Nightshade: A SimLit | Chapter 15: Love At First Bite

Onyx awoke in the early hours of the morning, just before the sunrise. He was overwhelmed with a strange, unpleasant feeling. His mouth was unusually dry, like he was... thirsty. Realization set in, followed by fear. He quietly walked out of his bedroom, and approached Raven, who was already awake and sitting on the couch. "Mom...?"

"Yes, what is it, Onyx?" Raven asked, glancing over her shoulder at him.

"...I'm thirsty," he said bluntly.

Her eyes lit up, and she grinned at her son. "Onyx, you've manifested your thirst? This is wonderful!" she exclaimed. "It means that now, you're fully a vampire! I can't wait to take you on your first hunt!"

He looked away. "My first... hunt?"

"Yes, of course. You now have the task of satisfying your thirst. Since only certain very powerful vampires can safely go out in the sunlight, we have to hunt at night," Raven explained. "Humans can't see very well in the dark, so it's the best time to find a meal."

"You mean you want me to hunt... humans...?" Onyx asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"That's just how it is, Onyx. It's not like we kill them, we just bite them!" she laughed. "It's not a big deal. I've known some vampires who felt kind of bad doing it at first, but there's no reason to. Humans are evil. They deserve it."

"Um, actually..." his voice trailed off. "I was reading a book about vampires in the school library, and... I read there was a fruit that you can eat instead... I'd rather do that." he said. "I just don't like the idea of hurting people."

Raven's eyebrows furrowed. "No."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that no son of mine is going to use alternative methods!" she snapped. "Real vampires feed off the living. Plasma fruit is for wimps and cowards!"

"I won't do it!" Onyx exclaimed, with great frustration. "I can't!" 

"Yes you can, and yes you will." Raven stated firmly. "You don't have a choice. This discussion is over."

Without a word, Onyx got up and returned to his room.

'I can't believe this...' Onyx thought. 'There's no way I could do that to someone. I don't care what she says, I'd rather go thirsty...'

But his craving was only getting more intense by the minute, and Onyx knew he couldn't go without drinking forever. Regardless, he got ready to face the day at school, and hoped he'd be able to figure something out... somehow.

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That night, Amelia awaited her friend on the balcony as usual. She stared out into the distance, watching the snow fall. The night air was as cold as ice, and she knew she couldn't stay outside for long. She heard the now familiar flapping of bat wings, and turned to face Onyx as he returned to his regular form. "Hey, Onyx." she smiled, and walked up to him.

Onyx didn't look her in the eye, but averted his gaze to her neck. "Amelia..." he said, his voice coming out in a deep growl.

"...Onyx?" Amelia took a step back. "What's wrong?"

'I have to resist...' Onyx thought, although he could feel his self control slipping. "I'm... so thirsty..." he growled.

Her eyes widened. "Your thirst manifested? Um... didn't your mom help you with that?"

"She's forcing me to drink from people," he said, much more aggressively than he normally would. "I can't... I can't do it..."

"No... she can't force you to do that! There has to be another way!" 

Suddenly, Onyx lunged toward her, but cupped his hand to his mouth and took a step back. "I can't... control..." he looked up at her, and their eyes met, but it wasn't the Onyx she knew. There was something inhuman staring back at her. 

'I can't just let him suffer like this,' Amelia thought. 'He's not himself... it's like he's going insane...' She took a deep breath, knowing what she had to do. "Onyx, drink from me."

"I-I... I don't want to hurt you, Amelia..."

"You have to," Amelia said. "I can't stand seeing you like this. Onyx, please..."

He felt his self restraint slipping as he stared at the exposed skin of her neck. 'Delicious,' he thought, disturbed as soon the word came to mind. 'No! I can't! I can't... but I have to...'

"It's okay, Onyx," she said reassuringly. 

"...I don't want to, but..." Onyx sighed. "I'm sorry."

She stared in awe as a black mist surrounded him and dissipated to reveal his skin now turned a dead gray. She gave him a confused look. Onyx looked back at her with the same red eyes, although the whites had turned pitch black. "Um... dark form. It's what vampires use when they..." his voice trailed off. "...do vampire things..."

"You look great," she blurted. 'Wait, that was awkward...'

"You don't... find it creepy?" 

Amelia smiled. "No, I find it really cool."

Onyx smiled, but only for a moment, and approached her. "Are you sure...?" he asked. "You don't... have to..."

"I'm sure." Amelia said. Truthfully, she wasn't sure. Her heart was pounding. She didn't fear Onyx, but she did fear the pain. Taking a deep breath, she tilted her head to the side slightly, exposing her neck further. "G-go ahead..."

He nodded and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Amelia," he muttered, before leaning in and biting down, just barely hard enough to draw blood. 

Amelia tensed, wincing at the bite, but there was something strangely pleasurable about the feeling of his lips against her skin, and her heart only pounded faster. He was hit with a wave of guilt as he felt her muscles tense underneath him, but as soon as the taste hit his tongue, he lost all restraint. In that moment, he didn't feel like Onyx anymore. He plunged his fangs deep into her neck, desperate for more.

"O-Onyx!"

Onyx heard her, but the bloodthirsty animal didn't. He wanted more. He needed more. The flavor was indescribable, something he thought he wouldn't even like, but now that he'd tasted it he knew he couldn't go without it. 

"Onyx, please... stop..."

Suddenly, every part of him heard her. He let go, his thirst satisfied, and the guilt washed over him. "Amelia... I'm so sorry, I didn't... I couldn't control it, I just..."

"Do you... feel better now?" she asked quietly.

"...I don't feel better, but I'm not thirsty now, if that's what you're asking." Onyx said, and he hung his head in shame. "I hurt you..."

"No, no, I'm okay." Amelia smiled weakly. "I'm just glad you're okay now."

'What happened to me? I wasn't myself...' Onyx thought. 'I can't stand the thought of hurting her... so why did I do it...?'

He pulled Amelia into his arms.  "I'm so sorry, Amelia... I'm so sorry..."

"I know you didn't want to hurt me. It wasn't even really you, you were... something else." Amelia tried to reassure him. "Don't feel bad..."

Onyx let go, and turned away from her, walking to the other side of the balcony. His eyes were brimming with tears, and he didn't want her to see him cry. 'I'm a monster,' he thought. 'Amelia's mom was right...'

Finally, he spoke. "I should... I should go now..."

"Onyx... I..." Amelia began, but didn't know what to say. "I'll... see you tomorrow?"

"Of course," he replied, his voice quivering. His face was wet with tears, and he realized he was sobbing softly. "G-goodnight, Amelia..." He transformed into a bat and flew towards home.

She frowned. Though she had a sore neck, she knew the pain wasn't anywhere near what Onyx was feeling. "Goodnight..."