Prologue
It was one of "those" nights. I was in this shady bar with my roommate Samantha, the kind of bar you drink at and never tell to anyone if you want to keep a thing called social – life.
"Again, Sammy, you never cease to surprise me."
Samantha giggled and took another sip from her vodka tonic.
"Oh P-lease Hel, it's not that bad. Besides, look at all the cute guys here! It's amazing how unappealing the men we have in the office compared to these hunks." She said.
"Hmm… Tis' only another reason why I should quit."
Samantha gave this half frown half 'WTF' kind of look that only SHE can put on.
"What is wrong with you?" Said Samantha.
"What?" I really had no idea what she meant.
"Uh, let's see: 'Tis cease' what are you? Fucking 'Lady Anne Boleyn'? God, Helen sometimes I think you're just from another millennium." With that she drank the entire content of the glass.
"Oh, can't a girl be a little civilized?" I waved at a waiter passing by to get us another round. Samantha swallowed and coughed.
"Not a girl who works as a temp receptionist at Sebastian LaCroix's and not the one who asks another round of alcohol for her already drunk friend in a crappy bar in the ass zit side of town."
I really didn't like talking to her when she was like this, so getting her more booze in attempt to make her shut up was always the best getaway.
And incase you're wondering, yes, I am indeed from a different time. I was born in 1684, long before there was vodka tonic. Sam thinks I'm only 26 but you do the math.
As I said before I was born many centuries ago in Salem, Massachusetts. I was born to the Warren family, a wealthy family who were kind and warm to all living creatures. But every family who seem perfect has it's own dark secrets.
In my family through out the years were certain individuals, certain individuals who possessed some knowledge, powerful knowledge. Those individuals were witches. You heard me correct: "W-I-T-C-H-E-S". Witches, simple man and women who had special powers. I am not talking about mere practitioners who slaughter animals in order to gain power and wealth, I speak of true magic and it's disciples.
The witches in my family worshiped the soil they walked on, they used their magic to keep the earth blooming. Before the trials Salem was blooming, the roses were red as cherries and the grass was lush and the dew was sweet and clear.
The Trials not only destroyed my family and my childhood but they brought Salem to decay, in every sense of the word.
When I was at the age of 4, and the accusations were already intense, my mother sensed things would only go worse so she had a plan. She wished that I along with my bother and sister had to the estate where a friend of her has resided.
I remember that night, she had us pack only what we needed for the journey: A change of clothes, food, potion supplies and that was it.
Lady Warren: "Children, you will head for the house of an old friend of mine and my former Mentor, Widow Elizabeth Berk. Crawford, the map I handed you before dinner marks the estate of Widow Berk and the quickest way to get there by foot."
My sister was quick to object.
Andrea: "But Mother! It would much faster if we headed there by horses. I saw the map mother, it would take us days to get to her manor!"
Lady Warren: "Andrea my dear, I know you would prefer riding instead of walking but you must understand that if 3 horses would be missing from your fathers stable then the more suspicious the people would get. Governor Phips and the others have already been asking strange questions."
She started weeping. I remember being very confused.
Lady Warren: "Enough, Crawford protect your sisters. And remember children, no matter what, use your magic only at a time of emergency!"
This was the last time I ever saw her.
Mother was right however, we made fast track to Widow Berk's estate but unfortunately the hunters were faster. My sister hid me in a stone shelter she made with her powers but she perished along with my brother as the hunters number were greater. I traveled alone the rest of the way, my mind was shattered.
Lady Elizabeth Berk was a good woman. She was a powerful witch who excelled in the craft. She not only taught me to use my power for defense as well as offence, she also taught me the lessons of combat. By age of 13 I was able to take on a dozen of unarmed men. She even trained me in arts of combat that were restricted to only vampire slayers and their watchers.
Lady Berk always took pleasure in sending me after bandits who tried to break in or steal a chicken or two. She also warned me to never use major magic in order to keep our secret a secret.
As the years went by (along the trials that were forgotten) and I was entering adulthood I began noticing something strange about my dear Elizabeth. She never seemed to age. Elizabeth Berk was a grown woman who was near age of 50 years but never seemed to pass 34, at times she would even appear to me younger than that.
I have once brought this question up during dinner and she only answered "You will find out when the time is right." And so two years later she revealed to me the secrets of eternal life.
Elizabeth: "I supposed you have by now noticed the lack of years in my face dear child. You see Helena, I have been at this state long before you were born and long ago even before you mothers birth."
Widow Berk whispered to me while we sat for dinner.
Elizabeth: "In my years as a witch I have discovered the secrets of necromancy."
I could believe what I've heard. In all my life my parents and grandparents educated me that the dark arts of the Necromancers were forbidden and the punishment for practicing in this magic was death. Heh, now that I think of it there were trials even inside the circle of witches.
I quickly raised a hand to interfere but she gave her answer as if she had read my mind.
Elizabeth: "Yes, Necromancy is forbidden in the party of witches but in time the boarders turn into blur. The rules fade as the day turns to night."
She took a bite of her bowl of stew and continued.
Elizabeth: "Through my years I have gained knowledge through the dark arts and discovered that vampire blood, used correctly by a witch, can grant her or him eternal life with only one ritual. You see child, the blood makes our healing power greater and it makes them constant."
Helena: "Constant? What is that?"
Elizabeth: "Our healing magic is constantly at work, not only if a witch gets injured she is healed immediately she is also kept young and her power is raw. Come my dear, I think you are ready for the next lesson."
That night we went together to an old graveyard were a pack of vampires were feasting on a gang of gypsies. We didn't have any trouble getting reed of most of them but my mentor required one vampire in order to perform the ritual.
She weakened the demon and used her ceremonial blade to cut his arm and fill her bronze chalice in the dark red liquid. She walked slowly towards me chanting to the chalice. The contents of the chalice started to glow and Elizabeth offered the chalice to me and like a good girl I drank the foul liquid.
Everything was different after that night. The years went by and I remained 23.
Every night I went on hunting for demons, pushing harder and harder with my training. In time I began possessing new abilities; I could run faster than any man, I could turn invisible and never be perceived by any eye even the devil's eye himself.
Sometimes I would travel to other sides of the world and find many demons hiding, but in the end I always returned to my beloved Elizabeth and she always had the fancy to hear about my adventures and she always had to share hers.
Like my step mother I gained a title. While Elizabeth was know as "Mistress of the Cthulhu" I gained the title "Hela, Sorceress savior of men" at once I became a heroine.
Parents would tell tales around the campfire about a maiden dressed in a white cloak and armed with a moon shaped staff. She would strike the demons and save the innocent. Others told of a young girl with the hair of gold who sang songs that stunned the demons and possessed their minds and forced them to jump into the abyss.
In real life, white was never my color, I hate birds and I was never much of a singer and the 'Maiden' part…. P-Lease! I've seen men come and go from my bed chambers…
Eventually we needed to move to another place so we settled in a small village occupied by Indians, in time the place became know as Los Angeles, the city of angels. How ironic.
It was 1954 when my adoptive mother decided to leave. One day I came back from work and I saw her with a suitcase and a large bag standing in the kitchen. I noticed she didn't any of the spell or potion supplies.
Helena: "What's going on?"
Elizabeth: "I am leaving Helena, I don't know if I'll be back."
I thought my heart was going to explode right inside my chest.
Helena: "What? Why? Was it something I did? I promise I'll never upset you again but please stay, don't leave me!"
Elizabeth: "I am sorry."
She started to walk towards the door by I remained to stand in her way.
Elizabeth: "Helena please."
Helena: "Are you sure you want to do this? Please give it another thought."
Elizabeth: "My dear I have been considering this for a couple of decades now. I know this is hard for you but you must understand Helena, I have lived for over a millennia. I've seen the world prosper and I have seen men bringing themselves to the depths of abyss."
I went towards her and grabbed her by the shoulders.
Helena: "I get it! You're tired, desperate, you feel you've seen everything and had a fill of what the world had to offer but why leaving? Why leaving now?"
She spat the answer at me.
Elizabeth: "BECAUSE I AM LONELY!"
She spat the answer at me and at once her rage turned to sorrow.
Elizabeth: "I am lonely Helena."
I let go of her and took a step back.
Elizabeth: "I…I want to be married, I want to feel love again. I want to have a man to love and a child I could call my own. I want to grow old! I want to age along with my husband and to have my children having families of their own."
I turned from her and walked into my bedroom. When I came out she wasn't there anymore. For the first time after years and years of living together I was truly alone in the world. It was just me now.
And 40 something later I am here with my friend Samantha who is drunk like shit in this god forsaken place.
Helen: "Ok, first of all you're a temp too. Second You brought us here!"
Samantha was ignoring me and was looking at something behind me.
Samantha: "Whatever, this guy hasn't removed his eyes from our table."
Helen: "What guy?"
I turned to look as well but she was quick and she grabbed my hand to stop me.
Samantha: "Don't look idiot!"
Helen: "God, ow…. Wait until we get home I'm going to give you the coldest shower the hell would freeze."
Samantha: "Oh my gosh, he's coming here! How's my hair?"
Helen: "Still recovering from the bad perm you did yesterday…."
Samantha: "Shut up! Oh my god he's coming for real!"
This latino guy with this dark complex syndrome came by greeting us with a pearly white smile and an aroma of Old spice and sweat,
For some reason I couldn't get my eyes of him, even when asked for my hand and took me away from there while Samantha was cussing me.
We got to his apartment and we just started making out and we jumped to the bed fully clothe. He was at the top of me and he nibbled and kissed my neck. I was so hot I wanted him to rip that tight dress I was wearing. But instead he ripped into my neck.
I let out a scream that was probably heard in a few blocks nearby. He raised his head, to my horror his mouth was covered blood, my blood, and then I noticed his razor sharp teeth.
He laughed like a maniac and tried to sink his teeth into my neck again but instead of laughing he let out agonizing growls of pain when the front tip of my high hills was trusted into his balls again and again.
I was able to push that undead son of a bitch from me but he got to his feet fast.
He growled at me and came charging, baring his fangs.
I let out a few punches that got him dazed and then I finished the combo with an axe kick that sent him straggling towards an armchair.
Latino vamp was about to get up again but I stopped him again with my heel on his groin. I telekinetically called for a pocket knife that was thrown on the floor.
He looked at me with hatred.
Vampire: "You bitch! What are you a slayer or something? Eh? BITCH!"
I twirled the knife in my hand.
Helen: "I'm a witch asshole!"
He hissed at me. Those fangs were sharp like a diamond!
Helen: "You know…."
I leaned closer to him moving the blade close to his face.
Helen: "I was really expecting action tonight *giggle* That other sort of action but you truly disappointed me honey. Not only that, you drank some of my blood, you don't that to a girl on the first date especially not during second base…."
As I moved the knife around his face his hatred and anger turned into pure fear.
Vampire: "What do you want from me?"
Helen: "Not only I want my blood back, I'm gonna make sure you'll never be able to fuck anything in your eternal life!"
I pressed my shoe tighter on his groin. He let out yells of pain.
Helen: "If you think this hurts th-"
Just as I was about to stab him the door opened and 2 other vampires came in.
One of them threw a stake at my date and the other staked me.
I collapsed to the floor letting go of the knife while my date fell into a coma.
Blood kept gushing from where that they staked me. To my surprise they were confused.
Vampire Thug 1: "That's new…."
Vampire Thug 2: "What is that chick a thin blood or something?"
Vampire Thug 1: "No man! She's a human!"
Vampire Thug 2: "Oh shit man! There goes the masquerade… oh man, LaCroix will have us dried up at the sun for this."
Vampire Thug 1 "We can just leave her here to die, say it was one of them cult freaks."
Vampire Thug 2: "No way man, let's take her to LaCroix… He'll decide what to do with her."
Both vamps carried be and the other guy and loaded us in the back of a van. During the ride my world went black and the rest of my life went to hell.
