The Crimson Project

-5-

Three months later

The night was cold enough for me to put on a large, black coat. Oversized, to be honest.
It smelled so nice, maybe he used to use Hugo Boss or something alike.
-Such a nice perfume for someone so nasty.-I mumbled, while licking the blood out of my fingertips.
The thirst had became worst, the most I tried to prevent myself from drinking and the more my lips beg for it. Like a torture.
I tried to convince my mind we were normal, we were a regular woman, just someone who could go on after a traumatic experience but no.
My true nature was surfacing once again.
I kicked the man's corpse out of my way.
If I had to do this, If I had to drink the blood out of someone's body until he died, It had to be from someone who deserved a terrifying death.
So I chased sexual predators.
I got into dark alleys, into the worst kind of places from my dear Hell's Kitchen, the closest place to my home and the darkest place in New York.
I play pretend the victim, the innocent girl who has lost sometimes, in other occasions I was a mean girl, wearing tops and mini skirts, playing the seducer, I could channel my inner countess and like a black widow, take them to my bed, make them believe I was being their victim, watch their eyes, their looks, the way they think about a woman and then, I showed my real self, my fangs, I took their wills. Their control over their own body, just like they do to other women.
And when they're hopeless enough, I open their disgusting skin to find my own relief.
I believe I'm not a bad person.
I try not to.

I take the bus back to my apartment, I have aa break on the state tour and I am finally back home.
I can't be more pleased to go back, close every curtain and lay back in bed to sleep for the day.

It was around noon when a knock in my door made me wake up.
I walked towards the door and a voice, a familiar one in my head spoke to me.
-Open, honey.
I hurried up, to find William, laying down towards one of the door's side. His hands covered in blood, a dark one and his eyes lost.
-William!- I shouted and let him in.- What are you doing outside at this time? What are you doing here?
-I had to found you, it wasn't so hard, the news from the "Vampire of Hell's" run fast, sweetie...may I sit down?- he said. Heavy breathing.

I moved a chair towards him and he collapsed in it, tilting his head back.
-Why are you here?- I questioned, I hadn't had any news from him afyer we escaped the Crimson one.

-I need your help... they are chasing my friends, the few I have and most importantly, they found him and held him captive since last month...
-Who is him?- I asked, giving him a bag full of ice, the sun burns can hurt like someone's ripping out your skin when you're a vampire.
Something in my mind answered me, and it wasn't Will, it was... ny own instinct.

-Dracula, my dear Irina, Dracula is captive, they found him... he is our master, wether we want him or not to be. And if they found the way to destroy him or worse, control him... they will control every vampire in the world.-He explained as a shiver ran through my back.

-What can I do?!- I said nervously and put both of my hands in my forehead, trying to understand why he had called me.
-You will help me to find him, you have a huge connection with him, I know you don't know ot yet, but you will understand... only, you have to keep your mind open.
-Again? How come every time you cross my path I have to learn something new from myself?-I sighed frustrated- My life wasn't perfect but this whole fantastic stuff is messing it up, I had friends, I had day time activities... I know this sounds stupid to you, as you were born a vampire but I didn't know it before the past September! I just. I JUST CAN'T HELP YOU...- I ended up shouting, I was afraid, something inside of me was refusing to know whatever truth William wanted me to know.

-Calm down Irina, I...

Another knock in the door made me froze and I slowly moved until I was next to it, trying to peer whoever was behind.

-Alexa?- I asked while opening and the poor girl, one of my band mates, crying her heart out held me in an embrace.- What happened?
I thought she may be escaping from her ex, hr used to be abusive and she had presented with sunglasses to a few of our day time shows. Enough said.
-Caitlyn... Caitlyn is gone...-She mumbled, bursting again in tears.
I felt my heart stopping for a second, again, all of this fantastic world meant nothing to me.
-What, what do you mean by that? What happened to her? - I questioned without letting go of her hug.
Her tears were wetting my shirt.
I knew the answer, Cait was always a beautiful girl but she was always unhappy, never showed up her true feelings but we were close snough for her to call me when she was having one of her suicidal attempts.

-She hung herself... she left a note I just called her sister I can't...I can't...-I petted my friend's hair and looked back at William who made a signal of going to room.
I nodded and he left.

A few hours later, Alexa was stable enough to go home and I sat on the floor, shivering and crying, unstoppable.
Caitlyn had called me last night, to talk about herself, she was feeling terrible and wanted us to do somethig together.
Like the old times, she said.
Like when we were teenagers, she said and her words resounding in my mind cut like a sharp knife, this pain, thos guilt was not going anytime soon.

William walked towards me, my back was in his direction but I felt hom anyways.
He put his hand on my shoulder and kneel to stay at my height.

-Irina.... I am so sorry, but unless you know the truth, you won't understand why we are meant to do this together...

I wipped out ny tears and look with a death stare into his charming eyes.

-Okay, you better start talking right now...- I requested.

He sighed, like the truth was something to be afraid of.
He made me believe it was.

-You, Irina, are the reincarnation of my old lover... of old Dracula's lover...you, Irina, are Mina Murray.