They shackled her wrists in the same cold, magickless iron as mine, to the opposite wall of a room so small that our feet almost touch anyways. It would have been kinder if they’d covered her mouth, would have served their purpose better, but this is all about the cruelty, isn’t it?

Letting her plead, say my name like a prayer. Over and over, like a beacon, an anchor, trying to tether me to her. Keep my mind fixed on a point of light in the darkness. It’s been almost a week since I last fed.

Five days since they dragged me from my coffin, chains of silver then, not iron. Two days since they dragged her in here to join me, stumbling, fighting against them until she saw me. The confusion died in her throat at that moment, the first time she ever looked at me with mortal horror.

Once they closed the door, the only light left was her voice. My keener eyes filter the darkness to dead grey, granite world, clearer by the day. Her mouth moves freely, mortal pleas – all that muffles them is the growing, deepening roar in my head. The hunger.

I strain against the shackles, iron bolted into brick, but they’re still strong enough for now. It’s a sick joke that they’re strong enough, when soon, once I can’t hear her voice for the hunger, they and anything else that restrains me will tear as easily as flesh. If that strength is somewhere in me, I should be able to reach it now.

But the shackles only rattle, and she begs. Begs me to remember, to stay strong, say something, anything, to let her know I’m still here. I haven’t spoken to her in a day, haven’t breathed in hours, can’t risk taking her into my lungs that way. Her scent would be stronger than sanity, and not in the sense of poetry.

It’s only a matter of time. Once I can’t hear her voice over the hunger and her heartbeat. That beacon, I won’t be able to resist. I can only hope her screams at the end, too, will be lost on the hunger. That the creature I’ll be for as long as it takes to drain her dry won’t care to remember them. Though in every darkness, I know, from now until dust or forever, I’ll hear her saying my name.