“But, at the same time, had it not been for that, I would have been dead centuries ago. Although watching the world grow and expand has been a gift, the rest of what you have to endure isn't worth it.
“I lost my family, not only to the fire, but to becoming what I am. My friends, I couldn't see them ever again. Everything was taken away from me that night. Everyone I knew and loved eventually aged, withered away and died, while I was cursed to walk this Earth alone for eternity – watching it all unfold from a distance.”
I wondered if vampires were able to cry as I stared at him, but no tears came. The need to comfort him overcame me, but I didn't know how. “I'm so sorry, Salem...” I whispered, trying to ignore the growing curiosity to ask even more questions.
“Don't be,” h e smiled and placed his cold hand against my cheek. “If none of that had happened, I would never have met you.”
I laughed, “Don't forget you're talking to the offspring of a vampire hunter.”
Salem just smiled. I admired his expression for far too long, I lowered my gaze and blushed. “Can I ask one more question ?”
“Anything.”
“What happened to this Raziel guy?”
“He still exists somewhere, as far as I know. For the first five years of my ‘new life’ , as he called it, he treated me as a slave. Although, he referred to me as his “apprentice”, I felt like nothing more than a servant. He taught me the ways of being a vampire, but it sickened me. I refused to indulge in human blood, knowing I had once been one – my family were humans, my friends. I would never have done that to them, why would I even consider doing that to anyone?” h e flinched at the idea. “He would have me bring him...food...every night.” The pained look on his face was almost unbearable.”
“People?” I gasped, knowing the answer.
He grimaced. “I wouldn't have felt quite as miserable had it been criminals or terminally ill beings...but these were innocent people.”
“ How could you put up with that for so long ?”
“I had no other options, or so I thought,” h e grumbled. “You weren't the only one who fell for the lore of vampires. Raziel tried to convince me the stories were accurate, that if I went o ut in the daytime I would roast,” h is eyes darkened, “ o ne specific night, he made me do something intolerable. I couldn't bear to exist after that...He req uested I bring him ‘young blood’ , as he called it. In other words, the blood of a child – Raziel said it was the tastiest, most refreshing blood imaginable. I had no choice but to obey him, at least that's what I thought at the time.
“ She couldn't have been much older than Hannah had been. I snuck through her nursery window, plucked her from her crib and presented her to Raziel. I immediately regretted what I had done. The next morning, I decided to end myself. It came down to either spending eternity doing his bidding or risking my existence by stepping out into the sunlight. I braced myself for death as I stepped out into the morning light, anticipating the inevitable – but it never came.” I noticed how he never referred to it as his 'life'. “I stood out in the sun for at least fiftee n minutes, and nothing happened,” he stopped abruptly and changed the subject, “y ou should call Janet, before it gets too late.”
I blinked, deep in thought as I tried to imagine what he had been through. “Yeah, y ou're right...”
I grabbed the cordless phone, sat cross-legged on the sofa and dialed the familiar number. I waited through two rings this time, before her familiar voice answered.
“Hey mom,” I said into the receiver. Would I ever be able to stop calling her that ? “I just wanted to make sure you were all right.”
“I'm getting there ,” s he sounded better, happier than our last conversation at the least . “How was your birthday?”
“It wasn't as bad as I thought it’d be , ” I laughed, “Karen threw me a surprise
“I lost my family, not only to the fire, but to becoming what I am. My friends, I couldn't see them ever again. Everything was taken away from me that night. Everyone I knew and loved eventually aged, withered away and died, while I was cursed to walk this Earth alone for eternity – watching it all unfold from a distance.”
I wondered if vampires were able to cry as I stared at him, but no tears came. The need to comfort him overcame me, but I didn't know how. “I'm so sorry, Salem...” I whispered, trying to ignore the growing curiosity to ask even more questions.
“Don't be,” h e smiled and placed his cold hand against my cheek. “If none of that had happened, I would never have met you.”
I laughed, “Don't forget you're talking to the offspring of a vampire hunter.”
Salem just smiled. I admired his expression for far too long, I lowered my gaze and blushed. “Can I ask one more question ?”
“Anything.”
“What happened to this Raziel guy?”
“He still exists somewhere, as far as I know. For the first five years of my ‘new life’ , as he called it, he treated me as a slave. Although, he referred to me as his “apprentice”, I felt like nothing more than a servant. He taught me the ways of being a vampire, but it sickened me. I refused to indulge in human blood, knowing I had once been one – my family were humans, my friends. I would never have done that to them, why would I even consider doing that to anyone?” h e flinched at the idea. “He would have me bring him...food...every night.” The pained look on his face was almost unbearable.”
“People?” I gasped, knowing the answer.
He grimaced. “I wouldn't have felt quite as miserable had it been criminals or terminally ill beings...but these were innocent people.”
“ How could you put up with that for so long ?”
“I had no other options, or so I thought,” h e grumbled. “You weren't the only one who fell for the lore of vampires. Raziel tried to convince me the stories were accurate, that if I went o ut in the daytime I would roast,” h is eyes darkened, “ o ne specific night, he made me do something intolerable. I couldn't bear to exist after that...He req uested I bring him ‘young blood’ , as he called it. In other words, the blood of a child – Raziel said it was the tastiest, most refreshing blood imaginable. I had no choice but to obey him, at least that's what I thought at the time.
“ She couldn't have been much older than Hannah had been. I snuck through her nursery window, plucked her from her crib and presented her to Raziel. I immediately regretted what I had done. The next morning, I decided to end myself. It came down to either spending eternity doing his bidding or risking my existence by stepping out into the sunlight. I braced myself for death as I stepped out into the morning light, anticipating the inevitable – but it never came.” I noticed how he never referred to it as his 'life'. “I stood out in the sun for at least fiftee n minutes, and nothing happened,” he stopped abruptly and changed the subject, “y ou should call Janet, before it gets too late.”
I blinked, deep in thought as I tried to imagine what he had been through. “Yeah, y ou're right...”
I grabbed the cordless phone, sat cross-legged on the sofa and dialed the familiar number. I waited through two rings this time, before her familiar voice answered.
“Hey mom,” I said into the receiver. Would I ever be able to stop calling her that ? “I just wanted to make sure you were all right.”
“I'm getting there ,” s he sounded better, happier than our last conversation at the least . “How was your birthday?”
“It wasn't as bad as I thought it’d be , ” I laughed, “Karen threw me a surprise
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