Touch of Innocence

1

In this story, there will be an evident age gap between the two main characters. There will also be descriptions of the main female character being a child when she meets the main male character. I would like to preface this by saying there will be no mentions or descriptions of pedophilia because that is VILE. There will only be descriptions of the main female role growing up surrounded by vampires and only once she is old enough, will the romance be incorporated.

This story is the sequel to my previous story "King of the Vamps". It would be beneficial to read that story first as you will be introduced to some characters and plot points.

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Hadley trotted absentmindedly through the dark, dreary town. She wasn't sure who or what she was looking for, but she knew she was alone and she didn't want to be alone. Her parents had left her there. She wasn't sad though because her parents hadn't been symbols of love for her in her very early stages of life. She simply knew them as people who lived in the same house as her.

What she really wanted was a blanket rather than her parents. Blankets were the only thing she could find comfort and warmth in. They were the only things she could rely on to make her feel safe because her parents were never there to offer her any sort of peace.

Little three-year-old Hadley continued to walk down the empty streets. It was cold, rainy, and dark. She wasn't afraid though. Nighttime was always her favorite part of the day because it was when the yelling finally stopped. She'd often wander out of her house and disappear into the woods for hours at a time, only coming back when she got too tired to stay outside anymore.

Hadley looked up from her shoes when she heard someone walking toward her. It was a tall man. Ms. Naddy, the woman who would occasionally take care of her when her parents left for trips, told her to never talk to strangers. But this man didn't scare her. The closer he got to her, the safer she felt.

The man dropped down into a squat in front of her to get closer to her height level. The first thing Hadley noticed about him was his eyes. They were pitch black, like an empty abyss, yet also full of color. Small swirls of color decorated the blackness. Because she was so drawn to darkness, his eyes didn't scare her; they drew her in.

"What is your name?" The man asked her.

"Hadley," the little girl answered.

"What are you doing here by yourself, Hadley?"

She shrugged her shoulders and looked around in thought. She wasn't sure what she was doing. All she knew was that her parents told her to get out of the car and then they drove away. "My mom and dad left me here," she answered.

"Did they tell you where they were going or when they'd be back?"

She shook her head. "No. Mom told me to get out of the car and then dad drove away."

The man looked Hadley over to inspect for any visible injuries to her body. He didn't see any, but he did notice she was shivering some. He took his jacket off and wrapped it around the small child. "I'm going to take you home with me, Hadley. Okay? I won't hurt you, I promise."

"Okay," she responded. The man - Clayton- picked Hadley up, placing her against his chest to keep her warm.

"What is your name?" A small voice asked him. He looked down at her to see her vibrant blue eyes staring diligently at his face.