 
### DESIRE OF THE SOUL

Alana Topakian

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Published by:

Alana Topakian at Smashwords

Copyright (c) 2012 by Alana Topakian

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All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

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The blood. That was my minds first thought as I looked down. I wanted it, I needed it. But drinking it, it would mean giving in to the monster. Giving in to Kallisto. I could tell what her plan was, it was honestly quite simple. I would drink the blood, and be kept hostage here as she fed me more and more animal blood. Then, I would become like her. A true vampire. I would no longer be a part of the Amatores Sanguinis race. I would be a monster, killing with glee and without mercy. A part of me wanted to give in so badly, just let go of the misery I was feeling. I wanted to be a soul wandering the Earth. But, would it be worth it?

Would the pain of others, the killing, would it be worth my freedom? I didn't like what I had been made to become. Everyone in the world was supposed to have a choice, but I didn't.

Duke didn't ask me what I wanted to do. He did what he wanted. And by doing that, I guess I lost a piece of my humanity. I lost the part that made up my freedom. The freedom to walk in a house without asking. The freedom to walk out in the sun without making sure to put on a little sunscreen, because Amatores skin is so very sensitive to sunlight. The freedom to be me and do crazy things just because I feel like it.

I wanted the answer to be yes. Killing people and hurting their families and friends was worth it. It was worth my freedom. But I knew that wasn't true.

I couldn't put myself so high above others because although I may not be human anymore, I still had those bits and pieces of humanity left within my soul. There was no off switch for the guilt I would feel as I lived in purgatory, wondering what terrors my body was ravaging on Earth. There would be no off switch for the monster that I would have unleashed upon innocent humans.

This is for my family,

You've been there for me throughout everything,

And for that I will be forever grateful,

I love you.

Desire of the soul

By: Alana Topakian

Let go and lose herself to the beast?

Or hold on and fight for eternity.

Which one would you choose?

Table of Contents

Before

Rebirth

Memory

The Truth

The Return

Her Pain

The Past

Letting Go

Back Home

Secrets

Answers

The Test

Changing

The Coronation

Finding Him

The Seelie Court

His Past

His Story

Waking

Family Ties

Transforming

Breaking

Shattered

Pieces

Before

High School is the same anywhere you go. Boring classes, bland teachers, and kids running amuck down the halls. There are the cliques, and the groups who blend together in a forgotten mesh of faces. Then, there's me. Schools golden girl, that everyone knows and wants to be. My name is Tammy Maynard, but this story isn't about me and High School. No, this is about me and the Amatores Sanguinis, and it all starts with my loving boyfriend, Luke.

\---

"Tammy?" a deep, soft voice said, pulling me out of my thoughts. I jumped with surprise and turned around to face Luke. His thick black lashes fluttered, and his small pink lips pulled into a thin smile. This couldn't be good.

"There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you." Luke's tan body leaned toward me as he gave me a hug, his muscled arms holding me tight to his side.

"Well, uh, you found me," I answered back, watching as his eyes immediately went from my shoulder-length, thick chestnut colored hair, down to my medium-size chest, and then back up to my eyes. "I was just wandering around. I've got time to kill before cheerleading."

Luke nodded, uninterested as usual. He couldn't care less what I did, it was all him, all the time. Luke wasn't a bad person, but he was a bad, no a terrible boyfriend.

"Oh, right, whatever. Listen, I need to tell you something," he said, his fingers wrapped around my wrist. "I was at the bar the other day, and well I got into a fight with this one guy. You're great at talking to people, and well I think he might sue...I beat him up pretty bad. I'm in trouble right now babe, I need you to call him and just...work your magic." I felt my blood start to boil and hands shake as Luke handed me his phone.

"It's calling," he said smugly, and walked off.

The phone only rung once, not enough time to hang up, before the click of an answer came on. "You've got Duke." I took a deep breath, holding the phone tight to my ear. Could I really do this again? Did I really have to solve Luke's problems myself, since he was too much of an idiot to do it himself?

I sighed, knowing in the end I'd have no choice but the obvious. Luke was my boyfriend, and I was nothing if not loyal to those I loved...although love would be a bit of a stretch when it came to my feelings for Luke. "Duke, you and I have to have a little talk," I whispered between clenched teeth.

"Finally, I've been awaiting this call from you. When, and where?" he answered back, without hesitation. Something about his voice was so alluring, sending warning signals throughout my brain.

I couldn't stop my mouth from rattling off the address to my home though, and telling him that he could come over in two hours. It was like his voice put me under a spell, one that I couldn't resist.

How could I just give some guy my address though? Someone I didn't even know? Someone who could be a potential killer, stalker, rapist? What the hell was wrong with me?

"Good, you're done. I need my cell back, football practice. Before I go though, I'll make sure to mention to the cheerleading coach how you won't be at practice today. Bye, love you," Luke said, grabbing his phone from my hand and waltzing away without a single glace back at me.

Now what was I supposed to do?

\---

I tried walking to cheerleading, but it was like I didn't control my feet, and was being forced to my car. I didn't want to go home and see this guy, especially since I'd be home alone, but just like when Duke my address from me, I couldn't help but walk to my car and start towards home.

On the ride to my house, thoughts flew throughout my head. Who was this Duke, and what the hell had Luke gotten himself into this time? He had never been the smartest kid in the world, but really? Getting into a bar fight? And now, as was his usual, I was stuck in the middle of it all. God, I felt bad for my mom. She was bound to be pissed at me when she heard about this, and I'd just gotten out of trouble for sneaking out. Damn it.

Luke...thoughts of him triggered what his face looked like just minutes ago, when he'd told me the wonderful news about how I had to fix his shit again. Now that I thought about it, he had looked sort of...odd. His eyes had looked kind of glazed over, which I mean if I thought about it could just be drugs or alcohol. He was always doing one or the other. Maybe that would be his reason for the bar fight, although all this crap that's messed with his mind made him even dumber than he already was...so maybe not.

My heart ached with the need to just have a normal life with a normal boyfriend, one that I wasn't just with for status. One that I truly loved, and who loved me back. I shook the thought away, not wanting to think of those things. Those dreams I couldn't have. I was in a respected family and, although my parents would never say it aloud, I was then expected to be in a relationship with another guy from a respected family.

The dreams that formed me weren't really mine. They never were and never would be. My dreams, my wants, did not matter. What mattered was playing within the lines. Yeah, I mean I did normal teen things like sneaking out and other shit, but anything else and I was screwed. God, imagine if I came home pregnant...my parents would flip. Damn, that would be so worth it to watch. I mean I wouldn't get pregnant, because I was so not ready to handle a baby, but if I did then I would make sure to videotape my parents' reactions. I bet if I put it on YouTube, it'd go viral in seconds.

I laughed out loud with that thought, imagining my parents yelling at me with bright red faces. Quickly though my laugh ended, and a sigh escaped my lips. Thinking about this stuff was not good for me. Not good at all. But sometimes, sometimes I need freedom from the things that are holding me tight...because if I don't get freedom I feel like I'm going to shatter into a million pieces. A million pieces that would never be found again. A tear fell down my cheek, and I wiped it off slowly. I hadn't cried in forever, there was no use for tears because they were a sign of weakness. To be perfect, you definitely couldn't be weak. I put the shell I'd stuffed myself in since I was a baby on, and got ready for the quick talk with Duke, then a long nap.

\---

My doorbell rang, the buzzing sound repeating until I forced myself off my couch to the open the door. Immediately I was greeted with a warm, male laugh that made my body tingle. "So, you're Tammy. A pleasure to meet you," the guy, who I assumed was Duke, murmured.

I nodded in response and held open the door wider. "Aren't you going to come in?" I answered back sarcastically.

Duke laughed again, and then walked into the light. My mouth immediately dropped, because damn this boy was smoking. He had black spiked up hair, and he was buff. I mean, buff as in muscles twice the size of Luke's. Along with that, he had this kind of creepy perfectness. There was no flaw in his body, none at all.

"So Tammy, I assume you called me here for one reason. I will quickly resolve that reason, by asking you a simple question. What do you want, more than anything in the world?" Duke asked me, his thin black eyebrows raised.

"I want to have the world at my hand. I want to be able to do anything, be anything," I immediately answered back, the lie slipping out like it always does. I'd told it millions of times, whenever anyone else had asked me that question. That was what they expected to hear from me, so I gave them what was expected. Normally those who I told that to looked at me with approval or at least maybe jealousy because they knew I'd probably get my dream, but Duke didn't. He just sat there, studying me as if I were a sick dog.

"No that is a lie, but yet I already know your answer, your real one. Whatever, that is of no point here. I just would like you to know, that you have nothing to worry about. It will make sense soon enough," he replied, and suddenly I couldn't move.

As I stood there, still as a statue, Duke started to change. His top canines grew long, and his before grey eyes started to glow a bright red.

Slowly, I felt extreme terror as my brain realized what this person was. Before I could even begin to try to react though, Duke bit into me and my world faded into blackness and pain.

Rebirth

Days, months, even years could have passed, but I could not tell time. I could not feel, but one feeling. Pain. Pain so raw, so terrible, I drowned in it. I could tell my body was changing, growing increasingly more durable. Increasingly more indestructible. My world was no longer filled with a multitude of colors. It was only filled with one. Red.

Just seeing the red, gave off waves of even more pain, and I wanted to fold into myself. I wanted to do anything; I would do anything, to soothe the pain.

Was I alive? Was I dead? Is this what Hell felt like? Was I such a bad person in life that I deserved this torture? Yeah, I was mean to a few people every now and then, but nothing that deserved pain of this multitude! Or maybe that was just my opinion.

Even more time passed, and slowly the pain started to fade into something more bearable. Colors started to come back to me, and with the colors, memories. Memories of my family, my friends. Memories that pushed away the red. Pushed away the pain. They rooted me to reality and life.

"It is time for you to awake," a voice bellowed, cutting through the thick fog between me and the world. It was a familiar voice, very familiar, and sent shivers down my back. When the words reached like tentacles into my brain, my eyes snapped open.

I could tell it was night, and yet the room was bright. I could see the cracks in the white ceiling, and every stroke of light blue paint on the walls. Everything was visible to me, from the large bed I was lying on, to the microscopic bugs crawling in the carpets. The smells though, they were the most prominent. There was the dank, foul scent of trash, and the sweet citrus scent of oranges.

"Welcome Tammy, to your new life."

The voice was quiet, and yet it pierced my ears as though the person was screeching right into my eardrums. Instantly, my body went into a crouch. I snarled at the voice, looking left and right to try to find the speaker.

"Good God, try to act at least a little civilized! You are part of my kind now, and we are not animals!"

A person materialized from what appeared to be thin air, and I started snarling again. My mind recognized who the person was immediately, but my body acted of its own will. I pounced on Duke, my teeth elongating as a hunger took hold onto my body. A red haze started to fill my vision, and my thoughts mushed into one another. My body moved at a speed that should have been impossible, but somehow felt natural. I could not think but one thing, I was hungry.

The pain that the hunger brought was like a slow burn in my throat that kept getting worse and worse as the red haze got brighter and brighter. Before I could get to Duke, get to my meal, he disappeared.

"Tammy, I am quite sure that is not the right way to treat your maker. Now, I can see that you are hungry so I brought you a meal. If you want it, you have to calm yourself down," Duke said, his voice again quiet but piercing.

I forced the redness away, and walked backwards onto the bed. The burning in my throat was still there, but for the time being it had lessened into something that was hard to ignore but not impossible.

As before, Duke appeared out of the air. This time I was ready for it though, and my body didn't react. All though instead of it just being him, he brought another person along.

The person was a white homeless guy, who smelled like crap. He was wearing a T-shirt black with dirt, and long pants just as gross. His face was full of zits, and his eyes were glazed over. All over his arms were bite marks, and I started to salivate as I thought of how soon one of my bite marks would be on him, and his blood would be in me.

"Sorry I could not bring a better meal. But since this is your first time, I can almost guarantee this one will not last long. So eat up. When you are done, feel free to nap on the bed. Good bye, and I will come back soon," Duke said, and with a sigh dropped the homeless man to the ground and left.

I felt the red haze start to creep over my eyes again, and so I quickly shook it away. If I was going to do this right, I had to at least attempt to be myself.

I grabbed a part of the man's arm that was unbitten, and opened my mouth. My canines were still long because of being frightened before, and they tingled in anticipation. I bit into him, and my body automatically moved closer and closer to him. The man moaned, and my eyelashes fluttered.

The taste was addicting, it was sweet like chocolate, melting onto my tongue and sliding down my throat. It filled me with warmth, and made me feel almost connected with the homeless man. I wanted more, and more, but a voice in my mind started yelling at me to stop.

I forced my mouth from his arm, and immediately felt coldness where the warmth was before. The guy shuddered, and his eyes opened.

"Keep going....please," he slurred, and reached toward me.

I threw his arm away from me, slamming it onto the floor. A crack sounded from his arm, and the guy screamed. The glaze that was in his eyes before cleared away and he started to back away from me.

"Shit... I'm sorry. I did not mean to do that. Um... How do I fix this?" I whimpered, and folded my arms around myself. He had started to bleed where I had broken his arm, and my body started to move of its own accord.

I felt the red haze hit me full on, and my eyes focused on the blood. I was hungry again. So, so hungry. My eyes closed, and when they opened I was the predator and the man was the prey.

Memory

I opened my eyes sleepily, and stretched on the bed.

"Finally, you awake. Your meal was satisfactory I assume?" Duke asked me, and I nodded slowly. "Good. I came in here, and you were passed out on the bed."

I looked around, and the homeless man from last night was nowhere in sight. I had no memory of what happened after the red took over, but I hoped I had not harmed the man any more than the broken arm. I didn't ask though, because I knew if I asked I would get an answer I did not want.

"Um... Thank you," I stammered, and bit my lip. My canines were flat and dull when they touched my lips, instead of being sharp as they were before.

Duke smirked, and looked me up and down. "You are still wearing your clothes from before when you were...human." He said the word human like it was the plague, and I looked down at myself.

I was wearing a pair of pink Victoria Secret sweatpants, and a thin white T-shirt. There were splotches of blood and holes on my shirt, and I felt bile rise in my throat. What did I do last night?

"How long have I been...out?" I asked softly, noticing how my voice was like velvet. It held restrained power and was alluring, unlike my before high, bell-like voice.

Duke looked down at a watch on his wrist and shrugged. "Well, probably seven hours. All though, if you are talking about how long you were 'out' during the change, well that was about three days."

My mouth dropped, and I shot up from the bed. "Three days? Everyone probably thinks I'm dead!" I yelled, my fingers raking through my hair.

Duke looked at me with an amused smile on his face and chuckled softly. "Trust me, no one thinks you're dead. They think you have gone away for a few days to visit your parents. I am quite good at convincing people," he said, and strode toward me. "Soon you will be very good at convincing people too. And that will not be the only thing you will be able to do, there are many more advantages to being one of my kind."

I backed away from him, my back hitting the bed I had just seconds ago been lying on. "I do not want to be what you have made me," I spit out, and immediately knew that was a mistake.

Duke's eyes blazed a fiery red, and he grabbed my wrist tight enough to make me gasp with pain. "I have made you more powerful than the world itself. I am the King of all Amatores Sanguinis. I have not made one of us in more than a thousand years, and I have chosen you. But you do not want to become what I have made you?" He shouted, and I flinched away from him.

The red disappeared from Duke's eyes, and he stepped away from me, looking down at the ground with his hands held tight within one another. "You said Amatores Sanguinis. What does that mean?" I asked softly, wanting to calm him down as quickly as I could.

"Amatores Sanguinis means lovers of blood in Latin. That is our kind's name. We are lovers of blood." Dukes' voice was sweet, as though his before craziness had never happened.

"I thought we were called vampires?" I asked, biting my nails as I thought.

"Stop that at once. We do not bite our nails, that is a human habit and you are no longer a human. And to answer your question, some call us vampires, which in some way is true. We do drink the blood of humans with long pointed canine teeth. But we are as alive as them, not reanimated corpses," Duke answered back, and I pulled my hand away from my mouth to put it on my chest.

My heart was beating, although not even close to as fast as when I was a human. "Do we have to drink the blood of humans?" I asked softly, looking at Duke with wide eyes.

He thought for a moment, and then looked at me slowly. "Yes. You can try to drink only animals, but that will be like only eating salad. It does not fill you up, nor will it ever. So you will end up starving yourself, and inevitably killing off the parts of you that make you, you." Duke looked so lost and so sad, that I knew something like that must have happened to someone he had loved. But before I could ask him about it, his face turned expressionless and he looked away.

"I have to go. I will come back later to check on you. The TV has cable, and there are many other things to keep you busy. Good bye." Without another look at me, Duke was gone.

\---

Hours passed agonizingly slowly, and still Duke had not come back. I had spent the time watching the TV, cleaning myself up, and thinking. Why had Duke seemed so sad? What had happened?

Just as I was beginning to worry though, Duke stepped through the doors into my room, looking as cold as ever.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, his voice betraying no emotions.

I thought for a moment, and then shook my head no. "Thank you though," I whispered, biting my lip.

"That is a lie. You are a newborn. They are always hungry. Therefore, you are hungry." Duke's eyes burned red for a moment, before going back to their normal grey color. "I have decided that I will take you out tonight, so you can find a meal that you think is satisfactory."

I nodded, afraid to anger him anymore. Something was not right with Duke, and I decided that if I wanted to figure out what it was, I would need to do what he said without any questions. "Okay, thank you. When are we leaving then?" I asked slowly, and tried to not wince as I heard the excitement in my voice.

"We will leave now. Do not worry though; I have an idea of where we will eat. You will find many...tasty treats. They are of the richer blood. But do not kill, because killing will bring the police onto us," Duke said, a cruel smile on his face.

I nodded once, and followed him out the door. I couldn't keep the smile off my face, and that made me more scared than anything else. It made me scared of who I might be becoming. If I was turning into a monster, or something even worse. Because I knew deep inside me, that I shouldn't be afraid of monsters. They're not as scary as the things that lurk in the dark. They're not as scary as the things that get excited at the prospect of eating people.

\---

The night was dark as Duke and I walked down the street, yet I could see everything. I could smell everything too, and had to force myself to stop breathing, because each breath brought in more and more smells, some bad enough to make me gag.

My throat had started to burn again, just heat at first, then a full on fire. Instinctively my hand went up to my neck, trying to claw out the pain.

"It's okay, young newborn. You will eat soon enough," Duke murmured, taking my hands off my throat and holding them in his. "We will eat here. Pick a house, and remember you cannot kill these humans. We are not to be noticed."

I nodded once, and then ran to the nearest home. But I could not get in. It was like an extremely thick invisible door was in front of the thin wooden door, too thick for me to get close enough to go inside.

"Tammy?" a deep male voice said, and I whipped around. My fangs popped out, and I hissed at the stranger.

"Holy shit Tammy! It's me, Luke. Your boyfriend! What the hell was that?" he asked, and I strode toward him. "Uh.... Tammy?"

My eyes were locked on his throat, as I heard the blood rushing through his veins. He was human. He had blood.

"Come with me," I whispered, my voice sultry. Instantly, Luke's eyes glazed over and he started to follow me as I walked to where the woods were.

I didn't see anyone around me, just a few animals that scattered when I came near them. My thoughts repeated one word over and over, hungry. I was so hungry.

When I thought we were far enough away, I let go of my hold on Luke. He stumbled forward, and I grabbed his hand and pulled him towards me. My fangs tingled in anticipation, as I got closer and closer to Luke.

"What are you doing Tammy?" he asked, his voice slow, and his hair rustled slightly in the wind.

"I'm hungry," I answered back, my teeth grazing his neck.

We both shivered with pleasure, and Luke pulled me closer. I took that as an okay for me to bite, and so I did.

The world exploded in millions of colors, a fireworks display above my head. Duke pulled me even closer, groaning slowly, and my body grinded against his.

Both of our bodies were burning hot, so when Luke slid his hand up my shirt it left a trail of his heat.

As minutes passed, I felt as though Luke and I were becoming one and I wanted more and more of him.

'No more,' a voice in my head whispered. 'If you continue, you will kill him.'

Instantly I pulled my mouth from Luke's neck, gasping as a sharp pain pierced my heart. Luke swayed, his eyes extremely glazed, and stumbled towards me.

"More..." he murmured, his arms outstretched.

My eyes widened as I remembered the homeless guy, most likely dead in some alleyway, and I started to run. The wind stopped, and it felt as if the world did too. I smiled, feeling as though I was flying.

"I assumed you had a good meal?" Duke asked, startling me to a stop. I jumped when I saw him, lying as though he had no care in the world, on a park bench.

I was standing in a field of bright green grass, ants paving their way along beneath me. I could smell flowers by the dozen, and hear the chirping of birds from miles away. In the distance, there was a small red-bricked cottage with a tiny white door. There were no windows in the house, and green vines were crawling up the sides of the bricks.

"You could say that," I answered back, my eyes fixed on the cottage. "Um...quick question, who lives there?"

Something was nagging at my brain, but I couldn't figure out what. The cottage looked so familiar, and when I went through my memory I was surprised to see how I knew every part of it. I knew how inside you would see blank white walls and wooden floors, no furniture at all, just a set of metal stairs going down.

And when you walked down those stairs, there would be hundreds of rooms. A whole city under the Earth. Tunnels that connected around the state of California. How do I know all this? I asked myself, and started walking slowly to the cottage.

"All the Amatores Sanguinis. Most of us have houses above land, but every house connects to these tunnels." Dukes said, and I nodded, trying hard to remember why I already knew this.

The picture came suddenly, pulling me into the memory I would soon regret.

\---

Hungry. The homeless guy is dead. I want more. My throat is burning. I looked down, pushing the homeless guy off of my lap with disgust. His blood had been dirty. I want a clean one. I tried to open the door but it was locked. I pushed and pushed on it, to no avail.

I hear a sound. My head tilts to the side, and I listen hard. There are people beneath me. My face pulls into a cruel smile, fangs pressing lightly against my lips. Food. My eyes spot a crack on the floor, and I speed over to it. Like I had thought, it opened.

When I was down in the tunnel, I started running silently toward the voices, my ears listening intently to their noise. It only took me seconds before I caught up with them. Humans.

"I told you! There is nothing here to be scared of! It's just a stupid tunnel you idiots," one of the three guys said, his voice tinged with annoyance. They all had black knit caps, black shirts, and black pants on, but my focus was on the sound of their warm red blood rushing through their veins.

They turned suddenly and jumped when they saw me.

"Shit Tammy! You scared us!" one of the boys said.

"Yeah, I mean we thought you were a monster or something!" another one added in.

"I am," I whispered, trapping them in a spell as I bared my fangs.

Their eyes slowly widened in fear as they froze in their spot.

"Don't worry sweeties. You'll like it! And I promise I won't kill you. At least, I'll try not to."

My smile was cruel as I bit into them, one by one, and drained their life, sip by sip.

The Truth

I came back to myself and whimpered.

"What is it?" Duke asked, watching me with confusion as pink tears rolled down my cheeks.

I brushed them off onto my hand, staring at the color with disgust. What had I become?

"A monster," I sobbed, increasingly more pink tears falling. "I'm a monster."

Duke grabbed my shoulders, and wiped away all my tears. "Why would you say that? You are not a monster."

I shook my head slowly, and pulled his arms off of me. "You didn't see what I did. I-I killed three more," I whispered, feeling as thought my mind was millions of miles away from my body. "They knew me, and I killed them." My voice sounded odd, and I saw a red tint in my eyes in the window of the cottage.

"Tammy, you didn't kill them!" Duke said, looking worried as he stared into my eyes.

"Don't tell me I didn't kill them!" I screamed, my eyes now bright red and my fangs bared. "I know I did! I remember!"

Duke grabbed me tightly, but I couldn't feel a thing. My body wasn't my own right now, and neither was my mind. The monster was taking over.

"Damn it Tammy! They are fine! Stop being a drama queen, and calm the fuck down!"

In the few days I have known him, Duke had never talked as he did now. His words shocked me back into myself, and a shiver went through my body.

"They're okay?" I asked quietly, and Duke nodded.

"You heard somebody coming up the tunnel, and dropped the boys. They're home right now, sleeping."

I breathed a sigh of relief, and got up from the ground. "Thank you," I whispered, and started walking the few feet to the cottage doors. Tears were running down my cheeks, pink tears that I didn't want Duke to see. They were tears of gratitude and pain, tears of love and loss.

I couldn't pull away though, when he grabbed me. I was too weak, he was too strong.

Duke turned me around, and hugged me tight to him. My body responded immediately, melting into his embrace as more and more tears fell. He rubbed my back slowly, whispering It's okay over and over again.

We stood like that for several minutes, until my eyes were dry because my tears were gone.

I guess you could say, that that's when I started to fall for Duke.

\---

We spent many days together, him teaching me all the things an Amatores Sanguinis can and cannot do. He taught me how to cloak myself so I was visible to none, he taught me how to control my thirst, and he taught me how to make my senses focus on a single thing.

When he wasn't teaching me, Duke would take me to different places in the underground city. Each place was more beautiful than the last, because there were many Amatores Sanguinis from all different locations who brought a piece of their home, to the city.

"Tell me about your home?" I had asked Duke softly, the day after I had the breakdown by the cottage.

Duke had sighed and pulled me tight to him, his eyes lost in the memory of his youth.

"Italy," he murmured, a slight accent appearing as he said his home country. "It was in the time, where there was no time. Animals were free to roam where they chose, and people lived in homes created by the trees. We were all no better than animals ourselves, although we claimed to be.

My mother, she was a beauty. Long black hair, bright and intelligent green eyes, all the men were after her. My father, well I was never told what happened to him. I had never asked either, because I could see the loss in my mother's eyes.

When I was a kid, it was the women who held all the power, not the men. The men would be there for muscles, the women for their intelligence. We had no need for armies then, for there was nothing to fight over. Everyone had an equal share of things, whether it be food or supplies.

I had an older sister, Eva. She looked nothing like me, but everything like my mother. She died at the age of fifteen, from what I now assumed was cancer. It was a hard time for all of us, she had been liked by everyone.

We did not fear the animals that walked among us, nor did they fear us. Fear was a concept we did not know, or understand. Why waste time fearing things, when you didn't have to?

The world was no more than green trees and bright, sweet-smelling flowers. We did not know that any others existed, we only knew of us. That is, until a man who called himself 'Dracul' arrived in my town.

He stunned the woman, my mother included, with his tales of the world and his looks. He had thick blonde hair that went to his shoulder, tan skin, and golden eyes. Still today, he's the only man I've ever met with golden eyes. The first time I saw him, I did not like him.

Unfortunately for me though, he took a liking to my mother. After a week, they were inseparable. A month later, and they were what we now call married but used to call joined.

Dracul loved my mother, I could see it in his eyes, but it was as though he had her under a spell. She would do what he said, whenever he said it. And she started to have bite marks appear on her neck.

I worried that Dracul was slowly killing my mother, and I was right. He was, but she did not die until after giving birth to her third child, Lucina. My mother had picked her name after the Greek Goddess of childbirth, knowing that the name also meant light.

Lucina was anything but on the side of light though. She was evil from the day she was born.

She would set traps on innocent children, that would spring when you would least expect it and could do anything from break your bones, to leave you forever paralyzed. Lucina had no regard for human life, and she made that known to all who crossed her.

As she grew older, her tricks grew worse and worse, until the point where she would kill for fun. She would set brother against brother, compelling them to hate one another and fight until the last blood was spilled. She would send men to rape women, and women to kill their children. Lucina could make anyone do as she wished them to.

Dracul did not care that his daughter was terrible, she was his and that was all that had seemed to matter to him. He overlooked his daughter killing the village, turning it into a bloodbath of sort. As if, if he ignored it then it wasn't happening.

On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, Lucina grew sick. She coughed up blood for hours on end, and after seven hours, she died. Dracul blamed me for her death, as if I could prevent something that was as inevitable as her body rejecting the Change, and that is when I discovered that he was a demon.

His teeth grew long and sharp and his eyes turned a bright red. Then he attacked, breaking the bones in my body and then biting me. A terrible pain filled me, and my body started to shake. I was thrown against the floor, and fainted from the pain. I woke up days later, a new person. A terrible, bloodthirsty, person.

I killed many in the first few centuries as an Amatores, and felt no guilt for the deaths I caused. It was only when I met someone that it all changed.

She was a girl, almost seventeen, and the most beautiful person I had ever seen. I knew from the moment I saw her that she was mine. And only mine. To make that true though, I knew I would have to change her.

But I was afraid to, seeing what I had become. I was afraid that she would be as I was, and I did not want that. I wanted Kallisto as she was, not changed at all. But it took me only a week before I caved and changed her.

She awoke, and at first it was all okay. But then I noticed how she was not eating the meals I was giving her. I talked to Kallisto, trying to figure out why, when she told me that human blood repulsed her. And how she had found a new way to sate her thirst, animal blood.

I would have done anything she asked, I loved her so much, so when she said she liked animal blood better, I got her some.

It only took a couple days before I noticed how her temper was getting worse and worse, and the red would take over a lot more often. I did not know what was wrong with her at the time, I would only figure out until too late.

Then one night, she disappeared. I couldn't find her, I only heard that people were turning up dead in our city. Three people the first day, then five, then almost twenty.

I knew it was Kallisto, I just didn't want to believe it, and so I ignored the deaths. When there was no one left in our town, because they had either left in fear of the killer or were dead, Kallisto came back to me.

She walked into my house, her eyes a crimson red, and looked at me as though she was amused. She stayed with me for many days, and it was as though she had never left.

I was her source of food, giving her my blood whenever she was thirsty.

My world revolved around Kallisto, the beautiful goddess who was my love. Her bite, was my addiction.

When she left again, I stayed in my bed for weeks. I almost died from hunger, but I couldn't do anything. Kallisto was not there to feast on me, to fill me with her love. I have never found her again, after all these centuries of searching. I don't love her anymore, I have long since gotten over that, but I look for her so that I can let her soul free. I look for her so that I can get rid of the monster that was once my love. I look for her, so that I can kill her."

Duke finished his story off by standing up from the soft couch we'd been sitting on, and walking away to another room. When he came back hours later, I did not bring up the subject. I could tell he would just leave again if I did.

And Duke angry, is a thing I have been trying to avoid for the last few days. I loved him as though our souls were created for one another, but I did not know if he felt the same way. Even if he said differently, his eyes showed his eternal love for Kallisto.

The Return

After almost two weeks of not being home, and having to pretend as though I had not fallen for Duke, I dropped the bomb.

"I'm going home," I said, my voice soft as I looked down. I was afraid of what Duke would say, what he would do. He hasn't gone red on me recently, and neither had I. Somehow I knew that he wouldn't take this information with glee though, and I was most definitely right.

"You are what?" Duke asked back, his voice like thunder pounding in my ears.

I felt tears gather in my eyes, and took I deep breath. "I want to go home. I need to go home Duke. My family, my friends they're still alive. And I miss them! I need to be with them again!" My tears fell slowly and I wiped them away, hating myself for showing a sign of weakness.

"When you made the decision to become an Amatores Sanguinis, you made the decision to leave your family and friends behind too. I'm sorry if you did not know that, but you do now." Duke's eyes burned a light red, and I felt mine do the same.

"That's just it Duke! I didn't make this choice! You chose this lifestyle for me! I want to go home, so just let me! Is that so hard? I'm not Kallisto!" I screamed, and his eyes filled with pain.

I sagged against the wall, sliding to the floor. "I'm sorry Duke. I-I didn't mean that."

Duke turned away from me, his movements slow. "One does not say things they do not mean. Goodbye Tammy," he whispered, then left the room.

I sat on the floor crying for hours, feeling Dukes pain as though it was mine. Was I too cruel bringing Kallisto into this? Maybe, but it was true. Kallisto left him because she's a cold bitch, but I'm doing so to save myself. He's in love with another girl! I'm not going to sit here and be miserable, so I need to go home.

When I finally calmed down, I gathered my small amount of things and left Dukes house. He was nowhere in sight, but I felt him watching me as I walked out his front door.

\---

As I walked into school, I felt everyone staring at me. The girls eyebrows raised, and the boys mouths dropped. I knew I looked different then from when I was human, but it couldn't be that bad... could it?

"Hey Tam!" Luke said, wrapping his arm around me. I forced a smile and looked up at him, the memories of biting him clutching at my heart.

"Um, hi Luke," I answered back, my fangs itching to slip out. When was the last time I'd eaten? Two days ago? Three? I looked away from him, swallowing away the burning in my throat. Maybe coming to school wasn't the best idea.

"You okay Tammy? You look kind of sick," Luke said, confusion written on his face as he reached for my hand. I could tell he didn't remember that night, or he would have been afraid of me. Instead of being afraid though, he was holding me as though I was his and his only. That made a small tear in the seams that made up my heart, because I wasn't his anymore. I could never be his anymore.

Duke had stolen it from the moment he walked into my house and turned me. And it took me until just now, to really and truly understand that he hadn't given it back. It took me just now, to notice that I would never want him to give it back. I just wanted to be back with him, in his arms. My family, my friends, they meant nothing to me anymore. We were too different.

My heart raced as I pushed Luke off of me, and ran out of the school and into the sun. I kept on running and running, until I stopped right at his house. Duke was never awake during the day, so knocking on the door would be futile. My nose wrinkled as the scent of something dead wafted towards me, an animal must be rotting somewhere, nothing else.

I shook the scent away, crouching on the steps, and getting comfortable as I waited for night to fall and Duke to wake.

Just as my eyes were closing though, a figure stepped out from the shadows, and then there was blackness.

\---

I awoke in a daze, my head pounding. My eyes were covered with a bandanna, the fibers itching at my nose. I sniffed a little then gagged, my eyes rolling to the back of my head.

The stench was terrible. It was the smell of the corpse from outside Dukes house, though multiplied by thousands. It was almost as though the corpse was rotting from the inside-out. I stopped breathing, knowing that if I continued that I would pass out again.

There was no noise around me, not even the sound of ants paving their way through the ground. It was completely silent. I could feel a cold cement wall behind me, and cement flooring. My hands were behind my back, and I tried to move them.

A sharp burning pain, as though acid was being poured on my wrists, filled me and I screamed. I tried to move my wrists in my rush to stop the pain, but it just got worse and I soon began to hear the sound of sizzling and bubbling. It came from my skin.

I kept on screaming and screaming, the pain too much to bear, until my voice was raspy.

"No one except for me is around. So that screaming you are doing, well it will do you no good," a girl's voice said, and I whimpered.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, my voice no louder than a mouse scampering through fields.

"Well, you tried to take my love. And so this is my revenge. Eternal pain." The girls' voice was sweet, and I felt my heart stop.

There was only one person this could be, unless Duke had other loves I did not know about.

"Kallisto."

Her Pain

Kallisto laughed cruelly, and ripped the blindfold off my eyes. Immediately they adjusted to the light, or lack of light, and were drawn to Kallisto.

She had long and perfectly wavy brown hair, and light red highlights. She was tall, maybe 5'9, and skinny. Her skin was extremely white, as though she hadn't seen sun in years, and her whole body had a sort of waxy look to it. She was wearing simple dark jeans, and a light pink shirt.

My eyes traveled to her eyes, and froze. They were a crimson red, as Duke had said, and there was not a hint of humanity in them. I shivered with fright, knowing that this girl would snap my neck in seconds and not feel even a sliver of guilt.

"Yes, it is me. The wonderful and beautiful Kallisto," she said, her voice dripping sarcasm. "I see that my darling Duke has been talking about me. Oh Duke; his blood filled me with such power and warmth. That is why I have returned you see, I need more of him. And I can assure you that he needs more of me.

But, with you in the picture, he won't need me. So, that is why I have taken you. My dear Duke, well you see I was supposed to be his last Amatores. He only turned those he felt deeply about. Obviously that is not true anymore though, because he turned you. And I have been watching you two since he first walked into your doorway.

What an idiot you were, allowing him in. Did your parents never tell you to keep away from strangers? I mean have some sense, girl! If you just hadn't done that, we would not be in this terrible predicament. Oh well, it makes no difference to me anyway. You're just another blood bag to me. Although from your looks, I doubt your blood will taste very good."

Kallisto's eyes lit up with excitement, and she looked at me evilly. "Ignore that, I just came up with a better idea. I would tell you it, but darling that would ruin the surprise!" she said, and disappeared from the room.

I let my tears fall again, too afraid to move in case I burned myself again. The pain was still terrible, gnawing at my wrists in burning agony. I pressed my lips together tightly, wanting to just rip the thing off of me. But if I even tried, I would probably end up with at least one less limb.

I closed my eyes, wanting this to be over. I'd never done anything truly bad in my life, I mean I've snuck out and drank but all kids do that! That is so not worthy of torture though!

' _Damn it Duke! Why did you have to turn me? Because of you I'm being tortured! I don't deserve this, no one does. So why is this happening to me? What did I do that was so bad, that I have to get tortured for it? I feel, I feel like I'm paying for your mistake Duke. Your mistake to kill so many people, your mistake to turn Kallisto, your mistake to turn me. That's the only thing that makes sense. And Duke, I love you, I really do. You stole me from the minute I woke up to your voice, and I need your help. I'm scared Duke... I really am. Kallisto's planning something bad, I can tell. Just please, if you can hear me, save me Duke. Please save me.'_

I sent my words out through the air, a trick Duke had taught me in case of emergencies, and imagined it entering Dukes mind. I really hoped that it worked, but I wouldn't know until he sent me a message back. And who knew how long that would take.

A stench filled the air, the same one as before, and my eyes watered. I knew without a doubt in my mind, that the smell belonged to Kallisto. My heart sank as she appeared from the air, a smile of triumph on her face.

"I have brought you a delicious treat," she announced, holding out a plastic bag. It was filled with something dark red, and my mouth watered, it was blood. My stomach grumbled, and my throat burned. I should have taken something from Luke, before running off like I did.

My thoughts started to feel darker, more tainted by the monster, side effects of the Hunger. I sniffed, focusing only on the blood because Kallisto's scent was enough to kill me, and the smell wafted into my noise.

The blood smelled sweet and rich, but I could tell it was not human blood right away. I'd mastered the art of smelling the imprints of the life left within blood in the last week at Duke's house, and so I could tell that this wasn't human. This one had a strong imprint of a small and wild animal. Probably a rabbit. I wanted the bag so badly, but I knew that if I drank it I was giving in to Kallisto.

She looked at me as though she could see the battle raging through my mind, and set the baggie of blood next to me.

"Call out when you would like to have some of this, and I will come and let you drink." Kallisto said, and then disappeared once again.

The blood. That was my minds first thought as I looked down. I wanted it, I needed it. But drinking it, it would mean giving in to the monster. Giving in to Kallisto. I could tell what her plan was, it was honestly quite simple. I would drink the blood, and be kept hostage here as she fed me more and more animal blood. Then, I would become like her. A true vampire. I would no longer be a part of the Amatores Sanguinis race. I would be a monster, killing with glee and without mercy. A part of me wanted to give in so badly, just let go of the misery I was feeling. I wanted to be a soul wandering the Earth. But, would it be worth it?

Would the pain of others, the killing, would it be worth my freedom? I didn't like what I had been made to become. Everyone in the world was supposed to have a choice, but I didn't.

Duke didn't ask me what I wanted to do. He did what he wanted. And by doing that, I guess I lost a piece of my humanity. I lost the part that made up my freedom. The freedom to walk in a house without asking. The freedom to walk out in the sun without making sure to put on a little sunscreen, because Amatores skin is so very sensitive to sunlight. The freedom to be me and do crazy things just because I feel like it.

I wanted the answer to be yes. Killing people and hurting their families and friends was worth it. It was worth my freedom. But I knew that wasn't true.

I couldn't put myself so high above others because although I may not be human anymore, I still had those bits and pieces of humanity left within my soul. There was no off switch for the guilt I would feel as I lived in purgatory, wondering what terrors my body was ravaging on Earth. There would be no off switch for the monster that I would have unleashed upon innocent humans.

'Tammy. It's me.... Duke. I-I'm so sorry Tammy. If I had... If I had known she was here I would have killed her. You're right, this is my fault and you are paying for my terrible mistakes. I am so sorry Tammy...if I could turn back the clock and not have turned Kallisto, I would.

But I-I can't. So I'm going to have to man up and pay for my mistakes, I'm going after you. I shouldn't have let you go in the first place Tammy, because I love you too. There is so much I have still to tell you, so much that you don't know.

I turned you for a reason Tammy, a reason that you need to know. I promise you that I am not the monster of a child's nightmares, I promise that I will be your prince in shining armor, that I will save you from the terrible dragon and steal you away from your locked tower. I promise you that I will kill Kallisto, make her pay for the pain she is causing you. I promise that I-I love you Tammy.

Duke's voice slammed through my mind, and as he said those last words I felt my heart soar. He loved me...he really did.

A small smile lifted on my face, and I opened my eyes that had closed when Duke had 'messaged' me.

Kallisto's face was inches away from my own.

She slapped me across my face, making my whole body move, and I screamed. I was burning again. Every part of my body was burning to a crisp, from the outside-in.

Tears and snot were running down my cheeks as I cried out with pain. I heard a voice screaming in my head repeatedly, but didn't know what they said. All I knew was that I was feeling pain, intense and burning pain, and that I wanted it to stop.

I heard Kallisto laughing, but felt my pain starting to drift away. I felt me, starting to drift away. I wasn't in the small room with the concrete walls and floors anymore.

I was floating throughout the world, my soul searching for the one that completed it. It wasn't there though. It wasn't floating, looking for me to return by its side. I found my body again and looked down upon it, as smoke curled in beautiful tendrils off of it and Kallisto continued laughing. Finally my body jumped one more time, before my eyes rolled behind my head, and I stopped moving.

The Past

I floated through time, not knowing exactly where I was going, just reveling in the beauty of my surroundings. Colors flew by me as I went back throughout the years, words whispered to me as I passed by time. I couldn't make sense of the words though, they sounded as though millions of people were crowding around my head. My thoughts floated away as a specific time stood out to me, and I floated towards it. 1654. I felt a shiver pass through my soul as I shot into the time frame, and the world flew sharply into focus.

I was on a cobblestone street, horses pulling wooden carriages around. There were kids running around, their clothes stained by dirt, and their mothers yelling after them to no avail.

One woman in particular stood out, younger than the rest and looking as though she had just sat in a mud bath, and my heart went cold. I had just seen this same person laughing over my body, as it burned from the acid that she wrapped around my wrists.

Kallisto looked different, she was tanner and her eyes were an ocean blue. She wore a simple white dress that came down to her knees, and no shoes. She had no trace of the evil that I had seen in her when she was a vampire, it was instead replaced by compassion and humanity, more of it in her than anyone else I had ever met. What made her lose her that when she turned?

I could easily see why Duke had fallen in love with her, because she was nothing like I'd imagined she would be.

"Darius! Come over here! Mother will be home soon, and if she learns that you are running around in the dirt after you just took a bath then you will be in trouble," Kallisto yelled out, and the boy she was talking to laughed.

"C'mon Kally! I promise I'll take another bath when I'm done! And I'll even clean the dishes! You won't have to help either! I promise Kally!" Darius said, his voice pleading as he stared at his friends who had stopped long enough to watch Darius and his sister.

Kallisto sighed, then smiled and waved Darius off. "Fine...but only for a little while. Mother will be home soon, and when she is home you better be washed and ready for dinner."

Darius hugged Kallisto tight, and then ran to his friends. She smiled again, and then walked into her home. It was a small wooden house, and there was a couple large holes in the wall that I assumed were supposed to be windows.

I followed her inside, not surprised that the inside of her house was as bare as the outside. Her family seemed to be very poor, their clothing drab. Kallisto must have been very happy when she was offered eternal life.

I heard a noise and turned quickly, my mouth dropping. It was Duke. He looked almost the same, although his clothing was different. His eyes were their normal grey that sparkled and shone when he looked into specific light, and his smile just as teasing.

"Duke!" Kallisto said, her voice taking on a breathy quality as she looked him over. "Why, I did not expect you quite yet! Mother is making dinner for us, the whole family, and so I said that she wouldn't have to hurry because you wouldn't be here until the sun fell. Oh gosh, I'm so sorry Duke. We haven't got any food ready and I-"

Duke laughed, his eyes twinkling with delight, and he grabbed Kallisto by the waist. "Oh darling, do not worry. I have only come here to see you! I wanted to see you like this one more time...before..." he trailed off, the happiness draining out of his eyes. "Oh well, at least we will get to be together for an eternity. That is much better than dying, is it not?"

Kallisto looked confused and almost said something, but then smartly thought better of it and just rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say Duke. Now, may we please go out and possibly walk? I do not feel at all comfortable with staying inside with a man. I apologize, it's just... I'm sorry," she whispered, her eyes tearing up. "I shouldn't let what other people say get to me. Just ignore what I have said."

Dukes eyes had stared to burn red for a moment, but they quickly turned grey again and he nodded. "Very well then, now would you like to sit? Or, if you don't mind me asking, can you get me a cup of something to drink? I am getting quite parched for some reason," he said, staring hungrily at Kallisto's neck.

She just bit her lip, a habit I used to have when I was human, and lifted her shoulders. "Well, I mean I could get you something to drink...but then that would lower our time alone. And you know how precious time alone is," Kallisto purred, licking her lips seductively. It was as if her earlier worry about being inside alone with Duke had completely disappeared.

Rage went through me, and I felt my vision go red. If only I was not just an apparition, I could pounce on her and she would never know what happened. How could she even think to take my man? The one that I was created for? Who does she think she is doing that? She seemed to be nice as a human, but doesn't she get that taking another girls man was just not cool?

Kallisto glided over to where Duke had taken a seat, and sat herself on top of him. His eyes stayed glued to her neck, and I knew that even though he seemed to have planned on waiting, Kallisto was pushing him to his limit. He was hungry and she was right there, her body scent wafting into his nose.

I saw the red hit his eyes before Kallisto did, and watched as he bit into her. They both started to moan, pushing themselves closer and tighter to each other, and I felt like I was intruding on something. I looked away, and felt my thoughts crowding around me.

Why had it been painful the first time I'd been bit? I hadn't felt the connection that Duke and Kallisto obviously were feeling, but why? Did that mean that Duke wasn't right for me? Or was it something else? Was my blood not right? Or was that just my body's response to being bitten? What was wrong with me?

When the moaning had stopped, I turned to see Duke feeding his blood into Kallisto's still body. It jumped once, before her eyes snapped open and she started to scream.

Tears ran down her face as the change started, pain clearly written in her eyes. Duke just softly petted her hair, calming her down until she was lulled into a deep sleep. Then he picked her up, and ran out of the house and into the fading daylight. My body trailed after his, no control on where I was going.

We ended at a small shack consisting of one room. There were no windows in the shack and so if you did not have amazing sight like I, or any other Amatores did, then all you would see is vague shapes in the darkness.

Duke set Kallisto on the bed, the only furniture in the room, and lay down beside her. "Odi et amo. Quare id faciam, fortasse requiris? Nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrucior," he murmured, once again stroking her hair.

"I hate and I love. How can I do that, you might ask me perhaps? I do not know. But that's what I feel and this is torture," a voice whispered, and I slowly turned. I didn't want it to be, but I knew it was.

Kallisto was standing before me, in the same spirit form that I had taken. She was glowing with a strange light as she translated Dukes words, her eyes sad as she turned to look at me. "It is from a poem, Catullus 85, by the Roman poet Catullus...Duke loves his work. I do not know who you are, but I watch you now and wonder. Have you always been watching over Duke and me? Are you an angel?" she asked me, her voice getting soft and excited.

I sighed, wishing I was home again. I wanted so badly to be tucked in my sheets again, looking at my parents as though I had no care in the world. But I had surpassed that area, and I guess now was a better time than none to get up and face Kallisto.

"I am no angel, and um you won't be either when Duke wakes you. You see, you're going to become...an Amatores Sanguinis. You should understand what that means, since you can apparently translate Latin," I muttered, my voice hard.

Kallisto's eyes widened as she stared at her cold body, and she started to cry. "I will not return then!" she announced when her tears stopped falling. "I would rather walk the Earth as I am now, then kill those who are innocent. My mother used to say to me when I was young, Verum dic tibi ipsi, it meant be true to yourself without hesitation. By killing innocents, I am being true to none."

I held in laughter at her outburst, and just nodded. "Good for you," I said, then turned around and left. My heart felt heavy as realization dawned on me and I turned to run back, but it was too late. Time was catching up with me again, pulling me into its swirls of brilliant light.

Letting Go

I woke in my body again, the memories of before still ingrained in my head. What had I just done? Did I actually just Time Travel? Or was that just nothing more than a dream, caused by my overactive imagination and stress?

Kallisto wasn't in the room and my hands were unbound, giving me the freedom to look at the damage done.

An immediate mistake, because when I saw my black and charred wrists I threw up. When everything in my stomach was gone, I realized they no longer hurt, and had instead started to tingle. Duke had taught me that tingling meant healing, and so I had a small glimmer of hope for my wrists.

But I had to stop thinking of myself, and focus on Kallisto. Before I wouldn't have cared if she died, hell that was the very least that she deserved, but I knew now that what she became was my fault. If I had actually traveled through Time, then I also basically convinced Kallisto to let go, and let her body turn into a vampire. So I had to get her back to herself, but how was I supposed to do that?

My thoughts were cut off as Duke crowded my brain, his voice lifting my spirits immediately. 'Tam, I'm almost there. I don't know what she did to you, but please Tammy...please stay with me. Don't go all right? I could hear you screaming in my head, and...and I felt the same pain you did. It was terrible... please Tammy... please be okay.'

I sat down on the bed, getting up from the dirt floor I'd passed out on. I didn't have enough energy to send Duke a message back, the trip to the past and getting my wrists almost burned off, seemed to have zapped me of almost all of my energy. Even if I did have energy though, I didn't have enough time, because Kallisto appeared from thin air as her apparent usual.

"Hello dear, how are you and your charred wrists?" she asked, her voice light and uncaring. I could smell the overpowering scent of blood on her and felt my canines grow longer. Kallisto's smell of death had lessened to a more bearable smell, most likely because of how she had eaten from someone of life. I had to force myself to still, and not jump her to steal the already stolen blood that ran through her veins. I really needed to eat, and soon, but first I had to bring Kallisto back to her body.

An idea formed in my head, a plan using the information I just learned from the past. Would it work though? I really hoped I hadn't misjudged Kallisto's human form, I really hoped she loved her family as much as it looked like.

"I am actually wonderful, thank you for asking. You know, I once heard this phrase from a person. It was a simple phrase in Latin actually, and damn if it didn't just remind me of you. Verum dic tibi ipsi. It means-"

"Be true to yourself without hesitation," Kallisto whispered, her eyes filling up with bright red tears. "My-my mother used to say that to me." Her eyes were starting to show a hint of ocean blue, and I felt my heart lift with excitement. Was this actually going to work? Was that all it took? Could I save Kallisto with just a simple phrase?

Of course, my plan went tumbling down when there was a commotion outside the room. Duke. Kallisto's eyes lost their ocean blue, and turned a bright and hideous red. She was at me in a blur, grabbing me by my dirt-covered clothes. "You told him! You alerted him to my presence!" she yelled, her fangs sliding out.

I pushed her away, feeling the Red build up in my body. "Don't touch me," I snarled and pounced on Kallisto. She was older, and therefore stronger, but I had one thing on my side. Duke, who had yet to appear heroically in front of my locked doors. I needed him to say the words, the ones that would pull Kallisto's soul back into her body. As I fought, pink tears slid down my cheeks. Kallisto would get Duke without a doubt, and I would just be another memory.

My thoughts distracted me, and so when Kallisto bit into me I hadn't been ready. I felt pain as the poison of her bite zipped through my veins. I screamed, lashing out with all my strength. Kallisto, surprised, flew to the wall. There was a crack as she hit it and I twitched, the sound startling me.

Her bite had fueled the Red in me though, so when I ran to her and bit into her wrist, I felt no guilt. The blood slid down my throat healing the burns caused by the acid, taking away the venom of the bite, and taking back my blood. After a couple minutes I dropped her to the ground. Kallisto opened her eyes slowly, and they were glazed and bloodshot as if she was high.

"Go to sleep," I commanded, watching with wonder as she listened without hesitation. I felt the strength her blood had supplied me with roar throughout my body, and used it to force the door open. It slammed right into Duke, who had apparently been trying to unlock the door.

"Tammy! You're-you're okay!" he stuttered, his voice filled with relief. Duke pulled me into him, hugging me tight to him.

I wanted so badly to stay in his arms, knowing that this would be the last time I would be in them, but I couldn't. I stepped out of his embrace, quickly wiping away the tears that had begun to fall once again. Weird how when I was a human I never cried, but since I had become an Amatores all I've been doing is crying.

"I'm sorry...but we have to do this. I-I tried, but I think it's up to you now," I whispered, and walked back into the cold room.

Kallisto was sleeping, her body unmoving, and Duke ran to her as I knew he would. He sunk by her side, his eyes going wide in horror as he looked at first her then me.

I felt a sharp tear at my heart, but ignored it and focused on Kallisto. "Say the words to her Duke. You know what they are, they've been ingrained in your head for years now, for centuries. Say the words to her that you said right as she laid in your arms, right after you poisoned her with your bite."

"You mean you were there? You saw?" he asked, his voice quiet. I nodded, and he breathed in a deep, shuddering breath. "Please my dear Kallisto, come back... Odi et amo. Quare id faciam, fortasse requiris? Nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrucior." His words were like smoke, sliding out of his mouth in a sweet whisper and into Kallisto's body, waking her from her sleep.

"Duke." She murmured, her eyes slowly opening. Instead of being bright red though, they were a clear ocean blue and all traces of coldness were gone.

Duke's face lit up, and he stared at Kallisto like she was a goddess come to Earth.

I couldn't take it anymore though, seeing him with her, and so I left without a word. I ran, the speed I was going drying the tears on my face before they could even fall, and didn't stop until I was home again.

A car was parked in my driveway, a silver Acura SUV, and I felt my heart expand. The car belonged to my parents, who had probably been wondering where I was this late at night.

When I walked inside, both my parents grabbed me in a hug. "We were so worried! We got home and you weren't home and-Tammy what happened to you? You look...amazing!" my mom gushed, her eyes twinkling.

I smiled, ignoring the sound of their heart beating and just trying to be normal for now. "I'm sorry, I just was with...with a friend," I answered back, and hugged her again.

My dad just stood there studying me, until my mom looked at him sharply. "Your dad and I have many stories to tell you!" she exclaimed, and my dad said nothing, just stared at me with his cold eyes.

Hours later, the sun just rising, I was lying in bed with a smile. I may not have Duke, but at least for now my parents were home again. And I planned not to get out of bed until Monday, when I had to go to school. All this action tonight had left me completely drained of energy.

It took me almost a minute before I lulled myself into a deep, coma like sleep.

Back Home

Apparently Luke hadn't gotten the notice that I was sleeping all day, because in he walked at ten in the morning to wake me up. I had to hold in my rage to strangle him, since I mean, a girl needs her beauty sleep.

"Wake up Tammy!" he shouted, and I shot out of bed. It took all of my strength not to let my fangs slide out, and not to attack. Luke looked different, and I knew it was probably because of me. He was thinner, as though he hadn't truly eaten in days, and he looked tired. My anger at him for waking me up evaporated as quickly as it had come, and I took a step toward him.

"Luke... you look terrible! What happened to you?" I asked, pushing the hair that had fallen in his face away. He shivered at my touch, his body moving closer to mine.

"I don't know, I just want to be with you. I need to be with you." Luke's voice was husky, and his eyes looked wild. I turned away from him, afraid of whom he was becoming. What had I done?

There was a rustling as Luke got something from his pocket, and I turned around to watch as he pressed a knife against his warm, tan neck and blood started to flow out. Luke then closed and locked my bedroom door, and put down the knife.

My eyes watched his neck the whole time, as the scent of his sweet blood filled me with a burning hunger. "No, Luke, please don't," I begged, my voice weak. My canines grew, and Luke walked towards me.

"I want you to do this Tammy. I need you to do this," he said, but my ears were tuned into the sound of his blood rushing through his veins. I couldn't hold back anymore, and bit where the line of blood was.

The reaction was immediate, both our bodies pressing together and his hands sliding up my shirt. The world was a kaleidoscope of colors, spinning around Luke and I as we slid to the floor. Heat was spreading throughout my body as Luke's hands explored, and I groaned.

My hands played with the waistband of his jeans before sliding in, and he pulled us closer. The voice in my head was telling me to stop, that I was taking too much blood and things were getting too heated. I didn't want to listen to the voice, I wanted to continue until there was nothing left, until I was fully sated, but I wasn't a killer and Luke didn't deserve to die.

I extracted my fangs from Luke's neck, not surprised when the heat was replaced by coldness. Luke sighed; his eyes glazed, and passed out on my bed. I waited until he was fully asleep before leaving my bedroom. My parents were nowhere to be seen, the only reason Luke had gotten into my bedroom while I was sleeping. My parents weren't stupid as to what a guy wanted at this age, and would have gone to wake me themselves before letting him near me.

I felt strong again, the blood of Luke and Kallisto having stopped my thirst for now. I went into the laundry room, glad to see my clean clothes sitting on the dryer. I grabbed the dark denim shorts, light pink spaghetti top, and a towel then left for the bathroom.

My shower was short, only ten minutes, but it felt like heaven. The water washed away all the dirt and grime from the past couple days, and it felt good to put on clean clothes. When I got out of the shower and put on the clothes, Luke wasn't in my bedroom anymore. I closed my eyes tightly, taking a deep breath, trying to think of which room in my house he was in.

"Tammy!" he yelled, his voice light and woozy sounding, "Tammy, I made breakfast!"

The smell of burnt waffles wafted into my nose, and I sighed and ran downstairs. Luke had made almost ten waffles; all burnt, and piled them on a thin white coffee plate. The smell was thick, and I had to force myself to stop breathing so I wouldn't choke on the scent.

Whoever taught Luke to cook hadn't done the best job. Poor kid didn't even know when a waffle was burning, well that and his judgment was slightly screwed up right now, thanks to me.

Luke kept piling more and more waffles on the plate, until the smoke was spreading throughout my house, and I had to forcefully pull him away from the stove. I threw out all the waffles, and then opened the windows and doors to air out the smell.

"What the hell?" I asked, my voice sharp enough to cut glass. Luke hugged his arms around himself, as if I was physically hurting him, and looked at me with wide eyes.

"I was making you food." he whispered, his voice weak. "I thought-I thought you would be hungry. After... you know."

I closed my eyes, and then slowly opened them again. "Luke, I'm not even sure if I can eat real food. I mean I haven't really tried to, and you are the one who needs to eat. Not me."

Luke's smiled at me, and my heart softened. For so long I'd thought of him as only an ass, as only someone who could bring up my rankings in popularity. He didn't deserve that though, he didn't deserve to be judged like that. I should have tried to get to know him, tried to love him, before thinking that about him. "I'm fine. Why don't you try to eat though? I'll make you something better, something that I can't screw up. How about a bowl of strawberries?" he asked.

I couldn't deny him, he just looked so sweet, standing there with his eyes all lit up and that adorable smile. I nodded, and watched as he pulled strawberries out of my fridge and put them into a glass bowl. They didn't smell all that appetizing, but I chalked that up to my body not needing to eat food anymore. Blood was definitely enough to support my system.

After just one strawberry and a long stint in the bathroom, most of which was spent throwing up, I learned the hard way. Human food and my system did not go together. At all.

"I'm so sorry Tammy, I should never have even suggested giving you food. That was so stupid of me, so stupid," Luke said, rubbing at the scruff on his chin.

"It's okay, at least I figured out what would happen should I eat food in front of other humans," answered back, shrugging my shoulders. "I mean I've seen Duke eat, and he seemed to tolerate it, but I guess that's since he's a lot older than I am. Sorry you had to see that, Luke."

"Duke...isn't that the guy who I made you call? The one who-" Lukes' mouth dropped, and he stepped away from me. "I-oh God, I am so sorry Tammy. It was my fault; you're like this because of me. I did this to you!" he exclaimed, hands pulling at his hair.

I felt the world start to spin, my heart dropping as I felt myself start to pull away from my body.

"Tammy? Tammy are you okay?" Luke asked, and I felt him grab onto my arms.

"Go, leave now and get Duke. Hurry!" I managed to whisper, before I felt myself fall to the ground and separate from my broken body.

I looked down and watched as Luke scrambled to his feet, running out of the house as if he knew what was about to happen should he stay. That was impossible though, he was just a human, human's didn't know about us. Right?

Secrets

I was floating again, floating through time. Colors twirled past me as I went back in time, creating a rainbow for me to look at. But, instead of going years in the past like last time, I was kicked out of the swirl that was time. I landed roughly on my butt in the middle of a dirty bar, only a couple weeks back from the present.

Luke was sitting at the counter sipping at a beer; he definitely used his fake ID to get it, and was chatting with another guy. Duke. My heartbeat sped up as I started at him smiling and laughing as though he had no care in the world.

"All right Luke, you seem like a pretty cool guy, but I have to do this. It's the only way I can get to her. Listen to what I say; we just got into a terrible bar fight and you beat me up pretty bad. You'll use that as an excuse to have your girlfriend call me, because if she doesn't then I might sue," Duke said, his words wrapping around Luke like ribbon.

Luke's' eyes glazed over, and he repeated the words that Duke said to him. "A bar fight, I hurt you, you want to sue," he mimicked, and walked toward the door that was the exit of the bar.

Without another word Duke zipped away, my body trailing after him as he took familiar twists and turns that without a doubt led to my house. He jumped into the large acorn tree in front of my bedroom window, and my body instinctively repeated his movements.

"I'm coming for you Tammy," he whispered, looking at my closed window. "Don't worry."

I remember this night perfectly. I had thought there was a noise outside and so I had run to my window and looked out of it.

Just as I expected, my face peered out of the window like a ghost. Duke backed against the tree, blending into the dark shadows the branches had created. My face searched for another minute before giving up and moving away from the window, and I exhaled a long breath. I hadn't been crazy. There really had been someone outside my window! But why Duke? How did he know me? And why did he not just make himself invisible to me?

It would've been a hell of a lot easier for him, since moving caused rustling of the leaves. It didn't matter how quiet you could be, one small movement and my acorn tree would rustle loudly.

My mind swirled on the possibilities, my eyes closing as they usually did when I thought hard. I felt wind breeze around me, lifting my hair and tickling the back of my neck. PLOP. I rolled onto the ground in my living room.

Duke was talking to me, no emotion in his voice as he got ready to kill the humanity in me. No, not the humanity...I still had my humanity. I just-I just wasn't human anymore. There was a difference. There had to be a difference.

I focused back on the scene, looking at myself. I looked so innocent, staring at him with wide trusting eyes. Not knowing of the painful transformation that would soon take place. Not knowing about how all the myths in life were true. Not knowing I'd let an Amatores into my house. A vampire.

I saw my eyes widen in fear as Duke froze me in place, then heard his fangs come out in a gruesome snap and his eyes lock on me with a dark hunger. But something about me looked weird, and I could tell that Duke didn't notice. It only took me a second to pinpoint what it was. My eyes. They were turning a light pink, and I hadn't even been bitten yet.

I was glad Duke closed his eyes when he bit into me though, because he didn't have to see what I saw. My eyes burned red like the sun, and my face had turned pasty. I honestly looked like the living dead. A piercing scream emerged from my mouth, and I lashed out with my legs and arms. I hadn't remembered fighting. All I had remembered was feeling like I was burning from the inside-out. But now as I look back, I see myself kicking and punching Duke. He lifted his face from my neck, and I kicked him across the room.

My ears hurt with how loud I shrieked, my eardrums no doubt bursting. Bright red tears streamed down my face, until Duke slit his wrist with a fang. My whole body stilled as the scent of his blood seemed to waft into my nose, and Duke hesitantly put his arm on my lips. I don't even hesitate, my body taking in his blood gratefully. My body taking my blood back.

I stepped away from the scene, my eyes shut in thought. Why was my reaction so terrible when others took my blood? It was supposed to be a pleasurable experience, but it hurt. Just the thought of it made me shudder. Suddenly, it clicked. There was something in my blood, something special. That had to be why I couldn't give it out, without feeling as though I was getting a part of myself ripped out.

I didn't know what was wrong with my blood, but I knew who would know. Duke. I watched as he picked my body up gently, whispering words of comfort to my still body. There was a whistling sound and I walked willingly into time, having seen enough and wanting to return home.

I had questions that needed answers, questions that for some reason Duke would know the answer to. He seemed to know things about me that I didn't know, and that scared me. But...why? Why was I suddenly scared? Was it Duke who scared me? Or was it the answers he'd give me? But they couldn't be that bad...could they?

My image blurred as the world turned into a rainbow of colors, the sight not failing to amaze me even though in the last two days I'd seen it over and over. I watched as familiar faces zoomed by, and with a kick I was back in my time. I landed back in my body, Duke sleeping soundly in a chair beside my bed. My light blue blanket was tucked tightly around me, feeling like velvet against my skin. A gasp escaped my mouth when I fully settled back into my body, and Duke shot up from the wooden chair.

"You're awake," he said, smiling sweetly as he looked at me.

Rage burned inside of me for many reasons, all having to do with Duke. "Yeah, I am," I answered back coldly and Duke looked at me, confused. "How's Kallisto? She doing okay?" I knew I wasn't being fair, I mean I'd pretty much told him he could have her but he was supposed to say no. He was supposed to end back up with me. He was supposed to run after me.

"I don't know," he whispered. "I had to let her go."

My mouth dropped as the words dripped out of his mouth like sweet honey, not even a trace of regret in his voice. "Why? Why let go when you've been chasing after her for hundreds of years?"

"Simple. I met someone else. I met you Tammy. And anyway, Kallisto does not love me anymore either. I made her into a monster, and that monster killed thousands of people. Before she can forgive anyone else, she has to learn to forgive herself first. She disappeared without a trace, and I'm not looking for her. I have to let her make the choice of how she will live her life from now on." Duke's eyes were focused on the carpeted floors, a small sigh escaping his throat.

I felt the fire inside me cool to a small burn, but I wasn't done with Duke yet. I still needed to know what was wrong with my blood. I needed to know why it hurt when I was bitten and, now that I thought of it, why it was more pleasurable for me and my victim when I bit them. I had seen Duke bite Kallisto and, although they seemed to enjoy it, it did not look nearly as physical as it was when I bit Luke.

"Really Duke? So are you saying that's why you changed me?" my voice was sharp with tightly held in anger, and Duke nodded slowly.

"That's exactly why," he said, and I felt exhaustion hit me. He was lying, I knew that for certain now, but I didn't have enough energy to fight him right now. I just had to ask him my more important question, and then worry about why he was lying to me later.

"Duke, I have a question. And I want a real answer, I don't want lies. Okay?" my voice was tentative, my hands shaking slightly. I didn't want to ask, I was afraid to ask. I felt like if I did ask, then I would get the wrong answer. I knew that if I asked I would get the wrong answer.

Duke nodded for me to go on, his eyebrows raised, and so I did.

"Uh-um Duke... okay... here I go...what'swrongwithmyblood?" I said the words in a rush, barely able to understand them myself. But from the way Dukes face suddenly got expressionless, I knew that he knew what was wrong with it. I slouched back into my covers, willing myself not to cry. Sometimes being right felt like the worst thing in the world. Especially now.

Answers

"What Duke? What's wrong with it? I know you know, so please don't even try to lie to me." I sounded weary as I looked down at Duke tiredly, and he slowly sat back down on his chair.

"Wrong is not the right word," he said, a slight accent slithering into his words. "Nothing is wrong with your blood. It's just different." Different. A word I have detested since I was young. I never wanted to be different; different was what ruined lives socially, and physically. But in a way, I always have been. And now, even as an Amatores, I'm different. Who would've thought that even though I've changed species, things would still be the same.

"Well then, why is my blood different?" I asked, a hysterical tone to my voice. "Why is it not like everyone else's? Why am I not like anyone else?"

Duke's eyes blazed bright red, and he shot up from the small wooden chair. "I don't know!" he yelled loudly, raking his tan fingers through his dark hair. "I don't know." His eyes settled back down to their normal distant grey, and his words softened. "There was a prophecy. I was told that I was supposed to fulfill the prophecy, along with Her. They told me it would take at the very least, a millennia to find her."

My eyes closed slowly, letting all of this sink in. "What was the prophecy Duke?" I could almost see him sitting over a large book, reading the prophecy over and over, trying to decipher its meaning.

"Time is hers to master,

Her blood to protect,

From both good and bad,

For it can change the world,

For better or worse,

Whoever gets to Her first.

The Second of Amatores,

His an eternal life of loss,

The pain as pure as gold,

Two to choose,

Only one is right,

The choice will rule them all.

If She chooses light,

The dark will wash away,

But their light will fill,

With eternal fight,

To keep the Red at bay.

If She chooses dark,

Both will be so free,

Floating among the others,

Bodies bathed in red,

As they murder with glee."

Duke's voice weaved and spun around me in a haunting melody, his words sending shivers down my back. When he finished the prophecy, his eyes opened slowly and he slumped down in his chair.

"Duke...who told you this?" I asked softly, feeling a chill where my heart was. I was scared to ask the other question, and I just didn't want to know. I wasn't ready for it yet.

"The Council. They are the ones who create all the laws for Amatores to abide by. I was ruled the Oldest by the Council, and therefore the King. Dracul had been the King, but had been found murdered centuries ago, and he was the First. Because I was the First that he'd made, I was then the Second. Dracul made many more after me, and those made even more. Dracul died with the secret on how he had come to be.

After many millennia's passed, the prophecy was found. The Council sought to find me, the Second of all Amatores, and when they did find me I was read the prophecy a multitude of times. I was then sent out to find Her. At the same time though, I was trying to find and slay Kallisto. Then I found you.

It was the eve of your fourth birthday, and you were to have a party. You were running around with your young friends, laughing and playing. I had walked by the park that was hosting the celebration, and stopped to see the festivities for human birthdays had always amused me.

Suddenly you tripped, and your eyes went wide as you fell to the ground. A bright red spot gathered at your knee, and the smell was intoxicating. I had never smelled blood this pure; all blood was tainted no matter the age. I had to force myself to stay in place, as I watched your blood seep into the brown soil.

Faster your blood fell, and you started screaming. It was as if the earth was sucking up what you had held precious since birth, and you wanted it back. Your eyes blazed a crimson red, and you started digging into the soil with insane speed, your wound closing up immediately. There was a puddle of red in the soil, your blood, and you drank it up greedily. No one saw you but me, and that is when I knew. You Tammy, you are the girl in the prophecy."

I closed my eyes, not wanting to listen anymore. I wasn't Her. I couldn't be. God I was just getting the hang of being an Amatores, and now this! I felt the exhaustion at having traveled through Time before hit me, and sank into my bed. I gladly let myself fall into the open arms of sleep, wanting nothing more than to wake up a human without cares once again.

\---

I woke no longer in my bright bedroom, but imprisoned in a room lacking any light. I saw nothing but a dark huddle beside me, and heard nothing but soft and shallow breathing.

"Hello?" I whispered to the huddle, my voice shaking the man from what was probably sleep. His breathing quieted and he turned toward me, golden eyes glowing in the darkness.

"They will come for you soon, Queen. The Lucis, or Light, Council now knows that you have been notified of the prophecy, and they have many tests in store to tell if Duke was indeed correct about you. When they learn that he was correct, there will be a war. That is what I am here to notify you about. I fear if you are not prepared for the war, you will die a gruesome death.

Your species is the ruling species at this time, and once you have become Queen on the Council and Duke King on the Council, the Council will be complete. But the Ater, Dark, Council will not agree with you being on the Lucis Council. They will want to use the powers you possess for different deeds than the Lucis Council. There will come a time that you will have to choose between the Lucis and Ater Council. Just know when you are making the choice between the Lucis and Ater Council, that Light doesn't always equate to good-"

I cut him off with a sharp laugh, biting my lip softly. "And Dark doesn't always mean bad. Yeah I've heard that before. Very original. It definitely hasn't been written in different books and told in different movies, no not at all," I snorted, then looked away from his haunting golden eyes. "Who are you anyway?" I asked, wanting a change of topic.

"You will find out very soon," he answered, his voice deep and rich. It was unfamiliar, and I wondered how he had gotten to me in my dreams. Before I could ask though, he spoke up again. "Wake my Queen, and ready yourself for what is to come."

My eyes closed with their own will, the world around me melting slowly and my body relaxing against the cold floor.

\---

I woke again, this time in my bed. Duke was no longer in the wooden chair beside me, and I heard my parents bustling around in the kitchen below. My arms stretched out, a yawn escaping from my mouth. I had slept fitfully, it was almost four in the afternoon and I was surprised that my parents had not woken me up. It was most likely because it was Sunday though, and they just wanted me to catch up on my sleep.

I rose from my bed and undressed, then slipped into my warm shower. The jets hit me, massaging my body at all sides. I really was glad to be home, able to use my own facilities instead of Dukes. I was really picky about my bathroom supplies, and I had missed being able to dress in my own clothes. The ones Duke had supplied me with were cute, but not mine.

Thinking of Duke made the memory of my dream hit me, and I fell onto the shower floor. I landed roughly on my ass, and gasped at the pain. Within seconds though, I felt nothing but a tingling as my Amatores powers worked their magic. The Lucis Council would be calling for me soon if the man in my dream was correct, and I assumed that he was. I would have to get prepared for the war that would be fought over me, and choose whether I wanted to be Queen on the Lucis or Ater Council.

Wow, I was only seventeen and I had to make choices that normal people made, although their choices were not as weird, at like the age of seventy. The only difference was that I wasn't a part of the people group anymore, and I sure as hell wasn't normal either. My life had gone from only having to choose which shirt I was going to wear and whether Luke was really worth all the shit he put me through, to which Council I would reside as Queen on and how I could possibly stop this idiotic war from happening.

Another thing popped into my head, words that I hadn't really focused on when the man had said them. He'd said my species was the ruling species. Did that mean that Amatores Sanguinis and humans were not the only species? It was a question of which I would definitely have to ask Duke later on. I assumed he would come here to tell me about the Council's plans for me. At least I hoped he would.

A knock at my door shook me away from my thoughts, and I quickly turned off the shower. I grabbed the thick white robe beside the toilet, and slipped it on. There was another knock on the door, this one more persistent, and I rushed to open it. My parents were at the other side, a distant look to their faces.

"Hello Tammy," my dad said, his voice a monotone. He blinked slowly, and I looked at him with confusion. What was wrong with my parents?

"We will both be away for the week, and so you have the house to yourself." My mom's voice also had that same monotone, and she grabbed my dad's hand. "We are leaving now, goodbye and see you soon."

I nodded, unsure how to respond to my parents' odd behavior. No doubt it was because of an Amatores, maybe the Council? Or Duke. Duke probably compelled them, trying to get me by myself, because my parents never leave so soon after coming back.

My mom and dad left, their eyes still distant as the bright yellow cab carried them away to where ever their destination was. Within seconds of them leaving, Duke appeared out of the air with wide eyes, making it obvious that I was right. He was at fault for my parents' behavior. "The Council has prepared to come here for a meeting in forty-five minutes. We have to get ready!" he exclaimed, running to clean my already spotless house.

I quickly got moving, dressing into more appropriate attire as I saw that Duke had on a tux. When the forty-five minutes were up, Duke and I were sitting calmly on my dirt brown suede living room couches, a pitcher of iced tea sitting on the glass coffee table.

One by one the Council members appeared, until all ten of them were seated in their own chairs that surrounded Duke and I. My jaw had dropped almost to the ground as each member arrived, because none of them were Amatores. There were two Shapeshifter's, although what shape they shifted to I did not know, two golden winged Fey, two Duke had said they were called, two were another species that Duke had supplied me with their names, and two Witches.

The pumpkin colored skin, their ears and lips boxed shape, and their eyes a light aquamarine. They glowed slightly, their words slurred by a thin tongue and teeth as boxed as their ears. They were medium-sized, maybe 5"2, and both had thick hair on their head that matched their skin. The only obvious difference between the two that showed how one was a girl and one a boy, was the fact that the girl had long hair and the boys hair was short. They both wore dark brown rags for clothes, the guys just shorts and the girls a shirt and shorts.

The Expletus both had an inhuman beauty to them. Their features were sharp, their eyes a cold glassy color. Their skin was a perfect peach color, and when they talked you could almost see their words as they wrapped around you, putting you into their spell. The female wore a strapless long emerald dress that sparkled in the light, and the male wore a tux similar to Dukes. Not once did they smile at either of us, only stared without emotion.

"Tammy Maynard, today is the day that you are tested to see if you are indeed the one mentioned in the prophecy. Should you pass this test, you will become Queen of the Lucis Council. Do you accept?" the female Expletus asked, her voice as cold as her eyes.

Thoughts raced through my mind, tears threatening to seep out. I was only seventeen! It wasn't fair that only a couple weeks ago I had a normal life, and now this! I should've at least been allowed time to say goodbye to my old life. I can't handle the pressure this is putting on, I feel as if I'm going to explode! Don't they get this? Don't they understand? Why? Why can they not wait until I'm...I don't know forty or something to take this test? That leaves me a hell of a lot of time to run away and never come back.

Duke. His name intruded in on my thoughts, a sharp pain in my chest. You're doing this for him. If you ran away, you wouldn't see him ever again. And I couldn't be selfish enough to think he would come with me. That wasn't fair for him. So, my only way around this mess I've been thrust into is to get these stupid tests over with. What's the worst that could happen?

"Tammy Maynard, do you accept?" The woman's voice sent a shiver down my spine, and I slowly breathed in air. If only I could have more time...more time to decide what I really wanted. But I didn't have that time. All I had was this moment, and so the most I could do was push past the blocks that were holding me in place right now. Push past the fear I felt while looking in the Expletus's eyes. Push past it all and step toward my fate.

I nodded once, not wanting to show my fear. "Yes, I accept."

The Test

The living room blurred around me, and I felt the Council and Duke disappear from sight. My eyes fluttered shut as the world spun and shook, and I felt sick. Suddenly, the world calmed down and I was able to open my eyes again.

I was in a bright room with no furniture, the floors and ceiling painted white, and no windows. There was a door in the room, although the door had no doorknob so I couldn't get out. Something was telling me that the point wasn't to leave the room, whatever the Council had planned was going to happen in this room...and soon.

I sat down on the cool linoleum floors, my back against the wall. My ears were listening for any noises in my surroundings and my eyes were glued to the door, waiting for it to move even an inch. Waiting for whatever was supposed to walk in with a fear that turned my blood cold as it rushed through my veins.

Hours passed and my eyelids started to droop closed. Maybe I wasn't so right about this soon thing. For all I knew, this was only a prison for me to stay in and rot for all eternity. The most I could do was sit here and watch as it all faded away to nothing, watch as my world crumbled.

A noise shook me from my thoughts, and I watched with apprehension as the door creaked open. I felt sweat gather on my hands, and I bit my cheek roughly. Thoughts flew through my head like a tornado, threatening to tear it apart. Who was coming in? What was about to happen? Should I be scared? Or should I just act like I don't notice anything happening?

My thoughts slammed to a stop, when the person in question walked in. A smell, the smell, slithered slowly up my nose. A musky, rotting, death-like smell. Without a doubt I knew it was a vampire. But why would they send a vampire in here? What would that accomplish?

"Tammy, so glad to see you again my darling," His voice, one I had before so loved, crawled on my skin like a million tiny spiders. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't be! Not him....not the one person I actually cared about now. The one person I loved. Why, of everyone in the world, would they pick him? It doesn't make sense!

I fell to the ground, clawing at my heart as though it was ripping out. It can't be! It can't be! Bright red tears dropped to the ground, and my face twisted in agony. I couldn't even try to kid myself. There was no mistaking the voice, even covered in layers of coldness. Layers of death. I could never mistake his voice, the one I had come to love in the last couple weeks.

Duke, the Duke I had just seen as a perfectly healthy Amatores, was now a vampire.

\---

"Oh Tammy, don't cry. Just know that I love it much more like this! It is like I had fallen asleep on all things I had used to love, and have now woken up again! I feel so different, so much more alive. You understand, don't you?" No emotion flickered across Dukes face as he spoke, and I felt my stomach cramp.

"No. Duke this isn't you. The real Duke is somewhere in this world, floating as a soul. I don't-I don't know what convinced him to let go to the Red in the last couple hours...but something did. You are not Duke. You-you're a monster. A true vampire. Nothing more." I forced the words out of my mouth, each word feeling like a tear in my heart. Duke looked at me with pursed lips, and then closed his eyes slowly.

"I have never liked playing with my food. That did not change with my transformation to a vampire. So playing with you is just furthering my hunger, but what am I to do? I would much rather enjoy you slowly, then take you all at once." Duke smiled, his fangs sliding out menacingly.

He ran towards me at full speed, eyes blazing a crimson red.

I felt the world slow around me, Red creeping into my vision. I watched as Duke flew through the air towards me, and moved swiftly aside. A cracking noise came from behind me, the sound almost vibrating in the cold air. I turned to see the wall in which he had crashed had small cracks encompassing it in the shape of Dukes body. I followed the wall down watching as Duke peeled himself off the wall, blood dripping into a small puddle below him. The smell permeated the air, crawling down my throat and giving the Red fuel to burn.

It smelled like chocolate, brilliant, luscious chocolate, calling to me. A shiver went down my spine as my fangs popped out, and my tongue flickered out to lick my lips slowly at the thought of tasting Dukes blood. My body filled with a desire, a need, to have his blood. It was like an ache that spread from head to toe, making it harder and harder to keep control of myself.

"C'mere Duke..." I murmured, my eyes locked onto the puddle of blood that was glistening and sparkling against the clean floors like diamonds.

"I am here," he snarled, and I gasped as he grabbed me from behind. Immediately my arms and legs lashed out at him, the control I was trying so hard to hold onto slipping like putty in my hand. I had to make my body calm down, had to keep my control steady. And I had to do it before Duke could strike and take my blood. Because I can't control myself when the Red hits, and I knew deep within me that this time since this would've been Dukes second violation of my blood...I wouldn't let him get out of the fight alive. The Red in me was one evil bitch.

The world turned fuzzy around me, and I felt myself start to detach from my body. I felt myself start to surrender to time, so the Red could take over. But this time, I would not surrender willingly. If I killed this Duke...then there was no chance that the real Duke could return to his body. No chance I could save him.

"I hope you have begun to say your goodbyes," Duke said in a hiss, his words scratching at my ears and making the world grow even fuzzier. I felt a stirring in my stomach, and closed my eyes. I had to find a way to get control, and I had to find it now. Or else...Who knew what might happen? Suddenly, it came to me.

I envisioned by brain as a house, each room a different area that needed to be explored for whatever treasures laid within. One room shone the brightest, and I ran towards it. The light bathed over me, the warmth like the summer sun, surrounding me with a soft glow. I walked into the room, heart filled to the brim with hope, only to see nothing more than a golden brick wall. It stood in the middle of the room, blocking off any route around it. There was honestly, no visible way to get around the wall.

'Hurry, you do not have much time. Duke is about to bite.' voice was soft, gliding into the room gracefully beside me. There was no body to the voice, only sparkling rainbow-colored swirls that appeared as she spoke. The voice sounded familiar, although I knew trying to place it would just take up more time that I did not have. I needed to hurry. I could feel myself detaching from my body, the Red itching to take over. The Beast tearing at my chest with its need.

'Do you know how I could get around the wall?' heart beat heavily against my chest as I asked Her the question, my teeth biting down softly atop my lips.

'I can only tell you this. You are in your mind; anything is possible in your mind. And maybe, to get past the wall...you do not have to go around it.' room blurred for moment, a sure sign that time was running out. That the Beast, the Red, was taking over.

If I did not have to go around it though, then do what? Go through it? 'Anything is possible in your mind...' words returned to me, making me ponder as I stared at the thick wall. Maybe if I...the thought crammed itself into my mind, and I felt assurance as I closed my eyes.

I imagined the wall, the thick golden wall, crumbling to a fine yellow dust in front of me. I forced my will into the thought, knowing that if this did not work then all was lost.

My lips curled into a smile at the satisfying sound of the wall crumbling to pieces around me. It had worked! The-the voice had been right!

"Why are you s-s-smiling?" Duke asked, a hiss escaping his voice as my eyes snapped open. I looked around in confusion, my eyes unfocusing as I noticed the air, or rather, what was in the air. Small particles of what looked like fuzz crowded the small space I was standing in, glowing a bright white light as they floated leisurely in the air. "I said, why are you smiling?" My eyes focused again, the particles immediately disappearing from view as I looked at Duke.

"I wasn't." My voice sounded scratchy to my ears, and my vision wavered. I held onto my soul, not ready for it to leave just yet. My eyes slowly rose to look into Dukes, and I felt a wave of sadness. There was no trace of humanity in them, just anger and hate. He leaned forward, his fangs lying menacingly atop his lips, and smiled cruelly.

"You dare lie to me? Well you are lucky I am quite hungry, if not you would have gone through a painful death that would indeed take centuries to complete." Duke brushed his fangs against my neck, and I flinched away.

"Duke, stop. I know you're somewhere, floating around and having the time of your life, but you need to come back. Now." My voice was hard, and once again my vision unfocused. The fuzz once again came into view, hovering harmlessly in place, and I lifted my hand to try and swat one by my hand away. Instead of moving away though, the fuzz sunk into my skin. It felt like a bolt of energy running throughout my bloodstream, filling my body with power.

"Your Duke is no more, I am now Duke, and I think it would greatly benefit you to quiet." My vision refocused itself, taking in the sharp features of Dukes face. The flawlessness, the beauty, and the red eyes. The red eyes that did not belong there.

"I do not agree," I snapped, my voice cold. I pulled the energy that the fuzz had given me out of my body, feeling apart from myself. "I think it would greatly benefit you though, if you slept. Now." My command weaved itself within the energy, and I watched as it zoomed into Dukes body. It looked like a stream of navy blue ribbon, stretching from me to Duke.

A wave of dizziness hit me and I swayed slowly, but I continued to stare at Duke. The blue ribbon was still there, and I saw colors of gold weaved within it. Dukes' eyes glazed over, but he did not fall asleep as I had demanded and so I put the rest of the Energy into the stream, yelling, "I said sleep!"

I watched as Duke crumpled to the floor, his eyes moving rapidly left and right. Another wave of dizziness hit me, and I laid my hand on the cold wall. My heart beat slowed and I slid down to the floor. My eyes fluttered shut, my head lolling forward as it became too heavy a load to hold, and my last words being, "Duke...I need to get to Duke," before I felt myself drifting off and my soul detached from my body.

\---

I floated, my soul moving as if attached to a string. The world passed in a slow blur, my mind free of all worry and pain. Thoughts floated freely as I drifted, wandering in and out of my brain. Excitement thrummed throughout my soul as I felt it. He was near, waiting for me to join him! Waiting for me to join his wander around the world, forever in peace.

'No.' voice, Her voice, came suddenly and without warning, shocking me enough to stop in my tracks. 'You have already forgotten the reason that you've detached. Not to wander forever with Duke, although that is most definitely a choice, but to save him. To bring him back to his body.'

Just as quickly as the voice had come, it was gone, and the memories slammed into my head. Duke. Vampires. Amatores Sanguinis. Everything from before floated and swirled as the memories surfaced themselves. I had to convince Duke to come back, and I had to go back too. If my body woke up without me in it...who knew what would terror and destruction would happen.

The only thing I was sure of was that, without my soul in it, the Beast would take over and my body would wake up Red. Not a vampire, because to be a vampire I'd have to had fully given up and that would never happen...at least for now...but I would wake Red, and I would wake thirsty.

I shook myself from the gloomy thoughts as I noticed that I'd begun moving again, this time extremely fast. With the pace I was going, it only took minutes before I finally saw him.

He was sitting on a chestnut colored bench, willow trees surrounding him as he looked out on a beautiful crystal lake. His face was full of pure happiness, and my heart felt heavy as I realized how he would soon have to return to the chaos that was life. Slowly, as if alerted of my presence, Duke turned his head towards me. As soon as our eyes connected it was like an explosion within me. All thoughts that didn't have to do with Duke were pushed aside, and I ran towards him.

"My love!" he yelled, his arms outstretched towards me, "My love you have finally come!" We kissed, our lips molding perfectly into one another as our souls went afire with love. I never wanted to leave Dukes arms, our souls were meant for one another. "I love you," Duke murmured against my lips, sending a shiver of pleasure down my spine. "I love you so, so much."

I forced myself away from his lips, the pain of being apart like a tear to my chest. "Duke, we have to go back. We-we can't stay here and let the Red take our bodies. I just know that if we let that happen, something bad...something really bad, would happen." My voice was husky, the passion from just seconds ago still burning throughout me.

Duke nodded slowly, not saying a word, and entwined his thin fingers in mine. Slowly we flew back home, our bodies tight against one another the whole way, both our thoughts only focused on each other. I guess that is why we did not notice how we weren't going in the direction that I had at least come from. We were going an entirely different way.

We arrived in front of our bodies, and detached from each other's hands. I winked at Duke, before grabbing my bodies hand and letting my soul sink in. The last thing I saw before fully sinking into my body, was Duke smiling sweetly as he sunk into his own body.

Changing

My eyes opened slowly to see two bright lights shining down on me. Immediately I turned my head, although the movement felt heavy, to see Duke staring at me with relief.

"You're awake too," he said softly, a smile lighting up his face. I felt my heart lift and soar as my eyes connected with his, my soul thrumming throughout my body with a vibration similar to the one emanating from Duke. I could almost feel it, like warmth spreading throughout my body on a winter night.

"Queen Tammy, King Duke, how are you? I am Doctor Atmaja Malik." The woman was short, maybe 5"2, with long hair that was such a dark brown that it looked almost black. She had coffee colored skin, and a face that probably gave guys heart attacks. It took a minute, but what she said clicked into my head, making my head snap up to look her in her bright turquoise colored eyes.

"Queen Tammy? King Duke? Um...ma'am....what the hell are you talking about?" My body was tense as I waited for her answer, my lips pursed.

"You have passed the test. You are now Queen of the Lucis Council, and Duke King." Doctor Atmaja's smile was bright as she reached down to help me up, and I felt my muscles shake. "Here how about I leave you here instead...You two look awfully tired, as would anyone if they had just been in soul form. I will be back as soon as you awake, and we will begin the Coronation."

My jaw dropped, and I looked at her with confusion. "The Coronation? What the fuck are you talking about?" I yelled, closing my eyes tightly, as a migraine began to start thrumming throughout my head.

Atmajas' head snapped toward me, anger roaring beneath her eyes. "A Queen does not use such vulgar language Tammy. You should really be careful of what you say. You do not know who is listening. I will go now, sleep peacefully for you have much to do when you awake." Atmaja then left, leaving me shaking with exhaustion and stress.

"Shh....It's okay Tammy," Duke murmured, looking at me with total adoration from his bed. He reached out a hand to me but I just stared at it, unsure of what to do. My whole world was being spun around into circles, although I should've assumed this would happen. I mean it only made sense that Duke was my test, and by saving him...I passed. "Just go to sleep Tammy, and I promise I will be right here to watch over you. I will be right here when you wake. Do you trust me?"

The question was ridiculous; we both knew I trusted him. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here right now and neither would he. Still I nodded and grabbed his hand, heat spreading throughout us like a wildfire. "Yes, I trust you," I answered back, my eyes drooping as I yawned. I held onto the strings that kept me awake though, not wanting to lose the pressure of his hands on mine. "But Duke...what happened? Why were you my test?"

Duke coughed quietly, looking sad and tired. "The prophecy." His words were simple, but they struck me in the stomach making me flinch. I knew without a doubt that this was not the same prophecy he used to find me, this was another one. A completely different one. I didn't even need to prompt him for more before his voice came out in a haunting melody, stirring something within me.

"The Wall she must break,

The souls must come as one,

Him her test of truth,

Her saving him from fate,

You cannot save what has been lost,

Without a tiny price.

You cannot save the chosen ones,

Because they have not fought."

Duke's voice sent shivers down my back as I listened, his body swaying from side to side as the words spun around us. I wanted so badly to tell him to stop, to shut up now, but I couldn't. Something kept my mouth from running, my body from moving, even as the fear filled me and clouded my vision.

"You have already broken the Wall, and our souls are now one. Our souls connected when you kissed me in your soul form. The test was to see if the prophecy was about you and me. I tested your truth by proving that you were indeed the Queen mentioned in the first prophecy, and you saved me from a fate of wandering the Earth alone while my body ravaged on innocents.

The last part, well I assume we are to find out soon what it's meaning is. Please Tammy...please sleep now. We cannot heal unless we have rested, and to face what we are soon to face....we need to be in top form." Duke smiled tiredly at me as he talked, then closed his eyes and immediately fell asleep.

'You cannot save what has been lost,

Without a tiny price.

You cannot save the chosen ones,

Because they have not fought.'

The ending of the prophecy ran through my mind as I tried to process its meaning. Was it about Duke? Was it saying that by saving him from wandering forever in search of me, I have doomed him? That by bringing his soul back to his body, we were both to pay the price? And the chosen ones?

Maybe Duke had been chosen by whatever thing controlled the Universe to let go. To give in to the Beast, the Red. Maybe because he had given up without a fight, he was forever lost. Or maybe I was getting everything completely wrong, and should just go to sleep and ponder over this when I wake up. Yeah that definitely sounded like a better idea.

Within seconds of thinking that, I fell into the haze that was sleep. I don't recall dreaming of anything, I just remember a black void surrounding me, suffocating me to the point where I woke up and could still feel the dream around me. My breath came out in short gasps as I bolted up from the tiny metal bed I'd been asleep on. I could feel Duke sleeping on the bed beside me, and so I quickly calmed my breathing down.

I knew that if my soul felt off, then Duke would wake up. And right now, he looked like he needed a good night's sleep more than anything else in the world. He was pale, a little less pale than he was when his body was taken over by the Red, and he looked haggard. I wanted so badly to run my hand along his face and just absorb his pain, but that wasn't possible and would only make things worse.

'The Energy. Use it to help heal him.' voice trilled throughout my mind, bouncing off the walls of my brain. The Energy....I thought that was only temporary. I thought the Wall went back up after I went into soul form. 'The Wall is gone until you decide to put it back up. Though there is great power within the secrets of the Wall, so I should warn you to only tell the secrets to those you trust most. Even then do not tell all. Some people will turn at the first sight of power. And the Wall's power surpasses all else's. Right now you are keeper on how to destroy said Wall. Be careful who you teach.' what seemed to happen normally, the voice disappeared without even a simple goodbye, leaving me to think over what she said.

If the Wall was still up, why did I not feel it? Shouldn't my vision be focusing in and out like it had done before? Why did I not see the Energy? Before I could think of a reason, a young girl shuffled into the room. She had short black hair pulled into a high ponytail, her face a dark caramel. Briefly she lifted up her head, only enough for me to see that her eyes were a dark blue. They shimmered in the light; in fact her whole body shimmered in the light. She quickly turned around, and I stepped back in surprise. The girl had large golden wings poking out of her thin blue shirt, and her ears were slightly pointed.

"Holy shit! You're a fairy!" I blurted out, and then covered my mouth immediately. I wasn't sure whether or not the girl would get pissed off at me for calling her a fairy. I mean for all I knew, that was like an extreme insult. But she just laughed softly, her laugh sounding like bells jingling.

"Yes, I am. Or rather, I am that of the fey. My name...well my given name is not one that those from the Earth can pronounce. And many have told me of the danger of telling your given name, for as a fey it can be used in ways to bind the fey to-I'm sorry, I am rambling aren't I? You may call me my Earth name, Aness." The fey, her name oddly pronounced Ah-ness, had turned around and looked at me with a smile. Her voice was soft and sweet, her looks the same. As soon as I looked at her I felt safe, something I'd definitely not been feeling lately.

"Oh, uh, hi Aness. I am-" Before I could finish, Aness laughed once again, her voice sparking happiness inside me.

I looked to the side to make sure Duke was still asleep, hoping the talking hadn't woken him. Thankfully though, he was sound asleep. He looked so sad though, and I felt his sadness inside of me. I wondered what he was dreaming, what was making him seem so somber. How could I use the Energy to help him, if I didn't even know how to control it?

"You are Queen Tammy. Yes, I know. I have come here to help you get ready for your Coronation. A male fey, his Earth name Robin, will come soon to wake and collect King Duke. Now let us go to prepare my Queen!" Aness declared, her voice full of power. She grabbed my hand before I could protest, and then pulled me out of the room through a dark wooden door I had neglected to see. Wasn't I a great Amatores? Unable to see what's right in front of me.

Aness dragged me through multiple rooms, only staying in each one long enough for me to see a blur of colors. People drifted by us, their bodies passing by mine as we went by, and their whispers the only thing I could hear.

"That's her!"

"That cannot be her!"

"She looks so young!"

"Are they absolutely sure?"

"She is the one who passed the test?"

"The Council cannot honestly believe that, that young child is Her. The one made to save us all from death and disaster. No I do not believe that at all. It must be nothing more than possibly a maid. Nothing more at all."

The words passed by me as the colors did, breezing against my skin like the summer wind. The last ones words pierced me for some reason, his extreme disbelief in me like a knife in my heart. Alright, maybe before I'd been doubting myself too, but come on! That was me. I'm allowed to doubt myself. Other people though? No, they can only bask in my amazingness.

I snickered silently at how ridiculous that sounded. If I actually thought of myself like that, well I would be homeless and friendless by now. Who'd want to be friends with someone that full of themselves? Certainly not me. Definitely not me. It took me a moment to notice that we'd come to a stop, and I looked around, confused. Then my mouth literally dropped, and it took an extreme amount of will not to salivate.

I mean...I was in a closet so big, it would take a million of me to fit in the room. And they'd have to be fat, three thousand pound versions of me. The clothes hung delicately on the racks, everything on a hanger no matter what article of clothing it was.

"This has been the Queens wardrobe for a millennia. When you have officially become Queen, when the Coronation is over, this wardrobe will belong solely to you. I will be your stylist as I am today, helping you choose outfits that best suit what you are to do that day. For today there is only one dress you are to wear. It is the Coronation dress. It has been worn for each Queens Coronation, so treat it with care. I will help fit it on you, then take you to get both your makeup and hair done." Aness chuckled as she showed me to the part of the 'wardrobe' that held my dress.

As soon as I saw the dress, I swear I was almost a second away from fainting. It was a crème color, diamonds sewn into the hemming of it, so whenever I moved they shone in the light. The dress would obviously drag onto the ground, and was cut low. Its sleeves were long, stretching out to my wrists, and there were gloves beside the dress. And the tiara! Oh god, it was so pretty.

The tiara had diamonds encrusted in every inch of it, but still managed not to look too showy. It was small, a diamond shape at the top the only thing that marked it as something more than just an odd headband.

I felt like I'd died and gone to heaven, and my heart was filled with immense joy. Who knew that material values could make someone feel so good? I couldn't wait to put both the dress and tiara on me, knowing without a doubt they'd both fit perfectly. I didn't care about shoes; I just wanted to wear the dress and tiara. They were what mattered right now.

My eyes widened when Aness slid the dress on me and placed the delicate tiara onto my head, my whole look completely transforming. "Holy shit....I look....I look-" I couldn't even get the words out, I was so shocked. I'd never been really self-conscious, but wearing all this made any shred of self-consciousness just drop away. I looked like an honest to God....Queen. Like those Queens you see on TV, except like a century younger.

I smiled, probably looking like a lunatic to Aness, as I twirled in the full length mirror. "Thank you so much!" I gushed, biting my bottom lip with excitement. A laugh bubbled out of my mouth as I thought of how just before I was freaking out over this whole Queen thing, but now that I learned it comes with a huge amount of clothing...well I am definitely looking forward to being crowned.

"That is what I am here for Queen Tammy. Just think of me as almost...your fairy godmother. I will be here to grant your wish, serving you until you are no longer my Queen." Suddenly Aness looked at me with concern, her eyebrows furrowed deeply. "You do not look well Queen. What is troubling you?"

Until she said something, I hadn't noticed the burn. It must've been burning softly enough for me to not bother thinking about it, but now that I was thinking about it...let's just say that it felt like a wildfire inside of my throat. I slid to the ground, my eyes trained on Aness's neck. I wonder what Fey blood would taste like.

"Queen...If you desire something to drink, we have many humans on hand to cater your need," Aness said, looking at me with caution. "I will go now and retrieve a human." Walking backwards carefully, Aness left the closet without another word. The burn inside of me flared as I looked again at my reflection. My skin had paled to the point where it was extremely chalky, and my eyes were a light pink.

I looked at my eyes closer, seeing that they looked extremely off. And not just because they were pink. It took me only seconds before I noticed it, noticed how the color was brighter. It looked as if someone had flipped a switch in my eyes, making them look more exotic. As I focused on my iris's, the pink color that had been so prominent before faded to my normal...my thoughts trailed off as I stared at my eyes.

They weren't their normal ocean blue color. They weren't red either. They were turning...my eyes were turning purple! A screech erupted from within me as my hands grabbed tightly to my hair. My eyes were turning purple! Holy fucking shit. They were turning purple! That wasn't-that couldn't be-but it was happening. Right in front of me. My body shook with fright as I watched the transformation. The purple looked the same color as a thistle plant, and just as sharp.

Only seconds must've passed since I'd yelled out, and those seconds triggered a lot of commotion. I heard male voices from outside the closet, and then watched, as the door was pulled open. Instead of a crowd of people, only Duke ran in, a wild look on his face. "Tammy!" he called out, then spotted me and sagged with relief. "Oh thank god, you're okay. I thought-I mean I heard-I was dreaming when I just woke up and felt that you needed me. I thought something....something....bad...."

Duke's mouth dropped as he looked at me, taking in the elegance that the dress gave me. His eyes went up and down, looking as if he was drinking me in with each second. "Uh, Tammy...you look...amazing," he murmured, his voice husky. I felt a blush creep up my cheeks, then grinned seductively.

"Thanks Duke," I purred, batting my eyes at him. That's about the moment when he noticed my eyes, and his jaw dropped once again.

"Tammy! Your eyes! They're purple!" He sounded so amazed as he leaned forward, his fingers grazing my cheek softly and sending shocks throughout my body. Shocks that, unfortunately, were not enough to block out the disgust I felt when I looked back at my eyes.

"I know! They're hideous! I don't know how the hell this happened! One minute, they were a light pink....and the next they just turned into this!" My voice was thick with the tears I was holding in, not wanting to cry in front of the audience Duke had brought with him when he'd run into here.

"Ah Tammy, have we not talked about how as a Queen you are to not talk like this? I believe we have talked about this. But onto more important things, your eyes have changed for a reason darling. You have broken the Wall. Power is now gathering within you, Energy. Energy of immense proportions.

Child, your eyes are just a sign that the Energy gathering has begun. Which means the Coronation will have to begin even earlier than planned. We do not want to have it begin once the transformation fully takes place. That would not be good for anyone." Atmaja had appeared from the now growing crowd, her face smooth and kind as she spoke to me. But her body language did nothing to soothe me.

What was she talking about, what transformation? What was I becoming, or going to become? And why was I even going through a transformation? I couldn't find an answer in my mind to any of those questions, so I looked pointedly at Atmaja. "What are you talking about? What transformation?" I asked, my voice sharp enough to cut through thick layers of brick.

A few people in the crowd flinched, although how my voice affected them that much I don't know, but Atmaja's face turned stony. "I cannot explain now, just know that it is in the prophecy."

I laughed, a cruel laughter that just came out without command. "Another prophecy? How many fucking prophecy's, can there be? It's like every other word coming out of someone's mouth is prophecy this, prophecy that!" I couldn't control the tears that fell then, but felt comforted when Duke pulled me towards him.

"I know Tammy, I know that this is a lot to take in right now. And I know it makes no sense. I understand. But please, please just trust me when I say that it'll all work itself out. And I'll be here, beside you, every step of the way. You don't have to face anything without me alright?" His words were soft as he held me in his arms, rubbing my back soothingly.

I just nodded, hearing the people get ushered out of the closet to allow me and Duke to be alone for a short time. As soon as the doors closed, sobs erupted from my mouth. He knew what to do though, and just let me cry out all my pain and worries.

"I love you," he whispered when I'd run out of tears to cry. "You don't worry about a thing, I'm here to protect you. And I'll be here to protect you, forever and always."

"Promise?" I asked, my voice barely audible.

"I promise."

The Coronation

The room was full when I entered, the chatter that had been easily heard from the other side of the castle immediately hushed. Everyone was dressed in their finest, hundreds of people filling up the humongous ballroom. Aness stood behind me, holding the long trail of my dress. I'd tried to convince her to just let me hold it, but she insisted that it was tradition to have the Queens Fey hold the trail for her.

Duke stood ahead, his head held high and a mischievous smile on his face as he stared at me. 'Beautiful...' His words drifted softly into my mind, and a smile of my own bloomed onto my face. He looked so; well I guess you would call it handsome, in his black tux. It contrasted well with his skin, and he was just one of those guys who looked good in a tux, as if he was made to wear one.

I felt like I was a bride walking down the aisle, instead of just a girl getting crowned as Queen. I laughed silently at that, I mean just a girl? I feel like I said that as if getting crowned as Queen happened all the time.

Aness nudged me forward, shaking me from my thoughts, and I continued onwards toward where a man was standing beside Duke. He looked old, maybe ninety-two, and human. Definitely human. The smell of his blood from within his body stroked at the fire that had disappeared in the commotion from before, and I had to fight back the urge to bite him.

The only thing keeping me from running across the room to the priest, from drinking his blood until there was nothing left, was Duke as he looked at me with love shining bright in his eyes. I felt uncomfortable as I looked among the hundreds gathered; I mean some of these people looked so weird! There was one lady who would flash from one spot to another repeatedly, almost landing on top of a man, and another who looked like a statue. If I hadn't been staring at her long enough to see her move, then I would've assumed she was a statue.

"We are here, all among us not of the human race. We have come to witness two people, two Amatores Sanguinis, receive the crown. The crown that shows their ruling over us all-" The priest went on, saying things about us leading our world in peace. It was pretty boring, and I mean I knew I should've been listening, but come on! What girl, no matter the age, wants to listen to some old man rant about said girl's duty as Queen? Not me. I'd always fall asleep during weddings; I'd never been able to have enough patience to actually listen to what the priest said.

"Tammy?" Duke whispered, and I jerked myself out of my thoughts.

"Will you Tammy Maynard, an Amatores Sanguinis, honor being Queen of us all? Will you rule with patience and fairness? Will you forever stay in the light, working to better the world that we as people live in?" The priest asked, and I bit my lip. I heard whispers as I thought, people wondering why I was hesitating.

"I will," I said, my voice firm and completely unlike the feelings of fear and nervousness that ran rampage in my body. I never understood how people did that; made themselves sound so brave when you could see that they were terrified. Now I see that it wasn't really on purpose, it was their bodies taking over their feelings.

The priest repeated what he'd said to Duke, then opened his mouth to say the final words. The words that would place my fate into hands that didn't belong to me. "Hail all, to our new Queen and King. May they forever reign in beautiful harmony!"

My smile was fake as I walked back down the aisle, Duke behind me as Aness held the train of my dress. People held out hands to touch me, a thing I definitely was not comfortable with, and yelled out my name from all sides. It was weird; I mean I'd never been this popular. I'd always wanted it, that much I knew, but now that I had it...I wasn't sure I liked it. I wasn't sure I'd ever like it.

"Tammy...are you okay?" Duke murmured, speeding up so he could walk beside me.

I didn't know how to answer. I wasn't okay, I just wanted a break from all this! One thing after another, I felt like I was going to die from all the pressure being put on me. I mean I know that's a little dramatic but that's exactly how I felt. I couldn't tell Duke that though. I was supposed to be strong, but I wasn't feeling so strong. I felt like a branch that was seconds from breaking.

"Yes." My voice was emotionless as I continued walking, not wanting to worry Duke.

"Queen Tammy-" Aness started to talk, but I shook my head.

"Please...call me Tammy," I said, my voice shaking slightly. I felt a headache start to form at my temple from the stress, and from my hunger. "Aness, can you um, grab me one of those humans you said we had on hand? I feel kind of..." The world faded from view and I felt my body slide down to the ground, people gasping and yelling as I fell.

\---

My eyes opened to see only darkness, except for a familiar huddle. "It's you again." The huddle moved, and two gold eyes appeared.

"Yes. It is time. The Ater Council has learned that you have been found and named Queen of the Lucis Council. They will come to you disguised, so be prepared as they have their own tests in mind." The guys voice sent a shiver down my spine and warmth throughout my body.

"Who are you?" I asked softly, scooting closer to the huddle that was the guy. "And please don't give me cryptic answers this time."

"I cannot tell you. It is not because I do not want to, I do, but I cannot. I am losing energy just by talking to you. But I need to do this, I need to help you." The golden glow that was his eyes disappeared for a moment, and then slowly opened again. "When this is over, I ask that you find me. That you save me. I am not dead, no matter what they say. I am in a place deep below ground, and only you can save me." His voice started to fade, and I saw a fuzziness edging within my vision.

"They are calling you back. I will return though, do not fear. Just look for me, and you will find me."

I nodded, lightheaded, and then fell to the floor.

\---

"Wake up damn it!" someone yelled, and my eyes snapped open. Duke was standing over me, concern for my wellbeing marring his beautiful face. He looked like a warrior, standing over me as if he was protecting me from something monstrous.

"I am up silly." My voice was quiet, raspy, and talking made the fire blaze. I heard the rush of blood running through each person's body, mixtures of enticing scents crowding my brain. Red started to creep into my vision, beautiful red, blood red, and I started to feel detached from my body.

"Should I go run and get a human?" Aness asked, sounding slightly frightened. From far away I felt myself wonder why she seemed to be afraid.

"No, we don't have enough time. Her eyes are almost a full red. Get everyone out. Now." I heard a door slam close, and people protesting loudly from behind it. A high pitched giggle escaped my throat, and a craze started to tear at my mind. "Listen Tammy, I'm gonna let you feed from me alright?" Duke said, his words sweet and cooling the burn for a short moment.

I heard a snap, and then the smell. It filled my senses until all I could think about was the blood. The yummy, delicious blood. I latched onto Dukes bleeding arm, the blood sliding like chocolate into my mouth. A bomb exploded within me, one that screamed Duke. I felt as if we were only one person, and I knew Duke felt the same. Our bodies rubbed against one another, creating a swarm of passionate heat. I wanted; no I needed him to be closer to me.

Duke. His name repeated within my head, over and over again, a beautiful song I would never tire of.

'Tammy...' The voice broke through my heated thoughts, like a sharp knife to my brain. 'Tammy, let go of him! Now! You've punctured his brachial artery, which means that right now he's dying. Even an Amatores Sanguinis cannot easily survive a puncture to the arteries. The blood flow is too fast for it to heal. Let go of Dukes arm, now!' My head snapped off of Dukes arm, immediate coldness freezing my body.

Dukes eyes were extremely glazed, his arm steadily pouring blood onto what was probably a clean white carpet beforehand. He started to get up from the floor, but heavily fell back onto the carpet.

"Tammy," he slurred, his hand clumsily reaching out to me. Fear raced through my body as I laced my fingers through his, still watching the blood fall from his arm.

"I'm right here Duke," I murmured, feeling warmth return to me as I clasped his hand tightly. "I'm so sorry, I should've gotten a human before the Coronation."

"Don't be sorry, that was amazing." Duke sighed contently, a small smile on his face as he closed his eyes tiredly.

'You have to use the Energy to help him Tammy. Right now, that's the only way. He's got maybe minutes left until his blood runs out.' The familiar bell like voice pulled and tugged at my brain, her words repeating again and again. Minutes, he's only got minutes!

'I want to! I want to use the Energy, but I don't know how to!' I yelled back in my head, tuning my ears to the slowly fading sound of Dukes heartbeat. Bump. Pause. Bump. Longer pause. Bump. Even longer pause. Each second his heartbeat seemed to be getting slower, and I felt more fear fill me. He looked to so peaceful, lying there with his eyes closed as if asleep, but he wasn't asleep. He was dying.

Suddenly, as if called to by my thoughts, my eyes unfocused and the world came into bright focus. Energy was floating in the air, white fuzz that immediately rushed into my body as if prompted by some unknown force. I forced it all out of me and into Duke, feeling as though I weighed thousands of pounds the second it left.

"Heal him." I said, my command a tired whisper.

It took only a minute before the Energy started to work, and Duke stopped bleeding. His arm healed, and a snore erupted from his mouth. When he awoke, he'd definitely be extremely hungry. Considering how much blood he lost...well I might have to bring him two humans.

I started to pick him up, then fell onto the floor beside him. Yeah, probably not the smartest idea to have given him all my energy cause now I can barely move. "Aness..." I called out, my voice still no louder than a whisper. Still though she heard me, and appeared by my side within seconds. "Aness, bring humans for when Duke wakes up...and please do something to get us on a bed."

Aness nodded, and then put one arm on Duke and one on me. "Cedo," she said, and blackness clouded my vision. When it evaporated, I was lying atop a beautiful king size bed with Duke still sleeping soundly beside me.

"How did you-" I started, but Aness interrupted me her eyes lit up with amusement.

"Magick." The word sent a stirring deep within my soul that gave off waves of excitement and wonder. "You will soon learn things like that, although that was just a simple spell. It will be one of the first ones Duke will teach you. All royals are required to learn magick as part of their education. Duke will teach you everything you need to know as Queen. He'll teach you magick, horseback riding, fighting, etiquette, and much more that I cannot get into at this time. Now sleep darling, your eyes are drooping. Next time, I suggest you keep some of the Energy for yourself."

Before I could ask Aness how she knew about the Energy I'd given away, or Energy in general, I fell into the soft arms of sleep.

\---

My eyes opened to the familiar blackness, the blackness that I'd come from not long ago. The blackness that he was in, the mysterious man with the golden eyes. This dream felt different though, I don't know how but it did. I felt more in control of, of well everything.

"That is because you are in control," a voice, the voice, his voice, said from the corner. It sounded different, not its normal deepness, richness, but raspy as though it has been without food and water for a long time. "You are seeing me as I really am. Or rather, you are hearing me as I am. They do not feed me often here, so my power is slowly diminishing. I wonder though, I wonder how you managed to invade the protections I have set around myself."

His golden eyes looked sharply at me, sending a shiver down my spine. Something told me that being on his bad side, well it wasn't fun. Thoughts flitted throughout my mind, one staying constant. Who was he? And if I was in control, did that mean I was able to make him do what I wanted him to do? "I-I don't know. I was just like really, really tired so I fell asleep. Then I woke up and I was here. But what did you mean when you said that I was in control? Aren't I always?"

He laughed, a sharp bark that seemed forced out of his cherry red lips. "No you are not always in control. In fact, you are never in control. I am the one who brings you into the dreams, and so I am the one who controls them. But somehow, somehow you pushed your way here. Somehow you found your way to me in spirit, and so now you are in full control of what is said and done in this dream."

I felt a lightness fill my body, and a small smile tugged at the corners of my lips. If I was in control of everything, then I could make him tell me the truth right? I could make him tell me who the hell he was, because this not knowing was bugging the crap out of me.

"Oh, uh, okay. So then, tell me who you are," I demanded, the command tasting sour on my tongue. The man twitched, his eyes clearly showing the battle he was fighting to keep control. I repeated my command with more insistence this time, staring right into the man's bright gold eyes.

"My name-my-name-is-" a gasp escaped his mouth and his eyes flashed red for a moment. I saw the fight within him continue as he forced his body to not let go of its secrets. Secrets I now knew that I had to know. The need to know feeling kept pushing at me until a thought blasted its way through the confusion that was my mind.

Red eyes. He had to be an Amatores Sanguinis! But, I'd have to actually see more than his eyes. I'd have to see him, because something told me that if I saw him I would know who he was. My eyes closed and I imagined sunlight pouring in as though through a window, and immediately felt warmth fill up the room.

When I opened my eyes, everything was bright and in view, including the man. He had honey blonde hair covering his head in a dirty tangle, and tan skin that under normal circumstance would probably have been soft and perfect looking, but now looked nothing more than tired.

A chill filled my body, and I shook my head from side to side. I don't know how I didn't figure it out earlier. It was obvious, who else could it be? The memory floated unwillingly into my mind, something Duke had said but hadn't really stuck to my mind.

'He stunned the woman, my mother included, with his tales of the world and his looks. He had thick blonde hair that went to his shoulder, tan skin, and golden eyes. Still today, he's the only man I've ever met with golden eyes'.

It should have been obvious the moment I saw his eyes. Duke had said that no one else had gold eyes, and yet this man did.

Maybe-maybe it's not him...he's supposed to be dead. I shook the thought from my head. I could tell with my whole being that this was him, and there was no point in wasting my time to try and deny it.

Whoever told Duke that he was dead, they'd lied. Because Dracul was most definitely alive.

Finding Him

Dracul lifted his head as if he just noticed the light, and looked at me with anger deep within his eyes. Dracul, the man who had killed Duke's mother, the man who had obviously hurt Duke too much for him to want to admit.

"How do you know who I am?" he demanded, his voice rough and filled with fury. "You have never met me other than when I saw you in your dreams. How do you know who I am?"

Tears threatened to escape my eyes as fear gripped tightly at my heart. This man, he was capable of anything. He was the First after all, and didn't that automatically mean he was like extremely powerful? "Duke told me about you," I whispered, biting my lip nervously. Dracul's eyes were starting to glow Red again. "But how did you know who I was? You're supposed to be dead!"

Dracul's head snapped toward me, a feral snarl erupting from his mouth. "That is the lie they are feeding him? I am not dead. They are keeping me captive; if I even try to escape I am shot. It is easy to recover from the shots, but it takes blood that they barely supply me with. I don't have the energy to leave now. And you-well you know how I know you. Is it not obvious? Think of the prophecies."

The revelation was quick to come, and a gasp escaped my mouth. "You wrote the prophecies, didn't you? That's how you know all about what the Lucis and Ater Council are planning." I exclaimed, the fear turning into wonder. "You can see into the future?"

Dracul looked at me with guarded eyes, his lips pursed as if debating in his mind about something. Apparently he deemed me good enough to share whatever was going on in his mind, because he nodded. "That is one way of putting it. But I would rather call it by its true name. I am a tempus viator, as are you."

"Uh sorry, but latin isn't a language I speak. What does tempus viator mean?" I asked, the words sending a spark throughout my body. I wonder why I had such an effect to latin words, I mean really they weren't that special. At least as far as I knew they weren't that special.

"Tempus viator means time traveler. We are both travelers in time. Actually, you and I are the only time travelers ever to be," Dracul said, his voice matter of fact. My mouth dropped, my eyes no doubt open as wide as they can be.

"What do you mean we're the only time travelers? There has to be more out there! And-" I stopped short, feeling a warmth radiating throughout my body. No that couldn't be good. Guilt flooded me, attacking from all sides until I felt on the verge of exploding. I shouldn't be here talking to Dracul. He ruined Duke's life, Duke whom I loved more than anyone else. "I have to go." My voice was emotionless as I got up from the dirty cement ground.

"What do you mean you have to go? Yes, this is not how I planned on you learning my identity, but now that you have I have much to tell you. Although I admit that it would be much easier if I was no longer trapped. The things I could tell you, the things I could show you..." Dracul's voice sounded wistful as he talked, his golden eyes faraway.

I felt myself falling into his spell, lightness taking up my whole being. "I know you are afraid of me, as you should be. I did many things I now regret. But in my time trapped here, I recovered important parts of myself. I need you to see them so that you believe me when I say that you have to rescue me from this prison. When you awake, I need you to ask Time to take you to me, take you to me right before I became this," Dracul said, and it sounded almost like he was pleading.

Men like him, leaders, they aren't supposed to plead. They're supposed to just get what they want without having to work for it. But he was pleading, and damn he even said that he regrets the things he did. Does that mean that maybe...just maybe he's no longer the monster who had hurt Duke so badly? The guilt pulled at me again, rooting me to the ground with painful swipes. I wasn't supposed to be thinking thoughts like these. I was supposed to despise this man, but yet I couldn't do it. I couldn't force myself to despise him.

I don't know why, but I felt connected to him. Maybe it was because he turned Duke, so technically his blood was in me right now, but I felt...warm around him. Once more the guilty claws hit, and I winced inwardly. I wasn't supposed to be thinking these thoughts about anyone but Duke.

"Time doesn't listen to me," I blurted out, then sighed. Okay, obviously my body was not going to listen to me today.

Dracul chuckled, a deep and full chuckle that sent prickles up my legs. "You have to listen to Time, only then will Time listen to you," he answered back, and I rubbed at my head with annoyance.

"More cryptic shit? Why can't you people ever give me anything straight!" I raked my fingers through my hair in frustration, fighting the urge to punch the thick wall that I was leaning on. Dracul's eyes turned a bright red, and he grabbed me tightly by the wrist. I squeaked, feeling the fear that had evaporated before come back full swing. My body tensed up, my arm aching from how tight he was holding it.

As if sensing my fear, the Red faded from Dracul's eyes and he stepped away looking ashamed of himself. "I'm sorry, I cannot seem to control the Red when you are around. I thought I had tamed it completely, but I guess not." I could tell his body was tight, even if I couldn't see much of it with all the rags he wore as clothing, and I wanted so badly to just massage away the pain. But then I looked down at the bruises on my wrist, and thought better of that idea.

"I wish-Tammy I wish that I could help you more, but I honestly cannot. Time works in it's own ways, and just when you think you have it all figured out...it turns around and bites you. I feel the dream fading Tammy, I just need to tell you one thing. Do not ever Travel more than twice a day. Promise me you won't." Dracul was begging again, and I wondered why he seemed to care so much for me.

"I promise." I heard myself say. "But why?"

"Because it is said that when you Travel the third time in one day without rest, you will forever be stuck in Time," he answered back, then he disappeared from the dream without so much as a goodbye.

\---

I woke up with a gasp, my heart racing. Duke was still sleeping soundly beside me, and so I made sure when I got up that I was quiet. My eyes immediately went to my wrist, and I felt no surprise as I saw two purple bruises on my arm, shaped like fingers. Dracul's fingers. They healed within seconds though, neglecting to take with them the warm feeling I got in my stomach when I thought of Dracul. I looked around the room to try and get my mind off him, noticing that we were in a lavish bedroom full of obvious delicates. Everything looked so fragile, I was afraid to touch anything in fear of breaking it.

Two female humans were asleep on separate cots beside Duke and my bed; their eyes glazed and mouth slack. Both had plain faces with blonde hair, obviously twins, and wore white nightdresses. They looked like druggies, all though I assumed they were. But instead of being addicted to Cocaine, Meth, or other drugs, they were addicted to Amatores Sanguinis bites. If I was a human I'd probably be addicted too, I mean even for us it was like heaven in a person. So yummy.

Duke groaned, and I ran over to his bedside. "Are you alright? Are you awake? Are you thirsty?" The questions tumbled out, my fear for him outweighing the guilt I felt for feeling...things about Dracul.

"Thirsty..." he whispered, his eyes changing from grey to red, to grey and then back to red. I picked up a human, glad that my energy had returned, and then ran back beside Duke.

"Here. And there's another one over there." I chewed my lip, my stomach turning as I listened to myself. God, I talked like humans were nothing! What happened to me? Disgust at myself weaved itself into me, and I frowned. I really was turning into a monster, wasn't I? I couldn't even try to deny it, because what I just said proved it.

I didn't even notice how Duke had started feeding until the moans of pleasure got loud enough to disturb my thinking. That's also when I noticed that Duke feeding on another girl, it made me jealous. And pissed off too. I was supposed to be the one feeding on him, and him well...He couldn't feed on me cause that wouldn't turn out so well.

The moans grew louder and louder until I couldn't take it anymore and stormed out of the room, straight into an obviously pissed off Aness.

"What do you mean you can't deliver? Of course you can!" she yelled into the phone, her wings tinged with black. "You better deliver or I swear to-" Aness cut off when she saw me, her eyes wide as saucers.

"No uh-go ahead. I'm just moving past, sorry." I stammered, and then rushed away so Aness could continue her yelling in private. I ran past halls that shimmered with color, begging me to stop and stare. But I didn't have time to stop because I needed to get out of the castle, and now.

I felt like the walls were closing in on me, making it impossible to breathe. So many things happening, I just needed a break! I needed to stop and just let go of all my fears, let go of everything that was causing me so much stress! But I knew before I did that, I had to get someone to tell me why the hell Dracul was locked up. That thought made me skid to a stop, and turn around to run back to Aness. She would have the answers, she had to! And if she didn't, well then hopefully she would know someone who would. If not-no I wouldn't think of the if not's, only the wills.

I ran back where I'd just came from, still wanting to get out of the castle and breathe but ignoring the feeling.

When I arrived back where Aness had just moments ago been screaming into her phone, I noticed that Aness's wings were back to their pure gold, no black marring the edges. That must mean she was no longer angry, and thank God cause her angry was a little scary.

"Aness, I have a question." I blurted out before I could think about what I was doing. She nodded, and so I told her everything about the dream I'd just had from figuring out that the man was Dracul to the feelings she felt with him.

"Please, I need to know, do you know what he's talking about? I have to listen to Time before it will listen to me. What does that mean?" I felt tears forming, and hated myself for being weak. Wasn't being an Amatores supposed to make me stronger? Cause it seems the only thing it's making me is weaker than a pile of hay.

"I don't, I'm sorry Tammy. But, before you say anything, I think I know someone who will know something. Follow me." Aness moved quickly, not even looking back to make sure I was actually following her.

We went through the same halls I'd gone through before, and down stairs I hadn't noticed on my run to find a way outside. Deeper and deeper we went down, until my teeth were chattering hard enough to break from the coldness of the air.

To distract myself of the cold, I looked around at my surroundings. All I saw though was dirt. Dirt stairs and dirt walls. That's all that made up the area that seemed to never stop going down. "Uh Aness are we almost there?" I asked between the chattering of my teeth. I rubbed my arms up and down my arms to try and get the goosebumps to leave, although it did nothing.

"Yes, in fact we are there right now!" she exclaimed, staring at a wall with pride. A dirt wall. With nothing on it.

"Aness...I'm sorry to break it to you, but there's nothing here." My voice was soft as if I was afraid of breaking her, but she just laughed.

"Oh Tammy, I've forgotten how young you are. Here let me help you, you have to look with your mind not your eyes. Close your eyes alright, and just let go of everything that holds you to this world. Let go of all your worry, your pain, your stress, let it all go." I did what Aness said, her words soothing me and making the letting go easier. When I opened my eyes again a bronze door appeared on the wall, inscribed with foreign lettering. It glowed with the same light as Aness, and felt warm and comforting.

"Good job Tammy, now come with me," she said, and opened the door. My heart stopped, and my whole body dropped to the ground. Damn, this would definitely hurt later on that much was for sure, I thought before feeling blackness take over my vision.

\---

I was floating through blackness, my sense of time completely gone. It felt like hours, day, even years were passing by. Memories tangled within me, though they were nothing more than blurs of the past. I wondered where I was, and what happened that stuck me in this place. Was I dead? My thoughts floated lazily around me, and I giggled. If this was heaven, I liked it. It was so calm, so warm. The blackness wrapped around me, setting me into a cocoon of comfort.

I continued to float, worrying about nothing, wondering about nothing. That is, until his voice pushed through. 'Tammy, you have to wake up. If you do not you will be stuck in this limbo forever. It may be comfortable now, but it will not stay like this forever. Your memories and senses will soon come back, and you will see this area for what it truly is. You have to wake yourself up. Now!' The voice sent a warm tingle throughout my body, and another giggle popped from my mouth.

'I don't want to leave,' I thought back, and smiled. I never wanted to leave.

'I know you do not, but you soon will. Listen to me Tammy, you have to wake yourself up. If you do not, you will never be able to get back.' My smile quickly turned into a frown and I felt my annoyance build. Whoever this was, he was ruining the comfort, the warmth I'd just been feeling. His voice was still sending tingles up and down my body, but I was starting to feel things come alive around me.

Fear started to crawl up my spine, and nausea blossomed. Suddenly I felt the need to get out, I had to get out. The darkness didn't look so peaceful anymore; in fact it was starting to take on a really scary quality. Shapes were starting to appear, shadows that danced at the edges of my vision. Each one had a different face, each one looked so lost, so terrified, so sad, it shook me to my core.

I felt myself sucking in their emotions more and more as I stared into their bottomless grey eyes. Sadness, terror, pain, all their feelings soaked up into me and creating a tornado inside my body.

'Tammy! Stop, please stop! Do not look into their eyes alright? That will worsen their effect, and then you will become as they are. Just-just listen to my voice. Listen to my voice, listen to me damn it, and-and pull yourself out of this place!'

The voice pushed through all the feelings swirling inside of me, holding me in place so I didn't follow the urge to speed towards the shadows. I needed to be by them, I had to be by them.

"Yes, come to us Tammy. Join us, and you will never again have to return to the filthy human world," one of the shadows said, his voice like sharp metal against a chalkboard. I flinched, my hands involuntarily going to my ears.

The hold that the shadows seemed to have grabbed on me wavered, and I looked away. What I saw made a gasp fly out of my mouth, and pure, complete terror build up again.

Grey and black were the only visible colors, but that wasn't what had scared me. No, what I was seeing was much worse. I had landed in what could only be described as another world, and everything was twisted, seeming to be almost leaning towards me. The trees looked as if close to grabbing me with their branches, the grass looked as if going to impale me, and even the flowers looked deadly. Whatever the shadows had done to me before was completely gone now, and I knew without a doubt in my mind I was done with distractions. I was leaving, now.

'How do I pull myself out?' I yelled desperately in my mind, hoping and praying that whoever had been speaking in my head was listening.

I saw everything creeping closer to me, including the shadows, and felt tears build up in my eyes. If my question wasn't answered soon, I sure as hell wasn't coming out here ever again. I hugged my legs to my chest, rocking back and forth with my eyes shut tight. If I was going to die, I definitely didn't want to see it happen.

'Close your eyes, and seek out with your minds eye for where ever your body was supposed to land. Then imagine waking up in that exact area.' The voice finally answered back, a mere whisper in my head.

I did what he said, although my eyes were already closed, and looked out with my mind. I saw myself standing in the tunnel as Aness opened the door, and saw myself drop to the floor and then get sucked into the blackness. Aness smiled, her wings turning black, and ran into the open door, landing in a beautiful ethereal landscape. It looked almost fairy-tale like, with a huge white castle and rich green lands.

Fey were flying above the greens, laughing and talking amongst one another, their faces just as ethereal as the landscape. I imagined myself in the green land, lying there as if sleeping soundly and then slowly opening my eyes.

A rush filled my ears, and then laughter. The same laughter I'd just heard seconds ago in the land Aness had popped into. My eyes snapped open, and I looked around. Yep, whoever was in my head and told me what to do was right. A laugh bubbled out my mouth, sounding slightly crazy, and I felt lightheaded. I wasn't in that horrible place anymore, thank god.

"There you are!" Aness said, her eyes showing the relief she felt at finding me. "I've been looking all over for you! You just fell and then got sucked into the door! I wasn't sure if that was what always happened when someone other than a Fey used the Doors." Aness continued to ramble on, but I ignored her so I could look among the much more interesting place I'd landed in.

"Where are we Aness?" I asked, interrupting her ongoing talking. My gaze was fixed on the Fey that flew above me in beautiful twists and turns, and I felt a longing to be beside them as they flew.

"We're in the Seelie Court!" Her voice was proud as she helped me up, her smile wide. "I'm taking you to meet...someone, because well-well she'll know how to help you." Aness grabbed my hand tightly in hers, making me notice how her hands had no temperature to them. It was like they were just there, nothing more, nothing less.

She then proceeded to rise, me rising right beside her. "Holy shit!" The words popped out of my mouth before I could stop them, and I saw many Fey give me a dirty look. Oops.

But that was quickly forgotten as we flew, my eyes glued to the colors and forms that passed below us. Trees thick with fruits of all different colors, lakes a sparkling clear blue, and Fey with their wings that hypnotized me with their beauty.

We flew and flew, until our destination was clear. The castle, Aness was taking me to the castle. There weren't any doors in the castle, just wide, open windows the same color white as the bricks. We flew into one of the windows, landing in a room holding just one thing. Or technically three. A throne made entirely of diamonds that sparkled and shone with each turn of the head, a male Fey that was built like a linebacker and looked at me as if I was a threat, and a woman sitting atop the throne. She had thick blonde hair piled delicately atop her head, and her whole face looked sharp. Her eyes were a dark green, and her wings golden. She looked extremely familiar, and it took me only a second to figure out why.

"Hello Aness," the woman said, her tone slightly humorous as she said Aness's name.

Aness started to fidget, pulling at her green dress as if it wasn't already perfect. Finally she looked up and into the woman's eyes with a face devoid of any emotion. "Hello...hello mother."

The Seelie Court

Okay, so I sort of already knew it what with them both looking a lot alike, but it still felt like a shock. I mean would you have guessed that Aness was pretty much a princess, when she technically worked for me? I kind of assumed she was abandoned at birth, because she had the whole against the world vibe radiating off of her. Obviously I was wrong.

The only major difference between the two, was how cold and dark the Seelie Queen looked. Wasn't she supposed to be all light and goodness? I mean Seelie did mean good, right?

"I assume you came here for a reason?" the Queen asked, her voice spiking needles throughout my brain and interrupting my train of thoughts.

"Y-yes mother. We have a question for you." Aness looked pale, sweat gathering at her forehead as she looked at her mother. Her hands were shaking, and I wondered why she was so afraid of this woman.

"Well then, you know there is always a price, but we will get to that after I hear the question. I assume it is you, young Amatores, who wants to know the questions answer?" Suddenly I figured out why Aness was so pale, why she was shaking so much. Once the Queens attention was on you, it felt like thousands of voices were screaming in your head, and you just wanted to go to her and never leave.

"Uh-uh yes," I mumbled out, fighting against the urge to run to the Queen. It took everything I had just to talk to her, and that scared me. What was wrong with me? "I want-wanted to know wh-what this meant. Some-someone told me, I-I had to listen to time be-before it would-would listen to me. Do-do you know what-what that means?" Sweat gathered on my hands, sweat tinted the color pink, as I forced the words out through the block of fear lodged in my throat.

The Queens eyes blazed, and I felt myself shrink slightly away, waves of fear flowing throughout my body. She grabbed me, her hands burning me as it touched my skin, and she looked at me with a fury that I could feel all the way to my soul.

"Who told you that?" she asked, each word making a tiny scream erupt in my head. It felt like thousands of bees were stinging my head, and I wanted so badly to scream aloud, but something to told me that would do nothing. "Who told you that?"

The words were out of my mouth before I could think of holding them back, his name sending a bolt of warmth throughout my body. "Dracul." My voice was nothing more than a whisper, hoarse as if I'd actually yelled outside my head.

The Queen let go of me, pushing me to the ground, and I scrambled as far from her as possible. As soon as her eyes went to Aness's, I sagged against the cold marble wall, the weight of her gaze immediately disappearing. Air rushed into my mouth and I sucked it in gratefully, having not been aware that I hadn't been breathing.

"Why did you take this abomination to my castle?" she yelled, and I felt pink tears glide down my face. Her voice was so painful to listen to, yet so alluring at the same time. I felt myself swaying against the wall, a battle raging within me.

"Mother-" Aness gasped out, her face turning slightly blue as if starved of oxygen. "Mother, we just need an answer!" The Queens gaze broke from Aness's, and went back to me. My eyes locked with hers, and I felt the shivers erupt on my body once again, and more tears fell.

"You want the answer? Why not just ask him yourself?" she asked cruelly, then motioned to the guard. "Take her to the Fire." My eyes widened, because even if I didn't know what that was, it sent a ripple throughout my body that was filled with pain. Yeah-this wasn't going to be fun.

The guard picked me up, leaving Aness on the ground with her mother and flying out the window it felt like we'd entered years ago. "What-what is the Fire?" My voice was hesitant as I looked at the gruff-faced guard, but he just ignored me and continued to fly. His wings were a dark burgundy, his eyes the same color. I wondered if maybe he couldn't talk, I mean he hadn't said a word while I was in the throne room so maybe he was incapable of speech. That'd definitely suck.

I shut up the rambling in my head so I could focus on where the linebacker was taking me. It took me a second to notice that in all the chatter going on in my head, I'd failed to notice the Fae covering my eyes with some thick material. "What the fuck?" I yelled, clawing at my eyes but unable to get the material off. "Why is there shit on my eyes?" My voice came out as a growl, but still I received no answer. Finally I couldn't take it anymore and started to kick and punch at the Fae who was holding me. Not a great idea, because he then proceeded to drop me, allowing me to fall...and fall...and fall. I wished I could see, because the fall felt never ending.

The only thing I was aware of was the ever present smell of something burning. I couldn't place what exactly was burning, but I knew it was something. It was weird though, I didn't really feel any fear as I fell although I knew I should've been feeling fear. I mean how normal is it to be falling an unending fall and not feel any fear? But it was like it had all just evaporated into the air.

Well, until I landed on my ass on some hard flooring. Some really familiar hard flooring. As I rubbed my sore butt, waiting for it to heal so I could get up, the material fell off my eyes revealing itself to be iron, what the hell? Why was iron wrapped around my eyes? But that thought quickly flitted away as I caught sight of my surroundings. I was in the room. The one I'd dreamed about so often lately. The one that wasn't a dream anymore, cause I was damn sure that right now I was in reality.

"Dracul?" I called out tentatively, the room bright with my amazing Amatores eyesight.

A huddle I hadn't noticed stirred and then popped up, Dracul revealing himself with a snarl. Quickly though the snarl was replaced by a look of shock, and his mouth dropped open. "Tammy? What the-you are not supposed to be here." His voice was a mixture of surprise and awe, though what he was in awe of I had no idea.

"Yeah I hadn't really planned on being here. The Seelie Queen kind of told her-uh-her guard I guess, to just plop me in here. Not exactly part of my plan." I shrugged as if it meant nothing, when really I was freaking out down to my core. I was standing in front of Dracul! Dracul, the First of us all, Dracul, the one who tore Dukes life to pieces, Dracul, the man who has been popping into my head a lot lately.

He looked confused though, his small nose wrinkled up and his eyebrows drawn together. "No, that makes no sense. This is not where the Seelie Queen resides. Her kingdom is nowhere near here, and even if it was...the Fire belongs to the Unseelie Queen." This time it was my turn for the mouth drop, because I mean really. He had to be kidding, right? I've read books where they had stories on the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, and the Unseelie Court was always bad. Always. So did that mean that Aness had lied to me? Did that mean she was really Princess of the Unseelie Court?

"What do you mean the Fire belongs to the Unseelie Queen? And-and what the hell is the Fire anyway?" I didn't mean to sound so harsh, but there was so much to take in. If what he was saying was true, then Aness had been lying to me, and that was-that was hard to swallow.

Dracul spread out his arms, looking at the small cage-like area we were standing in. When I looked down there was only blackness, and I knew there'd be no ceiling if I looked up. If there was a ceiling then I definitely wouldn't be down here right now. "This is the Fire. Don't touch the bars, I'm warning you. They are what gave this place the name. They're literally made of fire, and so if you touch them...well let me just say from personal experience that it hurts a lot." Dracul grimaced, staring at his flawless hand like he could still feel the pain.

"Oh...that makes sense then." I sighed, stretching my arms out and still feeling a little pain in my butt area. Damn I'm surprised it hadn't shattered down there, cause that fall was obviously really far down. A thought struck me, making me chew softly on my lips. If I'd been a human, well there'd have been no way in hell I would've made that fall alive. I would've been broken into a billion pieces.

"So I assume the Queen sent you down here for a reason?" Dracul asked, his smile easy as he looked at me. My eyes went up and down, surveying him against my will. He was bronze colored, his hair the same honey brown but now more thick and perfect, his lips were a cherry red and they were full, kissable lips. I shook the thought from my head, repeating the word Duke as if his name was a mantra.

"Yes she-I-well, okay I went to her to try and figure out what you meant. You know, when you said that I had to listen to Time before it would listen to me. So I asked her, and she freaked out and I ended up here." I sounded calm and collected as I went over the memory, and I was surprised at how well I was able to hide the freak out going on in my body. I mean I'd just thought that Dracul's lips were kissable! Totally. Not. Okay.

"I am not surprised. The Unseelie Queen has harbored some bad feelings for me recently, as you can tell by me being in the Fire. I admit that it was part my fault, but she can be quite unreasonable at times. The Queen has probably harbored some bad feelings for you as well, and well-let's just say that it might take some time for anyone to reach you. The Fire is hidden amazingly well, and has wards and spells up to protect it from anyone not wanted nearby." A tingle flowed throughout me as he said the word spells, and I distantly wondered why that happened. What was so great about spells?

"What do you mean it might take some time for anyone to reach me?" I asked slowly, my jaw aching from how tight I held it. I had to get back; I mean I'd just been labeled Queen for gods sake!

"Well, simple, you won't be able to get home for some time. And so while we are waiting, I have the perfect idea on what we can do. I am going to train you in cultivating your powers so you can easily travel through Time. I will teach you all the different things you can do while in Time too, and I will teach you other things that no one else can." Dracul smiled again, the smile that seemed to be making a habit of making my heart skip a couple hundred beats.

"What do you mean? What do you possibly have that you can teach me?" I asked, my lips pursed. The tingles went up and down my body and I wanted to shake them off because I wasn't supposed to tingle for Dracul! Duke, Duke, and only Duke was supposed to give me this feeling.

Dracul seemed to not notice the fight going on within me, because he gave me no weird looks or no comments on it. "I will show you one thing, and trust me you will not regret seeing it. Hold my hand please," he said, stretching out his perfect, beautiful, tan hand. Before I could tell myself no, my hand went out and met his and I flinched because of the heat that pressed itself into me from him. Dracul just gripped my hand tighter though, and then closed his eyes. He started to mutter words that made no sense to me, just gibberish to my ears. They were obviously some language, and I assumed it was Latin since that was the language every other damn person in the world seemed to speak.

Before I could continue my rage in my head though, the world started swirling and colors starting blazing in front of me. Dracul still held onto my hand, but I no longer saw him. I only saw a white light in the shape of him, with black speckles spread throughout. When I looked down at my hands they looked exactly like Dracul's, bright and pure white light but with blood red speckles instead of black ones. I wasn't sure if that was good or bad, but prayed to whatever God or Goddess that was up there, that it was good.

"What is this?" I asked in awe, and I could literally see the sound waves coming out of my mouth, in a brilliant ocean blue.

"This is the gateway to Time," Dracul answered back, his sound waves the same ocean blue as mine. He looked around, and tugged me softly forward. "You normally just pass by it because Time takes you, but I have lived billions of years on Earth, and have learned how to master Time. Right now you are seeing our Soul Color. Everyone has one, although on the Earth Plane ours is the only white ones. Now follow me, we're about to enter Time."

We walked forward through the colors, toward a huge gate that was colored a forest green. Dracul walked right up to it and muttered a couple more words in the unknown language, and I watched as the gates started to open. Behind them was the swirl of Time I'd gotten so used to in the past couple weeks, and I smiled at the memories. Yeah they weren't all good, but hello I can go back in time! That's just plain awesome. A giggle escaped my mouth, and Dracul looked at me oddly but said nothing.

He pulled me into the gate, and I felt my soul try to drift away from his and toward different parts of time that called to me, but I stayed by his side. If he had to show me something, well I wanted to see it. The pictures from Time drifted passed us as we went further and further back, and I felt fear build up in my body. Or my Soul. Or my Spirit. Whatever it was called.

"Uh-Dracul...Where are we going?" I asked, a shiver going down my back. I know there was no reason to truly be scared, but we were going back and back, and we still haven't stopped! I mean was that safe?

"To the beginning," was all he said, the continued to scan Time as it passed. I watched him, unable to stop the heat that built in my body from how close he was to me. "Here we are, the beginning of it all." Dracul smiled, putting a hand up and placing it on a bright picture of...well of white, only white. But the white was so pretty, so calming that a goofy smile played on my lips as I was pulled into Time. Into his Time.

\---

I rolled to the ground, further hurting my sore ass and my hand still tightly grasped in Dracul's. The pain was instantly forgotten though as I looked at the mesmerizing sight before me. I was standing on a clear floor with a full view of the world; yes I mean the whole entire world, below me. There were bright flowers blooming different colors from fuchsia to brown, and trees that seemed to go up forever. In the distance I could see a castle that put even the Feys' castle to shame.

Dracul lightly squeezed my hand, and pointed at the castle. "That's where we're headed," he murmured, his eyes lighting up with happiness. I felt a smile form on my face, and a laugh popped out.

"It's so beautiful!" I spread my arms out, spinning around in delight. My eyes closed slowly, and I felt Dracul put his hands on my waist and tug me towards him.

"Just wait till you see the castle in full view, it's amazing." I smiled again and we started to walk forward, a spring in both our steps.

His Past

My mouth dropped and a gasp spilled out as I looked at the castle. I'd never seen anything so beautiful, so amazing. The castle was made of gold, glass mosaic windows depicting pictures of intricate battles. Gold colored turrets rose into the blue sky, and a glass bridge stood over a crystal clear lake filled with fish. Oddly I noticed how there wasn't a door, just an entryway into the castle. I started to pull Dracul forward, but he stayed rooted to his spot.

"C'mon Dracul, let's go in!" I said, my voice full of pure joy. I don't think I'd ever been this happy in my life, but I couldn't help it. Being here in this place just felt right for some reason.

"I cannot go in. You-you have to go in by yourself." Dracul's face looked so sad and lost, and I felt terrible feeling this amazing joy when he was feeling so obviously depressed.

"Why can't you go in?" I asked quietly, keeping my hand tightly clasped in Dracul's.

"I-You will see soon. When you walk in, look for the path that stays golden. There you will find the answers to the questions that you seek." I nodded, still confused, and walked forward hesitantly. I felt bad going in by myself when I could almost feel Dracul's pain, but he said there was a reason so I might as well find out what that reason is.

I bit my lip as I walked over the bridge, watching the golden fish jump out of the water every minute or so. It felt wrong walking across the bridge by myself, as if it was made for two. I paused at the middle of it and looked back, but Dracul had turned around and was staring out into the distance, his stance rigid.

"Go Tammy, I will stay here," he called back, and I nodded even though I knew he couldn't see me. I didn't even know if he was aware of me anymore, his shoulders had dropped and he started to sink to the ground as if something was pushing him down.

'Listen to him Tammy. You need to know this, you need to see this.' voice was just as sweet as before, slipping its way into my head. I knew that even if I wanted to, I couldn't fight her voice, once she started talking I had to listen. I just wanted to know who she was, and why she kept finding a way into my brain.

My feet continued down the bridge of their accord, and I felt myself go breathless as I stared at the castle. It was amazing before, but now I was closely enough to experience it all. I felt immediately at peace, and a light happiness filled me and dug itself into my soul.

A small smile played on my lips as I walked into the castle, feeling as if I belonged in it. Once I walked inside, I was greeted by hallways. Not one, but what looked like thousands, all different colors and all begging me to walk down them. One stood out among the others, although I don't really know if I could call it a hallway. It stood in the middle of the entryway, just a circular tile that was no more than three feet wide and long. It was beautiful though, shimmering in the light coming through from the open doorway. Every second it changed color, and I felt so enraptured by it. I didn't understand why though, I mean it was just a colorful tile on the otherwise bright white flooring. What made it so alluring?

'The gold Tammy. You are straying from the path that Dracul has sent you here on. Go to the gold hallway.' eyes were forced away from the tile, locking on the golden hallway immediately. It also shimmered in the light, but its shimmer was nothing compared to what I'd just seen.

I walked forward toward the hallway, feeling the intense desire to turn around and run to the tile. I would have, if only I could control what my feet did. I couldn't though, and so I just watched, detached, as I entered the dark, golden hallway. As soon as I walked inside it, everything flew into bright focus and I felt dizzy with the pressure thrumming throughout my body.

Voices drifted out of the closed doors I passed on my way down the hall, a mixture of voices that made me both nervous and itching to hurry my way forward.

"Sloane, my darling. I have called you here today dear, to help change the course of the Earth Plane." Her voice spun and wove around me, and I stopped in place. A tingling spread throughout my body, and my feet walked me into a bright golden room with high white pillars that went from floor to ceiling, and a large golden chair. Atop that chair sat a woman with beautiful blonde hair that went down to her hips, shining and gleaming in the light, and eyes of pure gold.

Her voice was like honey, pouring over me and warming my insides. In front of her on one knee was a man with golden hair like hers, his head bowed down slightly as if scared.

"What do I need to do?" A bolt zipped throughout my body and a gasp escaped my mouth. I knew that voice. It was-but I thought-this cannot be right.

"Who's there?" the woman yelled, her golden eyes scanning her room and locking on me in seconds. "Who are you?"

I tried to form words, but they wouldn't come out. First, whoever this person was, she was seeing me, which was definitely not supposed to happen. And second, Dracul was standing in front of her, his chest free of clothes and his bottom only covered by a dark pair of slacks. He growled, staring at me as if I was a threat.

"Dra-Dra-Dracul?" I whispered, my hand rising to my open mouth. What the hell was happening? How was Dracul standing in front of me, when he was just outside?

Draculs' eyebrows came together in confusion, and he looked up at the woman. "Who is Dracul?" Dracul asked her, his voice breathy as if just staring upon the woman was like seeing an angel. Jealousy burned its way into me, and I forced the Red away. Dracul could like who ever he wanted, it didn't matter because I loved Duke. As before, I repeated Duke's name as a mantra within my head, but this time it just barely worked. Definitely not good.

The woman turned away from me, her focus back on Dracul. "That is what I have asked you to come here and talk to me about. Sloane, I have a mission for you." Dracul smiled, his eyes lighting up when whomever this was talked to him. Why did she have such an effect on him? I mean she was pretty and stuff I guess, but that was all she had going for her.

"A mission? What kind of mission?" An ache spread throughout me as Dracul talked, and I felt myself wishing it were me, not the woman atop the chair, who was creating such happiness in him. I wanted to run over and shake some sense into him, but I knew that would do no good. It was as if they'd completely forgotten about me, so I just kept my ground and waited to see what would happen.

"Atiyana has decided that it is time a new world is created. She is having each Goddess and God contribute something. I would like to contribute you," the woman said, her smile serene as she looked down at Dracul. What felt like a bolt of lightning flew through me at the name, and I wondered who this Atiyana was. I was close to asking, but then thought better of it because I had a feeling that it would be better for me to stay forgotten.

"What do you mean? How would you contribute me?" Dracul asked, his voice soft. I had a feeling he would do anything for this women, this women who I assumed was a Goddess. What would that make Dracul? A God? I thought there was only one God though?

"Simple, I would transform you into a being. No longer would you be a small spirit, no I will send you down there and you will rule the world I have placed you in. You will have power beyond any other creatures dreams, able to bend the will of others to do your bidding, take the life force of those unwilling to follow your way, so many things you could do," the Goddess trailed off with a sigh, staring off as if imagining what was to be. My body trembled slightly, and I could almost swear that her eyes had turned black for just a moment.

"But, my Goddess, my beautiful Goddess, why did you choose me?" Dracul's voice shook as he looked up at the woman, his eyes still full with adoration for her.

"Because you my child are the strongest and most powerful of my spirits. You are the one I can trust more than any other to make my wish become a reality. I am trusting you, young Sloane, birthed from me, , to fall upon the new world and wreak havoc on the creations of the other Gods and Goddesses. Rule them my dear son." There it was again, the black was filling not only her eyes, but coating her body in a thick blanket of darkness.

My heart leapt to my throat as Dracul stepped forward, ready to fall into Cerridwen's open arms. "No!" The yell flew from my throat, startling everyone long enough for me to push Dracul away from the Goddess and pull him away with me.

He started to struggle against my hold, but he wasn't an Amatores yet and my strength was a hell of a lot more than his. A piercing scream came from within Cerridwen's room, and I had to fight the urge to cover my ears as I followed the hallway that would hopefully lead me back to the entrance of the castle.

"What are you doing?" Dracul asked me, his voice rough as he looked at me with pure hatred. "Take me back to her!"

I shook my head, not daring to speak in case Cerridwen heard. I could already feel people trailing all around us, albeit at a much slower pace, and I knew that if I made a sound, then they would be able to pinpoint our exact spot. 'Shut up! I know this seems weird, but trust me. Your Goddess...well something was screwed up about her. There was something dark surrounding her.' yelled into my head, and forced the thought to break through Draculs' weak mental barriers.

Dracul stumbled, grabbing onto his head as if a migraine had just hit him. Maybe I'd sent the thought a little too hard...but oh well. No time to feel guilty right now! I grabbed back onto Dracul's arm and continued to drag him along, almost picking him up to make him move faster. Thankfully, no more words fell from his lips.

Finally we were back in the entryway, and so I let go of Dracul, stepping slightly away to observe him up close. He looked the same as the one standing outside, although his blonde hair was down to his shoulders and shining brightly, instead of sort of shaggy as it was in my time.

"You can talk now Dracul, I have a feeling that your Goddess cannot go past her hallway. Is that true?" My voice was soft as I looked into his frightened eyes, and I felt hurt at the thought that he was scared of me. I would never do anything to him...I don't think I would ever be able to get myself to lift a finger against him.

"I am not who you are seeking. My name is Sloane, not Dracul. I know no such person by the name Dracul." I could tell he wasn't lying, but then why is he called Dracul now? That makes no sense at all.

My thoughts immediately dissipated once I saw light burst up from the center tile. Dracul, or rather Sloane I guess, grabbed onto my arm with wide eyes, his mouth dropped. I'd bet anyone a thousand dollars that as soon as he realized it was my arm he'd grabbed, he'd drop it just as quickly.

I felt a pressure similar to the one when I entered the golden hallway, and I felt my feet start toward the tile with Dracul/Sloane in tow. Damn, this name change would definitely take some getting used to.

"What's happening uh-Sloane?" I asked him, my voice trembling. The power was enormous, creating a vibration within my body that felt so pleasurable, so right.

"It is Atiyana," he answered back, looking at me with awe. "She is calling for you-for us." We stepped onto the tile circle, the bright light wrapping around us like rope and causing the breath to leave my mouth. I wanted to answer Sloane, ask him what he was talking about, but my lungs definitely did not have enough air to do so. Thank the Gods that breathing was no longer a necessity, that part of being Amatores definitely could come in handy...like now.

My eyes were forced closed as a wind encompassed us, and I was pushed tighter against Sloane. My hand clasped his, and I was surprised to feel him squeeze my hand softly.

I hated not knowing what was going on, but my damn eyes wouldn't listen to me and open! It seemed like lately, none of my body parts were on the listening end. My eyes, my legs, my heart...I shook the thought away immediately, not wanting to go there. I'd have to soon, but not now.

"Tammy, you may open your eyes now dear." The voice filtered in through my thoughts, a voice that was extremely familiar for some reason. My eyes snapped open, and I was surprised to see that I was standing beside Sloane in a room of pure crystals. Everything sparkled and sang for me to go to it, and it was like every color was a part of this room, and yet none was. "Welcome to my realm Tammy, care to have a seat?" My legs walked me toward a small crystal table with two short crystal chairs, and sat me down on it. I obviously still had no control.

I looked up, wanting to see the face of this voice, but saw nothing but an empty throne made of even more crystals. "Who are you?" I yelled into the emptiness, seeing Sloane stirring uncomfortably beside me. I don't know how he could be uncomfortable, everything in here just felt perfect! It felt like I was right where I needed to be, and I would easily stay here for years if I could.

"I am Atiyana, as you well know my dear. Now, I have called you here for many reasons, this boy being the first." Atiyana's voice was soft yet stern, alluring yet commanding.

Immediately I felt like I'd somehow done wrong by taking Sloane from Cerridwen. "I'm sorry..." I whispered, feeling tears build up in my eyes. "I had to take him though. Cerridwen was surrounded by something dark, something malicious. I had to save him before she gave the darkness to him!" I swiped at the pink tears that had escaped me, angry at myself for showing this kind of weakness.

"I know, my dear. I never said what you did was wrong, so do not cry. I am actually quite proud of you for reacting so quickly. This boy, well...I guess we could say that he was going to be used as a weapon. Cerridwen was going to use Sloane to bring destruction onto my new world."

Sloane stood up from the chair, a look of horror filling his face. "I had not realized, I was blinded by my love for her. I heard what she had said, but it had not registered and so it meant nothing." He fell to the ground, pulling at his hair with his hands. "I am sorry Atiyana."

A feeling of warmth filled the room, and I felt peace settle within me. "It is okay, dear Sloane. Cerridwen turned on me many centuries ago; I just had not wanted to see it. It is too late now though dear, she has already started the process of your transformation. I have brought you here though, to gift you with one thing." I felt a slight push at my back, and moved forward to stand beside Sloane. "My gift to you...is the ability to have a soul."

Sloane's eyebrows went up, his beautiful golden eyes widening slightly. "What is a soul?"

"Well my boy, it is what will reside in my creations. They will be called humans, the most wonderful of all creations. They will be shaped to look like the gods and goddesses, but without the powers we possess. They will have a mind, an incredible mind, which will allow them to be greater than any other. They will have a soul, a soul that allows them to feel guilt, pain, love. A soul that I have gifted to every creation. Cerridwen did not want to allow you to have a soul though, she wanted you to be a monster incapable of feelings."

My mouth dropped, and I dropped to the ground next to Sloane. "She is the one who gave us the Red. When we're Red, we're without our soul. But why does she want you to fail so badly?"

"That my darling...is a story for another visit. You must be going. Sloane, I wish for you to stay here for the time being, as I will gift you with your soul. Tammy, I do so think that someone outside the castle is waiting for you."

I nodded slightly, and then turned dejectedly toward where a dark wooden door had appeared. I hadn't even gotten to see what Atiyana looked like. It seemed like she didn't care at all though, a small wind pushing me forward that I knew came from her, and sweeping me back down to the original hallway, albeit a lot quicker this time.

When I walked out of the castle, Sloane/Dracul/whoever the hell he was, was waiting patiently right where I'd left him.

As soon as he caught sight of me, he jumped up from the grass and looked at me with a smile. "So, how'd it go?"

I snorted a laugh, my face twisted with annoyance. "I don't know Dracul, or sorry I forgot how your name is actually Sloane. So I correct myself, I don't know Sloane. I mean I met the real you, probably almost got killed by a Goddess, and met another Goddess who wouldn't show herself but seemed to be the one who held all the power."

Dracul's mouth dropped, his eyes widening. "You met Atiyana? She never bothers herself with talking to anyone other than a God or Goddess. She's always too busy doing one thing or another to control her universe, or at least that's what I have been told. And Tammy, I am no longer Sloane. I am Dracul now, so please....please call me Dracul."

My lips tightened into a thin line, and I nodded at Dracul. "You were with me when I met-you know what? Never mind, just...can we go back to our time? Our real time? I need-I need to find a way home. I need to go home! I miss my family, I miss my friends! This whole Amatores thing is too much pressure! I mean...God! My whole religion just got all screwed up over there! This is just-it's just too much..." I felt the tears building up, ready to fall out any second. I hated being so weak, so vulnerable, but it was just getting to be too much!

My whole world had gotten messed up, and I just wanted someone out there to see that I was only a teenager! I could only handle so much before I couldn't handle anything anymore. Before I finally let go, before I finally gave up.

"I understand Tammy, I understand exactly what you are saying. Before we go...can I tell you a story? It's the story of how I came to be the person I am now. The Amatores I am now," Dracul said, his voice soft as he looked upon me with bright, knowing eyes. I nodded once, still trying to keep the tears from falling, and so he began telling his story.

His Story

"I didn't know what was going on. I had woken up with no memories at all, just a burning pain that emerged from my throat the minute my eyes snapped open. I went days, just lying on bright green grass, trying to figure out where I was, who I was. Trying to figure out how to get the burn to go away. Finally, after maybe a week of feeling like I was going to combust from the fire and pain, an animal, I believe it was a deer, came to me. Instantly it was like I could feel what the deer was feeling, smelling the blood that ran through its veins in thick, heady waves.

Without thinking, I attacked and killed the deer in one strike. Its blood poured out like a waterfall, drawing me to it. My mouth descended on the deer, and I drank thick gulps from it, feeling the burn start to fade away with each sip.

After that...I became a monster. I brought terror, destruction, where ever I went and onto anything I touched. I cared for no life but my own. I was a soulless monster that was bent on destroying anything that crossed my path.

I would kill, just for the fun of feeling one's life drain away as I bit into them. I lived for that; I reveled in the excitement of the hunt. No one could face me, my power was too great, at least that is what I thought until She came into the picture.

It was a beautiful and sunny day, the perfect day to go out on the hunt as many were enjoying the fresh air. I was right on the tail of a werewolf, chasing it through the dense forest, when she appeared. Her hair was down to mid-stomach, a dark chestnut color, and her lips were full and inviting. That is not what stopped me though, no it was her eyes. They sparkled and shone in the light, changing color with each slight move of her head.

As soon as they locked onto mine, her mouth dropped and her eyes filled with bright red tears. I felt a need to run to her, run to her and hold her, allow her to draw strength from me.

It scared me, these feelings, as I did not know what they were. For years I'd just felt one thing, the hunger, but as soon as she appeared...it was like a floodgate had opened, allowing feelings to pour into me.

I looked up at the girl, and saw the red tears falling down her face slowly, tracing patterns of sadness, of her sadness. She ran to me then, her arms outstretched, and pulled me into a tight hug, sobbing as she held me.

The animal in me begged to bite her, but the other part wanted me to just enjoy her embrace. I'd ever received an embrace, although I had seen them given. I listened to the other part for once, feeling happiness light up inside me as I wrapped my arms around her.

At the time, as it was long before communication through words was invented, I could not say a thing to her. She, on the other hand, was whispering words into my hair, her angelic voice making my heart speed up. I didn't know what she was saying, and I felt that she knew that, but she continued to speak, her words full of love and compassion. It startled me, her feeling those things, as I'd never known one to feel anything but hate for me, and I remember feeling so at peace with the thought that she was mine. This girl, she was mine.

I backed away from her, feeling the animal lunge throughout my body, wanting to get out. Closing my eyes I tried to get it to go away, tried to push it away, but it did not work. The animal, the Red, was fully present as my eyes reopened. She wasn't there though, somehow she'd completely disappeared without me knowing. That made the Red angry, angry to the point where I was no longer taking any part in my own body.

I didn't see the girl until centuries later, when language had just started to form itself to a point where we could all communicate verbally. I knew the instant she appeared, as it was like I'd suddenly stepped into a bright patch of sunlight, the heat lighting up my body in a million different places. I'd forgotten what that felt like, the suns heat. The Red had taken such a hold on my body that I could no longer stand in the sunlight without getting almost burned to a crisp.

By that time, I'd become even more of a monster than before. I would kill and rape woman who had even a freckle in the same place as the girl who I had let weaken me did. Each one I imagined as her, waiting for the day when I knew she would come, so I myself could kill her. When I would get to hear her scream as I tortured her body, and then drank every drop of her blood.

I couldn't do it though. When she appeared again, she broke through every barrier I had, just by looking at me with those amazing eyes. I'm almost positive that if I had to breathe, I would've kneeled over right then because she took my breath away with her beauty.

'Dracul, oh God...what happened to you? Your eyes-your eyes are so red!' I remember she had said that, with such a horrified look on her face that I felt a pang of something foreign. I felt regret, guilt at what I had caused that gave me these eyes. Guilt because of the hundreds, thousands I had killed or raped.

'It doesn't have to be like this you know...you don't have to kill. There are more ways than one to fill the need,' she'd murmured, her thin eyebrows furrowed with worry, worry for me.

I'd just stood there, unable to let any words filter pass my lips, until I looked away from her and broke out of the spell she had put on me. 'Why do you think I would care?' I'd asked. 'Do you not think that I enjoy this killing? That I enjoy watching others suffer before my eyes?'

The girl looked at me with those big eyes that would not stay one color, and it seemed as though they were full of centuries worth of wisdom and patience. 'You were gifted a soul Dracul. Do not misuse your gift; the Red is not something you want to take over you. Don't you ever want to see the sun again as it breaks over the mountaintops? Don't you want to be able to do as you wish, instead of letting the Red control your every move? Trust me, once you can be yourself...it's like the Heavens open up and pour their strength into you. This anger, this hatred, this incessant need to kill, it isn't you! None of this is you!'

I had not wanted to believe her, but I couldn't deny what was so obvious. I mean there had been times where days would pass and I would remember absolutely nothing. I would see only my bloodstained hands and, in the brief times where my reflection would actually appear, bright red eyes.

I had asked her how I could fix it, fix the demons that begged to explode out of me, and she stood there for a moment as if debating with herself, before sticking her arm out in front of me.

'I'm allowing you to bite me, although you'll only be able to take enough that you will be able to control yourself. That is the longest I can hold myself solid. I only have one request, use the power I am giving you to heal the monster inside of you. Don't let the Red take over anymore, or I will not be allowed back.' Her figure had flickered slightly, and then she became a solid form before me. I hadn't noticed before that she was transparent, but once she became solid the difference was obvious. 'Hurry Dracul, being solid takes up a lot of energy that I don't have to spare.'

I didn't need to be told twice, not at that time where blood was my master and I it's slave, and so I bit into her. Even today, I still get shivers remembering that moment. It was like I was a part of her, and I'd pressed my body tightly to her, unable to see anything but her body against mine.

Too soon it was over, and the girl pulled her arm away from my face. When I looked up at her, I expected to see the same feeling of happiness that was lit up inside me. What I saw instead was blood red tears falling down her face, which was pale white and full of suppressed pain.

I'd felt a wave of dizziness pass over me seconds after, and within seconds was on my knees retching into a nearby bush. It was extremely painful, trying to get the Red out, and I once again did not notice her disappearing. I only realized days later when I awoke half-naked, beside a rotted log.

I hadn't killed anyone, that much I was sure of, as the Red wasn't present in my mind like it usually was after a kill. I felt free, free of the Red's control, and that fueled excitement within me. The girl came every couple weeks after that, and then appearing at random intervals throughout the centuries, nothing but her clothes and eyes changing. Some days she would only be there for minutes, but others she would stay for days, teaching me her way of life, and how to use all my powers to their full potential.

She told me of everything that happens in the future, allowing me to create the prophecies. I would look forward to the days she visited me, craving the feelings that would explode throughout my body, craving the way I would forget about everything but her when she appeared.

She was my addiction; her beauty and voice helping me go forward through the centuries, helping me continue to push away the Red. I loved her; the spark that lit in her eyes when she saw me, would make a fire erupt in mine. She stopped coming almost eighteen years ago, maybe a little more. I've seen her though, I've gone to her, and not just in my dreams..." Dracul looked away wistfully, and I felt shock go through my system.

"What was her name Dracul?" I asked, even though I knew there wasn't a point. From the moment he mentioned her, I knew exactly who she was.

"Why, my dear Tammy. I know you know. She was you." My knees trembled and I fell to the ground, a small gasp escaping from my mouth. Hearing him say it was a lot different than me thinking it. Him saying it made it real.

Dracul pulled me up from the ground, and started muttering words in what I now noticed was so not Latin. It sounded older, more ancient, more animal than human. I knew he was taking me back home to our time, so I held in the questions that were threatening to burst out of me, and followed Dracul through Time.

\---

When we finally landed back in the Fire, I plopped back into my body and sprung up from the hard concrete ground, ready to bombard Dracul with questions. "Alright, ask away," he said, his tone amused as he sat up from the floor.

"First, what do you mean I had eyes that changed color with each move of my head? I mean my eyes already changed to purple, isn't that enough? And how did I touch you? And how did I let you take my blood without screaming bloody murder? And wait, how did my blood help you? Oh, and why was I so sad? Also, why did I stop coming? And-um-you love me?" I knew there were probably hundreds of other questions taking stock in my brain, but right now those seven seemed the most important to me.

"Okay, obviously this might take a little bit of explaining. First, you're eyes changed to purple because that is the signal that you are about to go through the Transformation, something that has not happened for many millennia's. When the Transformation is done, your eyes will never stay the same color. Second, you gathered Energy to make yourself solid for a short amount of time; it's quite simple actually. Third, you had to gather even more energy to allow the Walls that protect your blood to fall momentarily.

Fourth, your blood has a sort of...healing capability I guess you would call it? You healed the Red in me, enough for me to be able to control my need. Fifth, damn these are a lot of questions, you were sad because of an incident involving me that will happen in the future. Sixth, I actually do not know why you stopped coming. You never told me, because as I said, you had stopped coming. Finally, lastly, yes. I do love you, more than the sun loves the moon and the stars love the sky. Wonderful, now I am quite exhausted, good night." Dracul smiled tightly, then laid down on the hard floor and closed his eyes.

I took a moment to let everything he said process through my brain, before snorting and tapping Dracul with my foot in his stomach. "Really? You tell me that you love me and then you just lie down and pretend to go to sleep? What the hell! That is a total dick move." I huffed, crossing my arms in front of my chest and making my lips pout out slightly.

Dracul turned toward me and raised one eye open, then sighed and closed it again. "I am tired, so I will deal with being a 'dick' as you call it, if it means I can sleep. As I said before, goodnight Tammy."

I groaned, annoyed, and laid down beside Dracul. "Fine, I'll let you get away for now, but as soon as I wake up we are talking!"

Dracul didn't answer, and so I closed my eyes, ready for sleep to grab at me.

\---

"Duke!" I gasped in surprise, and then ran to him with tears streaming out of my eyes. "Duke, Duke, Duke!" He looked so handsome in a black leather jacket, and tight blue shirt that hugged all his muscles. Well, I guess handsome would be the wrong way to describe him. Duke definitely wasn't handsome, he wasn't hot either, he was gorgeous, beautiful, the kind that would take your breath away with a single glance.

"Tammy! Oh God Tammy, we thought-I mean Aness said-You're alive!" he stuttered out, then grabbed me to him and planted a kiss on my lips. His grey eyes lit up with happiness as he kissed me over and over again.

"What do you mean Aness said? What did Aness say?" I asked when we parted from each other. I felt tension growing in my body, hating that I would soon be the one to tell Duke that Aness was rooting for the other side.

"Well, she said that you had died. She told us that you'd gone with her to see someone and a band of vampire hunters took you, killed you with a stake to the heart. Then, you had simply turned to dust." Dukes' voice wavered as he talked, as if he was reliving the pain of me dying all over again.

I pulled him back to me, stroking his hair gently and murmuring, "I'm alive, it's okay," over and over again into his ear.

Finally Duke stepped away from me, the grey in his eyes turning slightly red as he fed it with his pain. "Duke, Aness cannot be trusted. Her mom is the Unseelie Queen. She's the one who got me sent to the Fire with-" I cut myself off, and closed my mouth tightly. Something in me told me to keep Dracul a secret from Duke. Who knew what would happen if Duke knew Dracul was still alive?

"With who?" Duke asked, his eyes turning to slits as he stared at me with suspicion.

"I can't-just please Duke, you have to come save me. Please..." I felt the dream flicker, and before Duke could respond I was forced awake.

\---

"Tammy, wake up! Hurry!" I woke to the feeling of Dracul shaking me, his eyes wild.

"What the-why? What's going on?" I looked around, seeing nothing out of the unusual, and raised my eyebrows at Dracul. I mean really, waking me up to see that nothing is going on? So not right. Especially since I was talking to Duke.

"The Unseelie Queen is coming, can you not hear her?" he asked me, running a hand through his hair as if he was nervous. He couldn't be nervous though; I mean he's the first Amatores right? So wouldn't that mean he'd be like fearless?

'Everyone has fears Tammy, don't you ever forget that.' voice drifted into my head slowly, and right as it clicked in my brain who the person was, the Unseelie Queen dropped beside me with Aness at her side.

"Hello Tammy, we've come to collect you," Aness said, and then smiled with an evil glint in her eyes. "Don't worry though, it won't hurt. Well, at least not much."

Before I could stop her, she pulled a gun out of her pocket and the sound of the bullet echoed throughout the small cage.

The bullet that was aimed right at my head.

Waking

"Ah, finally, she awakens. Took long enough, didn't it?" a man said, his dark voice grating on my sensitive ears.

My eyes blinked open slowly, my head cloudy and throat parched. "Who are you?" I hissed out, seeing his blurry figure standing in front of me.

The man looked to be about 5"9, with close-cropped black hair, the smell of dye wandering its way to my nose.

"Who am I? I think more importantly we should know who you are. A young girl, in the hands of the Fae, and the Unseelie ones at that! Taken a bullet to the head, why you should most definitely be dead. Dead, gone, no one can handle something as that. Your brain should have been splattered into pieces, billions and billions of pieces. But no, no, no, you are healing, even faster than those of my own. Even faster than my own experiments." I felt myself start to shake, fear building in my body. This man was in obvious need of a mental hospital, one that could provide for his obviously serious mental problems.

"I know what you are though. I know who you are. Tammy Maynard, the Queen of the Amatores Sanguinis. Beautiful, young, strong. Just wonderful, such a find. I haven't gotten my hands on one of you in years, many years. Dozens of years. Such a find, a wonderful, beautiful find. Not very smart though, falling for a Faes' charm. For Anesshygra Herwedsef Lwersy's charm to be exact. The Unseelie Queens daughter, such a feisty one she is. Worming her way into your kingdom, stealing you away, just as we asked. Just as we demanded. Though we told her to do it discreetly, very discreet, quietly, painless. She didn't listen, oh why didn't she listen?

You look thirsty? Are you thirsty? I would give you something, but then there'd be no control. No control. The Directors, the Heads, they want to see you though. They want to meet you. They cannot meet you in this condition, oh no, not in this condition. I will help; I will make you worthy enough to see them. I will calm the thirst, I have that. I have that. My invention, my prize," the man went on, his dark grey eyes looking lost and confused as he stumbled around pulling out steel-drawer after steel-drawer.

It looked as if I was in a hospital room, everything made of steel from the walls to the bed I was lying on, or rather, chained onto. I don't really think that would be counted as lying on it.

"I found it!" he exclaimed, and I looked up to see him holding a syringe filled with a thick red and gold substance. All I saw was the red. Blood. The burn started up again, taking ahold of my entire body as the need for what was in that syringe felt too much to handle. "No, no. Cannot go, cannot leave on me. Here, here. I will give you it. I will help."

He pushed the syringe into my skin, injecting the blood into my system. Immediately I calmed, feeling a drug-like haze begin.

"Good, isn't it? Very good, very, very good. It's human blood mixed with Fae blood. That's what the gold is. The beautiful gold. Fae blood, taken from a powerful Fae. Proven to be like a drug to Amatores, a drug. A wondrous drug that brings peace to you. That brings a momentary rest to your thirst. Now sleep, my dear Tammy. Sleep so I may bring you to the Directors."

I yawned, my eyes starting to close of their own accord. "I need to-to-to leave," I slurred, and tried to fight the sleep. It was too strong though, too inviting. So of course, I gave in. ---

"-so disgusting. Why the Directors even want to see her, I have no idea. I mean really, an Amatores? They already have us, aren't we enough Amatores for them?" a girls voice said, and my eyes snapped open.

"Gracia, please be quiet. The Directors wanted her, that's enough. You're not supposed to complain, just comply." My eyes immediately drifted toward the sound of that voice, a boy. He was beautiful, looking maybe seventeen, with spiked up blond hair, and sharp eyes that I couldn't decide if they were blue or green. He was wearing a tight fitting t-shirt, showcasing a lean, muscled build. And his blood...

I don't think I've ever smelled something as heavenly as what wafted from him. It was like sunshine and stars all bottled up into one person. Tugging at the Red inside of me, begging to let me taste.

"Who is the Director?" I heard someone say. Someone who I realized too late...was me. The boy stiffened, turning his view onto my body, still chained to another hard bed.

A whimper escaped from the girl behind him, a blonde whose grey eyes looked haughty and angry, but her heart shaped face set in fear.

"You're awake," the boy stated. Pursing his lips, his lips that looked so delicious, frown lines appearing on his tanned forehead. Everything about this guy was perfect. I swear he was like...a Greek God. That was the only explanation.

"Yes, I'm awake. Obviously. Now that we have the obvious out of the way, will someone care to answer my question?"

The boy stepped toward me, his eyes turning sharp as he looked over me, probably checking to make sure I was still chained to the damn bed.

"We're not here to answer your questions; we're here to bring you to the Directors. Plural, if you noticed. As in, more than one," the girl, Gracia, said. She had followed the boy as he walked toward me, the earlier fear wiped away from her face.

"Gracia, do not talk to her. The Directors specifically said-"

"Oh screw what the Directors said! Screw it! We should just kill her now, this abomination, this demon. Kill her." Gracia looked at me with contempt, the disgust almost like a smell emanating from her.

"Gracia, we do not speak like that. If anyone but myself heard you uttering words such as those, and in front of our guest! They wouldn't hesitate to kill you, to lock you up, to torture you. We are just as much of an abomination as she is, maybe even more. Now stop complaining, stop talking, and let's continue bringing the Amatores to the Directors. Alright?" the boy said, making it obvious that he was probably the one in charge between the two. Making it obvious that he was the more powerful one, the one who would put up more of a fight.

Obviously I'd be swaying Gracia then, she looked easier, her mind frailer. Although her blood smelled darker than that of the boys, but it was blood nonetheless...and I was starting to get really pissed and terribly hungry.

I mean really, I was a 'guest'? What kind of guest was treated like this? Shot in the head, drugged, then dragged off to see the so-called 'Directors'. I needed to get myself out of here, and now.

"Gracia is your name? Gracia, such a beautiful name for such a beautiful girl," I purred, my voice turning into velvet as it wove a spell around the girl. The boy barely noticed, walking ahead of Gracia at a swift pace.

Gracia swayed slightly, leaning towards me as if my voice was a magnet for her body. 'Let me out of these chains, now.' forced the thought into her brain; glad Duke had been able to teach me this before the damned Fae stole me away.

Her eyes turned glassy, then cleared, then turned glassy again, as if she was waging a battle within herself, a battle to listen to me, or to not. Finally though, it seemed I put enough power in my thought to her, and she produced a key from within her jeans. With shaking hands, she unlocked the chain that held me to the bed, beads of sweat forming where her hair and forehead met.

"Gracia, what are you-" But it was too late for the boy to interfere, as I hopped from the bed, my world turning a hazy red.

The Red boomed within me, targeting the boy instead of Gracia. His scent grew thick around me, calling me to take a bite. To taste this heavenly looking boy, no not taste, drink from him. Drink heavily until his body lay cold upon me.

I pounced, barely registering Gracia who just stood stock still beside my former bed, and locked onto the boys' neck. He barely had time to react before I bit, the blood flowing freely from his neck to my mouth.

I thought Luke tasted good, but he was nothing. He was just a human, filled with human blood. This boy though, he was different. His blood tasted like beauty, like light, love, happiness, as if everything good in the world was packaged in this one boy. Our bodies grinded against one another, his hand searing every part of me that he touched. That wasn't enough though, I needed more, I needed to be closer.

I ripped his shirt off, mine following, and pressed my bare top against his. I had to get close, the need was even worse than when I was feeding from others. Something about this boy-

'Grant, my name is Grant.' voice. His voice. It sounded so perfect as his voice whispered to me in my head, Grants voice.

All too soon though, the pleasure ended, as a sharp pain erupted in my chest. I let go of my hold on Grant, snapping my body to face the threat. My body had healed seconds ago, the tingling having come and gone with Grants blood rushing throughout my system, but that was no matter. The Red still had pieces of me in its grip, and it was pissed at its feeding having to stop.

Gracia stood before me with a red-stained knife, blood dripping off it and splattering on the floor. Blood. My blood.

Once again I pounced, ripping into Gracias body with my teeth, the Red taking over my vision completely. My blood, I had to protect my blood.

"Stop!" a voice yelled out, but I ignored it, continuing my ravage on Gracia's body. "STOP!"

I felt my body flying across the hallway, landing in a crouch feet away from a teal painted wall. That wasn't possible though, it wasn't possible for me to see Grant standing over me. Grant who I just fed upon, Grant who should be lying on the floor right now from blood loss.

"What are you?" I whispered, feeling the Red creep away from my vision.

I turned at the sound of a groan, watching as Gracia slowly stood from where she'd collapsed after my attack. Standing, as if I didn't just tear at her insides. Standing, her body stitching itself back together right before my eyes.

I backed against the wall, feeling fear start to take over where the Red had left. Fear of these things who weren't Amatores Sanguinis, but also weren't human. Who didn't smell like shifters, Fae, or witches. Who didn't have the cold perfectness of an Expletus, or the orange boxiness of a Fatum. Whose blood smelled so enticing, calling to me, begging for me to take another bite.

"We're Hudas," Grant said calmly, as if I was supposed to know what the hell that was.

"Uh-explain please?"

"Hudas, we were made by Lewison, the brilliant scientist who I believe you met earlier. He's gone a bit to the crazy side as the years passed, but he's brilliant nonetheless. We're a mixture of Amatores, Human, and Fae. Lewison combined the genetic code of the three after years of experimentation, and we came to be." Grant smiled coolly, his eyes burning their odd blue-green mixture. "We have the healing and heightened sense of Amatores Sanguinis, the intelligence of the smartest Humans, the ability to travel within worlds taken from the Fae, and the magick."

There it was again, that word. Magick. It sparked something within me, a need, a want...a...something unnamable, at least it was unnamable to me. "What do you mean the magick?" I asked, my voice hesitant as I looked over this odd mixture of a person, this Hudas.

"I think I've told you enough for now, the Directors will tell you the rest. So if you would please?" Grant pointed down the hallway to a metal door I'd somehow failed to notice, and started walking at a quick pace to it. "We don't have time to stand here and dawdle, if we make the Directors wait anymore, I can guarantee that they will fail to be happy. Come along please, and don't even think of trying to escape. You do that, and I can promise the end result will not be good. I don't want to hurt you, but I will if it means you won't listen."

I sighed, knowing he was right. Obviously it was stupid to underestimate these Hudas, but it annoyed me how Grant failed to even acknowledge what happened between us. I mean that bite was crazy; I'd never felt anything like it. Even now, I could feel the warmth of his blood coursing through my veins. Even now, I could feel the connection between us two that only appeared after I bit him. After I drew his blood into me.

Walking forward, I approached the door with Grant on one side of me, and Gracia on the other. She looked almost red with fury; probably fantasizing different ways she could kill me if allowed.

The doors that led to the Directors creaked open, the sound grating at my frayed nerves. Who the hell were these 'Directors' anyway? And what did they want with me?

I stepped into the open room, hearing the doors close behind us, leaving us in pitch black. Darkness that even my enhanced sight had a hard time piercing.

I heard a click, then bright lights erupted on above us, lighting up the whole room, blinding me for a second before my vision adjusted.

"Tammy?" The voice was soft, but I would recognize it anywhere. My eyes locked on the two figures sitting on the long wooden table that stood in the middle of the room, and I felt the world go black.

\---

My eyes opened to what I immediately knew was a dream. I was standing in a field, a beautiful, colorful field. Standing in the middle of the field, was Dracul.

" _Tammy, there you are. I've been searching for you since you were shot," Dracul said, his face contorted with worry. "Where do they have you?"_

I smiled, feeling light among all the beauty. "I don't know, I wish I did...the place is so terrible. They have these things called Hudas, have you heard of them? They're basically mutations...terrible...so terrible...why do they want me?"

I swatted at the tears that fell, angry with myself for being so weak. Always so damn weak.

" _Have you not figured out yourself already? You're in the home of the Ater Council. I distinctly remember warning you about them coming to find you. This is my fault. It didn't even cross my mind that they'd team with the Unseelie Fae and kidnap you. I apologize Tammy, I have failed you."_

Draculs head bowed down, sadness etched deeply in the planes of his face.

" _You've failed no one Dracul, put your damn head up and explain what the hell is going on," I demanded, my voice soft as I looked at Dracul._

" _The Ater, you're in their home right now, as am I. This is terrible, so terrible...they must know that your Transformation will happen soon. Your eyes have already begun the color changing process, and the pain will soon start. The pain and the need, and wait-Tammy, your aura-who did you last drink from?" Dracul looked at me in terror, still making absolutely no sense._

" _Uh-I don't know, this Hudas named Grant. Why?" I asked him, chewing on my lower lip in worry._

Dracul's eyes widened, and he put both hands up to his head. "Oh no, this isn't good, this isn't good at all. How I didn't see this coming, I don't know. What am I to do, what do I do?" Dracul stammered, something I have never seen him do.

" _What the hell are you going on about?"_

" _You drank from a Hudas! Do you understand what that means? No, obviously not since you did it. You will become bonded to the Hudas, bonded! If an Amatores drinks from a Hudas, they bond to them. Do you know what that means? It means that the Hudas will be present in your thoughts, and you in his. You will grow sexually attached to this Hudas, and you will start to crave his blood. Crave it to the point of madness. And he will begin to crave yours, until both of you end up together, drinking one another's blood._

Do you remember what happens when someone attempts to drink from you? It ends in a bloodbath, that's what happens. And do you know what happens when an Amatores kills a Hudas they have bonded to? They become a vampire. Their soul follows that of whom they've bonded to."

I fell to the floor, my hands covering my face. Basically what he was telling me, was that if Grant didn't drink from me...we'd go mad, and if he did drink from me...we'd both die. Either way, neither of us were winning.

And that wasn't even the worse part. "Dracul, uh...I need to tell you something..." I whispered, seeing their faces in my head again. The faces I was so familiar with, I mean how could I not be? "I saw the Directors...and well...they're my parents."

Family Ties

Dracul turned to me, a look of disbelief on his face. "Your parents? Your parents are the Directors? The measly humans?"

I nodded once, hearing the voice of my mother again as she called out to me, her figure just as imposing as my fathers who sat next to her. Neither looked measly, neither looked human.

" _Yeah. I don't know how...it makes absolutely no sense. And before I could figure anything out, I kind of...fainted," I said, looking down in embarrassment. I mean I'm supposed to be some big shot 'Queen', but I fainted when I saw my parents seated at that table._

Dracul opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again and looked at something beyond me. "They're calling you back. Get information, I'll try to dream-call you as soon as I can," he said, and then disappeared.

\---

"Tammy, finally. You're awake!" It seems I've been hearing those words a lot lately, 'You're awake'. Probably because of the fainting habit I seemed to have inherited when I turned.

I looked towards the voice, and my mom's head came into view. She looked like a Goddess, her black hair falling straight down her back, and her brown eyes sparkling. Nothing like the mom I knew, with her hair that was always frizzy, her eyes always dull.

"Mom?" I whimpered, and felt tears fall down my face.

"Oh Hun, don't cry Tammy. Don't cry baby, everything is just fine. I'll explain it all to you alright?" my mom murmured, stroking my hair in the maternal way that showed me it really was her.

"Your father and I are the Directors of the Ater Council. We're the ones who took over after the other Directors died. Neither your father or I are fully human, we were made to be the Directors before our birth, made to be together. I am half-Plefesa, your father half-Expletus. A Plefesa is a Goddess or God who mixed with a Shifter. My mother was a Plefesa, my father a Human. Your father's mother was Human, his father an Expletus.

When we had you, all the tests showed that you were human, completely human.

It made no sense, as a child could not have two parents who had genetic codes of the Paranormal, and not have any Paranormal at all in him or her.

At first, your father thought that I had an affair with a human man. What a time that was, the screaming and yelling could probably be heard from miles away.

Finally I agreed to a paternity test, and it showed what I already knew, you were my and your father's child. He still didn't believe it at first, but the tests did not lie, and so we did with it what we could.

We raised you like any other human child, with love and care, trying our hardest not to show that we were anything but human.

We both began to notice something though, something different about you. You were meticulous when it came to anything that could possibly harm you. It was like you were determined not to do anything that could possibly hurt you enough for blood to spill.

Your father and I then realized, that you were protecting your blood. Protecting it from what? We did not know. We just knew that where other kids were always spilling blood, you were not.

At age three, we took you to a doctor for those of the Paranormal. He was an expert in his field, and the perfect one to go to for help.

We explained what was wrong with you, and he took the initiative. While we held you down, he poked you in the leg with a needle and drew your blood.

You were out of our hands in seconds, your eyes burning a brilliant shade of crimson. A scream erupted out of your mouth, and you attacked the doctor.

You were only three, so young, but so strong. Within seconds the doctor was out cold, and the vile of your blood shattered on the floor. You drank it up, every last drop, and then sat down on the floor as if nothing had just happened.

After that, we kept you from all doctors, anyone who would try and take your blood.

It was obvious you were not human. But that was about all we could figure out. No one had any records of a Paranormal like you; one who protected their blood like it was worth millions. Like it was a diamond among piles of trash, as if it was a needle within thousands of haystacks.

After many years, you were probably only eleven, we met Duke. A charming man he is, so handsome. I see why you fell for him; although I would have much rather you follow the path we had laid out for you. We'd rather you have become the Queen of the Ater Council, a Director like your father and I, instead of becoming Queen on the Lucis Council.

Anyway, we met Duke. He'd been following you, something we realized he must have been doing for a while for him to know your exact whereabouts.

When we figured out who he was, the Second Amatores, we dug in on why he would want to follow you. Follow our precious, beautiful little girl.

That's when we saw the prophecy.

We tried to sway you toward choosing the Ater Council first; even pairing you up with the half-Witch Luke, but it was a lost cause. You were set on Duke, set on following his path-"

I cut my mom off with a gasp, my eyes widening. "Luke was half-Witch? What are you talking about? I fed from him, and he tasted completely human!" I blurted out, chewing anxiously on the inside of my cheek.

Thank god I had crazy healing powers, or else I'd probably have lost my lips and cheeks by now.

"Yes, he's half-human, half-Witch. Ever since the Salem Witch Trials, the Witch population has been terrified of becoming hunted once again.

Once a baby is born in their family, they put a spell on that baby so it appears human in all ways, all senses. Taste, smell, sight, you can name any sense; they all appear normal.

Luke was the half-Witch I had paired you with, as he was supposed to lead you towards the Ater Council. He failed terribly at his job, instead becoming so addicted to your bite that we had to admit him to a Recovery Home. I've never seen anything like it, the power your bite put over him. It was quite amazing to say the least."

Guilt filled me at the thought of Luke sitting in a crazy house, all because of me. Sitting there, probably begging to be let out, his eyes filling with unshed tears. Poor Luke...

I swiped at a tear that had unconsciously fallen, and look back up at my mom. "Dracul is here, isn't he? I want to see him," I said, changing the subject as quick as I could.

My mom's eyes hardened, and I felt myself shrink against the bed I was lying on. They must have stuck me back in my old room once I fainted. It felt like my mom had grown larger, even though her petite body stayed the same size.

"How do you know Dracul is here?" she retorted back, her voice sending a shiver down my back. Never have I been afraid of my parents, I never had a reason to be, but now I know that I underestimated their power.

"I-I guessed? Mom, please, if he really is here...can I see him? I'm your daughter, not your prisoner; so stop treating me like a prisoner. You keep going on about how you want me to rule the Ater Council, but I definitely will not want to if I'm treated like a damn criminal. So mother, may I please go see Dracul?" I stood from the bed, my eyes narrowing against my moms.

My fear of her had evaporated in seconds as the Reds anger filled me, and I saw the red haze that would soon encompass my whole being if my mom didn't comply to my requests.

"Fine," she huffed, and opened the steel door out of the room. "You may see Dracul. But I am just warning you; it is not a pretty sight. He put up quite the fight, and has been attacking anything in sight trying to get to you."

My heart leapt, a grin breaking through the coldness that had threatened to overtake me.

I followed after my mom with the smile still plastered on my face, taking long, twisting hallways until we arrived in front of a door.

The door was barred on the front, and behind the bars was a door made of thick steel; it seemed the Ater Council enjoyed steel.

A crash echoed from behind the steel door, and a voice called out. "Tammy! Tammy, is that you? Why are you here?"

Dracul. I would recognize his voice anywhere. "Dracul! Yeah, it's me! I had to make sure you were okay! Mom, please open the door."

I nodded my head toward the electronic lock that stood beside the door; joy lifting my being at the thought of seeing Dracul.

Click. Click. Click. Click. My mom entered the code into the lock, and the thick door swung open, revealing Dracul behind it.

I ran towards him with my arms outstretched, pulling him into a tight hug.

He felt thin, even thinner then before when we'd been in the Fire.

"Dracul, are they feeding you here?" I asked, anger at my mother and father for obviously treating him so terribly.

His room stank of decay, an uncomfortable looking bed cemented into the wall, and a hole in the floor for where I assumed he would go to the bathroom.

"Not much," he admitted, raking a hand through his greasy hair; definitely in need of a shower. "More than the Unseelie Queen fed me, but not by far. I'll live though. More importantly, are you okay? You look healthy. The Hudas you drank from must have helped some. Are you feeling any cramps? Headaches? Bursts of anger?"

My thoughts focused on the Red exploding out of me multiple times today. "Uh-yeah-the third one. Why?"

"The Transformation is coming soon. You'll need to be placed in a comfortable room...I need to speak to your mother about this."

My eyes hardened, and I scoffed. "No Dracul, you need to speak to me about this. What do you mean the Transformation is coming soon?"

"Fine, the Transformation. Something I've no doubt some have mentioned," Duke said, looking at me warily as if I might explode on him.

"Yeah, I've heard a bit about it. Atmaja said something about a prophecy. She didn't tell me what the prophecy was though, just that there was one."

"The Transformation from dark to light,

Will be one that She'll incur,

From eyes to pain,

Throughout the night,

She'll swiftly,

Quickly change.

Goddess blood,

Mixed with the Amatores,

One whose power is so great,

Sacrifice love,

To save Her life,

And,

Complete the change."

Dracul closed his mouth, the prophecy tingling at my skin. Why were there so many of those damn things? Wasn't one enough? But no, there were more and more each day. Stupid things were beginning to blur with one another in my head. "So what does that mean?"

Dracul sighed, once again running a hand through his hair; what seemed to be a nervous tic of his. "It means that you'll soon change, as in very soon...tonight most likely. But to complete that change...you'll have to drink from me."

There was more to it, it was obvious from the way Dracul kept darting his eyes left and right. Dracul was the First, he was always composed, never like this. "You can tell me anything, you know that. What's going on?" I asked him in a whisper, my voice shaking slightly.

Obviously it was really bad if it made Dracul like this.

"You'll have to drink from me...until you've drained me completely. Until you've killed me."

Transforming

That couldn't be possible, I couldn't have to drink from Dracul...I couldn't have to kill Dracul! "No, you're lying! You're lying!" Nausea was building up in my stomach, tears starting to slide down my face. "I won't do it! I'll find some other way, there has to be another way. The prophecy says that I'll have to sacrifice love to save my life...maybe I have to kill myself! Or-or leave! I will not kill you though Dracul. I won't kill anyone."

The world started to get a bit hazy, my vision focusing in and out. "I won't..." I whispered, and then felt the world go black.

\---

Time grabbed me in its clutches, pulling me away from the present, away from Dracul, away from my mother. Back, back, back, until before Time even existed. Before Life even existed.

" _Tammy, you've come," a voice murmured, Her voice._

" _Atiyana, that's you, am I correct?" I answered back, feeling excitement build up where the nausea had left._

" _Yes, my dear, you are correct. I've come to talk to you, I hear you have questions on the Transformation you're soon to incur."_

I looked around the diamond room, searching for a face to put with the voice, but there was none.

" _Yeah, I mean I don't even know what the Transformation is! Everyone keeps going on and on about it, on and on about my eyes changing color, about the Energy...it just doesn't make sense to me. None of it."_

The room warmed, and I felt a smile take place on my face.

" _Yes my dear, I know it makes no sense to you. If I was in your place, I'd feel just as confused. You see, you're special Tammy. Very special."_

I sighed, biting my lip softly. "How am I special? I'm just like any other Amatores," I said, a soft sigh escaping my lips.

Atiyana laughed, a sound that was like the heavens opening up above me, so warm and lighthearted, I couldn't help but join in.

" _Oh Tammy, you are nothing like the other Amatores, nothing at all. They can easily share their blood; it is no problem at all. You though, you cannot do so. Other Amatores cannot manipulate time; they cannot manipulate the Energy around them. You can do that. Other Amatores are not going through the Transformation; in fact, you are the first to ever do so."_

Immediately the laughter inside of me fell away, replaced with an agony that one could only describe as their body slowly getting ripped apart, an agony even worse then the Change from human to Amatores. "What is happening," I gasped out, falling to the floor in pain.

" _The Transformation my dear, it will hurt for a while. You'll feel like you can do nothing but give up. Don't give up Tammy, keep fighting. Win the battle raging within you." Atiyana's voice petered off as my vision dimmed, until I could hear no more, see no more, feel no more._

\---

"-starting. Give her an IV, and place her in the bed. Carefully, there we go," my mom's voice commanded, waking me from my sleep.

A scream came from somewhere; no it came from me, as the pain found its' way back into my body.

It was worse then before, feeling as if each inch of me was burning in flames, my body almost to the point of combustion.

"Tammy, it's alright, I'm right here," a voice murmured, pushing my hair from my face. His voice, Dracul.

His touch was like water falling onto my corpse, giving it a break from the fire, from the battle. All too soon he let go of me though, allowing the pain to find its way back into all the crevices of my body.

Another scream flew out of my already raw throat, and hot red tears poured from my eyes. It hurt, it hurt so badly.

"Do something!" a voice yelled, piercing my eardrums and causing another scream to erupt.

"What do you think I'm doing! I'm trying, I'm trying! What am I supposed to do though? All we can do is wait, wait and hope to God that she doesn't give up."

"Tammy, listen to me, listen to me! Just hold on alright, hold on," a voice begged, and I felt my body calm at his touch, Dracul again.

"Do you see that?" my mom asked, and I felt my thoughts start to clear. "Dracul, don't let go of her. It seems like your touch is taking the pain away. It's calming her."

I smiled, feeling the calm settle deeper within my bones, relishing in the short moment of happiness before the eventual pain when Dracul let go of me.

"Do not worry, I would never think of letting go again. Do you know...how much longer?" he whispered, his voice causing confusion to taint my calm.

"Till what? She has to feed? Soon...very soon. Are you-are you prepared?" my mom asked back, and I felt the grip Dracul had on my arm tighten.

It was like I was on painkillers, floating through clouds of bliss, all thanks to Draculs touch.

"I have been prepared for a long, long time. Do not worry about me. I made my choice the minute I met her, the minute I saw her, the minute I fell for her. It will be hard for her though, we may have to...force her to drink from me. She's kindhearted, your daughter, and after I die...she won't take it well. You'll have to protect her, protect her from herself. At least until she becomes strong enough to visit me in the past. Do you promise to do that for me?" Draculs' voice was a soft caress against my cold skin, and I heard a giggle come from my mouth.

So beautiful, he was so beautiful. The light shining in from the tiny window, made the room sparkle like diamonds. Beautiful diamonds.

"She's going," a male's voice yelled, and I laughed at that. Going, going, going. Where to go in such a small, cramped place? Where to go?

Once again my vision started to dim, dim until everything was dark. Dark, dark, like midnight. Dark as night, a beautiful night.

\---

"Tammy, I've been looking everywhere for you! I went to the Unseelie Queen, and then was brought to the Fire, but you were nowhere to be found. Where the hell are you?" Duke's voice reverberated in my ears, making a smile light up on my face.

" _Duke! I'm with my parents, it's okay! Don't worry, don't worry at all. I'm okay, okay, just fine, perfectly fine," I slurred, another goofy grin sliding into place._

" _Tam...what's wrong with you?" Duke asked, eyebrows creased with worry. Worry, worry for me! Me, me, me. Oh Duke, poor Duke, worried for me._

" _Nothing, nothing at all. I'm fine, fine as a dime! That rhymes! Fine, dime, lime, time, time, time, time. Time is taking over Duke, Time is taking over! Just like little Alice, little, little Alice."_

" _Tammy, what'd they do to you? Did they-no you can't drug Amatores, that's absolutely impossible." Duke was muttering to himself now, lost in thought, thought, beautiful melody of thoughts._

" _Dracul, Dracul, Dracul! He did it; he did it with a touch, a simple touch. So soothing, so warm, where is he? Where is Dracul?" I heard a whimper come from my mouth, turning toward Duke with confusion. Dracul wasn't here, no he wasn't. Where'd he go?_

The air turned dark around me, and I whimpered again. Dark, dark, dark. Not good, not a good dark.

" _Did you say that Dracul did this to you?" Duke roared, his eyes a burning red in the dark._

I smiled, feeling myself light up at the thought of Dracul. My wonderful Dracul. "Yes, yes, yes. Dracul helped me, saved me, stopped the pain. Happy, wonderful, amazing," I sighed out, and giggled once again.

" _Where are you Tammy?" Duke snapped, the anger lacing his words like poison, stinging me from all sides._

" _Ater, Ater. Ater Council. I'm with my mom and dad, and Dracul, and everyone! Everyone, everyone, everyone. So wonderful, so, so wonderful."_

" _The Ater Council? Damn it, I should have known. Don't worry Tammy, I'll save you."_

I smiled at the thought, the dream already starting to fade. "Save me? Save me from what? What, what, what?" I whispered, just as the dream ended, and the pain began.

\---

My body was ripping itself apart again, ripping, ripping, ripping, and leaving me in pieces. Bloody, broken, burned up pieces.

I gasped at the pains sudden arrival, craving the bliss I'd had with Dracul's touch. Tears started to pour as I began to sob, my body shaking with the pain the Transformation was causing.

"I'm sorry Tammy, we had to wake you somehow. I'm so sorry," my mom said, crystalline tears falling from her own face.

Dracul stepped forward as if to touch me once again, but my mom stood in his way. "No, we can't do that anymore. She's too vulnerable when in that state. Didn't you see it? He got to her," she hissed, her eyes darkening until they turned more black then brown.

I gasped as another bout of pain hit me, and reached blindly for Dracul. "What do you mean he got to her? Who is he?" Dracul asked, his voice hard and grating at my sensitive hearing.

"The King of the Lucis Council, the Second Amatores, Duke, whatever you'd like to call him. He got to Tammy, and is now coming to try and 'save' her. It's disgusting really, how hard he works for that Council. He doesn't even see the darkness lying beneath all the..."

In all of a second the pain disappeared, instead being replaced with something much worse.

The Red.

"Dracul?" I heard my mom whisper, her voice sounding far off.

"Yes?"

"It's time."

Breaking

I wanted to force the Red out; knowing it appearing meant horrible things for me and for Dracul.

It meant a death to everything we had; it meant that it was time for Dracul to die.

I couldn't though, it was burning too fiercely in my body, and it had come to quickly for me to push away.

I looked down on my body, seeing my iris's turn crimson, and my muscles tense as if to spring.

"Are you sure you can do this?" my mom asked, her voice soft as she looked at Dracul. I knew that he would never say no, he'd save my life no matter what.

"As I said before, I've been ready for this for quite a while. Do not worry about me. We cannot allow her to feed from me until her soul returns to her body though. If we do, then the Red will not leave, and instead of Tammy inhabiting her body, the Red will.

"That makes sense, but how do we know when Tammy returns to her body? I mean she could be anywhere, right?"

Dracul shook his head, and then looked up, his eyes locking with mine. "She could, but she chose to stay right here. Tammy, I know you can hear me and see me, just as I can hear and see you. You have to return to your body," Dracul said, and I bit softly on my lip.

How could he see me? He was in Amatores form...he wasn't a Soul.

"I c-c-can't," I sobbed, my fists digging into my eyes. I didn't want to either. If Dracul died, my staying as a Soul would ensure my ability to forever be with him.

'Would that really work Tammy? Your soul is tied to Dukes, so wouldn't it naturally wait for him?' The voice found its way into my head, spiraling around me in a beautiful melody.

'My soul is what?'

Distantly I remembered the Test, and my soul finding Dukes and kissing it. Tying our souls together.

'You have to return to your body Tammy, you have to finish the Transformation.' And with that, I felt the presence leave my mind, leave me.

"Just force yourself through the Red, you can do it Tammy, I know you can," Draculs encouraged, and I felt myself fighting the force that was keeping me out of my body.

Fighting to stop the madness that would happen if the Red took Dracul, if I took Dracul. My eyes snapped shut as I forced myself into my body, the pressure making my insides twist.

Finally they snapped back open, and I jolted up from the bed.

My whole body was on fire, the Red tinting my vision. I needed blood, I needed it. "Dracul," I rasped, reaching out to him for comfort. It burned, my throat lighting up like there were fireworks going off inside of me.

He stepped toward me, his face soft against the harsh light that seemed to be chopping everything into pieces. "It is alright Tammy, I promise it will stop. You just have to drink, okay?" he murmured, petting my hair lightly.

I shook my head, the world wobbling off balance for a moment. "I can't-I can't do it Dracul. I won't."

Dracul sighed, a flash of guilt crossing his face. "Then we will have to do this the hard way. I am sorry that it will have to be done like this my love, but this seems to be the only visible way.

Before I could ask what he was talking about, Dracul nodded towards my mom. She sighed, then took a knife and slit Draculs exposed throat.

Instantly my heartbeat spiked, and my fangs slid out. His blood dripped onto my skin, hypnotizing me with its beauty, and with the scent that was purely Dracul.

Masculine, woodsy, and soft. A perfect mixture.

"No," I protested weakly, watching with hunger as Dracul put his bloodstained neck over my mouth. Already the wound had healed, but the blood was still fresh as ever. Fresh enough to pull at the Red and force me to bite.

The world exploded in front of me, my body instantly locking with Draculs. A shiver went down my spine as we grinded against one another, my body needing to touch every inch of him. I felt his hands pull at my shirt until it was off completely, and then do the same for my pants. We still weren't close enough though, I still needed more.

I retracted my fangs from his neck, feeling the lust thicken even more as I bit down again by his collarbone.

Soon all clothes were gone, and I faded into the bliss that was Dracul.

\---

I woke up with a smile, my whole body warm from the inside out. Memories of the passion I shared with Dracul the night before searing itself into my memory.

"Finally, you're awake." I jerked my head towards the voice, shaking myself from the thoughts I'd so easily fallen into.

"Father," I sighed, chewing softly on the inside of my cheek.

He stood beside my bed, tall and imposing, the cool composure not cracking a bit. Now that I knew he was half-Expletus, I could see that part in him.

I could see it in the way the coldness emanated off of him, his features inhumanly perfect, his eyes looking as if they could pierce your very soul.

"Father, where is Dracul?" I asked, swallowing a lump in my throat. I distantly realized that I was no longer in pain, no longer burning with thirst. But that couldn't mean...I couldn't have...

"I am right here," a male voice rasped out, and once again my head jerked towards the sound.

My eyes welled up with tears, and I attempted to hop from the bed to run over to Draculs side. It did not work very well, as there were multiple tubes and wires attached to me, and my legs also happened to be chained down to the bed.

"Dracul, you look terrible! I am so sorry...I am so, so sorry. Oh God," I sobbed, light pink tears no doubt pouring down my face.

A brittle laugh came out of Draculs mouth, and then a long, heaving cough. "Do not be sorry, my dear Tammy. Never be sorry." He smiled, then closed his eyes, his body drooping in the chair he was stretched out on.

I pulled the tubes off of me, breaking the chains that bound my legs, and ran to Dracul.

"Don't forget me," he whispered, his eyes glassy when they reopened.

I held in another sob as I moved a stray hair from his face, feeling my heart clench tightly in my chest. "I would never."

"Promise?" he asked, his voice getting softer, his heartbeat slower.

"Swear."

I watched in horror as Dracul slumped against me, and his soul detached from his body.

With only a last glance at me, and a smile that shook me to the core, Dracul stepped into the gates of Time, for whatever was waiting for him ahead.

I dropped to the floor, pulling my legs in tight to my body, and rocking back and forth. Dracul, my Dracul, my beautiful, wonderful, selfless Dracul. He was dead, gone, never to return.

I felt my heart tear into two, my being tear into two, and started to sob.

Sobbed for the unfairness of it all, for Dracul giving his life for mine, for the love that I would never be allowed to have.

I sobbed for myself, for the future that looked so bleak, so empty. I sobbed and I sobbed, until I had no tears left, until all I could do was continue to try and hold myself together. To hold Draculs cold, dead hand tight to my body.

"Are you done?" my father asked, his demeanor cold as he reached toward Draculs lifeless body. I jumped in front of it, a growl resonating in my throat.

"Don't touch him," I snarled, the Red pulling at my depression, working it to its advantage. I lunged toward the threat, toward my father, my fangs extended and almost drooling at the prospect of another meal.

Before I could get even two feet though, I felt an injection in my neck, and then watched as everything went black.

\---

"-expect me to do? She attacked! My daughter attacked me, attempted to kill me for God's sake!"

"Dracul just died in front of her! He died! What did you think would happen?"

"Mary, don't you think we have more to worry about than the fact that I had to sedate our daughter? Take Grant for instance. We had to lock him up in a separate room while Tammy drank from Dracul, do you understand what that means? It means that Tammy also drank from Grant, our top Hudas! We've kept him from Amatores Sanguinis for precisely this reason, we did not need him to be attached or bonded to any of them. You know what happens when an Amatores Sanguinis and a Hudas bond. This will only end up in disaster.

And if that is not enough, we still do not know if the Transformation actually worked! We do not know if this was all for nothing. If our efforts to save our daughter were for nothing."

\---

"-she awake? It's been days..."

\---

"-worried, maybe she's in pain? How would we know?"

\---

"-we have to get her out of here! They're here! No just-"

\---

"Tammy, baby, I'm here. Don't worry about a thing. I've come to save you."

I opened my eyes, feeling nothing but crushing grief as I looked at the man who was supposed to be my soul mate. "Duke, don't-" but it was no use.

My eyes closed again, as he picked me up and blackness fell.

Shattered

My eyes snapped open, my heart beating erratically in my chest. I felt empty, as if all the life was completely drained out of me.

What a terrible nightmare, a strange boy dying in my arms. Who was he again? The name was on the tip of my tongue, yet it would not come to me.

He had been so handsome, even the thought of his face making a blush creep onto my cheeks. Why would I dream something so terrible as his death?

I struggled to sit up from the bed I was laying on, feeling as if weights were wrapped around each limb. "No, don't try to sit up," a voice said, seemingly familiar in the way it warmed my body from head to toe. I tried to lift my head to put a face to the voice, but even that was locked in place. "Don't move, Tammy."

Tammy...was he speaking to me? I felt as if all my memories were stored away on an unreachable shelf, my fingers just barely grazing the edge. What was happening?

"Tammy," the name flowed out of my mouth, feeling light on my tongue. What a wonderful name, I hope it belonged to me.

"Atmaja, what is happening?" the voice asked, making my stomach light up with an inferno. It felt like Heaven, causing a smile to fall upon my lips.

"Her body has just gone through the Transformation, it has to acclimate." Another voice, this one sharp around the edges, making me want to lift my hands to cover my ears. Atmaja, I assume that was the speaker's name.

"Acclimate? What do you mean acclimate? Tell me she will be okay-" I tuned out the voices, their pointless banter boring me. What was a 'Transformation', and who is 'she'?

"-Tammy, do you know who I am?" I flinched at my name, feeling a warm hand gently touch my arm.

I wish I could answer this voice with a yes, tell him that I did know who he was, but it felt wrong to lie to him. "No, I am sorry. Who are you? What is happening?" I asked, my voice sounding as though made of beautiful glass.

"You don't-you don't know who I am? Atmaja, when-"

"It will take some time, King Duke. Understand that I mean no disrespect, but I think it best that you leave. Queen Tammy needs more rest, so she may recover to her full potential."

King Duke...the name rung several bells within my head, bells that brought on flashes of memories that would not hold still enough for me to see them fully. I could see kisses within the dark, fights with eyes bright red, souls coming together as one, and love. The love was shining within both him and I, and I felt my breath catch. I loved him, but yet I did not know who he was. "Duke," I whispered, his name making my heartbeat faster and body tingle in ways that made me shiver. "Duke?" Once again I tried to sit up, wanting to his face in front of me, but I could still not move even an inch. "Duke!"

But there was no answer, only silence in the air that told me I was alone. How long had I been trapped within my memories, reliving the flashes of my life with Duke?

I closed my eyes, feeling exhaustion settle in suddenly. My body melted in the bed as sleep claimed me, taking me away from the confusion that clouded my brain.

\---

"I love you, you know that right?" Dracul asked, his voice like honey, a fire beginning where his hand rested on my arm.

" _Yes, Dracul, just as I love you," I whispered back, and pulled him closer to me. Was it bad to want so much just to kiss his lips, lie down in bed with him forever? Was it wrong to want him, yet still feel for Duke?_

" _No my dear, you do not understand the magnitude in which I love you._

In all the time I have been alive, I have felt nothing but the thirst. My body was torn to pieces, yet I felt no pain. I killed innocent children, mothers, fathers, and felt no remorse. I have laid in bed with hundreds of women, and felt not even lust. But you, you are something different, something new. Just knowing that you are alive, makes my heart beat faster. Seeing you beside me makes my body light up like a wildfire. Hearing your voice in my ears fills me with elation. I feel nothing but my thirst, yet I feel for you. Yet I love you. Do you understand now?" he asked me, planting a soft kiss on my forehead. "I love you."

\---

Dracul...his name was the first thought that came into my mind when I woke up, creating a flutter of butterflies within my stomach. I could remember the day I first saw him, the minute our eyes locked, the second I fell in love with him.

That was all I remembered though, my mind still a blank canvas waiting to be filled. Why was my memory so blank? What had happened that caused it?

I sat up, feeling relieved that I could actually move my body now. The room I was in was bland, white walls and nothing but the big plush bed that I was lying on.

It most definitely did not look like a room from the castle, nor did it seem to be a room from Duke's home. Where was I?

"Tammy?" Duke's voice pulled me from my thoughts, making a smile light up on my face.

"Hello Duke," I murmured, smiling serenely at him. He looked so handsome, his short black hair having grown longer from my memories. Instead of it being spiked, it was curling softly at the nape of his neck.

"You-you remember me?" he asked, voice rising slightly with hope.

I tilted my head quizzically to the side, a light laugh falling from my lips. "Of course I remember you," I answered back. "I have some questions though, if that would be okay?"

Duke nodded, which I took to mean ask away, and so I did. "Where am I? And what happened to me? Why is my memory so blank?" The questions tumbled out of my mouth, one after the other.

"You're in the infirmary area of the castle. Ever since the Transformation, you have been in a coma. Atmaja, our doctor, has been trying everything to get you to wake up. She thinks that something traumatic must have happened during your Transformation, which caused you to block your memories. Do you have any idea what it might be?" Duke sat down on the bed beside me, smiling at me encouragingly.

"Duke honestly, if she remembers nothing then how is she supposed to remember that?" A voice filled the air, making nausea build up and burn my nose.

After a moment, a body joined the voice. It was a girl, her hair a thick brown with red highlights that made the blue of her eyes look deeper. She didn't look that scary, but she made my insides quake.

"Pleased to meet you, my name is Kallisto," the girl said, holding her hand out to me expectantly. I forced myself to grab it, trying to hold in the shaking that went bone deep.

"Kallisto, this is not an opportunity to start over with her. She will remember everything soon enough, and nothing will change what happened before." Duke's eyes flashed red, anger billowing off him in waves.

"I'm not trying to start over, but it's not like what happened before was my fault! I wasn't in control, how many times do we have to go over this? I mean-"

I started to tune them out, reclining back onto my bed. What if I tried to remember? What if I closed my eyes and reached into the furthest corners of my brain to unlock the memories stored there? Would it work?

I tried, snapping my eyes closed tightly and sending a quick prayer that this would go well.

I imagined a locked chest within my brain, filled to the brim with memories that I couldn't access. Then, I imagined a bright and shiny key appearing within my hand; one that matched the lock from the chest perfectly.

I took a deep breath, then stepped forward and placed the key in the lock, turning it until I heard a thin 'click'.

"Tammy? What are you doing?" My eyes snapped back open, locking with Dukes' before my vision was bombarded with memories and I passed out.

Pieces

"Let me in to see her!" Grant's voice filled my head, making the Red burn within my throat.

"Grant, you go in there and wake her...and you will die. Then, once you die, as will she. Would you like that to happen? Would you like our daughter to die?" My mother sounded calm, nothing like the craziness infecting Grant.

I struggled against the ties clamping me to the bed, trying to force my body out so I could go to Grant. So I could sate the thirst beginning to run rampage within me.

"She's awake! Let me see her! Let me see Tammy!"

I heard a snarl rip out of my throat, and a rip as my hands freed themselves. "Grant," I purred, my voice turning velvet soft as I called him to me. "Grant..."

As soon as he heard me I saw the door to my room start to shake, no doubt from him pounding against it. "Let me in! Tammy!"

"Take him out!" my mom yelled, and I felt my body go drowsy as the drug they gave to him passed through the bond.

\---

I woke up; tears falling delicately down my face as I relived the night I killed Dracul over and over in my head. That was what I had been blocking, trying to keep myself from this emptiness that filled me. No wonder I had fallen into a coma, Dracul dying pushed me off the cliff, and I wasn't going to come back. Not unless I could find a way to go to him, and Duke would never allow that. I had to leave, and I had to go now.

"Tammy, what's wrong?" Duke appeared in the room from thin air, sitting beside me with his face full of love.

What was wrong with me? Why was I still here? Duke didn't deserve to suffer with me.

"Duke, I can't do this. I'm scared..." I whispered, hugging my arms tight to my chest.

He knew what I meant, I could see it in the way he looked at me, and I swore that I could almost see light pink tears lining his eyes.

"Why?" I shook my head, refusing to answer his simple question. "Why are you scared, why can't you do this?" he pressed, taking a step towards me.

I looked away, biting the inside of my cheeks. What was I supposed to tell him? The truth? Tell him that without Dracul I will never feel anything again? That I blocked out my memories so that I wouldn't have to relive Dracul's death? Is that what he wanted to hear? That I was so in love with someone else, so in love with Dracul, that when he died I fell into a bottomless pit that I won't ever pull myself out of? Was I supposed to spill my soul to him, break his heart and shatter it into unrecoverable pieces? He gave up so much for me, he lost so much for me, and what have I done for him? What have I done to him? What have I done?

I shook my head again, wiping away the tears that began to fall. "I'm sorry Duke," I whispered, and turned away from him. "I'm so sorry."

"Tammy I won't let you give up on me, I won't let you leave me. Do you hear me? I love you Tammy, I love you so much. Please, just listen to me. I know what you're going through. I know that you're hurting. But-if you just let me help you-"

I cut him off, shaking off the hand that he grabbed my arm with. "No Duke. You can't help me. Don't you see what's right in front of you? I am a monster, doomed to wreck everything-everyone-in my path. I'm no good for you Duke, I'm no good for anyone. I love you Duke, I do love you, but I'm not going to hurt you. I won't do it."

Duke grabbed my arm again, a single pink tear falling down his beautifully sculpted face. I wanted to wipe it away so badly, but I couldn't do it. I had to leave before I hurt Duke too. "Then don't leave me. Tammy, if you leave me, you won't just be hurting me. You'll be tearing my heart to shreds. Please don't leave me," he pleaded, and I pulled my arm back once again.

"You have Kallisto, you have a life that you can start over with. I can't be a part of it; I wasn't made to be your Queen. I'm sorry Duke, but I can't do this. I can't do this!" I shouted, and walked away.

I could feel Duke wanting to run after me, my soul still tied to his and hearing it call out to me. Feeling the amount of restraint he had to force onto himself, to keep from pulling me back into his arms. I couldn't let him see that I wanted that. I couldn't let him see that I wanted him to give me a reason to stay. I had to leave; I had to end this cycle of hurt, this cycle of pain that seemed never-ending. I had to stay strong for myself, for Duke, for Dracul. "I'm sorry Duke," I whispered, knowing he would hear me as I exited the palace doors. "I'm so sorry."

###
