Chapter Text
1961
Camila Cabello. 17. Cuban girl. This is how it all started. A girl living in a country where huge unrest was present in every aspect of its citizens' lives. Currently, there had been great tension between Cuba and the United States. Several events had led Cuba to be on the brink of war with the powerful country. Which to Camila , had caused many nights of worry.
Camila knew that the only way to escape the potential war zone was through the ocean. This idea came to her when she heard her mom and aunt whispering over the the phone about neighbors who had escaped the island by boat. She'd heard many stories of people trying to escape, only to be brought back and given punishment for treason against the small country. Her family called those people cowards. They couldn't believe that people could betray their country just to live on foreign land, where they wouldn't even be accepted by the locals.
Camila had once asked why they couldn't try and flee the country. To which her mother had reacted badly.
"People who leave their country for another are traitors. Leaving their families to starve, while they get fat off the wealth of another country," Her mother argued, "The thought of even leaving Cuba for refugee on the enemy's land is revolting. They should be ashamed of their actions!"
"But why stay in a country that could become nothing but rumble at any moment? We should be planning our survival, mother!" Camila couldn't believe how closed-off her mother was being to the idea of fleeing a potential war zone.
"Camila, you're practically a woman now. You need to understand that our job as women is to care for the family, and stay put in the home," her mother fumed, " As a lady, you should be looking for a proper man to relieve us from this burden of poverty. I would appreciate it if you could stop having these thoughts before you have yourself arrested!"
Camila could tell there was no winning with her mother.
She didn't blame her mother, though. After losing her father and younger sister to a disease, her mother had gone cold-hearted. She supposed it was a defense mechanism to avoid showing her true feelings. But all it was doing right now was preventing them from planning an escape to a better place, where there was no fear of dying from disease or war. That place being the United States.
She had heard that the powerful country was a safe haven for anyone who wanted a safe refuge. That's why many people had tried to flee by boat, to get to the state of Florida. A place where people like her could live at peace, and still feel like she was in her home country.
Everyone knew that it was a matter of time before war broke out. Camila had been planning an escape for a few weeks now. Ever since her father and sister passed away. She knew that she couldn't stay any longer. She planned on taking her mother, but she was stubborn and she knew her mother wouldn't budge.
Going up to her room, Camila did her nightly routine of putting her night clothes on and preparing for bed. She knew her mother would be asleep within the next 30 minutes. She counted down the minutes until it was finally time. She grabbed a small suitcase from under her bed. She had packed some essentials like clothes, shoes, a few family pictures, and some money that she hoped would help her on her journey.
She made sure to make little sound as she crept through her small home, making sure to not bump into any furniture. She grabbed a couple fruits, a jug of water, and bread. She wasn't sure how long it would take her to sail to Florida, but she wanted to be prepared.
Once ready, she set a letter she had written earlier for her mother on the family dining table. It basically explained her reasons for leaving, and her hope of coming back in the future to take her mother away as well.
Walking out the front door, she gave one last look at her family home. Remembering the times she had with her family, when it was still complete. A single tear rolling down her cheek as she thought of her father and sister, Sofi.
And just like that, she closed the door to her home and left.
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Camila was currently walking along the coastline of a beach. She had paid someone off a week earlier to make sure there would be a motorboat ready for her to use that night. She had planned on leaving that night, whether her mother wanted to or not. As she walked along the beach, searching for the boat, she felt chills rolling down her spine. She'd worn a jacket because of the cool air she'd expected, but the chills were not the normal ones a person gets from being in a cold environment.
She kept her eyes up, searching the coastline for the boat. In the distance, she could make out the figure of the boat, so she quickened her pace, urging her feet to move a little quicker.
As she got closer to the boat, she could hear movement coming from the shrubs close to the road of the beach area. Panic overtook her body. She could already imagine the police finding her and taking her into custody. If the police found her, she'd be imprisoned, and she would have to witness the disgust in her mother's eyes. She couldn't bare to have her mother hate her for wanting a better life.
She made it to the boat, hoping to God that the police could not see her from where the boat was hidden behind huge boulders. As she got on the boat, she heard a whistle blowing in the air. It was a smooth whistle, almost taunting. This is it. Camila thought to herself. I'm going to be caught.
The person got closer, causing the whistle to sound louder in her ears. She turned around, expecting to see a man or two dressed in uniform, but to her surprise it wasn't the police. Walking closer to her was a man who seemed to be in his early 20s. Hair positioned in a flat comb over, wearing high class clothing. The man was handsome, and had a glow to him. She kept her eyes locked on his face, hoping that her fear didn't show through. The cool air not making it any easier.
"My, my, what is a pretty girl like you doing out in the open at this time of night," The man purred, dragging his words out in a seducing manner, " shouldn't you be at home? I'm sure your parents would be worried about you."
Camila stayed still. Something wasn't right about this man. The way he talked and held himself together. It didn't seem natural.
"I-I didn't know anyone would be here at this time." she lamely said. Cursing herself for not knowing how to react in situations like these.
"Hmm. What a pity. You are such a pretty girl. I'm sorry this had to happen to you." The man said, the fake-sympathy rolling off his tongue.
"Wh-what are you talking about? What's going to happen to me?" Camila stammered. She could feel that something horrible was about to occur.
One moment she was staring the man in the eyes, holding his stare. Then the next second, he was gone. She faltered a bit, not understanding what had happened. The man had been standing a few feet away from her and then in an instant, he was gone. She turned around getting the motor ready so she could flee when she felt long fingers wrap around her neck.
"So beautiful. What a shame." The man murmured, pushing Camila to the bottom of the boat.
"Let go of me!" Camila shouted. She couldn't believe this was happening. She was so close to safety, to refuge. "Please! Don't hurt me!"
"Please, don't hurt me." The man mocked in a squealish voice, "Don't struggle pretty girl. It will only make it worse for you".
The man put a hand over Camila's mouth, stopping her from screaming out for help. She wriggled and whined, trying to get lose from the man's grasp.
"It's okay pretty girl. It will only hurt for a minute." The man said as he lowered his head down to her face.
In that instant, Camila saw the color of his eyes. They were an unnatural black. Black blood vessels stretched beneath each eye. Her blood ran cold. In her mind, she remembered the stories her grandmother used to tell her of men with dark eyes. Stories of men who drank the blood of the living, taking the souls of their victims, so they could live for eternity.
Vampire.
Camila panicked. She couldn't believe it. Her grandmother's stories were just fairy tales to her. She never imagined them to be true. As she came to the realization that this man was a vampire, she felt sharp punctures piercing her throat. She felt it. The warm blood running through her veins, being drained from her body. She screamed into the hand of the man.
Her terror caused her to bite into the man's skin, tasting blood on her lips. The man didn't seem to notice, only focusing on the blood being drained from his victim.
She realized there was no hope of surviving. This was where she was going to die. No one would know of her death. The letter resting on the family dinner table would explain her disappearance. This was it.
The only thought she had was of her family. She though of her mother. Her mother would think that she abandoned her. She would never know the fate of her oldest daughter. The rest of her life would be spent mourning the death of her husband and youngest daughter, and of the betrayal of her eldest daughter.
In the distance, she could hear voices. Calling to her. They were peaceful. Full of joy. She recognized those voices. Her dad. Her sister. They kept calling to her.
"Camila, come. You'll be safe here. We're all here. Just let go, don't turn back." It was her father, calling to her. Urging her to follow him.
"Camz, come here. I missed you, Camz. Please don't leave again. We can play dolls together." Sofi. Her younger sister was calling to her. She felt tears in her eyes. This was it. She was going to let go.
Her body felt light. It felt like her fingertips and toes were tingling, and that her body could float into the sky at any moment. Then came the coldness. It enveloped her. She felt it everywhere. Even in her lungs. But the coldness in her lungs burned.
She was letting go. She asked forgiveness to her mother, hoping that one day she would accept it.
She could hear her dad and sister. Still calling to her. She could hear them closer and closer.
"I'm coming. Please don't go. I'm almost there."
She had done it. She let go. Everything was bright at first. But then she saw them. Her father and sister, right in front of her. Her tears were spilling over her cheeks, as she let out a choked sob. She ran to them, feeling them again after months of mourning their deaths.
They hugged, and cried, and shared kisses to the cheek. It was perfect. She had accepted her fate. There was no turning back now.
And then it happened.
She felt a force pushing her back, away from her dad and Sofi.
"What's going on? Dad? Sofi?" She felt the force pulling her away from her family. The emptiness was returning. She felt cold again, deathly cold.
"I'm so sorry Camila." she heard her dad's voice say, "it just wasn't meant to be. It never will."
"What? What do you mean? I can't go. What's happening to me?" She could feel a burning sensation inside her chest. Emotions were high, and she let out sobs.
"I love you Camz. I always will. I'll wait for you as long as it takes for you to come back." She heard Sofi say. Her heart was broken. She couldn't bare this. Her family was taken away from her again.
The pull was strong, she felt like she was floating again, but it was cold. Everything was cold. And wet.
Wet?
And with a huge intake of breath, she opened her eyes again... and she was underwater. Water rushing in her lungs, burning.
In a panic, she tried swimming up. To her surprise, she swam faster than she anticipated. Her head made it above water, coughing up all the water she had swallowed.
It didn't make sense to her. She was dazed and confused, and had no idea where she was. She could see the sun rising from the horizon, and in the distance she saw land. Her body felt different. She felt stronger in a way, but still weak. Like her body was yearning for something.
Then she heard it. A motor. To her luck, a boat was coming in her direction.
"Help! Please! Help me!" Her voice was hoarse, but it managed to help her. The boat pulled up to her. It was a young man.
"What are you doing out in the middle of the ocean?" The man spoke Spanish to her.
"I don't remember. Please, help me. I don't know where I am." She pleaded.
"I got you." The man said as he helped her onto his boat.
"Thank you," Camila said, "I'm not sure what happened. I was on the coast and then I just remember being attacked, but I don't remember being thrown into the ocean."
"It's a good thing I found you. Sharks are known to swim in these areas." The man said, handing over a blanket to her.
"Thanks. Where am I exactly?" Camila asked. She was confused by her surroundings. The coast of the distant land looked different than the one she was used to.
"Florida. Did you hit your head? You seem to be in a daze. I'm Pablo by the way."
Camila could feel the urge inside her. She didn't know what it was, but something was drawing her to the man. The man was rummaging through his belongings when he cut himself on a bent nail.
That was it. It was like a trigger had been set off. She threw herself onto the man and bit into his neck. Her mind was racing, her senses were heightening. She could feel the warm blood flowing into her, the smell of fear on the man was strong. She could hear his whimpers and cries for help. But it was useless.
Minutes passed and she let go. She snapped out of her daze. That's when she realized what she had done.
And what she was.
"I'm a...vampire."