Lost but Found

As I came too, I could hear the sounds of the forest around me.

I slowly open my eyes, seeing the canopy of trees above me. What is happening?

I raise up onto my elbows and look around. Yup, definitely in the forest. Pine cones littered around me.

How did I end up here, ok think back to what I was last doing. I was walking home from work. It was 2am, I work in a bar. That’s all I can remember. Damn I hope I’m not too far from home. I feel around for my phone and bag but they are missing. Thankfully I’m still dressed at least.

I realise I can faintly hear cars. I slowly get up seeing if I have any injuries, I have blood on my shirt, but that’s all that’s wrong, where did the blood come from, I wonder.

I woke up out here on the forest floor, I must have lost consciousness at some point. As I look towards the sounds of the road, I realise my neck is so stiff and sore.

I need to get home, don’t freak out, don’t panic, once you get home you can have a break down.

I wonder off into the direction of the cars that I can hear, only a few go by.

I wave down the next car that comes along, I have no idea where I am. My breathing is rapid as I see it’s a man driving, shit maybe I should wait for a female driver. As I look through the window my instincts tell me this man is ok, he’s in a nice suit and it’s a nice car. Plus he pulled over for a bloodied stranger on the side of the road.

‘Uh hi, where are we?’

He states my city.

Omg thank the gods.

‘Ok, can I get a lift home?’

I slowly sit in the car seat.

He asks what happened, if anything is wrong, if I’m hurt.

‘Ha-ha no, I’m ok, I think my friends dropped me out here as some prank’ I try to keep it light. I don’t want to admit just how lost and scared that I am. I just want to get home.

I finally look at him, I find him intently watching me.

My whole world as I know it silently slips away as our eyes meet. I feel completely at peace and like I’ve found the missing piece to my soul, I feel very drawn to him. His eyes are a perfect light ocean blue with specks of orange and yellow.

I sit wordlessly in the seat with our eyes still locked. I wonder if he feels this connection or if it’s just me and I’m going crazy after whatever happened to me.

I shut the door as our eyes finally break contact.

Without asking where to go, he starts driving. I must be in shock still, cause here I am sitting in this strangers car and he feels like home.

I side eye him. When he finally speaks again, I find myself leaning towards him.

‘What’s your name?’

‘Oh uh Alex’

He responds with his name, Roman.

Sooner then I realised we pull up outside my house. I look at him again, I didn’t even tell him where I live. I swear I must still have a concussion or something.

‘Why don’t I want to get out of the car?’ I mistakenly say out loud, I quickly hold my hands up to my mouth.

He smirks and slowly lifts his arm up to remove my hands from my mouth and lays them in my lap, he keeps one hand in his. His touch feels like electricity running through my arm and straight to my heart, I could feel his emotions, he was projecting safety and calmness through this bond that has snapped into place.

‘Alex, you are mine. When I saw you walking, my thirst took over and I had to have you.’ He says unapologetically.

‘You are one of us now’ he states.

‘One of us’ I repeat softly, my hand moving to my sore throat.

We sit in silence as I process this information, my mind is swirling, I now have this man in my head and soul. I have never felt so comfortable and wanted and cherished plus terrified in my life.

I have always felt like I was living on the outside of society. How could this happen so quickly, yesterday I was just me, now I feel like I have a family, a new family, a more accepting family.

I realise he is still holding my hand, I look at our joined hands and I shyly run my thumb along the side of his, I hear his sharp intake of breath and I quickly look up.

Roman is studying my every move, I realise I can’t hear his exact thoughts but I can feel the emotions around them. I talk to him in my head to test if he can read my mind or at least hear what I’m thinking.

‘What now?’ I ask him. I look up at him and he smiles down at me, ‘Quick learner aren’t you. You will make a fantastic vampire’ he states.

‘Now I will ask you to go into your house and pack a bag, it’s time to come with me and meet your new family’ he says all this in my head. Ok so we can project our words, but he can’t hear everything, just what I want him to. Good to know.

I’m shocked, ‘What about my current parents?’

‘I’m sorry, you won’t be able to see them anymore, as you will want to drink their blood, and therefore kill them, the urge will be strong. At my place we can help you, we have blood donors who help us, your thirst will be looked after.’ He looks concernedly at me, ‘Your thirst should be hitting any time now’

Wait wait wait, this is moving too fast, my whole life is changing in an instant, he really thinks I will just drop everything and go with him.

‘I need time to think about this’ I state

‘There is no time, don’t you feel the need to feed?’ he asks concert written on his face.

‘No, I don’t, I feel very connected to you, but that doesn’t mean I want to give up everything I know and go with you right now. This is crazy. This doesn’t happen in real life.’ I say quickly, my thoughts and feelings running through me too quickly to catch a hold of one. 

Am I in a coma and this is what my brain is making up for me, I’ve been reading too much.

I take back my hands, without touching him maybe I can think a little clearer.

I look out the window of the car door, I go to get out, he gently touches my shoulder, ‘Don’t think about running away, I will always find you.

I was totally thinking about running away from him and all this. This is too much to handle right now.

I run inside and shut and lock my door. I’m close to hyperventilating.

No one is home, thank the gods. I run to my room and lock that door behind me too.

I quickly grab a bag and start shoving some clothes in. I’m ready to go quickly, but I pause, I should write a note to my parents, I go to the kitchen and quickly scribble down something about running away.

I run out the back door and jump a few fences, I jump and run quicker and easier than I ever have. Shit now I have super powers.

Before I know it, I’m downtown and not even breaking a sweat, omg this is kind of amazing. I slow to a walk, looking around and thinking what I should do next, where I should go. My life as I knew it as is over.

I hide in an alley way, I can smell something delicious, I have never smelled it before in my life, my mouth starts watering, I must have it now. I look around me and all I can see is a homeless woman next to me. Oh no. It’s the blood, it’s my thirst hitting me. I gulp a few times, it doesn’t help. I need to taste this, I need need.

I find myself walking towards the woman, even though she hasn’t bathed in a long time, the smell and draw of the blood overtakes my senses.

I find myself stalking her like a hunter would, the prey within my sight.

Just as I’m about to strike I’m pulled back by strong arms around my waist, I fight and kick and nearly scream. But his touch reaches through to my soul, ‘STOP’ Roman commands in my head, instantly I drop in his arms, he all but carries me to his car.

I’m still panting and the need for blood has not eased, I’m just about feral at this point.

He puts me in the back seat of his car and he goes to the boot of the car, I swear I hear and Esky. He comes back with a blood bag, I nearly pull the thing apart as I drink, it sings on my tongue, the most sublime thing I’ve ever tasted. It’s gone in an instant and I find myself going to get out of the car and get more from the Esky, he makes me sit again and sits next to me. He holds my face in his hands. ‘That’s enough for now. What did I say about running away? You nearly killed some poor homeless person, I told you I would look after you’ he says sternly.

‘I...I didn’t think it would be like that. I’m sorry’ I stammer.

His thumbs run along my cheeks, I close my eyes at how amazing it feels, I find myself leaning into him, wanting more.

‘Let’s go home’ he says. He gets out and into the driver seat, I’m still in the back speechless. I realise I really can’t be around my family or friends right now.

‘Will it become easier? To control this thirst? Do we eat normal food too? Cause like cheese exists and I don’t want to give that up.’ He looks at me in the rear-view mirror and chuckles.

‘Yes Alex, it gets easier with practice. Once you have lived with me for awhile and you get all the blood you need, from the proper place, donor blood, once your needs are met, your humanity will come back a little, you will learn to control your strength and all that comes along a with being a vampire’

It’s the most he’s ever said to me and I find myself hanging onto every word. ‘Are there others at the house?’’

‘No it’s just me for now. I haven’t turned anyone in a very long time. ‘But in a while, once you are in control again, I will invite them back to meet you’

I raise my eyebrows at this.

As we pull up to his, mansion is the only word for it, my jaw drops, this is where I’ll be living? I just upgraded in life! Yes I will grieve my past life and my parents and friends but I will be able to keep and eye on them from afar. I feel the fear drop away.

I’m actually excited for my new life. Especially with Roman.

 Written by Cassie Smith.