Another night falls (Charlene)

[Jason Dreggs]

Jason had let Brigid leave as the daylight hours came closer. She had assured him that she would help them with this tangled mess that was being weaved. Charlene had quickly fallen into the day slumber of the vampires but Jason forced himself to stay awake. He needed time to think and that’s what he did with the daylight hours. Yet night came quicker than he had hoped and all his thinking had achieved nothing.

He watched as Charlene began to stir from her slumber. He sighed knowing now was going to be the time he would have to explain everything to her. Now he would have to teach her the ways of her knew existence.

"Good morning Charlene, did you sleep well?"

He spoke from the kitchen area into the living room where Charlene was laying on the sofa.

[Charlene Briggs]

"Yeah," I said as I stretch, working the kinks out. What's weird is that I feel A LOT better. Like nothing happened last night. I'm still feeling hungry as all hell, but at least I'm not sick like I was.

I take a peek outside and notice it's dark out and feel myself frowning. "What I do, sleep all day and night? Guess I was more messed up then I thought."

[Jason Dreggs]

"It's alright you didn't miss much the day isn't exactly welcoming anymore."

He was having a hard time spitting it out. He was afraid he would break her spirit if he just came out and said hey your vampire now. The daylight will kill you and all that jazz, it just wasn't exactly a great existence.

"I have some bad news and I have some worse news. Which would you like first?" He said with a frown as he walked around the counter to the fridge.

[Charlene Briggs]

Ok, so now I'm worried. Jason, for all of his bravado, always had a bad time in keeping his cool around me. Guess I am that cool. *Snort* Yeah right. I will admit, he does seem to be more hesitant then usual.

"So ... bad news and worse news." I get up and hopped onto the kitchen counter. "Bad news first since I think I need to be prepared for the worse news."

[Jason Dreggs]

Jason opened the fridge then pulled out two red bags. Realizing then any news he gave her would be horrible and hard to believe.

"The bad news is I'm not exactly mortal anymore. I made a choice at the age of eighteen and now I'm a vampire."

He cringed a little bit at his own words and waited for whatever comment Charlene had for that. It sounded ridicules, like he was some sort of blood fetish creep. He however didn't step closer to Charlene just in case she decided to attack him or something.

[Charlene Briggs]

Ok my fellow readers. Remember when I thought Jason was this creepy stalker guy trying to get into my pants? Looks like I was right, but let's add some crazies to that too.

So, I say nothing in response and grab a big old knife to start the talking for me. "Ok. It's bad enough that I saw a guy get decapitated, but now this crazy talk coming from you is too much."

Oh look. I have a nice open view of the blood bags he was holding. But instead of finding myself disgusted, I feel the hunger inside me start to increase ten-fold.

[Jason Dreggs]

He noted her grabbing the knife but did nothing. He knew this had to like some very screwed up dream for her. Heck it was like a very screwed up dream when it first happened to him and he had willingly taken the dark path.

"I understand this has to be very fraked up. It's not some practical joke, I'm a vampire."

Jason then took a small step forward and set one of the Blood bags on the kitchen top. He slide it in the direction of Charlene, he knew she wouldn't be able to resist it not yet anyway.

"You died the other night."

He wasn't going to tell her just yet but he felt he had no choice. He didn't want her to do something rash without knowing what kind of mess she was in first.

"With out a thought I gave life back to you but it isn't exactly like it use to be."

There was a saddened look on his face as he stared at Charlene waiting for a reply.

[Charlene Briggs]

This was crazy talk. More crazy talk. I swear Jason should have his head examined, but what about this strange desire for blood? Or this death business? Or was that my subconscious feeding into his load of crap?

Before you know it, I'm pacing the kitchen as I try and make sense of this. Brought me back to life. It's called CPR you prick. Has to be a sick joke, but why's he looking all sad?

"So you bang my chest around and started my heart again. Thanks. Want a medal? Why didn't you just take me to the hospital?" As my anger rises, so does my hunger. My stomach feels like I stabbed myself with this stupid knife, which was now shaking in my hand. This is what addicts go through when their withdrawing, so why the hell am I, the good clean girl, feel like some wigged out crack head.

[Jason Dreggs]

"You lost way too much blood for CPR and by the time I would have gotten you a hospital you would have been too far gone. Beyond my capabilities to bring you back."

He could never have lived with that choice. He had just met her not that long ago and already he didn't want to live without her in his life. He admitted to himself he turned her for his own selfish reasons.

"I will admit it; I made you what I am for selfish reasons. I couldn't let you go."

He was pouring out his heart or at least what was left the cold black shriveled thing in his chest. He wanted her to stay and wanted her to understand but he wasn't going to hold her there against her will. If she didn't want to stay Jason wasn't going to make her.

"I can prove to you what I am and what you are now. It's your choice though some of the things I can do might freak you out."

[Charlene Briggs]

Made me for selfish reasons. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. But what could it hurt, at this point anyway, for him to prove what he says is true? If he's a nut job stalker, I still have the knife and I can make a quick call for help. I positioned myself right by the phone. I'm not that stupid. Course, if he messed with the lines ... well, plan B was in my hand as I said.

"Fine. Whatever. Prove it, but if you're screwing with me like I think ya are, I'm outta here." And to get something to stop my stomach from caving in. Crap it hurts like a bitch. I need some pepto and a steak stat.

[Jason Dreggs]

He was about to show Charlene what he truly was but he hesitated for a moment. He didn't want to scare her that much and have her running away from the freak with fangs. So instead he moved but he moved so fast that Charlene wasn't able to see him move.

One second he was right in front of her the next he was by the knives. Then he was back almost exactly where he had been before except now he had his shirt off. He was holding the knife in his hand and had it pointing towards his right bicep.

"Now I am going to show you something but I need you to promise me you won't freak out."

[Charlene Briggs]

I almost dropped the knife. How the hell was he so fast? In two blinks, Jason was standing in front of me with a knife and no shirt. Then I realized that he was taking the knife to himself. What the hell's going on?!

"Hey look ..." I hold up my hands, knife included. "Maybe I should just go because you're seriously freaking me out right now."

I was good with the knife pointing and running out the door while defending myself if I have to, but now he wants to hurt himself to prove to me he isn't insane? Seriously, how messed up is that logic?

[Jason Dreggs]

Jason stopped and pulled the knife away from his shoulder setting it down on a nearby counter top.

"I don't want to freak you out. I just want to show the gravity of the situation."

Jason tone went really serious at this point.

"There are things I know that you need to know. If you leave without knowing them you will unprepared for the new world you will have to face. I won't stop you from leaving even though I want to."

At that point Jason reached over and grabbed the knife he had set down. He then plunged it deep into his right arm. He would be lying if acted like it didn't hurt. Even vampires still felt the pain of being stabbed or shot. Only difference was that they didn't have to worry about the severity of the wound. As long there head was attached they were fine.

"Son of a ..... That hurts God dam that hurts."

[Charlene Briggs]

"Well of course it hurt you idiot!! YOU JUST CUT YOURSELF!!!" So the question I ask myself is, am I screaming at him because I couldn't believe that he just did that, or that I actually care that he did something that stupid.

But then something in my head flips over like a switch when I see his blood. The hunger inside me starts to boil over and the cramps in my stomach just go full throttle. I try and fight it but the sweet smell of blood coming into my nose just makes it hurt worse. I want it. I want it now!

Before I know it, I'm leaping at him, growling like some feral beast who wants to sink its teeth into freshly killed prey.

[Jason Dreggs]

Jason was pulling the knife out of the wound cursing up a storm just as he was jumped. He was tackled to the ground as Charlene tried nipping at him. Jason was squirming as much as possible to try and get away from her.

He had forgotten what it was like being a starving fledging and how the sight of fresh blood caused frenzy. Not to mention the extraordinary strength that came with that frenzy. He called on his own Inner strength that he knew possessed. He grabbed onto her arms and flipped her to her back rolling himself on top of her attempting to pin her to the ground.

This wasn't exactly what he had planned for showing her what she had become. With his one free wounded armed he reached up to the counter grabbing his own blood bag. He bit the top off of it and shoved it down to her mouth.

"You believe me yet?" He yelled a little a louder then he planned.

[Charlene Briggs]

I didn't answer, not with the blood choking me. I hacked and cough and eventually found enough survival strength in me to shove Jason off. I scrambled against the couch like a scolded pup before ripping the bag open like it was paper.

I just cowered there, sucking down the blood bag as if it were a koolaid snack. I felt horrified at my actions and the truth of what happened to me.

I was a Vampire and it was Jason's fault. The why's started popping into my head, but then I remember that he answered them already. He didn't want to be alone anymore. He didn't want me to die. Now I have to pay with that choice for the rest of my undead existence? I wanted a change in careers eventually, but being a bloodsucker of the night really wasn't on the list ...

... sigh. Glad to know my sense of humor still's intact.

[Jason Dreggs]

Jason fell away from her onto the floor. He sat up soon after leaning his back on the floor cupboards. He picked up the knife he plunged into his arm from the floor. He let his head slump as he sat there twirling the knife in his hand.

What had he done? He created a monster just so he wouldn't have to go on alone anymore. No correction she wasn't the monster he was for being selfish. He had taken this path by his own choice but he had never given Charlene that same choice. He had force his life on her, and now he wasn't sure how to rectify the situation.

"I'm sorry."

He said it without lifting his head. He wanted to look at her but then he would just see what he created not who she really was. He knew of three ways to fix this particular situation but none of them ended well for either of them. So he said it again as he slid the knife across to her.

"I'm sorry. My life is in your hands now. Remove my head and it will be all over for me."

[Charlene Briggs]

I just finished chowing down and was just sucking the edges of the opening I tore open to make sure I got it all. I'm feeling better. Hunger's still there, but at least my insides don't feel all twisted inside anymore. I can just sense I'm no where near my potential, which is odd because I have no idea what the hell that even means.

My eyes drift over to the knife, but I don't take it. I just slide my way up onto the couch and discard the empty bag like a used kleenex. "You want me to kill you only because you can't do it yourself. If I kill you, I'm screwed. I don't have a clue how to live. If you die, I might as well too."

And maybe I should. It might be easier if I do. I don't want to hurt anyone if I loose it, but seems like Jason's doing all right with the blood bags. Though, I feel guilty since that should really go to someone that needs it. Someone who's still alive and has a chance to fend off death.

By the way. This is all weird. I can think straight. Kinda nice to be able to instead of acting like a junkie. Problem is, that junkie will always be there.

[Jason Dreggs]

Jason slowly lifted his head but a look of sadness hung on his face. He couldn't get past the fact that he indeed a monster but she was right. She need to be taught the ways before she could take his life from him.

"Oh I tried to kill myself once. It's not as easy as you think, short of walking the sun it's almost impossible. Even trying to force yourself out into the sun is hard you have an invisible force trying to hold you back."

He wasn't sure what that invisible force was but it also made some vampires deathly afraid of fire altogether. He could control the fear of fire but the sun he still couldn't force himself outside to end it all.

"I can teach you the laws, there are allot of them. Some are my own personal rules and others are the laws of the Camarilla."

He didn't expect her to know what the Camarilla was but she would find out soon enough. There wasn't any place to hide from them; they always seemed to be able to find you.

"There also allot of different types of vampires. We are Brujah...."

Jason didn't know how to explain the Brujah. He was one of them yet he only pretend to be like them. They had a tendency towards violence and irrational behavior but he didn't suffer that curse as they called it. He wasn't exactly sure why but he knew it had to do something with the clans history.

[Charlene Briggs]

We went from pity me, kill me, Vampy Emo to a walking Vampire Lexicon. "Stop." I wave my hands in front of him before rubbing my temples. "Just ... stop."

It was too much too fast and by the sound of it, it's only going to get worse. "Can we just try and break this down into chunks that I can digest easier?"

Tons of rules and vampire types. Great. Way more complicated then one would think. Where's a notebook when you need one?

[Jason Dreggs]

"Okay how about if you got any questions I answer them for you."

It was easier then feeding her the ton of information that was out there. Of course he would tell her the basics just so she could get by.

"But I will teach you the basic rules to get by. There mostly dining etiquette rules."

[Charlene Briggs]

I snort. Me and etiquette? You gotta be kiddin' me. I come from the South Side of Chicago. Etiquette amounts to the white girl not angering the homeboys and making friends with the right gang for protection. You know, for just in case. "Because of older vampires right? And we have to hide who we are. Right?"

Seems logical to assume that. Things change quickly and people get set in their ways. Probably safe to think that Vampires act similar when you have decades, and then centuries, go on by.

I'm not going to grow old ever again. I'm frozen in time forever and have to deal with this insatiable hunger for blood. I think Jason thinks too highly of me to think I can handle this.

[Jason Dreggs]

"Yes because of older vampires. Also because of stronger vampires. Also the prince and the Camarilla."

Jason was about to go off on a tangent with the prince stuff but he stopped there. He didn't want give her information overload she would find out all of this stuff soon enough.

"Yes we have to hide who and what we are. The Camarilla calls it the masquerade."

Jason started to push himself up from the floor.

[Charlene Briggs]

"Masquerade huh?" I toss the word back and forth in my head and come to the conclusion that it makes sense. Vampires can walk around in plain sight during the night and us ... erm, well, other poor people would be none the wiser. Looks like Anne Rice got it right, sorta. "Prince? Rules the city, or state or sumthing?"

[Jason Dreggs]

"There is a prince in almost every major city on both sides of the ocean. They rule cities mostly but a few watch over additional territory."

He didn't want to call a prince a ruler because that would be the wrong term for what they really did. The true faces behind the masquerade where the elders but he didn't want to get into them.

Mostly because he didn't know too much about them just that they existed and pretty much controlled everything but even they had bosses. It was just an endless cycle of who was controlling who.

"Think of a prince more as a mayor it his job to enforce the rules in his city. In truth they seem to think they have a lot of power but they really don't have any."

[Charlene Briggs]

"So they rule by fear?" Sounds like that's what he's insinuating. It makes sense. A lot of people in power, even a regular old boss at a grocery store, can keep their position through presence and fear of getting them mad at you because he has a bunch of people thinking that he's hot crap on a stick.

[Jason Dreggs]

"Yes and sometimes depending on the prince by force if necessary."

Jason was thinking about the prince before the current one. Jason had heard stories how he had tried to subjugate the anarchs. Most of the rules he had put on them where still in place not that the anarchs really followed the rules.

"That's where I come in and the people I work for. We fight to change the system and make it fare for all vampire kind. We believe unlike another group that there needs to be rules but not as many as there are. We don't believe there needs to be a prince to attempt rule over us."

[Charlene Briggs]

I feel the anger swelling up inside me and my eyes sharpen into daggers. "Is your little unruliness against the establishment what got me killed? Did I get caught in the middle of some stupid revolution?"

[Jason Dreggs]

"Actually what got you killed is um..."

Jason really had no clue what to say about how she died. It was true she had seen something in his world that she wasn't suppose to but that wasn't what got her killed. She got in the middle of something else and that something else wasn't anything Jason knew about.

"Well I actually don't know what was going on when you got killed. You got caught in something bigger than me and the game I play. You did however see something from my world that would have gotten you killed eventually."

He was referring to the beheading of some poor dumb vampire in an ally way. Of course if no one new she saw then she might not have been killed but there was no time to deal with the what if's.

"I don't know what to say all I know for sure is you got killed for whatever game that dam cop is playing."

[Charlene Briggs]

I wanted to still be angry with him for getting me killed, but the pathetic look on his face and the sincerity in his voice made me realize that he's telling the truth.

In short, I was gonna be screwed either way. Whether or not Jason was involved wasn't really an issue anymore. Ugh. This is highly frustrating. I've got all of this pent up aggression and anger and this insatiable hunger inside of me and I don't know what the hell to do with it.

Oh, and don't go thinking I've gone soft on Jason. He coulda still let me die in peace. He's not getting off that easy. "So what now?" I reply, resigned to the fate that was dealt.

[Jason Dreggs]

Jason was confused for a moment it couldn't be that easy could it? Did she just give into all this vampires’ thing? Jason just shook his head of clear of the confusion and decided to move forward with the discussion.

"Well for starters I have to talk to some of my people. Then I have to take you to go see the prince since all anarchs are required to register in this city. However if anyone asks I did not turn you, you just came in from LA."

[Charlene Briggs]

Oh lord, this was funny and I couldn't contain the humor. "Do I sound like some arrogant snob from L.A? I grew up here all my life! They'll see right through it."

[Jason Dreggs]

"Fine you where a tourist there who got turned. The reason why I say LA is cause LA is a free city ran by the anarchs. There you do not need permission to turn."

Jason walked over to where his jacket was hanging and pulled out a cell phone. He started to shift thru the numbers on the phone looking for a name.

"Cause if they find out I turned you in this city. Let's just say they will find inventive ways to destroy us both for the crime."

[Charlene Briggs]

"So I was a random victim that got turned and left to fend on my own. But that's when my hero Jason Dreggs came to my rescue huh?" I replied with a spiteful scowl.

[Jason Dreggs]

"I do play a good Hero."

Jason had a boyish grin on his face as he tried to lighten the mood a bit. Jason found the number and started texting to it. He then closed the phone to waiting for a reply.

"I know you are pretty pissed at me right now and probably will be for the rest of eternity. I am going to ask you to stay here one or two more days as I show you the basics. I will also be working on setting you up a safer apartment if you wish one that will protect you from the sun during the day.

No need to worry about the funds I will pay for everything. I owe you that at least also if you need a new job I might be able to get you one. Is there anything else you might need?"

[Charlene Briggs]

"No ..." I stare down at the floor wistfully wishing that things were different. That I would wake up and realize that this was all one big nightmare. That I'm still that poor bartender trying to make a living so I can go to school, make something of myself, prove my parents wrong that I'm not some nobody like they were.

But here I am. Cold as ice with blood pumping through my body that makes me far superior and vulnerable then any human on this planet.