Chapter 1
Meet the Family

Finally standing up above my most recent victim, a widow woman, I stay standing, heaving with blood still dripping from my mouth and fangs. It feels like I might have overdone it this time, but beneath me, she was still warm, so there wasn’t much of a chance she had died from what I had done. But looking down at her face, she was very different from before I started. When I found her, her face was filled with woe, dread, and misery. Now, as the color slowly returned to her face as her pulse returned to a normal rate, she seemed happier and more at peace. Even though she was sleeping, I could see a hint of a smile on her lips. The wound healed over quickly, and, besides from her lying on the ground with a bit of blood on the collar of her shirt, there was no real sign that I had been here.

I looked down the path we had been headed, and saw that there was a bench a few yards away. I had hoped it would have been closer. I always hated this part. I got down onto one knee, sighed, took her arm, and threw it over my shoulder. With a quick rush of energy, I hoisted her up and held on for a minute. She was much heavier than I had thought. I walked at an even pace so she wouldn't fall over or drag on the dirt. A moment later, I reach the bench. I place her down carefully and stayed for a moment to make sure she seemed comfortable. Noticing she may have been waking up, I back away quickly, and by her first moan of awakening, I had already left. I expect she was confused on why she was sleeping on a bench in the first place, but I'm sure she was stable enough to go home safely and easily.

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''Looking back, only for a moment and even if it seems like it is extremely necessary, can risk our secret being found out. You MUST understand that, Ninshea. Our secret is the most important thing to keep for our existence!!'' My father, Karta, shouts to my younger brother. Apparently, he felt bad for his victim this evening and tried to heal her wound right as she was waking up. She saw him hunched over her with his fangs when he spoke and panicked. And when my sister left to find him before sunrise, she saw the woman running from him, screaming in terror, with him on his knees, rubbing his slapped cheek. Even with him at his young age, he should have known better than to go back and aid a mortal after it had been wounded by our kind. Any sort of socialization with mortals and has nothing to do with a drain is completely out of the question to father. And he would be sure Ninshea knew it. ''Do you understand this?!?!''

''B-But, father, I-'' he began to stammer, tears building in his young looking eyes, when a voice interrupted.

''Don't waste your breath, kid. You'll just piss him off more.'' My older brother, Dimitrii, walks in, grinning to Ninshea. His spiky, red hair slid in front of his amber eyes and very pale face. And he was ANYTHING but a traditional vampire like father tried to make all of us become. He wore the mortal style of jeans, sweats, tees, and sneakers. The mere sight of this rebellion made father hiss low.

''Son, you look so much like one of them....'' Father sneered. “For a moment…I thought we had an intruder…”

''But, pap! I thought you were used to it by now.'' He said back smiling, disrespectfully calling father that nickname. He does try so hard to be like a mortal, but with all his attempts, he remains to be a vampire to this day. He had even tried to go off of blood for a year, but he only lasted a few days before taking a victims life out of hunger and desperation. However, he never enjoys bringing that up, so the family keeps to their silence about it, though the tension from it remains.

He walked over and pet our youngest sibling on the head. ''So, you pulled a 'Caring Crisscross' on us, huh? First time's always a failed attempt. Maybe next time you'll get it right-''

''DON'T give him any ideas, Demi. You know how impressionable he is at this age...'' Azuanta, my sister and closest relative says, slapping Dimitrii's hand off Ninshea’s head. Her pitch black hair, silver blue eyes, and pursed lips with perfectly sharpened fangs made her the envy of the family. And with a matching wit and sharp tongue, she always won fights, especially against her fraternal twin brother Dimitrii, or, as she called him, ''Demi''. He backed away, hands raised jokingly over his head.

''Hey, sorry! I know how imitable my-'' He pushed his hair back with a clever glare. ''-unique charms can be if I'm not careful.''

''Like we need another one of you around here...'' She says, waving him off and kneeling down to Ninshea's chop of gold/brown hair and green eyes. Azuanta's eyes became softer to soothe her baby brother. ''Now...you said you had a bit of guilt for your victim tonight?''

''I-I thought-'' He begun. ''-that I might h-have bitten her in the wrong s-spot, so I checked on her, only for a second, to see if she was o-ok!'' The tears started in his eyes streaked down his cheeks as he spoke. Azuanta pet him delicately on the head, showing things were alright.

''Don't worry, Ninny... It was just your concerning nature. We just want what's best for our family, that's all.'' She smiles to him, then stands to father. ''See? We don't have to yell to get the truth out of 'im.''

''But that doesn't solve anything! He may go out and do it again!!!'' Father stated, still in his rage and defense for the secret.

''Then, perhaps a punishment is in order, dear?'' My mother, Aura, walks in with patience across her face. Her hair was as long and dark as Azuanta's, and her eyes were like two small flames on her milk white face. She was much taller that any of us and her black cloak trailed a foot behind her. She, as well as father, Azuanta and myself, wore the traditional appearance of our kind. She approached, gave father the usual greeting kiss and looked to all of us, pausing briefly at the crying Ninshea to smile on him, then to Dimitrii. ''Well? Any ideas on his punishment?''

''Uh...'' Dimitrii starts as he shook his head. ''Don't really think he needs punishing.'' He says, smiling. Mother scowls to him.

''Wrong as usual, son.'' She turned to Azuanta. ''What about you? Any thoughts?''

''He just needs to remember to never do it again, even if-''

''No...'' Mother interrupts. ''He needs a fair punishment. Just telling him to remember won’t mean he will. He needs to know there’s a consequence for this.'' Her eyes shifted once again. ''What about you? You've been rather quiet about this whole situation. What should be his punishment, Shakeda?'' I looked to her as she snapped me out of my daze. My brown eyes and hair peering and swaying as my small head turned. I then realized everyone was looking at me. I hated the feeling of attention, so I answered quickly, voice low and hesitant.

''....He'll miss Daily Raid for an hour.''

''AWWWW!!!'' Ninshea whines. ''I was so looking forward to going tonight!!'' He stomps his feet on the floor.

''Do you want me to make it two?!'' I say back stern enough for him to stop.

''Then it's settled. One hour after sundown, we shall send Dimitrii to bring you to out location. Until then, you’re to wait here and not leave the house under any circumstances.'' She turns to Dimitrii. ''Understand, son? One hour into the night.''

''I shall, Mother.'' He says back, slyness followed his tone. I knew he was going to do something against Mother's rule, and a sudden feel of blind justice came over me....why won't anyone ever listen? I do happen to have a part in the family too, y’know…I wanted to say it, but I was hardly much of one to let my emotions out. That feeling stayed until the sun peered into our home, sending us into our separate rooms to sleep.

Tomorrow, the real story begins.