In The Dark - Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Vladmir Everdark

"Ah! Cursed forever in this afterlife! Living almost forever in this castle, it's been so long have I seen the sun. I share eternal unlife with my Estella.

Yes, I remember, the moment I've laid eyes on her, I fell deeply in love. But to think that I would live forever and she would soon pass away and become ashes and return to the earth, I couldn't help it. I have to make her mine! But no... Yes, I do love her but I cannot let her suffer this same curse as mine. Stuck in the darkness, living only by others' sufferings, and being feared by everybody else. Hated! Stuck in a prison with no bars nor chains. Deprived of the sunlight-- deprived of the happiness.

I had to see her, and tell her how I really feel, and that how we cannot be together, unfortunately. So one night, I went to town, covered in the dark red cloak my father used to wear. He gave it to me before that wooden stake had ended his life. A great man he was but they never did think of him that way. He saved my unlife, taught me to only suck the blood of those people who really don't deserve to live, those of hearts darker than Everdark.

I had to come to an inn, Marshwoods Inn, where Estella and I would finally meet. At the bar I sat down, hiding my pale white skin from those who stare at me. I looked around and yet see only a few people in the bar.

'That vile blood-sucker! Scaring away my customers!' said the innkeeper, 'If ever he comes here he'd have a taste of my remedy!' He held a large crucifix with a necklace made from garlics in his hand at my face. 'This'll scare his guts away,' he said while his children were hugging him.

I held the cross in my hand, if I had not been a believer in God, I could've burned and my unlife ended. 'You do not have to worry, my friend, you are safe,' I said.

Knowing children could enjoy life with their family, it just makes me happy. It was a child of my own and the castle's dead gardens be filled with joy have I dreamed of having. A family, a normal life.

'How can ye be sure?' he asked just as the inn door had opened and another person in a black cloak with gold embroidered in it entered the bar, I knew it had to be Estella.

I returned the crucifix to the innkeeper and said, 'because you are of pure heart, my friend.'

I walked towards Estella, reached for her hand and led her to the table in a room in the inn. Her hands were soft and warm, she held my hand as I held hers. Her eyes were as blue as the sea as i can remember it, and she had golden hair. Alas, I could see the sun through her without my eyes burning. We talked endlessly throughout the night but I never did get the chance to tell her what i really am. A creature of the dark, cursed forever.

The feeling was mutual and the night was ours. I hardly know her and she hardly knows me, but we had ended up in bed. I was holding her close by me, her soft skin touching mine. I was happy, but felt sad as I remembered that we could not be together. I looked outside the window and to my surprise, daylight was coming. I didn't know what to do, am I doomed? I hurriedly put my clothes back on but just before I could wear my upper garment, the sunrays had seeped through the window. I had nowhere to go, I couldn't go outside so I crawled the wall and up the ceiling to escape the rays. It was just then when Estella woke up, and looked for me holding the blanket to cover her body.

'That jerk! how dare he leave me alone! He's just like the others!' said Estella as she cursed me.

I had to say something, I never did leave her, 'You have to understand, Estella, I would never leave you,' she was surprised to hear my voice and yet couldn't find where it came from. 'Up here,' I whispered-- I knew she'd be surprised to know what I really am but I never expected how brave she was, just the kind of girl I like.

She was a little shocked that the blanket slipped from her fingers. She's so beautiful, the goddess of love and beauty right before my eyes. The sun's rays were right behind her as if she was the source of light. My eyes, they did hurt for a while but she's just so beautiful.

'What in the world?! You-- you're a blood-sucker!'

'Hush, Estella, I won't harm you, please believe me,' words from my blood-thirsty mouth came out unexpectedly. 'I love you! I really do! I'd stick a stake through my heart just for you!'

Silence filled the room one moment then she turned around and picked up the blanket on the floor. She walked slowly towards the window where the light comes from. She shut the window and covered the tiny holes with the blanket. Dakrness filled the room once again. But I didn't know why she did it yet.

I walked on the ceiling as if I was walking on the floor. She walked towards me bare and naked. 'I love you too,' she said to me, and we kissed while i was upside-down. It was constant, but I had to stop.

'I must leave.' I said.

'Take me with you,' she replied, 'Make me yours, make me just like you.'

I wanted to but 'I cannot, I don't want you to suffer this curse,' I said while holding her face firmly, trying to make her understand.

'Being with you forever doesn't seem like a curse to me,' she said as she turned her head and showed me her neck teasingly. I can feel her blood flowing through her neck. I can almost taste her blood. Live with her forever, with the love of my unlife, that would seem like happiness to me, happiness forever.

I jumped off the ceiling and landed uprightly in front of her wonderful body. I held her close to me while she loosened my belt. 'Make me yours,' she keeps on telling me. She pushed me to the bed and we started to make love the second time. By the time we were through, I have just waited for her to go to sleep, so that my bite wouldn't hurt. Since then, I didn't know what lies ahead of us. Estella, my Estella, at last you are mine. Forever we will be together.....

Estella and I were never married but we were ours forever. Together, we have lived our cursed lives in Helfort. The once gloomy castle is now filled with eternal love. But still, something was missing. Estella and I made love almost forever but our love never did bear any fruit. I soon learned that she was infertile. She can never bear me a child. The dream of having a family of our own almost turned to ashes until....

Estella and I were strolling down the road by the Everdark Forest one night, when she heard a woman crying, 'Help! Somebody help!' We flew overhead to where we heard her voice. A heartless man was humping a tied-up helpless woman, by the shades of Everdark forest. I came down to help her while Estella kept a look out above. I grabbed the man by his shoulders but he stabbed me with his knife in my abdomen. It hurts at first but I'm used to the initial pain that now, it's more like tickling. The man punched me after the stab, and knocked me back a little had I not stood ground.

'My baby! Please, help my baby!!' the woman cried once more before the heartless man could ever cut her throat. A basket was rolling down the rocky road of the mountain and inside, a baby was crying. Estella, flew quickly over to get the basket.

The man went running away from me and into the woods of Everdark. Vladmir Everdark is my name and this forest is part of my home, that I know every hiding place. In rage, I attacked the man in my monstrous form. Merciless fools do not deserve to live. Estella creeped behind me, carrying the basket where the baby was. The mother was dead and barely breathing, innocent blood flowing from her neck. Estella laid the basket behind her, to keep the baby from watching us while we feasted on the man's blood.

Later that night, we buried the mother somewhere in Helfort's cemetery. The baby on the otherhand, we treated her as ours. Somehow, in a weird way, our prayers were answered. We named her Eno."