The Monster Inside: The First Vampire 243 The Taste Of Blood

Yet no matter how many times he circled, there was no cave.

Ra.s.sa paused in the centre of the meadow, frustrated to no end. He sat down, the lay back on the gra.s.s, looking up at the dark sky above him. He was ready to leave. Ready to leave this part of himself behind. What more did he have to prove?
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There was a rustle in the gra.s.s to the side, and Ra.s.sa turned his head, spying a little white rabbit foraging on the edge of the meadow. His mind flashed back to that moment so long ago when he had waited on the edge of the meadow, waited for the right moment to run out so he could catch that same rabbit. Just a game. He'd only been a boy playing a game.

It couldn't be that simple, could it?

Ra.s.sa lifted himself so that his feet were beneath him and steady to the ground as he squatted low, peering over the gra.s.s at the rabbit. He made a slow move forward, then a stick crunched beneath his boot. The rabbit's ears perked up as it froze, it sniffed the air, turning. Ra.s.sa darted forward as soon as the rabbit moved into the tree line.

He followed it past trees and up a small incline, only to watch it disappeared into the dark shadow that swallowed all light.

The cave.

Ra.s.sa refused to feel either relief or excitement though as he stared at it, he only opened his mouth to repeat what he'd said back then, "Digs? Was there always a cave here?"

Ra.s.sa turned to the side where a mist like substance seemed to clump together, a young Diggory standing beside him as he too stared into the dark shadows of the cave.

"Who cares, someone has to go and get that rabbit," he said.

"We're pa.s.sed the boundary line, we should go back," Ra.s.sa fell deeper into the memory with ease, "The game is over when the rabbit pa.s.ses the boundary, remember?"

"But it's right in there, you saw it disappear too!" Diggory grunted, "We're barely a few metres pa.s.sed the boundary, look, you can still see the edge of the meadow! Go on, I dare you to go and get the rabbit".

"But the game is-"

"What, are you scared?" asked Diggory.

He'd questioned it back then, why Dig was acting so haughtily. Now he realised why. He was just as scared, of course he was, but there was something else here influencing what was said. Like Diggory was always supposed to challenge Ra.s.sa like that. Like Ra.s.sa was supposed to go into that cave.

"Fine, Dig," Ra.s.sa spoke, sure of it this time, "I'll get the rabbit, then we can all go back to the village together".

Ra.s.sa didn't wait for a reply, turning and marching towards the entrance of the cave.

It was just as dark as he remembered, just as pitch black and haunting. He felt himself pause inside the entrance, and the mist concentrated before him again, the only thing lighting the darkness as his young self stepped forward, finding the rabbit, dead and b.l.o.o.d.y at his feet. Ra.s.sa felt the dread wash over him like it had then, only this time his eyes didn't widen in fear. He knew what was in the cave this time. Knew it and felt it.

A deep rumble disturbed the eerie silence of the cave, and the little Ra.s.sa shot to his feet. He turned, sprinting past Ra.s.sa towards the exit of the cave, he tripped, picked himself up in a scrambling fear, then proceeded to pound on the solid wall of the entrance, screaming for help.

The shadows shot out from the cave past Ra.s.sa to the little figure made from mist, and proceeded to drag him through the air deep down into the cave.

"Let me go!"

"Oh little one...you've barely had a chance to be welcomed...please, come on in".

The chuckle echoed and faded, then Ra.s.sa took a deep breath, and followed the apparitions down into the dark cave.

It didn't take him long to find the echoing cavern he'd been held aloft in by all those vampiric spirits. It was empty this time, the voices around him mere memories of what had happened here.

"Such a valuable specimen..."

"Suitable..."

"Yes..."

"...Make the pact".

"...Form the Seal!"

He'd feared them then. Feared what they'd said and the feeling they'd evoked in him. Now that they'd all taught him. Now that he'd come to know them as beings that had once existed, they did not seem so terrifying. Even the red eyes that had pierced through the darkness had a name now. Victor. Victor Lurossi, the last Patriarch of the Star Crash Coven before it had been decimated by the army of Order.

"Boy".

The voice that spoke above others did not frighten Ra.s.sa anymore, and there was no need to see the memories appear before him again, he'd lived them.

"I am a boy no more," Ra.s.sa replied in to the empty cavern, "But I am trapped by my burdens, tell me how I may be free".

"You may leave freely...but only once we have made a pact with you...one who believes himself a boy no longer".

"My name is Ra.s.sa, I am human, what pact is it you offer me?"

"You are trapped by our burdens, we too are trapped by ours. Our enemies grew scared of our darkness, and jealous of our favour".

It was different to how it had gone in his memories, but Ra.s.sa himself was different, no need to repeat the old when starting anew. This would not be his eternal prison, it would be his rebirth.

"In return for carrying on our great path, our Chaotic path, we will grant you strength enough to compare to a G.o.d.

"I do not need a G.o.d's strength," Ra.s.sa said, "But I am honoured you think so highly of me as to be able to control it".

"It is why you are who we have selected. After all, we cannot entrust power to someone who could not control it or themselves".

"I did not do so well the first time, I hope I can live up to your expectations this time, I accept your pact," said Ra.s.sa.

The mist condensed before him, this time in the form of Victor. His silver hair and red eyes not so intimidating now that they were at eye level.

"Chaos is not judged by the rules of Order," said Victor, "Just as Order is not judged by the rules of Chaos. You needed to learn Chaos' rules, you still do, but you have a very long time to do so. It's also plenty of time to correct your mistakes, though never apologise for them. It is not Chaos's way to apologise".

Victor then smiled arrogantly before he disappeared into the darkness once more, his voice echoing one last time, "You know the words, Ra.s.sa. Speak them and be free".

Ra.s.sa took a deep breath, then spoke into the darkness, spreading his arms to welcome it.

"I hereby consent to allow my being to be changed wholly. My body, my mind, my soul, all shall be rewritten. I submit to the grace of Chaos, and in turn shall relish in its darkness. Marr my body, mind and soul with your Seal, and from the time of my acceptance, let its power fill me. So shall it be, so shall I never regret".

And he wouldn't regret, not this time.

Not as he felt his Life Lines rewrite themselves onto his back, not as he felt his wings burst from his flesh, nor his body strengthen, harden and change. He settled into the dark void, embracing the pain as the illusion faded away for good.

He drifted, breathing deeply as he felt himself settle into what his body was supposed to be. What was right. No more human sluggishness. No more inadequate senses. No more solace in the light. No more being the prey.

Ra.s.sa felt the wet stickiness on his lips, and his tongue darted out to taste it. Blood. Rich and full of sustenance and power. He would pay his price. He would be gluttonous as was his path. In exchange for what he could do with his power, what he could protect, he would more than willing to pay that price.

His fangs extended and sunk into the source.