Fated Fangs

Chapter 14: Cassandra's Story

Eleni paced through her sitting room angrily. Her blood felt like it was boiling. Her face and head were hot like a volcano waiting to erupt. She had never been so angry in her entire life. She had had to struggle to survive, but she had built a nice, quiet life for herself. It was all gone now, though, she thought bitterly.

She wanted to trash the room, but cleaning it the first time had been annoying enough, and she didn't want some poor maid to have to clean up after her tantrum. She wondered briefly if they would let her have a punching bag. She needed to release her anger somehow. It was building up to a boiling point.

She paced angrily, like a caged tiger, stoking the fires of her fury. Her feet tread loudly on the hardwood floors, and the thudding echoed in the tall reaches of the ceiling. The steady pounding of her feet matched the rush of blood in her ears. Her pacing was interrupted by a knock on the door. She reeled around, ready to bite her fathers head off. It must have been him back to apologize.

"Leave me alone!" Eleni roared. Her fists were balled so tightly her fingernails dug into her palms angrily. There was a long silence, followed by a quieter knock. Before Eleni could yell again, she heard a voice she hadn't expected.

"It's Cassandra. Can I come in?" Cassandra said in a small, meak voice.

Eleni flew to the door as fast as her feet could carry her. She hastily opened it and stood in the doorway, one hand on the door and the other on the door frame. Cassandra was just standing there, patiently waiting with her hands behind her back. Her short black hair was messy but cute. She lifted her caramel eyes up to meet Eleni's.

"If it would be alright with you, I would like to come in. Could you use the company?" She asked shyly, but in such a gentle and comforting way that Eleni didn't know what to say.

Eleni nodded weakly and dropper her hands. She backed away from the door and let Cassandra in. Cassandra walked slowly over to the couch. She turned to look at Eleni, who was still standing awkwardly by the door. She had been ready to yell at her father. Cassandra was the last person she had expected to be at the door.

"May I sit down?" Cassandra asked, looking at the couch.

"By all means. It's not mine, anyway." Eleni sighed, gesturing for her to sit.

Cassandra sat down gracefully. She clasped her hands together and rested her elbows calmly on her knees, eyes on the ground. Eleni didn't know what to do. Her anger was quickly being replaced by confusion. Cassandra remained poised and quiet, so Eleni did the only thing she could. She sat down next to Cassandra.

She was trying to remain calm, but her boiling blood was turning like the tide. She was a little fascinated by this woman. Cassandra had done all she could to make Eleni comfortable with this new, horrible situation, so whatever reason she had for being there must have been good enough to bother showing up.

They sat on the couch in silence for a while. Eleni's heart began to slow down, and she felt a calm washing over her that she didn't know was possible. She breathed slower, staring at the floor along with Cassandra. At last, the silence was broken.

"In the time when I was human, I still had to hide who I was." Cassandra began. She twisted her fingers together, slowly, but like a nervous tick. She looked up at Eleni, and their eyes met. Her eyes were so sure and so passionate that it startled Eleni into silence.

"I had a lover. It was a long, long time ago, but she was the only one I had ever wanted. I didn't just want her, I needed her. But times were different. People were less understanding; or more, they were afraid of what they didn't understand. Fear was much more powerful in those days, in some ways.

It was a world where survival wasn't guaranteed. War, famine, and disease took many. Most people held onto religion as a way to escape the fear of death, but the same religion that brought comfort to some brought hatred on many.

My lover and I had a forbidden love. Women were on trial for being witches if they were too tidy, too clever, or too loud. Two women together were a sure sign of the devil, you have to understand. So we met in secret. We met by the light of the moon most of the time, or we tucked ourselves away in secret corners of the woods where no one else ever went. Well, we thought no one went there, anyway.

We carried on like that for years. She and I never took husbands, and maybe we should have, but the thought of being with anyone else was worse than any other outcome. At least, that's what we believed. One night I went to meet her like any other night. We had a special place where the brook divided and had made a small island. I was waiting for her, but she never came.

She had never not come before, so I grew nervous. I waited. I waited longer than I should have, but waited I did, until I couldn't any longer. I had such a pit in my stomach. I must have known, really, but I wanted to trust she would come as always. I couldn't handle waiting, so I left, going back the way she always came in hopes of finding her.

I was halfway to her home when I found her. I didn't understand what I was even seeing when I first came across her. There was a dark figure over her, covering most of her body, which lay strewn across the forest floor like fallen leaves.

I stepped closer, trying to understand what was happening when I stepped on a twig. The sound alerted the figure to my presence, and they snapped their head around to take me in. His face was covered in blood; her blood. His eyes glowed an ugly red in the darkness, like all consuming flames dancing against the night.

I stepped back in horror. I had heard the stories of creatures who hunted by night, but I had thought they were just old tales to keep the children out of the woods at night. But they were true, and I was seeing the truth with my own eyes. Her skin was drained of all colour. Her lifeless body lay limp in his arms.

I grew so angry that I threw myself at him. I know it sounds stupid, but I was ready to throw my life away. My life died when she did. The vampire, for that is what he was, dropped his meal, and prepared to take me on as his next feast. I may have been, but for the one who interceded on my behalf.

A gust of wind blew past me and the vampire before me all but disappeared as another one drove into him harder and faster than I had ever seen.

I went to my love, but she wasn't even warm anymore. I cradled her body for a long time and cried. The second vampire spoke softly to me while I wept. He explained how the other vampire had been eating out of bounds, and that most vampires didn't kill their victims, all while I stroked her hair and wished she would just come back.

The vampire was Bram. He explained a lot of things to me while I mourned. He let me bury her body first, but he had to turn me or kill me, and he saw fit to turn me. I guess something about me suggested I would be a strong vampire, or perhaps even his cold heart feels pity. I would have preferred death if given the choice.

I was angry for a long time. I guess I just wanted to let you know that I know how it feels. I didn't have a choice, either. I'm so sorry you have to experience this, but at least you have a chance to know what is coming and to have family around to help you through the change. Family, and friends?" Cassandra finished, looking up at Eleni with a questioning smile.