The Beginning

It was late that evening all things began. Sunset was long ago and the full moon was shining in an autumn night. A soft wind was blowing making the fog fields moving from the swamps around into Lutetia. All people there were sleeping already. Only Terranus was still awake praying in his temple. He kneeled in front of a Diana statue with folded hands.

"It is the last night I'm here," he thought with a light feeling of sadness. "Please, Diana. Protect the people here I leave now..."

Shortly after midnight someone entered the temple and Terranus heard the person going straight behind him. Wondering a bit who might visit him at this time Terranus stopped praying and stood up turning around. He saw a strong muscled man who was wearing some leather and furry cloths. He also recognized the bow and the arrows on the man's back and the long dagger on his left side. Terranus knew the person. It was Caedh Rhiannor, one of the hunters who lived in the woods near the town. He often came to the temple at night to listen to Terranus. He was very interested in what Terranus told him about Diana. But lately he did not come.

"Good evening, Caedh," Terranus greeted him with a smile. He was glad to see Caedh, before he travelled back to Roma. Terranus und Caedh hugged shortly to welcome each other.

"Good evenin', Terranus."

"How are you? You were not here the last time. Is everything okay?"

"Well, I'm fine. Had to thin' 'bout somethin'. But, I'm here cuz' I've heard you'll leave us here. Goin' back to Roma?" Terranus smiled. He really liked Caedh's accent. It made the Latin language just more lively, he thought.

"Yes, you are right. I like the people here. They are completely different from those in Roma. They are not frantic, selfish or arrogant. They are just more like brothers and sisters. But I want to see my home after the years I stayed here. Even I liked being here, I miss my home, my family and friends there. So I'm going to travel back in the morning tomorrow. Now I'm praying for a safe journey."

"Oh, what a pity. It was very impressive fur me to listen to your sermons an' preaches. I liked to hear 'bout Diana and to talk to you 'bout her." Caedh made a short interruption, then continued looking directly into Terranus' eyes.

"But today I wanna talk 'bout another thin'. I visit you to give you a gift to than' you. I was thinkin' a lot 'bout it, but I believe, you'll like it." Terranus smiled again, as Caedh offered him a gift.

"What do you mean? You do not have to do so. I liked to tell you about my faith and believe. There is no need for thanking me."

"But you'll better understan' what you're preachin' 'bout." Terranus looked a bit confused.

'How can a gift improve his understanding of his faith?' he asked to himself. Attentively he listened to Caedh.

"You know I never come to you before sunset. Do you understan' what I wanna say?"

"At first I was confused by this, but I think you can visit me whenever you want."

"Thanks fur your kindness this way. But you should know I can't be outside durin' the sunlight, cuz' I'm a vampire."

"I'm sorry, but neither I know anything about vampires nor I have heard about them," Terranus said curious. He put a hand under his chin getting an interested look. And by now he was really interested in what Caedh would tell him. Caedh started his explanations fixing Terranus with his eyes.

"See, me an' all the other vampires can live furever an' we've gained some different powers. Some of us can transform themselves into animals like wolves. Some others've an unimaginable strength or other abilities." Terranus looked thoughtful to Caedh still listening to him.

"Watch." Caedh said. Terranus watched him as he went to one of the stone benches, which were here in the main temple room. Then Terranus saw that Caedh lifted the bench with one hand. Stunned a bit, Terranus could only say:

"Not bad." He remembered the weight of these benches, as he built the temple. Caedh put the bench down and walked back to a rather impressed Terranus. Then he continued his explanations.

"These abilities're great and often helpful, but they've their price. All vampires're dead an' we're cravin' fur somethin' livin' humans like you can give us. We need your blood to exist and to perform such abilities." Caedh opened his mouth slightly showing Terranus his sharp fangs to prove his explanations.

"Normally we bite humans into their necks to feed from our preys, an' they forget most of it. Tha's one reason why you didn't hear anythin' 'bout us." At first Terranus was curious and listened carefully to Caedh, but now Terranus was not able to do that anymore. He was shocked about what he heard and saw. Putting his hand on his neck, he went some steps backwards.

"Did…did you…?" he asked stattering.

"Sure." Caedh nodded licking his upper lip. Terranus' known world seemed to be annihilated. Not a human but a monster was talking to him.

'How many others like Caedh were living amongst the humans?' Terranus thought. And he feared the answer.

"Wh...why did you tell me these things?" he stattered tears of desperation in his eyes. "Wha...what do you want to do now?"

"Wanna change you into the same bein' like me. It would be fittin' to you, a priest who admired the goddess of the hunters. Tha's my gift to you." Caedh went to Terranus. But Terranus feared him after hearing all of this and he did not want to do things like blood-drinking. He watched Caedh carefully and did not let him out of his view moving back slowly. He was expecting an ambush. But suddenly Terranus felt a sort of tranquility in his mind. Something wanted him to forget his fear of Caedh. It confused him.

"What is that?" he thought. "How can it be? No! That is wrong. Go away!"

He fought against this sudden feeling and finally it disappeared. Terranus realized his situation again. Then he saw that the doors of his temple were still open. Caedh did not close them. He started to run, but Caedh was already behind him and grabbed him with a great force. Terranus cried out and struggled to get out of his grip, but Caedh hold him firmly.

"Please, calm down," Caedh pleaded. "You'll be tortured by fightin' too much." But Terranus did not listen.

"Le...let me go," he screamed frightened, with no effect. Caedh did not release him. Instead of that he forced Terranus' head to one side.

"No!" Terranus struggled again in vain.

"Please..." Caedh said once more, but Terranus did not react. In spite of that Caedh bit him with his already bared fangs into the neck. Terranus cried out again as he felt Caedh's bite. Pain overtaked his body and Terranus could not control himself anymore. Now only his instinct to survive was guiding his actions. He hit Caedh as hard as he could and Caedh released him falling back. Terranus used his chance and ran out of his temple into the forest nearby. As fast as he could he ran into it's darkness. Twigs, branches and thorns ripped his cloths and scratched his skin. But Terranus almost did not realize that. He just wanted to get away from Caedh. But soon the loss of blood made his body weak and the wound on his neck was still bleeding. As he entered a clearing he was totally exhausted that he could not run anymore. He fell to the ground and snapped for air. He did not want to die, but he felt there was no way out. Now he just laid there one his back breathing heavily. Then he realized the moon looking to it. Even it was cold outside, the moonlight which was shining on him comforted him. Somehow Terranus felt some warmth from this light. He became calmer and his breath was slower now. He grasped his amulet, a silver crescent moon within a golden ring, and closed his eyes.

"Diana...," he began praying quietly till he heard Caedh's voice coming closer.

"I see, you've the will to live, but don't be afraid." Terranus opened his eyes again.

"Please, let me go," he implored again, but Caedh went to him and picked him up with his strong hands. Terranus was too weak now to help himself also there was no escape.

"What...what will happen to me?" he asked fearing what would happen now..

"Please, don't thin' 'bout it. I'll take care 'bout everythin'," Caedh answered. Then he carried him back to the temple.

"It's better fur you to wake up in a familiar place." He brought Terranus in, laid him down on one of the benches and closed the doors. Caedh went to Terranus' side. Their eyes crossed and they looked at each other for a while without saying a word. But their eyes said everything. Then Terranus closed his eyes and turned his head away accepting his fate. Caedh stroked his scratched cheek gently with his palm.

"Tha's better now...," he said and bent down, "...tha's much better." He licked over Terranus' wound.

Terranus flinched breathing in quickly.

"This time it won't hurt so bad," Caedh tried to calm Terranus. Then he sank his fangs into his neck again. Now only a soft moan came from Terranus as Caedh was biting him. He felt the blood leaving his body and slowly he fell into the shadows of oblivion. The last thing he could feel was that Caedh drew away and something hot was dripping onto his lips. At first Terranus wanted to refuse it, but his weak and dying body screamed for it. So he swallowed. Then everything went dark.

Next evening Terranus awaked and he immediately recognized, that something was wrong. He was hungry and thirsty like never in his life before. Waves of pain made his whole body shiver. He clenched his teeth and forced himself not to scream out his agonies almost losing his mind. He opened his eyes and saw he was still in his temple on the bench, where Caedh had laid him down. Slowly Terranus got up and could barely stand. Then he saw Caedh holding a young woman in front of him.

"It's time to feed now," Caedh said and pushed the woman towards Terranus' direction. Terranus grabbed her falling onto his knees with her. As he felt her warm skin, he sensed something sweet, something inside her. He could smell and almost taste it. And someone, or better something inside of Terranus was screaming for it.

"I want it! Let me have it! Satisfy me!" Terranus felt that this thing was taking over his body slowly as his hunger and thirst became greater and greater. He moved instinctly to the woman's throat. He breathed in deeply smelling that sweetness again. Then he opened his mouth baring his new developed fangs. He reached to the woman's neck. Now Terranus realized, that this sweetness came from the woman's blood. For a moment he was willing to let himself go hoping the pain, which tortured his whole body, would be gone. But suddenly he pushed the woman away fighting against his inner needs. He had realized that he would kill her, if he started to drink her blood in his situation. He would lose the control about himself and about the thing inside of him. He moved away a bit from the woman.

"Nooo...," he said fighting against his urge. "I...I will not do this."

"Amazin'," Caedh said who had watched Terranus carefully. "You're the only one I know who can control the beast before the first meal. But it's important fur you to drin' blood now. You'll die without blood. Please, do it."

"I wi...will not kill her," Terranus answered trying really hard to control his inner beast. He grabbed his own body to hold himself in pain. Caedh went to him getting a sympathetic look. He was not surprised that Terranus burdened himself with all the pain to spare the woman's life. Almost every human who became a vampire refused the need to drink blood in the beginning. But that was necessary. Caedh kneeled down aside Terranus. He looked into his eyes taking one of his hands.

"I understan' you. You're facin' all these new thin's an' I know it's hard to accept your need. But her blood'll en' your pain an''ll satisfy your beast. So drin' it."

"Never!" Terranus shouted twisted up in a new wave of pain. Bloody tears of despair were running down his face. He did not know what he should do. On the one hand Terranus wanted to exist, on the other hand he did not want to kill. Caedh knew this conflict. And he helped Terranus out also he was overcome by a feeling of responsibility.

"I can't stan' to see you sufferin' anymore, my childe. There's another way. I'll give you some of my blood. Don't worry 'bout me. I'll be OK. At first it's the best solution, I thin'." He embraced Terranus gently showing him his neck.

"Now, bite me!" Caedh encouraged him patting one hand on the back of his head. Terranus hesitated and looked down onto Caedh's neck thinking about what happened to him and what had changed. A last tear of blood was rolling down his face. Then he bared his fangs again and bit into Caedh's neck tasting the same heat from yesterday. Terranus drank eagerly and felt the thirst and the pain vanishing from his body. Also the screaming beast became silent now. Terranus released his bite and drew away. Blood was dripping from his mouth and fangs.

"I...I...," he said with a low voice. Then he fell onto his side unconscious.

"It's OK." Caedh said wiping away the blood on Terranus' mouth gently. "You've to rest now after these exertions." Then he picked Terranus up and carried him to his room in the temple.