'I hate this place,' I thought to myself while I as walking down the sidewalk, hands in my leather jacket. I hate cities, most importantly over populated cities like Los Angeles. The fact that I did not have a choice in the matter of transmigrating here was irritating me more.
'But nothing more than all these blood bags walking around,' I thought to myself, my eyes drawed to two guys wearing gym vests and shorts showing their muscular frame for all men to envy and women to lust after. Me, I was attracted to the sound of their heart beating, their blood coursing in their veins which promised me a fully satisfying meal if I were to set my hunger on them.
'But its wrong!' a small part in my head shouted , bringing me back to my senses. I was getting irritated at this part of myself because I knew it was only a matter of time before I drank blood, it was only extending the inevitable. My left hand thumb traced circle on the ring on my fore finger, strangely soothing my growing hunger and clearing my head. I thanked the heavens I had wished for a ring made from element X from the ROB, otherwise I would have become like many other newly born vampires, slaves to their thirst and heightened emotions.
Yes, I was prone to these, now more than ever because I barely had any control over them when I was a human. I was antisocial to a point I would rather miss appointments than meet with a crowd. It had cost me a couple of jobs till I found one that suited my need, becoming a web designer on an online platform. The very idea of going to the public was nauseating and now that I had transmigrated into a body of a 21 year old man transitioning into a vampire, I found that my emotions were heightened too much.
But, a vampire need to eat and I didn't trust my imagination to conjure up good blood via the reality warping ring. So, I had to hunt, a hunt that was proving a daunting task thanks to my crippled social interactions. Whenever I would choose a target and was about to head to them, I would find myself going the opposite direction no matter how hard I would admonish myself. If this goes on, I would be the first vampire to ever starve to dessication because of being anti social.
'This is torture,' I thought to myself as I took a seat outside a cafe, trying to come up with future plans. This crippling fear of socializing was going to fuck me in the ass if I did not nip it in the bud. This led me to look at the ring as thoughts started to formulate in my mind.
Element X was a metal so highly sought after by higher level beings in the DC universe because it was an impossibility. It was a metal that was made from reality itself, making the wielder have control over reality intimately. It was also the metal that is used to make mother boxes, giving them majority of their power and every DC fan knows motherboxes are the Deus Ex Machina in DC. Now, I was a vampire in the Vampire Diaries verse with a ring of this impossible metal fighting Dyssomnia! Fate was really fucking me over!
"What can I get you today?" a voice brought me back from my thoughts, making me look up, quite startled, to see a waitress looking at me, notepade on the ready.
"Uhm," I didn't know what to say. The first thing that was about to get out of my mouth was an apology before walking away but I was drawn in by her heart beat. It pulsed steadily beneath her skin, a rhythmic thrum that resonated in the quiet corners of my mind, drowning out the noise of the bustling Los Angeles nightlife around us. I was enamored and I could feel my fangs slowly sliding out, making me look down, hastily reaching out to the menu for I knew my true vampire face would show.
"Can I get a coffee please, black, no sugar," I answered, fighting the rising urge to rip her throat out and bathe in her blood.
"Sure, will that be all?" she asked, cordially but I was starting to get impatient. Fighting the urge to pounce on her, I nodded and she walked away, making me listen to her rescinding heartbeat with a tinge of regret. I just let a meal walk away, how shameful!
"I really need blood," I sighed to myself. It was just then that a piercing horn brought me from my musing. Looking up, I saw a black corvette slowly driving pass the cafe. The driver and the passengers were party girls, I could practically smell alcohol from their breaths from thirty feet away and I knew right away I just found my meal ticket. I quickly got up and started running only to find myself suddenly meeting face to face with a brick wall. I felt the impact but not the pain as I ragdolled into the building, breaking some furniture and another wall, finding myself in an alley.
"Fuck!" I cursed, glaring at the ring. Vampires were impossibly fast but with the ring, I was much faster, so fast I had failed to catch up till the last moment. I got up from the dirty ground, patting debris from my clothes before looking at the destruction I had made, to see curious humans looking through the first hole I made. The next I saw was a change of scenery as I found myself staring at Los Angeles from the top of a building. Teleportation!
"Okay, you're cool and all but this is disorienting," I said to the ring as I came up with how to use it. It responded to my thoughts and wills which meant I should always be of the right mind otherwise I might bring chaos to the world.
Looking down from the edge of the building, I realized I was on the rooftop of the building I just bulldozed through and almost unconsciously, my eyes drifted to the road and zeroed in on the corvette.
It was just parked outside a popular club, the metallic paint gleaming under the flickering neon lights. The girls alighting amidst giggles looked like they had stepped right out of a glossy magazine—hair cascading down their shoulders, heels clicking against the pavement, and the laughter spilling out like a melody into the warm night air.
For a moment, I felt the weight of their carefree joy tugging at something deep inside me. I remembered a time when nights like this were filled with possibilities, before I became a creature of darkness. They leaned into each other, their faces illuminated by the soft glow of their phones, snapping selfies and capturing the thrill of the night. I couldn't help but feel a pang of longing. What would it be like to be one of them, caught up in the vibrant pulse of life instead of lurking in the shadows?
As I perched on the ledge, the adrenaline from my earlier rampage still thrummed through my veins. The destruction I had wrought, I ploughed through a building like it was made of wet tissue paper, felt both exhilarating and unnerving. The chaos had been intoxicating—a raw display of power that sent a rush of energy surging through me. But now, watching these girls revel in their youth, I couldn't help but feel the stark contrast to my own reality.
Just then, a group of guys swaggered up to the Corvette, their laughter loud and boisterous, clearly in pursuit of the same energy these girls radiated. One of them, a tall, muscular figure, made a crude joke that sent the girls into peals of laughter. It was a simple, unremarkable moment, but it stirred something darker within me. My instincts flared, a primal urge rising like bile in the back of my throat.
What if I descended from this rooftop? What if I stepped into that world, using my newfound powers to twist the narrative in my favor? I imagined weaving through the crowd, my presence an enigma—a dark silhouette among the colorful lights. I could feel their heartbeat, their excitement, and the delicious scent of their blood wafting through the air. It would be so easy to turn their night into a horror story, to unleash the monster I had become.
But I hesitated, my instincts battling against the vestiges of the person I used to be. That thrill of danger was intoxicating, yet something held me back. Was I really ready to embrace the darkness entirely? The thrill of their laughter beckoned me, but so did the fear of what I might become if I let that darkness take over.
I leaned further over the edge, entranced by the spectacle below. It was a heady mix of life and death, joy and despair. I could feel the pulse of the city, the throbbing energy that was as much a part of me now as my insatiable thirst for blood. I wanted to feel alive again, but what did that mean for them?
Suddenly, one of the girls glanced up, her gaze locking onto mine. For a fleeting moment, I was caught in her bright eyes, and an unexpected rush of humanity surged through me. She was beautiful, with an infectious smile and an energy that radiated innocence. I felt an urge to call out to her, to connect, to step down from this precipice and bridge the gap between my dark world and her light.
But then, reality crashed back over me. I was a monster, a being forged in darkness. I had just torn through a building as if it were made of paper, and the last thing I wanted was to hurt anyone. It was, however, possible for this to be for I fed on blood and they were prey. Without even realizing it, my vampire face had taken form and the girls down there just became walking dinner to me. I looked down on my ring then looked down to the girls, specifically the one that just looked at me. With a tug of my will, she suddenly disappeared from their midst, appearing beside me.
She gasped as she landed next to me, her confusion palpable in the chilly air. "What—what just happened?" Her eyes darted around, taking in the strange rooftop surroundings, and I could see the fear beginning to settle in. But that fear was nothing compared to the insatiable hunger that coursed through my veins. It was as if a switch had been flipped within me, igniting a primal fire that demanded to be fed.
I stepped closer, the distance between us closing as I marveled at the rush of exhilaration that surged within me. The thudding of her heartbeat was loud in my ears, a seductive rhythm that beckoned me closer. In that moment, I was no longer just an observer of the darkness—I was the embodiment of it. My senses heightened, every detail of her became magnified: the soft blush of her cheeks, the way her pulse throbbed just beneath the surface of her skin, and the intoxicating scent of her warmth.
Without thinking, I reached out, my fingers brushing against her wrist, feeling the rapid pulse beneath. A jolt of electricity shot through me, and my fangs instinctively elongated, piercing through the barriers of my restraint. I hesitated, just for a moment, caught between the thrill of the hunt and the remnants of my humanity. But that hesitation was fleeting, swallowed by the primal urge to satiate my hunger.
As I sank my fangs into her flesh, a rush of warmth flooded my senses, washing over me like a tidal wave. It was euphoric—the taste of her blood was like nothing I had ever experienced, rich and vibrant, a sweet elixir that enveloped me in its embrace. It filled the void inside me, the darkness that had long been my companion now transformed into a dizzying euphoria.
With each pull, I felt stronger, invigorated as though I was reclaiming a part of myself that had been lost. It was a dance of power and vulnerability—she was in my grasp, and yet I was utterly consumed by her life force. The world around us faded into a blur, the bright lights of Los Angeles dimming in comparison to the intensity of this moment.
I could feel her heartbeat quicken, a mixture of fear and something else—something akin to trust, as if she could sense the struggle within me. My mind raced, torn between the exhilaration of the act and the reality of what I was doing. This was the first time I had fed, and it felt both liberating and terrifying.
But even in the midst of that ecstasy, a whisper of caution curled around my thoughts. I had to be careful; I didn't want to take too much. The girl was beautiful, her essence vital and vibrant, but I was still aware of the consequences of my actions. As the thrill of the hunt pulsed through me, I fought against the urge to drain her completely, to consume her entirely.
I pulled back, the taste of her blood still lingering on my lips, a bittersweet reminder of the power I now wielded. She swayed slightly, disoriented, and I caught her before she fell, cradling her in my arms. The fear in her eyes had dimmed to something softer, more complex, as if she recognized the internal battle I faced.
"Are you okay?" I murmured, my voice low and raspy. I could still feel the warmth radiating from her, and the lingering hunger within me throbbed insistently. But the exhilaration had been tempered by a strange sense of connection, a bond forged in this intimate act.
As I steadied her, I understood that this was a turning point—a moment that would shape my existence. I was no longer just a creature of the night; I was a vampire who had tasted life in its purest form. I looked into her eyes, the complexity of our encounter weaving a fragile thread between us.
"Thank you," she whispered, and it struck me how profound those words were. I had taken from her, but she had given me something more—an understanding of my duality, a glimpse of the man I could choose to be amid the darkness.
I had fed for the first time, and the thrill of it would linger long after the night had ended. But I had also tasted a sliver of hope, and perhaps, a chance at redemption. Together, we would navigate this precarious line between darkness and light, and I vowed to protect her from the monster I feared I could become.