by Jaclyn Roche
As I slip onto the seat, I take one deep breath. The penetrating scent of blood filters through my nostrils and fills my lungs; the soft lingering perfume of roses and bergamot finds its way into my lungs as well.
No matter how much my mind entertains it, the reality remains unavoidable, unchangeable... But surely, if there has ever been a creature capable of overcoming such a tragedy, it’s me.
Yes, I am nothing but blood and bones. But I am also, in the Dark, bound by blood.
I am the sublimation of the changing world; the essence of change that cannot change. Perfection assumed in all its flaws. The result of mutation and adaptation.
My body rebels before Mother Nature's selfish designs of corruption and decay. It battles her day after day and beats her every damn time.
The perverseness of my nature has long been described as evil and has endured millennia, each period bearing a different name: The Damned, The Undead, Blood Drinker, Shroud Eater, and more recently, people refer to me as Vampire.
Vampire is a term I have learned to appreciate the most because it does not entail any relation to damnation, evil, or the nature of my means for survival. Although linguists would argue its Slavic origin, the word ubyr—meaning witch—but I couldn't give a damn about any linguist's opinion. I care for the meaning the word evokes per se, the one that reverberates inside my preternatural ears whenever it's thought of or pronounced by my prey. And being the devil in question, I would say that is enough to settle the argument.
I am the very core of evil, for all I know. And I do not care one bit, nor do I carry this title as a burden. I am quite happy to have become this villainous fiend, this devil that prowls in the shadows and feeds from the pits of its victims’ hearts. A demon that drains the life out of their precious arteries with the sharpest of fangs, like straws, plunged into a precious bottle of exquisite red wine... but I digress.
I pride myself on being the unnatural creature that I am because without a doubt, becoming a vampire has been my coup de grâce in beating Death—my old friend, my long-time companion.
Death’s shadow latched onto my own the day I was born. It has tempted me with its pompous lies ever since. Like a wanton whore, it lurked behind every street’s corner, beckoning me with its nasty appeal, again and again, only to be rejected.
All men are doomed to the grave from the minute they are thrown into the world, yes. But I am afraid Death took a rather keen interest in me from the start—as you will soon discover.
Christened by the Dark Blood, I remain forever unreachable to the touch of Death's cold and crooked fingers. Therein lies my victory.
And as I sit here, by the chimney's hearth, I should be happy and even ecstatic because of my triumph, but I am not. Instead, I search within the hearth's licking flames for a thread of sanity that may bring peace to the pandemonium that broke into my life this evening.
Scattered on the Turkish rug, myriad pieces of glass tinged in blood reflect the fire's amber hue. And although it would appear I have the best of company before me, the fact remains that I sit in this quiet room alone, with nothing but the prospect of centuries of solitude.
The damned question is back. It echoes in my skull. Crushing all hopes of my survival, its ruthless fangs plunge into my wretched heart over and over again, with no mercy.
I need an answer, one that is true and worth my trust. I need it because my sanity—if not my life—depends on it. And to find it, we must turn to the beginning, to the root of all evil, to the place where that first spark of treachery spawned.
This is where I will take you.
© Copyright 2020 by Silvana G. Sánchez
About the Author
Jaclyn loves to write stories with a bite; sometimes literally!
Her Dark Fantasy Romances are packed with paranormal delights.
She is inspired to pen novels that bewitch her reader's hearts and souls. You can usually find her in her writing cave weaving together those remarkable tales. She hopes they are ones you will think about long after you read, The End. She lives in the middle of the woods in Maine on a mountain across from a lake. Sharing wonderland is easy when it's with a loving husband, wild children, goofball dogs, and a naughty cat who just ate our two fat toads! RIP Midgey and Bowler, we loved having you two for the last two years.
Jaclyn's a recovering English teacher who digs in the garden but kills everything she plants and burns almost everything she cooks! Good thing she knows how to write! Follow her on social media!
Connect with me at:
www.jaclynroche.com