As the sun began to dip below the horizon, Damon stood on a hill overlooking the town below. He had lived for decades, but he still found himself fascinated by the simple beauty of a sunset.
For a moment, he forgot about the hunger that always gnawed at him, the thirst that demanded to be slaked. Instead, he simply stood there and watched as the sky turned from blue to orange to pink.
His father came to stand next to him. He could feel his presence without even seeing his face. He glanced at him briefly and he could tell that the old man was outside only because of him.
"I heard you haven't been eating."
His father said and Damon mustered a smile.
"Well, the Staunton Hospital's blood bank has kept me full."
"You know what I mean. You need to drink from the vein."
Damon managed a small smile.
"Forgive me Father for trying to keep the population of Staunton in check."
"When the ball begins, who knows what the death toll will be..."
He murmured as he shook his head.
His father sighed.
"Our kind needs blood to live, the death toll will rise anyway."
"I know that. But as Lord and protector of this town, I'm afraid it's my duty to make sure we don't draw too many suspicions."
His father tilted his head as he looked at his son. One minute Damon was there, rejecting the title of Lord of Staunton and claiming he wanted no part of it, now he was showing concern and care for the inhabitants of the town.
"You're very amusing son."
His father said and Damon took that as a compliment.
"Thank you Dad."
The sunset was a fleeting moment of peace in a life filled with darkness and blood. There was something about the sunset that always made him feel alive. It was a reminder that even in the midst of chaos, there was still beauty to be found.
As the last sliver of sun disappeared below the horizon. Damon felt the familiar pang of hunger. He knew that he would have to leave the hill soon and feed.
"You need to feed."
His father said.
"I'm fine."
Damon replied. There was a long silence between them that seemed to span years.
"You've never really embraced your true nature have you? You're always rejecting it."
His father said out of the blue.
His father was right. He didn't. He never did. He was always struggling with it, one way or the other. Even accepting the title as Lord of Staunton was hard. He had rejected it for two years, till he could not reject it anymore.
"I have to go."
He murmured as he turned away. His father nodded.
"I hope you know the masquerade ball draws near. And this time, there will be no running away. You will have to accept your fate."
But for just a moment longer, he just stood there, letting the beauty of the sunset wash over him, willing it to curb his hunger. His father quietly left him, leaving him alone to enjoy the sunset.
With a final glance at the fading light, Damon turned and disappeared into the shadows, ready to face another night of darkness and blood. But for a brief moment, he had been able to forget about the darkness and simply appreciate the beauty of the world around him.
.........................
"You don't want to go to the ball anymore?!"
She asked in surprise and Caelia nodded her head.
"It's not my place. It was a stupid idea in the first place. I don't know why I thought about it."
Sam was speechless. But she stayed calm. It was obvious that someone had dissuaded Caelia from going. The excitement that was on her face when she told her she could go in her place was gone, something else was there now. And Sam was determined to find out why she changed her mind so quickly.
"What happened? Did someone say something to your?"
"No." Caelia lied.
"Let's just forget about it. Like I said, it was a stupid idea in the first place."
"How could I, a maid dream of going somewhere like that?! A fool's dream."
"That's all it was."
She added as she sighed.
"Sam shook her head.
"I don't care what anyone says. And you shouldn't too. I think you should go. And the offer is still open if you want."
"In fact, I'll sweeten the deal."
Sam added with a smirk on her face.
"I'll pay you to attend."
She said and Caelia widened her eyes.
"What?! Why would you do that?"
She asked and Sam shrugged.
"Because I want you to go. And if money will be a motivation then I'm more than willing and happy to give you. As long as you go and wear one of my dresses."
"Sam..."
This was all too much. Caelia thought as she struggled to find the words to dissuade Sam.
"I don't see why you can't just go. Why do I have to go in your place? From everything you've said it's a really beautiful place to be, I don't see why you wouldn't want to be there."
Sam smiled tentatively. Caelia was right. She did have an hidden motive. A really big one too.
But she'd rather not share. For all her parents would know she'd be in attendance. That's all they needed to know. They didn't have to know that she wouldn't physically be there.
"I'll tell you about it. In due time. But will you go? I'll pay you a thousand dollars."
Caelia paled. Her eyes widened.
"Sam! That's a lot of money!"
She exclaimed and Sam shrugged.
"Oh it's only spare change to me. I'll pay you even more. Maybe I'll add an extra five hundred dollars. What do you think about that?"
"Or do you want even more?!"
She asked and Caelia shook her head.
The thought of money was actually very tempting. She was working for free, she did need the money. It would do her a lot of good. She could think of all the hundred things she'd buy with the money.
Maybe some Christmas gifts for her mother and her aunt. Some new clothes and maybe a few books. Then she'd save the rest for later.
"Okay. I'll do it."
She said decisively.
Sam exclaimed.
"Excellent!"
"I just don't have what to wear."
Caelia quickly added and Sam scoffed.
"You don't think I know that already? Look around, there's tons of stuff for you to pick out and wear."
"Tons and tons."
She said as she pointed around.
Sam's phone beeped and she looked at the incoming text.
"Looks like Ms Margaret is just pulling up in the driveway with the groceries. You should be going back before she starts looking for you."
"Oh! Okay. Thank you!"
Sam nodded.
"I'll see you later then! For fittings and stuff!"
Sam saw her off to the door.
As she shut the door behind her and watched Caelia run out of her driveway. She sighed and turned way from the door.
Olga was there, standing and looking at her eerily. Sam almost jumped.
"You need to stop sneaking up on me like that. It's scary."
She warned and Olga gave her a look.
The old woman was staring at her with her mouth curled with distaste.
"Why are you doing this?"
Olga asked and Sam feigned ignorance as she walked towards the kitchen.
"That girl. What's your game with her."
Sam chuckled.
"Well I don't want to eat her if that's what you think."
"You're sending her to a slaughterhouse. You know what they will do if they find out she's human."
Sam waved her hands.
"They will do nothing. And that's only if she leaves after midnight. She must leave before midnight. Before the horror begins."
Olga sighed. She wasn't satisfied. Or remotely convinced. Sam had the tendency to be reckless. And uncaring. It wasn't an unusual trait, after all she wasn't human, she had never been, she didn't know the vulnerability that came with being human.
Or how breakable and fragile humans were. Everything wasa game to her. A game which she wanted to sit at the sidelines and watch others play.
"You cannot gurantee that. You cannot even guarantee her safety. This isn't right."
Sam stopped in her tracks and turned to Olga.
"Olga. She'll be fine. I know that... I'll mask her scent... they won't know she's human, she'll get back before midnight. She gets to have her fun and my parents would think I went to the ball. It's literally a win win situation for all involved."
"You don't think your parents will see through the facade?"
Olga scoffed.
Sam shrugged.
"Well I'm hoping they'll take the bait. Besides, they won't be there..."
"Precisely. They'll have you monitored."
Sam shook her head.
"No. They'll know I honoured the invitation. That's all they need to know. My name will be marked in the register that I attended. That's all."
Olga sighed
"I hope you know what you're doing Sam."
Sam nodded. A small smile on her face.
"Oh I know."