SUMMARY::: Luffy has spent his whole life shunned by the humans for being a vampire and shunned by the vampires for his secret abilities he didn't even know he had. He had been running for years from an elite vampire-hunting clan known to the world as the leading researchers in supernatural science, the Silver Stakes. They wanted Luffy because he was a freak among freaks, a danger and a curiosity. But because he was running, everything that happened was his fault. It was because of him that his parents were killed, because of him his half-vampire brother Ace was taken away by the Stakes, because of him the world wanted him dead. But everything changes when he meets Roronoa Zoro, who ends up being one of the best friends Luffy could ask for on his quest to save his brother. Too bad Zoro is the heir to the Silver Stakes company.

Author's Note: Hi! DeathlyFlames here! Well it was requested by Hutt so here you go! The first chapter of Struck by a Silver Stake. Reviews and comments loved!

Struck By a Silver Stake Chapter 1: Escape

Luffy was running. It seemed that was all he ever did anymore. He was always running, always moving. He had to. If he didn't he would be captured. And he couldn't let that happen. Ever. He had to stay alive, he had to do whatever he could to rescue Ace. It was because of him that Ace was gone anyway. Luffy had been careless. And during that one moment, that one small hesitation, his only flesh and blood was stolen from right in front of his eyes. Taken away by them. The Silver Stakes.

Vampirism. A vicious blood disease caused by an infection from a parasitic organism that resembles the blood itself. It's so similar in fact that it can take over the blood completely, eating away at the hosts life force, causing a rabid need for a replacement blood source to keep the host alive. Human blood. The virus absorbs the fluid and consumes it, causing the host to need more to satiate the hunger of the parasite. About 37% percent of the world's population is infected. It's spread like AIDS. If you get any of the 'blood' in you, you will be consumed from the inside out.

The only benefit to this disease is the parasite's side effects. It differs between people, but the parasites unlock the part of the brain that restrains humans from the super strength and mind control that everyone has sealed away to keep the body from destroying itself. Not only that, but the parasite causes elongated canines to help the collection of blood as well as cat-like reflexes and sharper senses. Not a bad deal all in all, as long as you're willing to kill for your food.

But there are some, some like Luffy and Ace, who had a deformation in their parasite somehow. No one knows exactly why it happens, but a select few of the Vampires have extra abilities like control over certain elements or unnatural distortion of the body. A phenomena unexplained by science. A challenge taken up by the Silver Stakes.

The Silver Stakes are the leading researchers in Supernatural Science. It was started by an ancient clan of Vampire and Werewolf hunters who, during the age of science, decided that instead of killing their targets, they would donate their bodies to science. While they are still alive. The victims include every mythical creature one could think of including vampires, werewolves, witches, bigfoots, unicorns, you name it. These creatures are subjected to painful torture and tests for their entire lives. Just sacrifices made for the good of science they say. They just want to find a way to rid the world of dangers. They found that answer when they found Luffy.

Something about the parasite in Luffy was different. No one had explained exactly what was wrong, but the parasite gave him some kind of hidden power. One that was dangerous. And the Silver Stakes wanted it.

Luffy's chest was heaving and his legs felt like lead. He gasped as he pushed his legs harder and faster, needing to escape from his pursuers. He could hear the chains and the footsteps behind him getting closer every second. Luffy felt like he was going to explode if he didn't stop soon and he looked around for options. He was running along the stretch of back streets behind Logue Town and it seemed he only had two options; left or right. To his right was the beach, and the ocean that lay beyond it. That was no good. The special power parasites didn't like water and it left him unable to be near it and besides that he couldn't be in bright sunlight. He ducked to his left when an opening in the wall finally appeared and he flew around a corner, hoping they wouldn't follow. He couldn't hear the men yet, so Luffy looked at the SeaStone handcuff hanging off his right wrist. One of the men had slapped it on him when they ambushed him, and it kept him from using his powers.

Luffy tried his best to shake it off. He couldn't keep it on much longer. The cuffs made him want to lay down and sleep, but he couldn't. There was no way he could be caught. Luffy hit the cuff against the brick wall beside him as hard as he could, which wasn't very hard in his condition. It barely scratched the surface. Luffy huffed and tried again. His breath stopped when he heard the barking of dogs behind him and the clanking of chains on their collars. They belonged to the Stakes. Specially trained like drug dogs to sniff out his scent and specially trained to rip him to shreds. Luffy sped to the right, away from where the sound was coming from, and found himself running headfirst into a chain link fence.

Luffy grabbed onto the side and started scrambling up the side. He leapt onto the other side as the dogs fell against the wall. He booked it down the alley as the dogs pursued. Then he had an idea. He only hoped it would work before the men managed to leap over the fence. Luffy stopped in his tracks and turned to face the dogs.

Luffy barely saw the canines coming before they landed on him, snapping at his face. Luffy held up his right wrist as ones teeth gnashed down at him, and it worked. His teeth bit with crushing force on the handcuffs. The dog squealed and jumped back, before turning and snarling at Luffy. The other kept snapping at him and Luffy hit him as hard as he could in the teeth with the cuff. The dog squeaked but kept at his job and Luffy could hear the men coming. The dog was scratching and snapping at his left hand that he held to protect himself and Luffy, in a last ditch effort, slammed his right hand against the ground. Finally, the cuff opened and Luffy was free. Right as the men came up and leapt at his trapped body, Luffy flung his arm up as high as he could and grabbed a fire escape at the top of a building, flinging himself high into the air.

Luffy landed with a crash on the rooftop and stood up quickly, shooting himself from roof to roof until he reached the other end of town. He landed on the rooftop of a club with a flashing neon sign that read 'Hana'. He slipped through the stairway door at the top and ran down the flight of stairs to his hideout. He knocked three times before the door was opened slowly. He fell inside the doorway and crawled his way over to the couch so he could rest his head against it. Even though it was sunset outside, it was pitch black in the room. It made sense. He cracked his eyes open and looked at the group of people who had silently surrounded him. There was four of them and only two had the trademark glowing red eyes of the Infected.

"Luffy..." Luffy focused on one figure. His eyes were shining in the dark, but he was a normal Infected. He spoke quietly, hesitantly, and Luffy's heart dropped. He knew what was coming.

"It's not that we don't want you around or that we don't like you, cuz you know we do, with all the fun we have and stuff-" his rambling was cut off by the sharp tone of a human.

"Usopp. That's enough." Luffy watched the man's cigarette flare. An Infected on his left tried again.

"Luffy. We've discussed this and we believe it would be better for you if you left for Grand Line City. It's just too dangerous here."

"Robin..." Luffy whispered. But he knew it was true. They had hidden him for too long. It was time for Luffy to move on. He looked over to the girl on the right. She nodded her blue head and, even though it was shadowed, Luffy could see her put her hand up to her face to keep herself from crying. Luffy hung his head for a moment and reveled in the quiet. He took five deep breaths before looking back up.

"Ok. I'll leave in the morning." Luffy stood up from his spot on the ground and started towards his small bag of belongings so he could be ready to go.

"Wait, Luffy." the man with the cigarette stopped him.

"Sanji? What's wrong?" Sanji took a puff of his cigarette before answering.

"I'm coming with you. I've got a friend in Grand Line City. We can stay with her." Luffy grinned, his sadness wearing off.

"Thanks Sanji! Oh, hey! I'm hungry! You got any meat? Raw meat?" Sanji chuckled.

"Glad you're feeling better. Sure. You look pretty beat up. You sure you don't want to go hunt so you can heal up some?" Luffy shook his head.

"I'll be fine!" Sanji went into the kitchen and pulled out a slab of bloody steak for Luffy, who munched on it greedily before heading to his room. Once he was on his bed, Luffy stared at his left arm. It was covered with scratches and cuts and there was a large gash running across his hand. It would heal eventually if he just ate store-bought meat, but he would heal much faster if the parasite had fresh human blood to snack on. Th only problem with that is the mental rampage the parasite forces a vampire to go on to feed. It was painful to try and stop the rampages and it takes a lot of energy, but Luffy refused to kill humans daily, so he endured and struggled each time. He went out about once a month and fed from multiple humans and was sure not to drain them completely. But it didn't make him feel any better. He had no choice in being a Vampire. He had been born one. The first recorded one of his kind. His brother Ace was only a half-vampire. Both of them were truly remarkable. Something in Ace's blood had rejected the Infection partially and he still retained most of his humanity. Luffy was different, though. Something about him made it so he could even be born. The Infection keeps females from giving birth. The minute a baby starts to grow, the parasite will devour it for sustenance. For some reason, Luffy was born from a completely Infected mother. That was why the Stakes even knew he existed. It was hard to keep something like that a secret.

Luffy sighed as he closed his eyes and rested his hand. It didn't matter anymore anyway. His parents were dead. Luffy couldn't even remember what they looked like. Ace had raised him as long as he could remember. He had always told Luffy that the Stakes had killed his parents in an attempt to save Luffy from being taken away. Ace said that he had grabbed baby Luffy and ran as far away as he could. And Luffy had failed him. He could never forgive himself. Because of him... Luffy huffed again and rolled over to look at the window. There was a curtain over it and he could barely make out the silhouette of the moon through the dark cloth. Luffy closed his eyes again.

"Ace..."

**

"Luffy..."

Luffy groaned and turned away from the noise.

"Luffy."

Luffy covered his ears and started snoring again.

"LUFFY!"

Luffy yelped and jumped out of bed, glaring daggers at Sanji who had had the nerve to wake him up.

"Quiet, you idiot. Robin-chwan and Usopp are still asleep. Now come one, lets go." Sanji threw a long overcoat and hat at Luffy who groaned. He hated having to wear clothes like these, but they were for safety reasons.

Luffy's parasite kept him from being unable to be in sunlight at all, but he still couldn't go into an extremely hot place in the sun and expect to be fine. He also couldn't just parade himself around town when the Stakes were nearby. Luffy sighed as he held the jacket up and pushed his straw hat onto his back before putting the jacket on. Then he put the new hat on his empty head so he would be cloaked in darkness and a master of disguise. Luffy chuckled at the thought and started humming himself a theme song and posing in front of his mirror before Sanji had enough and dragged him away by his collar.

"Saaaaanjiii! Let me gooooooo!" Luffy whined.

Sanji glared at him. "Shut up, idiot! Don't wake up Robin-chwan!" Luffy huffed and crossed his arms, but followed anyway.

**

"Wow. COOL!" Luffy's eyes lit up as they arrive in Grand Line City after a day on the train and four hours in a car. It was so big! There were much taller buildings than in Logue Town, and many more of them. He was so busy staring, that he almost missed Sanji walking away. When he noticed, Luffy ran after him. They walked together for about three miles without speaking before they reached an apartment building. Sanji knocked on a door marked with the number 107. Suddenly, the door swung open and a girl appeared.

"Nami-swaaaaan! I'm so pleased to be in your presence once again my beautiful Nami-swan!"

"Sanji-kun! Welcome back!" she gave him a quick hug before turning to Luffy. She looked thoroughly confused until Sanji nodded.

"Ah! Luffy-kun! Welcome! Well, why don't you two come inside?" Sanji was ecstatic at the thought and wasted no time in entering, but Luffy took one more look at his new home.

"Luffy? You coming?" Luffy turned back to Sanji inside the door and grinned.

"Of course! Hey Sanji, got any meat? I'm staaaaaaaaarving!" the door closed behind Luffy.

On the street, observing from a hidden spot, a green-haired boy laughed to himself as he saw Luffy.

"Huh. Interesting."