly before taking slow deliberate steps into the night, allowing the shadows to wrap themselves around me and lead me home.

Raging thoughts circle within my head as the night becomes shorter. I can feel the energy of my soul as it threatens to engulf my heart in a wave of sadness. Stepping through the darkness on silent feet, I walk the road until it dead-ends at the city park. Tears threaten to flow from my eyes as I gracefully sit beneath a large willow tree. Looking upwards my eyes follow the path of storm clouds as they darken the sky. Rain will be coming soon. The old willow tree stills in anticipation as a fresh smelling breeze blows softly across the ground.

My soul aches with longing pangs as I feel the warm blood leave my system once more. The need to feel the warmth of another sends me through withdrawal after every taste. Salty tears leak from my eyes and down my face, trailing their own individual paths. Accepting the fact that I will no longer feel warm until the next taste, I focus on letting the cold air fill my lungs, before forcing it back out in a puff of smoky warmth.

In the moment of transgression between one emotion to the next, the smell of blood sneaks it's way into my nostrils and I can't help the smile curving my lips upward. My mind immediately empties of all other thoughts. I can almost feel the predator within clawing to escape, and ever so slowly I move my head into the direction of the scent. A small girl is on the ground, her hands and knees pressed into the concrete sidewalk, blood leaking from road rashed knees. 

I miss nothing as the young girl stands up and stares at her bleeding knees. Her pink dress is covered in blood and her face wrinkles up as she begins to cry. Where is your mother? About 4 blocks away, I can hear a mother screaming for her child, and the smile on my face grows wider. Claws dig themselves through my skin and I wince at the pain, before looking down at my hands. Black claws about six inches long now stick from my fingers and I let the predator take over my thoughts.

I look back up and the girl has not moved, the ache in my jaw grows steadily as the smell of the child's blood awakens my every instinct. I stand up, using the tree to pull my legs beneath me. Taking deliberate steps through the thick grass, my breath stops completely and a growl slips past my lips.

At the sudden noise the girl looks my direction and goes completely still. It's ok little one, this won't hurt. That's when I lunge. I push off the ground with every inch of power and open my mouth wide, ready to sink my canines deeply into the girls fleshy neck. That's when I realized my mistake.

Focused on the blood, I'd forgotten to scope the area, so instead of consuming the warm blood of the girl a sharp pain bites into the skin of my right side, sending me sprawling to the ground. The pain is so intense that my claws sink back into my hands and I curl into myself. Laughter vibrates the air of the once quiet city park and curiosity has me uncurling and squinting my eyes at the combat boots in front of me.

Taking a moment to regroup my thoughts I look at my side to assess the damage done. Blackish blood is flowing from an unhealing knife wound. A new anger rages through me and I look farther than just the black, used, combat boots. Above is a man, with smooth, sharp, features and bright blue eyes. I move to grab his leg but when I do an unwilling whimper slips from my lips and everything goes black.