Re-made in Death

In the moments before I opened my eyes to this new life, I died. I endured mortal pain for the last time. It was excruciating. I felt my chest expand, bones break and my heart implode. And then I felt nothing. There was no heartbeat, only silence.

Then I tasted the blood, dark, sensuous, rich with life and my heart started again. Pounding in my ears, I felt the presence of another heart and I opened my eyes and saw the creature before me. The one I was feeding on. A wonderfully grotesque figure, with an imposing physical presence and what appeared to be oversized, soft, warm wings that engulfed us both. But this new hunger was more powerful than any fear I might have felt. I closed my eyes and continued to feed and then I heard a familiar voice.

“Slowly young one.” He said with a benevolence I had not detected in his tone before. “This is your first day and there is much more.”

I continued to drink, slower, feeling now what I can only describe as a sacred connection with Henry la Safer. It was as though I could communicate with him wordlessly, and he with I. At this point I could not even be sure if he was speaking.

“You’ve had enough.” He said finally and again I opened my eyes. Now he appeared mortal again, and painfully handsome. He looked at me with a father’s admiration, before eventually saying. “I have given you all you will ever need to get all you have ever wanted. Go now, and do what you must.”

And then he was gone. So abrupt was his disappearance that, for a moment, I questioned the certainty of all that preceded it. In the hours left before dawn, on this new day, all I could still taste was blood. I felt physically stronger, superior really, and all my senses felt extreme. I could see well beyond a thousand yards. I could now hear the heartbeats of persons asleep in their homes. I could smell everything mortal for miles but the hunger for more blood was more overpowering than any of these new abilities.

My very first victim was a young banker contentedly making his way home after spending an intimate evening with his love. I could smell her perfume and her sweat mingled with his musk and I could here the blood pumping from his heart. He looked up with a pleasant smile and caught my eyes and his smile broadened. I backed into a dark alley and I could almost feel his pulse slow as his pupils widened. He seemed entranced by me and even though it felt like I had just fed I was eager to drain his life from him. As my teeth tore at his flesh and sank into an artery, his body fought to cling to life. But he was no match for my strength or savagery.

I fed on five more unfortunate souls before dawn in an attempt to sate my new thirst and as my appetite ebbed I was horrified by the cost of my new existence.