Sour Beginnings

Chapter 3: Emily's P.O.V.

~ Several Years Later ~

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I've been alive for so many years now. I stopped keeping track a while ago.

After that night, when the last of my family died, I changed. The old Emily was dead. She died with her brothers that night. Her soul was stolen by that Demon.

I'm not sure what happened after that. All of my emotions were gone, like they had never been there to begin with. I have no idea if my brothers were buried, or if their bodies were ever found. If anyone had stumbled across that village, they surely would think that a true monster had been there.

By the time that I had come to, several years had gone by. Times were different. There were things called newspapers that told everyone the news of the world. People were treated better than when I was human, but still not the best. Where castles had been, now held buildings. Stores opened, and medicine was on the rise.

It was the early 1800s, and I had been lost for over 800 years.

I say lost instead of asleep, because that isn't what I was. I have few memories of those 800 years, and for good reason. I was not a good person.

I spent those years doing as I pleased. The only things I cared about were feeding and being free. I ate who I wanted, and accidentally created more creatures like me. I would leave them to fend for themselves just as my mother did to me.

Loneliness had consumed me. I was drunk on blood and true freedom. I slaughtered anyone who was brave enough to speak to me. I have no idea where I slept, how I had gotten clothes, or where I had wandered. I only knew that no one would ever cure my loneliness.

When I had finally come to my senses, it was because I had died. I was at an underground opium den. There were many during that time. I had killed every person that was down there, and laughed as I got drunk off their blood.

One moment, I was laughing like a lunatic, and the next everything was black.

At first, I was happy. Finally, after all of this time, someone killed me. I was dead. A stake had been driven right into my heart. It was finally over. I could finally see my family again.

That's what I thought anyway, but then I woke up.

I gasped for air as I shot up into a sitting position. I put my hand over my heart to find that my chest was healed. I can feel my heart beating inside my chest.

What...? But how...?

"I didn't think you would wake."

I looked up to see a young woman standing near me. I now see that I'm in a different room than what I had died in. I'm lying on a bed with soft white sheets. My clothes have even been changed. Well, I'm only in a slip, but still. I'm not covered in blood anymore.

Why would they put a dead person in a bed?

"When you started to heal, we knew that you were different. A stake should have been enough to take you out." The woman said.

I looked at her again.

She is a beautiful young woman, although she is dressed in trousers like a male. Her tanned skin and dark features tell me that she is foreign to this... I have no idea where I am right now. The woman's deep brown eyes were apprehensive. Like she's waiting for me to make a sudden movement.

"So," she said. "Are you a born Vampire? Born Vampires don't usually slaughter everyone in their wake. Attracts too much attention. The Vamp king doesn't like that."

Vamp king?

"You look confused. Maybe you don't know what you are? I've never seen a made Vamp heal from a stake wound. Not when it pierced their heart, that is. Do you know who your parents are? Are you an orphan?" She asked.

I looked at the woman confused.

"I do not know what a Vamp king is." I told her.

I remember that monster telling me that we were not like other Vampires he had known. Maybe that is who this woman is referring to. Born Vampires and made Vampires. It sounds like there are a lot of made Vampires now.

Oops.

"So, you must be a mistake. A Vamp must have knocked your mother up, and she most likely died giving birth to you. A halfling isn't as dangerous as a full Vamp. Although, I didn't realize their healing would be so exceptional." She said thoughtfully.

I shook my head, and swung my legs over the bed. The woman took a step back, but I ignored her. My head is killing me.

"I am not what you think I am. I'm not an orphan. I knew who my parents were," I said.

How is it that I've never met one of these born Vampires yet? Or have I? I suppose it could be possible.

"What is the year?" I asked the woman.

She frowned at me.

"It is 1808, late September." She answered.

I sighed.

Just over 800 years that I've been like this. What have I even been doing all this time? Killing?

Flashes of screams and blood filled my mind. I winced as I pressed my hand to my head.

Apparently, that's exactly what I've been doing.

How did I lose so much time? I was awake for all of this, but... It's like I wasn't here. Like I gave up control to the monster inside of me.

Can I do that again?

"You said that you are not an orphan. That means you knew what you were doing. I have to take you to the Vampire king." The woman said.

I didn't look at her as I stood up. I need to get dressed and get out of here. Maybe if I get myself drunk off blood again, I can lose myself to the monster once more.

"What are you doing?" The woman asked.

"Leaving," I replied.

"Did you not hear what I said? I am taking you to-"

"The Vampire king, yes I heard you." I told her. "However, the Vampire king can't do anything for me. I am not a born Vampire. I was turned."

"Turned?" The woman asked. "Impossible. You would have died when I staked you."

I found a dress, and quickly began stepping into it.

"Apparently not," I replied. "Perhaps your aim was off."

I knew that was a lie. She had pierced my heart. I didn't realize that was supposed to kill me permanently.

"No, I definitely pierced your heart." She said. "This is strange... If you are telling the truth... Then there is something different about you."

I ignored her as I tied the straps of my dress. It was difficult to do on my own. How had I been getting by this whole time? How do I even know how to do this?

"Are you listening to me?" The woman asked angrily.

I continued to ignore her.

"Tenere," the woman said.

I was thrown into the wall behind me, and held there. I tried to push off the wall, but I was stuck. An invisible barrier was holding me in place. I smiled as I realized what was going on.

"You are a Witch," I said happily.

It's been so long since I've been in the presence of another Witch.

"That's right. So you know that I am a force to be reckoned with. I am not like other humans. I can-"

"Dimittis," I said, interrupting her.

Then I was dropped to the ground.

I don't normally have to use words to envoke spells. Part of having the Anderson special power means that I can do most magic without words. I know to keep my identity a secret though. For now.

The woman's eyes widened as she cowered back.

"H-h-how....? Th-this is... impossible..." She whispered.

"Is it?" I asked.

"Yes," she said, nodding. "W-Witches that are turned... lose their magic..."

The memory of Barron trying to feel the energy of the earth filled my head. He couldn't use his magic anymore. I wonder if that was what Aric was running to tell us the day that he was killed.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to force the memory away.

"How... did you manage to keep your magic?" The woman asked.

I walked over to the woman, and she cowered back. Her back hit the wall, and she slid down to the floor. She squeezed her eyes shut out of fear. Like I was going to attack her right then.

I realized at that moment how truthfully evil I had been. The damage that I had caused was too great to go back now. How many of these made Vampires have killed innocent people?

"I do not know why I was able to keep my magic," I told her. "For that, you would have to ask the person who blessed me with this curse."

"W-what?" The woman asked.

I stood up with no intention of answering her question. I walked towards the door as I wrapped my long blonde hair in a bun. I snatched a hat from a table on my way.

"W-wait... who are you?" The woman asked.

I paused in the doorway. I might as well admit it. I have nothing to live for anyway, and if people want to come after me... Maybe one of them could really kill me.

"Me?" I asked as I turned to look at her. "My name is Emily Anderson."