Broken hearts are hard to mend

Merry Christmas my ass!

Christmas morning, I awoke to the sound of rustling curtains. My eyes shot open, my heart leaping with the hope that my vampire love had returned to me.

It was only the wind.

I sat up to find a rose sitting on the nightstand at my bedside. Around its stem was a piece of paper tied on with a black ribbon. My hands began to shake as I reached for it.

I unwrapped the note and this is what it read,

My Dear Dawn,

I am so sorry about last night.

I thought I was strong enough to control the hunger.

But I was wrong, I'm not strong enough.

It is you that weakens me.

I thirst for you more than any other.

And the thirst is getting worse with each passing moment we spend together.

I fear above all else, that it will get the better of me,

That I'll do something horrible to you.

I'd never be able to forgive myself if I hurt you.

I don't think I'd live through the pain.

Nothing is immortal, Dawn, remember that.

I vowed to protect you from harm. That is a promise I intend to keep.

Even if I must protect you from myself.

I realize now that it is I who poses the greatest threat to you.

And so I think that it would be best if I wasn't around.

I will always be with you, watching over you as I did with my own family and so many others. Good Bye.

-Forgive me,

Davion

A sharp pain shot through my heart. I threw down the rose and note as I sprinted out of the house. No one was up yet, thankfully.

I ran across the short distance to the graveyard. The cold air stung my skin, but froze the tears in my eyes, keeping them from falling.

When I got to Davion's crypt I busted through the door, with more strength than I thought humanly possible. I leapt down the stairs, two at a time, not caring if I fell. If Davion were really gone, it wouldn't matter.

I rounded the corner, and the most horrifying, most heart-breaking scene met my tearing eyes. Everything, all the books, the furniture, everything, was gone. Just like him.

All the pain that welled up inside me burst through my mouth, "No!!!" I screamed, until my lungs ached. I collapsed on the floor trembling.

A few hours of sobbing later I returned to the house. Everything was numb. I couldn't feel any thing at all. Good.

When I came through the living room, William and Maria were sitting on the couch watching Anna open her gifts. Anna was of course the fist one to notice the dead look in my eyes. "Are you not feeling well, sister?" I didn't like the mock concern expression on her childish face. If I had any strength left I would have slapped her.

"There you are. I thought you were still sleeping. Come open your gifts." Said my father, his dark blue eye sparkling with cheerful warmth.

Not wanting them to worry about me, I put on a fake smile as I opened my presents. I got some new clothes, a sketchbook, and a bike. Oh and as a joke my dad gave me a garland of garlic; not that I would need it now.

And so the months pass like the ticking of a clock, one after another. Before long, it is spring. And I am even deader inside than I was before.

I had tried everything that I could to make Davion return. Nothing worked. He had said in his letter that he was watching over me, that he would protect me. Well if that were true then were was he now. Why didn't he come when I was totally wasted on my bathroom floor? I felt abandoned.

March 13, 2008:

I sat outside in a lawn chair for hours, soaking up what sunshine I could. My thoughts were again on my vampire. For a long while I had been completely numb but the pain soon returned with a vengeance.

I was exhausted, both physically and mentally. I barely spoke a word anymore to anyone. Kat says I act like someone died. I wanted to tell her somebody did; that somebody was me.

Once again I fell into that deep fog where his sweet face haunted me. I saw him everywhere, sitting at my desk, on my bed, standing on the steeple of the school chapel, under the oak tree, and quite often on my veranda, soaking up the moonlight. I inwardly knew I was going mad. When I saw him, my heart would hope, and the pain I was feeling would fade into happiness.

I never knew madness felt so good.

I stared at the growing gray clouds as they moved in from the east, as images of Davion fighting Alexander and Exavier flashed across my vision. That's when it hit me, a crazy idea that put more hope in my heart than the sound of rustling curtains.

I leapt from the lawn chair, knocking it over with my clumsiness. As I ran into the house I pulled an over-sized tee shirt with the words, girl power written on the front, over my blue bikini.

When I reached the basement door, I slowed significantly. Opening the door, I headed down the stairs, the ringing of the punching bags' chains echoing in my ears.

I rounded the corner and was shocked to see my father landing powerful blows on the punching bag. He moved with the agility of a ninja or something. His technique looked something like a cross between kick- boxing and Karate. He was pretty good at it too. I had no idea William was this strong?

But I guess you have to be when you kill vampires and werewolves for a living.

"Dad?" I called out, trying to get his attention. The 40-year-old man leapt into the air and plowed his shin into the side of the punching bag making it swing chaotically. My dad had some amazing skills.

He landed on his hands and pushed himself up to his feet. Finally his vision found me at the base of the stairs, watching with my jaw hanging open. "Oh, hello Dawn. What is it? Do you need something?" he asked, unwrapping the tape from his knuckles. I blinked several hundred times before answering. "Can you teach me how to do that?" I asked, my eyes focused on the swinging bag.

William's one good eye widened in shock, "fight?" he seemed to ponder for half a second. "I don't know Dawn, with your health problems and all, I don't think fighting is such a good idea." He turned his back on me to go to the bench press. I stopped him before he got half way, "Are you saying I 'm too weak?" I asked with as much fierceness as I could manage. He didn't answer me, "I'm stronger than you think." I added, walking up to the punching bag and stopping it's swinging with one hand.

William turned to look at me and I shot him a cunning glare. Then I plowed my fist into the punching bag, sending it flying off the chain and smashing into the concrete wall on the other side of the room, making a large crater.

Dad's jaw dropped to the floor. I flashed him a quick smile, "See."

When he'd recovered, William grabbed me by the shoulders and peered into the pits of my eyes searching for answers. "How in the bloody hell did you do that!" he bellowed in his deep gruff voice. I had to grip at my chest when the explanation spilled from my lips, "Do you remember when I collapsed in the woods?" he nodded, his eye still peering. "Davion said I died. He had to give me some of his blood to bring me back, not knowing how it would effect me." Worry spread across my father's face, "he didn't turn me, yet I'm a little more than human, now."

That's when I joined the Helsing organization. My father, William Van Helsing taught me how to fight in his strange fighting style. Maria too taught me some things, including how to use the vampire hunters' weaponry.

Within weeks I was out in the field working with them, taking on the family business. They never let me go into full hunting mode. I was more of the clean up girl, what a bummer.

Whenever they got a kill, I would run in after them and dispose of the body, I used a special acid that melted them when they didn't immediately turn to ash. Most of the calls we got were gools or newbie vampires that didn't know what they were doing. We did however have a few run-ins with werewolves. When it came to them, we had to take special precautions. Maria refused to fight against her own pack, which is understandable. Though she never seemed to have any problems bashing in the heads of others.

Now you must understand that I am not turning against Davion, not at all. You see, I figured if I couldn't lure him to me, I'd just have to go to him. And who better to track a vampire than a vampire hunter. They've got to know some way to find him.

But this didn't seem to be the case. So far, we just went where we got calls or rumors about vampires or whatever. This disappointed me greatly.

Eventually the high that vampire hunting gave me became just as bitter as everything else that reminded me of him. Whenever I saw the beautiful face of vampire I would think of him and when they died I'd have to wrench at my heart, as I envisioned the same thing happening to Davion.

And then…the nightmares began.

One night as I lay sleeping I found myself dreaming of Davion once again. I could here him calling to me, I awoke to find him standing there enveloped in darkness, only his outline illuminated by the small lamp on my desk.

Again my name escaped his lips, his strong voice echoing about me, and making my heart beat twice as fast. His hand made a motion towards me and before I knew it I was on my feet.

Ever so slowly he edged backwards toward the terrace doors, all the while looking strait into soul. All I could see of his face was those piercing green eyes. I couldn't tear my gaze away from them, not that I wanted to.

With a great gust of wind the doors flew open behind him. I was able to look away from him long enough to catch sight of the sun rising over the trees.

I tried to yell out some type of warning but all that came out was, "Davion!"

He stepped out into the morning sun and slowly evaporated into ash. But before he disappeared completely, I heard him whisper, "I love you."

I crumpled to my knees in sobs as I watched my true loves' ashes float away with the breeze.

When I awoke the next morning, tears stained my pillow. The dream had felt so real, and had disturbed me so profoundly that the jagged edges of my broken heart began to ache. I flipped over to the other side of the bed, curled up into a tiny ball, and shivered as the image of Davion being turned to ash flashed through my brain.

A Castle just outside of Venice, Italy:

Davion stood on the small bridge over the fishpond on the castle grounds. He stared, without seeing, into the pool below him. His mind was completely enveloped in one thing…Dawn.

"Why do you torment yourself by staying away from her?" asked a smooth feminine voice from behind him. He turned his head toward the voice to gaze at the beauty in the red ball gown. She was tall and slender with violet eyes and hair the color of crow's feathers. "Leave me be, Isabella." Hissed Davion, baring his fangs.

She rolled her violet eyes in return. Then moved with unworldly grace to stand beside him. Taking his face in her cold hands she whispered, "Dear boy, It is only your body that is rooted here, your heart is still with her."

Davion tore his face from her hands, then stormed away from her.

But before he reached the massive door of the castle, she appeared before him, blocking his way. "You can't run from your problems forever. Eventually you will grow weary and it will all catch up to you." Davion's eyes narrowed, flashing to red, "Shut up!" Isabella's face remained expressionless. His keen vampire eyes caught a brisk movement of white rush by one of the high windows.

Knowing the lord of the castle was observing his squabble with Lady Isabella, Davion calmed himself. "My presence will only bring more harm than good. It's better this way." With that he nudged her out of his way and entered the castle hall.

Isabella followed closely behind, "How are you saving her from harm, when you are harming her by staying here?" shouted the fair lady of the castle. Davion whirled around, his cape seeming to dance in the firelight, "What!" he snarled, baring his teeth again. "What do you know?"

Just as she opened her red lips to answer, a deep booming voice cut her off. They both looked towards the winding staircase, where a very old and powerful vampire loomed.

"She knows nothing." Boomed the white-haired vampire, descending the stare case. He came to stand by the fireplace, the fire playing with the shadows of his angel's face. Davion watched the Lord's golden gaze fix on the writhing flames that seemed to intensify with his gaze.

"But Ark?" started Davion. The more powerful vampire's golden eyes shot Davion a glare of warning, He would hear no more of this.

Hours later, Once Ark had returned to his lair in the high tower of the castle, Ark's wife Isabella called for Davion to meet her in the west wing. He came as asked to the lady's private study.

Isabella, now dressed in a pale white night gown, that looked like it was from a previous century, was waiting at her desk, reading by candlelight. When he entered the room, her eyes moved from the book to his form in the doorway. "Good, you came. Come, come I have something to show you." She rose to her feet, without a sound and moved elegantly towards a far bookcase. Davion swiftly followed.

She then slightly pulled back a large red book in the center shelf and the bookcase opened up to reveal a dark passageway. She turned her head slightly, motioning for him to follow her.

The pair swiftly made their way down the long passage until they reached a tall wooden door. Isabella touched the door lightly and it swung open as if she had used a lot of force.

Inside the room was a large, golden rimmed mirror on the far wall. "This is Ark's so called "Eye of God" with it he can track anyone mortal or otherwise.

As Davion stared into mirror he was shocked to see his own reflection, "How can I see my reflection?" he asked without taking his eyes away. "Only Ark has that knowledge. I only know what I have observed."

Davion continued to stare locked in shock over his appearance. He was much handsomer than he had been in life, in his opinion, his green eyes glowed brighter and his skin was that flawless gray that all vampires seemed to posses. The only thing that remained the same was is black hair.

"Why are you showing this to me?" he asked, touching his face absently. "I have been using the mirror in secret to check on your mortal pet." "She isn't my pet!" he growled. "Then what is she?" Davion kept his mouth shut now, if vampires could he'd be blushing.

"I thought you should know that she isn't doing so well. She's turned to hunting us in order to track you down." Davion's eyes doubled in size. "And now…I fear she may be on the verge of losing herself completely." She gave him a sad eyed look, "Davion, she's going mad."

That set him off, "I can't go back! She deserves a life of happiness, of normalcy! I can give her nothing but death!!!!…I can't go back…I won't!" he shouted, his eyes blood red, and his teeth bared.

Her face remained unchanged, as she motioned towards the mirror. "Take a look for yourself.

Davion's eyes turned back to green as they moved back to the mirror. "What do have to do?" "Just picture her in your mind." That was easy. Throughout his head flashed images of Dawn sleeping, laughing, playing with his cat, and just smiling up at him, her blue eyes sparkling.

He watched as his image transformed into Dawn's trembling form. She was laying on her side, her eyes wide open, tears streaming down her face, her whole body shaking. In the lowest of whispers he could faintly hear her calling out his name.

Isabella saw Davion fall to his hands and knees, drops of blood tented tears falling on the marbled floor. "Go to her." Said Isabella in a firm voice.

Davion pounded a fist into the floor, making a crater. With a roar he flew from the castle back to the Dawn of his eternal night.