"To Ana, My friend, My inspiration, My thanks. Love Stephen"

Silence, sharp and cutting, controlling the very breath that leaves his mouth, he longed to let out a sigh of relief, but he couldn’t be sure that that thing had stopped coming after him. Christopher, and if you’re going to shorten that due to familiarity then make it Christy, not Chris, it’s an Irish thing. Christy didn’t want to come out tonight, he had bought an Xbox, and wanted to play Halo until he fell asleep, he wasn’t particulary good at computer games, or the like, but he tried and got the enjoyment out of them that a professional game player didn’t anymore. So much wishing was passing through his mind that he wanted to be in his box room, playing the game, or reading something by Joyce, or even Poe. Poe would be stretching it right now.

At 17 Christy wanted to stay at home, an odd choice for his age and location, all his school friends were out at night, every night, drinking, drugs, smoking cigarettes. Christy was a squat, a bookworm, but he had some measure of popularity in his school due to his ability to be very clever yet totally hated by all the Teachers. It was an odd thing, but he always had the ability to rub the underpaid babysitters up the wrong way. The saying that those who can can, and those who can’t, teach, this was one of his favourite sayings, and he liked it so much he had written it on his book bag. This was not the only way he aggravated the Faculty, he would also correct them in class when they had the information wrong, he knew the school charter back and front, and the final insult he gave to them was that he made it his business to know their first names and called them by it publicly. If ever one Teacher would say something to him about this he would only say that they are teaching me to be an adult, and thank them for that, and when adults have conversations with each other they call each other by their first names. If this argument would fail, and so far it hadn’t, but if the event came when it did then he would bring out the fact that they couldn’t force him to call them a name that which made them feel superior to them, under article 8.3 in the school charter. Being smart, knowing all he did, it wasn’t enough to keep his ass out of the way of predators. He shouldn’t have listened to Wayne.

Wayne, also hated by teachers, but admired and revered by the Students, was a hard case, and not one of those tough kids who are tough though no one knows really why. This kid, was a year younger than Christy, in the same year of school and four inches taller. The reputation that Wayne had was justified, and his friendship with Christy was born at the same time as this rep. A Teacher, Mr. Boddly, who turned to teaching when he couldn’t face his previous vocation anymore, a Bouncer. The rumour mill around the Teachers lounge was that a easy going barfly had taken offence when Ted, a.k.a. Mr. Boddly, had plunged his head into the wooden surface of the bar six times, and barfly stuck a six inch switchblade into Ted’s neck. Through hours and hours of surgery Ted survived, and came out with a husky voice, and the choice to leave his night job behind and get a qualification in teaching. One rainy day, which could be one of many, Wayne and Ted had a disagreement, and Ted came off the worse. Eventually Wayne had to face the Principal, but before Wayne was going to be expelled, a young upstart was going to interfere and swear on the Bible that Ted through the first punch. The school would face a lawsuit, one that would cripple it forever.

From that moment, Christy was under Wayne’s protection, and that meant more than physical aggression, it meant that Wayne would help Christy fit in with his peers, which was something that Wayne needed. For the most part, Christy’s parents didn’t like Wayne’s friendship with their sun, but Christy was out of the house more, and his nose didn’t have as much ink from it. If they could have foreseen their son’s predicament now, they would use their parental discretion and banned Wayne for coming near the house.

The night was meant to be one of fun, usual teenage fun, minus the sex. With the amount of alcohol that was about to be consumed at the Palmerstown Quarry, a abandoned workplace, were the night staff wouldn’t work, and the day timers load had doubled, productivity had fallen and then one day there was no money for wages. This night, this place would be a watering hole, the bladder and liver were going to be given a good workout. In the past Christy was given some alcoholic beverages to taste, and not one of them had made his world turn to the point of liking. Soft drinks that were brought along were going to be his poison of choice.

However the events in the Vampire Nation of the last few days had meant that this moonless night would have a pack on the hunt. Their leader had changed earlier from human to wolf, to relieve himself of the tension of the truth. These beasts had changed for they thought that there was a reason to celebrate.

Christy wanted to get home, get to school, or anywhere that wasn’t here. Everyone else was dead, the stench of bile and other bodily fluids were all over his clothes. He had been standing next to Wayne when the attack started, in fact, Wayne had been the point kill. In all the books that Christy had read, all the things that made him who he was, nothing could come to him if he had to describe these creatures. Ravenous dogs don’t move with such purpose, but still there were many characteristics of the canine. But other animal instincts were present, ones which Christy wanted to deny to himself, but they were there, humanity.

The Quarry’s portable toilet had been used earlier, when a first year, some kid that Christy didn’t know, thought that he could handle the drink that he couldn’t. Now, Well, Now Christy was smelling the dead kids puke, and somewhere on his body he knew he could smell the child’s blood. Not for a moment did Christy want to think about a thirteen year olds life ending, not when his own may be so close to that destination. Control of his breathing was his purpose now. The smell from the vomit would cover his scent, the beasts outside would not find him.

Watching, comfortably safe, two hundred feet from the toilet, Ana, a gentle female appearance, the look of a lady in her mid twenties. Ana, mid five’s tall, and a constant late twenties, had been born in Madrid, Spain. Even she couldn’t remember though, the time of her birth, safe to say though that it was more time than had been counted for the general public. Such thought were not in her mind, she survived, moving from place to place, holding her own against the times of hatred that ruled the earth, and such times were constant. She had found her way to Dublin, it was her time. The War that was coming was the opportunity that she needed to find a home, a place to control on her own will. Neither Vampire or Warewolf, she was immortal, she was something much worse, she was the product of both worlds, and was given the curse. Her parents, Dad a Vampire, and Mom, a Wolf, had deserted her at birth, a dream or two would make her believe that a Hunter was responsible for this. But through all that was time, Ana, her self chosen name, Ana believed that she could rule both nations, and rule them well. All that was needed was her King. Tonight, her foresight had told her was the night.

Catching the stars in her eyes she watched. The premise that Christy used to sway his fears, that the stench of vomit would cover his location, was now made false. But, for the next twenty seconds Christy would be unaware of this.

Outside, unknown to their next prey, the Wolves moved, four in number, a semicircle of death moved closer and closer to the toilet. Their breath’s volume was matched by the drool that fell from their lips, the air sniffed with each paw step forward. Closer and closer, the stale vomit receded and the stench of fear came to them, a smell that was all so familiar to them.

The small pack, made up of three females, and one male, were about to take out the last of their prey. Their muscles ached, the thrill of the hunt finally getting to them, all they had to do was kill this last one, the fresh meat of teenagers, nothing could come close to it. Through the flimsy plastic of the portable and then the nights work is done.

Cold air carries the scent more than hot air, with hot air the smell of human sweat can be overpowering, especially for those who have a heightened sense of smell. For the last thirty minutes now death had been reeking the area, and carried off past Ana, past the boundaries of the Quarry, and to a single Vampire, wandering the area seeking his nightly feast. Talon had lived in Palmerstown for all his sixty seven years as a mortal, and when changed two years ago, by mistake, he had kept his house, and changed his name. The mistake happened when he opened his house to lodgers, to supplement his meagre state pension, his human name, Anthony, was part of Anthony and Sarah, the Sarah end of the relationship, a marriage of forty years, had ended three years before the change. One night, one lodger, one doubt pushed to the back of his mind, and one feast, with Talon the creation. The Vampire didn’t know that he had left the short flow of blood in the system of it’s prey. Usually an elderly human is only taken as food, there is no law to say that he cannot be turned, it’s just in bad taste, so to speak. Death would be calling for him soon anyway, some of the blood is taken in mercy, the loss surrounding the old, the sadness that they hold onto, Vampires will kill, and drink, but only in their mind was it mercy. Truth to be known, the elderly are an easy kill, few of them possess the power to even put up a small amount of defence. It only took the Bela fan a moment to realise what had happened to him. The next night Talon had his first kill. He always hated his brother-in-law, now the tools to show his hatred were at his command.

Drawing him closer, the cold night air, all that Talon knew the aroma of blood may lead to an easy kill, being changed at his age made him weaker than a normal Vampire, easy kills were his bread and butter.

Back at the Quarry, Christy now knew that he was about to die, the question in his mind, the question that Ana needed answered, the question was courage. Did Christy have the courage hidden, in two minutes he would die. Now was the choice to go out Butch and Sundance, or to be Lawyer man in Jurassic Park. In his mind all that he wanted to do was to be at home, but that was nonsense now. If the afterlife existed he wanted to go there a man, and seeing how his virginity was still in tact, this was the only chance. A deep breath, a still brought to his heart, and in that silence, he could hear his attackers, their hearts, even their essence. Three, two, and one, Christy came out of the toilet and faced his death. The wolves did not attack, they watched him, each passing second gave hope to Christy. Something was stopping the beasts, they didn’t show this reluctance against the greater number that was there at the birth of their initial attack. Surely Christy wasn’t the big bad wolf to them, it didn’t matter though, he was still alive. Impressed, Ana just watched, foresight showed her that Christy had more to deal with tonight.

It took Talon just minutes to track the scent. In his humanity he had worked in this Quarry, but never thought that the infestation that closed the place would ever call to his door. In a time of his heartbeat, the joints in his legs ached from time, the reversal from a living being to undead, made this problem back off.

Quickly after his turning he learned of the battle with the Lycanthropes, he had killed one or two, now he faced four all at once. Unknown by appearance alone, Christy looked to the old man, and waved for him to run, before the Wolves spotted him, but the movement of his arms only brought their attention to Talon. Three turned their attention away from Christy, and they knew, in their hybrid blood, they knew, to their bones, that the man, appearing frail, was a Vampire. The remaining Wolf, kept watching Christy, something of it’s human inside knew that this prey had something different about him. Not that he faced it down, there were fools a plenty that thought that they could tame the beast by playing the staring game. Studying the face of the animal, Christy would swear that he saw confusion in the beast, a confusion that he would normally put on the head of a human.

Three facing the Vampire, they knew that the climate was changing, in their favour, but still, three Wolves against one Vampire, the odds were even. Talon had the experience against them though, which made the odds turn in his favour. The youngest of the pack hit out, going straight for Talon’s throat. A superior grip, and the all important opposable thumb, and the young ‘cub’ was dead, and changing back to his eighteen years human form. Three females now left, two on Talon, one on Christy. Above them, bending the gravity that would force her down, Ana watched, little to no interest in the Vampire. The young scholar, who was brave enough now to stand in the way between Pavarotti and a whole cheesecake, had taken to matching the circular motion of the Wolf he was facing.

Now, Ana knew that she had found her mate, her king.

Going round and round was making both Christy and the Wolf dizzy, one would have to make a move. The presence of the Vampire, was unplanned. A fall in the level of terror in Christy, which had given a boost to the self esteem of the Wolves. Now the death of one of their number and an uneasy feeling that wasn’t to be explained by the presence of the Vampire.

Talon had another down, she made a fatal mistake, she went for an area that since the death of Sarah he had little use for. An uppercut, mixed with the speed and strength of the Vampire, took the head off the lady Wolf. It was one on one, by two. Moving in the air, Ana lowered herself, still out of view, as both pairs were concentrating on their respective opponents. The Vampire had taken out two, and was left with one, fear was growing, but not for Talon.

All that Ana could see of Christy was what she was looking for. He would not take his eyes off the animal he was facing, he would now stand his ground against the beast, parity was reached. The area was closing in around the Wolf, she knew that she would only face the Vampire should she attack and win, and face death if she would attack and lose. The proving time was over, Ana needed to change Christy, and she needed all the beasts of blood to die, so she could unleash the beast of the mind in Christy.

A feeling of unease called out to the beasts, Wolf and Vampire alike, lowering to touch the ground the first time that night, Ana entered the field of play. Talon and his Wolf adversary turn to view the new combatant, not knowing what to make of her. The staring competition that engaged Christy and the other Wolf was suspended. Ana knew the feelings inside each of the individuals, the apprehension that she brought to the stand off, the lust for knowledge of the Vampire, the threat factor from the Wolves, and the relief from the Human. The relief is that this creature, human appearance, a heavenly apparition, has distracted the beast from him. The time has come to prove it’s more than emotion, to prove that he has the guts to do more than stare. Christy lunges forward and grabs the Wolf around its elongated throat. An out of the blue moment for Christy, not part of the vision that Ana had seen, human elements have always played havoc with her plans. The Wolf, not wanting to take it’s attention of Ana, manages to toss Christy off and slits his throat in four places with one swipe of her claw.

Now Ana must move at her fastest speed, to kill the Vampire, and the Wolves, and then save her king. The Vampire Council must not learn of her arrival in Dublin yet, nor the Irish Wolf Pack, they could still form a solid defence should they work together. The Vampire is the easiest kill, Ana can move twice as fast as Talon, he’s dust before he realise her movement, Ana’s fingernails are stronger than steel, short and sharp, they rip into the chest cavity of the Vampire and pierce each chamber of his heart. The Wolves close the ground between them, as Ana stops in front of them, no use of her body to kill the beasts, their minds are weaker than the Vampire psyche. From one pair of beautiful dark, mediterrainion eyes, she manages to coax each of the beasts back to their human form, only then does she attack. Speeding through both kills, her choice of kill for the now humans, is to force her strong fingers through their eye sockets and turning their brains to mush.

Attention to Christy now. Ana is calm. The cold air of the night is blackening the blood flowing from his wound, it’s not coagulating, just discolouration. Gasping for breath and searching for help, Ana comes into Christy’s view, but her presence does not inspire hope in him, after all, he had seen the lady fall gracefully from the sky. Trying hard not to make eye contact, but it’s difficult when your losing a pint of blood a minute, and deep down he knows that in two minutes he’s going to pass out, then a minute after that is death. “Help! Please!” Slowly Ana lowers herself to the ground, keeping eye contact that Christy has resigned himself to. “You can live, as my king, or change into that which has wounded you.” Ana’s voice was soft and gentle, a mix of accents that blend with natural elegance. With a whisper, barely audible, Christy lips form the word, “King.” Smiling both inside and out, Ana raises her hand to his throat and clasps her hand around the would be mortal wound. Her soft, yet powerful arms start to pulse, and then a lightening white glow replaces her hand. Slowly Christy starts to breath with more ease.

In time, Ana lets her hands return to their natural state, and then helps Christy to his feet. For the first time it feels to him that he is using his eyes, the wound on his neck is gone, and a feeling of completion is surrounding him.

“Before you become my King in earnest, you must learn to use your new gifts. Time is short, and there is much to learn.” Ana says, gentle but stern. “Take my hand. The smell of death here will attract more of the beasts of blood. I am too weak to take more of them on.”

Without question, as though it was right forever, Christy takes Ana’s hand. There were questions of trust, maybe even of faith in Ana, but he let those feelings of insecurity go, as a greater feeling of peace had come across him, just by her presence.