The pitch black road was all but empty apart from that strange hooded figure on the rusty old bench, and yet, she was strangely attracted to him. He was always wearing that same blue and white stripy hoody, with the black skinny jeans and black 'Vans'. Did he know she existed? Or did he just choose to ignore her? Nevertheless, she walked cautiously up the road in her elegant black dress and high heels. She was unsure whether it was safe to approach him, but she was sure he wouldn't dare touch her, after all, he never acknowledged her before. As she walked towards him, her heel snapped clean off and she stumbled to the ground, and as she did this he turned his head in her direction, and in those few seconds that she locked into his eyes she felt alive, more so than before. He got up and approached her, and asked if she was okay, his voice warmed her heart. He helped her up and smiled at her, then she decided to start a conversation.

"Hello, thanks for helping me, my bloody heel broke", she thought it sounded lame but to her surprise he replied.

"No problem"

He turned to walk away but she grabbed his arm and felt a strange and sudden courage, and asked his name. He seemed to think about it for a moment and turned as if to say something, but he turned away and said,

"It doesn't matter, the less you know about me the better"

"Why's that?", she asked.

He hesitated again.

"Things happen around me"

"What things" she quizzed.

He didn't answer so she decided to stop asking about it.

"So, I see you around here a lot, its weird we've never talked before", She had an attempt to change the conversation.

"Look, not being rude, but do you want something?"

"I...No, I'll be going then, see ya' around"

He turned and looked at her, then walked off down towards the beach. She gazed longingly down towards his back but walked back towards her apartment.

The sunrise burned his eyes as he retreated into the alley, but his mind kept reflecting on the previous night, and his meeting with that woman, why hadn't he got her name? His head felt like he had been hit with a baseball bat, but he knew it was the drink, why did he drink it? He didn't know. But he did know he needed a distraction. All he had to look forward to was sitting on that bloody rusty old bench every night, waiting for something to finally happen with his life, but deep down, he knew what he wanted. He knew what was coming next as a blue van drove slowly towards him, and as the passenger got out with a gun and aimed it at him, he knew he was screwed.

Her hair shone gracefully in the beautiful sunlight, but all she could think about was the strange man from the night before. It was no surprise to her when her phone rang to tell her she was late for work, so she sped up to get there quickly. A blue van slowly crept towards her and in the deserted street she thought it a little strange, especially when the door slid open and a man smiled at her. As she walked past he clasped his hand over her mouth and her screams were unheard.

She awoke many hours later to see the familiar eyes of the strange hooded man. He smiled at her and said he told her so, and that bad things really do happen around him. She smiled back and spoke.

"Are you going to tell me your name now?"

"Erm, yes, I suppose I owe you that much, but first, what's yours?"

"You're good at not answering questions"

"Okay, okay, its Aaron, what's yours?"

"It's Carly"

"Funny, I used to know someone called Carly"

"Cut the small talk and tell me where the hell we are and why we're here"

"Okay, fair enough, I tried not to talk to you yesterday night because of these people that have been monitoring me, but they found you so...yeah, so I left before I really communicated with you"

"So you're telling me that you are being monitored, why?"

"Erm, I used to be one of them, hunting people down who owe them money, but then I left, and it was too risky for them as I knew so much. They decided to monitor me"

"I really do find you intriguing, you sit on that bench every night and have a story like that"

"Is that a compliment?"

She gazed into his eyes and wanted to reply, but couldn't, he sensed she was scared and reassured her that she will be okay. She looked at him and asked if he will be okay and he just stared into her eyes and looked down.

Many silent minutes later Carly poked Aaron playfully to attempt to lighten the mood, and he grinned and pushed her gently with his foot.

"Aaron, do you have any idea where we're going?", Carly wondered

"Erm, well, we used to take people to an abandoned mansion, and if we do go there you will find out dark secrets about me"

"Such as?"

"It's not important for now, so don't worry"

"I just thought it would pass the-"

Carly paused as the seemed to smash through a metal object which Aaron knew was the mansion gate.

"Carly, promise me one thing, don't react badly to whatever happens in here, I promise I will not harm you, deal?"

"Okay I suppose, what's gunna happen?"

"It doesn't matter, but it will get us out of there so just trust me"

"All right, I suppose it-"

Carly was cut across by an Italian looking man dressed in a sharp black and gray suit, with black sunglasses on, even in the darkness they were now in.

"Get out, both of you, and don't try anything, we have guns"

They both cautiously got out of the van and their hands were tied behind their backs by the Italian, and another man who wasn't visible due to his large hood.

The two men led them towards the mansion doors and pushed them through. The room was like nothing Carly had ever seen before, it was massive for a start, and the dirty white walls were covered in old paintings and black drapes. In the centre of the room was a metallic table much like the counter in a butchers, which was covered in a sticky red substance she tried to avoid looking at. At the other end of the room was a magnificent set of stairs which, like the table, were covered in blood. She started to feel a little sick due to the stench of rotting flesh and the blood. She felt a drip on her head and she looked up to identify the source and wished she hadn't, for there were 8 bodies hanging from the ceiling, occasionally dripping blood down to those beneath. Aaron was taken over to the right of the room and shackled to the wall, whilst Carly was taken towards the table in the middle, and was forced to lay on it whilst they tied her on.

A figure appeared at the top of the stairs and laughed at the sight of Aaron on the wall, then ordered them to release Carly from the table. As the man came into view he was identified as Jacob,a tall, thin man, wearing a green pin-stripe suit, with a red tie, and Aaron tried not to laugh at his physical appearance. Jacob ordered Carly to be brought to him, and she was forced to the top of the stairs.

"What's your name my dear?", he asked

"None of your bloody business"

Jacob grabbed her hair and pulled it until she was screaming for him to stop.

"That's no way to treat your host", he said as he released her.

"Now, what's your name?"

"C-C-Carly"

"Carly, eh? Right, shall I tell you what's going to happen here?"

"N-No, why are we here though?"

"You really are an ignorant bitch aren't you"

"Don't you dare talk to her like that", Aaron shouted from below

"Aaron, I'd almost forgotten about you"

Jacob walked down the stairs, pulling Carly along with him by the hair, and clenched his fists.

"Why are we here then Aaron? Answer the bitch's question yourself" He said calmly

"I wouldn't give you the satisfaction", Aaron replied

Jacob grinned and punched Aaron in the face, then punched him in the stomach and ribs.

"Answer the bitch"

Aaron gasped for breath but replied nevertheless

"Hell no"

"I see we are not going to get anywhere her so I'll change tactics, every time Carly doesn't answer me, Aaron will get tortured"

"Carly, don't tell him anything", Aaron told her.

"Interesting", Jacob wondered out loud, "What were you both talking about yesterday night?"

Carly didn't reply so Jacob punched Aaron in the nose and broke it, causing him to yelp in pain.

"Is that the best you can do?", Aaron teased

"Right, next question, what is your relation to each other?"

Carly stood silent with tears running down her face, Jacob looked blankly at her, then produced a screwdriver and stabbed it into Aaron's leg.

"Holy hell that hurts, Carly, stay strong", Aaron said.

"Well, Carly your holding well, why were you approaching Aaron on that night?"

Once again Carly stood speechless and likewise Jacob looked blank again. He walked over to the table and picked up a wrench, then strolled back to them and smashed Aaron in the head and then shattered his wrist. Aaron couldn't control himself and shouted out in pain.

Jacob walked back up the stairs and several minutes later he re-appeared with a gun. He strolled over to his guards and whispered to them.

Aaron slowly allowed a change as his hair turned jet black and his eyes red as he re-gained his heritage, a vampire, and broke free from the shackles. He picked up Carly and took her up the stairs where it was safer, and charged off to Jacob and his guards, who were unaware of Aaron. Aaron picked up a knife and threw it right into one of the guards necks and leaped at another. The rest of them tried to take Aaron down with knives and bats, but he finished them all off. Jacob stood in the mansion doorway and loaded the gun, and Aaron turned to face him. Aaron ran at him but Jacob raised the gun and fired. The sound of the shot echoed through the mansion and the surrounding area, but Jacob took no notice and ran from the scene. Aaron fell to the floor with a bullet in his stomach, and Carly screamed and ran to his side.

The roar of sirens in the small surrounding town echoed towards their location, and Carly looked down into Aaron's eyes and whispered to him.

"Thank you so much for saving me, I owe you my life"

"Don't mention it, it was me that got you in this situation in the first place"

"The police and paramedics are almost here, they must have heard the gunshot"

Aaron clenched onto Carly's hand as the armed police and paramedics entered the mansion. Aaron was loaded onto a stretcher and was taken to the hospital as fast as they could, and Carly was taken by the police to the hospital.

Carly sat in the family and friends private room with a police officer called Matt, who was asking questions about what happened.

"Carly, how did you get there?"

"Erm, I was abducted on my way to work and put in a blue van"

"Was Aaron already in the van?"

"Yes"

"Okay, just a few more questions, why were you taken there?"

"I have no idea, Aaron might know more though"

"Okay, had you seen any of those people before?"

"Only Aaron, we had been talking the night before"

"Okay, interesting, sounds like it wasn't random, one more question, what relation are you and Aaron?"

"Just friends, why?"

"Procedure, we just have to check"

"Okay, its just that's one of the questions we were asked"

"Really? That's interesting, you know, I admire you, after everything you have just been through, you are holding yourself together"

"I don't know how, the things that man did to Aaron"

"I know it's hard, but try not to think about it"

"I'm trying, but the images just keep swirling through my head"

"Well, I have to go back to the station, but you'll be safe here"

"Thank you officer, if you hadn't turned up with the paramedics Aaron would be dead"

Matt patted her on the shoulder and walked out of the room, and asked for one of the nurses to keep an eye on Carly.

After surgery, Aaron was deemed well enough for Carly to see him, so she steadily made her way to his room, and sat in the armchair next to his bed. As she looked into his eyes a tear ran down her face as she saw he was okay.

"Hey", she said awkwardly, breaking the silence.

"Hello, still here then? Thought you would have gone"

"Why would I go? You just saved my life, and I owe you enough to see how you are"

"I...appreciate it, I admire you, I mean...you saw who I really am and came back to me, that's more than most people do"

"Yeah, well, I don't know why, I must admit...no, it doesn't matter"

"What doesn't?"

"No, seriously, it doesn't matter"

"Okay, well how are-"

"I feel drawn to you" Carly cut across.

"Oh, well, I guess it does matter then, maybe that's what they wanted"

An officer burst into the room, gun in hand, and gestured to Carly to speak in private. Carly rose to her feet and strolled over to the officer.

"Hello Carly, I'm PC Straton"

"Hi"

"I have been informed that you are to be removed from the presence of Aaron, due to the danger of his nature"

"Care to explain please"

"Well, Carly, you were there and saw what he is like with your own eyes, now please leave the vicinity before you are forcibly removed"

"Wait a minute, I trust him, more than anyone"

Straton removed cuffs from her pocket, but was forced off her feet by Aaron, who had realized what was happening, and decided to take action.

Carly screamed but Aaron grabbed her hand and leapt through the window as police ran around the corner and fired multiple shots at them both. They landed in the hospital car park, but a group of armed SWAT members surrounded them, closing in and pulling Carly away from Aaron, who was promptly arrested whilst Carly broke free from their grasp and ran.

Having been processed, Aaron was forced to sit in the small, cramped cell, whilst Carly sat on a bench very close to the station, awaiting his release. A small explosion caused her to leap from the bench, and a series of explosions led to the entire police complex disappearing in a cloud of smoke and fire. She screamed but the noise was drowned by a hand being placed across her mouth.

"Don't worry", said a familiar voice, and his hand was soaked in her tears.

She turned to face Aaron and kissed him, much to his and her surprise.

"Wow, I wasn't expecting that", He said, grinning

"Oh my God, I thought you were in there"

"I was, I got out literally a few seconds before it blew"

"How?", she said with tears staining her face.

"I broke through the wall, thanks to the strength of being a vampire"

Carly couldn't stop crying, and Aaron pulled her into his chest and rested his head on hers. She looked into his eyes and wanted him so much, but felt scared of stating her feelings.

"Carly, we need to get out of here, I'll carry you and we'll get out as quick as I can"

"Alright, lets go then"

"Hold on tight"

Aaron grasped tightly onto her legs and she put her hands around his neck and he ran so fast, everything was a total blur.

They arrived at a small village in the middle of nowhere called Brito, and Aaron told Carly that he had lived here a long time ago.

"So whats it like then?"She asked.

"It's fairly quiet, a few of us here, 'us' being vampires, all totally safe if you're one of them, or a friend"

"Wow, well, lets stay here then"

"Alright, cool, I still have a house here we can use"

"This gets better and better"

Aaron laughed and led her off to his old house, unlocking the door and walking in.

"You any good at cleaning?", He asked Carly jokingly.

"Well, that would depend on what I'm being asked to clean", She replied cheekily.

Aaron laughed and went to his old room and changed into his familiar blue hoody, black skinny jeans, and some black converse trainers. He went into one of the wardrobes and saw a load of a womans clothes. He sighed as memories returned to him.

"Carly, come here a minute"

"Okay, won't be a second"

She walked in and he gave her some clothes that he said would make her fit in; a black jumper, blue skinny jeans and some red converse.

A few hours later they decided to go for a walk, so locked up the house and went out. A woman looked shocked to see Aaron walking out of the house, then unhappy to see a woman behind him, but she smiled at him nevertheless, only to be given a small smile back.

"Carly, can I meet you in the tavern, I've forgotten something"

"Okay, sure, see you soon"

Aaron stood in the doorway and watched Carly walk up the road, then turned and walked towards the woman, and gave her a grin, and was given a grin in return.

She embraced and kissed him, and they didn't part for some time, then they spoke.

"It's been a while" She said

"I shouldn't have done that, I'm sorry"

"Why are you sorry, you haven't done anything wrong"

"Yes, I have, we broke up years ago"

"I am aware of that you know, I just...don't worry, who's that woman anyway?"

"She's Carly, we we're almost killed and I got us out of it...just"

"Ahh, I see, and now you've fallen for her", she quizzed

"Well, kind of, I'm not sure"

"It shows seeings as we've just kissed"

"Listen, We'll have to catch up later, I need to go"

He turned and ran towards the tavern, not looking back, and she sighed at her possible loss.

As Aaron reached the tavern he saw one of has vampire friends with Carly unconscious in his grasp, about too bite her.

"Hey, Frank, stop, shes with me"

He dropped her immediately.

"Holy hell, sorry mate, I didn't know"

"No problem, it's not your fault"

"How've you been? Haven't seen you in a long time, almost 100 years isn't it?"

"Yeah it has, 96 years ago I left, erm, to be honest I haven't been great, I joined a hunter group and left, so they tried to kill me, but failed"

"Well of course, no one kills the famous Aaron Drakensson"

"Can you do me a favour and not mention I'm a Drakensson around Carly, I haven't told her, she just knows I'm a vampire"

"Sure thing mate, the rest of the guys are inside, lets go in for a drink"

Carly stirred on the ground and Aaron went to her side and helped her up, apologizing for Frank.
She looked at Frank and help out her hand, which he shook immediately.

"Right, lets go get a drink", Frank stated

As they opened the door they heard a roar of laughter as Dern told the guys a joke. They all turned and saw the human, raising as if to attack, but then saw Aaron, grinned and roared his name.

"Aaron", they all said in unison.

"Hey guys"

The 8 of them stood and shook Carly's hand, each stating their names; Dern, Billo, Mirv, Sudd, Drev, Polat, Crant, and the only woman, Sila. They all looked at Aaron and told him their stories of the last 96 years.

"Wow, sounds good guys, my life hasn't worked according to plan since I left, I joined a hunters group which I never thought I would do, but left, only to be hunted myself", exclaimed Aaron.

"Holy hell man, good job your not in that group now", Crant said.

"Well, we have the 10 of us back again, Me, Billo, Mirv, Sudd, Drev, Polat, Crant, Sila, Frank, and our leader, Aaron Drakensson", stated Dern proudly.

"Aaron, how could you not tell me your a Drakensson?", said Carly annoyingly

She got up and walked out.

"Thanks for that Dern, I'll be back in a minute", sighed Aaron.

Aaron got up and walked out the tavern and stood next to Carly and put his arm around her. All the vampires inside were watching them from inside the tavern.

"Why didn't you tell me?", She asked.

"I would have, I just didn't know how you'd react"

"Well, I understand, seeing as the Drakensson's are the most famous vampire family, having killed so many people, news travels fast you know. I just wish you had told me"

"I wanted to, I just didn't want to lose you"

"Why's that?", she said longing for the answer she wanted.

"Because we've come quite far together, and I don't want to lose our friendship, it's important to me"

"Well, why do you find our friendship important?", said Carly half-disappointed.

"Well for starters we almost got killed together, and we're both being hunted"

"You really intrigue me, you know that, right?"

"Why do I intrigue you?", Aaron quizzed

"No matter"

"Fine, well, lets get back in there"

"I can't, I'm sorry, I just want to get home, I'll wait for you there"

Carly turned and walked off towards Aaron's house, but Aaron just stood there watching her. He turned to go back in the tavern, but saw his friends looking through the window at him, so he signaled he was going too.

He was really unsure of all his feelings and decided against going home, so walked casually to his ex partners home, and as he approached she opened the door to him.

"Come in", she said

Aaron walked into the house wearing a look of sorrow.

"Whats wrong love?", she asked him lovingly

"Rene, please don't call me that"

"Well why are you here then?"

"I'm confused Rene, I don't know what I'm doing at the moment"

"Well, I'll try and help you, just talk to me"

"Thanks, well I'm not over you for a start, and I know I should be, I mean, its been 96 years since we split. But I think I have feelings for this girl I'm with, Carly"

"Well, I feel the same about you, always have done, but who is this Carly girl?"

"She approached me when I was sitting on this rusty old bench, and the next morning we were both abducted by those people, and I suppose thats when we bonded. Especially when that man, Jacob, attacked us"

"I'm confused now, can you tell me what happened when you were abducted?"

"Yeah sure, we were taken to this abandoned mansion, giant place, and Carly was tied to the metal table whilst I was shackled to the wall. This fat man called Jacob appeared at the top of the main halls stairs and ordered Carly's release from the table. Thats when it got bad, Jacob wanted information, useless stuff really, could never help him to discover what he wanted, but I know what he really wanted. Anyway, he would torture me each time Carly didn't give him the information but I told her to keep quiet and not say a word, so she did. And by God she is strong willed, amazing woman really. He punched me repeatedly, broke my nose, cracked a rib, and then he stabbed me in the leg with a screwdriver. After the last question Carly didn't answer, he got a wrench and hit me round the head with it, then shattered my wrist. And hell it was painful, but she held through. I knew Jacob was going to try worse, and he went to get a gun, but made the mistake of giving us time by talking to his guards. I had no choice you see, so I transformed into my vampire look, and took her to safety, then killed his guards. That fat bastard turned and shot me, but Carly rushed to my side and waited whilst the police and paramedics arrived."

"Wow, why was Jacob asking those useless questions then?"

"He wanted to know how loyal she was to me, and I think he was shocked, as no one we had ever taken there had done what she did."

"Holy hell, well let me go get you a drink"

Rene returned many minutes later with two cups of coffee, wearing a small smile.

"Well, I think you need a distraction", she said as she sat down on his lap.

She moved in for a kiss and he gave it to her, and they sat there for many minutes before they parted. Rene stood up and beckoned Aaron to follow her, as she walked towards her bedroom.

"I can't, I'm sorry Rene"

"Well its nothing new my dear"

"I know...I just can't"

"Fair enough, just doesn't seem like you, thats all"

"Look, Rene, I need to go, Carly will be waiting"

"Bye then, my love"

Aaron walked slowly home, thinking about everything that had happened, wondering why this always happened to him, being stuck between two things, hoping an answer would present its self.

"Oi Sila, look who it is", Sudd bellowed

"Ah, the human chaser, whats wrong with you? Going soft in your absence", Sila exclaimed harshly

"Quiet Sila, I'm sure he isn't totally incompetent", Sudd chipped in.

"Nice to see you too guys", Aaron retorted sarcastically.

"Do I detect sarcasm there Aaron?", Sudd said.

"Sudd, I'm not shocked to see you here to be honest, always have been a coward, others gone hunting?"

"You really are going to pay some day", Sudd replied

"Well, nothings stopping you"

"Okay, lets have him Sila", Sudd suggested

"Well, it would be a shame to lose one of the 10, but I suppose its worth it, prepare to fall Drakensson", Sila said, taking charge of the situation

Sudd leapt down from the roof he was sitting upon, and Sila led him onwards towards Aaron, but the waiting became too much for Sudd, who decided he would hazard a lone attack. He charged towards Aaron with his claws ready, but in one quick movement, Aaron dodged his lunge, and slashed open his stomach, spilling blood all over the road.

"Oh Jesus, Sila, help me", Sudd screamed from the side of the road.

"You'll pay for his death Aaron, for now goodbye", Sila whispered, and as she ran to join in the hunt, she sliced Sudd's neck with the heel on her shoes.

Aaron picked up the pace and ran back to his house, finding the place perfectly normal, but looking a lot cleaner than before. Carly opened the door and shouted over to him.

"Where the hell have you been? I've started the cleaning already"

"Cheers Carly, I need to talk to you"

He grabbed her hand and ran into the living room, locking all the doors and windows, and pulling all the curtains and blinds, but switching on the light.

"Sudd's dead, him and Sila attacked me, I slit his stomach but she finished him off on her way to reach the others, we need to go"

A knock on the door echoed through the building, leaving Aaron and Carly frozen on the spot.

"It's me Aaron, open up"

"Oh Rene, sorry thought you were someone else, won't be a minute", Aaron shouted back to her.

Aaron rushed to the door and unlocked it, but instead of Rene rushing in to greet him, a hand clenched around his throat and pushed him back to a wall.

"Aaron, how nice to see you, hows Sudd these days, oh, yeah, I forgot, hes dead", Frank growled

"Frank, it's not how it seems, pleas let go, I'll explain", Aaron gasped

Frank let go of his neck, but looked very cautious.

"Listen, Frank, Sudd and Sila appeared, and they started a fight with me, I swear, all I did was in self-defense. Sudd attacked me and I dodged it and slit his stomach open, but Sila slit his throat on her way to find you"

"Aaron, I know you well enough to know you are being honest, so I'm going to give you a chance to leave, you get one hour"

"Thanks Frank"

Frank ran from the house and Rene appeared in the doorway.

"I'm sorry Aaron, he had me by the throat", she said

"No worries Rene"

"Whose that?", Carly asked

"It's an old friend, come say hello", he replied.

Carly rose to her feet and walked to the doorway.

"Hello Rene", Carly said, holding her hand out.

"Good evening", Rene shook her hand, "Aaron, I have no choice but to give you an option, I can't live how I am"

"Go ahead", Aaron replied.

"You're going to have to choose between me and Carly, or I'm afraid she will have to be taken care of"

"How dare you", Aaron and Carly both said simultaneously.

"Well? I need an answer my dear"

"How can you stand there and call me your dear, you arrogant bitch, how dare you come to my house and make me choose between you both", Aaron said angrily.

"I-I-"

"You what? Speak up bitch", Aaron was getting really angry now.

"Aaron, who is this?", Carly asked calmly.

"She's my partner, well my ex, but we were getting back together"

"Oh, I see, I suppose I should get my stuff and go then", Carly said, about to turn around.

"No you won't, Rene, clear off, I've made my decision", Aaron said.

"You will pay for this Aaron, and you too Carly", Rene stated with fire in her eyes

"Oh I'm sure we will, but in the mean time I would rather you get the hell out of my property.", Aaron shouted, "Oh, and Rene", she turned to face him, "Stay out of my life, you mean nothing to me anymore".

Rene looked as if she was about to say something, but she thought better of it, turned, and walked off.

"Aaron, are you sure about this?", Carly asked, with a shocked look on her face.

"I think so, yes, I mean, how dare she give me that choice?"

"You're amazing, I hope you know that"

They both went back into the house where Aaron explained everything to Carly.

"...so we need to get out", Aaron finished.

"Okay, where to?"

"I know a town we can go to, lovely place"

"Right, lets go then"

Aaron picked up Carly and darted out of the village, arriving at a town a few hours later. They walked around for a good half an hour, and arrived at the conclusion they would stay in the abandoned house on the outskirts of town. Aaron tried to pick the lock to the door, but found it impossible, so moved onto a window, which opened with incredible ease. They both climbed in and started to explore.

"Wow, this place is awesome, why would anyone abandon it?", Carly said.

"I dunno, but I agree, this place couldn't be much better"

A loud rapping on the door made them both jump, but they approached the door to see a small group of villagers.

"Hello, I'm Jarved, are you the new tenants for this place?"

"Hello Jarved, my name is Aaron and this is my friend, Carly. Yes, we just moved in today"

"In that case, welcome to our village, Greater Trindle"

"Thank you very much", piped up Carly.

"Your welcome, come by our village centre tonight, we're having a small celebration, goodbye"

Aaron and Carly waved off the small group and went back inside.

"Well, there some plans for tonight", Carly said.

"Yeah, should be quite good, I'll be right back"

A few minutes later Aaron re-appeared, holding two cans of Carlsberg, offering one to Carly.

"Cheers, so, whats it like to be a vampire?", Carly asked

"I don't really know how to answer to be honest, I can't remember the time when I was a human, but I do remember that I got a lot more strength and stamina, it felt good, but now I'm used to it"

"It must have been hard seeing everyone dying around you, well, the humans that is"

"Erm, well it was I suppose, but I got through, when your young you see immortality as a great thing, eternal life, do you see it as an appealing thing?"

"Yes I suppose, but sometimes I just think its better to take the natural route of life"

"Good answer, I always idolized immortality, but now I'm not so sure, loneliness plays a huge part in immortality, and I've hated it for so long, then...", Aaron paused, seeming to struggle with the rest of the sentence.

"Then what? Are you comfortable with this conversation, or do you want to stop?"

"It doesn't matter, and yes, why wouldn't I be?"

"You just seem unhappy with this conversation, but if your okay with it..."

"Yeah I am, its just all the people who are prejudiced against vampires, and rightly so, vampires are not evil creatures, its just based on the individual concerned, and it really irritates me, I mean, I used to be different to now, harder, I never thought of my actions' consequences, but I do now, thats why I used to sit on that rusty old bench, I saw you every night, making quick glances at me, I used to sit there and think of my actions from before."

Carly blushed as it was apparent that he had noticed how she used to look at him, but she thought it weird that he was thinking about his actions.

"Have you made anyone a vampire against their will before?"

"Yes, I have"

"Do you regret it though?"

"Yes, I really do, all those things I used to do are my greatest regrets"

"Have you ever sought those people out again?"

"No, but some have contacted me"

"So you've attacked more than one?"

"Yes, can we stop this now, I don't like where this is going"

"Yeah I'm sorry, I just find it so interesting"

"Why? Whats so glamorous about vampires?"

"I don't know, its just I've always idolized vampires, I saw this one when I was eight or something, he was amazing, a Drakensson, and from then on I've always wanted to be one"

"Really? I'm the last remaining Drakensson so I suppose it was me you saw then"

"He, or you I suppose, was absolutely brilliant, he looked me in the eyes I seem to remember and told me to stay where I was, to stay safe"

"That was you? Christ, that was only 12 years ago"

"Your eyes haven't changed at all, they were a brilliant emerald green then, and they are now. Yes, thats why I'm drawn to you, I realize now. Oh my God, I can't believe its you."

"Wow, that night was a turning point for me, I was a part of that hunter group, at that point we were hunting a werewolf and a vampire, weird combination of traveling pairs, and I saw you there, just standing, watching me, I couldn't let any harm come to you."

"And for that I am grateful, otherwise I probably wouldn't be sitting here now"

"Probably, why have you actually wanted to become a vampire? Aside from that"

"I don't really know, just seems a good idea, I can't really give more reasoning to be honest, listen... would it be possible for you to make me a vampire?"

Aaron nodded, but stood up and walked out, with tears in his eyes.

Carly stood up to follow him but sat down again deciding to give Aaron some space. She gulped down the Carlsberg, then decided that Aaron had had enough time and walked into his bedroom to find him.

"Are you sure?", Aaron asked in the darkness.

"Yes", she replied.

"I can't believe you in a way, have you stayed with me to become a vampire, or do you genuinely just want to travel with me?"

"What? Of course I want to travel with you, I...", she couldn't finish the sentence.

"Continue please"

"I care for you, and I just want to be closer to you, more similar, so we're more equal"

"Equal? Good God, I don't see how that works, what I wouldn't give to be human again"

"Really? Well we can travel together then...Forever and always"

"You really are the best thing for me, well, lay down, you'll faint after I bite you, and won't wake for a few hours"

Carly laid down on the bed and looked into Aaron's eyes as he took a deep breath and bit her neck. She was immediately knocked out by the bite, so Aaron left the room and locked the door. He went into the kitchen and picked up the small hunters knife that was laying on the counter, and put it into his coat pocket, in case any trouble occurred in the town.

The road was partially covered in a thin layer of snow as the mid-winter weather started to kick-in. The ice had obviously caused some trouble as there was a small wreckage in a ditch that resembled a car. A small fire at the engine caught his attention.

"Help, please, help", cried a woman trapped in the car.

Aaron turned to face her, and the sheer look of fear in her eyes made him help, so he leaped down into the ditch and attempted to pull the door off its hinges, but failed. As the fire spread rapidly he was sure the car was about to blow, so he looked the woman in the eyes and spoke to her whilst trying to break her free.

"Hang on, I'll do my best", he said trying to comfort the woman.

"Well, I ain't gunna go anywhere"

Aaron leapt onto the bonnet and tried to smash the re-enforced windscreen and succeeded, sending shattered glass everywhere. The woman protected herself with her arms whilst the fire spread into the interior, setting the passenger seat on fire. The woman screamed, but Aaron put his arms around her and pulled her out, and carried her to the roadside. A small group of villagers ran towards them, accompanied by the local police and fire department. The car exploded sending Aaron, who was still partially in the ditch, flying into the middle of the road. Aaron steadily pulled himself to a sitting position, and felt an excruciating pain in his right hand, and noticed that the broken glass had cut his hand to shreds. Blood was running down his face from a large gash just under his black haired fringe. The police and fire department dragged Aaron away from the wreckage, and called a paramedic for his wounds, whilst the woman he had just saved same over and hugged him, thanking him for saving her life. The group of villagers gathered round and started to thank him, calling him a hero for their town, having only been there a few hours.

Carly rose from Aaron's bed a lot earlier before she should have, but couldn't get out of the room due to the door being locked. She felt alive, more alive than ever before. But she had an urge, she wanted to kill, not for food, just blood lust. She wondered why Aaron had locked the door, and where the hell he had got to, after all, she had to thank him.

She looked out the window and was shocked to see very large flames spurting from an extraordinarily small car in a ditch. A small group of villagers were crowded around something, as well as the police and fire department, and didn't seem aware of the huge flames behind them. A villager turned and screamed, and many of them turned and ran out of fear, the remaining few petrified with fear. A large explosion sent them all flying leaving a lone man on the floor.

"Christ, its Aaron", Carly said fearfully.

Aaron looked towards the fire and sighed heavily as it was gradually getting bigger and spreading along the now oil covered road towards him. The smoke rose many hundred feet above him and the fumes were enough to make him sick. The flames were now licking his feet the way a dog does, and the hot, tingling sensation was moving up his shoe. He tried to move backwards away from the flames but found it an impossibility, so he lay there and accepted his fate.

Carly managed to smash the window with one of Aaron's chairs, and sprinted with incredible speed towards Aaron's side. She stopped a few meters away and pulled him from the flames, just as the fire spread to where he had been laying. She put his unconscious body over her shoulders, and ran towards the town centre, where paramedics and villagers were watching from. She rested Aaron gently on a stretcher, and felt the urge again, this time in the company of humans.

Aaron awoke on the stretcher just in time to see Carly leap on a unsuspecting woman and rip her throat out. He shouted at her and she turned to face him.

"Carly, time to go", he shouted.

"Okay, Christ, what've I done"

"Don't worry, get back to the house"

They ran back to their house and locked the doors. The entire village's population started to get weapons.

"Carly, we need to leave, don't worry about what happened, it happens when you become a vampire, you'll be fine now, it won't happen again. I promise", Aaron said calmly.

"How can you keep making excuses for me?"

"Because I love you Carly, I have since I first set eyes on you", he replied

"Well, there are no excuses for this, I don't think I can repel my feelings much longer, I love you too"

They both grinned and kissed, holding themselves together for what felt like hours before separating.

"Right, now we need to go", Carly said.

"Agreed, now we'll get out quicker as we're both vampires"

A few villagers threw fire bombs through windows which ignited the kitchen and bathroom. More of the villagers managed to break through the front door and, armed with knives and bats, ran towards them.

"Good luck love", Carly said as she ran at the villagers.

Carly knocked the villagers off their feet as more tried to ambush her, but they found themselves knocked to the floor too, this time by Aaron.

"Carly, I'll take these, you take them, don't kill them, please"

Aaron disarmed a crazed villager armed with a barbed wire bat, and threw him through the window, whilst Carly dodged an attack which therefore hit one of the other villagers, knocking him out cold.

"What happened to town hero", Aaron asked pointlessly.

Aaron was ambushed by a group of people who pinned him up against the wall and tried to strangle him, but were forced off him by an angry Carly, who took them all out with a baseball bat. A throwing knife hit Aaron square in the shoulder, and it caused a drastic change of plan as his blood sprayed everywhere. Carly grabbed him and ran through the door and into the neighbouring forest. Aaron pulled out the knife and threw it back at the villagers pursuing them, and hit a young man in between the eyes, instantly killing him as well as the pursuit. Carly looked into his eyes and was shocked at his sudden anger, and the rage that had sparked so quickly in his emerald green eyes.

Carly put Aaron down next to a tree and put pressure on the wound, and managed to stop the bleeding.

"I'm going to go and find a water supply to wash all your blood off me, won't be long", Carly said having finished with his wound. She kneeled down in front of him and kissed him, then walked off towards the sound of running water.

Aaron watched her as she wondered off, then felt two fingers pushing into his wound.

"Bless", the harsh voice said, "I told you that you would pay, well here I am, as promised"

"Rene, what do you want", Aaron said, masking his pain.

"You never have been one for bargaining, have you, my sweet", she growled, pulling her fingers out his wound

"Not really"

"How sweet it is, you and Carly, finally told her then, good on you, shame you have to die", she paused in thought, "Or maybe, if I kill her, it'll take away your will to live"

"Maybe, but one things for sure, you will be dead before the nights out"

"You keep telling yourself that dear, your the one backed onto a tree, not me, suffering from a human inflicted wound. Tell me, whats a human like to kiss?"

"I wouldn't know"
"Oh I see my dear, you've infected her, haven't you"
"Maybe I have, what's it to you bitch?"

Rene paused, thinking of a way to hurt him deeply. A small group approached them, with a bound body being carried by one of them.

"Jacob, how nice of you to join us", shouted Rene

Jacob and his small band of assassins stood in front of Aaron, and dropped the bound body in front of him, who Aaron identified as Carly. She lay there still, as tears ran down her face.

"Aaron, nice to see you survived our last encounter, how are you these days", Jacob said

Aaron sat there silently, staring into Jacobs eyes.

"Well? Do you speak?", Jacob asked.

"Not to a scumbag like you I don't", Aaron replied.

Jacob spat on the floor and kicked Carly who cried harder.

"I don't appreciate your lack of respect Aaron", Jacob said to them both.

"I don't appreciate the fact you are constantly trying to kill us", Aaron countered

"Well, it wouldn't happen if you hadn't have betrayed us you fool"

Carly looked up at Aaron as if asking for an explanation, which he didn't give. Jacob also saw the look she gave him and spoke.

"You haven't told her, have you?"

"No, its not important"

"Not important, eh? Well, if it hadn't of happened then we wouldn't be here now would we"

Jacob bent down and ripped the tape off Carly's mouth.
"Whats he talking about Aaron", Carly asked.

"I suppose I have to say now, don't I? Well you know when I told you to stay where you were that night, well, I did something then that I shouldn't have. I caught up with the vampire and werewolf alright, but I couldn't kill 'em. One of my associates caught up and saw we were talking, and heard that I wasn't going to kill them, so he got involved. He told me that if I was unable to do it, then he would. So I killed him there on the spot. The vampire and werewolf thanked me and left, but the others had caught up and saw me kill the guy. They decided to attack me, fools, so I killed them. Jacob here was watching from a rooftop, he was fuming and since then has been trying to kill me. Thing is, I did more. I was in a rage. Do you remember that news report on the mystery killings all over town?"

"Yeah, please don't say that was-"Carly was cut short.

"I couldn't help myself", Aaron cut across.

"You bastard, how could you, practically everyone I knew was killed there. It was a bloody festival you sick son of a bitch. My mother couldn't afford to take me, and good job, I would have been killed there too. My dad went, he was killed, well more like tortured. I can't-", Carly broke down into a fit of tears.

"I can't believe this is happening, and there was me thinking you were an honest kind of guy, well screw it", Carly finally finished

"I'm sorry, I really am, I told you I had done things I'm not proud of."
"I know, but I didn't think you were capable of being that evil", She spat the last word out, making Aaron flinch.

Tears flooded down Carly's face and she looked away from Aaron. Jacob looked thoroughly pleased with himself, as he had destroyed them without saying a word.

"Carly, you're free to go", Jacob whispered to her.

Carly got up and ran off without even looking at Aaron. His blood bubbled with a lust for revenge on Jacob, as he had destroyed everything they had.

"Why did you do it?", Aaron asked Jacob.

"Do what?"

"You know damn well what, come here and make me tell her"

"It was bound to come out at some point", Rene interjected.

"Rene, I'd forgotten about you, why do you hate me so much now?", Aaron said.

"I don't hate you, I love you, and now Carly's out of the way...", Rene answered.

"Screw you bitch"

Aaron gathered the strength he needed an snapped out of the rope that was bounding him to the tree, causing Rene to leap upwards into a tree and Jacob to fall backwards off his feet. Jacobs assassins turned and ran in fright; the prospect of a angered vampire was too much for them. Aaron's eyes shone like black diamonds as he looked into Jacobs eyes, then a twisted smile spread across his face as he grabbed Jacob by the neck and held him up against the tree. He pulled the small hunters knife from his pocket and rammed it into Jacobs eye, making him scream in agony.

"Jesus, you bastard, you'll pay for this", Jacob uttered.

"Somehow I don't think so, enjoy you're recovery, bastard", Aaron stated as he smashed both of Jacobs knee caps with his bare hands, and threw him carelessly into a tree

"Aaron, don't do this", Rene begged, "We can still be"
"We can still be, but I would rather be dead than be with you"

"As you wish, vampire", Jacob shouted

Aaron took one final look at them both, turned, and sprinted in the direction Carly went. He felt a great anger, and stopped, needing to lash out on something. There was nothing around except trees, hundreds and hundreds of trees. He clenched his fists and started to punch and rip a tree to shreds, and as it fell down, a huge bang attracted the attention of some hunters he had missed. They fired multiple shots at him and he ran, trying to catch up with Carly.

"Where is she?", Aaron muttered to himself.

The ground gave way beneath him and he fell into a pit, of which the hole was covered over with leaves. A metal lid enclosed him in the pit, and he was thrust into darkness.

The police officer that had been talking to Carly at the hospital, Matt, opened the metal lid slightly and shot Aaron with a tranquilizer.

"That him?", a voice asked Matt.

"Yes, nice one Polat", Matt replied.

"Matt, is he the one with the girl?"

"Did you not hear me the first time you idiot, he is Aaron Drakensson, partner of Carly", Matt seemed to be getting angry now.

"Okay, okay, calm down man"

"Flippin' vampires", Matt muttered under his breath.

Aaron awoke many hours later in a dark room, and realized his hands and legs were bound to a metal chair fixed into the ground. In the gloom he could just about make out some large barrels, and a small rack next to him, with a few blood stained tools balanced on it. He spotted a pair of eyes in the darkness and the faint sound of footsteps grew louder within the second.

"Drakensson, nice to see you awake at last", Polat stated.

"P-Polat, where am I? What are you doing here?", Aaron asked.

"All will be explained in due time my friend"

Three women were pushed into the room and the officer Matt pulled out a gun and fired three shots, killing Polat, and two of the women instantly. The officer looked at Aaron then closed the door and bolted it shut. One of the women was screaming at the sight of the bodies and Aaron was trying to control her.

"Hey, hey...shut up for a minute...just listen...we'll get out of this...please just listen"

"I-I-I'm sorry, Its just those women were my friends, oh God, that man has to pay for this", she replied

"Right, can you come over here and get me off this chair?"

The woman ran over and started trying to undo the wire he was bound with.

"Whats your name?", he asked her.

"Maria, whats yours?"

"It's Aaron"

After a few awkward minutes Maria managed to break through the wrist bindings so together they managed to break him out of the chair.

"Thanks Maria, now lets get out"

"How? This place is tight"

"You're right, lets try that air vent nevertheless", Aaron suggested.

"Okay"

Aaron stood on the chair and leapt up about 5 feet to grab onto the air vents latch, then he bent down and grabbed Maria by the waist and lifted her into the vent. She looked totally bewildered, obviously at the fact he had just leaped higher than anyone she'd ever seen, other than herself, and with no added trouble with her weight included.

"How did you do that?", She quizzed

"Do what?"

"Jump like that, with me as well"

"Well I can't really tell you to be blunt, maybe you'll find out soon"

She looked a little annoyed but followed him through the massive air vents, which were as big, cold, and wet as a cave; so much so she doubted where she really was. A loud crack to her left made her jump to her right, slamming into the wall, causing an echoing crash rebounding off the walls.

"You okay?", Aaron asked her

"Yeah I think so", Maria replied

"So, you got anyone to go to after we get out?"

"Well no, I was hoping that maybe-"

"Maybe?"

"I could stay with you, just for a while, no pressure of course, just if you want, which you don't have to"

Aaron walked forward silently for a few minutes deep in thought.

"Maria...I can't"

"Its okay, I understand"

"No, you don't, I can't allow you to, I'm dangerous, Maria, and I've gotten too many people involved already"

Light spilled down the tunnel from a partially concealed entrance, which was abruptly covered. Matt had apparently noticed they had escaped, and with only the air vents as an available exit, had sealed them off.

"Jesus, we're gunna have a tough time of this", Aaron muttered

"Tell me about it"

Aaron clenched his fists so tightly all the veins in his arms and hands stuck out like ropes holding his arms together. He punched the two-foot-thick walls repeatedly until he broke through, while Maria stared at him in awe and disbelief.

"Here we go", Aaron stated with a grin on his face

Aaron grabbed Maria effortlessly and jumped through the gap in the vent, leaving them just outside the building.

"Freeze!", a PC ordered, holding a gun up, aiming at Aaron's face

"No, stop, leave him to me", a new voice sounded.

In normal circumstances Aaron would have been immensely happy, but not now.

"Car-", Aaron began as he received a blow to the head which knocked him cold, disintegrating them all in his vision.

In what felt like days, Aaron was wondering through the bright forests of Terrad woods. The bright green canopy spilled green light all over the pinks and blues of the forest floor, which was covered in flowers. Birds sang brilliantly in the trees above and the serene beauty of a small cottage made a grin spread widely on his face. Home. A beautiful woman opened the bright orange door and crossed the small but amazingly perfect garden towards the hand-made wooden gate. She looked up at him and smiled the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. Her smile. A small boy ran from the house and grabbed his mothers leg, making her turn to him. She picked him up and as Aaron met his gaze they smiled. Aaron sped up towards his family and kissed his wife passionately. His whole world was about to be torn apart but for now he was happy, and couldn't ask for more.

Carly walked impatiently around the room staring at Aaron's unconscious body, sitting on a blood-stained table. She finally gave up on waiting and decided to get him conscious. Aaron stirred as she neared him, and smiled warmly at her, despite the situation.

"Aaron, why did you do it?"

"I was so angry, rage blinded me, I'm so sorry"

"Why didn't you tell me before"

"Because I didn't want to lose you Carly, I've never felt like this about anyone before"

"I love you as well, which is why it hurts...I got over my Dad along time ago, but it still pains me to know you did it"

"I know, I don't expect you to forgive me, just don't expect me to give up on you", Aaron said with tears in his eyes.

"Aaron, I do forgive you", Carly said as she leaned in to kiss him.

"I love you so much", Aaron replied

"Likewise"

They didn't part for a long time, but they were interrupted by the heavy door opening and maria being thrust in. She screamed a piercing scream, as a gun was put in her face.

"No", Carly ordered

"Why not?", Matt asked her

"She's a friend of mine"

"You sure? We picked her up just outside of town"

"Matt, leave her with us"

"Us? Don't tell me you're-"

"Matt, get out now"

Matt slapped Maria away and slammed the door shut on his way out.

"What's got him pissed off so bad?", Aaron asked

"Well he doesn't realize I'm a vampire too", Carly replied

"Too? Aaron, you're a vampire as well?", Maria quizzed

"Yes, I'm Aaron Drakensson"

"Aaron Drakensson, oh my God"

"Why so shocked?"

"Because...I always thought you had died, I'm Maria Drakensson, you're sister"

"My sister? It's you, you abandoned us in our time of need and joined the Ravii"

"Aaron, you have to understand-"

"Understand what? We were all given the same choice"

"I was a coward"

"Too right, you left the two of us to fight against the eleven Ravii's"

"I'm not proud of it"

"Taluda fell protecting the Drakensson name, you left to save yourself"

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't ready for death"

"And you think we were?", Aaron shouted, "We were terrified of death, we fought nevertheless"

Aaron struggled against the ropes and in his anger he broke through, and thrust himself towards Maria. She stood her ground and grappled with him, forcing him backwards.

"Aaron, I'm not going to fight you", Maria shouted as she leapt through the already-smashed window.

Carly grabbed Aaron's arm as he was about to pursue her.

"Aaron, its not worth it"

A flash-back ran through Aaron's mind, clouding his vision. Shock over-ran him and he found his head spiraling out of control as he fell towards the hard, cold stone floor. As he fell he uttered the single word "Lauren".

Aaron pulled her waist towards his as they walked in through the orange door of their home. The smell of fresh pine and strawberries filled his nostrils as he strolled in and greedily breathed in. The cottage was small but perfect for the three of them. The small boy let out a long yawn so Aaron picked him up and carried him into his blue room, laying him down carefully into his bed, tucking him in. The blue-coloured walls has an integrate tribal design of the woods, which continued through the fluffy carpet of the floor, and the smooth ceiling. Aaron walked out of the room and grinned at his wife. Perfect life.

He watched in horror as his world was torn apart in minutes. A small group of armed bandits, so he thought, ran through the delicate door and grabbed his wife. She let out a scream but was silenced by a long, sharp machete to her throat. Her blood sprayed everywhere, soaking Aaron, who had been too shocked to move. A blade on his waist was swiftly removed from its holster and Aaron kissed the hilt before fighting back. All fear had been removed, revenge filling his eyes and life. In two quick movements he took the arm off one of them before lobbing off the head off another. The armless man lay writhing in pain on the floor as his associates attacked Aaron in one. Due to the incapacities of two of their men, four of them were left to fight. Aaron was no fighter but he had been trained enough by his father in preparation for times like these. Two of the men saw the open door of the boy's room, and darted quickly in, closely pursued by Aaron, who stabbed one through the back and sliced the other in half.

The remaining two bandits lunged at Aaron's unprotected back, piecing each of his shoulder's, causing him to drop his sword. The two bandits, a man and a woman, grabbed Aaron and forced him up against the wall, before pinning him there by a sword in each shoulder, which connected him to the wall. In a great urge to fight back he tried to break free and only saw one way out. With great courage he pushed himself downward with great force, forcing the blades to slice upwards, cutting his collar bones in half. He was free. With great difficulty he picked up his sword and killed the man, who hadn't seen his escape. The remaining woman quickly stabbed Aaron in the stomach, then sliced off the little boys head in front of Aaron's eyes. He let out a roar of anger and pain, before getting to his feet and ripping the womans throat out with his bare hands, before collapsing to the floor. Dark death.

Many hours later he found his eyes open, strange he thought as all the blood he had spilt. But this time he felt different, a great power surged through him and he felt alive, really alive. The body of his wife was gone, but the corpses of five men and a woman lay there as he had killed them. His eyes hovered over the broken body of his son, his head still in the womans hand, but it was what was on her hand that amazed him. Her ring. It was a pure gold band, much like a rose. The band itself was designed as a rose stem, wrapped around her finger, holding up a brilliant ruby carved like a rose. It looked very delicate, but he could tell just by looking at it that it was over a thousand years old; and it must have cost a fortune. He slowly got to his knees and gently removed the ring from her finger to study it closer, and was taken back in horror. On the inside of the ring was the family crest of a feared family, the Drakensson's. He had read a book about them when he was a sixteen, five years ago, and quotes ran through his mind, haunting him. "Those who slay a Drakensson become a Drakensson", "Eternal hell awaits those who slay a Drakensson", "Life and Death unite within a Drakensson. Suddenly he felt sick, what had he become? He knew the answer though. Vampire.

"Aaron, wake up", Carly begged, "What in God's name can you be seeing?"

Aaron, who had been screaming and writhing in his unconsciousness, had awoken at her voice.

"Thank God", Carly stated, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, sorry, what was I doing?", Aaron panted out

"Screaming and writhing around, what were you seeing?"

"My...Past"

"You're past? You want to talk about it?", Carly asked

"It's painful for me to talk about"

"I understand"

"No, you don't. I need to tell you, no secrets this time", Aaron gathered the strength he needed, "About 700 years ago, before my vampirism, I had a normal human life. I lived in a small cottage in the woods of Terrad. I was happily married and had one child there. And...One day...Something happened", Aaron paused, "We were attacked by bandits, six of them, cowards. My wife was killed almost immediately, without even a goodbye, and I fought them off as best I could. I killed all of them, but too late. The last of them, their woman leader, killed my son in front of my eyes, my beautiful little-", Aaron burst into tears and Carly pulled him into her chest and held him there, comforting.

"Jesus Christ Aaron, thats awful"

"I was too weak to save him"

"I'm sure thats not true, Aaron, you're brilliant, no matter what I'm positive you did you're best"

"Well then, my best isn't good enough is it? Or he'd be alive, with me" Aaron paused, "I'm sorry"

"What for love?"

"Getting angry with you, you're great, seriously"

"Me? Bloody hell you're the one whose put up with so much over the years, and you're still going"

"Not like I have much choice is it?"

"Well, no but you still make do, you don't live in misery, you get on with life"
Aaron put his arms around her waist and kissed her, more passionately than ever before. She kissed back and they stood there for several moments.

"Wow", she whispered, "I can't believe you had a wife and child. What was her name? You're wife I mean, was it Lauren?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"You said her name as you passed out"

Aaron raised his right hand where a very delicate but old-looking ring lay on his finger. Carly thought it looked like a rose, the stem wrapped around his finger and seemingly hand-carved ruby rose head.

"Aaron, that's beautiful"

"Thats what I thought"

He removed the ring and showed Carly the crest on the inside of the 'stem'. She looked in awe at the design on the inside of the ring. It looked amazing though, a single drop of blood was all it was, a small but accurately cut blood-red ruby set in the gold.

"Wow, where did you get this Aaron?"

"It's the Drakensson leader's ring. I am the leader of the Drakensson's", Aaron said, with blackness in his green eyes.

"L-Leader?", Carly stuttered

"Yes", Aaron paused, "'The most evil of all vampires is easily the Drakensson leader, whose penetrating stare can inflict fear into the very souls of man'" Aaron recited from what must have been the book he had read on Drakensson's, so Carly thought.

"Jesus"

Carly walked away from Aaron a little deep in the waters of her thoughts, and she came to a decision that would decide her future.

"It doesn't change anything, at all", she finally spoke

"Thank you"

"What for? I know you're not evil, you may have done some evil things but I don't blame you, I love you"

A massive explosion knocked them off their feet and into the wall behind them, and the huge, heavy metal door was forced off its hinges. Fire erupted into the room, and the vegetation near the smashed window was set alight, cutting off all escape routes. Aaron looked around for Carly and saw her laying unconscious on the floor near a large crack in the wall. He got up and ran to her side, picking her up and holding her in his arms, as he scanned for an escape route. A huge cloud of vapor seemed to form as all the fire went out. Huge relief swept through Aaron, followed by confusion, then fear as he saw who walked into the room.

Rene had obviously found Sila, and they both approached from the doorway. Aaron looked quickly up at the smashed window and saw an unknown vampire enter.

"Aaron, we meet again", Sila stated bluntly

"Sila, the pleasures all yours", Aaron replied

"Behave Sila, we don't want him harmed", Rene shouted

"Speak for yourself", Sila muttered to herself

"So what do you want now?", Aaron asked

"I want her life", Rene stated

"I want to kill", Sila replied

"Might I say Rene, that if you kill Carly, I shall kill you, and should I fail I shall be re-united with Carly"

"I would never kill you love", She replied

"That is why you shall fall, you don't understand do you? I don't love you, I detest you. Get out of your denial and accept you've lost me, Carly is my life now, not you, so back off or die"

"I can't let go"

"Rene, I don't love you, I never will, ever, get that into your head", Aaron yelled

"Oh look at the mighty Drakensson, leadership doesn't suit you", Sila teased

"Good job I don't take the responsibility then"

"Why?", Sila asked

"I hate vampirism, it's caused me so much pain. My human life was amazing, couldn't have asked for more, vampires ripped that apart and caused my transformation, death would have re-united me with my wife and child, but I'm unsure that is even possible now, surely I'll burn in the depths of hell for what I've done"

The vampire who had entered through the window was wearing a huge black cloak, with the hood covering their face. Through the shadows of the hood, he made out a pair of ice blue eyes staring at him. They removed their hood and Aaron did not know what to do. He put Carly down gently on the floor and stared in disbelief at their unchanged face. 700 years had caught up with him and he was powerless against his thoughts. Speechlessness.

"Lauren. I can't believe it. How? Who did it? Why?", Aaron asked in a confused state.

"Aaron, calm down, it's me, your wife", She replied

"But...How? I saw you die"

"Calm down, please. I never died, Aaron, I had my throat slit but not enough to kill me, my heart was still beating when a man came looking for his daughter and her squad of assassins. He was a vampire and he bit me to save my life. I was distraught to see you were dead, so I thought at least, and our child, but I moved on. I was amazed to hear you were alive and had to come and see for myself that it really was you. The stories spoke of a vampire driven by revenge after his wife was killed minutes before his creation, and that when he was human he killed the Drakensson leader"

"This is so screwed up, I lived 700 years thinking you were dead, and now you appear. Rene, where do you fit in this?"

"I don't love, she came to me", Rene replied

"Get it into your head you arrogant bitch, I am not your love, I never will be", Aaron shouted

"I am loving this. Aaron, the mighty Drakensson leader, has his life torn apart, then when he finds love, old flames return. It really is entertaining", Sila piped up

Aaron shot her a look that made Rene and Lauren back away from the looks of hatred. Aaron turned to face the wall and as Sila made an attack, Aaron ripped a pipe from the wall and drove it through her stomach. He pushed against her as she screamed until they hit the concrete wall behind her, where he drove the pole deep into the concrete, pinning her there to die.

"Aaron, what are you doing?", Lauren screamed in his direction

Carly stirred on the floor and awoke, quickly meeting the eyes of three people looking her direction.

"Carly, you're alright", Aaron said kindly, "Rene here decided to try and destroy us again, and this is Lauren"

"What the-", Carly started

"I'll explain later, I promise"

Lauren saw the way Aaron and Carly looked at each other and felt a surge of relief, not that Aaron was gone from her life, but that he was happy, after such a long time of loneliness. It caused her a great pain to see them together but she knew she was too late, 700 years too late. Regret.

"This is screwed up", Aaron shouted as he pushed Carly away from him and darted through the broken window. Lauren, Rene, and Carly all pursued at the same alarmingly fast rate. Aaron ran until he reached the large town nearby, and climbed to the top of the tallest building available. The three women all saw what was going on and sped up, all desperate to stop him. Aaron had stopped at the edge and was watching them as they came into view.

"Wonderful view from here", He said with tears masking his face

"Aaron, don't, please", Carly begged

"My life is such a screw up. Why do I even bother anymore, as soon as I'm happy everything rips apart and destroys me inside", Aaron shouted.

"Aaron, I love you so much, please don't do it", Carly begged

Aaron stood there staring at each of them in turn and took one more step towards the edge.

"Aaron, don't allow me to become part of the equation, I'll leave, I see you're happy and I respect it, I'm happy for you", Lauren said

"It's not you or Carly that is the problem, it's that cold-hearted bitch next to-", Aaron spat out

"Aaron, I love you but theres no point if you jump, I'll leave, I promise you", Rene interjected

"Yeah, promises mean nothing to you"

"I swear on my life", Rene begged

Aaron's mind was made up and he was never going to become a problem to any of the three in front of him, so he turned to face the drop and stepped off.

"No", Carly screamed at the top of her lungs. She sprinted and swan-dived off the edge and held onto him as they twisted in the air and smashed against the ground. The impact left many cracks on the ground and the puddle of blood surrounding them was creeping outwards. A scream of pedestrians filled the air as many people dialed 999 for two ambulances.

"I love you", Carly whispered as she closed her eyes for the last time

"I love you too", Aaron repeated as he followed her.