Awakening

Lucian Vale opened his eyes. The night was cold, and the air smelled of rain. He lay on the ground in a dark alley, his body stiff and heavy. His head ached as if he had been hit. The world around him felt strange, too sharp, too loud. The sound of dripping water echoed in his ears. He could hear footsteps in the distance, a car engine far away, even the faint rustling of a rat moving through garbage.

He pressed his hands against the ground and pushed himself up. His fingers felt different—stronger. His body no longer felt weak or tired. But something was missing. His heartbeat.

Lucian's eyes widened. He pressed his hand to his chest. Nothing. No thumping, no pulse. Panic filled his mind. He gasped for breath, but his chest did not rise and fall the same way it used to. He wasn't breathing.

Then, he noticed the blood.

His hands were stained with it. It was on his lips, on his shirt. His tongue brushed against something sharp—his teeth. No… not teeth. Fangs.

A deep voice came from the shadows. "You are awake."

Lucian spun around. A tall man stepped forward from the darkness. He wore a long black coat, and his golden eyes gleamed under the weak streetlight. His skin was pale, too pale. His presence sent a chill down Lucian's spine.

"Who… who are you?" Lucian asked, his voice shaky. His throat was dry, burning with an unfamiliar pain.

The man smirked. "I am the one who saved you," he said. "Or perhaps, the one who cursed you. It depends on how you see it."

Lucian took a step back. His mind raced. "Saved me? From what?"

"From death," the man said simply. "Or rather, from staying dead."

Lucian's eyes darted around the alley. His memories were blurry. He remembered running… being chased… someone grabbing him. Then pain. Terrible pain. And now, he was here, different.

His breathing quickened—or at least, he thought it did. But there was no air moving in and out of his lungs. No heartbeat to speed up in fear. He clutched his head. "No… This isn't real. This is a nightmare."

The man chuckled. "Oh, it's very real. You are no longer human, Lucian. You have been reborn."

Lucian's stomach twisted. A sharp pain spread through his body. It wasn't normal hunger—it was deeper, stronger, almost unbearable. He doubled over, clutching his stomach. His mouth burned. His fangs ached.

"You feel it now, don't you?" the man said, watching him closely. "The hunger. The thirst."

Lucian clenched his teeth. The pain grew worse. He could hear something—no, someone. Footsteps. Slow, steady. A man was walking at the end of the alley, heading home late at night.

Lucian could hear his heart beating. Strong. Steady. He could smell him—his sweat, his skin, even the iron scent of his blood beneath the surface. It was overwhelming. His body moved before he could think.

He took a step forward.

The man in the coat grabbed his shoulder, stopping him. "Not yet," he said. "You must learn control."

Lucian shook his head, struggling. "What… what's happening to me?"

"You are a vampire now," the man said. "And you must feed."

Lucian's body trembled. He knew his life had changed forever.

To be continued….