A/N: Hi, friends. In case we've never met, my name is Lumi and for however long this story goes on for, it's going to be you and me every Monday. Unless you stop reading. And that would make me sad. Please don't go. I love you.

All that aside, though, this story is going to be dealing with some mature themes. Also, TRIGGER WARNING: Throughout the story, there will be light mentions of rape, graphic depictions of blood and gore…It is Castlevania. If it doesn't get a little bloody from time to time, we're in the wrong place. But I really do hope you stick around here. I love this story so much already and it's only the first chapter…Although, I do have five more after this already written, so…There's that. Enjoy!

I need to find him. I don't know where to even start, but all I know is that I need to find him. My mother always told me that if something were to happen to her, I needed to find him. Unfortunately, she never told me who him was. Although, I did have somewhat of an idea. Find the other half of myself. Find who made me the way I was. Or find my real family. Wherever he may be. Right now, I just wanted to find a drink.

As I sit under this bridge near the outskirts of Braila, I wanted a drink so damn bad that I could hardly see straight. It wasn't often that I got my cravings like this. I tried suppressing the other half as much as I could, but sometimes, I needed to satisfy that other half. Granted, I didn't like it, but it still needed to be done. Maybe I could get lucky and find a stray cat to drain dry, but the night hordes had done a number here. Or maybe it was all the other vampires who decided to attack Braila.

I try to stay out of vampire politics as much as possible. Rumors had gone around about Dracula and his forces, but I never really saw much for concrete evidence until Braila. I figured that if there were vampires here, he would be, too. However, that wasn't the case. Instead, I come up emptyhanded and with the worst fucking craving for blood I've ever had. I'm so…Thirsty. God knows there were plenty of corpses on the ground I could feed on, but I wanted something warm. And I was no scavenger.

"Well, well…" a soft, seductive voice broke the quiet under my bridge. Her blood red eyes pierced into my very being, "What have we here? Yet another pathetic little human. Looks like we missed one in the raid."

"Maybe I'm just good at hiding," I felt for my dagger in my belt. Mother may have had to raise me on her own, but that doesn't mean she raised an idiot. I knew who I could and couldn't trust in this world.

"Ugh…" the woman gagged, "You smell awful. Like tainted human blood. But still…You also don't smell…Right. For a human."

She grabbed me by the wrist, giving it a little scratch. Immediately, she got the results of what she was looking for. My teeth showed themselves, "Ow!"

"I stand corrected," she gasped, "You're not just a pathetic little human, are you?"

"Only half of me is," I nursed my sudden scratches.

"You're a halfling?" her blood red eyes only grew bigger.

"Dhampir," I corrected her, "Yes."

"Really now…" her long, pale fingers caressed my cheek, "And who would leave such a precious little thing like you out here?"

"Not two seconds ago," I reminded her, "I was a pathetic little human."

"Times change, my dear," she continued to look me over. I'm not sure if she was sizing me up for a meal or not. I didn't think vampires drank other vampires. She seemed much more…I don't know. Dignified. Like vampire blood was beneath her.

"I'm just passing through," I showed her my hands, "Please. All I ask is that you let me pass."

"Who do you serve?" she jumped down my throat.

"No one, really," I assured, "I'm merely a drifter. Nothing more. No master."

"Hmmm…" she looked me over once more, "What's your name, little dhampir?"

"Eden," I introduced myself, "Why?"

"Eden," she repeated, "I like it. A touch ironic, though, isn't it? Considering what you are. Why don't you come with us for a while? I'd love to talk some more."

"Where are you going?" I'm not saying I trust her, but she might know where he could be.

"My palace in Styria," she extended her hand to me, "I can offer you a place to sleep and warm blood to drink. You look like you could use both."

"Styria?" I thought it over. That was a hell of a trek from Braila. But I could smell it. She brought provisions. And if she's headed toward her palace, a bed to sleep in would be nice. How long has it been since I last slept in a real bed? According to my back, it's been a while, "What's your name?"

"You may call me Carmilla," she gave me a little bow, "Now that we're well acquainted, does that mean you're joining me for Styria?"

"I can't exactly stay in Braila," I gestured to the smoldering remains of the city, "I'll go."

"Then," Carmilla smiled with a glint in her eye, "Let me show you to your new home, dear Eden."

I wasn't sure if I was betraying my human half or enabling my vampire half. Was I turning my back on any sense of normalcy or feeding that monster that lurked deep within me? I wasn't even sure anymore. Please, Mother. Forgive me, "Ok."

"Tell me, Eden," Carmilla and I started down the road with her forces behind us. Although, one of them smelled odd. Compared to the others. I smell magic, "What brought you to Braila?"

"Well," I let out a heavy, heartfelt sigh, "I lost my mother a few months back. I've been on my own ever since. And I just…Ended up here."

"I'm sorry to hear about your mother," she took my hand, "What did she die from?"

"She got really sick," I forced back the memories of her frail, fragile body laying in her bed, "Her body couldn't take it."

"Was she where your vampire half comes from?" Carmilla asked.

I shook my head, "My father, if that's what you want to call him. He was a vampire."

"No love loss there, I assume?" she wondered.

"I'm out looking for him," I confessed, "Mother was living in her home village when it was raided by a vampire clan. My father raped my mother and she had me nine months later. It's been her and me ever since. It was until a few months ago. Now, it's just me, I suppose. So, to answer your question, no. There isn't."

"Do you remember what his name is?" Carmilla listened closely, just as curious about the monster as I was.

"Yes," I swallowed the lump in my throat. Mother always told me to never show weakness in front of my other kind. A vampire can feed off that sort of thing, "His name was Godbrand. And if I ever meet the cock wart in person, I will deliver unto him a slow, painful, and torturous death. For what he did to my mother. For abandoning us. For cursing me like this. He deserves to suffer, Carmilla. And who better to make him suffer than the product of his disgusting act?"

"My, my," she gushed, "Aren't we just the powder keg of anger and emotion. And over Godbrand of all people!"

"You know my father?" I perked up. Carmilla may be more useful than that promised drink.

"I knew him," Carmilla put a hand to my shoulder, "I'm so sorry to tell you this, darling, but Godbrand is dead. He has been for a while now. It looks like your vengeance quest is over."

My heart sunk to my feet. I ran off behind a rock to violently throw up. I'm glad the son of a bitch is dead, but someone else had his blood on their hands. Someone stole my kill, "Do you know how he died?"

"At the hands of a forgemaster," she told me, "I, myself, may have had a hand in it. I did throw him down the stairs. He had intentions of sleeping with me that night, but I had other plans. Not to mention, some dignity."

"The forgemaster took my kill," I growled, settling myself in the next breath, "But I'm glad he's dead. May my mother's eternal paradise be his never-ending hell."

"Godbrand was a pig," Carmilla gagged, "I wouldn't touch him with a ten-foot stick. The wood doesn't deserve that."

"Tell that to my mother."

"I like you, Eden," she took my hand back, "I have a feeling that you and I are going to be good friends."

"I like you, too, Carmilla."

"Because you don't know any better," a voice from the back mumbled under his breath. I don't think he took our acute senses into consideration. How unfortunate for him.

"Excuse me?" Carmilla's head whipped around, "Did my little pet say something?"

"No…" he cowered.

"Does it need a muzzle?" she snarled.

"No…"

"Good," Carmilla brushed him off, "Ignore him. He was stupid enough to betray our king for little, old me. And even stupider for falling for the simplest of tricks. Bless his heart, though, he tries his best."

"Is he…" I glanced over my shoulder, trying to get a better look at him. To no avail, "Is he a vampire, too?"

"Oh, heavens no," she laughed to herself, "He couldn't be so lucky. He's human. Completely, one hundred percent, pathetic human. Not quite like us. But we do need him. He is a forgemaster."

"A forge…?!"

"Not that forgemaster, Eden," Carmilla settled me, "The forgemaster that killed Godbrand couldn't be fooled so easily. Although, I must admit. Toying with the one we have on a leash is a great bit of fun. But he loses his appeal when he loses his fight, so play with him sparingly. We wouldn't want to go and give him hope now, would we?"

"I guess not," I assumed.

"Very good." Wow. What a heartless bitch. Then again, I didn't know much about her. Maybe there's a reason why she had this forgemaster on a leash. Maybe he was just as bad as Godbrand. But I couldn't help but wonder more about him. He's a forgemaster. Why doesn't he just stake one of the vampires here and turn them into his slave? What has him so beaten down? There was more to the story and I needed to know.

"Why do you keep him?" I asked.

"He's fun to play with," Carmilla reiterated, "And he's my pet now. A piece of advice, Eden. When you're planning something on a large scale like usurping Dracula's throne, it never hurts to have a forgemaster in your pocket."

"Did you ever meet him?" I followed her closely, "Dracula?"

"I held a place in his court for a while," she nodded, "But when I realized he was merely taking us all along for the ride of a drawn out suicide mission, I figured he was no longer in a position to lead our kind. Just a sad old man that didn't have the balls to turn a human woman. I'm assuming you heard about the burning at Targoviste, yes?"

"Of course," I remembered hearing all about them when I was younger. It broke my heart when I heard the news. Mother told me that I was inconsolable. And rightfully so. The poor woman had done nothing wrong.

"And all because they burned Dracula's wife at the stake," Carmilla went on, "He figured he had to drag the rest of us with him. It seems unfair, don't you think?"

"He was heartbroken," I assumed, "But yes. It's a little unfair."

"And since someone was too busy pouting like a child," she decided, "Someone competent needs to run things. And since the world has had plenty of sad old men ruining everything, I thought to myself, why not me? Dracula's dead and the other clans are scrambled. I'm sure that a woman would be more than competent and much more rational than a violent child throwing a tantrum. Wouldn't you agree?"

As scary as she was, Carmilla made a point. And if we're being honest, the thought of it did make my heart skip a beat, "Absolutely."

"That's wonderful to hear," Carmilla smiled, "Now, to you, my dear, darling Eden. Would care to see your new home?"

"Yes, please."

Godbrand was dead. And I couldn't be happier. I wasn't quite sure what Carmilla was all about, but the thought of controlling those very vampires that cursed me while I lay sleeping in the womb made me all giddy. I could turn them against each other. I could make them wipe out their own kind. It'd be efficient. I wouldn't have to get my hands dirty. I'm sure that would do my ancestors proud. Are you watching, Mother? And all of those who came before her? I'm going to do it. I'm going to wipe every last goddamn vampire off the face of this earth. With the exception of a few.

I really did like Carmilla. What I saw anyway. She was a vampire with ambition and I could appreciate that kind of drive. Especially with the intention of overthrowing someone like Dracula. By the looks of things, she may get exactly what she wants. Although, with the comment from behind us, I'm curious about her methods. Maybe I should get to know the forgemaster a little more. Maybe he could point me in the direction of the forgemaster who killed Godbrand. Just when I think my search was over, I meet Carmilla. It may not be over after all. Maybe it's just beginning.