Love. It changes lives. In a world where Humans dominate, love between a Human and a creature of the night was unheard of, but a zing broke down those boundaries. But Fear is also a potent driving force. Strong enough for Humans to fear this new union and cast them away. With her new-born son in her arms, Josephine fled for her life alongside her husband. It was an unusual, and to many an unholy union, for she was a Human, and he a Vampire. As for their son, he was something else entirely.

The trees that flanked them on all sides cracked as they fled through the dark wood. In the dead of night, townsfolk took chase with makeshift weapons. They had lost many of their own to the likes of Vampires, the blood drinkers, and were determined to protect their families. Unbeknownst to them, Dmitri Constantin was not like others of his kind. Since meeting Josephine, all he wanted was to live in peace. A peace that would not be granted by the town.

Dmitri kept himself between the mob and his family. Josephine struggled to keep her footing amongst the rugged tree trunks and fallen branches. The mob was close enough now for them to hear their chants for revenge.

"Keep going!" He encouraged Josephine on.

He hoped that they would lose the crowd in the dark woods, but the townsfolk knew them too well. Every way they tried to flee, more torches illuminated the woods ahead. There was no hope if they could not lead them astray. With a kiss on his wife's cheek, Dmitri whispered into her ear.

"Keep going forward. I'll lead them away."

She tried to stop him, fearing for his life but he had already gone. He revealed himself to the majority of the great crowd.

"I'm here, Humans! You want to kill a Vampire? You will have to catch him first!"

He took off, making sure that they could keep their sights on him. Josephine held her son tightly and took shelter behind an ancient tree. The crowd passed on the other side, drawn towards their prey. Against her will to stay with her husband, she obeyed his wishes and carried on for the sake of her child. Dmitri had drawn the mob to the outer reaches of the wood, cutting them into two groups amongst the dense trees. Beyond the wood, the vast mountain ranges of Transylvania were between him and the watery depths of a canyon below. There was no escape. He turned to face those that hunted him.

They kept close to the trees in case he tried to slip past them.

"Any last words, devil?" One man amongst the crowd asked.

"If you wish to catch a Vampire… you must first learn how to fly."

With his arms outstretched, he fell back and over the edge. As one, the mob ran forward and carefully glanced into the canyon. All they could see was the fluttering wings of a bat.

"It's done… he's gone."

Josephine felt the chill of that horrid night on her skin. She did all she could to keep her baby warmly wrapped in the blanket she held. He cried, unknowing of the peril they were both in. She had reached the end of the woods, ahead was a long road that stretched on towards the horizon. She took one step when she heard wings. She smiled, knowing what it meant.

"What do we do now? We have no home…" She asked him as he transformed.

"We move on. We find a new one. For now, a friend of mine has agreed to hide us."

It is prudent being one of his kind to always have a backup plan in case they were discovered. He only hoped that his friend would accept his new wife.