Oh my God, this is what you've all been waiting for…THE FINAL TWO CHAPTERS OF THE VAMPIRE GAME! My goodness, this is an emotional moment for me…well, here's Part one of the Finale! Enjoy and review if it so pleases you :D

Chapter 38: Beginning of the End, Part I

"Vanessa?" I looked up from my thigh where I was strapping a throwing knife to and at the face of the man who just entered my father's trailer. I sighed and turned back to my thigh. "What, Steve? If you're trying to talk me out of fighting, tough luck, it's not going to happen." I sniffed. He sighed.

"That's not what I came here to do." I finished securing the knife and turned to Steve, giving him a good look over. His hair was shorter so it didn't cover his eyes—Truska must have cut it for him for the battle—and he wore a black battle suit that hugged his body. He had a sword and a shotgun strapped to his back, with a round shield strapped over that. I smiled softly when I saw him wearing a black, beat up pair of low rise Converse. Some things never change. I thought.

He strode towards me and pulled me into an embrace. I slowly, hesitantly, returned it and there we stood for a long time, his head resting on mine. "Steve, you know you can't use that gun, right?" I muttered into his chest. I felt the vibrations of his chuckle rumble through his chest. "I never took such an oath; I thought I could use it as an advantage when I finally killed you…" he said, trailing off awkwardly. I chuckled at this confession and pulled away.

"That wouldn't have helped your chances, Steve." I smirked. He shrugged and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Vanessa? Steve?" We turned towards the door to see Darren walk in. I bit my lip and we rushed towards each other, tightly embracing each other. "Vanessa…please be careful." He whispered. I nodded. "You too, I don't want to have to save your butt out there." I joked. Darren pulled away and gave me a small smile.

"You won't have to." He assured me. I nodded hesitantly. Darren turned to Steve and they shared a look before giving each other a big man hug. I smiled weakly. These past few weeks have been good for them; their bond started to strengthen. "I'm going to go find Evra." I said as I pulled on my red cloak. I walked outside into the sunset and walked to Evra's tent. "Hey bubba." I said quietly he turned around and looked at me, a small smile on his face.

"Hey Nessa." He said. He gave me a hug and we stayed like that for a long time. All the while, the only thing I could think was what if this was the last time I'd see him again? I pulled away and took something out of the front of my corset. I rubbed it between my hands and kissed it before offering it to Evra. "Kiss it for good luck?" I asked in a small voice. He smiled at me and kissed the snake scale he gave me nearly twenty years ago for good luck on my first day of school.

"I love you, Evra." I muttered, trying not to cry. Evra was like a brother to me, he was the only family I had left. "I love you too, Vanessa." He said, kissing the top of my head before turning back to his weapons.

I left the tent and went searching for Mr. Tall. "Vanessa." I turned to see Eric walking up behind me. I smiled weakly at my apprentice. He had come along a lot in the past few months we've been together and I was proud of him. I noticed that he even set aside his rich boy clothes for a battle suit. "Hey Eric." I smiled, leaning into him as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

"Big day, eh boss?" he asked, using the term of endearment he came up for me. I smirked. "Yeah, real big day." I murmured, looking up at the sky. "Hey, listen boss…there's something we need to talk about." He said, rubbing his chin. I raised a brow. "And that is?"

"Well, I was practicing with Prince Vancha when I pulled out that pistol you gave me. He freaked out and told me to get rid of the damn thing." He muttered. I looked at him. "Did you?" I asked. He shook his head. "Nah, it's in my tent. I get that I should have listened since he was a Prince and all, but you told me to keep it and not only are you my boss, but you're also a Princess, so I thought it'd be best to leave It be." He replied.

I nodded. "Good, go get it, you're going to need it." He blinked at me in surprise. "But Vampires aren't allowed to use guns." He commented in a confused manner. I stared at him long and hard. "I never made you commit to that, Eric. It's not because I simply forgot, I didn't it for a reason. If we have any hopes in winning this war, we're going to need some firepower." I said. He nodded and left to get his gun.

"Going against tradition as always, are we?" I looked up to see Mr. Tall standing in front of me. I shrugged. "Been doing it since the day I was born, might as well keep up the reputation, eh?" I smirked. Mr. Tall just rolled his eyes. "Are you sure you are ready for this?" he asked me. I nodded. "I was born to do this, Mr. Tall. I can feel it." I looked up at him. "And Jane?" I asked timidly. Darren and I had already said our goodbyes to our child and for some reason, I knew that I wouldn't see her in a long time, if not ever again. It was painstaking to watch as a human Cirque member took her away.

"They are safe." He said. I nodded. Good, good… "Vanessa, I cannot guarantee your safety." He said suddenly, and immediately I knew what he meant. "I know, Mr. Tall, just watch out for the humans and us Vampires and Vampaneze will take care of ourselves." I said sternly. He turned his icy black eyes towards me. "And by that you mean you're going to go out of your way to protect everyone?" he asked, somewhat angry. I nodded stiffly.

"Vanessa, your father would not want this…" he trailed off. I turned on him then. "Don't tell me what ,my father would or would not want, Hibernius." I seethed, not caring about how disrespectful I was being to one of the most powerful beings in the universe. "Don't you understand? I have to protect them! I have to keep them safe, I can't let anyone else die…I can't lose anyone else." I said angrily.

I blinked, astonished, when I realized that the pain in my face came from a mighty slap from Mr. Tall. I stared at him, incredulously, as I held my cheek.

"Vanessa, you are not the only one who has suffered. Larten was one of my best friends, Vanessa. Stop being so selfish, you think that you can't lose anyone else? What happens when you're so busy protecting everyone else that you lose yourself? Vanessa, we all know what we are risking, you need to accept that and look out for yourself. You cannot protect everyone."

I gaped at him as he stared at me, livid. That was the most I had ever heard him talk, the most passionate I had ever seen him get over something. I trembled as tears welled up in my eyes. He was right…

"I'm sorry…I just…if I lose anyone else, I shall have no one left." I blubbered as I began to cry. Mr. Tall pulled me into his arms and hummed a song to me, a calming song. After awhile, we simultaneously pulled apart. "It is time, Vanessa." He said. I nodded and we left towards the middle of camp where the rest of our militia was.

I stared at all of them as we marched towards the place Mr. Tall saw in his vision. They all seemed so serious and determined…and it killed me. "They shouldn't be fighting." I said quietly. I was walking in the front, along with Mr. Tall, Vancha, Gannen, Steve and Darren. Eric and Evra were a bit behind, speaking quietly to one another. Vancha patted my back. "They chose this, Vanessa." He reminded me. "But they shouldn't have had to." I said angrily.

It was great that we had more numbers but…I couldn't stand it. They were humans, with families. They were soft, they weren't like us. They haven't lived what we have, they haven't seen what we've seen…they weren't Vampires, they weren't Vampaneze, and they weren't immortal.

I stopped moving when the wind picked up. It was…strange. I sniffed the air. "You smell it too?" Steve murmured. I nodded. "It reeks of death and…something else." I said, scrunching my nose as I started to walk again. Mr. Tall nodded. "Black magic, necromancy if you will." He said.

"Desmond?"

"Yes. He's creating an army."

"Out of what?"

"The dead."

I ground my teeth. How dare he! Just the thought made me want to wring his chubby throat in my hands. "Calm yourself, Vanessa. The battle is upon us." Gannen said, a look of unease on his face. Mr. Tall nodded slowly. "Yes…yes he is right." I turned to Eric and gave him a nod, signaling him to alert the rest of the group.

Darren took my hand and laced his fingers with mine. I looked up at him to see his face hardened with determination. His soft, loveable features had been hardened into that of a warrior.

Even Darren's changed…if he's changed that much, how must I seem…?

"If it isn't my favorite son?" we all looked up to see Desmond Tiny standing on the top of a hill. Mr. Tall merely narrowed his eyes at him. Desmond sighed. "Stupid boy, you were never as smart as your sister. She doesn't get involved because she takes care of the live I have so generously given her."

"You didn't give them jack squat so you can just shut the hell up." I snapped. Desmond narrowed his eyes at me. "Tsk tsk, what a temper and what a naughty tongue. Didn't your parents ever teach you manners?" he sneered. I grounded my teeth together. I didn't like it when he talked about my parents. He gave me a devious smirk as he snapped his fingers. "Oh well, better late than never, yes?" he cackled as his army dug their way out from the earth.

I froze when their commanding leaders finally came out from the ground, their once lively and bright eyes now dead and emotionless.

"Vanessa…" Steve and Darren said. They knew how hard this was for me, especially how hard it was for me to control my temper. I started shaking. "Desmond, you fucking bastard, I'm going to kill you for this." I growled as the undead army made their ways towards us.

I turned to Eric, who obediently came to my side. "Got your guns?" I asked him and Steve. They smirked and pulled out their weapons. I smirked and pulled out my own gun. Vancha and Darren's eyes widened. Gannen seemed unsurprised as he took out his sword, as did Mr. Tall. "Vanessa! You can't us a gun!" Darren shouted. I smirked at him.

"Dad never liked the idea of his little girl being anywhere near defenseless." I said, giving him a wink. I pulled out another pistol and held them up, aiming at my parent's foreheads. I felt my hands shake as I stared at their pale and decayed faces. I took a deep breath.

They're not you parents; they're some cheap look a likes. Your parents are dead. You're an orphan, your parents are dead.

I watched as they took out their swords and knives, ready to attack me. I closed my eyes.

"Please forgive me"

I whispered as I pulled the trigger.

The only thing you could hear was their bodies dropping to the ground.

Then, all hell broke loose and the final battle began.