The Vampire's Curse Chapter 3

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Sapphire took a shaking breath, and then began to speak. “Your right. I’m only two years younger than you. When I found out what Persephone- my mother- did, I couldn’t forgive her. I left the coven, and became an outcast witch. I didn’t…” She shook her head. “Mother didn’t understand. She never knew why I chose you. But I did. I chose you because I loved you. Ever since I first saw you, I loved you.”

Lukas snorted, leaning away from here. “Sapphire. You don’t even know what that word means.”

“I do, Lukas. Just listen, ok? Witches, we can’t live alone. Why do you think we choose someone to marry at eighteen? So I had to marry, even though I didn’t love him. I cared about him.” Her purple eyes had a distant look in them, memories form another time. “We had three children. Twins, and a younger boy. But one of the girls died. And I, a witch, couldn’t even save her. It made me remember the fragile life humans live. So I left. I left them, Lukas, my own children, my husband, because I realised you would be out there somewhere. So I came to find you.” She said the last line softly, looking away from him.

“Yet it took you nearly two hundred years to find me?”

“I was scared.” She admitted. “Scared you would hate me, for what happened. That’s why I never showed myself. But I was always with you. Its why I changed my name, because I thought you wouldn’t accept me.”

He stands up, pushing away from her, his voice deadly calm as he spoke. “You thought right.”

She flinched, sitting up, looking at him. “Lukas…”

“Don’t. Don’t you dare, Sapphire. Shall I tell you why, all those years ago, I refused?” she nodded slightly, terrified by the look in his eyes. “I was in love with someone else. And because of what your mother did to me, I killed her. Because of this, because of you, I am heartless.”

“No. Lukas.” She stood and walked over to him, placing her hands on his chest. “You are not heartless and you are not unloved. I love you.”

Hid eyes darken as he pushes her away. “I don’t love you, Sapphire. And I never will.”

She gasped, backing away, hitting the crypt wall. She found the door, opened it and ran out into the fading sunlight, her skin blistering painfully as she went

If she could cry, she would. Three hundred years of pain, hope, everything, all for nothing. She wasn’t evil- at least; she didn’t think she was evil. At the age of eighteen, all witches must marry. If they didn’t, the witch would die. No one really knew why, but it was believed that when they came of age, the magic they had multiplied, making them more powerful. And they could not cope with it on their own. Marriage in its self was a powerful magic- sealing two people together, so they share their difficulties. But no witch ever thought of the people they were choosing. Their lives before marriage- the witches didn’t care. But Lukas had shown them all. Made them remember that they were still just human.

Sapphire walked restlessly around, knowing she couldn’t go back to the crypt until Lukas had calmed down. The three moons started to glow brightly in the sky, and she sighed in relief as in the dark, the blisters started healing. She had to feed though, or they would scar her already pale skin. She stopped, closing her eyes and listening to her surrounding. Footsteps, breathing, voices. That was what she was listening for. A brief smile flashed across her face- she could hear someone near. She crept silently towards them, knowing they wouldn’t see her, wouldn’t hear her until it was too late.

The boy moved into focus, and sapphire pounced, landing lightly behind him. She went to bite, but a rustle from behind name her pause.

“I really wouldn’t do that, Sophie Riddle.”

Sapphire’s head snapped around. “Who are you?”

“Sophia. Your great great something-or-another granddaughter.” She glanced at the boy. “Kid, the idea was that I saved your neck so you could run. Not stand there like a lemon.” Sophia rolled her eyes, as the boy jumped to attention and ran off.

“That was my lunch!” Sapphire snarled, taking a step towards the other girl.

“No, Sophie. That was a person. You may have forgotten that, but he is still a alive.”

Sapphire smiled. “Unlike you will be soon.”

“Going to attack and kill your own relative? Wow, nice, Sophie.”

“Firstly, I am not Sophie anymore. My name is Sapphire. Secondly,” she took another step, placing her directly in front of Sophia. “I disowned that family. You are no relative of mine. Which means I really don’t care whether I kill you.” She smiled dangerously, moving Sophia’s hair away from her neck. Sophia froze, her heart beating wildly. Sapphire chuckled, hearing it. “Your not smart, are you? Try standing up to a vampire. It won’t work.”

There was a sudden breath of wind, ripping Sapphire away and slamming her against the wall.

“Don’t touch her.” Lukas said calmly.

Sapphire laughed bitterly. “Going soft on someone, Lukas? You look at me with hate, but she has my blood running through her veins as well.”

Lukas’s eyes darkened. ‘Sapphire, get it in your brain, I don’t have the ability to love. You made sure of them. But I picked this one yesterday. She is mine.’

Sapphire nodded, her eyes blazing with anger. She stalked past them, turning back to look at Sophia. ‘I hope your family know how to morn. And how to throw a good funeral.” She disappeared round the corner, and Sophia let out a breath.

“Thank you.” She said softly.

His grey eyes looked her up and down. They were unreadable, but Sophia got the sense he was looking for something. But what? Injuries? He couldn’t care about that. His eyes finally moved up to look into hers, and she watched as they lightened to pure silver.

“For what?”

“For not letting her kill me.” Sophia shrugged. “You did stop her.”

“For my own purposes.” Lukas said, walking round her, like a predator. “As I said to her, you are mine.”

She shivered. That didn’t sound good. “And what does that mean?”

He rolled his eyes and smiled, giving Sophia a shock. It was the most human gesture she had seen him do. “Shall we have a little vampire lesson, Sophia?”

She cocked her head to the side. “Whatever you want, Lukas.”

“Well,” He lent against the wall, his eyes on her. “If a vampire claims a human as theirs, no other ‘Pire can touch them. Only they can drink that human’s blood. And if any other vampire tried…” He smiles. “They can be killed.”

“So Sophie, sorry, Sapphire cannot drink from me?”

“No. but I can.”

Before Sophia could react, he was on her. She gasped in pain as his fangs bit through her throat, and with every suck, she could feel the blood being ripped from her.

“Lukas…” she managed to stutter, before she lost her grip on the world.

Lukas was panicking slightly. But he didn’t know why. He had never felt bad for a human before. They were just blood bags. But there was something about this one. She hadn’t shown fear, and she had treated him like a person. But he couldn’t stop. He didn’t even know why he wanted to stop. But with every beat of her heart, eyes gulp; he knew he had to try.

He blood was sweet, and even with her heart stuttering; he could tell it was strong. He could almost see her soul; the innocence, the beauty of it. With a groan, he ripped his head up. He couldn’t do it, he couldn’t kill her.

Her weight fell against him, and he lifter her up, carrying her further into the alley. He lay her down on the floor, resting her back against the corner of the wall. He stood and stepped away, before changing his mind and kneeling down again. He took her hand, checking her wrist of a pulse, breathing a sigh as he finds it. His eyes dim as he desists the draw from her blood. He takes a small step back, still watching her.

“Stay away from me, Sophia.” He pleads, knowing she couldn’t hear him. “Its better for both of us. Just please, don’t look for me.”

He turned and ran out into the night.

* * * * * * * *

Its time. Sapphire thought as she ran through the village. Three hundred years had been wasted. She realised that she could not make him love her- he was right. He couldn’t love; at least, he couldn’t love someone he blames. But the girl…sapphire knew she would have to watch her. Lukas had never claimed a human in the time she had been with him. What was so different about this one?

That was something she was planning on finding out. But first, she needed help. Knowing Lukas would be gone for a while, she went around the village, rounding up the nest. The younger vampires followed her back to the crypt, whispering amongst themselves, wondering what was going on.

Sapphire turned towards them as they got to the door. “Brothers, sisters. For over a hundred years, you have been my family. But shouldn’t a family have a home?” She looked round at them all. “Remember when you were all human- did you not all have a home, a place you stayed? What is different about us being vampires?” She flung her arms out wide, looking all of them in the eyes. “That’s the thing though, isn’t it? We are vampires. We are stronger, better, more powerful than the Humans. Surely they should be the ones running, while we live like kings? Don’t you think it is time to step out of the dark and reclaim the land?”

There was silence for a minute as the all took in what she had said, but then Daniel piped up. “What about Lukas?”

“Lukas doesn’t see the whole picture. You all have a choice. Stay in the dark with him, or move into the future with me. Who will join me?”

solely, the group split in two. One by one, the vampires raised their hands, choosing Sapphire. Only a few of the nest stayed loyal to Lukas. Standing at the edges, watching their family split up.

Sapphire smiled. “Brothers and sisters. Shall we find a new home?” they turned and started walking out of the graveyard. Sapphire looked back at the ones who didn’t choose her and gave them a dangerous smile, her eyes almost black. “You choose wrong.” She turned and ran after the others.

They got the start of the house and Sapphire stopped them, standing in front of a small house. “This will do.” She said, running her hand down the door. “Open!” there was a click, and the door flew wide. “Go, my family, my nest. Claim the house.”

The vampires flew in, and Sapphire followed, slowly, smiling. There was a small family living there- a mother, father and teenage son. The ‘Pires rounded them up in a circle, laughing.

Sapphire looked at the three humans. The older two looked terrified, but the boy just stared defiantly at the intruders. “My family. Do what you like with those two.” She pointed at the two adults, and the vampires pounced on them. She circled the boy restlessly, his eyes following her round. “You have a choice. Join us, or join your parents.”

He spat at her. “Go to Hell!”

She smiled. “That’s exactly where you’re going now.” She lunged, ripping his throat out. He fell to the floor, and she stepped over the body. “My family, that is enough!” they stopped instantly. “We have a house. And I have a plan. But now is not the time for that.” She walked out, her smiling fading and her eyes turning black. She did have a plan.

Revenge.