Dusk settled over the horizon, enveloping the city in a stunning array of reds and oranges. The moon began to rise, bringing with it the promise of night. This was Rome, a place where for some the days began with sunset and the darkness held life. They were the city's best-kept secret, the vampires. And they preferred to keep it that way. The element of surprise was key in their quest for blood. They hunted their prey nightly and knew that if their existence were to be discovered by humans, the vampires themselves would become the prey. They fed on innocents and criminals alike without remorse. Blood was sustenance and people were merely food. The vampire world was one of dark beauty and insatiable hunger.
The girl walked down the strada oblivious to what haunted the city around her. Her name was Sarah and she was an exchange student from the States staying in Rome for a semester. Her own college back home had started to seem stale and Sarah had thought the change would be good for her. The problem was that she hadn't spoken a word of Italian upon her arrival. After a few months, though, she started to pick it up a bit and was growing more and more comfortable carrying on conversations with the locals.
It was a clear and beautiful night. The Trevi fountain loomed in front of her, the imposing figure of Neptune looking down at her from his chariot. She brought a book with her to sit near the famous monument, soaking up the history surrounding her while engrossing herself in her newest favorite novel. Perched on a step, Sarah watched the people all walk by and stand in awe in front of the fountain. It was a masterpiece of sculpture to be sure and all of the tourists wanted to toss in their coins. The legend was that if you stand with your back to the fountain and toss a coin over your shoulder into the water, then you will be destined to return to Rome. Sarah had thought it was a silly tradition and thus far had refused to add her own coin to the cause. There was a couple standing in front of the fountain now, laughing and kissing, preparing to toss their coin together. Sarah looked down at her book, blushing.
Ignoring the romance that bloomed around her in one of the most amorous cities in the world, Sarah buried herself in her book. Her dark hair fell across her face, creating a veil behind which she could hide from the world. As she fell deeply into her story once again, a shadow loomed over her. Sarah looked up.
Standing there was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. He was tall, easily 6'4, with the most entrancing green eyes. She gaped at him as he stared down at her. The man had seen her from across the Piazza, had been watching her since she had first arrived there that evening. He had watched her watching the people around her with a hidden look of longing, a disguised envy. He had watched her hide herself in her novel pretending that was enough. He could sense in her the need for more. He could feel that she had so much potential inside of her. The thing he could not see from his hiding place was the color of her eyes and he had wanted so badly to look into her eyes.
As she looked up at him he now saw that they were blue, an azure blue - the color of the sky on a distant summer day. A color he could hardly remember anymore. It had been so long since he had seen the daylight, since he had gazed up into the sky and appreciated the color that could never fully be recreated in art or poetry. Not until now. In her eyes.
Moments passed as they stared at each other, him a tall and gorgeous man of not yet middle age with hair the color of midnight and her a small and slender beauty with chestnut hair and no idea at all of how the rest of the world saw her. Seeing him standing there, Sarah's mind kicked into overdrive. Who was he? Why was he looking at her like that? How does any man get to be that beautiful? Part of her wanted to reach up to him and touch his skin; it looked so smooth and fine. She was shocked at herself for even thinking that. She had never even had a boyfriend, much less stroked the face of a stranger. Then he held out his hand to her.
"Forgive my intrusion, Senora. My name is Alessandro," he told her in an ungodly sexy Italian accent.
She felt herself as if in a dream reach up and take his hand. She could not look away from his eyes. She was entranced. When her skin touched his, it felt like she had been struck by lightning. He grasped her hand and pulled her to her feet. Alessandro stared at her, bewildered by what he had just felt. His heart did not beat, but he thought that if it did, it would have stopped just then. This was new, something he had never experienced. He had come over here to seduce this woman and to feed on her, and had become captivated by her fragile beauty and now was FEELING, something he had not done in more years than he could even count.
"I'm Sarah, " she said softly.
His fingers felt cold on her skin, yet her body was so warm. She felt electrified, alive as though for the first time. Who was this stranger and why was he affecting her this way?
"Walk with me, Sarah," he told her.
And she did. They walked what seemed like the entire city, so beautiful in the moonlight, so ancient. There was much history here, stories around every corner. Alessandro seemed to know most of them. As they walked he told her of battles and love stories, emperors and artists. She listened to him, enrapt, fascinated by the extent of his knowledge. If she didn't know better she would think he had actually been alive to see the things he was so eloquently describing.
Alessandro was amazed at himself. He was a bloodthirsty monster yet suddenly felt like he was on a date. He should have fed on her by now, but instead found himself compelled to talk to her, to share his past with her, even if she didn't know it was his past. She seemed to enjoy hearing about his city. She was so small, a good foot shorter than he was. There was something about her smile, her voice, that made him want to protect her. When he was the one she should have needed protection from. He was confused, but also thirsty. He had not fed yet that evening and his need for blood was becoming strong.
They stopped walking while crossing a bridge across the Tiber River. Sarah stood and gazed dreamily out over the water, taking in what was a breathtaking view of Rome. Alessandro watched her as she seemed to retreat into her own little world. She was special, this one, he thought. He shook his head, hoping to shake her off, to get her out of his head. He studied her neck and reached out to touch her. His fingers softly stroked her throat. She turned to him, torn from her reverie. The look in his eyes startled her. No man had ever looked at her like that. There was hunger in his eyes, blatant need. And in hers, he saw, was pure innocence. His hand still on her neck he pulled her to him. Their lips met and his world shattered.
Sarah felt his lips on hers and felt her knees go week. She brought her hands up to his arms, suddenly feeling the need to hold on to something so as not to fall over. She grasped his upper arms, felt how strong he was. Her hands moved up to the back of his head, unknowingly making the kiss more passionate. He felt her pull him even closer to her and it drove him over the edge. Alessandro felt himself harden. How this elfish little creature could do this to him he did not know. He held her tightly and kissed her so hard he knew he was bruising her soft lips. He couldn't get enough of her. His tongue flicked out and ran across her lips. She parted them and he darted his tongue into her mouth, exploring every inch of her. Sarah made a low moan in her throat as she felt things that were so new to her. She had never been kissed like this. She kissed him back with all she had. Her fingers were locked in his hair, her tongue finding her way into his mouth. Her tender little tongue on his lips, in his mouth, drove Alessandro crazy. His vampire sense of smell was overpowered by her scent. He could smell how wet she was, how much she wanted him. He wanted her more than he had wanted anything. His mouth trailed from her lips down her cheek, her skin so soft and silky. He kissed her face, her chin, her neck. He found his lips on her throat, his tongue caressing her skin. Sarah felt so weak with yearning. She longed to do things with this man, this stranger, that she had never even imagined. She wanted him to take her, to have her, to be her first.
Her neck felt so good to him, so smooth. He wanted to take her. He had to have her. But a voice in his head wouldn't let him bite her. His fangs extended as he battled with his newfound conscience. Alessandro had never had a problem biting anyone before, man or woman. Sarah seemed to sense his hesitation and pulled back from him. She looked up into his eyes, searching. His eyes were troubled and stormy, from the passion and from his holding back. She stared at him, curious. Then she saw the fangs. He hadn't had time to hide them when he realized she had pulled away. Stumbling backward, Sarah's face was stricken. This beautiful man she had been kissing, this man she had wanted so badly, was a monster. She couldn't believe it, didn't want to believe it. She turned to run away from him, to flee the monster. She was blind with fear and tripped over her own shoe. Sarah felt herself falling toward the ground, the hard pavement rising up to meet her. She waited for the impact but it never came. She felt herself floating, being lifted away. Strong arms surrounded her and she clung to them for fear of falling again. She did not open her eyes. She didn't want to see again. Calmer now, Sarah let herself be whisked away and drifted off to sleep.
Alessandro carried her to his flat on the Strada Olmo and laid her in his bed. It was a huge mahogany four-poster bed with heavy velvet curtains the color of burgundy wine. The tiny girl in his big bed still slept. He had used his gifts to calm and sedate her. The powers of a vampire were countless. He had not wanted to scare her and he knew if she ran away he would never see her again. And that would never do. He had to have this girl, this precious creature. He would make her his own. He stretched out on the bed beside her, watching her sleep. Sarah's eyelids fluttered from some unknown dream.
