The Beginning of Forever...

Awakening

Awakening

Chapter 2

I slowly came back into consciousness.  All I could hear was horrid screaming, and then I realized that those screams were coming from my own mouth.  When I finally opened my eyes I was no longer in the same dark alleyway.  I was in a strange white room that I couldn’t recognize.  At the point of my awakening a tall dark skinned man walked into the room.  He was wearing a black turtleneck sweater and kaki colored slacks.  He had a conked hairstyle and his face had beautifully defined features. 

            “Good! You’re finally awake. We’ve been waiting for a few hours now. How are you feeling? Oh, and my names Marvin by the way.” He said in a deep yet soft voice.

            I hadn’t realized I was still screaming until he spoke. The fire was still a slow burn in my blood.

 “Why do I feel like my blood is on fire? It hurts. Where am I?  Why can’t I go home? I want my mom. Can I go home?” I said frantically, coming into the realization that I didn’t come home and my party was ruined, and that my mom was probably having every cop in town looking for me.

“Well, I’m really sorry. That pain you are feeling in the venom spreading through your system.  You’re in SoHo.  Don’t be scared okay? Everything’s going to be okay. You can’t go home. You’ve been bitten. In the alleyway, we saved you.” He said still trying to calm me.

“What do you mean venom? And SoHo? What are you talking about ‘I’ve been bitten’?” I asked in the same tone I’d had.

“My ‘family’ and I were nearby, and we all heard what happened. Then, we could smell all of the blood you lost after your accident.  By the time we’d arrived you had lost too much blood to survive as a regular person. We had to save you the only way possible.  It took some convincing our leader, but she came around and agreed that was the best choice.  We decided it was best I do the biting because I am the best at control.  So that brings us to the pain your feeling.  My family is a coven of…..vampires.”

Vampire. I shivered at the word.  The only vampires I had ever heard of were the ones in books and old legends and myths. Not in real life.  There’s no way they exist. This isn’t happening. Soon I will wake up from this dream…nightmare actually.

“Vampires aren’t real.” I assured him, “this is just a joke right?”

“I’m afraid I’m not joking. We traveled here from London last weekend. Since you’ve been bitten, if your body doesn’t reject the…..transformation, you’ll become one of us as well.  I feel really bad this had to happen to you, your life shouldn’t have been damned like ours…” After he had finished speaking I’d realized the seriousness in his voice, along with the genuine sorrow for what must’ve happened. I understood that what he was saying—even though I didn’t want to believe him—must’ve been the truth. I had been bitten by a vampire and in a few days, or however long it would take, I will have been changed.  That is, if my body didn’t reject it.

“How long will it take for me to see my mom? How long will I be stuck in this place?”

“Well, I’m really sorry, but after this you will never be able to see you mother again.  It would be virtually impossible with your bloodlust at its highest level.  I mean really once you saw her, the sound of her pulse alone could put you into a frenzy. The change lasts…um a painfully slow…three, maybe four, days. Give or take.” He stated with almost a smile appearing on his lips.

“Three to four days?!” I exclaimed, “Why couldn’t you just let me lay there?!”

“I couldn’t let someone die. Really our intentions were only to save you.” He said apologizing.

“Where are these other people you keep talking about?” I asked.

“Hunting.”

“Hunting?”

“It’s what our kind does. We hunt.”

“And by hunt you mean drink peoples blood?”

“Yes and no. Sometimes, depending on where we are, we feed on the blood of animals. While we were in London we hunted humans, but here animals.”

“So I will just stay with you and your family.”

“Just until you can live on your own. Then it would be completely your choice.”

After we had finished the other two in his coven walked in.  One was a tall tan man.  He had a muscular figure.  His dirt blond hair was short, and styled into perfectly done spikes in all directions. The other was a woman, lean and tall. She had long, thick, straight black hair. She must’ve been the leader Marvin had been talking about.  The most obvious feature on all of these clearly beautiful people was the deep red color that was their eyes.  I knew then that in a few days my eyes, too, will be that same color. 

“Ah! I see you finally woke her up, Marvin. How’s she taking things?” The tall tan man asked.

“She’s adjusting.” Marvin said. “Um, I never got your name.” He then stated looking at me, almost confused.

“Mary Elizabeth Welsh. Everyone just calls me Liz or Elizabeth, though.” I stated proud of my name.

“Well, Liz, this is Violet, and this is Clement.” He said gesturing at both of them.

“Hi.” I said weak and shy.

“She’s very timid around new people.” The woman, Violet, commented.

“She’s just weak and confused right now. She’ll get better, I’m sure.” Marvin Said defending me.

“I knew this was a bad idea.” She said, skeptical of this whole situation.

Marvin just rolled his eyes and said something too low for my still human ears to hear.  Violet then scoffed and walked off. I knew this was just the beginning of things.  That I would have to let go of the memory of my mother and move on.  I knew I would have to miss the Winter Formal with Dominic Marino.  I knew that I would have to stay away from Andrea.  I had so many questions that needed to be answered.   What happens when I get changed? Does my skin also turn the same pale tone as theirs? What would be the consequence of going for a stroll on a sunny day? 

The pain in my arm was beginning to subside when I noticed Clement rubbing the bite mark on my forearm with some liquid.  I didn’t know what it was but it cooled the fire running throughout my body.  Shortly after he stood up and walked away I found myself uncontrollably falling into a deep sleep.  I would soon find out the answers I so desperately needed….