~Cruor~

Vamptember day 7 ~ Sampiro

Taking a hike through the Albanian streets alone was likely the worst choice you ever made.

Your phone had died and the sun was beginning the set. With a heavy heart you decided to just keep going in a straight line until you reached your destination,  The cold crept into your jacket and you kept a keen eye on your surroundings. The distant howling of wolves didn't make you feel any calmer. The pitch black made it hard to see, and you tripped more than a few times. The howling only came closer as you desperately tried to make your way through the small town.

The worst part of it were the noises you heard behind you. The clicking of heels and the noise of someone being kissed. At first you thought it were just sinful acts being committed in some back alley.

Until it began to follow you in specific.

Turning your head, you could sometimes spot a blue light somewhere off in the distance away from you. It always kept its distance, but you sometimes caught it creeping closer. Finally gathering your wits and courage, you slowed down to take a good look at it. You felt somewhat calm and confident to confront whatever had been following you.

That was until the source of the blue light stopped in front of you.

A pale man stood with rather old looking high heeled shoes, with his feet planted into the ground. He wore old fashioned clothing that were torn at certain points. The blue light emitted directly from his skin. His eyes were too big for his face and were glowing, contrasting with the dark. This person wasn't normal, and you wanted to get away from him as soon as you possibly could. The two of you stood in silence, staring each other down as if daring to make a move.

"Who are you?" You made an attempt to sound assertive, but your voice came out a scared whisper. "Does it matter?" He replied, to your surprise. "You were following me," you continued to press.

"That is because you have something i want," he replied, his voice slightly raspy and holding a thick accent. His black hair was a mess and he had dirt on his clothes. You took a defensive step back, causing him to step closer to you. "I hate everyone else, for all the times they tried to put me down for good." None of his words made sense as he stopped right in front of you. "But you're new.." he trailed off.

"I'm just lost," you argued.

"Even better."

 The man leaned closer towards your face. "The locals call me Edon," he introduced himself. "What do you want from me, Edon?" You tried putting up a brave face with all your might, but your fear kept slipping through the cracks. Edon opened his mouth, a long tongue sliding across a set of sharp teeth.

"To have a taste of you." His big eyes narrowed slightly, it made him look even more uncanny than he already was. You took a few steps back, before turning on your feel to make a break for it.

"Don't you run from me!" His voice turned into a loud, angered yell. Unreasonably upset with your lack of submission, he sped after you. No matter how fast you ran, it didn't take long for you to be forced onto the pavement, the man lurking over you. "Why do you have to make it so difficult," Edon hissed, rage gleaming in his eyes. You laid on your stomach, a desperate attempt to crawl away before you felt him press his weight onto your back. The man pulled your shirt back. "If you tense up it will only hurt more." His hand covered your mouth as he sunk his teeth into your neck, a muffled scream escaping your lips. He hungrily lapped up the blood, his cheek pressed against you. As he consumed more and more of your blood, you felt yourself getting weak and dizzy. The sensation felt odd, but you couldn't tell whether you loved or hated it. Finally, he pulled away, peering down at your weak form, wiping the blood off his mouth with his sleeve. "Am.. am i going to die?" You asked as tears poured down your face. This seemed to ignite something dark in your assailant.

Edon let out a scoff. "I'm a thief, not a serial killer, not in life and not in death either." You could feel the annoyance in his tone. You could feel the passionate irritation in his voice. You assumed his life was not a happy one."But you'll see me again, i'll always be there." With those words, you finally blacked out.

The following morning you felt the sun shine down on your face, you laid on freshly dug dirt. As you sat up, you could see a concerned middle aged woman stand over you. Whilst you couldn't understand her exact words, you knew she was asking you if you were okay. Looking around revealed you were laying in a graveyard, a tombstone near your head. As you sat up with help of the woman, you saw the name inscribed into it.

'Edon Hoxsha 1623 - 1647'

His words echoed in your mind, until you'd see him again.

[Albanians of Turkish descent are destined up to death to rise as a vampiric revenant, as is any Albanian who commits an 'unnatural' act, being a habitual liar or professional thief can also result in this fate. Three days after death the vampire rises wearing its burial shroud and high-heeled shoes. Its eyes are large and glow brightly and a small amount of dirt from its grave is kept in its navel. Wolves despise Sampiro hunting and trying to destroy them when possible. If mangled in a wolf attack a Sampiro will return to its grave and never rise again. It's grave, which it rests in during the day, can identified by the blue light that hovers over it. It can be destroyed in this state via a stake made of yew wood driving with a single blow though the heart]