I am powerless against a vampire. There is no way I am going to be able to escape him. The man pulls Me closer by the waist and whispers in my ear... "Not so easily..." His hands travel to my neck and then to my jawline, he slightly lifts my chin making me face him.
"Are you going to kill me?"
"If I was, I would have done it already." I gulp questioning whether or not I should believe him. "Then what do you want from me? I don't have anything to offer you."
The vampire stares at me intensely, and I feel myself longing for him, unable to process my thoughts. I nervously wait for the vampire to speak guessing it's going to be a threatening statement, But then the vampire's gaze softens.
"I don't want anything from you. I'm not going to hurt you." I go to scream again, but he holds up his hand to stop me. "I am not going to hurt you. You have my word."
"Then why did you just pin me?"
"I couldn't help myself. You just..."
"I just what?" 'Why am I not afraid? I'm alone in the woods with an actual vampire for God's sake!'
The vampire then takes a deep breath not breaking eye contact. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Alex. Son of lord Elden"
"Okay, Alex. Mind telling me where the hell am I?"
Alex chuckles. "You, my dear, have found yourself in Night City."
I think back about the old leather- bound book. the name doesn't sound super familiar, but I'm guessing there's information about him in the book that somehow leads me here.
"Am I supposed to know who Lord Elden is?"
"Lord Elden? He's the greatest and, as some would say, the most powerful vampire to ever exist."
"Are there others like you?"
"Yes a lot of them." As I stand in the middle of the woods with Alex, suddenly there's a rustling in the bushes behind, making me jump in fright. Alex comes closer to me. For some reasons, I feel calm. "You are safe with me...." "It's Claire."
"Claire. How beautiful." When Alex takes my name, it feels like a melody to my ears. The sense of comfort washes over me as I continue feeling more and more safer in his presence. 'I haven't even let my guard down, yet he makes me feel some sorta way like, I could trust him?.. No! What's wrong with my thoughts?! It must be his magical vampire powers.'
Alex holds his arm out to me waiting for me to take it. "Shall we?"
"I am not going anywhere with you until you answer some questions." Alex smiles
"What would you like to know?"
"Do you have a family, other than your father? Do you have a girlfriend? Is gallivanting around the woods late at night a favorite hobby of yours? Are you here hunting for blood to drink?...."
Alex seems amused by my questions but not hesitant to answer them. It's clear that he is patient with me. Alex takes his sweet time to answer my questions and simultaneously glances over at me. My eyes meet his multiple times and I feel a spark fly.
"Yes, I do have a family. No girlfriend. I don't Gallivant. But I do enjoy my Nightly walks."
"Is night City... a magical place?"
"If by magical you mean full of other magical creatures and beings, then yes." Another wave of fear washes over me, but Alex gives me a kind smile, and it makes me feel better.
"Maybe he really will protect me." I and Alex continue talking, asking each other questions, and giving each other vague answers. I'm not one hundred percent convinced I can trust him yet. "You're not giving me honest detailed answers." "Neither are you."
"Because I know you're just asking to be polite, who could've thought, I would be here be here asking questions to a vampire getting to know him."
"You will learn a lot more about me, in no time." Alex holds his arm out to me again. "Where do you want to take me?"
"I will walk you home , of course"
"But I don't know how to get home let alone I don't even know how I got here." I start babbling and freaking out. Alex reaches out and places a comforting hand on my shoulder. A tingling sensation shoots right through me. I don't want him to take his hand away. "It will be alright, Claire. What is the last thing you remember?"
"Reading a book back at my house. Then the next thing I know, I'm here..... Alex, do you know anything about a book called Vampire Histories? Do you know how it could have caused me to be....transported here?" Alex appears as if he is in deep thoughts for a long while. Them he finally speaks.
"I am Afraid I don't."
"I'm scared, Alex." Alex takes his hand off of me. He appears to be thinking about what the best solution is. Tears start forming in my eyes. I'm scared I am never going to find my way back. "I don't feel safe here. I just want to go back home."
"I am sorry I don't know how to help you get back to....your world. But come with me. You can stay the night at my place. In the morning we can assess the situation with a refreshed mind." There's a rustling in the bushes again, and Alex squints at something over my shoulder, jumping into fight mode.
"It's not safe for you out here. you'll feel much better once we get to my home."
'I don't know if I should trust him. but I don't want to be in these woods anymore, either." Alex stays close to me, as he offers me his arm, I take it and hold it tightly as we begin walking out of the woods.
"What was it that attacked you?"
"An ogre. They roam all around these woods."
"Why would it attack you though?" I shudder at the thought of what a real-life ogre might look like.
"The big ole brute just felt like picking a fight. He must have been bored." My eyes widen in fear, and Alex Smiles. I question how he is so calm about it but then he speaks. "As I said, You have nothing to fear when I'm with you." I find myself moving even closer to him. Alex notices it, and his eyes go to my hand that is tightly clutching onto him.