The Rise of the New Bloods, From Dark Beginnings Read Online Free PDF Page B

towards the statue in the centre. I sat myself down and rested my back against the cold structure. It wasn't so much different to me.
      Yet I felt assured in the knowledge I could resist the blood if I so badly wanted to. It was a small comfort to wrap my head around on this cold night. I hoped the morning would bring a new beginning to this disastrous end. New York was beckoning me. 

 
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER FIVE
     
    ‘Alright mate, got any spare change have yer?’ 
      I w as not in the mood for this. Two weeks spent in a cramped cargo ship and I was as pissed off as anything.       
      ‘Do I look like I have any?’ I spat.           
    I must have jerked my head around so sharply I saw the homeless guy almost fall off the ker b.
      ‘Jesus boy, you are one scary piece of shit,’ he shouted as I watched him run down the road to his mate.
      ‘Do I really look so bad? Must’ve been the glare,’ I chuckled to myself as I turned to walk away.
    Worriedly, I stopped and glanced at my reflec tion in a shop window. No wonder the guy had run off. I could see my somewhat 35-year-old appearance had taken quite a beating, being cooped up for the past fortnight. If that was not all, my fangs were still in place from when I had the last drop of blood back in Helsinki.
    ‘Damn,’ I cussed, as I cast my eye over my slender statuesque frame.
    My leather jacket looked as if it was about to disintegrate off me.
    Draven had found the jacket on one of his nights out, he gave it to me, as it did not fit him. He was forever dodging the safe zone without father knowing. It looked like I was in need of a clean-up so I would not not scare away any more New Yorkers.           
      As I walked into one of the biggest cities in the world, my nerves began to take a toll on me. I began to wonder what in the hell possessed me to come here in the first place. I hoped I would be harder to track in such a vast area, but I felt slightly uneasy.
    As if hidden eyes watched me from the shadows.
    My eyes looked around in wonderment, at the stone cold gargoyle appearance of the many tall buildings.. As I marvelled at the bustling of crowds that surrounded me, it dawned on me that these people weren't really living in this suppressed place.
    The flashing of the neon lights set against the grey backdrop that came at me from all angles, proved to me how uncultured and plastic the 21st century had become. This was very different from the serene, untouched beauty of my homeland, deep within the Finnish forests.
      I placed my hands in my jac ket pockets, and just stood there gazing up at the skyscrapers for a while, their blank glassy eyes stared back, hiding who knew what secrets.
    I was in awe.    
      Standing on the edge of the sidewalk just off Broadway, I inhaled the smell of blood that infringed on me from all directions. To my ancestors this would have been a playground in their lust for blood, but for me now, I was quite content with my regular top ups at the butchers.
      It was a warm day, I was aware I was receiving odd glances from p eople, as I walked passed them. People sensed there was something different about me, but I was cool with that, I had no desire to drain them.
      I walked idly along the sidewalk, looking up now and then at the people passing by. I was aware they were snatc hing a quick glimpse of me. In fact, I was getting a kick out of their curiosity. Although by now, the sun was making me feel quite tetchy and irritable, and it was not such a good idea to be hanging around a major city like this. That is when I noticed some sunglasses on display outside a shop. I bit my lip and did a quick scan around me. No one was remotely interested, so I sidled up to the stand and snatched a pair of silver aviator glasses from the display.
    I felt the theft was justified.
    My eyes ached, and I did not want to get cranky with so many humans around.
      ‘Mom?’
    I heard the voice