[aphrodite]

You stare in the mirror at your bare shoulder. You close your eyes and re-open them hoping depseratly that the results would change. Tattooed over one shoulder is a black ink of various writing inscriptions that you can't read or understand. It was the mark the vampire had given you claiming you as his. But you refused to believe you belonged to anybody. Though after yesterday's episode you did not want to publicly deny it either. You look closely at the inscriptions trying to discover what they say with no such luck.
"Kofearen." Comes a cheerful voice from behind you. You turn around quickly to see Kalira standing behind you.
"What?" You ask confused.
"Kofearen. That's the language that was used to seal you. It's very, very ancient. Older then I." Kalira explains.
"Can..can you read it?" You ask slightly hopeful.
"Actually I can. Master used to use it all the time in his letters to friends. Finally I decided to learn the language. Master taught me."
"I didn't know vampires even had friends." You mutter under your breath, though still heard by Kalira's cat ears.
"Let me see your shoulder." She says pulling you down to your knees to meet her level. After studying the writings for several minutes Kalira finally makes sense of it all.
"To the strong go the spoils
Bound are they with devilish oils
Touch and be burned
Lust and be returned
All power over thee
Given in certainty
Break the claim
And be brought to shame."
"That doesn't make any sense at all!" You explain groaning.
"It makes perfect sense." Kalira replies. You stare at her dumbfounded.
"Let me explain. "The first line speaks for itself. Master is strong, and because he is, he gets to have you. 'Bound are they with devilish oils' Is speaking of the seal on your shoulder. Vampires are creatures of darkness. Some say they are from hell. So an oil of darkness imprinted this upon you. 'Touch and be burned' is a warning to other vampires. If they try to touch you, their skin will burn. 'Lust and be returned' means if another vampire lusts after you and only if he trys to take you, he will be returned to the darkness from which he came...in a sense he will die, but not completely. 'All power over thee, given in certainty' means that Master has all power over you, put simply. 'Break the claim and be brought to shame' means that if you try to break Master's claim over you, you will be brought to shame." Kalira explains much to your delight.
"A little bit of shame doesn't sound so bad if it means getting rid of this tattoo." You say, thinking the consequences meager.
"Shame to the vampire world does not mean the same thing as here." Kalira replies slowly, a hint of fear in her eyes. You want to question it further but see that it may not be wise. You cover up your shoulder again with your shirt and sigh heavily. Why was this happening to you? Of all people why you?
"I hope Master comes for you soon. I want to go home." Kalira suddenly announces.
"I'm not going anywhere with your 'Master'." You reply hottily.
"But you can do nothing about it." Kalira replies with her innocent eyes.
"I can do everything about it! I am not a pawn and I am not a slave!" You exclaim, making your case very clear to your cat friend. Kalira simply sighs and looks away. She doesn't believe me. You think, irritiably.
"I'm going for a walk." You announce, wanting to get away from it all. Everything that was happening was just too much for one girl to handle.
"But it's almost nine! It's already dark out." Kalira tells you, surprised at your announcement. "Vampires are loose this time of night." She explains, slightly concerned.
"Well, according to this mark thing they can't hurt me, right?" You say, bored of this conversation. You didn't know why you were so on-edge right now, but you did know you needed to be alone.
"Well that's not exactly true...." You hear Kalira mutter as you rush out the door, not even remembering your purse. You take no heed to her words and continue walking down the sidewalk. The street lights are lit, but they are still dim. As you look around the deserted streets you feel a sense of peace surround you, just as the cool air does. You breathe in deeply taking in the calm atmosphere. This was what you needed. Just to be alone in a calm enviroment. A place you could just be alone with your thoughts. Your grandma was babysitting for a dear old friend until about midnight, so as long as you got home before that time, then she would never be able to scold you for leaving. You look to your left and see the small community park. You walk on the grass and once you reach the swing set you take off your shoes and sit down, burying your toes in the sand below you. When you were a child your favorite place to be was the swing. When you were swinging you felt like nothing could touch you, and you were capable of anything. You felt like you could fly, almost as if your were immortal somehow.
"What a lovely little child." Comes a strange voice. You whip your head around but can see nothing in the darkness.
"Booh!" Comes a vocie from in front of you. You turn your head to a man's pale, white face, and firey red eyes starring at you. You jump in fright, tumbling over backwards off the swing. The man laughs a shrill and terrifying laugh. Your body begins shaking terribly. This man looked like a creature from a nightmare. He was utterly horrid! You instinctively reach for your purse, but find it to be no where. Damn it! You yell in your head remembering you had left it at home in your anxiousness to leave the house.
"What's the matter little child? Are you....afraid?" He says tauntingly as he walks towards you. You crawl backwards in response. You then quickly jump to your feet and are going to make a run for it when you are struck squarely across the face so hard that it sends you hurling several feet backwards. You let out a cry of agony as you hit the hard ground.
"Your blood smells good. I can alomst taste it." The man says as he once again starts walking towards you.
"You're...you're a vampire?!" You question frantically.
"Of course, dear child. What else would I be? The friendly neighborhood rapist?" He asks laughing as he mocks your terror with his eyes. I thought all vampires were supposed to be handsome. You comment defiantly to yourself. The evil creature brings you to your feet by gripping your neck. As he does so you realize he is wearing gloves. You struggle to free yourself, kicking and thrusting yourself about, despite the fact that you can barely breathe. The creature only laughs then, with his free hand, pulls something small from within the trench coat he is wearing. You cry in pain as you feel a sharp blade slash through the right side of your waist. The pain was worse then the day Kalira's master used the seal against you. The creature then cruely throws you across the park, just for the sake of tormenting you more before he kills you completely. You close your eyes expecting to hit the hard ground, but you feel yourself being caught gently by a pair of warm arms instead...