Prologue

Artemis reached for both of the two glock 19's resting in the holsters that were strapped on the outside of his thighs. Both weapons were chained from the handle of the gun to a metal ring on the front of his belt. He faced the wretched creature in front of him. If he was any normal human being his skin would have crawled at the sight of the grotesque monster before him. Its eyes were fully red, no one could distinguish between an iris, or a pupil. Its skin was pale beyond any healthy human palor and their canine teeth were pointed in quite an unusual way. There was no mistaking it, the thing before Artemis was none other than a vampyre.

“What do you think you're doing?” It hissed at him, threatened by the movement of Artemis drawing his weapons. Logically, it was a stupid question. Why else would anyone point a gun at another if their intent wasn't to kill?

"What an idiotic question," Artemis began to patronize him. He let a half smirk spread across a part of his face, revealing his pointy canines, verifying his identity.

"How dare you turn on your own kind!" It exclaimed, the hiss in its voice acting as an accent or involuntary speech impedement.

Artemis didn't even bother replying to the vampyre. Holding each weapon in his hand, he fired two bullets into the creature's chest. It exploded through its heart, desecrating it into a million fragments.

“I am Artemis, the vampyre slayer.” Smoke emanated from the fired weapon. Artemis held the handle just a bit tighter in his gloved hand. He should have been happy that another vampyre was dead and gone, but the eerie realization that he himself was a vampyre only increased his anxiety. He was an abomination, a monster, just like them. No matter how much he wanted to fight it, he knew he was no better than all of the rest of his kind. Quickly, Artemis made himself scarce. He made it to his hideout in practically no time at all. He sat at his desk that was located in the corner of the room. He then brought out an old looking journal; scrawled the following message onto the first few pages that he had skipped in first writing the book:

The fact that you're reading my memoirs tells me that I've finally finished my quest. What you will find in these pages is the history of my life, when I “changed” up until the completion of my mission. I will promise no happy ending, in fact, I won't promise any happiness at all. Continue to read through these pages if you dare. There will be no hard feelings if I'm placed back on the shelf, where you found me. Another will come, one who is the Chosen and bears the mark of Artemis who will be protector of this earth after I am gone.

You're still here? Good, there is hope for your planet yet. Hurry, within these pages are all that you need to know and master your art as a vampyre slayer. It is your job to keep the darkness at bay. I don't care what anyone else has told you, vampyres are the monsters of this realm and each new one must be eliminated at all costs. Kill all who have been imprinted with the seal. This marking is supernatural and is one of the only ways you will know of their origin...

 

Chapter I

Erica awoke that evening, of her own accord. Twenty three and on her own she did not have to worry about a mother or father coming in and waking her up at six in the morning. As a vampyre, she was expected to make it on her own at a somewhat young age. Living by herself since she was nineteen she had grown used to the solitude that her studio apartment granted her. Though, more often than not, she had dreamed of having a pet. She occasionally longed for something that would greet her when she got home but, the more that she thought about it, the more she thought it was a bad idea.

She sat up in bed, stretching her slender arms over her head, pulling off the covers, revealing her wine colored silk shirt that hung loosely about her curvy frame. She grabbed her soft bathrobe that rested on a coat rack, which Erica conveniently placed close to her bed. It was freezing and she was reluctant to leave the warm refuge of her bed covers. The robe provided a secondary warmth that Erica could not complain about. Once secure and snug within the folds of the soft material, she walked across the room to her coffee maker, going through the motions of making a fresh cup of joe.

As the bitter drink brewed, Erica walked to the huge window at the side of her apartment. She didn't know how else it would be called other than a window, but the glass wall was massive. It gave her a spectacular view, but her sensitivity to sunlight made it extremely difficult to deal with. She had to get her curtains custom made for her wall of glass, to which she would close in the daytime and keep open all night. She folded her arms across her chest, watching as the flurry of snow dotted the dark blue sky above her and seemed to sprinkle on top of all of the city lights. New York was an absolutely wonderful city at night.

Time had passed as she was dazzled by the beauty of her view, she almost did not hear the timer go off on her coffee machine. Promptly brought out of her trance, she went and poured herself a cup of coffee, letting her fingers linger around the mug as they were warmed by the heat that emanated off of it. She breathed in the steam, sighing deeply as she relished in the comfortable atmosphere that all of this brought on. She blew on the surface, trying to cool down the piping hot liquid. Once she felt it was safe enough, she took a cautionary sip. She was satisfied and, by luck, did not burn her lips this time.

Though her silent evening was not meant to be. It was not long before her cell phone began the tune of Adam Lambert's 'If I Had You', a song that she fell in love with the first time she heard it. Tonight it did not bring much pleasure as she looked at the caller ID. As she answered it she was anything but polite.

“What do you want?” Her tone was practically exasperated.

“Hey, hey. Is that any way to talk to your employer?” A male with a New York accent answered her back.

“Just cut to the chase, Dan,” Erica answered, clearly not in the mood for any nonsense.

“All right, all right. That's what I like about you, straightforward and to the point; no funny business.”

She rolled her eyes and waited for him to continue.

“Anyway, I know that I said tonight was your night off but I'm havin' a rough time, I need you to come down and cover for Angela.”

“Come on Dan, I haven't had a night off in a while, what's wrong with Angela?”

“Apparently she's come down with a cold, considering it's the middle of December that doesn't surprise me. I run a clean establishment and can't have her coughing and sniffing around the customers, I'll lose my clientele.”

Erica was not buying the cold story. Angela had a reputation for lying to get leave of her station, but since Dan seemed to have a little 'thing' for her, he was not suspicious of her constant absence at all.

“Fine, I'll come in, but I need an hour.”

“Good girl! I knew I could count on you, see you in an hour.”

Erica hung up and threw her phone on the bed. She gazed out at her view from her apartment once more, drinking some more of her coffee. She then began to get ready for work.

She worked as a bar maid at some ritzy club. Nothing extreme with techno music and flashing lights, but something classy, where people stopped by to chat over a martini or scotch on the rocks. Erica was grateful for such a job, at least with this kind of atmosphere she would not have to worry about wearing some over revealing sleezy outfit that just asked for the hungry eyes of perverts.

She put on her white button down blouse and fastened her black tie under the collar. She pulled on her black slacks and tied her short black apron around her waist. Erica went to the bathroom, padding around in her socks, to do her makeup. Though she preferred the natural look when it came to cosmetics, Dan insisted that she “glitz” herself up. So she applied dark eyeliner, mascara, and smokey eyeshadow, she finished the look with a shiny lip gloss. On her way out the door she pulled on her tennis shoes, grabbed her coat, and took her keys.
It only took a few minutes to get to the bar.

Erica parked in front of the brick building of the bar that her employer, Dan, managed and owned. Erica lingered in her car, looking through her windshield at the building. From the outside there was no way that anyone could have expected it to be associated with such a descriptor as classy. The neon sign, that Dan insisted on being blood shot red, flashed Self Indulgence across the face of the building. Erica involuntarily rolled her eyes. The name of the bar itself would make anyone think of a run down hole in the wall that only offered cheap beer and easy ladies. Erica didn't even notice that her hands were still gripping the steering wheel.

"I really don't want to go to work." She whispered to herself.

Erica filled her cheeks with air and released the newly made carbon dioxide through her lips. She reluctently exited her vehicle, locked her car, and entered the building through the back way that lead to the storage room. 

“Erica!” A heavily New York accented voice called to her.

“Yes, Dan?” Erica said, trying to veil the annoyance in her voice. It failed.

“What took you so long to get here?” Dan was obviously not happy and Erica's attitude wasn't helping matters.

“You gave me an hour, is it really my fault that I decided to use every minute of it?” She never liked Dan, to Erica he always seemed squirrely. Always quick to make a buck and was very stingy when it came to financial affairs. She made sure to stay away from him, and tried her best never to be alone with him.

“Don't get smart with me.” Dan warned.

“Who's watching the club?” Erica asked, trying to distract Dan from directing his anger at her, it made her nervous that her own anger would escalate. 

As if remembering his duties he gave Erica a look that said 'this isn't over' and walked back out to the front.

Erica wasn't particularly fond of Dan's bipolar bursts. His condition made her vampyre instincts flare which made it that much harder to control. She knew that if she did not keep herself in check someone would wind up dead. It shocked even her when she decided to become a vegetarian, even though it was a precaution. She eliminated every temptation for the reason that she didn't want what she hated to reveal itself to the world. She kept herself from craving blood by not consuming it at all. Though everyone naturally assumed that she was a vegetarian to save wildlife and animals, but if she was completely honest with herself she didn't care enough about animals not to eat them. Though her anger was still an obstacle that she needed to face every day. Her vampyric DNA would flare along with her rising emotions, causing her to want to kill. The only remedy that she was able to find was actually searching out a yoga group which talked about finding her inner peace. She breathed in and out, calming herself through breathing exercises. Once finished she hung up her coat, putting her keys in the pocket, and entered the serving area with a big smile on her lips.

Erica was nothing but a blur for how busy Self Indulgence was. She wondered if there was some kind of party going on or something. To her knowledge there wasn't anything special going on. It was after Christmas but it wasn't New Year's either. Her curiosity was quenched when she found out what was going on from one of the guests.

“Wow, it sure is busy in here tonight, I wonder what the occasion is,” Erica began as an open line to a gentleman sitting at the bar.

“Yeah, it's kind of stupid really. The end of the world is suppose to be tonight because the Mayan calendar has run out.” The man said, staring Erica in the eyes as he talked to her, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“The Mayans? But didn't they go extinct ages ago? How could they predict the future?” Erica asked, a playful atmosphere surrounding her. 

The young man just shrugged his shoulders.
“Like I said, it's stupid, but you'll use any excuse to have a drink right?” He laughed and Erica chuckled along with him.

“Well, enjoy yourself, sir.” She poured him some rum, an unusual request, but he had been drinking it all night.

“Thanks. Here's to the end of the world.” He nodded in her direction and downed his drink in one swig. She just smiled his way as she filled his glass once more. He then walked towards a group that she assumed were his friends, leaving her at the bar by herself. Though it didn't last long.

Another man approached the bar, though he did not seem to have a glass. As he came closer she offered him a drink; which he refused quickly.

“Are you Erica?” Erica was surprised by this and immediately became cautious. She bit her lip to keep her canine teeth from growing into points because of the pending threat.

Inner peace, inner peace, she reminded herself. 

“Who are you?” She inquired, as politely as she could. 

“A man on a mission, are you Erica or not? If not, then I must be on my way.”

Just as she was about to tell him that she was not the person he was looking for, Dan came up behind her and answered for her.

“Yes, she is Erica.”

Erica scowled at her boss, giving him a deathly glare, but he ignored it.

“Now that you know, I would ask that you take your conversation outside, you're making the other guests uncomfortable.”

Erica was not about to leave anywhere out of the public eye with the man in front of her, she would rather spit. But the man grabbed her arm and nodded to Dan.

“We won't be too long sir.”

Dan just smiled mischievously.

“Don't be too rough with her.”

Erica's stomach began to churn with disgust. She was pulled, or rather dragged, from the bar and out the back into the alleyway. It was then that she wrenched her arm from the mysterious man.

“What's the meaning of this? I demand to know who you are! I warn you, I may look small but I can knock your high class tail on the pavement.”

“There's not time to explain. Here.”

He handed her a rather old looking book, thrusting it into her hands.

“This book holds everything that you need to know.”

He began to walk away but she grabbed his arm.

“Wait, you must be mistaken. I don't know who you are, where you come from, and I certainly don't know what this book is.”

“It's what will help you save the world, and give you your heart's desire.” He said simply.

Her grip loosened on his arm and he slipped from her grasp, turning the corner and disappearing into the darkness.
Dan swung the back door open, not happy in the slightest.

“Erica, back inside. We've got customers and no server.”

I need a new job, She thought to herself.

Instead of replying to him she entered back into the establishment, hiding her new book under the bar.

She worked until dawn and never stopped thinking about her encounter with the strange man. As Erica left the bar, she took her book with her, tossing it onto the passenger seat of her car. She drove home and made it into her apartment, book in hand. She then set it onto the kitchen counter. She stretched her arms and yawned. It had been a long night and she was tired. She moseyed over to her wall of glass and began to close the curtains. The little bit of sun that peeked through the building sent a pounding pain through her skull.

“What a nuisance.” She said as she closed the curtains the rest of the way.

The pounding pain ceased as soon as the curtains were drawn. She crawled into bed and closed her eyes after changing into her sleepwear, not knowing that the book was open and emanating a force that would not keep her safe for long.

Chapter II

Erica could not admit to a peaceful sleep, not by a long shot. Only a few hours after she went to bed did she hear rustling in her apartment. Being a vampyre, all of her senses were heightened, much more than the average human's. It was one of the only perks that she actually liked about her race. She opened her eyes instantly, quickly scanning the room without moving. She saw that there was someone in the kitchen. Her instincts told her to bite the intruder and drain them of their blood, after all, it would be in self defense. But if she killed them that way, it would be an impossible task to explain it to the police. She slowly reached for her end table drawer which contained a pistol for situations such as this. She wrapped her fingers around the weapon without a sound.

“I wouldn't try that if I were you.”

Erica froze as the female voice resonated throughout the room.

Erica made up her mind within seconds. Faster than she ever moved before, she aimed and fired at the shadow that intruded her home. She knew the bullet connected, she saw it, but the woman seemed to have deflected it somehow.

“That's impossible,” Erica whispered into the darkness.

The shadow had her pinned down before Erica had the chance to react.

“Oh, but it is,” It hissed in her ear. It breathed on her neck causing Erica's vampyre DNA to flare.

“Leave, now, and I'll forget that you're breaking the law.”

All the while Erica was trying to remind herself to breath, to calm down despite her desperate position.

“And waste such a beautiful creature such as you? I think not.” Without warning the woman bit into the base of Erica's neck. She yelped in pain. Erica's eyes turned a glowing yellow that could be seen in the darkness. Her canines grew into points and she roared, releasing the monster withing her. She threw the woman off of her and across the room. She laughed, a maniacal sound leaving her throat as all sense left her body.

“You should have listened when I told you to leave. Now you won't escape with your life.”

Erica grinned evilly as she advanced upon the other vampyre. She was able to pounce onto her before she could recover. She dug her nails into the vampyre's shoulder, thrusting her against the wall. She grabbed her by her throat and closed her fingers around her esophagus.

“Time to say goodnight.”

With her air passages completed blocked, it wouldn't be long before she went limp as her life slipped away from her. But the vampyre continued to smile.

“I hope you know what you're doing,” she managed to say.

It didn't take much longer before she died. Erica released her and her eyes turned back to their light blue color. Her teeth sank back in, returning to their human state. Common sense flooded back into her and she realized what she had done. Her eyes widened in terror at the woman lying on her floor. Her eyes watered with tears.

“I am such a monster,” she cried into her hands.

She didn't care for the woman, she cared that she was capable of killing someone so easily and without restraint. Though the woman was a vampyre just like her, she didn't feel any sort of kinship towards her. She hated herself and everyone who was like her.

“You were stupid. So stupid,” she said to the dead body.

It was then that she began to wonder why her home was broken into in the first place. She remembered that the intruder was rummaging around in her kitchen.

“Why in the world would you steal something from there? There's nothing of value-”

She stopped mid-sentence and walked into the little kitchenette, wondering if her suspicions held any merit. She searched the counters and couldn't find the book handed to her by the man in the bar. Anxiety filled her chest, though for what reason, she didn't know.

“Where's the book?” She said aloud.

She rummaged through drawers and looked on the floor, feeling around for any indication for a cover or binding. She breathed a sigh of relief when she ground what she was looking for. Taking the book she headed to her bed, turning on the lamp that rested atop her end table. The whole room was illuminated, revealing the chaotic mess caused by Erica's recent encounter. She ignored the mess as she seated herself in the middle of the mattress, completely enraptured about the piece of literature she held within her hands.

“Let us see why you're causing so much trouble.”

She opened the cover and saw the message scrawled upon the first page. It was a lot to take in all at once.

“Chosen? How could that man possibly think that I am the Chosen?”

After reading the part about vampyres being monsters she fingered the two puncture wounds on her neck.

“At least they got on thing right.”

Erica was suddenly hit with a wave of depression as she turned the next page. She was reminded more vividly of what she was and how much she loathed it. Upon reading the next page she was shocked and was almost in disbelief at what she saw. The journal read:

History of the vampyre began close to 2000 years ago in Ancient Greece. There have been many legends of creatures that suck the life blood of humans, but this one is by far the most accurate. At this time, the gods moved along the earth. The goddess, Artemis, encountered a man that seemed to be captivated and infatuated with her. She was in love with him, falling for his charismatic words and promises. She did not waste any gifts upon him. She blessed him with wealth and power beyond any mans dream, and he continued to woo her until his riches were innumerable. Then, one night, he betrayed Artemis and took a mortal woman as his wife. Rage filled Artemis and she sought out revenge. She felt that killing him was much too quick and not satisfactory to satiate her thirst for vengeance. She though of the most cruel thing to do to him, and so she cursed him. She bestowed upon him the curse of immortality and a craving for consuming blood. This is what we know as vampyres, today. All vampyre descendants have come from this cursed man. He got to see his wife grow old and die. He walked the earth with the children that were unfortunate enough to have inherited his vampyre gene.

 

Erica stopped reading at this point.

"Alright. What the heck is going on?"

She was astonished and mesmerized, but full of knowledge and fear at the same time.

"I'm just the product of a 2000 year old curse," she said to herself.

She raised her hand to the front of her face, twisting it to the front and the back several times, willing herself to understand. She looked back down at the book that say in her lap, and continued to read.

The vampyres are a corrupt race, because of their immorality they see themselves as an invincible force that can escape any situation.

 

Erica stopped again to scoff at the words she just read.

"That's for sure," she commented. She was referring to the corpse that was lying just a few feet away from her. She turned to the journal again.

All of them have no desire to benefit the world, they have decided to use their immortality to feed their own greed and lust for power. Except for you.

 

Erica raised her eyebrows at those last few words.

"Except me?" She was perplexed about these words.

You have the rare gene of vampyre and slayer. You detest what you are and desire to be a human. This is the mark of the Chosen. You are the one who will eliminate the threat of the vampyre race. You and you alone are the key.

 

"The key? What am I suppose to do? Go out in the middle of the street and say that I'm a vampyre slayer? A lot of good that will do."

"You are to have a mentoring by me."

Erica jumped. She instinctively grabbed her pistol, and turned to see the strange man from the alleyway.

"Is everyone going to break into my apartment tonight?" Erica was frustrated and tired, she was in no mood to have to deal with this guy. She made sure her pistol was aimed at his chest.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

"Is that any way to treat a guest?" He smirked as if this was all a big game. He entered the apartment and made himself comfortable as if he lived there himself. All the while Erica followed him with the barrel of her gun.

"If you were an invited guest," she said coldly. "Now why are you here and what do you want?" Her eyebrows narrowed.

"So inhospitable," he said snobbishly.

"Well aren't you much more chatty than you were yesterday." Erica was growing annoyed at his pervasiveness.

Ignoring Erica's comment, he went on to explain himself.

"I'm Artemis," he said proudly.

"The goddess herself? But you're a man!" She exclaimed, surprise written in her eyes.

The man winced and seemed to hesitate on his next words.

"More like the son of Artemis."

Chapter III

"Wait. You're the son of Artemis?" Erica was astonished.

He just stared at her, his air of importance got on her nerves.

"Fine, if you're Artemis, what do you want with me?"

He looked at her with interest and question.

"Didn't you finish reading the book?"

"Oh yeah, I worked all night, got attacked by a vampyre and a god shows up in my apartment. I managed to fit time to read this stupid book in between all of that," she said in a sarcastic tone.

Artemis sighed and walked over to the bed, picked up the book and flipped to a page. He read the words aloud so that Erica could hear.

"I will come to you as a guide and equip you with the tool you will need to finish your mission."

He stopped reading and looked at her.

"Honestly, didn't you read when I gave it to you?"

"Because I just read random books from creepy strangers, yeah that's smart."

Artemis sighed again.

"We don't have much time, take a seat."

He sat down, and so did she, feeling safe enough now to withdraw her weapon but keep it very close to her person.

"You have to save the world before December 31st, otherwise the human race will die out."

Erica opened her mouth to ask a question but Artemis continued before she could get a word out.

"The reason being because the first vampyre, your ancestor, plans to gather all of the vampyres together and control the world."

Artemis' expression fell.

"My mother was so blinded by her anger that she didn't think of the consequences of her curse on the man she used to love. Now he's in search of power beyond any mortals capabilities."

Artemis looked off into the distance, contemplating the past.

"That man is my father," Artemis admitted, his tone rueful.

Erica felt for the man before her.

"Do you have the vampyre DNA like I do?" She asked him, hoping that it wouldn't be too painful.

He shook his head. "I don't. My mother was carrying me before she cursed him. It wasn't until the day after she afflicted him that she found out that she was with child."

Erica nodded in understanding. A moment of silence dominated the atmosphere.

"What do I need to take this man out?"

Erica was determined now, not only to become human, but to also avenge Artemis and herself. Artemis snapped out of his melancholy and regarded Erica with an expression of professionalism, leaving no trace of his previous emotion.

"Besides the equipment that I will give you, you are going to have to completely eliminate every vampyre on this earth, including the father of your race. You will need to target his top informants first."

This information overwhelmed Erica but she nodded her understanding. Artemis rose from his seat and held out bot of his hands. What appeared were two guns of a .45 caliber. They both were attached to chains, the other end connected to holsters. In his other hand he held a belt that all the equipment could he hooked to.

"These are your most important possessions now, guard them with your life." Artemis stared at her intensely, hoping that she would realize the seriousness of the situation.

"I understand," she said with finality.

She grabbed the items and strapped them onto herself. She looked up at Artemis once she was finished and saw that his mouth had dropped. She looked at him quizzically.

"What's the matter?" He was making her nervous.

"When did you get that?" He pointed at her person.

"Get what? I-"

"That bite mark! The one on your neck!" Artemis was shouting and it made Erica recoil from him.

She touched the two puncture wounds on her neck. It didn't seem like a big deal to her. They didn't even hurt all that much, hardly a cause for any alarm. As Erica was touching her wounds with one hand she pointed to the former vampyre with the other. Artemis looked in the direction of her pointing and didn't like what he saw, he didn't like it one bit.

"When did this happen?" He asked, impatient for the answer.

"Just a little while before you arrive. You aren't an observant one are you?"

She couldn't understand how someone could walk into her home and not notice the complete chaos that it was in, not to mention the dead body that was just lying in the room, fully seen.

"This is bad, this is really bad." Artemis began to pace back and forth, running his fingers through his hair.

"What's bad? Artemis, you're scaring me, tell me what's going on?" Her voice shook with almost every word.

He looked her in the eyes. He went to her and grabbed her shoulders.

"I didn't mean for this to happen, I hoped that I would have found you first." He looked at the dead woman across the room.
"That over there is an informant, though they must not have been around that long to have been killed so easily." Artemis said this in a grave tone.

Erica was filled with understanding. She didn't know how but somehow they knew she was the Chosen.

"I must have been too late in finding you. How they managed to find you before me is extraordinary."

Artemis was partially astonished and partly anxious.

"It's not safe here anymore, we have to leave this place, now."

Artemis didn't wait for her reply. He grabbed the book in one hand and then her hand with the other. He practically dragged her to his car. Once they were outside he quickly opened her door, then his.

"Get in," he commanded. She obeyed without question.

Artemis set the book down on the back seat, started his car, and began to drive.

"Where are we going?" Erica felt compelled to ask.

"My place," he said flatly.

"You aren't taking me to Olympus or anything are you?"

Under normal circumstances Artemis would have laughed at the notion, but he answered her with a snarky attitude that matched the tension in his muscles.

"Yes I'm going to take you through the clouds where you will meet the others. No, that's not how things work. I line in a house, just like you do."

Erica withdrew from him and tried to shrink into her seat.

"You don't seem to grasp how important this is." His voice didn't rise in volume but it might as well have.

"I'm sorry that I don't completely grasp your vague comments and explanations. Maybe if you would explain things a bit better then I would understand more," she retorted.

"The fact that the entire human race is at the hands of a vampyre doesn't seem important to you?"

Erica didn't say anything, couldn't say anything.

"Loos," Artemis continued. "The first vampyre, our ancestor, my father, is planning a massive carnage and he must be stopped. He's going to gather together all of the vampyres and enlist them into his cause. They are going to take the lives of every human being, young, old, men, women, and children."

"What will they gain by doing this?" Erica was confused.

"Isn't it obvious? To repopulate the earth with vampyres," Artemis explained.

"That won't work though, those vampyres aren't like me, they crave blood. Getting rid of humans altogether would force them to turn on each other."

"Do you think my father cares about other lives other than his own? That's just what he wants, to see everyone turn on each other because it was his idea and he made it happen."

Erica didn't know what to say or do. She couldn't see how she was different from other vampyres and what made her special from the rest of them.

"According to the book you're to have the mark of Artemis tattooed somewhere on your body."

He was trying to be more civil towards her, though she acted like a dunce. Erica didn't say anything. Artemis looked at her for a second. He panicked.

"Please tell me you have this tattoo, if you don't then I have the wrong vampyre!" He exclaimed.

"Calm down, I have it." Erica said exasperated.

Artemis breathed a sigh of relief.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because it's something that I don't like to talk about okay?" Erica was becoming irritated with his badgering.

"What? Is it in an embarrassing place or-"

"It was branded into me okay?" Erica shouted the words at him.

Chapter IV

"Branded?" Artemis asked, disbelieving.

"Yes, I woke up screaming in the middle of the night as it mysteriously burned into my flesh."

Artemis winced. "How old were you?"

"Thirteen," Erica said, shortly. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

The care became silent and was so for the rest of the drive. They came to a modest abode that Erica wasn't expecting at all.

"You thought I would be living in a mansion didn't you?" Artemis asked.

"Pardon the expression, but yeah, I thought you would be living somewhere that best fit a god." Erica admitted.

Artemis lead her to the front door and unlocked it with a key on a key ring that his car keys rested on as well. Opening the door he let Erica walk inside before he did. When Erica and Artemis both entered Artemis locked the door behind him, Erica notices and raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm being cautious," he explained with a smile.

She didn't question him further, it was a logical explanation. He lead her to a spare bedroom that he had set up, seemingly just for her.

"Were you expecting me to be staying here for a while?" Erica asked, skeptically.

"Let us just say that I was being prepared for a situation such as this," He smiled as he looked into her face.

He stared into her eyes for what felt like forever. Erica averted her gaze, unable to meet his intense one. He made her nervous and her heart raced. He began to lean in towards her. Erica froze at his nearness. He went to brush his lips against hers. He breathed his hot breath on her mouth.

"What do you think about a vampyre and a god being together?" He asked as he completely closed the gap between them.

A few seconds went by and he pulled back, staring into her eyes again.

"It will never work," she said, breathless.

"Why not?" He prompted.

"Because you'll be dead." Erica grabbed both .45's from their holsters, pointing one at Artemis' stomach and the other at his forehead.

"Erica, what are you doing?" Artemis showed fear in his eyes.

"You're going to keep up that facade ever after I kill you?" She challenged.

Artemis' face made the transition from fear to an evil smirk.

"What gave me away?"

"Other than the fact that you reek of vampyre?"

His expression wavered slightly but he maintained his smirk in the end.

"Impressive, I must congratulate you on your keep detective skills." Artemis clapped, mockingly.

He then swiped the guns away from his body. Erica reacted a fraction of a second too slow in pulling the trigger making the bullets fly into the floor, the ammunition made holes in the carpet. As she took time to recover Artemis grabbed one of her weapons and held her to his chest, the gun pointed at the side of her head.

"You didn't think it would be that easy did you?" Artemis said, being condescending.

"Hardly, I like the challenge." Erica spoke.

Erica ducked away from the gun, crouched, and swung her leg out, knocking him to the floor. In an instant and without missing a beat, she grabbed the other gun that hung off of her belt, pointing it at Artemis' chest only to be met with her other gun turned onto her own chest.

"Oh my, what a predicament we're in," he said, feigning surprise.

"I'll say," she returned.

They stood there for a full minute.

"Join me, Erica, you can be my queen, second most powerful being on the entire earth." Artemis tried persuading her to his side.

"You promise much, Artemis, but by experience I know what a liar you are."

Artemis' eyes narrowed.

"You aren't a god, you're but a cursed man who struggles to be greater than he is."

"You are the same as me." Artemis retorted.

"Unfortunately, I am," she said, sadness filling her eyes.

Without warning, shots were fired. It echoed throughout the building and slightly surprised both of them because of the intensity in volume.

Blood began to pout out of Artemis' mouth.

"I guess this is the end," he said as his life slipped away from him.

"Indeed," Erica answered back.

Blood began to appear on Erica's chest. She fell to her knees.

It is over,

Erica thought. I will no longer be a vampyre.

A pain filled her and darkness began to cloud her vision. She waited patiently for death to claim her body. She turned to Artemis and saw that he was dead.

"My mission is complete," Erica smiled despite the pain.

Darkness finally enveloped her and all pain left her, now she felt nothing.

Chapter V

Erica lie motionless on the floor next to her ancestor and father of all vampyres. Her heart beat faded and there seemed to be no life left in her, but the goddess had been watching over her.

Justice had been served in such a way that the goddess couldn't possibly let Erica die this way. Appearing on earth, in the very same room as the female vampyre, she crossed to her.

"Get up, young vampyre. You are no longer a monster, but a human, and I bestow to you, the gift of mortality." The goddess said into the air.

Erica's chest began to rise and fall with regular breaths. Her heart beat was restored to her. One last thing that the goddess did was take Erica's body and transport it back to her apartment.

In just a few seconds the goddess restored and fixed her apartment, laying Erica to rest in her bed. She implanted memories into her head so that she wouldn't remember the pain of being different, she put in their place the memories of growing up with a loving human family.

"Use your gift well. You have served your earth and for that, I spare you and give you a second chance."

The goddess disappeared from sight and went back to where she came from.

Erica stirred from her sleep and opened her eyes. She sat up in bed and rubbed her head.

"Oh man, what a weird dream that was."

And that, my friends, is the end of our vampyric tale.

Impressum

Texte: M. Jade Glock
Bildmaterialien: Deviantart
Lektorat: M. Jade Glock
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 20.12.2012

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