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The Characters---
Ava:A dhampire and a hunter that was once from a very wealthy family. She hates to drink blood and does so as little as possible.
Lucifel: The leader of the pack. A dark haired Vampire that sired Ava in an unusuall way and is her best freind. Together they own a bar run exclusively for vampires.
Matthew: A blonde vampire friend of Ava and Lucifel's. He's quite a ladies' man despite the scar across his face.
Jag: The fourth vampire in the fouresome. He has dark hair, spiked up and snake eyes. This vampire works at the bar owned by Ava and Lucie. He's generaly cold to everyone, especially Ava but always comes through when you need him.
Lord Aphazial {Kyril}-A demon from hell.
Narsisus-A cynical slave mortal belonging to Kyril
Talon: Dracula'a anoying henchman/delivery boy.
Dracula:Duh.
=======================
There was a large silver disk in the sky.
"Moon..." she hissed, thrilled with her ability to remember. A movement caught her eye to the left of her.
A tall black, clad man steped out of the shadows and walked towards her, a drone of a man followed close behind-his face blank. The world turned a shade of red before she attacked him and feed ravenously. When he was dry the man pulled her too her feet.
"You were hungry, Ava."
"How long have I been sleeping, Lucifel?" she glanced back at the coffin she had stepped out of. Images from the day she had stepped inside flashed through her mind.
He smirked at her, showing one glittering white fang.
"Oh...about 500 years."
"Damn. No wonder I'm so stiff."
"I missed you." he ran a finger down the bridge of her nose.
"Hunters don't get involved." Ava pushed his hand away and began to serch for something in the satin lineing of the oblong box. She finnally recovered a small vial of holy water which she put it in the obvious crevice down the front of her shirt.
"What do ya say we go down to our old place. See how it's changed."
"Lord, Lucie, what have you done with it?"
"You shall see, love, you shall see."
***
Silence feel across the room as Ava steeped through the door.
"Do you have a death wish?" Jag mumbled to Lucifel at the bar. "Bringin' the hunter back. We'll all be ashes by sunrise."
"I don't hunt anymore, and if I start you'll be the first to know." she overheard and sat down in front of him.
"Crazy fuck. Bringin' her back..." the snake-eyed vamp muttered under his breath.
Ava pulled out a small silver stake and aimed it at his heart. Jag moved just in time for it to miss him.
"I thought you didn't hunt anymore."
"I'm flexible."
"Really? I-" Mat raised an eyebrow
"So much has changed." Ava changed the subject and looked around herself "And I take it this place is still vamp only?"
"A mortal wonders in from time to time." he grinned.
"Easy pray then." she nodded in understanding.
"Drink?" Lucie slid a glass across the bar at her.
"Already had one."
"You still on that 'I don't like to drink blood' kick?" Mat sighed and sat back in his chair.
"Just like the jolly old days." Jag slid a glass of coke at her to replace the blood.
"I don't have to feed as much as you do so I don't. I'm only a half blood, remember?"
"How could we forget?" Jag leaned in "Used to be we couldn't make a single kill without you lecturin' us on morales and ethnics and shit."
"I was younger then." Ava stared at her glass.
"I miss those days." Lucifel spoke up "The Four of us, romeing about, weilding fear anddisaster with every new villiage. It was great."
"Especially in the spring." Ava smiled fondly.
"Here she goes again." Jag went back to his work "White flowers, cool breezes, children playing, lots of squirrels makeing other rotten little squirels. We're familiar with it all."
"I haven't been awake for centuries. I have a right to at least think about it." she frowned at him.
"That's not our fault now is it?" Mat joined in again "Say, why were you locked away like that?"
She didn't answer. Insteed she drew in the persperation on her glass.
"So, do you like the bar?" Lucie came to the rescue.
"Yeah." she smiled "It's great."
"I tried to keep it tasteful. Knew you'd have my head if I trashed it."
"Damn, right and don't forget it."
"It was a good thing buying this place." Matthew commented.
"Yeah, we had to settle somewhere." Lucifel stared at his hands as he mixed a drink.
"Had to do as The Lady pleased." Jag poured a thick, almost black substance into a wine glass.
"Have to make a life!" Mat teased "Had to live happily ever after! Ride off into the sunset!"
"And right into a bar." Ava was beginning to feel better. "I hate to disapoint you but I have bussiness to attend to." Jag watched her cautiously as she stood up and headed towards the storage room.
***
"That one?" Jag walked in circles around the uncosious irl.
"Yeah." Lucifel nodded.
"What the fuck did yo create a dhampire for? You know it's forbidden!"
"I had a moment of inspiration."
"It's not too late. She hassn'y woken up yet." Matthew examined her. "Give her your blood now and make her a full vampire."
Jag knelt beside Mat.
"She's a rich dame, huh?" he sneered "Why her? Why not another wretch like us? Someone not so...well-born?"
Lucifel shurugged.
"She's wakeing up." Matthew announced.
"Good." Jag took a step back away from her "You deal with her, Lucifel."
The leader picked up a cup of blood, gathered froom a stray farm maid and pulled the "hatchling" up into a sitting position. He made her drink about half of it before she pushed his hand away.
"No more." sha said wealky, her eyes barely open.
"You need to drink it all." he answered gently.
"No. No more." came the protest as her head rested on his chest and she was asleep again.
***
Ava shivered slightly as the metal fire emergancy door slammed shut behind her and she steeped out into the alley.
"Ah, so my bitch has come back."
She spun around to see Lord Aphazial.
"You scared the shit out of me!" she put a hand over her heart and mimiked a beat.
"No need to be so fuckin' skiddish." he chuckled and leaned calmly against a red brick wall. An orange alley cat rubbed against his leg and was casulayy kicked into a dumpster,
Ava started to walk towards the popluated street without a word. Silently embarassed at being startled so.
"Going on the hunt?" he ran to catch up with her. His sleeveless trench coat billowed in the steady wind as they turned onto the street.
"No."
"Thenwhere are you going in such a hurry?"
"I'm not sure."
***
"We really scared that one before we offed him. I can taste the adrinillin." Mat wiped a stream of blood from his chin.
"Eh, makes it too sweet." Lucifel scrunched his nose.
"I thought it was okay." Jag looked over his shoulder at a silent figure in a simple balck dress. "What does The Lady think?"
"Blood is blood." she answered in barely more than a wisper.
"You'll get used to it." Lucifel assured her, smileing.
Her face was pale and emoyionless as she looked at him.
"I do not like it."
"You will."
"I hate you."
"Do you now?" he leaned back. completely at ease.
"I hate you for what you did to me."
"Then be a hunter. That's what Dhampires use dto be known for."
"Really?" a flash of intrest was shadowed on her face.
"That's the myth. You're the only Dhampire around now."
"Why me? Why did you pick me?!"
"Sweetheart, you were at the wrong place at the wrong time." his finger ran down the bridge of her nose.
***
"Nice. Very Nice." Lord Aphazial cynicaly applauded Ava who had just come out of the bedroom Lucifel had assigned her in his appartment. She had changed her clothes from her casual old elizabetian style to a more modern leather and combat boots style.
"I hate you." she rolled her eyes at him.
"Common, now. The women have been liberated. You can wear short skirts and what-not. Take my slave girl for instance." He made a guesture and she appeared out of nowhere.
"I'd rathernot." Ava crossed her arms atubbornly.
"Suit yourself." he shrugged and turned to his servant. They wispered a moment and turned back to her,
"Narsisus has to run an errand for me. You go with her."
"Uh...okay..."
***
If i could turn back time
If I could find a way
I'd take back all the words that have hurt you
And you'd stay
If I could reach the stars
I'd give them all to you
And you'd love me. love me
Like you used to do
"Very intresting." Ava turned the radio down "What is it?"
"YOu really have been out of the loop." Narsisus stopped at a red light. "It's Cher. A singer. Kinda popular."
"You like her?"
"She's okay."
"Hum."
They sat in silence a little longer then the light turned green and the black convertable was moveing again.
I'm all out of faith
This is how I feel
I'm cold and I am shamed
Lieing naked on the floor
Illusion never changed
Into something real
I'm wide awake
And I can see the perfect sky is torn
You're a little late
I'm already torn
The radio continued to play softly in the backgroun. Ava listened contently and watched the scenery change as it flew by. They were now out of the busy city and were driveing in the English countryside.
"What are we doing out here?" she finally spoke up.
"Master told me to find a decent spot to hold his next ritual."
"Why didn't Kyril come himself? He's as much a day-walker as you or I."
The slave mortal shrugged.
"I supose he likes to keep his pale complexion."
Ava smiled at the slight jest.
I'm never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rythum
Though it's easy to pretend
I know I'm not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a freind
To waste this chance that I've been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you
"These songs are all about broken hearts." she pointed out.
"Hey, you're right." Narsisus turned on a deserted dirt road.
"It seems this whole generation is controlled by either greed or love."
"It's not such a bad thing. I figure it always worked that way, only in the past they were better at hideing it. It's human nature. You ever been in love?"
"Me?"
"Yeah."
"No. Hunters don't get involved."
"Why not? You're human, ain't ya?"
"Only half."
"That's enough."
"Hunters don't get involved."
"You keep saying that. I wanna know why they don't."
Ava took a deep breath before answering.
"It interfears. It gives you a weakness. Someone for eneimies to use against you. Your mind is always on something else and that makes you careless. People in love do foolish things. There are many reasons."
"Damn." the mortal parked the car and the radio clicked off, silenceing the moment. She got out and walked into a secluded clearing near some woods. Ava stayed in the car and waited for her to come back.
"It'll do." she finally returned, reved the engine to life and fastened her seatbelt.
"This is great Kyril." Ava smiled broadly and watched the minions dance around a bonfire, She could feel the heat of it comming in waves. The deep beat of cerimonial drums seemes to shake the world around them.
"Satan throws the best parties." the demon sat down beside her.
"Obviously so." she yawned, sudenly zapped of strength.
"Tired?" he smirked at her.
"A little." she leaned against his shoulder...
"Hey! Hey!" Narsisus waved a hand in front of Ava's face and shouted "Snap out of it girl."
"Sorry." she blushed a little "I was just thinking."
If I go crazy then
Will you still call me superman?
If I'm alive and well
Will you be there holding my hand?
I'll keep you but my side
With my super-human might
Kyrptonite
"It's going to be dark in a few hours. We better book it back and get you ready for the boys."
"Ready? For what?" she cocke dher head to one side.
"Normally not much, but tonite your friends are going on the hunt. Master says they expect you to go with them and that I should have you home in time."
"Hunt. They want me to hunt mortals with them?" she said more to herself than to the driver.
"Yessirie-Bob."
***
"Stop it! Stop!" Ava couldn't watch it. Couldn't be a part of it. She ran down the abandoned street and away from the carnaige. She droped in a green painted bench in a deserted park across from where the other were now feeding on the two women. A familiar cobra slithered across the grass towards her, up her leg, and settled itself beside her on the bench. It flicked a forked tounge at her irritably.
"I know, I know. I'm sorry." she responded to it's silent accusation. "I never liked killing the mortals. You know that. I have no idea why you wanted me to come along tonite."
The snake continued to stare at her, obviously pissed.
Her head droped to her knees and she threw her arms in the air.
"Why am I so weak?!"
The cobra shook a hooded head and started to morph into the dark figure she knew as Jag.
"You're some crazy bitch." he sighed "Don't know why we expected things to be exactly the same."
"I don't either."
"We hadn't seen ya in centuries. Lucifel was a mess...guilty and all that. Worse than the time you spent hunting us Vamps, all over the world. At least he knew where you were recently. Man he talked about you all hours of the night. Drove me and Mat crazy. Still suprized me when he woke you up though."
"Me too...you didn't tell Mat what happened, did you?"
"Naw, he never asked us. Probaly figured it out on his own anyway."
"Hum..."
"Lucie really fucked up when he created you...made a royal mess of things."
"And he locked me up so I couldn't cause him anymore trouble."
"God, Avie, is that what you think?"
"What else could I think? He shows up out of the blue...knowing perfectly well that I would never fight back against you guys...you staked me from behind-Don't think I didn't know it was you-and Lucie walks me straight into a coffin, locks the lid, leaves me. He was getting rid of a nuciance!"
"Don't you see?! We were saveing you!"
"What the hell does sthat mean?"
"They were comming after you Ava! The day Dracula called Lucifel up to 'The Homeland', he threatened to kill you if he didn't do something about you. The others were mad as hell. He had creayed a hybrid Vampire-killing macine in createing you. They were gonna off you for good! So yeah, I staked ya-Careful not to puncture your heart and we put you in the coffin, locked it and hid ya. We saved your ass!"
"I went to America once." she sat up, throwing her head back to reveal her neck. Twin scars still marked her jugular-barely visible now but plain as day to Jag. "Tennessee is where I went...it was fall. Thousands of trees and all of them the color of fire. Mountains so tall they could touch God if they wanted too. They stand out in my mind the most. I imagined that if I climbed the greatest one there would be a cream-colored angel with golden wings waiting for me at the top...I didn't try though. Iknew God wouldn't have me anyway. I thought about staying in that country, makeing it anew like everyone else was. Of course I was stupid to even dream. I killed my vampire, as I was paid to do, and came home." Jag nodded and stood.
"We traveled behind you the entire way." he admited and went back to the others.
***
"What's up?" Mat droped in the seat beside Ava. A woman in a skimpy red dress sat at his other side.
"Today, Narcisis and Kyril showed me this thing called 'television'. It was amazeing."
"Still suffering from culture shock I see." he nodded with amusement.
"Sorry I'm late." Lucifel rushed in.
"Thinsg haven't really opicked up yet. It's alright." Jag handed him an order slip. "Fill it."
Lucie took the paper in his mouth as he fumbled with the apron strings. Ava reached over and tied them in a neat bow for him. He mumbled his thanks and went to work.
"Did you enjoy your vacation?"
Ava froz for a moment.
"What do you want, Talon?"
"Just checking on a dear, dear friend and delivering a letter to another."
She took a long drink from her glass and casualy flashed her middle finger.
"No thank-you, Avie. I don't mix bussines with pleasure."
"Can I help you?" Lucifel intervined. It was obvious fron his tone that he was angry.
"As a matter of fact, you can." the lanky vampire smiled a fanged smile. "The master sent you a gift."
Lucie took a deep swallow before takeing the white envelope and slideing it into his back pocket.
"Aren't you going to read it?"
"I don't have too."
"It's too bad you had to take such displeaseing company." Talon glanced snobbily at Jag and Matthew who were scowling "You could have easily excelled at 'The Homeland'."
"Too bad I'm such a looser, huh?" he turned back to mixing a drink.
"See you later then." Talon's smile didn't fade as he stood and left.
"Prick." Mat mummbled.
Ava pulled the envelope out of Lucifel's back pocket as he walked by to deliver the drink. It was sealed with a red wax seal,-which was unmestakeable.
"The Homeland." she stated with white-hot hatred.
"Should have known." Jag didn't bother to hide his disgust.
"How did they find out so quickly?" Ava pondered.
"There's been a comunications revolution since you were last around. he answered sharply.
"This isn't god." she ignored the comment.
"No fucking-duh." Mat spat.
"Open it." Lucifel didn't look at her. She didn't need him too. Her hands shakelily broke the seal and unfolded the paper.
"To Lord 'Lucifel',
Your presence is requested at The Homeland on the upcomming full moon. Bring the Hunter with you."
No signature was needed. Every one of thier kind knew Dracula's handwriteing. No. He hadn't sighned his name because he wasn't a man who tolerated an excess of anything. Especially not Hunters. Ava turned to face her cmpanions and occured to her that they had been reading over her shoulder.
"We don't have much time until then." Mat pointed out.
"As if that really matters. The point is that we have been summoned to 'The Homeland'. We know exactly what they want with us, and that is to kill The Lady and most likely Luce too." Jag lashed out at him.
"Not 'we', Jag. Just Ava and me." Lucifel made his point.
"And you actually think we're going to let you two go alone?" the snake-eyed vamp slammed the glass in his hand on the countertop, which shattered it. He paied it no mind. Ava quickly tried to shield her face from the flying shards of glass. Several slivers got through her defense and left thin lines of blood.
"It seemed the beat way to get back at you. You hated him so...after our fight..."
"Revenge."
"Rebellion."
"This is all very touching but I need to be reaquainted with my huntress." Dracula stepped between them and started to lead her away.
"I think not." she stepped away from him. "You ordered Lucie to kill me."
"A mere test of loyalty."
"Oh, well that makes everything fine then." No one could misinterpret her sarcastic tone.
"Come now, that was centuries ago. There were many good times. Must we foucus on the bad?"
"No. But you screwed me over. I got the point."
Then she made her biggest mistake: She lookedinto his eyes. They were crystal blue, almost transparent, and had a hypnotic quality. Unconciously she began to walk towards him, reaching for his outstretched hand.
"I don't think so." Lucifel drew a silver sword and positioned it at the mastar's throat. Quickly regaining her mind, Ava pulled his arm down.
"You can't kill him. He won't die." she wispered in his ear.
"Isn't this touching?" Dracula broke the moment.
"We're going home now." the dhampire looked at him with distaste.
"I have other plans, I'm afraid." his sadistic eyes glittered "You belong to me."
***
"Why not Avie?"
"Don't call me that!"
"Answer me!" Lucie grabbed her arm and pulled her around to face him.
"Because I can't stay here! I hate this place! I hate what I am and I hate YOU!!!"
"Why? Why do you hate vampires so much?"
"I don't know." she jerked her arm back and moved to the other side of the room."I just do."
"That's not good enough, Avie."
"I told you not to call me that."
"I'll call you what I damn well want to!"
"Good-bye Luce." she picked up a black velvet cape and walked out, slamming the door behind her.
"Bitch!" Lucifel shouted, throwing a crystal vase at the door.
~~~
"Bitch!" she heard his muffled scream from the walk.
The sound of shattering glass folowed.
"That was my favorite vase you ass." she snarled and continued to walk. She began to wonder where she would go and what she would do. The wind picked up just then, skatteringtrash aong the ground. A white envelope landed at her feet. Out of curiosity she picked it up. In the center was a red wax seal.
***
"You suprise me."Lucifel crossed his arms. his eyes not leaveing Dracula. "I wouldn't think you'd be much for games."
"Quite the contrary." he gloated "I enjoy a bit of sport every now and then."
"Fine. Let's get started."
"You have to be jokeing!" Ava interupted the bargan "I can't beleive you two are going to go through with this."
"Onewould think that a lady in your position would be flattered. Two gentalmen vieing for your hand." he made a guesture of proposal.
"I don't want either of you to have me 'hand'. I like it where it is!"
"Talon, take Avie to a room where she can rest."
The henchman moved forward, out of the shadows supriseingly fast and caught her up. He was stronger than he looked and the suddeness of his attack gave her no time to change. Before she knew it she was imprisoned in a sparse room with a single wiindow. The moon shed the only light.
***
Ava did her best to act as though nothing were wrong. She donned an apron and waited on tables-takeing orders, giving the to Jag to fill and takeing the drinks to the customers. There was a slight disturbance as the front door slammed open and a beddraggled Lucifel stormed in. Ava put her tray down and joined him in the back room.
"What the hell happened to you?!" he demanded.
"I climbed out the window." she answered calmly.
"So while I was busy, busting my ass,fighting the very man who sired me, and you conveiniantlyCLIMBED OUT A WINDOW?!"
"That pretty much covers it."
"Just checking." he combed his hair back with his fingers and put on an apron. "I won by the way."
"He dead?"
"You said it yourself, He won't die."
"Damn." "Yeah. Let's get back to work." he smiled and they went out into the crowded room.
***
"You think you'll ever hunt again?" Jag asked casualy as he wiped off the counter top. It was morning outside but the windows were safely bared against the light. Ava sat across from him, resting.
"I don't know. Mabey, if the price is right."
"Strange lassie you always were." he mimicked a scottsman.
"Don't taljk like that." she frowned, not knowing why the accent displeased her. He snickered at her.
"I'd better get to bed. I'm tired." he folded his rag in his hands and took off his apron.
"Yeah, sure. See you tommorow." she waved at him, left alone in the barroom. Slowly she slid out of her chair and walked across the room to the front door. She opened it and wandered out into the early morning light.Narcisis and Kyril were waiting for her near a brick building.
"Hi." the slave waved to her. "Ready to go?"
"Sure." her hands shook nervously.
"You're bag is already in the trunk."
They got in and the two women buckled up. Kyril jumped into the back seat and put his feet up on Ava's seat.
"Where too?" Narcisis, the driver, started the engine.
"How about...Germany?" Ava suggested, turning around to look at the demon lord "That okay with you?"
"Ganz Gut" he agreed "I'm just along for the ride."
"What did Lucifel say when you tell him?" Narcasis asked with gunine curiosity.
"I didn't."
She gave a knowing smile and turned back to the road.
"The sun rose higher as they drove, warming the air.
"Springtime." Ava closed her eyes and threw her head as she had done that night with Jag in the park. "I can't wait to see if I freckle."
*OWARI*
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