Prologue:
The story of how Persephone came to be Queen.
In a time before humans and before the great walking lizards, there was the reign of the gods.
Gaia, the mother of all had fallen dormant her worries no longer acquainted with those who sought to rule. Her children the Titan's had been imprisoned long ago. Zues the king of the Olympian's and son of Rheia and Kronos the once ruling Titans, now commanded over Gaia's almighty womb, with his wife Hera.
All the Olympians were powerful and beautiful but the tale that is to be told is not that of Zues's nor Hera's but that of their brother Hades and Hera's niece Persephone, daughter to Demeter and bastard child of Zues.
The tale goes that Hades who shared his power with his almighty brother Zues, was looking for a wife. Maybe he was jealous of his brother's achievements or maybe it was just pure lust on Hades part, but that was no matter, for Zues agreed and offered Hades is own daughter, Persephone daughter of Demeter, goddess of the harvest.
Hades readily agreed and the plan was set into motion.
Persephone was one day picking flowers with her friends when she saw from a distance a beautiful flower which had sprouted with the help of Gaia in one of her last duties as a grandmother. Persephone ran to it almost crying at its unrivaled beauty, it was then that the earth opened up and sprang Hades in his chariot of darkness; he plucked the screaming girl from the comforts of the earth and dragged her down to his unholy shrine.
Persephone shrieked for her father, unknowing of his betrayal he did not answer nor was he listening, but her laments did not go unnoticed from afar Demeter heard her daughters screams and like a vengeful crow flew to find her beloved child.
Demeter found nothing of her daughter, abandoned and dismayed she wandered aimlessly around until Apollo God of the sun took pity and told her of Persephone's captor.
"It was your brother my wounded one, it was Hades."
Enraged and betrayed she did not return to the Olympian's but instead took upon herself, Persephone's revenge. Demeter Goddess of the harvest did not let a single crop grow.
This went on until Zues implored by all, summoned Demeter home.
"I have commanded our daughter back, now Demeter let the crops grow."
Overjoyed and almost maddened with happiness she flew to her shrine and awaited her daughter's rightful return.
Hades sad as he was, was still as sharp and as cunning as his brother was handsome and powerful. He knew that if Persephone in all her naivety ate anything from the underworld she would be bound there forever so as the beautiful girl readied her journey homewards Hades offered her a single pomegranate ' to eat on the long journey'.
She obliged and took a bite, warmed and slightly saddened she took her leave and raced home.
Demeter was there on Persephone's return and threw herself at the form of her daughter, embracing her savagely and whispering feverish words of love.
"My daughter, you did not eat anything while you where there I trust, for if you did…" Demter trailed of already knowing.
"A simple pomegranate mother, do not be upset."
Oh but Demeter was, she wailed she cursed she struck the marble pillars which adorned her lavishly decorated shrine and when Rheia came bearing a message from Zues, Demeter went insane with anguish.
"Hush, Demeter." Rheia soothed and then turned her words on Persephone, who sat graceful and demure on a carved bench "You must go back to him now my granddaughter, for a third of the year you will be his Queen but when the flowers awaken and grow anew you shall be welcomed back to the realms of the Gods."
Persephone rose, broad backed and silent. She embraced her celestial grandmother and kissed her forlorn mother who was captured in the loving embrace of her own mother.
"I go willingly, remember that Hades, but my heart and my soul will always be with my beloved mother, it will never be yours to call you own." She whispered and then just like a storm on a hot summers day she too disappeared.
So Zues unknowing of what he had done had single handedly condemned the unborn race of man to its death by simply giving Hades back his queen; a queen who would one day birth the race of Vampires.