My Dear Love,

It’s been a while since I’ve written to you, perhaps too long. But what’s “too long?” We’ve been here for centuries, banished to this wretched world of mortals. But such is love, isn’t it? Grounded to the floor, sinking in each others’ blood colored eyes and drowning in lust. I still remember the first day I met you; your raven black hair, short and tousled, sitting atop your head like a crown of thorns. I’ve never seen such porcelain skin as smooth as yours that curled around your protruding cheek bones with such elegance and grace, it was almost sinful. Your smile could destroy forests yet rebuild them, all at once. Such sophistication rippled within your stride when you walked, I thought I was staring at God, though you posses much more pride than he. I couldn’t keep my fateful eyes off you. And, as if your physique wasn’t perfect enough, you spoke to me for the first time. With one calm chuckle, your voice could melt butter. With one hiss, you could freeze all the water in the seven seas. I remember all this as if it were yesterday…

~~


Moonlight poured across the land of eternal darkness, giving an eerie glow amongst the castle where my father’s kingliness reigned with an iron fist and armor clad boot. Alone I sat under a willow tree, reading against the soft wind that carried between my pages. My leather bound book warm and smooth against my palm as I let the air do the work for me, pushing a page so I may scan the next. I sighed into the peaceful afternoon air that stole my breath and carried it into the stars that flickered like candles, completely content. Though I’ve read this book a thousand times and learned every spell by heart, I had no other book on my shelf to read. All the servants that dwell within the castle had stolen them by my father’s request since I spent too much time alone in my room. I managed to hide the book I was reading by shrouding it in darkness. And so, here I sat, reading over pages that I’ve raked my eyes over a thousand times before, only to pass the time until the lunch hunt.

“Good day my lady…may I ask why are you out here all alone? You’ll catch your death.” A dark low chuckle rang softly in my ears as I quickly shut my magic book, jolted by the sudden noise.

“How can I catch my death if I’m already dead?” My eyebrow arched in question as I peered up this strange man feet from me, drinking in his lanky figure with my eager eyes.

“You have a point there,” his long legs folded in on each other as he sat next to me, “may I sit?”

“Kind of late for that question, isn’t it?” My lips curled into a sarcastic smirk. His gaze rested on the grass below. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me as I watched his cheeks be seized by a blush at my quip. His long slender fingers that made my spine tingle began plucking the single green blades. Those cheeks that were stolen by a blush lifted as he smiled.

“So, really, why are you out here all by your lonesome? A pretty maiden like you shouldn’t be reading alone under the moonlight on such a gorgeous afternoon.” His smile was genuine as his eyes flicked back and forth, watching as I scoffed at the small compliment. My eyes dropped to the grass where my book lay.

“Please…I am no maiden, I’m a monster.”

“Aren’t we all monsters here?” His cold and strong hand rested on my relaxed shoulder, his thumb caressing the fabric on the sleeve of my dress. I smiled sadly at his subtle joke.

“What’s your name stranger?” I peeled my eyes away from tracing over the familiar leather of my books cover and rested them just above his nose, smirking playfully as my voice rose with wonder of this gorgeous man’s name. I cocked my head, swooned by this man who was rapidly gaining my interest. The wind danced along the barren land that I watched over, partying with the long blades of grass and humming against the flowers. His tousled black hair bounced lightly against the fondling air.

“Hayden, my fair lady.”

“Hayden…Hayden…Hayden…” I played with his name, letting it roll off my tongue only to pull it back into my vocal cords, repeating it until I was satisfied by its taste. It sounded natural in my ears and felt familiar on my tongue though I have never spoken his exotic name before now. I sat in this state of wonder for far too long, the mid high hanging moon now inches from the horizon. Hayden didn’t disturb me in fear I may lash out if I lost my train of thought, though that was lost years ago. Finally, a soft caramel voice broke the sharp silence of the dancing wind whistling in my ears.

“And yours, may I ask?” His perfect eyebrows raised in question, his face drawing closer as his eyes begged for my unspoken answer.

“Aurelia…” I barely whispered, his proximity to my lips letting another blush creep across my white pale skin. I haven’t felt like this is decades, what is he doing to me?

“Such a pretty name for a pretty girl. It’s quite fitting.” His eyes where barely inches from mine, his sweet breath that exhaled through his nose raked against my skin. It made my hair stand on end as I became completely swooned by his charm.

“Th-thank you.” I stuttered like an idiot, my fingers twisting in my palm nervously. His dark chuckle tickled the small pocket of air around us. Unlike his dead pale skin, his lips were alive, stunning pink and plump blankets curling into a smile. His sharp fangs groped the skin just beyond the corner of his mouth. Then, our lips touched. And it was there, between our fighting lips, a spark.

~~


Oh that kiss was the beginning of many to come. Though, I can’t help but to sit here and wonder, do you remember that day back in 946 A.D. when we fell in love? We were just naive 23 year old vampires barely growing into our fangs. Oh yes, and the day both our fathers banished us from Sanglaheim, the realm of eternal darkness, and made us live with these… fleshy filthy bags of blood. I was a king’s daughter and you, a prince. Aurelia Alderpatch was the name my father gave me. The Alderpatch kingdom ruled its side of the world harshly, keeping the lower class that lived behind its walls under its thumb. No wonder I was so rebellious when I met you. Strict fathers create rebellious children do they not? The name your father gave you had to of been the sweetest combination of letters that I could ever imagine. Hayden Raundauht was the name he chose. Such an exotic name that tickled my tongue whenever I breathed it, I would caress its sweet Sanglahiem culture whenever I was offered a chance.
Our fathers ruled different sides of our world, divided by hate, the blood of the fallen and massive oceans. How you found me across all those seas plaguing our world, I will never know. What I do know is that our love was forbidden. Forbidden like the fruit Adam ate from the tree of knowledge persuaded by Eve, as its read from the humans “Bible.” And since our fathers despised each other and didn’t approve of our sacred love, here we are on this realm called Earth, amongst the living to spend the rest of our immortal days watching this planet slowly die and fade away into the universe in a fiery hell. Though my death will be coming sooner than you think. Oh my sweet Hayden, please don’t blame yourself for you are not at fault here. I have simply grown weary of living like this, a monster, feasting on the blood of others just to stay alive. And with the powers I have inherited, I am able to see into my victim’s past, the bittersweet memories trickle on my tongue like the taste of your name did… though I have forgotten that sugary luxury after all these years of plain routine. Such perfect lives of happiness and laughter, smiles and embraces these mortals have. What do I have to smile for? How can I be happy when I’ve hated what I was from the beginning? I remember that day too, when you stopped me from walking into our mortal enemy.

~~


I open the curtains to Hayden and I’s small one floor house in London. Today was the day. I simply couldn’t go on living with this monster inside me. I sighed and moved the curtains away from the window, a sharp whisk of the metal rings scraping against the metal rod echoed in the silent room. A sudden brightness filled the room that I hadn’t seen in centuries and it blinded my eyes. I rubbed my vision back to normal, watching as the dust that once clung to the black curtains cascaded its way onto the hardwood floor in the pillars of sunlight. My hand grazed the beckoning light that moaned my name with silent words. White skin hissed under its hypnotic spell and sizzled with orange embers as I stepped further into it, letting the fire burn up to my forearm. The sweet candy coated pain shocked my body and I screamed in protest. I smiled at the pain, such a sweet sensation it was. A loud slam vibrated the house after my pained moan soaked into the walls. Had Hayden come home from a hunt? No matter, I didn’t care. All I cared about is dying finally. I stepped closer to my death, letting the sun corrode beyond my elbow. With this new burning sensation on my virgin skin, my whine deafened my ears and I barely heard Hayden’s shrill gasp.

“Aurelia! What are you doing?!” His strong hand took my shoulder and pulled me away from the suns deadly rays by the fabric of my shirt. I hissed at his touch, my skin desperately trying to heal itself from its encounter with the sun. He nearly pulled the curtains off the rod as they whisked shut. I sank to the ground, unable to answer him as I clutched my hissing arm that sizzled with pillars of smoke.

“Are you trying to kill yourself?” Those same strong hands found my cheeks damp with tears, forcing me to look into those red eyes that hypnotized me long ago. His sweet calming voice cracking on levels unknown to my ears. His perfect face red and foreign to my blurring tear-filled eyes. I smirked, my mind and thought process numbed by the pain.

“And if I say yes?” I barely breathed out before a loud clap filled the room. My jaw ached at the sudden blow and my mind suddenly aware of what was happening. He bared his teeth in anger and hurt, sucking in ugly sobs.

“Then you promise not to leave my side,” He screamed, “I-I-I can’t lose y-you Aurelia, I love you…”His voice grew quieter with every word until I could barely hear what he was saying.

“You what?” I placed my hand that wasn’t burning on my jaw, popping it back into place from the blow it just received.

“ Aurelia I love you! Don’t you see that? I haven’t been saying it for centuries just to hear myself talk. Why would you want to take your own life?” His frantic eyes searched mine for an answer. I simply couldn’t find the right words to say.

“Hayden, love, if you think it’s you, you’re wrong. I also love you very deeply. It’s just…”I stopped, familiar dampness returning to my eyes, “I hate being like this! I belong with the scum that roam the streets of London. My throat is filthy with the blood of the defenseless. I can see into their lives, Hayden, their memories. Do you know how heartbreaking that is to see all those joyous scenes flash before your eyes? Watching them helplessly at you take the life source from their bodies just so you can continue living? We’re not advanced beings, we’re just as bad as them!” I screamed at him, my small body rocking with uncontrollable sobs as I pointed to the window where the morning’s busy routine was beginning just beyond the curtain. Swiftly, with a gesture kind and loving to the touch, my lover embraced me, settling my sobs into his finely sculpted chest. His long slender fingers that plucked blades of grass before now slowly caressed my back, calming me with every stroke.

“Do you not see this? That we are hideous monsters that shouldn’t even be here in the first place?” I whimpered like a lost puppy in search of its mother. He nodded, his chest rising and falling in a deep, lingering sigh that hung in the air like perfume.

“Yes love, I do,” I felt his muscles tense up and relax under my hand as he moved to look at my puffy eyes, “but why do you want to take your life?”

“I don’t deserve to live if I’m as bad as them, killing others to become higher in life. I’m a monster.” I couldn’t look into his precious orbs that settled between those sculpted cheeks of his. If I did, I would be hypnotized by his charm once again and forget this all happened. That was his power, the power of seduction, and he used it well.

“Aren’t we all?” He mimicked those same words spoken nearly 9 centuries ago with a sad smile etched into his marbled lips, stroking my cheek with his slender thumb. I sighed into his touch upon my stinging cheek, leaning against his palm.

“Come. Let us rest, it’s nearly 11 in the morning and we need our sleep.” He persuaded and I gave in to that charm that I feared. That day, the bed was empty as I awoke; the need to quench my light thirst ate away at my throat. In the same room where my little episode transpired, I heard weeping. Loud, angry, gut wrenching sobbing that echoed throughout the walls of the house. My ear rested on the closed door. No words were spoken, only weeping and I could tell it was Hayden. Oh that poor poor boy that I love so…if only he hadn’t of saved me.

~~


That was the first time I ever saw tears in your eyes and the first time I ever heard you weep so sadly. It was such a heartbreaking sight; I couldn’t help but promise I wouldn’t do anything like that again just to see you smile again. Your smile is like wine, I could get drunk off your lips without even drinking their taste.

My arm still hasn’t healed correctly after that little episode a decade ago. I think of the mangled mess of scar tissue that is my left arm as a physical interpretation of how I am a monster. No matter how many times you pleaded with me saying I wasn’t, I would lay awake at night running fingers over theses scars. Now, in the year of 1889, I’m heartbroken to say I’m breaking that sacred promise. I’m sorry my love, but 966 years of being like…this…is long enough. I’m not saying those years weren’t worth spending with you because they were; I loved them. It was I who I didn’t love all those years. And so here I am, writing this letter to you so it might be my legacy when I’m gone, so you don’t feel upset or wronged, so you don’t think my death was in vain. I do love you my dear sweet Hayden, never doubt that. My non-beating heart aches for your lovely kisses upon my lips so I can finally rest in peace soaking into the fabric of the curtains like the dust that flew away when our angry hands groped the velvet. Please…don’t blame yourself.


With love,



Aurelia

~~


That day soon after that letter was written and rested on a pile of ash in the morning sunrays just beyond the windowpane, poor Hayden came home with fresh kill. When he entered their bedroom and read that suicide letter from his lover, nothing could stop him from meeting the same fate as her just to be eternally lost between heaven and hell with her by his side.