Chapter 1

"Jerit, where is that shipment? If we don't have it by tomorrow, this town is going to be in serious trouble!"

She paused, glaring at her long well manicured nails, clearly listening to the other side of the conversation. Hearing something she did not want to hear, her expression grew darker as her hand clenched into a fist.

"I don't care," she exploded in anger. "Get that shipment here, tonight! If…hold on."

A knock on the office door stopped the angry tirade. Quickly, calming herself, she went to the door and opened it. A man stood in the hallway.

"Yes?"

The man bowed and said, "Ms. Bloodmoon, the 'special' group that you asked to personally guide through Blood-Hunter Enterprises is here."

"Thank you. Tell them that I will be with them shortly."

The man bowed again, leaving with a murmured, "Ma'am."

She sighed, and closed the door. She placed her hand on the eyepiece below her headband, adjusting something.

"Jerit, I have to go. A new group is here for orientation. For now, get an emergency supply over here. Then, when you finally find that wayward shipment, call me. I only want to hear good news the next time you talk to me."

Ms. Bloodmoon once again sighed, folding the microphone and eyepiece onto the headband. She placed the compact computer headset into a drawer of her black, six-foot long desk marked "CCH." She strode over to a seven-foot-high cabinet by the door, and opened it to reveal a full-length mirror, that glowed faintly. She gazed into the mirror at her reflection, taking note of her appearance. She liked what she saw.

Six feet tall, with tight muscles, smooth pale skin and snow-white hair that rippled past her black tank top to her waist, where a silver knife, with a six-inch blade, was sheathed on the right, she wore black cut-off jeans, and black hiking boots with silvery-blue studs that matched her eyes.

There is nothing to change. She closed the cabinet, and grabbed a black leather jacket on her way out of her office.

Hello, my name is Tala Bloodmoon. I welcome you all to my company: Blood-Hunter Enterprises, the largest (and only) company that specializes in CD games about vampires. I'm sure you've heard of our top-selling title: "Hunt for the Bloodstone."

Of course, as vampires, you know that the CD games merely provide the cover story for this company. The real reason for Blood-Hunter Enterprises is to provide a safe and harmless way for our kind to get the blood we need to survive. With technology as advanced as it is (as well as having our souls), we cannot hunt as was done in ancient times. Therefore, we must buy our food as humans do, and that is what this company does for the vampire populace. In truth, this is just an extremely large blood bank, giving out blood at a price.

Now, we have a form here for you to fill out, so that you will be thoroughly satisfied with the blood that is delivered to you. I will read and explain each question on the form, so that the questions will be understood more fully. There is another reason for explaining the questions. In case some outside source--most likely human--finds these, they will not understand what they see. Can you imagine what would happen to us if humans realize that we are real? A full-fledged vampire hunt! So, for that reason I have had to make this form as vague as 'humanly' possible, to avoid suspicion.

Does everyone understand? Good.

Now, the first question: Do you like A) intelligent, B) ignorant, or C) both? This basically translates to: do you like human blood, animal blood, or are you not very fussy? Any questions?

All right then, second question: If you chose A or C in number one, what type do you prefer? This means: if you chose human, what blood type do you like best? O, A, B, AB, positive or negative, all of them? Questions?

OK, third question: If you chose B or C in number one, what kind do you prefer? Translation: if you chose animal, what kind of animal do you like best? I must admit that pig is our best-seller. Any questions at all?

No? Well then, for any who are interested in it, I can show you around. That way, if you are asked, you can honestly say what it was like to watch CD games being created.

Ms. Bloodmoon closed the door to her office, and leaned against it. Her shoulders sagged. Dragging her feet, she walked around her desk, past the ancient weapons display on the wall, then collapsed into her chair.

"Recline," she said, and the chair shifted. She closed her eyes as she placed her feet onto her desk.

I need to rest. I need to rest. Mark said he would get that shipment to the right people. I hope so.

This is the fifth time. Late and misplaced shipments are not acceptable. I need to rest, then I can figure this out.

Siren.
Red lights.
Siren.

What is this? What now?

The door slammed open.

"M-Ms. Bl-Bloodmoon! T-The building has b-been inv-vaded! H-Humans, k-killing v-vampire employees!"

Bloodmoon stared, stunned. He's stuttering? Wait a minute, humans… Then, as suddenly as she became stunned, she became angry.

"How dare they! Ignorant fools! We mean no harm, not in this day and age! It's the year 3000 A.D., for the sake of the stars! Where are these…human monsters?"

"T-They were j-just c-coming onto the s-second b-basement level w-when I c-came to t-tell you, Ms. B-Bloodmoon."

Tala Bloodmoon stood and stalked over to the various weapons she had collected over the ages. She grabbed a scabbard off the wall, fastened it to her left side, and unsheathed the sword, inspecting it coldly along the edge. The blade was silver, its hilt of something like crystal. Her inspection done, Tala gazed at the other weapons, picked up an ax, and tossed it to her aide. He caught it with ease, surprise on his face.

"Come," spoke Tala, "I will not tolerate humans trying to destroy my business."

Shouting and cries of pain led Tala to where the humans were causing havoc, just in time to see three vampires turn to dust. An outrage-filled shout of, "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" caused the chaos to stop.

The humans gazed, stunned, in the direction of the voice. Tala stood, facing the mob of humans, sword and knife raised towards them.

The noise ended, she lowered her sword, and stepped further into a room filled with destruction. Tables and chairs were in pieces, and piles of ash-like dust (the remains of much of her workforce) were everywhere. Tala's rage turned her eyes to silver. She took another step, and pulled her lips up in a snarl. Two sets of canines were displayed. In reaction, the humans moved closer together, forming a small group.

Tala took the eyes of each human in the room, a moment in each gaze. What she saw made her growl in suppressed fury. Her voice was dangerously soft, as she spoke:

"Who is the leader of this…group?"

The humans gazed among themselves, unsure of what to do. Tala quietly sheathed the sword and knife, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'm waiting," Tala whispered.

A human man in the center of the group shrugged, and stepped forward. In a blurred motion, Tala grabbed the man, pulled him to the entrance of the room, and held him off of the ground, to be eye level with her. The man struggled in fear, trying to break free. When he stopped struggling, she placed the man on his feet, releasing him. She stepped back, and placed her hands on her hips, scowling. Startled, the man backed away from her.

"Why are you killing my employees," Tala asked, her voice still soft, but cold as ice.

"We are the Society Against Bloodloss. We hunt vampires. We were given a tip that vampires are working in your company. We intended to clear them out for you, as we have already started doing," the man concluded in pride.

Tala gazed at the man, amazed at his audacity. Before speaking to him, she turned to her aide. "Mark, go check on everyone, and make sure they're safe and unharmed. I also want a list of those who were dusted. When you've done that, wait for me in my office. I'll handle the matter here." After Mark bowed and left, Tala turned back to the man.

"Why do you tell me this, now? You could have made an appointment, and told me then. Instead, you barge in, uninvited, kill some of my employees, then think that I will be grateful for this! Again, why are you telling me this, now? Especially to one who is among those you want to destroy!"

"You're not a vampire," said the man, confidently. "My cross touched you, and you didn't get burned."

Tala grinned, amused by the man. "Check again, human, I may not get hurt by holy objects or the sun, but I sure have the teeth!"

At these words Tala's second set canines, which are in front of the first set, grow. The man cried out, and quickly moved back to stand with the other humans. Tala chuckled in amusement, then became serious.

"I will not harm you. My anger is not with you, but with whomever it was that gave you that tip. Who told you about us, and what exactly do you know about this company?"

"We know nothing, except that vampires work here," replied the leader of the group. "We have no name, not even a description. The tip came over the phone, and the voice was not the same from one word to the next."

Tala knew, from the man's voice, that he spoke the truth. Knowing, instinctively, that she could get no more from them, she gestured for them to follow her. She took them to the entrance of the building, the sun just beginning to set, and turned to face them.

"You know about this place now, but not what we do here. I believe you should know, so that we can avoid a future confrontation. This company provides for a deadly (but basic) need that all vampires face: the need to drink blood to survive. This place provides the blood, but without anyone being killed or harmed. Biting one's food source is not necessary, nor allowed, in this company, or even among most of the vampire population.

"Now, I wish to never see your faces near this place again. If I do, you had better have a good reason, or you will wish that you had never heard of vampires! Good day!"

Tala walked into her office, angrily slamming the door behind her, then shouted at her aide, "What do you know about this? The only reason you ever stutter is when you're hiding something!"

The aide stared undisturbed at his employer, and quietly, calmly, clearly said, "Ms. Bloodmoon, there have been three other attempts, besides this one, to attack this building."

"WHAT!"

"All three attempts were stopped before they could get past security, and inside the building. I, as well as the security chief, have been trying to figure out what is happening. We have had no success, as of yet."

Tala sighed, moved to stand behind her desk, and sat down heavily.

"Why didn't you tell me this before? Never mind, I don't want to know. Not now, anyway.

"Well, it seems that the problems facing this company are bigger than I thought. Three unsuccessful, and one successful, attempts to get inside this building. We have also had five mishandled shipments. This is not good." Tala paused in thought. "Mark, I need help from outside of the company, and there is only one person able to help with this."

Mark stood in front of the desk, eyes growing wide with fear and understanding. "You don't mean..?"

"Yes, the one you fear. I'm calling in humankind's sole vampiric savior."