Artificial Darkness

'It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious.'

-Oscar Wilde

Hermione's encounter set her off. She vigorously tore through her many volumes on vampire law, history and their covens. She was bound and determined after the other nights encounter. But nowhere could she find anything on this coven she was staking out. Pietro proved himself useful by providing Hermione with information from the towns folk and coffee.

"There is no record of any Coven that could have taken root here, I don't understand." She slammed the book down on the kitchen table where Pietro sat calmly never taking his eyes off his mug of tea, which he was stirring.

"Go outside and cool off."

Hermione hmphed but obeyed and walked out the front door closing it forcefully. She leaned against the door her arms crossed in deep frustrated thought. She didn't know how long she'd being thinking when she felt a tug on her sleeve. Snapping out of her reverie she looked down to find a small Dow-eyed girl staring up at her clutching her little rag doll. She smiled kindly at the child and bent down.

"What's your name?"

The girl looked around for a minute before answering Hermione "Ariela."

"That's a pretty name."

"Are you going to stop them, the bad ones?"

"I most certainly will."

Ariela looked determinately at Hermione "You'll need his help."

"Whose help?" she asked intrigued but the girl didn't answer she just dropped the something at Hermione's feet then scurried away. She picked up what Ariela had dropped, a silver head of an arrow. She stood up looking around but the little girl was gone. A cool breeze swept threw her playing with her hair. Glancing at dimming horizon of pinks, oranges, and purples. Her stomach in knots as the forest seemed to grow darker with each second. Pietro and she would be patrolling tonight for the first time since the other night. These vampires were different stronger unique even.

Darkness came and settled on them. Hermione came down the stairs where Pietro was waiting for her. She was dressed head to toe in black. A black v neck long sleeve shirt, with her typical tight black breeches that disappeared perfectly in to her high black boots. Her utility belt hung slanted on her hips and her hair tied up in a ponytail with a black ribbon. Her silver crucifix was like a bright light against the black.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

They were quiet as they walked through the threshold of the forest. Stakeouts could be very boring or very exciting. Nothing happened for a long time. Until the faintest cry she'd ever heard met her ears. She glanced at Pietro who had heard it to they moved faster walking briskly to where it was coming from. What met their eyes they'd seen before but it never failed to unsettle them. A young girl 18 or 19 maybe lay on the ground, Her shirt as torn revealing her bare breasts. She was bleeding profusely from the neck and both of her wrists. Pietro covered her with his cloak the girl's eyes wide staring at the heavens. She was alive but only just, she didn't have much longer.

Hermione bent over the girl pushing back a stray lock of her hair from her face. Her head turned ever so slightly to look at Hermione. She saw her eyes growing dim, letting out on last rasping breath, she was gone.

She closed the girls vacant staring eyes. It was acts like this that made her blood boil. Just turn them or kill them don't leave them to suffer she thought angrily. They needed to move on and quickly. Pietro put a charm on the girl's corpse to keep it hidden until day light when they could retrieve it.

Hermione unsheathed her sword. Gleaming in the moonlight she made her way through the trees Pietro following his hand on the hilt of his sword.

The stopped when an evil cackle came from a head of them. "Did you enjoy my present?" came the smooth voice of Hephaistion. He seemed to materialize from thin air his smirk revealing his long pointed fangs. Two more vampires appeared next to him their fangs bared also.

"I've got the goons can you handle him?" Pietro whispered Hermione simply nodded. She turned and bolted threw the woods. He would follow her she knew he would. Vampires when humiliated didn't take it lightly; he had a vendetta against her. She'd wounded his pride by living.

She whipped around her sword raised  came striding in to view. He closed the between them, he got too close her sword cut threw the air when he had been as he jumped back. Swords were too slow she had to beat him at his own game. Discarding it she landed a kick in his mid section.

The fought ruthlessly bobbing and weaving until Hermione bobbed when she should have weaved. Hephaistion took his chance her grabbed her from behind. His hand yanked her head to the side exposing her slender neck he lowered his mouth to her neck. She could feel his fangs brush the surface of her skin. He would savor this, take his time. His free hand not restraining her crept up her shoulder and plunged in to her shirt roughly ripping her shirt. Tears came to her eyes as he violated her. She tried to step on his foot with her pointy heel but he avoided then and just slammed her down on to her knees.

His fangs scratched the surface of her skin drawing a little blood he licked the small cuts and smiled evilly. Bringing his mouth up to her ear he whispered "You're delicious."

In a last desperate attempt to save her life Hermione twisted around elbowing him in the chest knocking him off of her. Scrambling to her feet she hastily threw Holy water packets and ran. She heard his screams and the sizzling burning of his skin as she sprinted away. Ripping off her shirt revealing a black satin corset, these uncomfortable garments come in handy for concealing hidden weapons incase one is captured.

She heard him stumbling after her. Whipping around wand raised "STUPEFY!" red sparks erupted hitting Hephaistion as he fell to the earth with a dull thud. Taking out a stake from her utility belt she strode over to where he lay.

"Enervate." He rose and charged at her, when he was mere feet Hermione dropped to the ground kicking at him feet knocking him back to the ground. She pierced his heart with the stake. He let out a shrill scream as she twisted to stake. His body disintegrated in to dust.

She'd never been so happy to see Pietro who was sitting against a tree a cut was bleeding across his cheekbone his clothes ripped and tattered. He looked up when he saw her coming. "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes." His voice was barely above a whisper giving her a faint smile. She hoisted her wounded friend to his feet and helped him back to their little cottage, as he was too weak to apparate.

When they returned Hermione put him to bed then not able to sleep sat on the couch with a cup of cocoa hoping to shake off the icy feeling of Hephaistions touch. When she sensed she wasn't alone. Putting down her mug slowly she spun around and couldn't help but gasp in shock.

To be continued…………………………………………………………….