• A blonde male of age fourteen hurried through the corridor and stepped into the ball room. I watched him as he peered into the darkness, his eyes scanning the room, searching for something. I hid behind a pillar just watching him as he advanced in my direction with a smile upon his pale face. He called into the darkness with his light, velvety voice, “Alice? I know you’re here. Come now, it is time to go.” I shut my eyes, stifling a laugh. Large arms wrapped around my waist as I let out a small squeak of shock. “Found you. I’ve once before, and I’ll say it once more, you cannot hide from me, Alice.” He smiled at me as the moon’s light bleeding in from the window turned his pale blue eyes into silver.
    “All right Ian! You win again, you’ve found me.” I let out a small chuckle as he tousled my dark brown hair. “Come on already! Alex is waiting for us.” Ian remarked as he grabbed my hand and started to lead me to the front door. “Mmmm… my twin is awfully impatient when he’s hungry, isn’t he?”
    “Indeed. We don’t want to upset him now, do we?”
    “Not a chance! We’d best be swift then, shan’t we?”
    Ian smiled his reply and as he quickened his pace. We approached the front door seeing a pale-skinned boy leaning against the frame with his head turned down letting his light brown hair cover his face. “Alex! I thought you were impatient to get breakfast?” Ian called to him with an amused tone.
    The boy’s head tilted up slightly and he peered at us with his emerald eyes as a dazzling smile danced on his face.
    “I am! What took you two?” Alex replied pushing away from the frame and smoothed out his black pants and cloak. “Sorry brother that would be my fault.” I apologized to him. “Were you hiding from Ian again?” He questioned me. “Yes I was. ‘Tis midnight already, the village people are asleep, are you ready to go hunting Alex?” I smiled then walked toward the door with Ian and grabbed the silver knob, twisting it allowing it to swing into the outside darkness.
    My twin stalked after us as we headed into the village, Ian let go of my hand and melded with the shadows, as if the night itself were his cloak. Alex walked into the forest, hiding amongst the trees making as much noise as a field mouse. Inhaling the crisp air, I proceeded forward in the middle of the dirt path.
    As we preceded, cottages no bigger than a ten-year pine tree came into our sight. Torches set in front of the door-ways warmed and illuminated the air, warning of curious animals and hungry creatures of the dark. I chuckled quietly at the thought of how simple-minded humans are. A bit of flame to scare off a vampire? I had to bite my lip to keep from collapsing on the floor and disrupting the village’s peace with my hysterical laughter.
    I glanced in Ian’s direction, observing him as he stalked to the house closest to him. Quietly, I approached it as well and circled around the moderately small wooden cottage, searching for vines to climb up, or a crack big enough for us to squeeze through. No luck. I motioned towards the thick woods for Alex to come to us. Hesitantly, he joined us, keeping his silky voice low, “Any cracks to get us in?” I shook my head as Ian sighed then spoke, “You’re going to have to go in and unlock the door.”
    “What?! Are you positive there is no other way to do this?”
    “Alex, Alice scanned the entire blasted cottage. There is no ‘other way’ in!”
    “I was almost caught last time.”
    “They were light sleepers.”
    “That’s not an excuse.”
    “Well last time, we went before eleven. Besides, this is a different home.”
    “… Fine. Your argument is true enough...”
    “Good. Then get to it!”
    Alex grumbled to himself and walked to the wall and rested his hands on it. Ian and I hurried to the front as Alex melded with the wall, walking forward into it. We waited in the front of the door for a moment then heard the knob jiggle slightly inside. I minute later, Alex’s smiling face greeted us and opened the door quietly into the dim house. “Keep your voices down, I did a little browsing and I found out that the adults sleep in the same room, the male has a rifle with him, best not to disturb him. They have a daughter though… around twelve. She’ll do for tonight.” Alex informed us. Ian nodded and padded quietly into the house. I whispered back to my twin brother,” I hate how humans think we actually kill them. So it’s just a daughter?”
    “Yeah, smells like B negative.”
    “Sounds appealing enough…”
    Alex nodded then lead me through the hall way and guided me to the first room to the left and carefully opened the door to reveal Ian standing over the bed staring down at the black-haired girl. “We best get this over with fast... “Ian said to us as he carefully removed the top blanket freezing as the girl stirred in her sleep. I walked over to him and finished removing the rest of the quilt blankets revealing the rest of her body. Something on her wrist glinted in the moonlight catching my eye. I gently picked up her wrist and turned it over seeing a twine bracelet with a bronze plate with the name “Mary” etched into it.
    I heard Alex inhale sharply as he watched me finger her bracelet. After a moment’s silence, he soundlessly lifted the child and held her in his arms. “….who wants to be first…?” he gazed at Ian first, than me. “I guess I’ll do it then...” Alex answered before either of us had a chance to then carefully brushed the hair away from her neck. He started to fit his fangs onto her throat when Mary’s eyes opened slowly seeing my brother’s fangs then let out a blood-curdling scream.
    “Let go of me you monster!” Mary struggled and lifted her head up to have her neck meet my brother’s fangs, piercing her skin. She screamed once more as my brother struggled to keep her quiet.
    Mary’s father burst into the room rifle, in hand and pointed it directly at Alex. His brown eyes filled with confusion and anger as he screamed, “
    Unhand my daughter you foul beast!” Alex let relaxed his grip on Mary and watched as she hurried to her father’s side as he shot his gun. “ALEX!!” I ran to his side and kneeled as his he laid on his back with his chest pumping out blood. “Alice, never forget me... I love you.” He smiled at me and relaxed as another shot rang out followed by a hollow “thud”. I turned around to see Ian sprawled on the floor with a single shot directly in his chest with his blood pooling on the child’s floor. I felt my head pulse and tears stream down my cheeks as I stared at the man and his daughter whispering, “You killed them….. You killed them both!”
    “They deserved to die, demon. Just like you do!” He fired one more shot into my arm. I clenched my jaw in pain and glared at him growling loudly at him, “What did they do? What harm did we bring you?!” he looked scared. Too scared, and his arms turned to jell as he aimed the gun at me. I smirked and spoke to him before he fired the final shot, “it is not I who has done wrong, it is you.”
    He fired the last blow and I felt white-hot pain in my forehead before everything turned black. I don’t remember anything that happened afterward, the only thing I know now is that my head still hurt and I was in a very strange place. I cautiously walked forward to black iron gates to see both Ian and Alex waiting… and smiling at me. I smiled back at them as they guided me through the gate. The only thing I felt afterward was just pure happiness to see them again, only happiness…