Fan Fiction ❯ The vampire's Tale ❯ Part II ( Chapter 2 )

Part II

I ignored his hand and embraced him tightly, "I love you!" I shouted, my voice echoed through the ally and into the streets, but no one paid any mind. I was truly in love with Paris!

Nicholas laughed and put one arm around me again. "Come Madeline, let us find you a beautiful dress." He said softly, as we walked out of the ally and into the streets once again, totally ignoring the two bodies that lay in the shadows of the ally.

Not long after we walked a few yards away, we heard a woman scream from the ally, it seems she noticed the two bodies. Nicholas and I just smiled at each other. The father of darkness, and the child of death; embracing, and loose in the streets. We eventually found a little shop that sold woman's clothing; beautiful taffeta dresses of all colors and sizes. We spent at least two hours in there; I tried on many, many dresses; from blue taffeta dresses to white silk dresses. Each was equally expensive. Nicholas just sat in the back, admiring my child form is such exquisite dressing, nodding to keep the dress, or shaking his head to try a different one. I eventually came out wearing a black taffeta dress, and five other beautiful dresses in my arms. The price was so high, and yet Nicholas only laughed when I asked if he had enough. We once again roamed the city streets, arm in arm. We were together for many upon many years; my father grew older and older, as well as my brothers and sisters. I fell in love with Nicholas, like a father would a child, and a wife would a husband. We visited Paris every night and watched plays, feed off of humans, and danced together in balls. We were the young vampires of the century, and even though we were undead, we were also so full of life!

I could tell you all the stories of what adventured living the life of mortals were for us during those 8 years; but it would only make my story longer, and it is already quite long. But I will tell you that Nicholas never told me the vampire who made him. It seemed like he was ashamed to, although he often told me of his evil brother, Marcus. A vampire had killed his brother when he was Nicholas' age, I felt sympathy for Nicholas whenever I heard stories of his brother, but I enjoyed when he told me about his past. But the important event I will tell you about is the night when we entered a theatre and were met with a shocking surprise.

After our meal one night in October 1810, we came upon the town part of Paris, where the houses and theatres were. I only had to look at Nicholas for him to nod approval and lead me into the theatre. He could always read my mind when I wanted something. We entered a theatre called Les de lune it was filled with thousands upon thousands of people. Nicholas bought us the best seats in the theatre, and we were seated at the highest balcony made for a couple. The play was long, it was nearly 3 hours long; but it was beautiful. It was about an aristocrat woman who was from Paris, who fell in love with a peasant in the streets. Her father found out of her secret love and had the man executed, but the peasant had confronted her father man to man, and was in a sword fight with him. The tragic part of the play was when the father had the peasant at mercy, and was ready to kill him, when the woman leaped in the way and sacrificed herself for his life. The whole audience cried, including Nicholas and I, our blood tears being wiped away as if they were clear. When the Peasant heard his love confess she would die for him, he took his own life as well.

It was a beautiful play indeed, but before we left, another star entered the stage, his skin was dead white, his eyes solid gray, with a mischievous smirk on his lips. He bowed lightly on his feet and spoke in a voice that shocked me and Nicholas; he introduced himself in a humanly manner, "Mesdames, et messieurs, please allow me to introduce a special performance tonight. Introducing, Les Vampires!" He bowed once again and exited the stage, the audience clapped, and Nicholas and I were left speechless.

A band of actors dressed in 17th century clothing came onto the stage, their faces and bodies white as ghosts, their eyes dead gray, and their hair all long, and black, but they wore is back in a black ribbon. There were 5 woman and 8 men, each as graceful as the other. They came on stage and all bowed humanly; I looked at Nicholas with panic in my expression, but he just looked out at the performers, a grim look in his eyes. Once they all bowed, the speaker came out onto the stage, he was a tall, handsome man. He looked like he was in his 20s, probably 26 or so. He had long, black, wavy hair, and bright gray eyes that sparkled green specks in the stage lights. He wore a long, black robe decorated with red jewels and diamonds, and other expensive pieces. He smiled sweetly to the crowd, and then I noticed his eyes were on Nicholas. I glanced over to him to see what his reaction was, and he almost looked in pain, his eyes were distorted, his face full of bloody sweat, and his teeth grinded together as if he were biting down on something. This frightened me. I looked back to see the gorgeous man on stage, and now he was looking at me, smiling devilishly, I could feel his eyes piercing my soul. It felt like flames licking at my body. I almost screamed, but I remained calm and forced myself to look as though nothing was wrong. I could see out of the corner of my eye that Nicholas was astonished by my reaction. The man was too, for his eyes widened, and his smirk faded. I just simply smiled to him, as if I were expecting a grand play from the actors and actresses.

Then he finally bowed to me, and to the crowd and spoke in a loud, almost deafening voice, that made the whole audience jump, including Nicholas and I. The voice had such command and power to it; that hard, sharp French accent of his hurt my ears; I had a harder time resisting the pain. "Foolish mortals! Do you take such pleasure in watching yourselves perform meaningless plays about love and commitment? Nonsense! Don't you want excitement? Violence? Cruelty?" He paused, glancing back up to Nicholas and I.

He laughed loudly and glared back towards the audience. "Of course you do! You want you heart to skip, your breath to be taken away, and to witness your fellow humans' blood to be spilt! I have a stunning performance for you mortals tonight, a band of vampires. What do you think about that?" The crowd was silent, so silent that I could hear Nicholas's miserable gasps.

I wanted to embrace him, help him, but I was too involved with the vampire on stage, but I did, however, take hold of his hand, and he gripped mine as if he were afraid it would fall off should he let go.

The vampire started to speak again, "I have a performance that is worth twice as much money that you paid to see these pathetic love stories. I have a play, as you like to call it. A play about greed, and death, and immortality!" The curtains behind him open to reveal a young woman, about 19 years of age or so. She was frightened, and she was not an actress.

She ran up towards the crowd and screamed for help, but the audience just watched in amazement, it was pathetic. Poor soul. The band of vampires surrounded her, one male vampire, and one female vampire had a violin, the male began to strike violently to the instrument, plucking the strings so quick and hard, it made a vicious melody. All the while, the vampires began to scratch and claw at the woman while she screamed. Their nails pierced her skin from head to toe. Her dress was shredding to bits, and her body was becoming covered with blood.

Then the male stopped. The female gave him a fierce look, and put her violin to her chin and began to play sweetly. Meanwhile, while Nicholas and I were watching at the monstrous event, the speaker vampire was watching us, our reactions, reading our thoughts. I knew this, I dared not to open my mind to him, or even look at him, I simply watched. While the female was playing the sweet melody, the vampires began to lick the woman's body where there was a slash, and every time one would lick a wound, it would instantly seal up. They were healing her!

The male got upset and began to play violently again, only this time he played with such speed, a mortal could never achieve such rhythm; the audience was in awe. The vampires began to ravage the woman again, biting with their pointed fangs on her flesh as she screamed louder than before. Blood filled the stage. The smell, the heat, the taste; I tasted it when I gasped, and I couldn't help but become aroused by it. The vampire saw this, and I tried desperately to hide it.

The female vampire felt sympathy for the dying woman and began to play her sweet melody again, but it was too late. The vampires had devoured every drop of blood in the woman, and now set their sights on her. She backed away cautiously, the male with the violin played more viciously until the female dropped her violin, and bowed to her knees. Evil defeated good.

The curtains closed and the audience clapped. They loved it! They clapped and clapped and clapped. The other vampire was laughing now. He had made his point. As the audience exited the theatre, I looked at Nicholas wearily. He nodded, and held me close as we left the balcony. However, the vampire outside the doors greeted us. He wore the same outfit, and the same smirk on his face. He bowed his head to Nicholas, and took my hand (which was covered with a black glove) and kissed it. "Please, allow me to introduce myself, my name is Vitorrio, I see you two were disappointed in my play? Do you dislike the Les Vampires' performance?" He asked, that still French accent to his voice.

I looked to Nicholas, who was starring Vitorrio in the eyes. Then I looked back up to Vitorrio and smiled. "I think that it was cruel. Why did the woman have to be the one to play the angel? Why couldn't the man have been rendered to her mercy?"

Vitorrio laughed and nodded his head. "A good point chérie, perhaps I will have to put that into consideration next time." He looked back up to Nicholas and smiled, "Your daughter has quite an imagination, wouldn't you say monsieur?" He smirked again, that devilish smirk that only barely hides his fangs.

Nicholas ran his fingers through my golden hair and smiled down at me, then looked up to face Vitorrio with a smile. "That she does, my daughter." He repeated, still staring at Vitorrio.

Vitorrio smirked, "But she is just a child. Such privileges should never be offered to one so young…" He pauses, scanning me up and down, as if he were reading invisible words written on my body.

Nicholas looked at Vitorrio grimly, a look of anger in his eyes, and that's when I sensed it, my first mental signal from a vampire. In the past, I was know to be able to read the minds of mortals; read their thoughts, and see images of things they had seen or were thinking about. But this, this was different. I sensed such strength in what Vitorrio spoke to me, and yet said not a word. You will be punished, you and your beloved. It frightened me.

"Come Nicholas," I said, taking his arm in mine. "Its time, we are leaving. It's a pleasure monsieur Vitorrio, and I enjoyed your violent play."

Vitorrio smiled his devilish grin. "Till we meet again Madeline, Nicholas." He said, in a sarcastic voice. So he can read minds… big deal. Right?

Nicholas and I walked hastily through the streets to the stable where the stable boy has reliably kept our old stallion, for its last 3 years, as well as the one we got afterwards, he's watched for the last 5. We rode in complete silence all the way back to the tower, the sky changing from navy blue to sapphire as the minutes flew by, yet seemed they went on everlasting.

When we finally did reach the tower, I gather enough courage to ask, "How did he know what we were?" I studied his face, but all I could see were those same weary eyes that often dazzled me, and sometimes made me want to cry for him.

"Most vampires can read minds; you know that, right?" He never once made eye contact with me as we walked up the pavement to the gates.

I simply nodded, keeping my distance between him small and comforting him with my arm around his.

"He can read our minds. Well, I'm not so sure about yours, but he can mine. I know it. I felt it." His eyes narrowed, and the same bloody sweat broke over his forehead. "He spoke to me. He told me that I would be punished, and you would be killed. He said this to me all the while he was kissing your hand, and smiling sweetly to you." He finally looked down at me and kneeled on one knee in the dirt. "Madeline, my beloved. Please don't die. Don't leave me!" He shouted, the blood tears rising in his eyes like a loose pipe as he embraced me tightly, as if I would slip from his arms forever should he let go.

I feared for him. He was truly frightened. I held him in return with all of my vampire strength. I wanted to reassure him, to tell him it would be all right. I couldn't. I couldn't promise him anything, and that was what pained me the most.

"I'll protect you! I promise!" He cried, burying his face in my neck, dressed with lace from my chocker.

"It's alright Nicholas, I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to stay with you forever, because I love you." I hugged him even tighter, and stroked his long, beautiful, auburn hair, as if he were the child and I the adult. He simply wept I my arms and held me close until the sky changed once again from sapphire to amber. Then we walked inside, hand in hand and descended down the spiral stairs. We only looked at each other in pure silence as we approached the single coffin.

All these years I had waited for my very own coffin to sleep in, like I did the first night I became a vampire. But over the years, I had simply refused when he offered to buy me one. I only wanted to sleep beside him.

I had the dream again, strange though. I didn't have this dream for so long it seemed; at least 3 or 4 years since. But I had it now, and every time I did have it, I saw more and more of the painful event.

The moonlit night, my house engulfed in flames, with my father, my brother and my sisters trapped inside. I saw myself in the dream; I was of course, horrified by what had happened. I also heard laughter coming from behind me, two other vampires were holding me back from entering the house, but they were no friends. I recognize them! They were the male and female from the violin performance last night! They wore pitch-black clothing, one a woman with a black lace dress, and the man with a black shirt and black leather pants, a black coat over his shoulders. They were both laughing, and stroking my hair, and then I saw someone else, Nicholas. He was crying, the bloody tears streaming down his face like water. He kept shouting something, and he was trying to reach for me, but he too had four vampires holding him back, The vampires from the theatre! But I could almost feel his fingertips on my face as he tried his hardest to reach for me, the flames burning at his back from the house, villagers fleeing from the streets, all but one. Who has this person? I had never seen him in my dream before. He approached me, a devious smirk on his face. Wait, I know that smirk… "Vitorrio!" I shouted. I can hear myself shout in my own dream! He laughed and laughed and laughed.

The four vampires yanked Nicholas away from me, all of them were females, and they were playing with him, kissing him on the lips. Sinking their fangs into his tongue. Pulling his long hair from his scalp. They were ripping off his shirt. I want so badly to help him! He shouted as one of the women bit him on the neck, the blood pouring over his clothes and down the woman's mouth, but still he tried to reach for me. I struggled to be free of the man and woman, but they would not let go. Then he came towards me. He smiled, and kissed me. Yuck! He caressed my face and hair. I tried and tried to get free, but I was till too weak. "My beautiful one. A child vampire… what a sight. I warned you did I not?"

When his hand stroked down to my chin, I was ready to bite him, but he must have sensed that, because he smacked me with the back of his hand so hard it left four blood gashes in my face from his knuckles, and rendered me limp, my head seemed like it was spinning. Meanwhile, poor Nicholas was being ravaged by the vampire women, while he screaming and tore at them viciously. I awoke again covered in bloody sweat.

Nicholas always woke before me, no matter how short the day was. I was relieved to see his beautiful face. I dared not to tell him about my nightmare. How could I? It would only make matters worse, but I will not ever go near Vitorrio again, I don't trust him.

"Neither do I." Nicholas said, reading my thoughts. How strange, he hadn't done this in do long…

I approached him and sat in his lap, I dangled my little fingers around his hair and kissed him sweetly on the cheek. He smiled at me and rested his face in my golden, curly hair. "Father, I'm afraid of that man. I don't think we should stay here…"

Nicholas nodded, and held me tighter to him. "Can we go to my house? I want to see if my family is alright." I was concerned about them, about the dream. I had a terrible feeling that they were in danger.

This shocked Nicholas. For 8 years I had never even mentioned them to Nicholas, and now, in this confusing matter of events I wish to see my family? I could tell he was confused, very confused. Yet he understood, for when he saw the serious look in my eyes, he knew I was really concerned. I wasn't sure about the dream, but I had to find out, I had to see if Vitorrio had set my house to fire, and if he did. Hell should be the price.

Nicholas read my mind and knew I had been having disturbing dreams, but he did not see these dreams, I was always cautious to not allow myself to picture the dreams in my head. I didn't want to worry him.

"Alright," he said softly. "We leave tonight, but first; we feed." He lifted me from his lap and set me on the ground as if I were a porcelain doll, one that would shatter to a million pieces should such caution be ignored; and he stood, taking my hand as we went up the stairs and out on the horse.

I was sure to feed only on two drunken men who we pretended to escort home to their wives. Their blood made my skin feel warm once again, and I thanked them aloud for that after they were dead. Nicholas had feasted on a young aristocrat couple that walked alone into the ally. He looked so beautiful after he fed, his eyes shined violet, and his skin was a peachy tan color, and his hair shined like a jewel in the moonlight. Seeing him now made me quiver to think this creature had stolen me from my family 8 years ago, ho innocent he seems after he has fed.

We rode swiftly through forests upon forests; the ride seemed to take so long! I remember though, that I was unconscious when Nicholas brought me to his home when I was first "turned", and so I never noticed how far we really were from home. The night seemed to disappear as we still rode on, I only thought about the dream, allowing Nicholas to see a few images of the dream should he feel the need to scan my mind again. The burning house, the fleeing villagers, the horrid look on my face, and the man in the shadows. Nicholas was looking at these images; I felt it. I only held tighter to him as we rode on. It must have been at least four hours before we reached town, and when we did, we found that the house was not yet burned down. I was glad. I hopped off the horse before he did and ran to the door. When I reached to open it, I was shocked to see Vitorrio answer the door.

Nicholas caught one eye of him, and leaped off his horse and ran to me, but a woman vampire caught him from behind. "Vitorrio! Stay away from her!" he shouted. I turned around quickly to see what had happened, and before I knew what happened, Vitorrio sent me flying through the air from a swift lunge of his elbow. I smacked the ground with my face harshly. I raised barely enough to see Nicholas ganged up on, but still reaching out for me, I saw his lips move to something, but my ears rang from the hit and I couldn't hear him. Just like in my dream; but where were the male and female vampires? Why was the house not burned? I stood weakly to my feet, and saw Vitorrio slowly approach me. That was when I felt the two vampires at my back, the male grabbed my arms, and the woman held me still. Why wasn't the house on fire? Nicholas was reaching out for me, being ravaged by the woman. I would never had noticed his pain if I hadn't seen it in my dream before. Instead of staring out at my house, I tried to reach to him, but my arms were being pulled tightly together.

I heard the male vampire laugh loudly, keeping his grip on my arms. Then, in one swift movement, I felt his twist viciously at my arms, breaking ever bone from my elbow to my shoulder in both arms. I screamed so loud, I saw the lights in every house turn on and some villagers were screaming and running out of their house covering their ears. Nicholas screamed my name above his own screams of pain, like in my dream the woman had bit him on the neck, but he still struggled for me.

Blood dripped down both of my limp arms as they throbbed and throbbed and throbbed. How painful it was. I could feel the bones mending and healing, but it wasn't fast enough. I was helpless. I looked up again to Vitorrio, who was standing with his arms around a woman, she looked familiar, but I couldn't place her face. Then all of the woman who was thrashing about Nicholas stopped, and looked up at the woman as she stares back at me coldly. I felt myself tremble under the other two vampire's hold, then they let me go, my body was still weak, and I fell to my knees. Nicholas lay like a broken doll on the ground not far away, moaning in pain, and still trying to reach me.

Vitorrio smirked, and the woman he was standing next to came towards me, she touched my hair, and knelt beside me. I saw her face clearly now… "Gabriella!" I cried sadly, the bloody tears in my eyes from pain and sadness. "Why…?"

Gabriella had grown older, 8 years older to be precise, and the women, the four women who let go of Nicholas surrounded me as well. I recognized them all. My sisters. Where were the others though? I had asked myself, My brothers, father, my other sisters… what have you done?! I could still hear Nicholas shouting for me, and reaching desperately for me.

"Dead." Gabriella said, in a cold, low inhuman voice reading my mind.

"They refused to join us, especially father." My other sister Alicia, said, she too processed a vampire voice.

I began to tremble furiously. They were all vampires, and they killed my father, my brothers and the rest of my sisters… monsters, all of them! "Why?" I asked again, my voice came out a sorry little mouse voice. They were all so much older than I was now.

"You betrayed us!" My older sister Alexial said from the back.

"You left without telling us, and you became a vampire without telling us!" Persian said.

Voices, cold voices surrounding me. My sisters have betrayed me I have not wronged. No… "No!" I screamed, standing to my feet, my arms already healed and movable. "No I didn't! You betrayed me! How could you do this?!" I was crying now, the tears of blood flowing from my eyes.

They stared at me with cold faces. Then Gabriella approached me and touched my face. "Madeline, my sweet Madeline. I warned you about him. You didn't listen to me, and this is your fault. You left, never to come back. You're the damnedest creature!" She shouted now, her eyes as cold as ever.

"We wanted in on the fun too Madeline, we're immortal now!" My youngest sister said, and all but Gabriella laughed their wicked laughs.

I backed away slowly, as if hardly moving at all; but I backed up into Vitorrio, who must have gotten behind me without me ever known it. He placed his hands on my shoulders and smiled sweetly at me from above my head. Then in a swift move so fast I never would have seen it, Vitorrio was knocked back and I was pulled forward. "Gabriella!" I shouted, being pulled along the road by my beloved sister who was now immortal, and had sit by and watched them all kill our family. "I have to go back, I have to help Nicholas."