VAMPIRE’S SIN: TALON’S CALL.

Chapter: 1

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ALTAIR:

Altair sat at his favorite spot by the little pond, feeding the fishes gathered around his feet. They nipped on the bread, tickling him and eliciting laughter. He cherished these tiny companions, finding solace in their company when his parents were absent after his school days. While he longed for his parents, he understood the demands of their work.

His eighth birthday was approaching, and he anticipated it eagerly. Turning eight meant training with the older children, a prospect that excited him. He yearned to build his strength to confront the boys who often taunted him.

Running out of bread, he gazed at his swimming friends with a smile. "You've finished it all. Now, I must attend to my homework!" he exclaimed to the fishes, rising from his seated position by the pond. After brushing off his pants, he hurried through the garden towards the manor as the evening descended, mindful of completing his tasks before dinner.

"Altair!" Bryn's voice called out as she spotted him and swiftly sprinted towards him, her fox-like features reflecting her playful nature.

Pausing, Altair turned in her direction. Bryn, a fox just like her Birth Omega, the only one of her kind he knew, greeted him. "Hi, Brnie!" he called back, prompting laughter from the girl.

"You still can't say my name correctly, can you?!" she teased, playfully tousling his white curls. Altair chuckled heartily. "Where are you off to in such a rush?" she inquired after releasing him.

With a radiant face and joyous eyes, Altair responded, "I'm heading to do my homework. My Birth Omega is returning today, and I've missed him greatly!" Together, they entered the living room.

"Don't you miss your Dads as well, besides Alpha Tricc who is always around?" Bryn questioned, to which Altair nodded.

"I miss them dearly... but my Birth Omega visits frequently because of me. He takes me with him on weekends when he has work, and we often end up doing really fun activities. That's why I miss him the most."

Bryn shook her head with a smile. "Your Birth Omega's presence is constant for you, yet you still yearn for him more than your other two Dads?"

"As my Birth Omega, sometimes I wish I could have him around all the time, just like you have your Birth Omega by your side constantly!" he retorted, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Aw, crybaby!" she teased.

"I'm not a crybaby!" he protested, though she simply smiled. "Sometimes I just want to share things with him, but when he's not here, I feel sad because, by the time he returns, I've forgotten everything!"

"Still such a crybaby," she remarked, lightly brushing his tear-streaked cheeks before stepping away.

"Where are you headed, Brnie?" he inquired curiously.

"Today is Tal-" She caught herself, realizing she shouldn't mention him, and shook her head. "Never mind, I have a playdate with some friends... Bye!" With that, she called out and dashed off before he could inquire further.

Altair watched her disappear from view before making his way to his bedroom. There, he emptied his backpack onto the floor, sat down cross-legged, and rummaged through his books to locate the one he needed. While flipping through the textbook, a sudden sharp pain pierced his lower abdomen. Alarmed, he discarded the book and lifted his shirt, revealing a mark he had always had but which had begun to ache only two days ago. His Birth Omega had dismissed the mark when he asked about it as a regular birthmark, and so he never paid it mind until it began to hurt.

A cry of agony escaped him as the pain intensified, prompting him to remove his shirt and face the mirror. The mark on his lower abdomen glowed, its brightness mirroring the intensity of his agony. Altair couldn't contain his cries as the discomfort became unbearable.

"Vale!"

The name reverberated like a whispered song carried by the wind, guiding Altair to his window. As the pain subsided, he cautiously approached the window, only to find nobody outside when he drew back the curtains.

Although unfamiliar, the name "Vale" stirred a peculiar sense of familiarity within him. It called out to Altair, luring him like a known tune. Without hesitation, the soon-to-be eight-year-old climbed out of his window, following the captivating summons. A conveniently placed ladder outside facilitated his descent onto the grass below.

"Help me, Vale..."

The voice urged him forward as Altair ventured along the path towards the garden gates leading into the woods. Evading the vigilant gazes of the patrols, he stealthily moved through the shadows, his proficiency in sneaking guiding him. Once beyond their observation, he sprinted deeper into the woods, drawn by the distant sound of crashing waves.

His breath came in short gasps, his chest tight, his heart racing, and his stomach twisting. Feeling the wetness seeping into his bare feet, Altair suddenly realized he had been barefoot all this while. Alone, far from the Pack's protection, he remained undeterred. Something within him compelled him to stay, even though the voice had ceased its call. Altair relished the crashing waves and the salty air, eyes shut as he absorbed the serene emptiness of the shore. Walking along, his feet sinking into the sand, he lost track of time in the peaceful solitude.

As the sun began to set, casting shadows across the beach, Altair knew he had to return. The encroaching darkness signaled it was time to head home before his Birth Omega's arrival to avoid causing unnecessary worry. Just as he turned towards the forest, his movements halted, and his eyes widened in alarm.

Above him stood a boy, perhaps fifteen, older than Altair, but it wasn't his age that unsettled the child. It was the malevolent glare in the stranger's deep red eyes, his pallid skin, and his malnourished appearance that sent chills down Altair's spine. A sense of dread enveloped him as he locked eyes with the menacing figure, ready to strike fear into his heart.

Summoning his courage, Altair stood tall, refusing to succumb to fear. "I am Altair of RiverBay, son of my fathers, the Lycgers, and my Birth Omega, the WereLion!" he declared, his voice unwavering despite his inner turmoil. "Who are you?" he demanded, taking a cautious step backward.

The stranger remained silent, his eerie gaze fixed on Altair with malevolent intent, intensifying the child's unease. Despite his bravado, Altair, still a child, felt a surge of fear at the sight of this imposing stranger. He longed to call for his parents, but he had rushed to this spot without his belongings, even shirtless due to the urgency sparked by the name he heard.

"VALE!" The stranger's call reverberated, triggering a sharp pain in Altair's abdomen once more. Talon's eyes darkened as he advanced towards Altair. Suddenly, Talon's vision blurred, his mind overwhelmed as he lurched towards the boy, everything afterward fading into a surreal blur. His senses dulled, oblivious even to the child's initial cries, a singular impulse driving him.

Feed.

Locked away in solitude and agony, Talon endured countless nights of torment. If this night marked his end, he would die sating his hunger.

His resolve shattered as he was hurled across the shore, crashing into the ocean with a jolt, sinking beneath the waves swiftly, engulfed by darkness that swallowed him whole.

At this point, isn't death better than living?