• I spent the first 16 years of my life with parents. We were so happy, my parents, my little brother, Zyad and I. To this day I’m not entirely sure what had happened that night. Never mind you don’t need to hear the gory details. I notice most of you are looking at me in shock; I believe I may have sent the wrong message, I’ll start from the beginning maybe then you’ll understand.
    “Mum, Zyads hungry!” I yelled as I searched the cupboards. “Where’d you put the baby food this time?” I screamed down the hallway. I was 16 then, I was innocent, I was just a little girl. My parents weren’t very attentive, so I was usually the one who fed and played with my little brother, Zyad. However my Mum had to change him that was the one thing my Mother insisted on. She said it was easier for her but I knew she just didn’t want him to mess up her varnished floors.
    “In the fridge!” She screamed back. I rolled my eyes, it wasn’t in the fridge, I had just found it shoved into the back of the cupboard. No doubt my mother had bragged that Zyad was eating real food. I shook my head, grabbed a bottle and walked back into the lounge room. Zyad was sitting on his blanket, his chin quivering as he waited for me to come back. Then he saw me and his face broke into a grin. “Hey, baby bro.” I cried dancing over to him. He laughed and clapped his hands as I showed him the blueberry baby food. I started to help him eat it, he still wasn’t quite sure where his mouth was but other than that my 1 year old brother could still eat it.
    That’s the last normal thing I ever did. The last innocent thing I ever did. When my soul wasn’t torn and my hands weren’t covered with blood. I cherish that memory with all my heart. The innocence and content atmosphere I haven’t felt since then. Several moments later as I wiped away the baby food on Zyads chin the door swung open, slamming on its hinges. I jumped and immediately knew something was wrong. Hurriedly I picked up Zyad hugging him close I ran into another room. I set him down and locked the second door before running to the main door and sticking my head out. Two men were standing in the lounge room; one of them looked frightened, as though he’d been bullied into it. The other one looked directly at me; his eyes were crazy and scared the s**t out of me. I quickly retreated into the room, pulling the door shut hurriedly and just managing to get it locked before I felt someone tug on the other side.

    “Come on girly. We won’t hurt you.” I heard him say, his voice mocking. I picked up Zyad and hurried to the other door. I pulled it open... and froze. My parents were coming out to see what all the noise was about. I quickly shut the door again, knowing what was about to happen and knowing I had no way to help them I decided to put all my strength into protecting my baby brother. I picked up some of the baby blankets in the room and curled into the corner, covering Zyad and myself as best I could. Covering Zyads ears I blocked out the sounds coming from the lounge room, I attempted to do the same to myself but failed as I heard flesh tearing. I heard the screams of my parents and pressed harder over Zyads ears as tears streamed down my cheeks, afterwards came an eerie silence. I don’t think he understood what was going on but he understood that I was upset so he began to wail. The door smashed down and I knew Zyads wailing gave away our position so I pulled the blankets off of us.

    “There you are girly!” The man said. I wrapped my arms around Zyad and turned my body so he was out of the men point of view.
    “Oh look how good she is trying to protect her little brother!” I heard the laugh in his voice again but I had looked away. His smile made my courage falter and I didn’t need that right now. Suddenly I felt a hand on my chest and with a shove I was sprawled on the ground hugging Zyad as close to me as he could possibly get without getting hurt. I kicked at the man, getting him square in the chest. He didn’t even hesitate I realised he wasn’t normal, wasn’t human. They then started doing some ritual but back then I didn’t know what it was. All I knew was that I would put all my strength into protecting Zyad. My life was unimportant but Zyad had to live he was my last hope for the world, they had taken my mother, my father but they were not going to take away my little brother. I’d give up my own life before they did that.

    The torment was too much, my life was being drained but then the pain was refreshed with anger. They were not getting to Zyad! I could feel the pain but it was unimportant. I didn’t know what they had done but my mind cooled the pain with my anger and in a matter of seconds I tore the men limb from limb. That sounds strange enough but the strangest part was that I had done it with my teeth. In that moment I knew what had happened and what I was turning into. I had no idea that Zyad was watching and being so scared at the sight of what I was doing.
    Lying down on the carpet, I curled up, trying not to writhe. My anger had ebbed away and the pain had replaced it. Sobbing I curled up into a ball and, despite the pain, I fell asleep. I learnt later I had not fallen asleep technically but my mind had run away from the pain because 3 days later I had woken up to find Zyad curled up in the hook of my body fast asleep. I wanted to bite him, to feel his blood running over my tongue. I sat up, shocked. He was my brother! My beautiful, blonde hair, blue eyed little brother! I had thought about killing Zyad! A shudder racked my body and the need to bite something disappeared instantly.
    I dragged myself up off the floor, surprised at how graceful and easy it felt. I could feel a strength I’d never felt before and noted that if I hugged Zyad I’d have to be very careful. I wondered over to the bathroom, seeing everything with more detail. I noticed how easily it was to get distracted; my eyes had been strong before as a human but now, every twitch from Zyad, every flick, every movement caught my eye. It was extremely annoying as I was trying to keep focused. I forced myself to look in the mirror and only just managed to stifle a scream. My eyes were a deep blood red; my face so pale it reminded me of snow. My hair had been a dark brown when I was human but now it had gone so dark it was black. My small, straight nose was the same but my normally dull lips were now a bright red, like I was wearing lipstick. I sighed and looked out the window again, I was entranced in what I could see when a small voice caught my attention.
    “Violet?” I heard the whispered inquiry as though Zyad was right next to me not in another room. Turning around I was there with him in a matter of seconds. I was shocked by my speed, knowing that should’ve taken me at least close to a minute.
    “Hey, baby boy!” I cried, my voice sounded different; no longer did I have the droning voice I had as a human, the voice that made it seem like I was always bored. It had gone and was replaced with a singing voice that sounded detached from my body. I carefully picked Zyad up and spun him around. He gave a cry of happiness and then pouted. He could only say my name but somehow I knew what he was thinking. No I didn’t hear his thoughts; somehow I always know what Zyad is thinking.
    “Yes, I feel much better now.” I said smiling to show him it was true. His face lit up and then he pouted again pointing to his mouth, I laughed, that was his way of telling me he was hungry.
    “Don’t blame you.” I muttered, I fed him, cleaned him up and carried him with me throughout the house as I collected things we needed. I didn’t want to be here when people realised a mass murder had taken place. I slipped on my bag and then slipped a small one onto Zyad. I sighed and looked around the house for one last time. I picked up Zyad and smiled at him.
    “Hold on as tight as you can.” He nodded and I felt him grip my neck and felt his relief that I didn’t die to. Sighing I flew out of the door and into the world like a bullet out of a gun, literally. I didn’t know where I was going or what I was doing but I knew I had to get out of there. I ran for a few days, stopping only to let Zyad eat and go to the toilet but he slept in my arms, I had no need for sleep.

    I knew I needed to stop soon but I still hadn’t found the place that felt right, until I came upon a place called Namo, a small town in the middle of nowhere. The moment I saw the place I smiled, knowing I had finally found the place where we could stay and not get disturbed. I waited until the next day before I walked into the town, Zyad clung to my hand but he was walking. I thought it was about time he got some exercise. I was frightened, wondering how people would react to my red eyes. It took me a few moments to realize, people were looking at me but not with fear. They were looking at me with pity and I wondered what they saw. I looked at Zyad and realised his hair was tangled, his clothes were torn and his teeth were yellow, but his smile still felt like the sun coming out after a storm.

    I had always pitied Zyad because he had been born in a very cruel world. My mind was far off and then something had caught my attention, a hand waving in front of my face. Startled I stepped back, shock and confusion crossed the child’s face.
    “Hi.” I muttered and the child’s face lit up. I mentally raised an eyebrow, why wasn’t he frightened of my eyes?
    “Ma’am why are your eyes purple?” The child questioned and I became aware that I was backing away. Purple? Since when were my eyes purple? Since now my mind cackled. The voice in my head wasn’t mine, it was deep and growling, like a man’s voice.
    “What is your name child?” I asked, shaken that someone else was in my head.
    “Rose,” The girl answered with a grin and I smiled back at her.
    “Hey, were both flowers! My name is Violet.” I said and I heard the cackle in my head again, playing nice aren’t we? A small growl escaped my throat and the Rose looked at me startled.

    “Sorry, frog in the throat,” I amended quickly, “Go have some fun Zyad.” I knelt down beside him and whispered a warning.
    “Don’t tell them about what has happened the last few days ok?” I commanded with a stern tone, Zyad nodded and ran off. Being careful aren’t we? I sighed irritated. What do you want? I fired back, thinking they may be able to read my thoughts.
    I know what you are. I know that you’re like us. I smirked and shook my head.
    You can’t be like I am. I don’t drink anything, nothing at all. Human blood smells gross to me and I’d rather not drink animal blood. I started walking, just wandering around, not searching for anything.
    Wow it must take a lot not to drink people’s blood. The voice in my head said, I could hear the admiration in its voice.
    When I smell human blood it’s about the same as smelling a room full of dog s**t, not hard to stay away from. I replied with a smile. No wonder I’d felt safe in this town, there were other vampires and I had the feeling they lived among the humans. Sighing I looked around wandering where this vampire was.

    Where are you? I questioned as my heart ached for company of my kind.
    My family doesn’t know I’m talking to you, they wouldn’t believe me if I told them that you didn’t drink blood at all. I believe you only cause you keep playing what happened to you over and over in your head. I laughed and pushed the memories out of my head, I felt like he was intruding.
    Tell me what you look like? I asked creating in my mind a boy around my age looking like what his voice sounded.
    Ha you were close. The image blurred and I knew he was messing with it, when it stilled I smiled. He was tall and not quite as snow pale as I was but pale all the same, his hair was black but looked as though it had the slightest dusting of icing which meant it was more of a light gray. His eyes were a topaz colour.

    Don’t you look nice? I giggled and sent him an image of what I looked like now.
    You too. We both laughed before my stomach tightened.
    What’s wrong? The message had urgency in it and I knew something was terribly wrong.
    No clue, I’m going back to Zyad I forgot how fast I moved but I was next to the children in seconds and then screams erupted around me. I thought they were screaming because I had come out of nowhere but when I looked up I saw a man pulling a little girls head sideways by her hair. It was Rose, and that was vampire.

    “No!” I screeched and I felt a power fly from my body, suddenly Rose gained a faint purple glow about her and with a significant tug floated through the air before landing at my feet.
    We’re coming. Lucky you were there.
    How do they know what’s happening? Do they believe I’m here?
    I don’t know but they know I wouldn’t lie about a vampire attack.
    I had to settle for that and with my strange now power I pulled every human around me close before I looked over the attackers. One was a boy, no older than me and I felt the scrutiny in his thoughts. It took me a moment to figure out I was feeling them through someone else though.
    “You alright?” It was the same voice I had been talking to in my head and I smirked.
    “Just fine, apparently I’m telekinetic.” I grinned at him and he grinned back.
    “Why are you talking like you’ve each other for years?” A second vampire, a beautiful blonde woman, appeared beside him and I laughed but the guy in my head went serious.
    “Time to fight,” He said and all three of us nodded. I sped off, noting that I was faster than the guy who couldn’t catch up.
    No fair, you had a head start! I heard the laughter in his voice but when I turned around he was stone face.
    I’ll freeze him you attack. I commanded and I felt his silent agreement. I skidded to a stop a few feet away from the leader.
    “Hello girl. You seem to be new at this but you can’t be a new born, you have too much control.” I knew I could use his belief that I wasn’t a new born to my advantage. My body grew rigid as my power rose, not aware that the more power I called upon the more beautiful I grew. As I began to reach the peak of my power I felt several close bodies around me and the voice of the woman yelling.
    “Leave her alone! Get away her powers to great!” Two bodies pulled away but one stayed.
    “Are you crazy? Cavil get out of there!” I heard another voice yell and then I felt an arm snake around me. I screamed and then the power exploded out of me, immobilising everyone. I laughed hysterically as I walked out of the persons arm. I turned around to find out who it was when I realised that Cavil was, in fact, the guy I had been speaking to for the past half hour. Frightened I looked around; everyone had that strange purple glow around them. No one was moving and the blonde vampire had a look of horror on her face, Cavil face was blank, like he was hypnotized. I gulped, how did I remove it? I didn’t feel the power anymore; it was like I had released it. I closed my eyes and did a mental check for things that felt different; I noticed a warm spot in the middle of my stomach, like something the size of a small gem. It was the core of my power; I knew that because there was no way anything else could be that warm inside me.

    I frowned, ok so I had the core inside me, I had complete control but how did I pull it back in? I focused on the core and then on the people around me and imagined the power pouring back into me. It took a few minutes before I felt the core blaze with power then returned to being cold and I felt movement resume around me. I opened my eyes to find the blonde vampire in front of me a worried expression on her face. Cavil was nowhere to be seen but I could feel his thoughts as he was after the vampire.
    “Are you alright?” The blonde asked and I nodded.
    “What... What did I do?” I questioned, not knowing what to do next.
    “You lost control of your power, for someone who has so much control over not biting humans you sure do act like a new born.” The blonde raised a quizzical eyebrow at me and I laughed.
    “It’s hard to explain but I am a new born.” At this I realized I didn’t know where Zyad was.
    “Zyad?” I cried out scanning my surroundings again. I sighed with relief as I spotted his blonde hair, he was running towards me.
    “Violet!” He cried and I picked him with ease, resting him in the crook of my arm.
    “The first thing I wanted to bite after I changed was this little bugger.” I looked up at the vampire with a smile.
    “I never did.” Was all I said and a look of understanding flashed over the blondes face.
    “I’m Violet and this is Zyad.” I nuzzled Zyads neck and I look up at the blonde who was looking at me with her eyebrows raised. She thought I had extreme control as well and I stifled a giggle.
    “I’m Uyana Newa.” She answered and with a smile she took my hand and answered my unasked question.