.oOo.

Words cannot describe how much I hate traveling via portkey. While I must confess they are terribly clever inventions, they were designed for the use of the Living, and I found out the hard way about four years ago that I must first transform into my vampire form before using one. I am not entirely certain what happened or why, but my unfortunate discovery resulted in my spending a week inside my beloved coffin, recuperating.

Not only is the use of a portkey potentially painful for Vampires, there is very little romance to it. Unlike traveling by train, broom, beast, or foot, you vanish from one place and are sucked into another. Yes, it's handy, but there's some charm lost in it.

I arrived in Rome just hours before dawns bitter light broke over the high temple rooftops.

There was something cold about the city of Rome, some looming sense of dread that frayed on the edge of my subconscious as I watched the moon sink behind the voluminous clouds, now turning pink with fresh sunlight.

I was tired from using the portkey, my energy already running low from barely getting any sleep in the days before. I had been too obsessed with saying goodbye to Anna. The memory of her face as I pulled away on the Hogwarts Express was almost painful. I would have gladly taken her with me, had this mission not wreaked of danger. She was far to precious to risk…

I stumbled down the alley between a church and a bakery, my stomach twisting into knots as I did so. I felt the taste of stale blood in my mouth and wretched behind a dumpster, clutching the wall of the church for support.

I made a mental not that portkey's were now only to be used in emergencies.

Still in my vampire form, I slipped along the shadows of the street, sleep pulling at my eyes.

I feel right now I must take a moment to comment on Vampires and Vampire form. Much like lycanthopes, regrettably, our physical being and senses are much changed.

Describing the physical assets we posses, our bodies are thicker, more muscular, and a little taller and rather gruesome in appearance. Our skin is a mottled dark bluish-grey, almost black in some places, and we have large, bat-like wings that are unfortunately quite cumbersome when walking on foot. Our hair grows wiry and black and in extreme cases it takes on a very mane-like appearance. Perhaps the most striking and disturbing thing to me is our absence of external reproductive areas, though the females, such as myself, still have some semblance of breasts.

Our senses are heightened beyond mortal capacity. On a clear night, we can see for miles in minute detail, and our hearing is just as good, albeit painful on occasions. We are stronger and faster than any living soul, and as fast as the wind itself when the desire so moves us. Our sense of touch, however, is greatly lessened due to the thick, armor like quality of our skin.

The full form can take decades to master, if one is a slow learner like myself. I myself have only half mastered it, so I apparently resemble some kind of grotesque hybrid, though my senses are uncanny. I slipped behind a dumpster, clutching the wall for support as I changed painfully back into my human form, barely having time to dress properly before I heard something at the end of the alley.

On this night, it was not easy to miss the scent of fresh blood and smoke, and I had every reason to be paranoid.

I peered around the side of the dumpster and spotted a dark figure standing at the end of the ally. I fell silent, taking a deep breath as I called upon every ounce of my energy. My fingers curled around my gun inside my backpack, my fingers dancing across it's etched barrel. It's make was Winchester, but from what I understood, it was one of a set of six special-made revolvers commissioned in the late 1800's by a man named Quincy Morris, especially crafted to fight off vampires...

"Stai bene? Signorina Vampiro? È che voi?"

My gun was out and loaded no sooner than the sentence had been finished, aimed directly at the dark haired young man in black and silver robes. He raised his hands nervously, dropping his wand at his feet. I may be worn out, but my reflexes are still faster than humans.

"British Ministero della Magia, sì? Signorina Black?"

I didn't lower my gun, but eyed him wearily, subconsciously growling slightly.

"Who is asking? Do you speak the Queen's English?"

"Si, I was waiting you farther down the road, Signorina Black. I am Dante Esposito." He strode towards me, his black and silver robes swirling around him. I eyed him wearily as I lowered my gun, un-cocking it and placing it back into my bag.

"Pleased to meet you." I said stiffly, offering my hand. He took it in a sweeping, familiar gesture that only Tepes had been allowed to show me many years before. He pressed my cold hand against his lips, his dark eyes peering into mine as he whispered, velvet lips brushing over my skin. "The pleasure is complete mine, signorina."

He made me feel uneasy on the inside, but he appeared to be honest, leading me into the back of a delicatessen that served as the main portal to their Ministry's Headquarters. I spoke very briefly with the Italian Minister of Magic, a portly man in green velvet robes whom had a great, black mustache and a taste for fine wine.

I was leery, but polite as he explained the situation. I pressed many questions to him, and the more wine that passed his thick lips the more easily the answers slipped out until finally he confessed the truth.

"My dear signorina, the Sanguarians are not as refined as the Nosferatu such as yourself. They are dirty, conniving creatures without a since of respect or loyalty…" I could see tears forming in his drunken eyes as he spoke, dissolving into sobs. "We sought out the Illuminati to rid Rome of them once and for all, but when the Sanguarians discovered this…" He was positively wailing by now. I sat frozen, unsure of what to do to console him. I patted his hand stiffly, offering an attempt at a warm smile.

"There there, Minister De Lombardi…" I muttered, leaning forward. "Go on, I'll see what I can do…"

"Oh Thank you, than you, Signorina! Grazie Mille!" He dissolved into garbled Italian as he gripped my hand firmly. " My wife, my wife…she is a vampire now. Mi familia…"

I closed my other hand around his, knitting my eyebrows. "This is revenge from the Sanguarians for hiring the Illuminati? And what of the Illuminati?"

This only produced more sobs from the minister. "Signorina, you are so kind, so kind, it's such a shame…Sei molto bella…"

"Please, sir, just…tell me of the Illuminati?"

"They wage war continuously…" He sobbed. "Every night the burning, the scent of flesh…my son, oh my son…they killed him without mercy…"

"Your son was turned into a vampire, then?" I asked, forcing a softness to my voce.

"Si, si…Signorina, please…you are the only one that can put an end to this, they tell me. You are the liaison between life and death, si?"

I shook me head. Now he was just uttering nonsense.

"Just tell me what needs to be done."

XxX

I could hear screams echoing down the long corridors as Dante led me noiselessly through the damp darkness. I could hear Dante's breathing, hindered slightly by the scent of mold, his black ponytail shining dimly in the pale light. His wand cast a dim light across the dark expanse as he counted the cells, a set of ancient keys jingling in his pale fingers.

In the back of my mind there was a sense of dread, like I was coming to some great and terrible fat down here, like a prisoner to their execution or a lamb to the slaughter. My thoughts traveled to Anna, and if I was to die in this place, what would become of her, what would she think of me?

Dante stopped suddenly, his black boots making a slight scuffing sound on the stones as he turned to speak to me over the din of loud wailing beyond the door.

"In here, Signorina." he said softly, his key at ready. I drew my gun, loading the copper-cased bullets into the small chambers.

He shoved the key into the lock, his slender hands shaking slightly as he struggled to lift the heavy handle. Already I could smell the stale blood, my heart dreading what awaited beyond that doorway.

It swung open to a surprisingly well lit chamber, the skeletal frame of a woman pinioned to the wall with large manacles. Her hair had once been dark, curly, well-groomed, her skin once a deep shade of olive, round and plump with beauty and grace.

She lifted her head when we entered, her face full and voluptuous despite her wretched body. Her full, red lips curved into a smile, though her crimson eyes reflected a look of sheer hatred.

"Intega Black…" She sneered in a thick, Italian accent, her sharp teeth positively glinting in the binding light. "the British Ministry's housepet…"

I pointedly cocked my gun, her voice sending chills down my spine. I took a deep breath, unsure of how to answer such a comment, if I should answer.

"Signorina, do not waist your breath on this monster." Dante said, his dark eyes flicking over to her, his voice raising to deliberately, as if to enflame her anger.

"Nothing is wasted, Mr. Esposito, I assure you." I said stiffly. Part of me wondered if perhaps her being a monster had been subtly aimed at myself, but I was also aware of the differences in the two races of vampires and it was true: Sanguarians were not as evolved as Nosferatu.

The woman seemed to guess at my thoughts, for her smile widened. "You will find no friends in the men of Italy."

I raised my gun and looked at her, drawing the barrel level with her heart. "I don't expect to, my dear. It's just business." and overwhelming feeling came over me as her crimson eyes peered into mine. it felt as if she were probing my mind, prying it open for the world to see…

I struggled not to think of Anna, to keep my thoughts and feeling locked away, but it felt as if she were tearing at them, digging them up to the surface where they began to bloom like flowers.

A name stuck out above the blur of dark, despairing thoughts:

Lillith, Lilith…LILLITH!

The woman's smile widened grotesquely, as if she were attempting to show me all of her disgusting teeth. I shuddered inwardly, my hands shaking as my feelings morphed into thoughts and ideas, into visions, as if telling me the future. I closed my eyes as the visions swam before me like black in swirling in clear water.

Anna…

What was this cruel power?

Now laughter, the chamber was filled with laughter and Dante fell to his knees, his hands over his head and his face contorted into a wince that was the epitome of internal pain.

"Nosferatu, If you shoot me, if you kill me, you will-" she didn't have time to finish the sentence before I squeezed the trigger.

The shot rang out, followed promptly by the sound of organic material spattering the flagstone.

"Burn her body, scatter the ashes at a crossroads…" I instructed harshly , wiping some of the crimson blowback from my brow as I looked down at my gun.
"S-Si…." Dante whispered, trembling as he stared at the remains of the woman in horror. "Is…is she truthfully gone?"

"Yes." I put my gun away, placing one hand on Dante's back and the other on his arm, pulling him up. His face was wet with blood and tears and he looked stunned.

"Come…I'm sure the Minister will let you rest. I'll make the report…"

"No…" Dante waved his trembling hand to dismissed the thought. "No, Signorina Black, I…The Minister needs to hear from me. She was mother…"

"Mr. Esposito…?" I was shocked enough to nearly let go of him, though he hung on my neck like a small child. It made no sense. De Lombardi? Esposito? "Come…the sooner we're…" I stopped, gasping out of habit rather than need of air. Over the scent of blood, I smelled something else, something so distinctive that It made me recoil slightly. Dante sensed this, and his wet black eyes looked up at me.

"Dante, tell me truthfully, I beg of you…"

"I don't know them…" He said, his shaking body straightening up a little as he pushed his way in front of me, his dark eyes peering into the hallway.

I grabbed him back, throwing him into the corner as a burst of fire permeated the small room. I covered him foolishly, the searing heat scorching my back as I shivered from the pain. He trembled beneath me as I felt tears of pain leaving their bloody trails down my face.

"Signorina Integra!" I felt him push me back, his dark robes covering my face. I felt a familiar sensation tearing a hole behind my navel, jerking me painfully into oblivion. Moment's later, I landed on the floor of Mr. De Lombardi's office, our entwined limbs akimbo as we struggled to right ourselves.

I smelled men, their dark cloaks strangely damp and wreaking of incence. Dante shoved me out of the way as I felt a wooden stake narrowly miss my shoulder, impaling the young man's hand instead. Dante let out a cry, his black eyes streaming tears.

I could smell blood. I wanted blood. My body thirsted for the life-fluid…and Dante's…sweet, virgin blood…

"What is going on?" He cried as I grabbed him about the chest, running towards the wide, velvet lined windows. I felt spells singing past us, my own energy draining quickly. Two portkey's in one day…I gasped as a voice rose high above the rest.

"Signorina Integra Wilhelmina Bellatrix Black, you are wanted for the murder of Signora Luchia Maria De Lombardi and Signor Dante Augustine Esposito."

With one last heave, I put two and two together, as, I am certain, did Dante, and he and I leapt together through the window, the glass tearing at our flesh. We only had moments to react as the ground raced towards us.

I felt great, black wings rip through my clothing as they unfurled, my arms gripping Dante close as he fired off spells over my shoulders. I could smell his blood, all over me, like sweet candy. It was intoxicating, but I had to maintain a clear head.

"Dome is protected by magic." He cautioned as I neared the hole in the tope that owls were allowed to escape through.

Without another word, I thrust him up, through the hole, circling around for a moment after I was certain he was through. The Italian officials advanced on broomsticks, firing spells, many of which I either dodged or my thick, vampire skin absorbed. I had to time this right…

I swooped back towards the hole, grasping Dante's good hand and using the very last of my energy to transform back. I could see Dante's black, almond eyes full of fear and determination, his hand slick with sweat and blood as he struggled to pull me through the hole.

"Come, Signorina, hold tightly…" His voice rose in panic as I struggled against the edges of the hole.

I had barely enough time to squeeze myself through the hole before one of the wizards had the sense to seal it. Upon reaching the bright sunlight outside, Dante and I found ourselves sitting on a rooftop overlooking the city.

"Come, we have no time left." I said, pulling him up as my knees buckled slightly. "We have to get back to England and explain the situation."

"Si, Signorina."

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A/N:Sorry for slow updates! Life and death tend to get in my way more than I would like. :(

Dante is supposed to speak kind of broken English/ improper grammar and placement of words. I loosely based him off of an Italian exchange student I hung out with in college. He's going to prove to be a bit of a problem for Integra, though Anna is going to be the worst of all, even more than the Illuminati.