Unnatural Thirsts

"I understand. I wasn't sure either, although you saw the predator in me when I was very young. You may not believe it, but I've seen the same thing in you for years."

I smiled but was still unsure. You sat up, a serious expression on your face.

"We have something important to discuss. It can't wait, unfortunately."

"What is it?"

"First of all I just want to say that I love you. I'll support whatever decision you make."

I sat up now.

"You're worrying me a little."

"Good. I want you to take this seriously. You see, you have to make the same choice that I did. Usually though, it happens right after awakening. So, I'm supposed to ask you, right now, if you will kill. If you won't, I'm supposed to reject you, or be expelled from my House. But I won't abandon you. And getting expelled isn't the end of the world. We would lose access to resources and wealth, and we wouldn't be able to see mother and father again. I will happily give it all up, if you want."

To my surprise, the idea of killing didn't seem quite so bad.

"So, um, assuming I chose to kill someone, how would we, uh, go about it?"

To my surprise, you smiled a wide predatory grin.

"Well, normally, we'd have to go out and hunt someone up. I'd help you to find someone awful and then help you hunt them...but tonight I have something special for you."

"Something special?"

"Well, someone special, really. Again, you don't have to kill them, but they are right in the other room."

I perked my ears up and was surprised to hear a heartbeat coming from the lounge of our suite. I also felt great fear.

"Why do they feel familiar to me?"

"Well," you said, innocently, "I had to catch one of the cult members. I needed to know if there would be more ambushes in our future. So I caught up with the one person that I knew was still alive and who was involved in all of it. She's been most helpful. I'm fairly certain she's the last surviving member..."

"Really? And you kept her here, for me to, uh, eat?"

You nodded.

"How thoughtful. Well, I guess we shouldn't keep our guest waiting."

When I opened the door to the lounge, I wasn't surprised at the fear that Jeni was feeling. She was tied to a chair, and the chair itself was situated over a tarp. Things like that never boded well. She had some bruises and cuts, presumably from the, uh, "conversation" that you'd had with her. Overall, she was in good health, if afraid.

She looked up at me as we entered. On seeing me she felt a wash of relief. How adorable.

"Oh thank god. Please...your sister is crazy! I didn't want to hurt you...I never tortured you or tried to kill you? I...I loved you. Tell her!"

I smiled in a reassuring manner, careful not to show my teeth, which had somehow instinctively lengthened and sharpened. You were silent.

"Jeni...you loved something that looked like me. But it wasn't me. It was what my father told you to love."

"Maybe...maybe at first! But I love you, now...the you that you really are! Please...just get her to let me go and....and I'll be whatever you want."

Jeni was mistaken, but she really was willing to love me. She was the sort who needed someone else to tell her about herself. She wanted to live, and she would be more than happy to live out any identity that I gave her.

"Whatever I want?" I said, walking behind her. I couldn't help licking my lips.

"Anything...just tell me..."

"Right now...I think I want you...to be breakfast."

I walked in front of her and smiled, showing her the rows of shining, ivory daggers in my mouth. She grew pale, and tried to scream, but I filled her with a relaxing sensation.

"Don't worry, Jeni, I promise that this won't hurt at all. I'm still very...humane."

I bit her. My first bite. I'm still surprised that I didn't mess it up, but it was easy, instinctive. My teeth penetrated her neck and she gasped as I turned her pain into pleasure. As I drank I filled her with yet more erotic sensation. She had the little death before the real one. And she was delicious. Although, as I was soon to learn, her taste paled to yours.

"I knew that you had it in you," you said, radiating pride. We kissed, and then together we finished our meal. It would have been unethical to waste food, after all.

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Our Bloody Future

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We travelled together, becoming I suppose the new unliving power-couple. You showed me Europe, both in the light and the dark. I learned my lessons as you had, and became an official member of the family, although I was already accepted.

As your nature made you strong, the pinnacle of your kind, mine made me unique. I didn't lose my gifts, and with time I have grown stronger and more skilled in their use. It makes our hunts more enjoyable, and of course being able to flavor the prey with various emotions is handy.

You still say that I taste the best, which is lovely.

After a few years I started thinking of William as my father. That was unexpected. After I realized that he'd truly wanted to marry our mother decades ago and adopt me, I felt pretty warmly towards him. After all, he'd always been nice to me. And he gave you to all of us.

For his part he was grateful for all that I'd done for you, and approved of our unusual romance. He seemed to imply that this sort of thing wasn't that odd in the circles that he travelled in, and that it made perfect sense for a woman with otherworldly blood to give birth to children who were destined to be lovers. After all, weren't Isis and Osiris sister and brother? Didn't that happen over and over in myth and legend?

Besides all of that, he and mother are obviously and completely in love with each other. She has come into her own, the dark and bloody fey lady that she is. We visit them regularly and are always welcomed in their house.

We had our first child some decades ago, which was an amazing surprise. We named her after our mother and she has been a joy to both of us, although her coming of age was a bit more of a shock to me than it was to you. She lives her own life now, but she stays close to both of us in her way. You have been most understanding of our relationship.

You have said nothing about it yet but my gift tells me that you might be expecting again. This excites in me a great new desire, and deepens my love for you. I am, as always, awed by the emotions that you stir in me. My perfect, sweet, dear, little sister. What kind of life would I have had without you? I am so glad that I never had to find out.

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My Second Message To You

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I wrote the introduction before I finished this, and it doesn't really apply any more, but I kept it out of artistic integrity.

I thought you might enjoy this, so I'm giving it to you for our Halloween anniversary this year. Well, I suppose its more like my birthday, but we celebrate each other on this day, each year.

You've always loved it when I made things for you. This was handmade over years, re-written and struggled over and forgotten and remembered. I hope that it brings you even a small measure of joy.

You never need to give me anything. You are gift enough.

With Unending Love,

Your Brother

Oct 31st, 21xx