The Way You Bleed

Two.

If humans thought their humanity made them better than us; that it was their key to staying above the vampire race they really needed to start working on actually having it. Maybe it was because death and the horror of the times we lived in that made it harder for them to keep respect not just for themselves but others.

It wasn't just the animal kingdom that had the daily struggle of only the strong surviving. Economically society was improving, the world leaders weren't lying when they said the depression was over. Despite realizing that life could be what it once was, most people seemed more eager to refuse it. They liked the death they could cause. Scientists did studies on TV and video games impacting young minds but the problem was so much more complicated than the ability to shoot someone on a digitalized screen making them want to do it in real life.

The fact was that they could do it in real life, it wasn't forbidden. The war mentality hadn't left them and the anger wasn't taken out on just the vampires. Pleading innocence after stabbing a neighbor, swearing on the law that they thought they had been a vampire maybe even the one who killed their relative or friend in the war was accepted.

If the witches of Salem thought they had a problem, this could end up worse.

The humans wanted to kill, while we didn't necessarily want death to be following us. We wanted to feed, live - there was a difference. They got nothing from killing others. It made me sick. The change in society was slow but I wondered what the future would bring and now walking down the street like a true queen of the night the sounds of a woman screaming grabbed my interest.

Curtis keenly followed me, not protesting my change of plans. Turning left rather than right we followed the building around to a car park and sure enough under the street light the young woman screamed again as a two men were fighting. We didn't want to interfere, the Night Watchers were meant to be handling this kind of thing yet it was their van parked beside her. There was something familiar I couldn't place about the woman and as Curtis took my hand to keep walking I refused to move.

Something was wrong here.

"I have three vamp buddies waiting in the shadows should you try to run. Now hand over the guns and you'll live" That man who had the upper hand on the other younger guy demanded and I didn't need to look to know there were no other vampires around.

"Fucking blood sucker, kill us then. Another patrol will be here any minute" The young guy snapped back, his actions clumsy he was clearly tired and his swing was a lazy attempt at fighting off his attacker - that he thought was a vampire.

They were impersonating us now?

"It's a human thing, stay out of it" Curtis warned, trying to drag me away as the girl fought back now. If another patrol was coming, they weren't close as there were no cars out around here. Then I remembered where I knew the female, her lifeless form from the hospital broke through some sections of my human life that were a little foggy. Apparently its normal when you change, some can even forget everything yet it comes back the longer you live. The irony of it had me frustrated. I'd be happy to forget it all and I wouldn't want it back.

"Amber?" I started walking down the path to the concrete while Curtis didn't move yet his anger was felt following me like a shadow.

"Who-who are you?" She asked shakily, but didn't run as the two men stopped their fighting. The stronger eyeing me up as I got closer, and I played innocent just as she seemed to remember me and recognition and relief crossed her face. I had forgot all about her after I left the hospital. I presumed she'd die and life after that point had got a little hectic.

"Lucy, remember we met in training?" I lied, looking almost fearfully at the men I let her hug me. "Where is everyone? I was meant to meet Cam and Terry for a set up but then heard the noise over here"