"Who are you?"
She spoke, as she rose from the old bed, unused for quite some time. Her hazy eyes had some unusual sharpness.
"To understand who I am, you must first know who I was," I kept my eyes on her worn out figure, in the same dirty and blood stained clothes. "Let me tell you a tale….."
It's hard to remember my life before this one, my life as a mortal. It seems like a distant dream, which fades away when I open my eyes, leaving bits and pieces as a sign of its existence in my thoughts. What I can retrace from those bits paints a life of a lonely child, always lurking in other people's shadows, or rather the shadows covering her figure, hiding her despair and driving her to solitude, painful solitude. You can leave the solitude behind but the lonesome silence follows you. It sneaks like a shadow invisible to the naked eye, but you know it is there, breathing down your neck, hunting you till the ends of your sanity. Many submit to the silence, losing their emotions and personalities, becoming a shell of their former selves. Many have, but not me. You see, I've gotten used to the silence, as it filled my human days like sunlight, its influence only breaking by the sound of music, music I still fondly listen to. I can remember everything but one event is glued to these bits, the event that both killed me and brought a whole new world to my eyes.
It was a dark night, much like any other, yet something came with the night, something non-human. It crept through town, keeping to the shadows and flowing through the air like the wind. That night I was walking through the half empty streets for a reason that still eludes me, lost to oblivion. Hell I would have been lost to oblivion, if she didn't intervene. They hurtled from the sky, werewolves, slamming onto the ground. They were hungry, and I was there, my legs paralyzed with fear as the beasts waved their claws towards me. The rest is a bit fuzzy and red but the last thing I saw before passing out was her face. Selene a vampire and as I later found out, a Death Dealer. My reawakening was…quiet, but shocking for me. She took me to one of their bases, explaining along the way about the war that was and still is waging on, between the vampires and werewolves, called Lycans. I soon realized why she told me that. Because that war had become my war, for you see I wasn't the same girl anymore, I was now a vampire. I don't know why she did it, why she gave me a second chance. Was it because she pitied me for being in the wrong place at the wrong time or because I reminded her of her childhood days? I still haven't gotten an answer to that question.
I stayed with them, killing Lycans, hunting people, learning the extents of my immortality and of my new powers, and for a time it was all I needed, all I cared. No, cared isn't the right word…acknowledged, yes that's more suiting. But bodies pile, blood flows, centuries pass and times change. The humans are growing more violent between themselves, rising a somewhat pity in me, as I used to be one of them, innocent but still guilty. After my most recent hunt I grew to question our fight, as the Lycans surely weren't backing down or growing weaker, yet the elders didn't falter in their need to exterminate these beasts. Frankly I've had enough of those beasts, and I wasn't referring to the Lycans. So I left, just like that. I walked out the door, claiming to go on my own wolf hunt, but my aim was…more personal. I wondered the land, aimlessly stumbling from town to town, feeding on idle mortals, who won't be missed. I figured why sadden a family with a sudden death of a loved one when the towns are flooded with lonesome people, people without a purpose…people like me. You would see my wandering as a desperate attempt to find a purpose for my accursed life…And you wouldn't be far from the truth, but desperate I was not! I felt empty, like an abyss lay where my heart once was, making me cold-hearted and distant, leaving only a cold killing machine. That was something I resented and I still do. You see, a person without feelings is like a person without his own will, easily manipulated into a living weapon.
After much searching I reached a bigger coastal city, where unbeknownst to me at that time, I would find a…turning point. It was a moonless night, and I just killed my second group of Lycans, which by the look of things had the upper had in this city. My victory was short lived, for the local secret services arrived to the slaughtered ground as I escaped unseen. They took the remains of the now human werewolves, sterilizing the area of any suspicious activity. It was by their weapons that I saw these weren't your usual FBI or CIA, since they definitely weren't police. No they were another party, another…hunting group, but on whose side were they? And I thought humans were unaware of the war, considering they had enough of their own. I followed one of their vehicles, keeping to the rooftops, coated in the night and the wind. That said I'm not sure how they sensed my presence, but they waited until reaching the warehouses by the docks, presumably 'cause of the wide areas and little rooms to hide from them. They had numbers I had speed. I wasn't worried…huh now that was foolish of me! They had weapons that were specially designed for vampires, for they glowed in the dark like little lamps. But one of those pests managed to hit me and cause a substantial amount of pain. I was lucky they just knocked me out for the alternative would have been very unpleasant.
When I awoke, I was lying in a cell in what appeared to be a ship, a very high tech ship while two men approached the door. They led me before an elderly man sitting in his chair and observing a map before lowering his eyes onto my figure. As it turned out he was the original father of the vampire and Lycan race, since his sons were the first ones. I was torn whether to hate him, pity him or thank him as his existence is the reason why I'm alive today, and why I was killed in the first place! He explained how he feels responsible for all the trouble and suffering this has inflicted onto humanity, so he leads an operation to protect humanity from finding out of our existence….of his mistake. Then after all that talk, he caught me off guard with a proposal: To join his little operation. At first I wanted to laugh at the irony, but he was dead serious and this could be what I was looking for. I joined his little strike force, filling the need for a purpose, and as a little fee for my troubles he gave me some of his blood, turning me into a hybrid.
However nothing lasts forever…except for grudges as Corvinus found out the hard way. While we were away on a clean up, his son attacked and killed him, leaving his corpse in the wrecked ship. The sight shattered what little will the mortals had, as those who survived the onslaught left the organization, pretending nothing had ever happened, leaving to rebuild their lives. With Corvinus' death my purpose died as well, leaving me to return to my wandering, to my own version of an odyssey. Why didn't I pursue his killer you ask? Mainly because he was only my boss for a brief period, me having his blood doesn't make him my father or anything similar, thus I felt no need to avenge him. But the simpler answer is: I could sense Selene was in the wreckage along with another creature and probably pursuing the killer. Was I curious about the creature? Yes and no. Yes, the scent did raise my eyebrow, however not enough for me to go on a hunting spree. So skipping the boring parts of my wanderings, I reached a bigger city. The atmosphere was filed with tense and dark clouds, as if a storm was about to befall this place. That's also the place where I meet the Lycan…
"Hold it right there!"
A shout came from the other part of the room, as she approached from the shadows, Wolf.
"I better tell this part of the story since you've belittled my kind enough as it is!"
She crossed her arms, highlighting the irritation in case I couldn't read it from her voice, which I did.
"Fine. Speak if you must." I waved my hand turning my head. I already knew how this would go: She would say how she's right and how I'm the heartless killer. And to be honest, I couldn't care less.
"Hmph...Alright this is how it went down…"
I was with a few of my brethren just strolling around the dark alleys of the city, keeping to the shadows as much as possible. We were minding our own business when suddenly out of the grey skies; she jumps down behind us and starts shootin' like crazy!"
"You butchered an innocent man and were about to the same to his companion!" I had to stop her there, the resentment of that picture still made my blood boil, as it did when I first witnessed the slaughter left by her kind.
"Oh please like you're the one to talk! I picked only the forgotten and not missed people." She air quoted while speaking, patronizing me further. I hate that. "Who are you trying to fool?"
"I killed to survive!" I yelled, my eyes turning bright, my yell echoing through the room and increasing as it repelled off the walls.
"And we didn't?" She made a shocked face combined with anger as she moved her mouth to make a growl, while spreading her arm leaning forward.
"You butchered him!" I knew she made a valid point but the difference between our methods was great, so great I couldn't just stomp all over it like she did over that human.
"I've seen your kind do worse." Her hiss felt like a slap to the face, a calling card back to my time at the coven, back to the hunting and feeding, back to the beastly features of my comrades.
"Umm, can we get back to the story?" The girl spoke with a fragile voice, no doubt scared to break up this intense argument. Intense to her, but normal to us, for we did this on a regular basis.
"My ghoul is right. Continue your explanation." I calmed my voice and took a deep breath. There was no point in getting worked up over this as both of us were right and wrong. Then I realized, I called her a ghoul, something I never thought I'd say. But it was the perfect word for her, since she is a ghoul now.
"Like I needed your permission!" Wolf growled back, yet with a lower tone, a less angry tone. She calmed as well, something that was hard to force upon a Lycan, even a skilled one.
"The story please," ghoul stressed her voice, raising it but barely noticeable to other people, but very noticeable to us. She had courage, something I wouldn't expect from her given the company she was in.
"Alright…I stopped at her attack on us, as coldly as her kind does…."
She was precise, killing two of my comrades before we had a chance to hurtle at her. I managed to push the gun out of her hand, but she punched me with great force, slamming me right on the ground. While I gasped for air, she punched one Lycan senseless while the other one was slapped into the wall, as she broke his jaw and swiftly ended his life. Her blue eyes pissed me off that I lunged at her, pushing her back to the wall. But the cops showed up, blinding us with their headlights. I could depict two figures with shotguns and I hurtled at them. I figured taking them out quickly was a good choice, while the vampire just stood where I left her. One of them shoot at me but one tiny bullet ain't gonna do much harm. Well I may have underestimated those cops. Because that tiny bullet caused me to slam face flat on the ground as sharp pain surged trough my body like pins. I could hear one of them mumble something like: "You were right sir, they are here." I though 'What the hell are you saying?' before my sight was blocked by a black coat then by red blood. I managed to pull my ass of the floor and run for the nearest hideout, leaving her the mess.
In the hideout, the radios were buzzing with breaking news: 'There were werewolves and vampires among us', us being the humans. It was all shockin' to us. Before I could get decent medical treatment and before we could contact any other hideout, gunshots echoed trough the corridors, followed by howls of our fallen brothers and sisters. We were caught off guard. So we had to improvise: Get the injured out while anybody still able to fight would fight. The fight was one sided and we weren't on the winning side. Because of my injuries and newly added ones, I barely managed to escape out of there, while my pack was butchered…like savage animals! I limped trough side alleys, 'cause the city was a burning hell! Cops roamed the streets, attacking Lycans and vampires alike, taking them out without pity or mercy. I just wanted to get out of that place, just wanted to find the rest of my pack yet all I found was her, the vampire, watching from above a building at the horror show, no different from the gargoyle besides her. That irritates me with their kind, that coldness and calmness like machines. When she dropped down I figured she wanted payback for before. On the other side of the allay sirens emerged. Hell I wasn't in the best condition but I'd rather die fighting a vampire that letting the cops get me! She took out her gun as I stood there ready to sprint at her, but when she fired it, a groan came from behind…I wasn't her target, the cops were. I lunged at the cops, taking a few of them out before all went black.
The next thing I knew, I was in a run down apartment, my injuries treated while she stared out the window. Not long after that the 'big raids' started all over the country, police bashed into people's places and killed all non-humans they could find.
"You mean the Purges?"
Ghoul tilted her head, raising an eyebrow, noticing the similarity in the description to something she heard from the news no doubt.
"That's what you called them but they were hell…for everybody," I lowered my head, my voice hid a bit of sadness in it, yet I kept it behind a plain tone. I hated the Purges, as they didn't leave me indifferent. "People lost loved ones, family members and friends. It wasn't pretty and nobody was left unshaken by it. Nobody's hands were clean because of it."
"And those bastards wiped out my entire clan! Even the defenseless!" Wolf shook her squeezed hand, displeasure filling her face as the memory and faces came to her, at least that's what I gathered.
"While they forced my kind into hiding like cowards." I tried to be sympathetic to her pain, as we vampires shared a different bond than the Lycans.
"Yeah the high and mighty vampires reduced to mere sewer rats." She didn't bother to hide the sneer and resentment in her voice. Moreover she added ridicule to it, slightly smiling at the irony of the switched positions.
"Your kind isn't in a better position. Actually you have become the sewer beast," I returned her ridicule with a fact, one that wiped the smile off her face.
"At least we had the dignity to fight back!"
She straightened her posture, radiating her pride in the feat they made, a feat better left in the ashes.
"And look where that has gotten you, on the brink of extinction!"
"Enough! Unless you two settle down, you'll reveal our location to the cops or aren't they the very reason why we're in this run down apartment building?"
Ghoul's shout shook us both, as indicated in our surprised glances. And she also pieced together what's going on, probably from hearing the sirens outside. Sirens which I thought only I and Wolf could hear.
"Well you're the reason the cops are after us! If Sucker here had done like I suggested, we wouldn't be in this shit hole in the first place." She turned her irritation at the girl, turning the blame on somebody else as her temperamental nature dictates.
"We discussed this already you stubborn Wolf." My voice was tired, as I've had this discussion with her several times in the past 6 hours! Saying that it irritated me would be an understatement.
"Yeah over my bleeding body if memory still serves. I could have died while you two made up your minds!" Ghoul raised her head, irritation showing in her eyes, clearly not happy for being blamed. I see she'll be a fiery one, maybe she'll manage to break up our constant bickering. Nevertheless it's refreshing.
"Bah I ain't gonna stay here and be criticized by vampires and their weakling pets." Wolf waved her arms, walking backwards while doing so.
"She's not my pet! For once you get a good idea. Go howl at the moon with all the other wolves." I don't consider humans as pets nor would I keep one in such terms. I never thought she'd leave so easily; she has the ability to argue about something for hours to no end.
"I don't howl at the moon like a beast! I'm gonna do recon and make sure nobody tailed your sorry asses." She made an irritating and taunting face before leaving the room. Finally some peace and quiet, I was about to lose my temper.
"However blunt, she made a good point. Why are the cops after you?" I walked to the girl, stopping in front of her, crossing my arms. However cold I sounded and seemed I was generally worried, as I've grown to understand how painful it is to speak of gruesome events. "Although you don't have to say the details of what happened in that alley if you…"
"No. You told me your part so it's only fair I tell you mine…."
It all started quite silly actually. I have this knack for hacking and programming so naturally I went to an electronics university. There a few of my class mates liked to make bets, bets involving hacking. Thanks to my pride I ended up always entering such bets, and thankfully winning every single one. That irked my competition, to that extent that they organized a massive challenge, the biggest and most dangerous bet yet: To hack into Antigen's net and remain there for a period of 20 minutes. They had the best firewalls and most advanced software this side of the Pacific, getting in wasn't easy even for the specialists. Anybody lucky enough to get in would only remain a few seconds because any longer and you'd be caught and your systems fried. That said 20 minutes was like suicide for hackers, so not many people took the challenge. In fact only two people entered, and my pride made me become the third one. Among them only I managed to pull off this thing however my curiosity was peaked. While I was searching their net, I stumbled upon interesting data. However to avoid detection I had to save the data and check it up later. My curiosity was hard to sate and that would prove fatal for me, literally.
The next day after my classes had ended I went in an internet café, one that was across an Antigen research building. From there I continued my search for suspicious documents. I hit a gold mine! They were research documents on vampires and werewolves, about their weaknesses and strengths but there was little about their number after the last Purge. I dug deeper and found a more recent report, stating how the progress of Subject 1 was going as planed, and that the two other subjects were still under lock and key. What I found next shocked me: Two of the subjects were hybrids! They said in the news that hybrids didn't exist, that they killed the only spotted hybrid 11 years ago. I downloaded another report and while hightailing out of there, I threw a quick glance at the facility, thinking 'I'll find your secrets yet!' I was arrogant in thinking I was in the clear, because they were already on my tail, I just didn't know it at the time.
My next batch of classes ended at a late hour, so I ended up walking alone through the dark, abandoned alleys, because I wanted to reach my apartment sooner. It was a poor choice; I should have listened to my gut and stayed on the main streets, yet after all that has happened and after all of the horror movies I had watched you'd think I would know not to make stupid mistakes. I could tell I was being followed, I noticed him as soon as I left the university grounds, but I hoped I was just being paranoid. The man walked rather fast, and I confronted him when he reached me, although I was very reluctant. When I shouted at him, his eyes were dark, blood red. Shock filled me as I realized what he was: a Lycan! I ran from him, as fast as my legs could go. I heard him roar, first a human then an animalistic one, and I did something I hadn't done in a long time: I prayed, quietly to myself, I prayed not to die. I prayed not to be one of those families who lost their child to the night.
His attack was swift, lashing at my back with one claw while my neck suffered from the other one. I fell on the ground, grabbing my neck to stop the blood from flowing and coloring the pavement. I managed to avoid a direct hit but my neck was still torn on the side and it hurt like hell regardless. He looked down at me, a smile on his beastly face, before he smashed my laptop, which I used to hack into Antigen. He enjoyed my suffering. He said something but I could barely hear anything because of my gasping for air and my heart seemed like it was beating in my head. "…Not a big deal….Lie there…..like the prey you weren't." Was all I managed to recognize. He left me there to die! I was sure I would have too. I was certain of it so much I nearly released my grip of my neck, nearly gave up on the search. Then you two showed up from the shadows. You watched just like the Lycan did, with a distant glare, but you didn't walk away. You stood there observing my wounds, while the brown haired girl explained something, most likely how I would bleed to death in a matter of minutes. You nodded after she whispered something to you, and as she began to slowly walk away, you leaned forward and you took a good look at my face. Your blue eyes were different than I expected; they were filled with pity and sadness. I couldn't phantom why you would be sad for me, a total stranger to you. Yet you stayed there, not shifting you glance and I felt…relieved that you were there, that I wouldn't die alone in that alley, that someone would know what happened that night. I closed my eyes, and released my grip on my neck, revealing the gash. As I fell into the darkness I could feel something on my neck, something cold and the sensations was sharp and short but something changed…only when I awoke in this run down room, still breathing and seeing both of your figures, arguing over something had I managed to grasp the situation. You weren't humans, and you weren't just passing by.
"Why? Why did you change me?" She raised her brown eyes at my pale face. My face was pale because I'm a vampire not because I was shocked, although her story was…intriguing.
"Thank the bottled up emotions I long though have passed." I rose from the bed, shifting my head, shattering any and every emotion from my voice. I could spill my thought now but where would be the point in that? Would it be so she could pity me? I don't need pity or am I deserving of it.
"Well before you go all emotional and start cryin' like a little girl, we may want to move." Wolf leaned at the door, her voice cocky and arrogant. She didn't startle me; I could sense her coming down the stairs if not hear, thanks to the cracking of old stairs.
"What's wrong?"
Ghoul jumped from the bed, worry surging her body raising her pulse and shaking her body. However her body was also shaking because of the change, something no doubt she still felt and something that still hasn't finished.
"We got company is what's wrong! Bloody cops are movin' through these alleys; no doubt searchin' for ya," she pushed herself from the door, lowering her arms and exhaling loudly.
"Then we better leave." I walked to the door, signaling ghoul to follow me. It was only a matter of time before they came snooping around, I am surprised it took them this long.
"Through the front door? That wouldn't be smart." Her voice indicated she was calm again, and right behind me, trying to match my pace albeit unsuccessfully.
"Who said anything about using doors?" I smiled, slowing my pace so she could catch up. She noticed my smile and that didn't put her mind at ease. It only made her more curious.
"C'mon move your asses!" Wolf howled, already climbing the stairs and throwing a glance now and then to see our progress.
"Looks like they aren't just moving through these alleys but through the entire district as well." I leaned on my knee, which was placed on the edge of the roof, while I traced the police cars with my eyes.
"Yeah and I doubt it's all for you pet." She leaned on one leg, slightly craning her head forward to observe the crowd and traffic.
"For the last time: I'm not her pet!"
Ghoul shouted from behind, further away from the edge, most likely afraid of heights.
"Right, you're, what's the term I'm lookin' for….oh yeah, a ghoul." Wolf snickered at her, strolling to her before pushing her face into hers, probably smiling.
"You jealous Wolf?" I moved to the other edge of the roof, glancing down at the nearby building, studying the distance.
"Wha…? Me jealous of you fangs? Aahhha I'd rather be killed by a human!"
She was caught off guard, but her sneer was in the right place and on target, just not the right one.
"You were close to that though."
"Shut it! I was injured from our fight. I would have easily taken 'em out and you know it!"
She was furious at my amusing tone. Yeah I hit it where it hurts: her pride.
"Believe what you want." My voice echoed my thoughts in a playful manner, one I rarely use but couldn't resist showing off, not with such a lovely laid out welcoming mat.
"Why you…"
"Christ Almighty! Can't you two talk without turning it into a fight?"
Ghoul grabbed her head, as if a headache was pounding it. If I was a human who had recently been resurrected and forced to listen to our bickering I'd have a headache as well; probably an even bigger one.
"It ain't my fault. I'm temperamental by nature and she gets on my last nerves." Wolf tried to justify herself and surprisingly she admitted to being temperamental. I though she was too stubborn and arrogant to admit it, guess I was wrong, she can be objective.
"I assure you the feeling is mutual." I threw her a quick and serious glance before straightening my back and raising my sight on the row of buildings ahead.
"You two are complete opposites and not just by the species you were turned into. Why are you traveling together if you can't stand each other?" Ghoul asked a good question, one I've been asking myself ever since I agreed to let her come along.
"She thinks she owes me some sort of debt for saving her life from the cops, back in the alley." That's why she is traveling, but one thing still irks me: Why did I let her? I knew it was bound to cause trouble yet here I am, still traveling with that fur ball.
"I ain't thinkin' it, my honor dictates it. Even if you are a no good blood sucker, you saved me and I have to repay you." She said it in an irritated tone, but less than usual. She pouted as I turned my sight to her.
"As you wish, I don't really care for your traditions or such. Just don't expect me to go saving your ass a second time fur ball."
"Bah, I ain't a cub that needs baby-sittin'!"
She shifted her head, not too happy about my lack of respect toward her traditions.
"I hope so. I can't keep an eye on both of you," I turned away from them while saying this, a slight smile emerging on my face.
"Don't compare with her!"
They shouted simultaneously, both irritated at my assumption.
"I don't have to; you two are doing a fine job by yourselves."
"I'm nothing like her!" Again they answered simultaneously, pointing at each other before an awkward silence dropped between them followed by glares.
"Now if you could set aside the glares, we should get out of here."
"Using the rooftops? Isn't that reckless?" Ghoul was the first to drop the glare, and she was a bit worried about the type of traveling I choose. Humans, they never were good with heights.
"Only for scared little ghouls it is. You can take the streets if you're scared o' heights," Wolf taunted ghoul and she seemed to enjoy that, like a wolf taunting a small rabbit and watching as it shock in its place.
"Wolf!"
My voice was coated with irritation, slightly higher than normal but still it was enough for her to back off.
"It was a joke! Sheesh you vampires have no sense of humor." She raised her arms, criticizing our seriousness. Well somebody has to be!
"But what's happening isn't a joke! You saw first hand what Antigen did to your kind and to the vampire race. And now I have reason to suspect they didn't do it for the good of humankind." Ghoul made a serious face, her eyes shinning in the moonlight. She kept a good stare at Wolf, surprising us both yet again but now with her persistence.
"Something foul is in the air, darkening it even more and its roots lie within Antigen. You were close to discovering it and they took you out which means they have something to hide and we're going to figure out what it is and cut those roots down." My sight landed on the Antigen building, although much further away it was still visible as if it was in front of my face.
"So it's high time to get some payback. Those guys are in for a world of hurt for belittling my brothers and sisters. You piss off this Lycan and you ain't gonna live to regret it." she slammed her fist into her other hand, a wide grin on her face.
"Cough…..she's standing in front of you…Cough." Ghoul covered her mouth to mimic the sound of coughing while hiding the giggle that emerged from Wolf's angry expression.
"That one don't count 'cause we were interrupted." She pointed at me, horrified at the accusation, once again her pride in question.
"The world is on the brink of chaos and a powerful company is dictating the pace of that chaos; while hunting down and erasing every thorn in its side no matter what the consequences. But I always have time for a rematch with a Lycan." I placed my hand on my waist, slightly tilting my head to see her nod in agreement.
"You can kill each other after we expose Antigen. That is if they don't beat you to it." Ghouls said, raising her hand in search of a building in this sea of buildings. She raised her finger after finding it.
"They can sure as hell try." Wolf howled, standing between me and my ghoul confidence filling her eyes. She better hang on to it for a bit, a challenge has been laid down before us…
"They will."