After Eden [Book #1 of The Fall Trilogy]

One ☾ ☽ Lost Stars

"And God, tell us the reason youth is wasted on the young. It's hunting season and the lambs are on the run, searching for meaning, but are we all lost stars trying to light up the dark?" - Adam Levine

One ☾☽ Lost Stars

Waking up in a pool of blood with a killer headache was not how I wanted to start my day. With wide eyes, I slowly sat up, noticing the large amount of blood I was soaking in and the scarlett stains, marring my clothes. It was everywhere- splattered across my chest, dappled on my cheeks, and coating my neck.

"Crap," I muttered bitterly, clutching my pounding head. "Holy crap."

I quickly ran my hands over my body, searching for any gaping wounds or injuries that could possibly be the source of the overwhelming amount of blood. Cursing once more, I realized I was in perfect condition, which lead me to the only other conclusion:

I was wearing someone else's blood.

My brain immediately racked itself for information, searching for hows, whats, and whys, but everything came up blank. I didn't know where I was or how I even got here to be lying in the middle of a deserted road. I attempted to think back on the last place I've been or the last person I've seen. Everything was black and my memory seemed to be wiped from my brain, not even leaving a trail I could follow.

Camden

It was a faint whisper from the depths of my mind. Only a mere wisp of a woman's voice somehow resurfaced inside me, nothing more and nothing less.

"Camden," I breathed, the foreign word rolling off my tongue.

I shook my head feverishly, deciding right now was not the time to be pondering mysterious names. I needed to find out why I was drenched in crimson blood. So with aching knees and jelly-like arms, I pushed myself into a standing position and took account of my surroundings. I was indeed in a deserted road. The narrow stretch of cracked pavement extended for what seemed like forever in both directions. As I squinted my eyes, I realized there was no car in sight. On both sides of the road, clusters of dense trees were situated. The morning sun trickled through the leaves, offering at least some warmth in the early hours of the day. There was no other person or even an animal near me besides the occasional squirrel that skittered down the bark of the trees. The only sound to fill the silence was my labored breathing and the whisper of the wind.

There was only me.

"I need to get help," I said weakly, my panic rising.

A thousand worse case scenarios ran through my head. Did I kill some animal? Did I kill someone? I did not like the prospect of the last one. However, there was no dead body or injured person near me or in sight. Did they run away? Had I gone on some murderous rampage and attempted murder? Was that why I couldn't remember anything?

My head begun to pound behind my eyes, and I entwined my fingers through my ruly dark locks to only discover my hair was also matted with blood. I swallowed, resisting the urge to throw up. Wiping my clammy hands on my jean clad thighs, I peered down one direction of the road. It curved dangerously, leading only into oblivion from what I guessed. I licked my chapped lips, deciding that was my only option to find civilization.

The walk was painful and tedious task. My feet dragged against the pavement, heavy and sore. My joints creaked and cracked as if they were merely made of brittle sticks. Every step and every breath was a struggle with my overused body and worn out mind. I felt dead.

After what seemed like a lifetime, I heard the familiar roar of a car engine and the screech of tires. I lifted my head, eyes squinting to make out the faint silhouette of a what appeared as a black van rumbling down the road in my direction. A sense of relief swelling inside my stomach, I raised my hands and waved frantically. The car continued its way down the winding road, swerving dangerously at high speeds. I begun to wave harder, bouncing on my heels.

"Hey!" I called, a fruitless attempt to get the van to slow down. "Hold up!"

The car came to a screeching stop way ahead of me. It stood in the middle of the road, suddenly still and silent. The driver had cut the engine and it seemed like they made no move of getting out.

Oh yeah, they might be a bit freaked out by all the blood.

I kept my hands raised, attempting to assure the driver that I was no harm. "I just need some help," I called, inching slowly towards the vehicle.

There was no sign of life. As I grew closer, I realized that the windows were tinted heavily, blocking my view from the inside.

"Uh. Anyone in there? I promise I'm unarmed."

As if my voice struck an unused cord, abruptly the doors were thrown open and five figures clad in all black, brandishing what looked strangely close to guns flooded out. I stood their motionless as the group surrounded me, guns drawn and pointed my way.

"What are you?" a deep voice rumbled.

I twirled around, trying to determine which body the voice come from; however, their faces were even wrapped in black, excluding they eyes.

"Um, I am a bit confused by the question. Could you please put your guns down," I whispered weakly, trying to push down the panic rising inside me.

The group raised their guns higher, all taking a hesitant step towards me.

"What is your association with this R?"

I begun to get antsy as I eyed the muzzle of the gun closer and the finger pulled taunt on the trigger. "Man, I really have no idea what or who you are talking about! I just need some help. I have no idea where I am or why I'm covered in blood."

"We are not in the mood to play your games," the voice called again, this time angrier.

I had begun to sweat now, a single bead making its decent down my face. My knees had begun to shake, from both exhaustion and nervousness. I stared wide-eyed at the five around me, silently begging them to put their weapons down and listen to me.

One of the figures nudged the largest one, and after a few heavy moments of silence, one by one, all figures lowered their deadly weapons.

"Come with us, vampire."

Wait, vampire?

☾ ☽

yeah yeah first chapter!! dont forget to...

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- sarah

p.s- this is unedited