Awaened

Several week's later after so much time spent worrying and a lot of 'what if' session's she got a clean bill of health and then she seemed to be bouncing off the wall's, she was so happy. "I know what I'm gonna do! I'm gonna call some friend's over to celebrate."

"You're gonna have an 'STD free' party?" She smiled at me.

"Funny fucker, ain't ya?" Thanking her I headed toward my room. Half way there I remembered what had slipped my mind in the excitement. I removed the small box from my pocket and headed toward's the kitchen. Pushing the door's open I found the chef's preparing dinner.

"Uhh...can I talk to you, Jenny?" The fiery little red-head crossed the kitchen. She had only been working here a week but she had no qualm's about telling me to get the hell out if I was in the way.

"What is it? Hurry up!" I extended the box to her.

"Happy birthday." The new maid was apparently surprised that I had known her birthday was today. She hadn't been here long so she probably didn't know I alway's gave the maid's, gardener's, driver's, butler's and even the bodyguard's something for their birthday.

"Oh, well...um, thank's."

"I make it a habit to remember everyone's birthday."

"Really? That's...kinda strange. You're the first person I've worked for that give's a damn." I shrugged and flashed a crooked grin.

"Thank's. Um...I should probably go so you can get back to work, Ma'am." I turned and left the kitchen tossing a 'see ya' over my shoulder at the woman. Heading off to my room now I found myself surfing the net and a porn-site...more out of boredom then desire.

That didn't stop me from jerking it when I found a great clip, though. After cleaning myself up I put my computer on sleep and shucked my shirt and shoe's off. I crawled into my bed and laid down for a cat-nap...

Waking to giggling and movement I opened an eye to find my sister and her friend's had invaded my room in my sleep and were now huddled around my computer. "Uhh...what are you guy's doing?" They looked at me like children with their hand's in a cookie-jar and then split, the door slamming closed behind them.

Waving it off I laid back down and pulled a pillow over my head. I guess one could call me lazy...but I took care of myself. It was kinda a ritual for me to take a nap at noon. For as long as I could remember I just plain got tired during day. I could sleep an entire day away if mom and dad let me.

That's not to say I didn't sleep at night. But I seemed to have more energy when the sun began to set to when it began to rise. Yawning I turned onto my side. Sleep found my quickly.

Once more I was awakened to movement. This time it was a pillow. Someone hit me with it again and I groaned. "Not now, Sis, please. I didn't get much sleep last night and I'm dead tired." Rolling onto my side this time it was four pillow's.

Trying to wave off my attacker's only caused me to get one arm caught and pinned to the bed. (Weak as a new-born kitten...never fail's when I wake up...) Restraining my other arm they then did the same to my lower body. A weight on my hip's keeping me pinned down. Ok, now I freaked. I was sporting some wood from a good dream.

Quickly I tried to move but found as alway's I was too weak to do anything. It had alway's been this way. Someone moved the pillow and I looked at the brunette straddling me. "Can I, um...help you?"

"You know, you shouldn't be sleeping when there is a party."

"I didn't exactly recieve an invite. Beside's that parties...aren't really my scene."

She raised an eyebrow. "You've never been to one?" Shaking my head I was beginning to feel some strength returning to my limb's.

"That's strange." She was silent for a few moment's before smiling. "Word is you're a virgin as well...is that true?"

"Why is it any of your business?"

"Your sis say's you are."

"I knew I couldn't count on her to keep a secret."

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes, yes, ok, yes."

"That's all I needed to hear." She produced her cellphone. "Wait 'till everyone hear's this." Quick as a flash they left me on my bed confused...and more then a bit pissed. Hauling ass out of my room I followed them down the hallway.

Down the stair's, out to the back where there was a party going on. Sis intercepted me halfway through. I leaned down to her ear.

"What the fuck were you thinking telling everyone I'm a virgin? Are you fucking stupid?"

"Cris, I--"

"I don't wanna hear your bullshit excuse's. Thank's a lot, Sis."

"Cris--"

"Go fuck yourself." I turned and swept back into the house...

* * *

After informing dad of everything that had happened they suggested I talk to him. So, I did. "C'mon, open up, Cris." I knocked on the door even louder then before. "Crispin! At least say something!" When there was no sound I began to get worried.

Trying the door I found it locked. A wave of panic swept through me. I'd lived with him my entire life and he NEVER locked his door. I called for help and a man I recognized as Thomas came sprinting down the hall, hand reaching into his suit jacket.

"What's wrong?!"

"It's Cris! Some...Something is wrong." He tried the door.

"Crispin! Open the door!" His booming voice echoed through the house. "Damn it, Crispin! Open up!!" Again no one answered. He stepped back as more men joined and he kicked the door. It splintered and gave way. The rushed in. "Oh, God, no..." I rushed in and looked around. The room was empty but Thomas was clutching something. It was Crispin's choker. Dad entered followed by mom.

"What is with all the noise?!"

"Boss...he took it off..."

I walked right back to the party. Everyone seemed to be unaware of what was going on. Everyone was out looking for him. Hell, even the servent's were out looking for him. They seemed to be worried about something but I had to confront Becky about this. The crowd seemed to part for me as I walked up to her. "Becky! What the hell is your problem?"

"What's YOUR problem?"

"Because of you--" Someone placed a hand on my shoulder. I looked back and Thomas and he leaned down to my ear.

"We activated the LoJak in his car. We're going to go find him." I nodded and he brought himself up to his full height. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I must now ask you to leave the ground's. Some...special circumstance's have arisen."

Quickly he made everyone leave and then we were speeding down the highway after him. "Do you have any idea why he is upset?"

"It's...my fault."

"Whatever you did really pissed him off. I mean...we'll be lucky if he hasn't hurt someone..."

"What'd you mean? Cris would never do that." He sighed.

"Forget I said anything..." Now I was really worried. My little brother was missing. Everyone else was freaking out. Mom and dad were both really nervous about something...but what...?

* * *

Pacing back and forth in my study I found myself unable to relax. "Richard, have a seat. They'll bring him back. Don't worry." Turning to face her I could see the worry on her face as well...though it was well hidden. "We've had them searching all day...they've got to be close."

"Alright, Dear." The window's flew open and a large gust of wind toppled the light on my desk, blowing the bulb and extinguishing the light. Knowing full well what it was I turned to face the reaper.

Cris was sitting behind the desk, his feet kicked up on it. His usually shaggy blond hair now spiked back, offering an unobstructed view of his face.

"Yo, Old Man...keeping me trapped wasn't part of our deal. That was a dirty trick, ya know?"

"It was for the best. You deserve a happy life...and if I cannot give you one then I will force it upon you."

"Hmm...forcing me to obey you through ancient magic and sealing spell's...I gotta say, I'm rubbing off on ya." Inching toward the nightstand he sighed and held up the Seal.

"It's not there." He stared at it for the longest time before tossing it back to me. "I'll never understand the unconditional love Crispin hold's for you. For some reason...I find myself attatched as well...Dad."

He lowered his feet from the desk to the floor. "However, I won't be going back so easily. It's been ten year's since I allowed to roam...and I intend to use this time to have a look around."

Nodding I agreed. "Alright...you can have twenty four hour's starting from now...how does that sound?"

"Perfect...that's fifteen hour's more then I need..."

* * *

Stretching out languidly I sighed...I was contented. Looking over at the sleeping blond, she was covered in a sheen of sweat. Feeling another painful pang of hunger I leaned up on an elbow and reached out...but my body wouldn't obey me. My hand stopping short of her shoulder I sighed. "Damn it, Crispin..."

I moved away to a sitting position on the side of the bed. "Tch...bothersome hHuman emotion..." I ran my finger's through my blond hair and laid it back on my head.

Even when in my original form I was subject to Human's feeling's...fear, embarassment, anger, sorrow, trepidation...all emotion's Pure-Blood's should NEVER feel. Sighing I stood. "Guess I'll just find some kinda animal..."

Dressing quickly I became away of the blond stirring. Leaving my shoe's and sock's I fell back into the shadow's and then diappeared. Appearing outside her dwelling I headed off for the nearest farm.

Drinking animal blood is a disgrace and an insult...but right now I'd probably wring out a leech for some blood. And why not? I'd been surpressed for ten year's without a drop of blood.

Slipping my shirt on and buttoning it up only slightly I set off using the shadow's to cross the landscape. I could be in any shadow at any moment...it's what made Vampire's so deadly in a fight.

And also so weak during the day. There was no place to launch a surprise attack from and while we were the fastest creature's out there, Werewolves sure beat us in strength.

After arriving at a suitable farm I slipped into the barn to chow down on a horse. Setting the creature's mind at ease with a few mental command's I proceeded to latch onto the neck of the creature. For several long moment's I drank greedily.

When I finally released the horse, it wasn't even bothered though I'd drank enough to kill a Human. Licking the bite closed I stepped back and spit a few time's. "Ugh...gamey..." The door to the barn creeked open and I was up standing on the rafter's the next moment.

A cute little brunette entered and I raised a brow. She was pretty good looking. Huh...guess I am a womanizer. Slipping off the timber I was balancing on I dropped down behind her silently. For several moment's I simply observed her at close range.

I had no idea why but Human's facinated me. I vauled their live's next to that of insect's...but each was completely and utterly engrossing. Not finding what she was looking for she turned, jumped and screamed when she ran into me.

She fell on her ass and I cocked my head. "Hmm..." I crouched down to look her in the eye's. "You're kinda cute from this angle."

"W-W-Who are you?"

"Me? I'm nobody and somebody all at the same time. I am life and death combined to produce immortality." She stared at me, obviously believing I was crazy. "Of course...I go by another name...Vampire is pretty much what you Human's call me."

With this I fell back into the shadow's circling and appearing behind her. "But Vampire's call me 'Solway' for the Elder that my family decend's from." She crawled away from me toward the exit.

I crossed the distance, slamming and bolting the door. I drummed my finger's against the coarse wood. "It is very rude to leave a conversation without warning.." She whimpered slightly.

"What do you want from me?!"

"Dunno...haven't decided what I'm gonna do...yet." Turning I planted a foot on the wood and then strode up the door to stand on the side of it. "What's your name?" I continued up until I was hanging by my feet from the ceiling. She just stared up at me in disbelief.

"W-Why?"

"I'm interested to know. I've alway's been interested in Human's...you're so diverse and you fight with each other all the time." Turning on my heel I walked back down and then returned to the floor. She continued to watch me carefully.

"Ok, I'll go first. My name is Damon. That's the name my parent's gave me. Your turn." Staring at me for the longest time she finally sighed.

"Kathy." Walking over proved to be the wrong thing to do because she shrank down trying to make herself as small as possible. I extended my hand.

"Here...get off the floor. It's covered in straw and dirt." She looked at my hand and then me. I sighed in irritation. "If I wanted to hurt you there were plenty of oppertunities before now. Beside's...I don't NAME my food."

She seemed to understand what I was driving at and took my hand. Helping her stand I heard movement outside. "You wouldn't happen to have friend's, would you?"

The door's opened and I disappeared the next moment. Staring down at them from my little perch in the rafter's I noticed she didn't even hint that I had been here. When questioned by them about her scream she lied rather smoothly.

Taking her back inside and away from me one of the men stayed behind to have a look. Dropping down I followed behind them. The woman had facinated me...she was fearful of me...but not so fearful as many other's. Truely she was a gem.

Waiting outside on the roof of her home for her family to fall asleep I began to hum a tune from my childhood. For several minute's I followed it through it's up's and down's until I heard snoring inside.

Flipping down to land on her window-sill I lifted the window and climbed in. The woman I'd met had at that moment exited her bathroom with a towel wrapped around her. "Hmm...are you trying to seduce me?"

She jumped and yelped slightly. Reaching out in irritation she slapped me hard across the face. The sound crisp in the late night. "Would you stop sneaking up on me?!"

A huge smile spread across my face...and realizing what she'd just done she shied away from me to the corner. I crossed the distance and placed a hand on the wall beside her head.

"You certainly are fiesty...I love that in a woman." Her parent's apparently awakened by the yelp brust through the door. I looked over my shoulder at them. "Light's!" The bulb exploded and darkness reigned. In the process I made my escape out to the night...

Three Day's Later...

"Still no word from Cris?" Dad shook his head.

Again I felt tear's brimming in my eye's. "It's...my fault. It's all my fault!" Mom hugged me tightly.

"Don't say that. It's not--" A huge gust of wind swept through the room, extinguishing all the light's. I heard what sounded like the snap of someone's finger's over the wind and the log's in the fireplace burst into flame's. A man was standing with his back to us.

"Mmm...this room is far more inviting now." The bodyguard's that usually accompanied my uncle's and dad all pointed gun's as him but my father called them off. He turned to look as us. My eye's were drawn to his...they seemed to glow silver in the low light of the room.

"So, you're the older sister, hmm?" As the fire flickered her seemed to disappear and appeared behind dad. "Sorry for being so long, Old Man. I was...indisposed."

"With women, no doubt." He chuckled smoothly.

"You are correct, Sir. Women do find my appearance rather...appealing. Regardless, where is the seal? I'm ready to go back now." Dad removed it from his pocket and handed it to him. He gave it a rather distasteful look and then wrapped it around his neck before closing the lock...