The pale light of the midnight moon spread onto my bed like a bleached trail of melted butter. I clutched the sheets around my body as if they were the only thing protecting me from the cold bitterness of the autumn air. Silence filled the room, a beast waiting to be awakened. I rolled onto my side and swung my legs over the edge, then in one clean movement stood up. The long ebony silk of my night-gown brushed my legs coldly. Muscles were stiff, and joints were cracking. I stretched, one long extension of my arms and legs, and strode over to the dresser.

The cellar was where I slept during the day, the only part of my house that was fully barricaded from the wrath of the sun. The house had three floors, and yet I spent most of my time in the damned cellar. It was an old house, complete with outdated furniture and peeling flowery wallpaper. Thick drapes shrouded the windows, in case of ‘accidents.’ I had bought the house three centuries ago, and was glad it had lasted this long.

I rummaged through the drawers, deciding upon a velvet dress and high-black heels. All the black certainly seemed to highlight the peculiar paleness of my skin. But I adored the dark. It was so comfortable to wear, to wrap around you. When you are afraid of the dark, you can either fear it, or embrace it. Guess what I chose. Embrace it.

When I was finished slipping on the clothes, I walked up the steps and through the little kitchen. The kitchen was nothing fancy, just the usual kitchen necessities, tiled floor, and constantly dripping sink. I turned the front door’s rusted golden knob and quickly exited the safeness of the house.

The damp arms of the midnight encircled my body, greeted me happily. I swept along the sidewalk, the deep blackness of the dress sweeping around me like a black river. Flaring neon signs flashed on the front of stores and buildings everywhere I turned, the streets barren of cars, only the faint pattering of the few peoples’ shoes that dared walk the city at night.

The few people that were walking outside this late were the vampires. Damned to a life of absolutely no sunlight, forced to drink the essence of the living. We are living, in a messed-up kinda way.

I stopped when I saw a tall, slim man edging his way to me through a laughing couple. His shoulder-length hair was a deep, rich mahogany brown, streaked with gold and red highlights. Striking, dark green eyes lit up when he saw me, thin lips curving into a delicious smile. His black, elongated coat billowed to the ground in small ripples. He looked as if he were a painting that the artist couldn’t let go unnoticed, an image of pure splendor and beauty to be etched into one’s mind after the first glance.

When I realized that my mouth was gaping open, I shut it, lips firm, and said as he halted in front of me, “Why are you always so gorgeous?”

He laughed, a light, soothing laugh that raised bumps along my skin. “Why are you always so awestruck every time you see me?”

I swallowed down my retort and replied blandly, “You find a donor yet?”

His eyes gleamed, and he whispered lightly into my ear, “No, but I’d be happy to find one for you.”

“I meant for you, Automne. You, not me.”

He frowned. “Didn’t you notice?” and flung his arms out like wings, rendering the fine-muscles of his chest to show.

Unlike my paper-white skin, his was warm, and tan, and glowing.

“You’ve fed tonight?”

He nodded, a smile gracing his joyous face, bangs brushing into his eyes, “She was a splendid meal.”

“I prefer not to think as willing humans as food. I prefer the term donors.”

He bowed his head. “So, are we going to the park or not? I simply must show you the lake!”

“Yeah, yeah. We’ll go the park.” a sharp pain bloomed inside of me, forcing my breath out of my mouth.

“Prima! Are you alright?”

I clenched my teeth and gasped as the pain burned my throat, crashed my body against the ground. I cried out as I clawed the air, the burning building, building, until it accumulated and burst throughout me. I let out a wordless scream, the scorching in my throat so hot I gulped down the coldness of the air as if it were water, but it wasn’t sated.

“I need a donor.” I squeezed the words painfully.

Automne panicked, and glanced around, until he grabbed a passing man by the scruff of his shirt-collar and pulled him over to me.

I usually don’t feed on unwilling humans, but today it was an emergency. The burning faded away as I neared the man, heard the thudding of his heart threatening to tear through his chest. My eyes locked onto his, and I caressed his back gingerly, as a parent would a child to reassure them that everything was going to be OK. He was instantly lost in the pools of my eyes, and his hands fell limp to his sides. I uttered softly, “Come.”

The man didn’t respond back, didn’t fight or struggle against me. He just walked so close, so very close to me, that I could smell the sweet scent of cologne on the base of his neck, could hear the sweat trickle down his back. I rested one hand atop his head, the other on his shoulder. He flinched as I touched him, then relaxed as I lowered my mouth to that thick, frantic pulse in his neck, pumping the blood faster. I let my breath crawl across his flesh, gripped a handful of his short, black hair and dug my fingers into the hollow of his shoulder.

My fangs pierced into his skin, dug deeper, until the first drop of blood spilled out. I bit harder, tearing a cord of muscle and ripping through a vein. He shrieked, and fell numb into my arms. I sucked on the punctures I made on his neck, relishing the sweet taste of bitter copper and sweet, sweet richness that only blood could offer. When I finally felt content, I let him go, let him slide onto the ground unconscious. I had licked the wound clean, licked it so good that I stopped the flow of blood. Vampires can do that, stop the flow of blood. We can also rush the flow of blood, a handy trick for a crisis like this.

I wiped the blood off my chin and stared into Automne’s face long and hard. “Lead the way.”

He blushed, turned around, and in a blur of speed, vanished into the darkness. I did the same.

We ended up at a small park, autumn leaves already scattered among the hard soil. At the far end, away from the frozen grass and bare trees, was a lake. A very small lake that glistened with the light of the moon. A breeze rolled across it, folding the water into glossy sheets of silver. A low mist hung upon the water’s top, a frothy lace.

“If only I could see it in the first rays of morning.” I sighed, disappointment heavy in my voice.

Automne brushed his silky lips against mine, so smooth, so gentle. I caught my breath, because he leaned over me and kissed me longer, sweeter. The smoothness of our lips touching, as we explored each other passionately. It was spectacular, a chaste kiss of love and affection. I pressed into him, and his eyes sparked.

The sun had risen above the border of the horizon, casting its shadowy rays upon the land. My eyes widened, fear screaming in my mind. The sun was up and awake, a great sphere of orange fire in the pale blue of the sky. You can’t outrun the sun; nobody can.

The sun spread upon the lake in an enchanting glimmer of sparkles and colors. The mist vanished, the neat clearness of the water visible to the very bottom.

I watched as the sunlight outlined Automne in a brilliant display of gold and white. He stood still, breathing raged, letting the sun roll down his body and onto me. I let it touch me, strike my eyes, and face, and body, until I, too, wad enveloped in a halo of untouchable gold. Nothing happened.

We stood there briefly, until we finally blinked and our breathing resumed. I could feel happiness swelling inside of me like a great balloon ready to pop.

“The sun. We’re in the sun, and yet…and yet…” I whispered, a tear descending down my cheek.

Automne grinned, his pearl-white teeth and fangs, the dark aura of his features clearing, replaced by a vivid bliss. “Sunshine is for vampires!” he yelled like a kid who just got their first pet.

I turned to him, “How?”

He just smiled. “I don’t know.” he looked at his hands and balled them into fists. “Let’s enjoy today. Who knows how long it’ll last?”

I took his hand into mine and we stood there for a while, mesmerized by the sunshine playing along the water.