Chapter 1: his name was Aiden
Holly stumbled out of the bar, her head spinning. To many martinis. A habit she picked up from her mother when she wasn’t popping Norco or other narcotics she gets from her script happy doctor.
The night was stale. The air was stagnant, and smelled of cheap Cologne of desperate men looking to score. This was a college town after all and holly was caught dead center of it all. Port City Maine. A small place in a big world.
Holly had dreams. Big dreams. This was a town that had no room for small women with aspirations and goals other than stuffing G-strings with crumbled dollar bills from married men looking for Younger strange.
She was making a name for herself. She was on her way towards an M.D. In neuroscience. A fascination with the human mind had led her to this. It felt right.
Holly stepped out into the night with a moderate buzz from cheap alcohol compliments of her semi date David whom she left confused at the bar. The last thing she wanted to do was make the mistake of taking him home. So she left.
Outside the sound of people chatting, and sirens made her sick. It was time to go home. She called an Uber, and to pass the time she swiped away guy after guy on tinder. The alley behind her was one of many in this town. Long, partially lit, and empty. As she waited a figure behind her drops down making a “Thud” sound as his feet hit concrete.
Holly turned around startled by this, and peered down the alley. A shadow appeared next to an overused dumpster partially hiding behind it. She wanted to run. That is until he came into the light of the neon Street signs. It was a boy. Or teenager even. He couldn’t have been older than 18 or 19. He was looking at her.
His hair black and short. His eyes were as black as onyx, and his skin was pale. He looked at her as if he had found Christ himself. A small smile was forming as he kept his head down lower than hers.
He was in a submissive state. Holly could sense a vulnerability about him. He was handsome, young, and different from anything she had ever seen.
“Umm hi” holly said startled.
He didn’t speak. Instead he held his impressed gaze. Holly smirked at his childish charm. As creepy as it was to find someone in an ally looking at you there was something different about him.
“something you need weirdo?” she chuckled. Clearly the alcohol helping her blunt behavior. Still he didn’t speak. Instead he stepped forward and slightly cocked his head, and put his hands in his pockets.
“who are you, do we know eachother?” Holly said.
“it’s considered rude to just sneak up behind people, just saying.”
The childish figure took another step forward. Holly could clearly see him now. He was attractive but definitely younger than she was. Holly felt a curiosity build up inside her.
He approached closer. Turning his head up right again. He was within arms reach of Holly. She turned her head behind her to make sure people were in ear shot just in case she needed help.
“is he your mate?” he finally spoke. Softly.
“My what? David?… Wait, we’re you watching me? ”
“yes miss, David. If I may ask.”
Holly found his voice almost cute. He seemed like a lost puppy. A bit withdrawn. He was holding back something, but his shoulders were dropped and he kept his head lower than hers in a non threatening manner. Holly Relaxed some.
“I’m confused, who are you, and why were you watching me? Holly said.
Holly noticed two white tips hardly noticeable sticking out of his mouth on both ends. We’re they teeth? Holly thought.
“I’m sorry miss, I didn’t mean to offend. I couldn’t help watching you. You are the most beautiful human I’ve ever seen.” Aidan said softly in his child like voice.
Holly laughed. She had been called many things. S**y, hot, you name it but never most beautiful human. Yet as he spoke there was this charm and honesty about his voice. He wasn’t trying to hard like most guys. He was relaxed. Calm, and polite. But strange.
“Human? Well yes. What else would I be?” holly said.
“what are you?” Holly says teasing, lightly shaking her head.
Aiden didn’t laugh. He stood there intrigued by her.
“I’m… Something else… Miss. My name is Aidan. It means little fire” he says almost proud.
Still missing the beat Holly laughed out loud sluggishly still feeling the effects of the alcohol.
“yeah I bet you are something else. Only something else would wear clothes like that, and stalk girls in alleyways.”
“I’m sorry if I alarmed you miss. I’m only fascinated by you. I hope you do understand.” Aidan said.
“why do you keep talking like that? You keep calling me miss. Stop. Just call me holly OK? You’re making me feel old”
“Holly is a beautiful name.” Aidan chuckled. His boyish charm was refreshing to Holly. She was amused.
“if calling you Holly pleases you then I shall call you Holly instead” Aidan said.
“please me? You don’t even know me. Why would you want to please me? How old are you anyway Aidan?”
“in your world miss… I mean Holly, I would be 19 years old.”
“My world? Man… You must be off you’re meds. Are you lost or something?”
“No. I’m not lost. I was hunting. Then I saw you. I followed you here. I saw you with David. You seemed displeased with him. I don’t like him. He has bad thoughts of you Holly. You should know.”
“hunting? Hunting what?”
“for food.” Aidan said.
“are you hungry? Do you need money?”
Aidan laughed. “No miss. I don’t eat what you eat. But that’s kind of you.”
“how do you know David had bad thoughts of me? What kind of thoughts? Don’t tell me you can read minds now.”
“he had dirty thoughts miss. He wants to mate with you. He has violent fantasies. He is unclean, and doesn’t deserve you’re affection.”
Holly stood there dumbfounded. Who is this guy? Why was so so interesting? Clearly he must be some mental patient on the streets. Every instinct told Holly to run. But she couldn’t. Something about him was fascinating. It’s not everyday you meet someone so strange. This was better than her original plan of watching TV and sleeping off this cheap buzz.
“yeah that’s what most guys want.” holly said.
“Well what do you want Holly?”
“me? I don’t know. I never really thought about it”
Just then David came around the corner. He was drunk. Holly turned around surprised to see him. His eyes were heavy. He had drank more after she left. His steps were heavy, and sloppy. He looked angry.
“Holly!” he yelled out
“Holly what the heck?! Why did you bail? Is that what you do, use guys for free drinks and then leave?”
David looked over at Aidan. He was still standing there a foot away from Holly glaring at David with a stone cold look on his face. David saw his eyes, and his blood went cold.
“Holly who is this freak?” he said.
“David not now. Just go home you’re drunk!” Holly said annoyed.
David looked back at Holly, “oh I plan on going home, and taking you with me. Do you know how much I spent in there? You could at least give me something in return.”
“in your dreams! Just got home and sleep it off.” Holly barked.
David walked up and grabbed her by her arm. “you’re coming with me.”
“David let go, your hurting me! I said sleep it off!”
Holly struggled against is grip trying to break free. Out of nowhere she saw Aidan appear from behind David grabbing him by his shoulder, and then throwing him backwards against the alley wall like it was nothing. Holly yelped out loud in shock as she witnessed this.
David stood up using the wall as a crutch dazed and confused from what just happened. Aidan then stood between the two of them. He moved so swiftly it was almost like he was gliding. It was almost unnatural to see.
“get away from me you freak!” David yelled.
Aidan flew forward and grabbed his head, and pressed it against the wall. He bore his teeth. Long white fangs protruded from his lips. His black eyes glossy, and hungry.
“You are unclean.” Aidan hissed.
“You want to hurt her. I can smell it on you. You want to tie her up and hurt her her. You don’t deserve her.!”
David struggles to get free grunting and pushing as hard as he can. Aidan held him effortlessly growling at him.
“let me go! Let me go! Your crazy man!” David yelled.
Aidan looked back at holly who was standing there with a look of horror on her face.
“forgive me” Aidan says to Holly, his white fangs clearly visible. His eyes dark and distant.
He turns back to David who was still desperately trying to break free and turns his head to the side exposing his neck.
Aidan bites into him, and sinks his fangs deep into David’s flesh as smooth as a knife carving into warm butter. David screams out in pain as a sickening crunch echoed out into the ally. He covers David’s mouth, and tears into him madly.
Blood runs down the side of David’s neck as he struggled, his frightened eyes fixed to the street at the busy people clearly unaware of what’s happening. Pools of blood form at their feet, and Aidan lifts him up with one hand pressing him against the wall.
Finally it was done. David was no longer moving as Aidan pulled away from his neck. His mouth and chin were glistening with fresh bright red blood. Aidan had made a terrible mess. Blood was all over the ground, and his face and clothes. His eyes darker now, and unnatural.
Aidan held David’s lifeless body up in the air. His head leaned unnaturally to one side as blood ran down his neck onto Aidan’s hand and dripping on the floor below. He looked like a rag doll as Aidan easily threw him down across the alley. His body slid and hit the dumpster making a loud crack as bone meets metal, and lay there mangled and lifeless.
Aidan turned around to face holly who was still standing there shaking with fear and pale from shock. His face now calm again, and his fangs had disappeared. Still covered in blood his dark eyes looked apologetic. His shoulders sank back into a submissive state. He slowly approached Holly.
“holly? ” Aidan says in his child like voice.
“I am a vampire.”