1. The Beginning
My name is Luna Marie Vincent. My original name however was Luna Marie Brunori. I died in November of 1452, and it was also the day my life had become a waking nightmare, I didn’t choose for it it to become this way however. . . Most importantly, it was my last day to live as a Human. Now lets start from the beginning shall we?
It was a cold November night and it was past nightfall. Normally it wasn’t allowed for a lady to be out by herself, let alone at night. I had managed to sneak my way out of my home and over to the Cassanova’s. The past few days had been extremely busy with helping Jason with his preparations for his brother Jarred’s wedding.
A few weird things had been happening here in Siena, people were getting extremely sick ever since we had a new visitor. His name was Lord Zadicus Stone. No one really knew much about him except that he traveled through towns for various reasons of which I was not sure of. However, the town’s people say he was a “Hell’s Angel”. I saw him in my dreams, many times before he had came,the things I had seen when he was in my dreams he indeed was. . . But I was curious nonetheless. I wanted to know who he really was, not just from gossip and dreams.
Anyway so like I was saying, I was going over to meet Jason to hopefully ease his nerves for tomorrow. He was the best man in the wedding and he was beyond nervous of all the ways he could mess it up. I wasn’t too far from his mansion, but I had to go through the town to get to it. The streets were surprisingly quiet,maybe even too quiet. . . I was tired I’ll admit, but I to make sure Jason was okay tonight before tomorrow’s wedding. I quietly made my way through the dingy alley as I heard the wind blow barely able to see the light from the moon I bumped into someone. Then I realized the moon, this alley, even down to the sound of the wind. . . It was just like my dreams, and just like my dreams the dark figure stepped out in front of me and looked down at me as the clouds moved away from the moon giving his face more light. It was then that I saw my beautiful nightmare in front of me.
My eyes grew in fear and I didn’t really understand why, but I could feel almost a radiating power coming from him. I opened my mouth to speak, but stuttered.
“I- I’m sorry I- I didn’t mean to be in your way Lord-” I stopped as I felt a chill up my spine as I watched his darkened eyes stare into me.
You know what he is, but that doesn’t mean you should say that. I thought to myself.
He put his finger on my lips;
“Hush Ms. Brunori, you don’t have to call me that. . . nor do I wish you to, I will not hurt you, it is the last thing I’d intend to do especially to you.” He grinned and his eyes lightened into almost a shade of red.
“Please don’t hurt me I won’t tell I swear I- I’ll do whatever you want, I won’t tell I’ll act like nothing has happened.”
Now you’re babbling he just said he wouldn’t harm you.
He shook his head at me as I stayed still.
“I will say it again Luna. . . I’m not here to kill you or harm you, well I’m sure you know why I’m here. . . You know what I am, I can see it in your eyes.” He paused.
“You cringe with fear,but your eyes also are sparkling as if they see a shooting star. . . I also know that you would tell which means you also know that I do have to kill you.”
He gently touched my neck and I felt my heart start to feel like it was about to jump out of my chest as my blood rushed.
How did he know about the dreams? Was he the one who made my dreams and nightmares a living Hell?
He was right though, I knew what he was. He was a vampire. . . A Hell’s Angel if you will. If matters could be worse, he was the vampire the first. Some say he had a brother, but vanished him from his thoughts along with his parents ashamed of them all. Some say he had no family at all, that he just put here to torture all of humanity. He was the only vampire, which made him the rarest and strongest thing on Earth, and now he had found someone he wanted to make like him.
Me.
I was supposed to be his wife and Vampire Queen. With that kind of power him and I would control every vampire created after us.
He gently grabbed my neck and bit it while I was still frozen unsure of what to do. I had tried ways to avoid this from happening, but it always ended the same. I had hoped it was just another dream and that I would wake up, but that never happened and I had let him win.
I felt a hot rush go through my veins and i started to feel the horror and excitement build and maybe even a small wave of pleasure, but then a stabbing pain had overcome it all. I started to scream in pain,but he quickly put his hand over my mouth muffling my screams and soothing me as I closed my eyes. His touch unlike the animal like teeth being pierced into my neck was gentle and soothing and made me relax somehow. I was the rabbit in the snake’s jaws. I was his prey now.
He only fed for a mere minute and stopped slowly licking the deep mark as if he were savouring the taste. I was left speechless as I opened my eyes and started to feel myself become dizzy and and started seeing blotches in my vision. I started fighting for my breaths as I felt them slowly fade. He whispered words I couldn’t understand I felt myself falling back, but he gently sat me down against the wall and I slowly faded as I felt a darkness take over me as I passed out.
I wasn’t sure if I was going to wake up unable to breathe from a dream or if this time, I wouldn’t wake up.
However when I did finally wake up Zadicus had quickly covered my mouth with his hand before I could yell, it was still nighttime and I could feel a liquid touch my lips and start to go into my mouth suddenly I had found myself licking at the sweet and bitter liquid and reaching up to grab his hand forcing it against my mouth as I swallowed the liquid.
I started to feel weak again as my vision started to fade again I heard him whisper.
“This only the beginning, you are a prophecy and a very great one that I will make sure happens. . .” the words haunted me as once again the darkness took my vision as I passed back out.
When I had finally awoke once more he was gone. . . I felt my neck and I felt nothing, I didn’t even care if I was still injured I just wanted to run and that’s what I did. I got up and ran back home as fast as I could. I struggled to catch my breath as I shut the door as I got back to my house. My mother and father stared at me the silence was broken when my mother hugged me tightly.
“We were so worried! We thought you might have been taken from us- or worse you had gotten that awful cold and had gotten lost!”
I closed my eyes as I whispered to her.
“I’m here. . .”
She suddenly gasped and shoved me away pointing at my neck with terror in her eyes.
“What is that mark on your neck young lady?!”
Did she know? Or was she assuming something else?
“Mother please! I’m fine! Just let me explain-”
“You may sleep, then you will leave in the morning.” She shook her head as she went back next to my father who looked at me with still stone cold eyes not saying a word.
“If anyone asks we’ll say you were taken.”
“But Jason-”
She looked down at the cold wooden floor.
“You can never come back. . . Forget about everyone, your past and everything. You’re dead to us now.” her words were like icles through my heart and my eyes teared and I nodded walking up to my room slamming the barely hinged door as I heard it crack.
I sniffled as I laid on my bare floor grabbing a large cloth and wrapped it around myself.
The night was cold and I felt a pain in my stomach as I felt back the urge to be sick.
What had happened to me? Was I like him? Was a darkened angel from Hell now? Could I really never see my family or Jason again? No. . . this couldn’t happen I barely have begun my life yet. . . I fell asleep soon later after my crying stopped.
When I awoke early in the morning I was surprised to see my mother standing above me and handed me a sack of what appeared to be food and a bag of linens and pointed at my door.
I got up moving past my mother grabbing the bags and walking out of my room and out of the house.
Today was supposed to be Jarred’s wedding day to Vera Finchenati. Jarred was one lucky man, Vera was one of the most beautiful girls in town. She had black beautiful silky hair that gently flowed in the wind and bright green eyes like fresh green grass and tan skin like a fresh piece of cut wood and bright pink lips. Now I could not be a part of the wedding, they would be without a flower girl and more importantly. . . I was dead.
I was reaching the edge of town when Zadicus came out from behind the maple tree. He must’ve gone to change clothes because he now was wearing a long tight jacket and dress shoes. Now that it was lighter out I could make out his dark olive toned skin and light brown hair that went just below his ears. His eyes had changed again and were a dark crimson and chocolate color now as he looked at me almost concerned. A sharp jawline and a slim body, but you could tell he had a fair amount of muscle, not that he needed it.
His smell was thick of pine and then a light whiff of. . . a sweet smell I didn’t recognize, but all of him was like a dark dream.
He grinned noticing I was looking at him with detail.
“You weren’t supposed to go home. . . You know that you are at risk now, but you know that too don’t you?”
I shook my head feeling tears swell in my eyes.
“Why me? Why couldn’t it be someone that’s more beautiful, more money? Something anything other than me, I don’t deserve this I shouldn’t have the chance to be Luna Stone.” I whispered as I trailed off.
I wanted to yell, but I didn’t I just walked passed him.
“I gave you a gift, you should be thankful for it and that’s the reason I didn’t chose you because you’re more beautiful no matter what you think and say, and so is your heart and it’s also sweet and gentle and caring, but we need to get you out of here before you’re noticed love. . .”
He growled in a low darkening tone once he saw I was going to move and I shivered and turned him around and looked at him with tears in my eyes. The word love from him made me sick to my stomach,but I ignored it.
“Can I say goodbye to one more person? . . .”
I loved Jason so much and I had to see him. I didn’t want to go with Zadicus, but right now I had no other choice.
He sighed looking at me.
“Luna. . . it’s not good to be attached. . . You’ll meet new friends, new people. Better ones than a human ever could be, and you’re mine and you will do as I say understand?” I won’t let you get hurt by some human.” he growled his eyes darkening.
He was supposed to feared, he was supposed to be this raging power. Instead with me he was. . . gentle. So I did what I thought was the only good way. I hugged him and sniffled.
“Please Zadicus just one more person and that’s it and I’ll listen the rest of my life, you trust me don’t you?” I looked up with him with the tears running down my cheeks.
He sighed.
“Very well, I shall assume we’re talking about Jason Casanova?” I blinked at him in confusion.
He knew?
“How- how did you know? . . .”
“I know a lot of things, a lot of people who will do anything for me, I’ll let you, but don’t make me regret it and since it’s his brother’s wedding to we may as well attend unseen and wait until it’s over fair enough? Though know I don’t trust him, especially him with you.”
I nodded.
He was right, and I couldn’t deny that.
“Now let’s find you a new dress, lucky you I gathered you up some new linens.”
He took my hand into his and within a blink of an eye I had been pulled into a nearby cabin. He let go of my hand briefly as he kicked down the door that appeared to be locked, he looked like he had barely touched it though. . .
“How did you-”
“I’ll teach you everything within time, now come here.” he motioned his hand I followed him.
The cabin had a barely anything in it except for a trunk and a plum satin dress laid on the top of the trunk. It was satin with lace and then layed just past my knees. My eyes widened looking at the beautiful dress in front of me.
“This dress is for me?”
I looked back at Zadicus as he smiled and nodded before he walked out and stood on the porch allowing me to have my privacy.
I quickly put on the dress and grabbed the silk black gloves that matched and put them on carefully.
Before I could turn around Zadicus had stopped me to tie up the back of my dress. He tied it up so tight I thought I would be unable to breathe, but I managed somehow.
He the turned me around and smiled.
“As I thought, it suits you perfectly.”
I smiled faintly and he took my hand and started to walk me out. The sun was halfway up now and my eyes burned from looking at it and I groaned closing my eyes allowing him to guide me.
Suddenly we had stopped and I felt his soft fingers trace my eyelids trying to soothe my pain.
“It’ll hurt for a little bit, you’ll be fine you just need to adjust, your muscles will be sore too.” I felt the pain start to fade and sighed.
“We better get going my lady.”
I was surprised when he scooped me up in his arms bridal style and suddenly he was running. It wasn’t at a normal human speed though. It was almost like we had magically appeared at the edge of the park’s entrance behind a few trees.
Everyone was already there in their places waiting for the wedding to start.
(First try with this so we shall see how this works out)
Could I turn Jason? Was it only a thing Zadicus could do? I wasn’t sure, but what I was sure of is that I didn’t want to leave Jason. I knew so much I could only assume all my dreams and whispers were true, but what if any of them were lies as well? My teeth felt dry my mouth felt like paper, but I couldn’t tell Zadicus because I knew it would only end in people dying and I didn’t want that. . . Especially when I was about to be near Jason.
My senses slowly were beginning to grow which made me able to hear Jason talking to himself.
My eyes wandered until they were met with his sweet eyes.
“Where is she? Why wouldn’t she show up. . .”
Eventually the ceremony had ended and everyone was starting to head back to their home as Jason approached last I whispered his name.
He had stopped and looked around finally catching my eyes.
“Luna?”
He blinked.
I smiled shaking my head.
“Who else my love?”
I stepped out and looked at Zadicus and whispered;
“Can you please give us some time? I’ll meet you back at the spot. . .” He seemed hesitant, but nodded and then disappeared.
I looked back at Jason wanting to hug him and hung onto him not wanting to release him.
“Luna what happened? Where were you? He- why are you with him? Is it true?” his eyes looked hurt, his once bright sparkling eyes looked so hurt now and it was my fault. . .
“Yes. . . he wants me to leave and you know go with the plan, the dream I had. . . It was real. . .”
“No I won’t let you, you can’t Luna please. . .” he grabbed my hands and pulled me into him and hugged me I breathed in his scent of sage and smiled squeezing him.
I heard the pounding of his heart it was like a soft lullaby lulling me to take a bite into one of his veins. I hadn’t experienced the sensation of feeding yet. The way vampires felt draining the very life source of a human.
“There’s one way I wouldn’t maybe be able to go. . . Or that you could come with me rather. . .”
I licked my lips as I saw his veins pump with his pulse and I could almost feel the blood on my lips. His scent was swirling in my head and so was the thought of draining him.
Whether it was from needing to feed or because my senses were too high right now I wasn’t sure, but it was sucking the life out of me.
“I’ll do whatever it is, I won’t let you leave without me though, I-I love you too much Luna Marie Brunori.” He paused.
“I know I’ve never said it and I know you think this is a pitiful way to beg for you to stay, but I’ve felt this way for forever, I know you were set up to marry me, but it didn’t matter. . . I knew you were mine since we first met that day in the market. . .that one day you would be mine.”
My heart sank as I heard his words and I smiled and nudged his neck breathing in his scent more and more.
“I can turn you. . . at least I think I can, but be-”
“Do it.” He cut me off and I looked at him worriedly and began to open my mouth.
Suddenly he had started to loosens his shirt and I closed my mouth.
“We don’t have long before he decides to check on you.”
I nodded and before I knew it my teeth were burrowed into his shoulder as I bit down tasting the liquid crimson as it filled my mouth. His blood tasted different compared to the blood I had drank last night. . . My tongue tingled and my body felt warm as I took in this new taste.
Jason began to groan mumbling to make the pain stop and I knew I had to stop and I withdrew myself from him licking the wound I had left him with.
I quickly took off one of my gloves and bit into my wrist, it didn’t hurt and I was surprised because usually such a thing would hurt. I pulled him to me as his eyes flutter I pulled him down to my level wrapping my arm around his head and shoving my bleeding wrist against his mouth he made a few muffled noises as I cooed him he slowly began to drink.
I wasn’t Jason’s responsibility anymore, he was mine.
He eventually had stopped and pulled himself up from my grip and smiled up at him as he fixed his shirt.
His hair was as black as night, his eyes were as grey as stone, but not as harsh as some may think. His light caramel toned skin was almost glowing today and his suit was tailored perfectly for him and his toned arms slightly showed through his jacket.
His voice suddenly snapped me out of my trance.
“We have to go, now.” he sternly grabbed my hand and started running .
“Where are we supposed to go though?”
Yes it was true he had a lot of money, and even a lot of respect, but not nearly as much power as Zadicus. . . Which worried me on how far we would manage to go before he got to us.
“I don’t know, but we’ll figure this out, the good thing is that no one else knows that he can create more of. . .him.”
I nodded as I continued to let him dragged me to our destination which I still wasn’t sure of.
"I will kill him. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow and maybe not even this year, but I will." I froze as I heard Zadicus’s words echo through my head and I looked around the empty path.
“What is it?” Jason stopped and looked down at me concerned.
“Nothing I thought I heard something, lets go.”
I grabbed his hand as he nodded and started back on his way towards an empty carriage.
“This will have to do. . .” Jason mumbled.
He held his hand out to help me up on the carriage I smiled taking his hand and getting up as I looked at him to thank him he had shut the carriage door and got up and started telling the horses to go.
I sighed as the horses began to trot loudly. My ears rang for the first hour or so, hours had passed and the sun was starting to go down as we came to a stop. Jason hadn’t said a word the whole way, I was laying in the back when Jason had suddenly opened the door and climbed up.
“Where are we?” I asked softly.
He took off his jacket and placed it on my shoulders before speaking.
“Just outside of Agostoli, the horses need to rest and so do I feel sick. . ”
I sighed moving closer to him as he smiled taking my hand into his.
“I thought you ran away. . . Or worse, dead.“ Jason whispered as his thumb circled the back of my hand.
“Jason I don’t really know if I’d call this living. . .” I sighed as I rested my head on his shoulder.
His arms snaked around me holding me tightly as if he were afraid it’d be our last few moments together.
“I never told you how beautiful you look, my apologies my lady. The dress matches your beauty stunningly. . .” I blushed and I felt him squeeze me before kissing the top of my head.
“Thank you Sir Casanova” I smiled up at him and he shook his head at me.
He never approved of me using his full name, but I did it anyway.
“I feel bad for taking you from your family though. . .”
He had so much that was planned for him, I was supposed to marry him because he had more money than my family and it just what I had to have happen. Though by no means did either of us mind, we had known each other since we were kids and had fallen for each other years before we found out. Aside from our marriage he had his father’s business to take over and then soon after he was to start his own part of the business elsewhere in other countries.
None of that however mattered anymore. Everything we had was gone. We couldn’t be who we were anymore.
