Luthor's letter

My dear child,

What is a soul? It is a question I have pondered over the centuries. Is it something that can be lost? Do I have a soul? I have done a lot of 'soul' searching if you will excuse the pun. I believe I have a soul. It was not ripped from me during my rebirth, although I feel birth is not good for the soul, it can scar it, leaving it a deformed version of what it was. This is why I am writing to you, you have the most beautiful of souls and I want your rebirth to leave it undamaged.

I should introduce myself to you, I have been part of your life since before you were born but I have always hidden in the shadows. My name is Luthor, I am a vampire, or vampyre if you follow some popular fiction. My death was at the hands of the Roman empire, not at the fangs of a vampire, I was crucified for my political beliefs. I remember little of my first life, or of my rebirth, I know that I awoke underground and fought my way through the dirt.

I have never encountered a vampire other than those I have born. As far as I am aware there is no supernatural community, as films would like you to believe. My life is a solitary one. I have born vampires that I hoped would accompany me through eternity. None have lasted, they seem to resent my gift of immortality. They are the reason I have been watching you grow, although it started with your mother.

I fell in love with your mother the night I first saw her. It was the night of her wedding, she had a classic look that was filled with serenity and depth, a look that you have inherited but with added mystery hidden in your eyes. That night was when you were conceived. During my life I have watched the conception of nations but your conception was the most wondrous.

When you were born I already thought of you as mine. It was as if your father was a surrogate for my life to flow into you. I watched you take your first steps, and heard you say your first words. I decided that I would bestow my gift on both you and your mother, the three of us would spend eternity together. It was to be you 16th birthday gift. All of this I decided while you teetered around on unstable legs.

My plans were foiled before they had a chance. Jasmine, on of my children who had abandoned me was filled with hatred for me. She had been 17 when reborn into my world. Turning had so badly twisted her soul I should have destroyed her. But, I couldn't bring myself to end the life of one I had created, to strike down what I had risen. My inability to take action has cost me and you dearly.

Jasmine's hatred for me kept her closer to me than I knew. She discovered of my love for your mother. I believe she acted out of pure spite when she attacked your parents. I heard your mothers cries across the city but when I arrived it was too late. A vampire can kill quickly and silently, leaving nothing but a body at piece.

The scene I arrived at was carnage. Your father's head had been ripped from his body but it was your mother who received the brunt of Jasmine's rage. Her body had been torn open and her face clawed off. At the sight of the woman I loved brutally killed I went into a rage. Jasmine stood in the mess, her body dripping with blood. I think she saw the rage in my eyes, she turned to flee.

In my rage I was much faster than she could hope to be. I was upon her instantly, my fingers ripping into her shoulders. I threw her to the ground letting her turn over to face me. My hand plunged down through her beast, splintering her ribs. My fingers gripped her still heart and I ripped it from her.

Her body did not burst into flames or scatter as dust in the wind, she simply died. She is the only vampire I have killed, maybe not the only one I should have. I took her body to her families tomb. She had no living relatives left, so I left her amongst the dead.

I returned to your parents' bodies. I knew I had to disguise their death, a car crash seemed the simplest solution. I found a man leaving an alcoholics anonymous meeting to play the part of the drunk driver. I had to kill for you, to keep you safe. I can implant memories into people's minds but fooling the whole police department took a lot of my strength. You were whisked away from me and I had no choice but to stay behind.

Once I had fooled everyone into thinking it was a car crash I followed you to your uncles. You are mine and even if you hid on the other side of the world I would know where you are. My ears can pick out your heartbeat from a crowd with such ease, your gentle breathes as you sleep call to me across oceans.

I watched you grow under the care of your uncle in the countryside. He was a good man, although I did not care for the way he looked at you after he had been drinking. You reminded him of your mother, his older sister, the girl he had secretly watched shower when puberty took hold of him.

A man does not forget the first naked woman he sees. Mine was a servant girl Christiana, I watched her bathe naked in the lake. It is one of the few memories I have from before my death that is clear and vibrant, I could see her round ass just beneath the surface of the still water. The sunlight flashed into my eyes but I couldn't turn away. At the bank she walked on the grass long dark hair stuck to her back. When she turned to face me I almost collapsed, dark breasts with tiny buds sticking out seemed to point at me. Between long slender legs a dark triangle of hair seemed to hide everything I desired.

I do not know what became of her, I have hazy images of making love to her but they could be memories of dreams. I have little regret about my life fading, but sometimes wish I could remember more about her. Not that you should be jealous, I would not trade a moment with you for a lifetime with her. She was my first love, you are to be my last.

I watched you grow out here in the countryside. I made sure that you were safe and cared for. Some villagers say your uncle was charmed but he was not. The luck I provided him was for you, you were charmed and I was the charm.

Then you turned 16, the age you were to become my true child. But with your mother gone, you were too young to be my bride. I had to wait until I knew you could understand the gifts I am to give you.

Then there was the unfortunate incident with Martin. I watched his sweaty hands paw over your body as he stole your innocence. I knew you were only feigning enjoyment, your eyes spoke to me. How could you enjoy him when you were mine.

My anger got the better of me as I descended on him as he walked home through the park. My teeth ripped into him, his blood filled my mouth and my mind. I relived his memories of the night, I could feel you as he felt you, could smell you as he did. I drank deeply from him relishing the experience of your naked body in my arms. I could feel your warmth around me as I pushed into yielding flesh.

I was lost in the memory, sucking out his blood. I didn't notice her until she screamed. I could have vanished from her mind, or killed her quickly and painlessly like I have done to countless others. However, I was drunk on the memory of your body. Typically a pulse is required for a man to perform, blood must be directed to his member, a vampire has no pulse, but when gorged on blood as I was, a pulse is not necessary.

Dropping the husk of Martin I leapt at her. My hands tore at her clothes revealing her plump body beneath. She had been dressed as a whore to attend some teenage party and she smelt of cheap perfume and sweat. Her soft blubberous flesh felt strange in my hands but it didn't matter. I had the memory of you.

I clamped my hand over her mouth to stifle her screams, letting me listen to your moans within my head. I was rough as I drove between her legs. She tried to push me off but with my supper-human strength, it felt like little more than a fly against my skin. As I plunged into her it was you who I saw, who I smelt and who I felt.

She was nothing more than a body substitute. Her arms beat at me as my lips pressed against her neck. I could have bitten her, ended it for her but I realized I needed her to live a little longer. I continued to force myself into her, my fingers leaving bruises where I pinned her down. My climax was purely emotional, I have no seed to spill. My mind burst with bright colours as I saw your naked form before me. I roared into the park, stilling the night.

She lay on the ground naked and shaking. I turned to find a rock and as I did she pushed herself to her feet her palms scrapping against gravel. By the time I found a decent sized rock she was trying to run away from me, a few rags that had been clothes gripped in her arms. Her back was covered in blood and gravel between a few voids where her tattered top had protected her.

Catching her was not a challenge, the rock cracked down on her head smashing her skull. I made sure not to do it too hard. She collapsed on the floor, twitched, and then lay still as blood seeped out between her hair. Then began the process of framing, I dragged her nails down Martin's arms making sure they gouged out lines. I clamped Martin's jaw to her neck enough to leave the distinctive markings from his twisted tooth, I tore out some hairs from Martin to leave on the body, both from his head and elsewhere. Martin's body will never be found but I knew his parents would provide hair samples for comparison.

I bought a train ticket to the city using his card, I was careful to make sure everyone saw me as Martin while avoiding security cameras. When I reached my destination I asked at a ticket kiosk where I might be able to find a whore. When I found one we went to her room and pushed an image of Martin having sex with her into her mind, along with the suggestion that if asked she should tell the police everything. I paid her with money from Martin's wallet.

I tried my best to keep the police away from you. All the evidence pointed away. I know that they still asked some embarrassing questions but you were strong and got through it. I do not blame you for the two deaths, you were not aware what your actions would lead to. I have forgiven you for your part in the rape and murder. Eventually you will forget about them and the weight of their deaths will not hang round your shoulders.

I was proud of how you coped with the stress and turned towards your education, when you were accepted into university I was overjoyed. Naturally I followed you, I couldn't leave you unprotected, I spend my life in the dark. I know what kind of monsters lurk in the shadows. I am not confined to the night, rushing to a coffin before the sun sets. I can walk beneath the midday sun but it strips me of my energy forcing me to drink more frequently.

I watched you try new things, to experiment with men. Watching you in bed I was reminded frequently of your mother. When you straddle a man your back arches the same way hers did, you touch your own nipples standing proud on pert breasts in the same subconscious way your mother would. When I closed my eyes to listen to your moans, I could swear I was listening to her.

I hope you do not mind me comparing your sexual behaviour to your mothers. She was a very sensual woman and it pains me that I never got to enjoy her body. When we are together it will be as if I am with both of you. I will have what I have desired for so long. And you will accompany me through eternity, the two of us together.

Whilst you were having casual encounters with men I kept my jealousy under control. I would drink from each man, not enough to harm them but so they opened their minds to me, so I could live through their memories. With my thirst of blood quenched I would then search the halls for a girl to satisfy my other needs. I didn't force myself upon them, I found those asleep after drinking too much and let them see me as whoever they dreamed of, movie stars, musicians, sportsmen, or sometimes just the guy they sat behind in class.

At times I was tempted to appear before you in the guise of someone else, but I try to invade your mind as little as possible. I have never provided you with a false memory. You are too precious to me, forcing a memory upon you would be as bad as forcing myself upon you. We must trust one another completely and I could never violate that trust. Although it physically pained me to do so, I have restrained myself to only a gentle caress as you sleep.

And now you are back home, back at your uncle's where you spent most of your childhood. Of course now it is yours. I played no part in his death. It seems as though death is drawn to you as am I.

I hope you understand now that we are destined to be together. I have disconnected the phone and took your mobile while you showered. We are about to embark on an amazing journey but our departure must be a secret. Once you have all the gifts that are mine to give you will understand more than this letter can convey, but it is a start of the preparations.

You cannot leave the house again whilst alive I am afraid, but I have prepared a meal for you in the dining room. Food will loose its lustre once you have truly tasted blood. When you sleep tonight I will visit and bestow my gifts. Do not worry about sleep being kept at bay by your excitement, I have already taken care of that, you may already be feeling drowsy.

Do not worry, I am close, I am watching.

Soon we will be together forever.

Your protector, your saviour, your everything:
Luthor