Kimi's POV
A strange ache throbbed in my jaw, a sensation so unfamiliar it sent me rushing to the mirror. But my reflection was absent, replaced by the warm smile of my mother. I touched the source of the discomfort, my fingers meeting sharp, unexpected points. "Just your fangs, sweetheart," she said, her voice brimming with an unsettling delight. I retreated to bed, the ache a constant reminder of the change, a change I would have to face at school tomorrow.
The following morning, I woke surprisingly refreshed, the odd discomfort of the previous night replaced with a subtle energy. I slipped into my uniform and headed downstairs where my mother awaited with a bottle filled with a crimson liquid eerily similar to the one from my birthday. The taste was no longer unpleasant, but a welcome warmth. She then presented me with a ruby necklace, "This will protect you from the sun," she explained. I fastened it around my neck, grabbed another bottle of the red liquid, and ventured out into the day.
The familiar sight of the schoolyard was abruptly transformed when I spotted the girl with the serpent tattoo. She moved with purpose, took my hand and pulled me into the confines of a janitor's closet. The space was cramped, and in an instant, I found myself pinned against the wall, her body close to mine. My heart hammered a frantic rhythm. "What...what are you doing?" I stammered, the question barely audible above the pounding in my ears. She silenced me with a touch, her hand gently grazing my face before her lips met mine. I kissed back, my hands instinctively finding their way to her neck. When she pulled away, I stood frozen, my mind a whirling chaos. What had just happened?
"Now, will you listen to what I have to say?" she asked, her voice a breathless whisper. "Yeah," I managed, eager for an explanation. Her expression was suddenly pained, "Can I please drink some of that blood? I'm really hungry, and I don't want to feed on them," she pleaded. Without hesitation, I offered her the bottle, and she drank deeply, leaving a trace of blood at the corner of her lips. A primal instinct surged through me, and before I knew it, I had licked it clean.
I leaned in, and her kiss was an instant response, her arms encircling my waist as she pressed me against the wall. She kissed my neck as if she had an intimate knowledge of every nerve ending, and she found that perfect spot that set my heart on fire, a soft moan escaping my lips. "What a sweet sound, honey," she murmured, her raspy voice sending shivers down my spine. Her hands explored and teased while mine stayed gently at her neck. Just as our moment intensified, the shrill sound of the school bell ripped us apart. "What's your name?" I asked, still breathless from the encounter. She gave me a knowing smirk. "Do I kiss that well?" she teased. "How would I know? You're the first person I've kissed. I'm Kimi, by the way," I replied with a shy smile, watching as she blushed before kissing my cheek. "I'm Charlotte. See you after school," she said before disappearing out of the closet. I stood there, my cheeks burning and chugged my remaining bottle of the red liquid, trying to make sense of the intensity of our stolen moments.
As the hours dragged, a new, intense hunger began to claw at me. The scent of blood hung heavy in the air, and I felt my self-control begin to slip away like sand through my fingers. "May I please step out, ma'am?" I blurted out, my voice laced with desperation. Once in the bathroom, I was confronted by the sight of my reflection – my eyes blazed a deep, unsettling red. In the corner, a girl was crying, and an overwhelming, uncontrollable urge surged through me. I bit her and drank greedily of her blood before hypnotizing her and fleeing the bathroom.