Day Walker

Central City: 1:42am, September 20th, 2010

Arriving in Central City, I headed over to the meet place. Wally had called and said something about needing my... expertise. That's fine, but couldn't it wait until the morning. I might have a demon sitting on my brain but that doesn't mean I don't need sleep. I arrive at the League safehouse and knock on the door. It opens, revealing Barry Allen, the Flash. "Matt, you're here. Come on in, we need your help." He says as I enter the house. I see Wally munching on a granola bar, how the fuck can you eat at this hour? Barry opens a hologram with camera footage. The footage plays of an underground rave, which is fine...except the part about blood raining from the sprinklers. "Don't see that everyday." I say as the video plays of a man crawling away, the ravers are all stalking towards as the camera changes. The new angle shows a dark skinned man in a trench coat with tactical armour. Black sunglasses admire his face, I can see silver handles along the armour and on his leg. The audio plays as the ravers move back. "It's him. It's the day-walker."

Suddenly a raver charges the man who pulls out a shotgun and shoots him. Instead of the usual way someone is shot, the guy is incinerated as his skeleton drops to the ground. All the ravers start attacking but the man just cuts through them like nothing. His skill is a sight to see. His speed and strength is far greater than that of a human. His use of weapons, such as the sword, stakes, guns etc. "Who is he?" I say to Barry and Wally. "I haven't got a clue." Wally says as I feel Zarathos is my head. "He is Blade." He says as I raise an eyebrow. "Blade?" I say aloud as Barry and Wally turn to me. "He's a vampire hunter, met him about 2 centuries ago. Known in the vampire world as the bogeyman." Zarathos says as I shake my head. "Wait a minute...vampires?" I say as Wally chokes on his granola bar. "Yes...slippery pests. Fast, strong but annoying." He finishes as I just hang my head in my hands. "Ok, so apparently we are dealing with vampires and a vampire hunter named Blade, who apparently Zarathos met about 2 centuries ago." I say as Barry and Wally stand bewildered. "Didn't expect that tonight." Barry says. "Ok...magic...I can accept...minimally. But vampires?" Wally says as I stare at him. "You have a clone, a Martian, an Atlantean and a guy with a demon possessing him. That along with an archer and a kid that was trained by the most skilled and intimidating man, the world has ever seen. But vampires is where you draw the line?" I say as Barry looks at Wally. "He does have a point." Wally sighs and hangs his head. "Alright...fine. What do we do now?"

I sit there and ponder for a minute. "We go to the rave and scope it out. Maybe someone went back, and we can catch them." I say as Barry nods and speeds off. He returns a split second later wearing his suit. Wally speeds away and comes back, a little bit longer but he is also in his suit. I look at them with little amusement. "Come on, let's go." I say as I step outside hop onto my bike. Speeding down the street with a red and yellow blue by my side. We arrive at where the rave took place and it's a butcher store. Seems like a damn trope to have vampires around meat. We enter the building as Barry and Wally gag at the sight of so much blood. "That's disgusting." Barry says as he wipes vomit from his mouth. "To be honest...it's not the worst that I've seen." I say as I caress a charred skull which just breaks at the slightest touch. I hear whimpering as I turn and see a young girl holding her knees close to her chest. She is covered in blood as she spots me. She moves back into the shadows, I get closer to her, allowing me to see her pale complexion, strange purple hair and the tears in her eyes. "It's ok, you're safe now." I say as she shakes her head. "You're the Rider...leave me alone." She says as I tilt my head in confusion. She knows me, knows Zarathos. I glow my eyes as I feel Zarathos's rage. I grin in agony as I back away from the girl. "Matt! What's wrong?" Barry asks as I push him away, the force sending him across the blood smeared ground. "Zarathos, get a hold of yourself!" I scream at him as the pounding in my head gets worse. "She is the spawn of Trigon. I'll kill the wretched beast!" He screams as I feel him trying to take control. I feel him back in with great difficulty. "You won't touch her!" I scream back. "You foolish boy. Her father is the one who cursed me! Tricked me! Tortured me into becoming what I am. My kin abandoned me after I escaped. That thing that you are protecting will be the bridge between this world and Hell. Trigon will bring his armies and humanity will be extinguished...or worse. Let me kill it!" He shouts as I collapse to my knees.

I look back at the girl who is cowering in fear. My eyes glow with anger, but it's not my own. "You punish the guilty correct?" I ask Zarathos who scoffs. "What of it?" He says as I look at the girl again. "Read her. Read her soul. You know she has one. You were an angel that protected the innocent. Now you're a spirit that punishes the guilty. If you kill her...then you are no better than Trigon." I say as I feel him growl. He reads her and roars in anger. I feel him calm slightly as I breathe a sigh of relief. I look at the girl and move over to her. She backs away but I raise my hands. "It's ok. I promise, you're safe." I say quietly as she slowly comes out of the shadows. Seeing her in the light, I see that she's about 9 or 10 years old. She's scared, whether it's from what happened here or how I reached to Zarathos...my guess probably being the latter. "My name is Matt. What's your name?" I ask. "R-Rachel. Rachel Roth." She says as I get up and pick up a towel that has little to no blood on it. U walk over to her and wrap it around her, she clenches it and pulls it close. "You're safe now." I say but she shakes her head. "It's never safe...not anymore. They'll come for me." She says as a lot of the lightbulbs start blowing and metal starts bending on its own. Myself, Barry and Wally watch in disbelief at what's happening. "It's ok, I promise. They won't take you." I say as she starts to calm down. "I'm sorry. I'm not very good at keeping in control." She says as I wave her off. "You're a kid, it's alright to be scared." I say as she shakes her head. "Bad things happen when I feel anything...it's happened before. I'm better off alone." She says as I feel her guilt and sadness. I rest my hand on her shoulder. "You'll be never alone, not ever again...and from now on, I'll protect you." I say as she reaches out and hugs me. I hear her crying and sniffling as I hug her back.

We went back to the safehouse, Rachel was uneasy around Wally and Barry but she started to ease around them when we got back. She took a shower while myself and the others talked. "Who is she?" Barry asks as I shrug. "Zarathos says that she's the daughter of a demon. The same one that tortured him." I say as Wally goes wide eyed. "She's a demon?" He says as I shake my head. "No...not really. Demon souls are easy to recognise. Her soul has some semblance of a demon soul but it's incomplete. A human soul is also present so she could be both. Half demon, half human." I say as I perk up. Someone is approaching the house. "Someone's here." I say as we all turn to the door. A single knock alerts us as I walk over and open the door. There, standing before me, is Blade. "Where's the girl?" He demands as I glow my eyes at him. "What's she to you?" I say as he raises an eyebrow. "Good to see you again Zarathos...going to let me in?" He says as I feel Zarathos vouch for him. I narrow my eyes and open the door wider. Wally and Barry immediately get ready for a fight when Blade enters the room but I wave them down.

Blade stands tall above us. Looking at him in person, he towers over me, I find myself being very intimidated by his presence but I hold myself together under his dark gaze. He walks with a stride that screams confidence and death. His weapons, from what I can see are made only to kill, nothing about this man says that he would have a sit down and drink some coffee while talking about his day. This is a predator and he is hunting. "What do you want with Rachel?" I say as the topic of conversation enters the room. Her eyes widen at the sight of Blade as I stand protectively in front of her. "I'm not here to kill her if that's what you're worried about. I'm more curious about what she means for the blood suckers." Blade says as Barry speaks. "What do you mean?" He ask. "I've been tracking a vampire human trafficking gig for the past 4 months. Tonight I got a hit that a special case was being reviewed. I found the rave and killed who crossed me but I didn't find anything, no one. Until I went back there and picked up four scents. Three males and one female. The female had the smell of a demon. It didn't take too long to find you." Blade says as the rest of us look at each other.

"The vampires are very adamant of taking her. They want her for something and I don't know what." Blade says as we look at Rachel. "Have any leads?" I ask him as he raises an eyebrow. "Are you ready for what you are about to face? Zarathos, I know but I don't know you. How can I be sure that you can be trusted?" Blade asks as I make my eyes glow. "You can't. But you're going to have to." I say as he smirks. "I like you, kid. And to answer your question. I do have a lead. There is a record keeper here that keeps track of all intel that passes through Central City. If any blood sucker knows why they want the girl then it's the record keeper." Blade says.

We were heading to a nightclub that Blade scouted. Said that vampires would capture humans and sell them for slaves. Basically the human slaves would do the vampire's job in the day. Get the blood, deliver etc etc. Barry agreed to stay behind with Rachel to keep her company while myself and Wally would go with Blade. "So...are you one? A vampire I mean?" Wally asks from the back seat of Blade's car. "No...I'm something else." He says. "Zarathos said that you were 2 centuries old." I say as he chuckles. "I'm actually 3. And to answer your question, redhead. I'm a hybrid. Half human, half vampire." He says as I raise my eyebrow. "How'd that happened?" Wally says as I turn back to him with a glare. "How about we don't ask personal questions?" I say sarcastically but Blade just laughs. "It's fine. My mother was bitten by a vampire while she was pregnant with me. She died but I didn't. A generic mutation happened while I was still in utero. I have all their strengths and none of their weaknesses. But the desire of blood is still there." He says as Wally's eyes widen as he moves slightly away from Blade.

We get to the nightclub as Blade arms himself to the teeth while passing a gun to Wally. The speedster is nervous but I take the gun from him and pass it back to Blade. "He would shoot himself before he got anyone else." I say as Blade smirks. I fix my chains and make sure that they are secure. "You stay here, redhead." Blade says as we walk to the club. "But I can help." Wally says as blade turns back to him. "You're fast...but so are they. You are a liability that could get all of us killed so stay here." He says as he walks off. I shrug my shoulders as Wally pouts and hops back in the car. We get closer to the club as blade points out that every here is most likely a vampire. The bouncer stands in front us and keeps us from entering. "I'm sorry. You must have invitation." He says in a thick Russian accent. I grab his hand and break it, after which I kick him into the club, the wooden doors giving way to the impact. Blade pulls out two stakes and impales the other two bouncers who disintegrate. We walk in as Blade grabs a human trying to run. He pulls his head down, revealing a skin mark on the back of his neck. "He's property." Blade says as he pushes the man against the wall. "Tell me, where is the record keeper?" He asks as I glow my eyes threateningly. The man looks between me and Blade with fear. "I can't tell you that. They'll kill me." He says as I step closer. "And you think we won't." I say as Blade pulls out a stake and holds it up to the man's eye. "You tell me and I won't turn your brain a pin cushion." He says as the man points out the wall adjacent to us. I walk over and push on it. The wall opens revealing a secret tunnel pass to a lower level.

Blade retracts the stake but knocks the man out cold. We walk down the stairway as we enter a massive white room with lockers, almost like a bank vault. "What is this?" I ask. "It's an archive, this is where they store all of their values and assets. Blackmail, dirty money, blood etc." Blade says as a horrible smell hits me. "What the fuck is that stench? It smells like rotten eggs in the Sun." I say as myself and Blade, walk around a pillar and see a very large, very obese vampire in the darkness of the vault. "He's here. They're here." The vampire says in a squeaky voice which really bothers me. "So this is the record keeper...hmm, was expecting someone a bit thinner." Blade quips as the vampire glares at him. "Whatever you seek, I do not have it. You best leave before I make you regret it." The vampire says as Blade and I share an amused look. "You are going to answer our questions or my friend here will make sure that you get little more than a tan." Blade says as I light my hand with Hellfire. The keeper shrieks in fear of the flame. "Ok, ok, ok! Ask your questions!" The keeper shouts as Blade holds up a photo of Rachel. "This girl...what do you blood suckers want from her?" He asks. "How should I know? I'm not kept up with the wants of the surface dwellers." The keeper responds as I make my hand glow brighter, edging it closer to the obese vampire. He shrieks in fear and agony as the fire barely grazes him. "Wrong answer. Want to try again?" I say with a growl as I retract my hand. "The girl is to be used for a ritual. The big bosses want for blood and connection to Trigon, so that demons can cross over into our world. The big bosses have devised a plan on trapping the demons and absorbing their spirits. Making a new breed of super vampire!" He shouts as we look between each other. "Demon-vampires." I say as Blade scoffs. "Typical."

Blade turns his attention back to the keeper. "Who are the big bosses?" He asks but the vampire refuses to answer. I place a single finger on the vampire, the Hellfire is burning right through his fat as he screams in pure agony and terror. "They are the heads of the twelve families! They are the ruling council of the vampire community!" He shouts as I retract my hand. I see something out of the corner of my eye and see a large vault. I gesture my head as Blade follows my gaze. "What's in there?" He asks as he walks over to the vault. "It's nothing. Just a storeroom. Nothing of serous importance." The vampire says angrily as Blade applies a gel to the outer rims of the door. "Than you won't mind if I take a quick peek." He says sarcastically as the vampire begins screaming. "Shut up!" I yell as I send a wave of Hellfire of the obese vampire. The fire burns right through and burns everything to cinder. Blade looks at me while I look back. "He was pissing me off." I say as Blade chuckles. "I starting to like you, kid." He says as the vault blows, the door is sent flying.

We enter the vault and find a large room filled with artefacts, pages of books, stone images, things that I recongise from history. The burning of Rome, the siege of Constantinople, the Salem witch trials. All these historical events and within have depictions of vampires and detailed accounts of vampires. "What is all this?" I say as Blade gazes at everything. "It's their history. Everything that you think you know, you don't. Vampires have been in existence for millennia. They hid themselves from the humans for centuries. Until they started learning, they infested what humans had created. Businesses, politics, whatever. They stashed their history in secluded places...so they don't forget what they are and where they came from." Blade says as I see something that draws my gaze. It's a sword that is put on display. It's a beautiful weapon but I can feel the deep magic within...something primordial forged this weapon. (1)

"You like our museum?" Someone says as Blade and I turn and see a man standing not far from us. A dozen or so vampires rush us, Blade pulls his sword out and a large dagger. I whip my chains as I light them with hellfire. The vampires back away as they realise who they are dealing with. "Oh, so finally after all these years, you crawl out of your hole Zarathos. Can't say that I'm impressed with your new host." The man says as I twirl the chains and kill three vampires that attack me from behind. I turn back as a woman jumps up and tries to bite me. I light my hand with Hellfire and place it on her face. She screams in agony as her face is burnt off. Blade seems to be handling himself. I turn around and see the sword I was admiring, coming towards me. Zarathos rips control from me as he pulls me back, but the tip of the sword manages to cut me across the chest.

P.O.V Change: Ghost Rider

I get to my feet as the man smirks at me. I feel the molten blood falling down my chest as I gaze at the man. He is twirling the sword in hand as he points it at me. "Recognise this? It supposedly belonged to your brother, Azrael, the Angel of Death. Forged in the flame of Heavenly Fire. I find it appropriate that I use it to end your pitiful existence." The vampire says as I start chuckling. "What? What's funny?" He says. "The fact that you think that Azrael is a guy. She would not take too kindly to that insult. And besides...I will not let anyone, let alone you, defile the blade of my kin." I say as I whip my chain at him but he dodges and deflects. He gets in closer as I dodge the swings of the deadly sword. The only weakness that I have is a vulnerability to weapons forged in Heavenly Fire or Heavenly Fire itself. The sword in his hand belongs to my kin and I will not allow him to have it. He overshoots a swing as I grip his arm and try to wrench the sword from his grasp. As soon as I touched the blade, I shout in pain as the fire burns me. The vampire swings again which I barely dodge. The man swings again but he is barrelled by a yellow blur. The sword drops to the ground as Wally speeds over and levels super fast punches against the vampire. The vampire swings his claws at Wally who dodges back and rams his shoulder full speed into the vampire, sending him back a few feet. Wally nods on my direction as he speeds over to Blade and helps him out.

The vampire gets to his feet as I whip chains at him. Pulling him close, I stare into his soulless eyes. "Your penance stare won't work on me." He says cockily as I grin. "I know." I say as I start to burn him. "You have no idea what you're doing. I am Alucard! You can't do this to me!" He says while screaming as the Hellfire burns his body. Wally speeds over to me as Blade catches up to him. "You kill him?" Blade asks as I nod my head. "Good...it's good to see you again, old friend." He says as I smile. "Me too, old friend." Wally walks over to sword and picks it up, he grabs the sheath from the cabinet and slides the blade within. "This is a sweet souvenir." He says as I walk over to him. I hesitate for a minute before I grab the sheath. The fire imbued in the sheath doesn't burn me but I can feel the rejection of the blade. It hates me...just like it's maker. I hand it back to Wally who stares wide eyed. "Keep it safe." I say to him as he nods.

P.O.V Change: Matthew Spectre

League Safehouse, Central City:

"So the vampires wanted to use me to make a portal to Hell and trap some demons before absorbing their abilities...what crazy idiot would do that?" Rachel says as Barry, Wally and myself laugh. Blade just smiles, amused. "Well, now they won't bother you, you'll be looked after. I promise." I say as she smiles up at me. Blade walks out of the house as I follow him. "It was fun, working with you." I say to him as he stares back with a raised eyebrow. "That's the best you can say?" He asked sarcastically as I just smirk. I take out a burner and pass it to him. "If you ever want to meet up, go hunting or just want help. Give me a ring and I'll see what I can do." I say as he smiles. "I'll keep it in mind." He gets in his car and drives off. I notice Rachel standing beside me as I look down at her. "So...what do you want to do? It's almost dawn." I say as she fiddles with her fingers. "Can we get some waffles?" She says as I smile. "Yeah, let's get some waffles." I say as she hugs me.

P.O.V Change: Zarathos

Within Matthew's mind, I watch as he shows care for this half demoness. I don't understand why he would care for it. She will be his doom and here he is, like she's a normal child. "Don't judge too harshly, Brother." A kind, gentle echoing voice sounds as I feel her presence. I glance out of the corner of my eye as I see a beautiful, hooded woman, seemingly made from white light, magnificent white wings that are displayed openly. "Azrael." I say in greeting as she stands beside me. "Zarathos." She greeted me back. An awkward silence befalls as we both watch Matthew interact with the child. "You have changed Brother." She says as I glance at her. "How so?" I say bitterly, amusing that she was going to degrade me about what I've become. "Oh Brother, you could hide your insecurities from our kin...but never from me. Haven't you wondered why the sheath didn't burn you?" She says as I turn fully to her. "The sheath was forged in Heavenly Fire." I say as she laughs. "It was, Brother...the sheath was from the hide of a Supernova Serpent...Heavenly Fire is what powers the sword, the sword powers the sheath...it's a two way lane, Brother." She says as I ponder about what she said. "The sword didn't accept you...but the sheath understood, you thought that it was rejecting you, it didn't...it felt the change within you...just as I do...I sense the angel within you." She says as I scoff and move away from her. "The angel is dead...only vengeance remains." I say as I feel her hand trace my back. "You are many things, Zarathos but never cruel. I know that you know, you have felt the change...you are not the monster you were 100,000 years ago." She says but I refuse to face her. "He's strong...your host. His will is something that I've never seen before. You will do well with him." She says as I feel her move away. "Azrael." I call out as I turn to her. She turns back to me. "I'm sorry." I say as she walk back over to me and caresses my flaming cheeks. "Our kin might not admit it...but...we miss you." She tells me as I feel the sadness in her voice. I lean my head against hers as I just hug her. "I miss you too, Sister." I say as she breaks from me. "I wish you good fortunate, Brother. Stay close to your host...for he is the key." She says a she walks away. I tilt my head in confusion. "Key? What key?" I say as she glances back at me. "Now Brother...that would be telling." She says teasingly as she disappears. I stand there, very confused but I wave it off. Azrael was always playing games and jokes on myself and our kin, but the way she said it...it has a deeper meaning. Looking back at Matthew eating waffles with West, Allen and the demoness made me realise my mistake. I blamed the child for her father's mistake. I shouldn't have done that. The child is innocent of the sins of the father. Matthew has deemed himself this child's protector. And he'll make sure that she is...ironic. Matt will force me, don't know how, but he'll force me to protect the child of the demon that tortured me into becoming what I am...life is indeed filled with small ironies. Who knows...maybe it will be worthwhile in the end.

A.N: (1): Just imagine Thorin's Gobin Cleaver from The Hobbit trilogy.