Forbidden Love 01

'And then I saw Her. She was beautiful. Is beautiful. The most beautiful person, both human and vampire that I've ever seen. I had to follow her. I did so, quietly, and followed her to her flat. All I did was stare at her. I don't know how long that was but I realised that dawn was about to break and I hurried back.' He looked at his father who was now sitting by the dresser and staring at him in understanding. 'Oh father, I had to go back. Again and again and again. She was just...lovely.'

'You're in love then I gather?' his father wryly asked.

Aleksander stared sharply at his father, 'Love? Who said anything about Love? I just think...I mean I just...I...' He stammered slowly as it dawned on him that this was indeed the only explanation. How else could he explain what was always drawing him back there? He had never felt this way before about anyone or anything in his entire life. It had to be love? But...for a human? That was unheard of! He looked again at his father, 'I cannot be in love. I have to snap out of it. She's...she's human, father.' He expected his father to agree with him as humans were simply out of bounds as partners. Only food. He was stunned to see his father shake his head albeit wearily. 'Yes, son I understand what you mean. Five hundred years ago I met an amazing woman. She was astonishing. She was the chambermaid of the Comtessa Maria of Italy. I fell in love immediately. I too thought I had to 'snap out of it' as you say because she was human but I couldn't. I kept on meeting her in secret. Wooing her. All to the annoyance and disapproval of my peers but I could not help myself. I was too in love.'

He sighed with a sweet smile on his face and Aleksander looked at him in wonderment, 'So what happened father? Did you have to give her up? Did she find out what you were?'

His father ruefully shook his head. 'At first she didn't. I had determined that I was going to leave her alone and move to another city. But I had to see her one more time. Little did I know that Damien, my arch enemy was going to accompany me, albeit stealthily. When I got to her, she rushed into my arms and I was weak. I was not sure I would be able to tell her the truth and Damien, now one of the elders, pounced from nowhere on her. I thought I would die that day. He dragged her off me and tauntingly shook the frightened girl at me. 'This is what you leave your clan for every night. This...food?' He said to me derisively. I was brimming with fear and anger, my son, I begged him to let her go, to refrain from harming her, but he did not listen. She was shaking with fear. She asked us what we were. Who we were. Damien laughed and replied 'Did Claudio not say? We are vampyre, my dear girl. Vampires'. She started howling hysterically. She pleaded with us to let her go. She cried that she would not tell anyone about us but Damien did not listen. I begged him not to and right in front of me he bit her.

'I remember my anguish as if it was yesterday. He almost drained her and I fought like hell with him but Damien was older, more powerful. He dropped her in her almost drained state into my arms and smiled at me, 'This is for you. If you really love her then leave her to die as she obviously would rather do so than become one of us. But if you do not care, if you want her with you forever, then turn her. The decision is up to you' and with that he flew off. I was shaking, crying as I held her in my arms. She looked at me with sad, almost dead eyes and whispered, 'Leave me. Leave me let me die. I love you but I cannot be one of you. Please leave me.' And you know what my son, I did. I kissed her one last time. Told her one last time how much I loved her and I left her there with a smile on her face. I watched her die, Aleksander and that was, and still is the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my years of living on this earth.'

He sighed once more and dragged his hand down his tired face. 'You see son, this is why I am going to tell you this for your own good. Leave her be. Humans do not want to be like us. Myself and your mother were obviously once human and foolish enough to not heed our parents and that's how we were forcefully turned against our will. I do not regret it. How else would we have had you and your sisters? My lovely children? You are amongst the first pure-bred vampires the world has ever known. Birthed as one and not turned. You and your sisters and the other handful of your type out there are infinitely more powerful than us. The elders would make sure that you do not sully your blood by mating or having anything to do with humans. So you see my son, you are in between the proverbial devil and the deep blue sea. On one hand humans would rather die than become one of us, that is if the ones of today even believe in us, which they don't. On the other hand, if you were to show interest in a human, the elders would kill such a one as there is the minute chance that she may love you back and want to be turned. The elders want a new world of pure-bred vampires and would stop at nothing to make sure it comes to pass.'

Aleksander shook his head vehemently, 'But what if I do not want to be with a pure bred vampire? They cannot force me against my will.'

His father smiled sorrowfully, 'No they can't but they would rather you stay forever single than end up with any ordinary vampire or human. Why do you think your sisters do not want to marry? They are very beautiful. But they are strong headed like you and would rather marry for love. My son, I cannot stop you from going after your human in the end but if you really love her you would stop. Because if the elders, particularly Damien finds out, then you will lose her forever. So please my son, be careful whatever path you choose.' And with that he patted his son's shoulder and left the room.

Aleksander looked through unseeing eyes round his room. What was he to do?