My name is Anna Blackpaw. I was born into this world, just like you. A tumultuous place of unceasing chaos, but with a nation of undead blood-drinking abominations that exist to staunch the bleeding. The Cabal of the Unseen Eye.
For one thousand years, I have served beside this fellowship. Safeguarding mortal kind whenever, and where ever possible.
(Though to be honest, at times we haven't done our duty to the best of our ability. Though we are working on correcting the Digital Dark Age as we're calling this particular time in history.)
But tonight... tonight I say goodbye to all of that. "Josephus, have the final arrangements been made?" I asked my faithful servant.
"Most of the family heads have come," Josephus said, referring to the various leaders of the various branches of the Blackpaw family. Over the centuries the family had spread to almost every corner of the world with over a hundred branching lines of my twin brother's children.
"What about those that couldn't?" I asked.
"They sent apologies. And before you ask, your friends from both the Unseen Eye and from other Cabals have agreed to come." Josephus said.
"Even Z'resh-Nickalous?" I asked, for the last few decades I had been in a rivalry with the reclusive and mad necromancer.
"Even that lunatic is coming," Josephus said, and when he disparages someone for being crazy. That should tell you something.
"And what of the Hopps family... will they be here?" I asked, referring specifically to Stewert Hopps's family from Bunny Burrow.
"He agreed to come." Josephus clarified, and I was relieved to hear that. "And he'll be bringing his wife." Ah, so she must have learned the truth... either that or Stewert made up some big fat lie to obfuscate the truth and she bought it hook, line, and sinker.
"Excellent, with any luck this evening will go on without a hitch," I said, with a false air of confidence. In truth, I was beyond anxious about this night. While my undead powers kept that anxiety and fear from overtaking me, I felt it keenly all the same.
"Only time will tell for certain," Josephus said, and I'll be honest I'm more than a little scarred that he hasn't done anything especially weird. "Now, it's nine AM, time for my interrogation of the daisies." There it is, that should keep him out of my hair till this evening.
XXXX
Evening fell, and cars arrived in droves. "Are you sure about this?" Davies asked me anxiously.
"I know your not fond of being around so many people at once." I responded. "But they need to be in person for this. This matter demands it."
"Well... I'll be in my room until you actually need me." Davies ran off to his bedroom as the vistors arrived. It had been the biggest gathering of mortals and vampires since the aftermath of the Watergate Scandal. Though thankfully this is significantly less serious then that fiascho.
I greeted each of the heads of the families. Elders of their respected cadet branches, entrusted to not only keep their bloodlines alive but also entrusted with the truth of my immortality.
I also greeted a number of dignitaries from other Cabals. Some were good friends I had made over the long centuries since I was turned into a Vampire, others were rivals that had hounded me in one form or another over the years. One in particular came.
"So... how's it been, Anna?" Asked the so-called 'Prince of Darkness', my first ex-boyfriend El'ah'rai'rah.
"Longer than I'd like, now get inside and wait," I said crossly to El'ah'rai'rah. I'd go into detail about him, and why I'm upset with him. But that isn't important. Eventually, I ushered in the last of my guests, all that was left was a rickety car. "Hey! Get that lemon out of my driveway! Now!" Then out of the car stepped an old rabbit. "Well... Ebenezer McBlackpaw."
"Anna Blackpaw." The aged rabbit said with a distinct Scottish accent.
"Still living in that old castle outside of Glasgow, counting your money like a miser?" I asked.
"Aye... your still publishing?" Ebenezer asked.
"Yes, I've even branched out," I said. "Now get that lemon out of my driveway. Now." I repeated.
"Feh." Ebenezer 'fehed' is his normal crotchety tone. Honestly, the man should be lucky that he's managed to live for as long as he has. And all he does is sit in that dingy old castle, counting his money and sitting on the largest fortune that House Blackpaw has ever seen... and that's only because he pinches every penny he earns or spends from his days when he was globe-trotting.
I went inside last, and I still wonder if my choice is the right one.
XXXX
It was a chaotic affair that party. Trying to keep everyone behaved and just try to reconnect, more than a few old grudges flaring up in ways that I should have seen coming, and a food fight broke out amidst the kit's tables.
But it was a relief when the time came. All the heads of the family and my Vampiric friends gathered in the main dining hall. Davies, despite my insistence that he join in my announcement. Was outside of the main dining hall.
"Now I know of the various rumors that have spread throughout the evening. Why I called all of you together, what my announcement will be." I said sternly. "Now let me put those rumors to rest. Number one." I then took out the Vampire Vaccine. "In this device, is a substance that will undo my undeath," I said bluntly, everyone gasped in surprise. "Second, I will also appoint an heir to take over my role as the protector of the Blackpaw Family. It will be Ebenezer McBlackpaw."
"Excuse me?" The elder Scottish rabbit asked, justly confused.
"And thirdly, I will still retain my fortune and keep the Blackpaw Mansion... and I shall marry my boyfriend, Davies Hopps in due time," I said.
"Anna." The First Among Equals spoke up. "Surely you can't just throw away so much."
"First Among Equals... I've carried regrets for over one-thousand years. That I couldn't protect Jonathan when he needed it most. That despite all of our works over the centuries, the world is only marginally better than it was in my youth." I lamented. "I want to be mortal again... I want to live a life away from the benighted politics of the undead. I want to take back everything this 'life' as it is has denied me."
The others looked amongst them. "Anna, it is impossible to deny that you have done great things and that for your serves both to Mammals and Vampires alike. You deserve a truly grand reward." Sir Scath said.
"And I can think of no better reward than to live out the rest of my days as a mortal," I said with determination. "Or are all of you so used to my existence that the entire idea of mine growing old is too much to bear? Well nuts to you, I will inject myself with this serum anyway."
Everyone at the table looked at each other in concern. Then without warning, Davies burst into the room and made a giant mess in a mad dash towards me. "Wait! I just got an-"
"For the very last time Davies, you are NOT going to become a Vampire," I said sternly. "We talked about it, I told what happened with me and El'ah'rai'rah"
"Yeah, it was fun at first being a Vampire couple... but then things get complicated," El'ah'rai'rah said. "Trust me, kid, Anna's doing you a favor by keeping you mortal."
"And besides... we know what you would try to do if you ever became one of the Undead." The First Among Equals said sternly, referring to a column that Davies had written for the Unseen Eyes newsletter. "And as noble as your intentions more than likely would be. We must be better than that. And kid... we both know you that as angry as you are, you wouldn't live with yourself if you did succumb." He said reassuringly.
Davies just sighed. As much as I know he despises this cruel world, he knows better than to stoop to that level. "I... I'll be in my room if anyone needs me," Davies said as he trudged off in shame.
"Do whatever you can to earnestly make this world better," I said sternly to my Vampiric compatriots. "Not just sit in the shadows and wait for opportune moments to change the course of history. The Tribunal of Night are in hiding, and after their betrayal to the Night Dragons, even the most devoted of Cabals have abandoned them. So orders cannot come from them anyway."
My ancient friends looked amongst each other. "We'll honor your millennia of service." The First Among Equals said. "You have my word that, come what may. The Cabal of the Unseen Eye will make this world better. And all who stand in our way will be dealt with."
XXXX
I made my way to Davies's room. And found him sitting on a chair, rocking himself and sobbing. "Anna... I'm sorry."
"Davies, I've seen your memories," I said earnestly. "I know what you've been through... and I know why you believed as you did. But those old scars should not define you." I said as I went to hug my love. "Things will get better, I promise. We will grow old in a better world than this."
"I'm just tired of being scared, and not being able to make things better." Davies sobbed.
"As are we all," I said, I went out of my way to make sure he got a good night sleep. After he fell asleep, I made my final preparations before my time came.
At dawn, I woke him up and took him outside. "It's time... I want you to do the honors." I said, giving Davies the vaccine.
He hesitated for a moment, but then as the sun started to creep into view. He plunged the syringe into my old neck scar from when I was first made a Vampire and pressed on the plunger.
I gasped and fell to my knees. "My... my heart," I said, shocked and surprised. "It's beating... I almost forgot what that sounded like!"
"Anna... you're alive?" Davies asked with trepidation.
"Yes... yes, I am." I said as I stood up with tears in my eyes. "I live once again... and the sun." I looked at the rising sun in the east. "I almost forgot how beautiful it was."
"Yeah... I'll be honest, sunrises are pretty. In all seriousness though, you may not burn to a crisp by it anymore, but you've still got to be careful with it." Davies led me inside by the hand... and I was excited to start a brand new mortal life.
Authors Note: Happy fiftieth chapter everyone!