CHAPTER TWO:
the night of the comet

Her entire skull ached, the second her eyes opened she felt a sense of starvation hit her. Her entire body felt like it was gonna explode if she didn't satisfy the hungry she felt. The ache in her skull did not fade away when she forced herself upwards.

She let out a slow breath, her eyes trialing along the place before her. It was small and reeked of alcohol and death. Blood coated the walls making her frown deeply in concern.

"I see you're awake" the voice was familiar, making her turn slightly. She remembered what had happened the second the man revealed himself.

Her family found a place of vampires, creatures they hunted for a living. However they were surprised to have found them all dead when they arrived at the scene.

Olivia was attacked from behind, her father knocked out cold leaving her completely helpless. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she held herself "I died, you killed me".

The vampire smirked down at her, his grin not fading away. "It's such a cruel thing isn't it? Dying and becoming the thing you hate the most".

He laughed as he kicked away the wooden gun away from her fathers grasp. "I mean honestly, you people run around for sport killing our kind. I figured why not make things interesting".

She flinched when he appeared in front of her, his cold fingers moving towards her face. She moved back before they touched her, making him huff.

"You'll need to drink blood, of course I was generous enough to save some of your little ole dad for you". She looked at her father, his body laid upon the floor, blood staining his neck.

"I'm not going to drink blood! Are you insane!" she yelped when he grabbed her arm roughly. "Oh but you will! Even if I have to force you too!".

She cried silently as she was dragged towards her father, "I'm tired of your little family of hunters! Taking out my people! It's time you get a little taste of your own medicine".

He gasped loudly an arrow slamming into his chest harshly making him drop Olivia. She let out a breath of relief at the sight of him dying.

Her mother lowered her weapon briefly as she ran towards her husband. "Evan! Are you alright!" the man groaned deeply, his fingers touching his neck.

He hissed at the discomfort it caused him as he stood up from the floor. In seconds he grabbed his weapon off the floor aiming it right at Olivia.

It stunned her as he looked at her with determination, his finger hovering over the trigger. "Evan! What the hell are you doing!" he ignored his wife at first then sighed.

"She's one of them, he turned her" her mother looked at her with sadness "she's still our daughter". He let out a weak breath "not anymore, that's not our little girl anymore".

"Dad! I haven't..." she flinched when he cocked the gun, the wood pointing right at her heart, "I'm sorry, but I can't have you turning into one of those things, I'm helping you".

She blinked for a moment, shocked her own father was going to kill her. For years they spent day after day killing any vampires who they found.

She didn't think she'd become one, and have to face her own father. Her mother looked away tears slipping down her cheeks rapidly.

Her father sighed pulling the trigger, she closed her eyes crying as she waited for death to take her. She felt the sting of the bullet hitting her flesh.

It missed her heart slightly, her father cocked the gun again, ready to end her for good. His scream entered the air making her open her eyes.

A vampire threw him roughly onto the floor, he hissed as he shot at him weakly. Olivia let out a shaky breath, and she ran.

—

Samuel sat atop a small chair, the bar before him coated with empty shot glasses and small cups. He could hear the loudness of Elena and her friends behind him, making him feel rather annoyed.

He had been drunk for what felt like hours, although in reality it was simply ten minutes. Minutes he hoped last longer for him.

The dull ache in his skull eases five minutes ago, and he enjoyed the way he felt for once. His fingertips laid gently upon the wooden table.

Small dots of alcohol coated some of his flesh, but he didn't wipe it away. His mind wondering off as he sat completely still, in silence.

Along the tables behind him Elena sat with her friends, each of them speaking loudly. She found no interest in the conversation her eyes watching Samuel closely.

She felt nervous for what he would do, she had lost track of time minutes ago. The words that left the lips of her friends had stopped making sense.

Samuel pushed his eyes closed for a second, the noise around him faded as he let himself sink. The moment faded away when he felt cold fingers touch his shoulder, making him jump slightly.

He opened his eyes and turned, Elena sat down beside him her eyes showing concern. No matter how hard he stared at her, she did not look like him.

She didn't share the same face of their parents, she looked nothing like them. Even if they were six feet under ground, he knew something wasn't right.

She was getting older, and he just now noticed the way they don't look alike. Maybe it was his paranoia messing with him, he can't be too sure.

"I'm heading out, do you need a ride back home? or are you gonna stay here longer". He looked away from her cold dead eyes his fingers gripping the wooden table before him.

He felt the tip of the wood digging into his nail beds making him hiss with discomfort. "I'll stay a little bit longer, I can just walk back home".

He could tell she felt eager to object to his words, but instead she stood up and smiled weakly. "If you need a ride, just call me. I'll come back".

She walked off and Samuel huffed to himself as he downed another shot. The burn sent a sensation down his throat making him smile slightly.

The door chimed loudly but he didn't move away from his spot. He knew by now most people wondered off home, meaning he was alone.

A loud groan entered the air making him frown deeply and turn slightly. A girl hunched over a table hissing as she shoved her fingers inside her chest.

Samuel couldn't bring himself to look away, she let out a breath of relief when she pulled a bullet out.

"You should be dead if you've been shot" she looked up her eyes locking with Samuels. "I thought this place was empty".

She held herself shivering slightly as she watched Samuel walk towards her. "I'm always here, it's a habit at this point" he smiled down at her.

"So you seem to be in a bit of a problem, gonna tell me who turned you? Cause I told that dumbass this area was off limits for vampires".

She gulped nervously "you know about vampires" he laughed as he patted her shoulder "of course I do silly! but don't worry, I'm not gonna kill you".

She frowned deeply as he walked past her flipping the sign to close. "Why not? most people would kill me the second they could, I mean my father was going to before I ran off".

Samuel pushed his hands together humming slightly as he looked around. "Well believe it or not, I'm not most people, I help your kind. I've been doing it ever since I left this place".

He neared a table grabbing hold of a knife "I first discovered your kind in New York, a young man had just been turned by some manic. He had no family left, so I took him in. Helped him".

Samuel sighed deeply "but like most vampires, he turned it off, starting killing people, so I killed him, moved on with my life".

Samuel cut his wrist letting the blood flow out of his flesh "I meant a young girl in Paris, she had trouble with her hunger, so I let her feed from me until she learned control. I mean it worked, she went back home to be with her family".

He pushed his arm in front of the girls face "you should drink before you die, and honestly I don't feel like cleaning up a body".

"How many others did you help" Samuel shrugged his shoulders "a few here and there, gave them daylight rings mostly, I'll help you if you want".

She smiled sadly "I wish my father would help me, but he'll probably come and kill me". She let the blood enter her mouth "well if you accept my help, I'll make sure he doesn't find you".

Her fangs slammed into his flesh making him hiss slightly "I've gotten a spare bedroom in my house, I'll just make up a lie and say you're a friend".

She moved back wiping the blood off her lips "you don't have to help me, I can figure this out on my own. I mean how hard can it be?".

"I get the feeling you want me help but won't actually say it out loud". She sighed "I mean I just meant you, surely it's a trick".

He reached his hand forward "Samuel Gilbert, pleasure to meet you" he flashed a grin slightly. She grabbed his hand shaking it "Olivia Wingrave".

He let her hand go "see, now we know each other" she paused for a moment "did you say Gilbert?".

He nodded as he lead her outside "that name sounds oddly familiar". Samuel pushed his jacket off "well there's a few Gilbert's here, maybe that's why".

"Wait I  remember, I heard it from my father, the name I mean, he said the Gilbert's took something from him. Something important".

Samuel frowned "maybe it was my parents, they did have a lot of secrets, let's just get you in something not covered in blood".

He opened his door "you can come in" he set his jacket on the coat rack "I'll get some of my sisters clothes for you, I think you're the same size".

—

The bedroom he let her sleep in was perfectly made, not a single speck of dust laid on anything. The walls held no photos and it reeked of bleach.

She laid down her body aching as she looked at the walls, finding comfort in the blankness. She could smell the way her hair reeked of chemicals.

The clothes he let her borrow were oddly comfortable, she could tell they haven't been worn in a while. The material of them still smooth and fuzzy, like they were only worn once.

She could hear the loudness of movement throughout the house, the floorboards creaked whenever someone stepped on them.

She closed her eyes, letting herself get some rest, she knew sooner or later she'd wake up and remember what she is.

The look on her fathers face taunted her dreams, it would horrify her forever. She couldn't bring herself to escape its grasp any longer.

The door opened slightly Samuels breath entering the air as he pushed his shoes off. He yawned slightly as he laid down on his bed.

He turned slightly as he turned his lamp off, the darkness entering the room. Part of him ached to just stay awake all night, let himself think.

He sighed deeply as he pushed the covers over himself the light hum of the house settling making his ears ring. For once he let himself sleep.