• chapter 2
    Laurent

    I decided to begin my night by hunting in a new spot instead of the usual. The other vampires are very picky about their hunting spots and I wasn’t in the mood to fight tonight. I walked along a quiet street in hope of finding someone alone and lost, but I got something better. A young girl no older then 13 was running away from her house across the street from me. I looked back at her house and saw that she had kicked the door into pieces. She’s a feisty one; she should be a tasty meal. I thought.
    I began to quietly follow her. I locked onto her mind and distanced myself for the time being. When I felt her reach the city, I got closer to her. I didn’t expect her to sense me. But it seemed that she could feel my presence She’s much stronger than I thought. This should be an interesting hunt.
    I decided to follow from atop the buildings so that she couldn’t see me. She suddenly stopped, I wondered if she did see me and was going to head home. Then I heard her stomach growl and I knew she needed to eat, but what I didn’t know was where was she going to go. I began to distance myself. Wondering if I should go elsewhere for a meal when she suddenly turned onto a different street than one leading to her house, I still kept my distance just to make sure, but then she went into a café. I had to laugh at this. They named the café Vampiric and yet not one vampire has set foot in it. This should be entertaining.
    I decided to wait a while before I walked in. I didn’t want her to suspect anything. Well anything more in this case. She’s not as stupid as some of my other prey. No one else felt me until it was too late, for them at least.
    I wandered amongst the town seeing if there was any other meal that would be out tonight. There was nothing. Just my luck; I thought. I wasn’t ready to give up so I went as far as the town limits hoping to find at least a snack, something I could eat until the girl walked out of the café. People must be smart in this town; the first vampire in their town for centuries and everyone is inside. I sighed. Its been 12 minutes since the girl walked into the café I figured it was safe to finally enter it. I started to head back to the café when I felt the aura of another vampire behind me.
    I stopped and jumped into the middle of abandoned street waiting for them to show their face, I carefully lowered my Vampiric aura so it matched my uninvited guest. I didn’t have to wait long. The other vampire was less than a minute behind me; she fell from atop the buildings 3 feet in front of me. It was a female that was new. She was also a strawberry blonde, which made it ever so interesting. I noticed her eyes were still blood red; I must have interrupted her feeding. The way she was dressed, her meal must have been a date.

    “What is your name?” I asked.

    “What does it matter to you?” she said.

    “Oh, snippy little thing aren’t you?”

    “So what if I am, what’s it to you?”

    “Its nothing really, it was just intriguing. Now what is your name?” I insisted. I unleashed a small bit of my aura, she stepped back.

    “My name is Malena” she said sternly.

    “How interesting… now Malena why were you following me?”

    “You entered my feeding area, while I was feeding might I add”

    “Please forgive me, I did not know another vampire had owned that spot, now if you don’t mind I must be on my way” I said turning around. I was already running late, I couldn’t even tell if that girl was still in the café. I needed to hurry.

    “I don’t think so, you entered my area, now explain yourself” she said, she got in front of me; blocking my way.

    “Look, Malena, I did not feed in your area; if that were the case, then I would gladly explain myself, but it is not”

    “Then what were you doing” she asked. I was becoming very impatient. I began to let my aura go to full strength. I could see she was beginning to sense it. Fear showed in her eyes.

    “I was merely wandering about. Now, if you don’t mind I have a meal to tend to” I explained walking around her. “You best hope it didn’t get away, or this wont be the last you see of me.” I whispered as I disappeared.
    I reappeared a few blocks away. I checked over my clothing I didn’t want to look too conspicuous. It probably wouldn’t matter; I was too old to walk into that café. Oh well, time to get this party going. I opened the door and walked to an empty table. All the while everyone was watching me. This didn’t surprise me. A middle-aged man walks into a café that was controlled by teenagers, it wouldn’t be normal if I wasn’t stared at; if only they knew what was really behind these clothes… then they would never stop staring. I had to chuckle at that thought. If they knew what I really was then chaos would be all through the city with them screaming. I sat down a few tables away from my meal; I learned her name was Jessica. A waitress came up to me but I didn’t stop staring at Jessica.

    “Good evening sir, what may I get you this evening?” said the waitress,

    “Just a cup of coffee” I replied quietly.

    “What was that sir?” she asked. I apparently said it too quietly for delicate human ears.

    “Just a cup of coffee” I repeated, a little louder this time.


    “Of course sir” she walked off. In a daze, I chuckled; I forget how powerful I can be. If I wanted I could make everyone here fall asleep without a sweat. But only one person was going to fall asleep. I continued staring at Jessica. Sleep I whispered in her mind. But she still stared at me like she was unaffected. Sleep, dear Jessica. You need your rest. I whispered. I felt her mind fight back.
    This was a first. For the first time I had to use some of my power to put a simple human to sleep. Still, she resisted me. I used a little more. She fainted, oops I thought I used too much. The waitress showed up with my coffee then, and then went over to Jessica; her friend was already there. She really is an interesting one. Maybe I will keep her instead. I sat back in my chair and watched the commotion with a smile on my face. She was unconscious for 3 minutes, when she had awoken I decided it was time to disappear. I will get her on her way home, when no one is around. I set the coffee cup down and disappeared.
    I sat on top of the building across the café watching, completely hiding my aura and presence, I was nothing more than an invisible figure right now, this would be perfect, and no vampire or human could sense me. I laughed, She really is a clever human, After 3 minutes she began to question how she fainted and her conclusion was right on its mark, even if was still a question to her.
    I waited patiently atop the building for 10 minutes before she got up. I started following her again, keeping my presence completely hidden. She turned onto a different street this time. She wanted a street full of people, she didn’t have any luck with her, and the street was just as empty as when she walked to the café. I guess I’m thankful everybody is hiding safely inside their homes. I began to let her know I was around; I let her begin to feel my presence.
    I wanted some fun so I was going to play with my food before I ate it. She turned around and I hid my presence again. She had a puzzled look on her face. This was so much fun. After she turned around I let my presence be known again, I wanted to know if she would run home but she did something that took me by surprise. She actually had the guts to turn and yell at someone who she couldn’t see.
    She was so interesting and seemed so unbreakable, I decided I would keep her and she would be mine. I slipped closer to her letting my presence be stronger, this must have set her off, she started marching towards the café. Right, lets see you live there; if you do I can guarantee it won’t exist for very much longer. I thought to myself. Maybe I should tell her that; I wonder if she would be frightened. That would be very fun.
    Just as I was going to send her the message a car came around the corner ahead of her, I quickly pulled my presence till it was faint, and watched. It was her father, I was two blocks away and I could hear him, that man had some voice box on him. Guess you’re in big trouble Jessica. I watched her get into the car and drive away, ill be back. I thought.
    I hid my aura again and returned to Malena’s hunting area, it was almost as much fun torturing her than Jessica. Except that Malena knew it was me, so that took away a lot of the fun. I sat atop a building in the middle of her area, counting the minutes till she showed. I didn’t even get to one before she showed. She appeared across the street from me, she even brought company and a meal for me this time.

    “It is so good to see you again Malena.” I said cheerfully.

    “What are you doing here?” she commanded.

    “Come on, don’t tell me you forgot what happened last time you tried to command me?” I said cheerfully

    “No I didn’t forget, that’s why I brought a friend with me this time.” She said looking over at her friend. I could see why she depended on him so, by just looking at him, you could get frightened; but I could feel his aura, I had nothing to fear.

    “And the other guest you brought is she for me? Are you trying to get on my good side?”

    “No I am not, this is my friends meal. She is not for you.” She said sternly. I could tell that the human had no idea what was going on, she constantly looking between malena and me. My night keeps getting better and better I thought.

    “Do not underestimate me sir” said the guest.

    “Why do you say that?” I asked? I estimated I had at least 20 minutes until Jessica got home, so I figured I had enough time to fool around.

    “I’m not as weak as you think”

    “What do you mean?”

    “I know what your thinking. You think that I’m not strong,” he said, he apparently was hiding he aura because then he started letting it go. It was surprising he was at least twice as much stronger than malena if not stronger; but he was still nowhere near me.

    “Tell me, do either of you know my name?” I asked. They both looked at each other, apparently just realizing that they did not in fact know my name. “Well, before I let you know my name I must know your name sir.”

    “My name Alex.” He said looking back at me. “And your name is…?”

    “Well, you should already know my name but I will humor you” I said standing up. “My name is Laurent K. I saw Alex go into shock, he recognized my name. We may have never met until now but every vampire that visits Dark Rose learns of me and also learns to never cross me. Alex bowed down.

    “Please forgive me sir, I did not realize it was you” he said looking down. “Please accept my meal as part of my apology for my attitude earlier.” His meal was finally scared. She went and made a run for it, heading for the ladder on the side of the stairs. I used my power and put her to sleep before she moved even five feet.

    “That is quite alright you may keep her”

    “But sir, please, as a gift…”

    “It is alright I have my own meal, I should actually be heading out to get it.”

    “WHAT THE HELL IS THE MEANING OF THIS ALEX” Malena screamed.

    “Do you not know of Laurent?” Alex asked her.

    “No I do not and I don’t get why you’re bowing down to him now when a minute ago you were going to kick his a**.”

    “How interesting… were you really going to do that Alex?”

    “No, of course not sir, not to you”

    “You’re lying.”

    “Well….okay sir, I admit, at first I was planning to but then I learned who you are and would never dream of that.”

    “WHO IS HE?” Malena said.

    “HE” Alex said sharply to her “Is Master Laurent. One of the three leaders of the Dark Rose.” Now she seemed to realize who I was. She quickly bowed down next to Alex. Now it was her turn to apologize.

    “Please forgive me sir, I did not mean to treat you with such disrespect.”

    “It is quite alright, I have a habit of keeping my identity a secret so I am not surprised by how you treated me, now if you don’t mind I must excuse myself from our little chitchat. I have someone to meet up with.”

    “Of course, good night sir.” They said in unison.

    I quickly ran to Jessica’s house just in time to see her father enter her room. I settled myself into the tree and listened closely to what he said. He couldn’t have made my wish any easier to grant. Dear little Jessica had to get a job. This truly has been a wonderful night, and she plans to work at that café. How wonderful; I laughed. After he left she looked out the window. Whoops I shouldn’t be here. I winked at her and disappeared back to my home.
    When I returned I was very cheerful that everyone stared at me. Even my servants were surprised by my cheerfulness. They were expecting me to be in a bad mood. I had to laugh which sent some of them running. I didn’t want this night to end; I entered my office.

    “Good Evening Sir, Is there anything I may get you this evening?” Asked one of my servants. Her name was Becca, I’ve had her for 9 years, and she has always been my most loyal servant.

    “Just something to drink, I wasn’t able to find a meal tonight.”

    “Of course sir” She hesitated, she knew what I wanted; she went and sat down on the sofa leaning her head back. Her smell was overwhelming and I appeared instantly next to her brushing her black hair back. I put my teeth to her throat and began to feed. When I finished, she looked at me for a minute and then fainted. I called in my other two servants.
    “Rachel, Amelia” I yelled.

    “Yes sir” They said running into the room.

    “Take Becca to her room”

    “Of course sir” they walked over to the sofa and each got on a side of her. They carefully carried her from my office. Amelia stopped at the door.

    “Is there anything else you will need tonight sir?”

    “No Amelia I think I will turn in now”

    “Of course sir, good night”

    “Good night Amelia. You too Rachel”

    “Thank you sir, have a good night” Rachel said smiling. She wobbled under the weight from Becca.

    “Come along, Rachel, we have to Becca back to her room.”

    “Yes, of course” They waddled out of the room

    I walked to the window and saw the sun beginning to rise over the horizon. I wanted to be part of that world again but I am beginning to love this life very much. I shut the curtains to the window and walked to the sofa where I choose to sleep for the day. I will see you tomorrow morning jess.