"Excuse me?" the man looked me over, "Why would you want to know my name?"

Oh, you know damn fucking well why I want to know your name. Still, I needed to keep my head about me. If I lose my shit now, I'm sure he'll figure out quickly who I am and take off. Or worse yet, try to fight me. I needed to keep my head under control. If I do that, then I can keep my true power under control, "It's a simple question. I can't make a new friend?"

"Something about this doesn't seem very friendly," he stood his ground, "How do I know your intentions are pure?"

"Here," I took my dagger out of my garter belt and put it on the ground where he could see it, "See? Good faith. Pure intentions. Now, what's your name?"

The man stared down at my knife, not entirely sure what to make of me. But lowering my weapons was enough to get him to talk, "Isaac."

Just as I suspected. You're my forgemaster, aren't you, Isaac? Let's see how long we can keep the foreplay going, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Isaac. What brings you to Braila?"

"I'm here to see an old friend," I could see it all over his face. It sickened him to refer to Hector as a friend. Carmilla was right. When he's given the chance, I have no doubt in my mind that Isaac will tear Hector to fucking pieces. Only to resurrect him and do it all again. The beauty of being a forgemaster, I guess, "That is, if it's alright with you. He's living in this building right here."

"Really?" I didn't need my dagger. As much as it'd be nice to have it in my hands right now. It's a comfortability thing. I could always think clearly with something sharp in my hand.

"I'm sorry," Isaac looked me over, "But do I know you? You seem…familiar."

"I don't know," I flashed him my teeth. And not the human ones, "Do you?"

That took him by surprise. He stepped back a few paces, "You're a vampire?"

"Not entirely," I explained, "Half of me is."

"Then," Isaac started piecing things together, "That makes you a dhampir, doesn't it?"

"At least you didn't call me a halfling," I appreciated that. There was nothing that made my blood fucking boil like being called a halfling, "But yes. I am a dhampir."

"You know," Isaac admitted, "I always pitied your kind."

"And why's that?" I wondered.

"There is no set path for you," he leaned against the wall, "When it comes down to it, you have to choose a side. Do you follow the path of your vampiric half or do you follow the path of your human half? No matter which side you pick, you will always be torn between two worlds. Seen as a monster on both sides. The humans think you a devil. The vampires think your blood is unclean. Tell me, little dhampir. Which side have you chosen?"

"Would you like to find out?" I was ready to beat the shit out of this guy. For everything. Fuck it. Why bother holding back, right? I threw myself at him, hoping to land a good punch. However, he managed to catch my fist and use my weight against me, landing me flat on my back on the street.

"You're an interesting one," Isaac stood over me, holding me down by my shoulders. Wow…If Leon could see me now, he'd be so disappointed. Hell, I could already feel Trevor's judgy glare burn a hole through me. I refuse to be kept down by this fucking forgemaster. He is not getting the upper hand here, "You know…I've never forged on a dhampir before. I wonder if it can be done. I suppose I could try. It'd be nice to have one of you under my control. I have reliable sources that say your kind are rather powerful."

"I'm not dead," I snapped, trying my damnedest to shake him. He's strong for a pure human.

"Not yet," he pulled out a long knife.

"That's not happening," I managed to get him off me. Alright. I know it scares me, but he's leaving me no choice.

"Who are you?" Isaac asked, holding his stance, "I had the decency to share with you my name, yet you couldn't extend to me the same courtesy. Maybe you have the same rudeness as the rest of humanity."

Oh, I'm about to tell you, motherfucker. I spat the blood out of my mouth and pulled myself together, "My name is Eden Belmont."

"Belmont?" I see the family name has the notoriety I've always heard about, "Of the house Belmont?"

"That's right," I nodded.

"And you're a dhampir?" Isaac gasped, "Interesting. What an interesting mix. But if you are truly of the house Belmont, wouldn't that mean you're still out to protect humanity? Would that not include me? Am I not human?"

"You made a deal with Dracula," I pointed out, "You're right, Isaac. My family protects humanity. Even if that means protecting humanity from itself. Did you not have a hand in this genocide? Were you not at the right hand of Mr. Tepes when he lost his wife?"

"You speak of him as if he were a mortal man."

"He was when I knew him," I remembered all those years ago. Every time I'd get sick, I could see him sculking in the hall out of the corner of my eye. He'd be there to make sure I was ok. He'd never say a word to me, but I knew. There was one point where he was a good man. It's just too bad that humanity had to take that out of him.

"Clearly," Isaac gave me a punch to the jaw, "You didn't know him as well as you thought you did. He should've taken you out when he had the chance. A Belmont has no place in Dracula's castle."

"Tell that to my uncle," I shook off the pain.

"No matter," he spun his knife between his long, slender fingers, "I hope whatever soul claims your body destroys it from the inside."

"What?" I growled, "Are you going to kill me like you killed my father?"

"Your father?" Isaac wondered, "Was he where your vampiric half comes from?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I hope you know I plan on killing you for that."

"For what?" he rolled his eyes, "Because I killed your father, you plan on killing me in his name for some sort of vengeance fulfillment?"

"Oh, no, no," I assured him, my strength starting to come back, "It's not that cut and dry. I'm not pissed at you for killing my father. He was a piece of shit anyway. I'm pissed at you for stealing a kill that was meant to be mine!"

"Who was your father?"

I managed to get the upper hand on Isaac and used it to pin him to the ground, "Godbrand. The Viking general of Dracula's court. Nearly twenty years ago, he and his forces attacked a village in Saxony and burned it to the ground. But that's not what pisses me off. The people can rebuild. They can move on with their lives. And when they did, do you know what they did? They took an innocent woman and brought her to the town square. Because of the piece of shit vampire that broke into her home and took all she had to offer; her mind, her body, her spirit. They beat her mercilessly for something she couldn't control. For something she had no say in. No matter how hard she had to fight, let it be known that Maria Belmont did not go down without a fight. She ended up chased out of the village and back to her rightful, ancestral home in Wallachia. Another one of those things that you drove us out of."

"How did I do that?"

"Forgemasters brought the night creatures to Wallachia," I growled, "Not the Belmonts. My mother always told me that. Believe God, not the church. But my piece of shit father hurt my saint of a mother. That kill you stole from me…That kill should've been mine!"

There it was. I got that feeling again. That primal anger that Trevor brought out in me in the clearing. When we first realized what kind of power lies dormant in me. When I damn near killed him. I could feel that banshee scream rising in the back of my throat. But I couldn't do that here. Too many innocent lives were at stake. Human lives. Good human lives. As much as it'd be a good idea to use it on this asshole forgemaster in front of me, I needed something to control it. I needed something to keep me grounded. That's when it hit me.

If the thought of my father, whether it be what he took from my mother or what Isaac took from me, is what brings out my power…If that's what gives me my strength…Maybe the thought of my mother is what focuses it. I've always said that she was my moral compass. I had my memories of her in the forefront of my mind. Every birthday, every holiday, every time we had to move, us tending the garden together. Every precious moment I had with that woman…It was enough to keep my head level. And if I had a level head, that meant my power was focused. I let out a deep, primal screech, throwing Isaac more than I threw Uncle Trevor.

I ran up to him. Isaac laid flat on his back, struggling for air. Good. I had him where I wanted him. I put my boot on his chest, making sure his ass stayed down. I could feel the fire burning in my eyes, "You're not getting anywhere near Hector. You're not continuing Dracula's genocide. You're not throwing me to Carmilla. You're done."

"You seem to think so…" Isaac choked out.

Then, out of nowhere, a night horde rose in the street. Shit…This was definitely more than there were at the pub when I first fought with Uncle Trevor. I could do this. No sweat. I threw fireball after fireball toward the night creatures, all of them turning to ash on contact. But even though they were all being burned alive, there were too many of them. The sky was practically black. I couldn't fight them all on my own. I mean, I know I'm powerful, but…The sheer number was overwhelming. How big of an army did Isaac have? And how many are left over from Dracula's army? I let out another screech, knocking a good majority of them down, but it seemed like every mass I took out, they returned tenfold.

As if someone were looking out for me, a new night horde appeared behind me. However, I wasn't the one they were going after…These night creatures…They attacked their own kind. I didn't understand. I thought night creatures were loyal to the forgemaster they were created by. But then, it dawned on me…Hector. This had to be Hector. I looked up at the windows above us and saw Hector sitting in one of them, directing his mass of night creatures. He gave me a little nod only to disappear from the window. Hector, where the fuck do you think you're going?

"Eden!" Hector, I love you, but you fucking idiot.

"Hector, get back inside," I ordered, "This wasn't in the plan."

"Neither was leaving you out here to die," Hector stood his ground, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I did a quick assessment of the bumps and bruises. Not too many of either one, "Now, get your ass back inside. It's not safe for you out here."

"A thank you would be appreciated," he scoffed, "I just saved your life!"

"Hector…" Isaac got back on his feet. Son of a bitch, Hector. Again, I love you, but holy shit, you do some stupid things sometimes.

"Hello, Isaac…" But this was different. This was a different Hector than the one I met in Carmilla's dungeons. This one…Had something special about him. A fire in his belly that wasn't there before, "Long time, no see."

"You're a fucking traitor, Hector," Isaac snarled, ready to throw his long knife into Hector's chest.

"I made a mistake," Hector defended, his own dagger sliding out from his sleeve, "But I refuse to make that one ever again."

"No," Isaac shook his head, "Dracula made a mistake. He should've left you to die. It's fitting that someone as horrible as Carmilla would be the one to take you. Although, I'm a little disappointed. One would think that Carmilla's sadism would've left you more scarred."

Hector was ready to tear Isaac to shreds. However, I held him back. He looked at me strange, "Eden, what are you doing?"

"This isn't your kill, Hector," I settled him, keeping my own tone calm, "You're about to see what happens when you steal a kill from me. Do you really want to go through this, too?"

"No, thank you," Hector backed off.

"Just…" I begged, "Let me kill him. Let me kill Isaac. Please."

I knew Hector had a history with Isaac. I knew it wasn't pretty. However, this goes beyond him. This goes beyond their pissing contest for who was Dracula's favorite (because despite not saying anything, I'm pretty sure it was me). This is about more than my mother. It's about defending my family. All of them. Hector has somewhat redeemed himself. Isaac can only atone with his death. And I was fully prepared to deliver that justice on him.

"Go ahead," Hector stepped back, letting me step forward. A bright ball of fire glowed in my hand.

"Really?" Isaac scoffed, "This is the best you can do? A dhampir Belmont is going to fight your battles for you, Hector? What a disgrace."

"No," I kept Hector quiet, "This isn't Hector's fight. Not when ours isn't done yet."

"You seem to think so."

I got a few good burns on Isaac, knocking him to the ground. He didn't have any more night creatures coming to save him. He was alone. I still had my forgemaster on my side. But more importantly, I had the one forgemaster I needed to kill under my boot, "Isaac…In the name of my mother and the entire Belmont family, along with my unfortunate father, I bestow this mercy killing upon you."

Without hesitation, my dagger was stabbed into where his heart should be. There was no coming back from that. And just like that…It was over. He was dead. I've successfully avenged my mother. It's a shame I couldn't give that kind of justice to Godbrand, but this is the next best thing. It's over. Are you watching, Mother? Are you proud of me? I know you said to not take human life, but trust me. This one had it coming.

"Eden?" Hector approached me slowly, "Are you alright?"

"I'm beyond alright, Hector," I got up, wiping the blade of my dagger on Isaac's clothes, "I haven't felt this good in years. Now, if it's alright with you, I think we should go cut the head off the hydra, don't you?"

"You mean…?"

"I do," I had a smirk on my face and a reinvigorated lust for life. After I set fire to Isaac's body in the street, I turned on my heel and walked out of the alley, "Let's go get Carmilla."