Sunspots: Chapter One - Silence

NOTE: *This is a work in progress, please mind any typos, some parts may seem to stray a bit, I'm working on that as well, so please forgive me, criticism is always welcome, whether good or bad, I listen to it all. After going to the store and noticing a ton of vampire themed books and stories that have become available since the (as I like to call it) "glitter invasion", I decided that it is time we bring back the vampire stories that truly rocked. {A little background} I have always loved vampires and have studied much of the mythology around them for the past 5 years. During this time I had an idea for a story, a telling of love, passion and romance, but also anger and violence, an epic journey into the darkness while retaining the true human emotions and understanding, only recently have I been able to put the idea that was in my head onto paper. Now, I present to you a draft of the first chapter in what I plan to make my first published novel, I will be posting all drafts and encourage anyone that reads it to give an opinion, no matter what it is, otherwise, how can one become better if they do not know their talents and flaws from another person's perspective? Thank you, I hope you enjoy it.*

Chapter One - Silence

Blood. The crimson coloured fluid, thick and warm as it courses through the body: a vital component to life. A fountain of various nutrients that delivers itself constantly to all parts of the body, replenishing as needed. To lose too much of this precious liquid can result in in death, gaining it back can mean life. Slick as oil and sought after as much, most creatures require blood in one way or another to survive, to live. Rich, sickly sweet blood is believed by some to be the Nectar of the Gods, of what Gods I do not know for I am no God. It has been 3 months since blood last ran through my veins, my body's needs and ways of using blood have changed as much as the person I once was has, replaced with an addictive need to consume. A drug so powerful, I can no longer remember when anything that mattered more to my survival, a need that aches so badly, it can be felt deep within the last remnants of my human soul. A never ending hunger for eternity.

At least I still have self-control.

Chapter One: Silence

The chilling rain poured out from the night sky, soaking into my bones, the hard tar of the road stretched on as the blackened forest reached out, tall and intimidating, against stray lightning. A tangled mass of metal and glass sprawled out around me as I tried to grasp at the situation. I lay, paralyzed by pain, as I groped around at my thoughts, trying as best as I could to remember. As my dimmed and blurry vision began to correct itself, I saw Daniel.

His body laid too far from me, the nearby trees at the edge of the woods looked hungry, as though they wanted to pull him in and consume him. I fought with myself, trying to get words out, "Daniel," was all my energy would allow, a barely audible whisper not worthy of being heard. I was dying and could do nothing to help him, this man who had taken a chance on me, from suffering the same fate. I cried silently to myself, fighting the pain behind my tears, as obscure memories of the night had rolled over my eyes.

Daniel and I had been driving back from our first date together. It had been almost perfect, the food had been delicious and the waiter paid extra attention to us, Daniel had been a complete gentleman all night and had held every door open and seat out for me, even offering me his umbrella when the rain had started coming down. Wanting to spend more time with him, I had asked if we could take a back road, a road I often took home from my visits to the city for it's peace and serenity. The winding drive up and through the mountains would add an extra hour to our already 2 hour drive, but we had wanted to take our time and chat, a possible next date was being planned.

Daniel's eyes lighting up when I had agreed to a second date were the last thing I saw, metal grinding and screeching on top of me had taken my attention from the moment. Blackness.

"No, this can't be real," the words filled my head, "It's not possible, this MUST be a nightmare, it has to be," I tried to convince myself, but at that moment a horrible, stabbing pain shot out from my chest and into my throat, burning all the way up as blood pushed it's way into my mouth and out from between my lips. My head had been turned to the side and I luckily was able to spit it all out before I could choke on any. I felt the blood pool around my cheek and seep into my hair as the rain fell and began to wash away the evidence, it was all too clear that this was not a dream; this was a nightmare.

I ran over the picture in my head again, the fragments of the night began to piece themselves together as I began to remember. There had been no other cars on the road since we had started our journey back, no headlights, no one. We had been alone the entire time, lost in each other's conversation, we never noticed a single other car. I thought for a small amount longer, "A tree," I asked myself questioningly until realization had hit me. The entire accident spilled out before my eyes and played as if it were a movie.

As we came out of a winding turn, something had splattered against the windshield. Daniel had leaned in to see what had hit us when a blanket of black draped over the car and he lost control, hitting a tree. "This is ridiculous," I tried to scream, but only a hiss passed through my teeth, tonight had been perfect and I had been anticipating our next date already and instead we both suffer for being happy, I was growing angry with myself as questions found their way to the front of my thoughts "Why us, why now?" Silence.

The sound of crackling and snapping grabbed at my attention, the sounds of something walking at the edge of the woods drowned my ears and had given me hope that someone was here to help. I stared at the trees, waiting, but no one showed. I began to fear that animals were watching us, waiting for us to finish dying, we were alone. A noise in the distance started, traveling quickly towards me. a voice. My heart hummed faster as it grew closer to me, I was finally able to make out what it had been saying, "Thea."

Fresh tears brimmed my eyes as hope for Daniel had come back to me, that he may have survived after all. When I had glanced at him, choking sobs overtook me as I watched blood pour out of his head and onto the road, "It wasn't him," the words rolled across my eyes. The fear returned ten fold as the thoughts of how it could possibly be, in the middle of nowhere, someone would know my name.

"Thea," the voice whispered into the air, soft and thin, as it traveled on top of the raindrops. "My child, do not be afraid, I am here to set you free," the sound carried on as the terror I had been feeling up until this point began to diminish. The voice soothed me, cradled me. Out of the corner of my eye a tall dark shadow floated across the murky ground towards me as if it were an angel of death here to take me into the next life. It felt as though my thoughts were turning on me, telling me to welcome this chilling stranger, that everything was going to be just perfect if I allowed.

I wanted to tell this demon to stay away, his services were not needed, but my voice had died while the rest of my body clung to what little life hadn't escaped from it. His dark features grew before me as he glided closer, his pale face was that of a man in his mid-twenties, but his dark eyes shown as if they had traveled through time and had watched, personally, every despicable act that has ever occured. His handsome features, darkened by the moonless sky, were horror stricken as he watched me carefully, as though he were scared for me. "Thea, my child, my keeper, please do not fear me. I am here and I will help," the voice rang into my ears like silk across skin, it was beautiful. This creature of darkness, masked by the black night and cold rain, leaned down to me and placed his hand on my chest ever so gently.

His touch was pure joy, and yet I could feel the sadness that had dwelled within him for eternity. My heart slowed for him, as if it wanted to stop, but it never did. I tried to move, to tell this man thank you, "Shhh, everything will be alright, have no fear for your friend either, I will take care of him." The elegance in his words, the fullness of his voice, it all seemed as if it were just a dream, a delusion I had made for my final moments. Deep down inside, I knew this was real, and him being here would be life changing.

"I have something for you, all will be explained later, but right now I need your help," he spoke in the smallest of whispers, ever so carefully, "Thea, I have an offer for you, a chance to live, better than before, but I will not do this without your permission first," his words did not scare me, but gave me hope. I desired whatever he wanted to give me, I had no idea what he was talking about, I only knew that I needed it and without it, living through this would mean nothing, life would mean nothing ever again. "I can give you another life, you will be stronger, you will live long and healthy, but you must die first for this, you must sacrifice this life willingly before I can give you a new one," I had already made the decisiion before he could say another word, "Yes," and at that moment, I knew I would never make another choice as pure as this one, never would I feel completely taken and overwhelmed by something that it could be felt through the tinyiest molecules of my body as this did, never could I want for more than this one thing.

"You are ready, but I am not just yet," the words cooled my blood, "You must, I wish for whatever it is you offer," I whispered, "But what of your friend, am I to do to him what I am going to do to you? Do you really wish this for just yourself or for you both," his question seemed pleading, as if he was asking me to say no. I wanted to question my insanity, a part of me was frightened, deep inside, but the rest of myself wanted to live. "I'm ready, Thea. Do you give yourself completely over to me," "Yes, anything," the words repeated themselves over and over again. I grew impatient with him dragging my pain, my inevitable death, on longer, I wanted to sacrifice this life to be reborn as he promised, anything to live. "I want to be as a pheonix, reborn from my former ashes into a glorious new life. Please, stranger, give me what you promise," the fresh saltiness of tears stung my eyes as I lay helpless, watching what I could see of his face through the dark black folds of the robe he was wearing.

I felt dispirited the longer he stared at me, "I am sorry, I do not wish to do this, myself, but I will for you, Thea. Anything you ask of me and I shall give it to you," "Then give me this," my strength was gone and the words were almost nonexistant, but he had heard me.

He was lightning fast and his eyes were as the sun rises in the morning, on fire, his face had turned white and ashy as he pulled back his hood, his teeth had grown long and piercing. In that moment, he had taken me to his heart and held my head against his chin, "Please forgive me, this is the only way," and the pain shot through my neck into my heart, my blood spilled into his mouth as he drank quietly, I could do nothing to stop him, for as torturesome as it was, I wanted this, I needed it. My body grew tired and my eyes began to fall, I could no longer hold them open, I stayed quiet as he drained the last of my life and took it for himself.

This was my shining moment, I felt as though I were a long-lived star exploding into a supernova. It was beautiful.