Disclaimer: All the characters in this story (not including Char-lune Aeidail) belong to Darren Shan.

The Vampire Guardian

Chapter 1: Meeting the creature

Leaning forward she bit deep and savored the thick liquid that ran down her chin. She had not feasted in so long the taste of the thick red juice was like fire, a bright, delightful and cleansing fire. Hearing something coming her way she looked around and saw a young man being chased by her captors, the vampire hunters. They'd found her weak after a battle with the vampanese lord and had taken her prisoner to learn about the vampires and their secrets. They also wanted to know their hiding places but when they could extract no information from her she was left to die. She was given one meal a week by the same guard who now was in the corner where she threw him so he would remain out of sight. Although the human blood brought back her senses she needed a different kind of blood to awaken her true self the self that could destroy earth if it wanted to. She grinned at the corner towards the man who brought her regular meals and boy had he today given her a meal. She closed her eyes and feigned weakness so as not to let them catch on that she was awake and no longer helpless. Just as she did so the boy headed in her direction knowing that this was the only escape route if even. As he neared the room he saw her and was about to cry for help when a shot rang threw the halls. His blood splattered the woman right across her lips and when no one was looking she lapped it off. Vampire blood! The blood of awakening! Her blood flowed hot in her veins and she knew they'd shot one she was to protect. They would not accomplish a second round and live. In fact they'd be lucky if she let them live as it was but when she saw the wound she knew it was one that broke and it had punctured a vein. He was losing too much blood but he was only a half vampire so his spit would not heal but it would sting like hell. When her idiot captors arrived they stayed near the door. How very wise. She thought inwardly and grinned in her head.

They called to him to come to them but then he saw the glances to the woman beside him. Are they afraid of her? She was pretty but chained. How come she was here and with those chains it was unlikely she could help him. Oh how he wished he'd not gotten separated from Mr.Crepsley. Their leader Shaft took a step forward and raised his gun for the final blow but even as he did pull the trigger Darren saw her eyes shift under their lids. Bang! He closed his eyes and waited for the pain but it never came and he opened his eyes to find a slender yet well muscled arm blocking the gun from it's target. The woman had saved him. Her eyes showed no pain but only anger. Her beautiful, clear black eyes landed on his and held him captive for a moment and it was in that moment he knew that she was angry they had shot him not her in fact she didn't even feel the pain because of the adrenalin rush she was receiving.

"Aeidail?" the voice of Shaft came warily across the room. She stood then turned to face him. What was it that was bugging him about her? Wait her chains! He looked beside him and saw them lying uselessly on the ground at her feet.

"That's impossible!" Darren noticed the skepticism in Shaft's voice then wondered why but the answer came sooner then he wanted. "You were given no blood!" She just blinked then shifted her eyes to the far corner where the body of her guard lay…dead. When everyone's eyes were back on her she turned her attention to Darren and he realized then how angry she was. She didn't even notice the blood tripping from her fingers to the floor. She must be a vampire if she needs blood. The next minute everything moved so fast. Another gunshot rang out. One minute he had been laying on the floor the next he was passed out from loss of blood on her back as she shot threw the door to freedom.

At first he didn't see them but when she stumbled and he let out a cry Mr.Crepsley's eyes caught them.

"Darren!" he breathed and started off after them but when he caught up he knew he had nothing to fear for it was but the guardian who carried him. She looked in his direction and nodded. She remembers me? After all these years! She gave the signal that meant my place now! Mr.Crepsley looked at Darren and saw the blood pouring from the wound. She was gaining so much speed that soon he was nearly flitting to keep up.

When he woke up he saw Mr.Crepsley sitting next to the bed.

"It's all right Darren your safe and your wound has been dealt with as best as possible." Darren looked beside Mr.Crepsley and saw the scarred face of none other then a nervous,

"Harkat?" Harkat smiled,

"Yes but I'm glad the woman went to fetch food. There's something about her that's familiar but I don't know what," he sighed as he said this.

"Wait she was injured!" He cried.

"Don't worry Darren it takes more then a bullet to stop her…Darren what exactly happened in there?"

"I was spotted and pretty soon had the entire group on my butt so I saw a door and thinking it might be an exit I ran in only to get shot and find myself sitting with my back to the wall next to a woman…who in turn was chained to the wall."

"Chained?" Mr.Crepsley was thoughtful.

"Yeah but I could have sworn some of my blood landed on her lips but the next second I looked it was gone." Mr.Crepsley chuckled, "Darren my boy you just awoke the guardian."

"You don't mean the legendary guardian do you," asked Harkat who'd come to know the vampire legends as well as the vampires themselves?

"The same in fact that guardian that saved my life before I met you but I didn't think she would remember me when in fact she did." "Mr.Crepsley what exactly is a guardian anyways?"

"A guardian is well most of them are half breeds meaning half vampire or sometimes although rare a half demon. There is but one guardian left that any one knows about and that's the one you saved."

"What do you mean I saved? If I recall correctly she is the one who stopped a bullet from hitting me then hauled me out of that place while bleeding. Anyways so if she's not a half breed then what is she?"

"She's a Hybrid. A mix between human, demon, vampire and…"

"Shape shifter," the last description was said quietly from the doorway. "Feeling better?" she asked.

"Much better, Thanks."

"That's good," she smiled and turned to unload the groceries. Darren glanced at her arm. "

Your arm," he cried! She flinched at the volume of his voice.

"I heal fast after feeding," she said quietly. She then turned to Mr.Crepsley and said so softly you almost couldn't hear her, "Thank you." He gave a slight smile. She walked over to his bed and sat on the edge. He thought she was going to kiss him when she got so close but instead of kissing him she checked his shoulder and said, "It will heal quite nicely." Mr.Crepsley was trying to hold back a laugh at the look on Darren's face. She gave a slight smile her self and took his hand. Gently she brought her lips to his left wrist and kissed it softly. After she stood and went to make lunch. Darren looked down at his wrist and gasped at the sight. Two moons, with their backs to each other, had appeared one his wrist.

"I don't believe it!" Mr.Crepsley sounded incredulous.

"What?" Darren was still staring down at his wrist in shock.

"Well first of all a guardian only gives some his or her crest when he or she feels connected or indebted to that person. Apparently she's taken a liking to you!" Darren looked up when there was a thump from the kitchen. He finally made it in only to find Mr.Crepsley helping her to her feet

. "Sorry to scare you all I just had a bit of a dizzy spell is all." He knew it was more from the concern on Mr.Crepsley's face. "Your lunch is on the counter by the way," she smiled.

"Mr.Crepsley?"

"Yes Darren."

"What happened in there?"

"To give someone a crest takes energy and she wasn't fully healed and was still slightly weak. It took more out of her then she expected so she had a dizzy spell and fell."

"So she's alright?"

"Just let her rest and she will be fine Darren besides you to need your rest because we have to get out of here as soon as possible. They could find us any day now and the both of you need to be in top condition so finish you lunch and go rest."

"Alright but make sure she's okay for me will you."

'He sound's worried,' Mr.Crepsley thought. 'Let's hope it's just a concern for her because she saved him because if it's more this could be trouble. Creature can't love…at least that's what the stories say.'