2 - The Doomed Vampire

*TWO DAYS AGO*

The woods of Centaurus Forest stretched out before Damien, a labyrinth of gnarled trees and shadowy pathways. He had walked here several times before in the darkness of the night, the only time he could enjoy being outside. But that night, he did not feel any comfort. 

Every now and then he kept glancing back, his unbeating heart thrumming against his ribs. What he couldn’t do to feel that sensation again. Only now, he was glad he could move without making any sound.

A moment’s distraction and he could find himself pounced upon by a large wolf or another one of his kind, a second’s skirmish and then a take jutting out of his chest. The image made him shiver, although his blood was colder than the winds blowing about.

Damien wasn't one for regrets, but the memory of his recent actions gnawed at him like a relentless beast. He wished he could rewrite the past, reshape the outcome of his deeds. Yet, the past remained immutable, a heavy burden he bore alone.

Joshua was trying, but he was truly of no help. Nate had never stood a chance either. There was nothing the two could do against a whole pack of werewolves. Or the vampire council.

Damien was doomed. All that was left to do was note down the timing of his death. This time, for real. There was no coming back this time. 

Anger coursed through him, the feeling of injustice weighing heavy on his chest. Why was he the one to suffer for it? No one would listen to him. He’d be wrong any way they tried to view the situation.

So, what could he truly do but waste away the last few immortal days of his doomed life?

As he wandered deeper into the heart of the forest, a faint glow caught his attention—a flickering light that danced amidst the darkness. Curiosity mingled with his frustration, drawing him towards the source.

He emerged into a small clearing, where a solitary tent stood amidst the shadows. The fabric fluttered softly in the breeze. Inside, the soft murmur of voices reached his ears—a young couple, oblivious to the danger that lurked outside their sanctuary.

And then it was as though Damien was taken by fury, a kind of bloodlust he had never experienced before. His cautious thoughts were out of the window. The vampire council could fuck itself, he thought. He didn’t give a damn about its rules.

He tore through the fabric of the tent, his presence a menacing shadow in the moonlit night. The couple's cries filled the air. He toyed with them. Their futile attempts to escape only fueled his sadistic pleasure. He savored the taste of their fear, the adrenaline coursing through their veins like sweet nectar. Their screams echoed in the night, a haunting melody that stirred the darkness within him.

As their bodies grew limp in his grasp, he drank deeply, each drop a bittersweet reminder of his own doom.

Hours later, Damien stood amidst the wreckage of his deeds, his heart heavy with the weight of his sins. But even as remorse lingered, he knew that he was bound by the darkness that dwelled within him—a creature of the night, forever haunted by the choices that shaped his destiny.

"You shouldn't have come here," he growled, his voice a low rumble in the darkness. "You shouldn't have crossed paths with me. I’m sorry." 

"I’m a creature of the night," he whispered. "And in the shadows, I shall remain. Till they come for me."

Then he got down to the business of making it all seem like an animal attack. Because as much as he wanted to enjoy the remainder of his life well-fed, he did not want the council coming for him sooner than they intended to.

***

*PRESENT DAY*

Josh swept his gaze across the room, his eyes searching for the TV remote. The screen flashed the same forecast it had been showing for the past ten minutes : asking townsfolk to find shelter for there was a storm coming. 

"Ah, there it is!" he shouted, and summoned it towards him before switching the TV off. "Do you think Damien is still alive?" he asked casually, as the stray cat ran up to him, meowing. 

"Maybe the council finally got to him," Nate pondered. "I don't see any clouds outside," he said, sighing once again. Josh watched as his eyes widened when he opened the curtains again. "What the hell?"

"What's going on?" he asked, stepping closer to the window. "Woah! Who is that he's carrying in his arms?"

Nate’s voice assumed a serious tinge. "I hope whoever it is, is alive. He doesn’t need one more death on his head."

Both of them hurried to the front door, watching intently as Damien walked towards them over the stone pavement. In his arms he carried a woman who seemed to have fainted, her body limp in his hands.

"I hear her heartbeat. She's alive," Nate confirmed, however, his brows further wrinkled in suspicion.

Just before he reached the door, Damien stopped in his tracks. Something fell on his cheek. Josh gasped as he realized it was blood. A few more drops dripped to his face.

Damien looked up at the sky, realization flickering across his face.

Thunder rumbled in the sky, and it rained.

Blood poured down on the town of Orilon.