“Master.”

Varo mentally sighed as he glanced over at the young female vampire watching him, then turned his gaze back to the inn below. They were both on a roof across the street from the inn; where they had lived for awhile now.

“It’s the perfect opportunity,” Myra nodded to a young girl walking down the dark street, alone.

“Not tonight,” Varo answered simply.

“Then when?”

Varo finally turned his full attention to the girl, studying her. Her hair that had once been a golden blonde when she was human, had darkened to brown since becoming a vampire, but her blue eyes that had captured Varo’s heart were still as bright as ever.

It had been less than a year ago that Varo had finally bound her to him eternally, but he had loved her for much longer. Not that she knew, of course. As a human, Myra had only been slightly aware of his existence; as the one who took her sister.

“When the vampire hunters leave.”

“Are you sure they are vampire hunters?” Myra’s voice was emotionless, but her eyes held an unmeasurable amount of fear.

A couple days ago a strange group had shown up, with crucifixes around their necks, and guns at their sides. They took rooms at the inn, and only occasionally came out.

“Yes Myra, I’m sure.” Varo turned back to the inn and watched as the girl Myra had wanted disappeared through the door. “She’s one of them.”

“What do vampire hunters do to you?”

Varo sighed again. Myra’s question roused old memories, of a vampire hunter encounter he had over ten years earlier, that had led him to meeting Katianna. “They kill you, as slowly and painfully as they possibly can.”

“How?”

“With their guns. Silver bullets with a blessing on them. Wounds from those take days to weeks to heal.”

“Oh.”

Varo glanced at the horizon, which was quickly getting lighter. “Go inside and sleep,” he ordered.

Myra nodded and walked over to a skylight, pulling it open. She paused and looked at Varo, her eyebrows arched in question.

“I will watch over you.”

That seemed to comfort her, and she climbed down into the dark building.

Varo watched as the sky grew continually lighter, a soft breeze ruffling his black hair that hung loosely down his back. Finally, the sun rose, reflecting in his gray eyes. Varo liked watching the sun rise, especially after spending so long as a prisoner to it. It had been Katianna’s last gift to him, the power to withstand the sun.

Standing up, Varo walked over to and dropped down the skylight, then pulled it shut behind him. With heavy footsteps he went down the stairs, from the attic to the first floor, of the two story building.

A soft smile touched Varo’s lips as he entered a darkened, windowless room where the sleeping form of Myra lay on a bed. He moved over and sat down next to her, causing the bed to move down with his weight. Gently he stroked her hair out of her face, then bent down and kissed her. Myra stirred a little, but didn’t wake.

That’s when he saw it.

Varo had no idea when Myra got her hands on it, but there is was, sitting on the mahogany night stand next to the bed. A young girl in her mid-teens smiled at him from an old photograph, her long gold hair falling about her shoulders in flawless curls, and her warm milky brown eyes sparkled in the perfect image of beauty. It was Katianna, Myra’s older sister.

Heart pounding, Varo gripped the photograph tightly, his eyes tracing every line of Katianna’s face. He walked out of the room, taking the picture with him. The glass broke into several pieces as Varo dropped it in the garbage pail, then retired to the kitchen at the back of the house. Normally, he would have gone about the city, choosing a victim and stalking them out, or just doing what generally needed to be done, but with the vampire hunters around, he daren’t leave, for fear of what could happen to Myra in his absence.

It took a moment for the loud knocking to register in Varo’s mind. Confused, he walked to the front door and peered out. It was a tall man, dressed completely in brown, with a sharp eye. It was the cross around his neck that gave him away. Varo debated in his mind whether or not to open the door. He decided for it, and invited the man in.

“Good morning, sir,” Varo said cheerily, “What brings you here today?”

“Just checking around the city,” the man answered warily, looking around the front room.

“Checking? What for?” Varo’s brows creased for a moment, before he motioned the man to a chair and seated himself.

“Vampires.” The look in the man’s eyes was a warning as he said those words. “Your neighbors seem to think this is a likely place to find them.”

“Do they?” Varo forced a laugh. “I admit we don’t get out much, but we certainly aren’t vampires.”

“We?” The man’s eyebrows raised.

“My wife and I.”

“I see. Is your wife home? May I meet her?”

“I’m afraid you can’t,” Varo sighed, “she’s a late sleeper, and she gets awfully cranky when I wake her up early.”

“How long have you been married?”

“A little less than a year, but we’ve known each other for much longer. I’ve just been slow at getting around to proposing.” Varo chuckled.

“How old are you?” The man continued with his cold questioning.

“I’m 27, and my wife is 25. Would you like anything to drink?”

“No, I just have one question left to ask you; what do you know about the vampires in this city?”

“Not much. There are rumors, you know, of attacks and such, but it’s the occasional disappearance that makes me think the rumors are true. You will get rid of the vampires, won’t you?” Varo adopted a look of concern.

“We will try. Thank you for your time,” the man said stiffly as he walked to the front door.

Varo followed and stepped outside after the man, looking up at the bright blue sky. “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”

The man seemed startled by the act, and in a stupor he uttered, “It is.”

Varo laughed inside as he turned back into the house, tightly closing the door behind him.

“It’s wrong to lie, and it’s wrong to steal.” Myra appeared on the stairs, looking sick and weak.

“Myra!” Varo immediately dashed up to her, and began dragging her back into the bedroom. “Are you trying to kill yourself? You know better than to come out!” Myra just fixed her eyes flatly on Varo. He made a vexed sound, “Would you rather I had told the truth and got us both killed?”

“I’m not your wife.”

Varo shook his head in disbelief, “Is that what this is about?”

Myra drew closer to Varo, so they were touching, and whispered in his ear, “I am not your wife, Katianna is.”

Varo stumbled backwards, his eyes wide open. “That was ten years ago!”

“But you still love her! Where is my picture?”

“In the trash,” Varo murmured dumbly, his eyes fixed on a spot past the floor.

Myra hobbled out, then returned with the frame and picture, but the glass was gone. Wiping it off, she set the photograph back in it’s original place, then crawled under the covers of the bed. “Are you going out today?”

The question broke Varo from his reverie, and he shook his head, “No, not today.”

“I want you to stay with me, master. It’s been ages since you last slept.”

“I have no need to sleep.” Varo lowered his eyebrows, studying Myra.

“Please, Master?” Myra drew up, hugging her knees. “I’m so lonely without you.”

Varo’s shoulders sagged, and he sat down on the side of the bed, kicking off his shoes, then swinging his legs up and sliding under the blankets. Myra snuggled up to him, closing her eyes and smiling contentedly, her head resting in the crook of his arm, and her hand laying on his chest. Varo winced; Katianna used to do that.

Katianna leaned against Varo, her eyes closed as he stroked her long blonde hair. Soft candlelight illuminated them, creating dancing patterns of light on their faces, as they lay on a cushioned sofa by a large open window. Varo looked down at the soft form in his arms, overcome with her beauty, and kissed her. She returned the kiss, then opened her eyes and smiled at him.

“You two are so disgusting.”

Varo sighed and pushed himself up slightly, so he could look at Drakahar sitting on the window sill. “It’s not up to you to say, you know absolutely nothing of love.”

“I know it has the power to kill you, and that’s all I need to know. So, are you coming?”

“I suppose, if you don’t mind, Katianna.”

“No, I don’t mind. I do rather wish I could go with you, though.” Katianna sat up, pouting slightly.

Varo laughed, kissing Katianna again. “Soon enough, you will be. I don’t want you going out now,, not this soon to the time.”

“Make sure you are back well before sunrise,” Katianna cautioned him with a laugh.

With a final kiss goodbye to Katianna, Varo left with Drakahar out the window. Katianna smiled to herself, watching them leave. She brushed her hair away from her face, pulling out a curl that bounced right back when she released it. With an elegant swirl, she turned back into the room.

Something in her abdomen moved, causing her to lose her balance. She sunk to the floor as a weird sensation moved through out her body, causing her hairs to stand on end, and her skin to flinch. After a moment, it passed, and Katianna stood up, swaying on her feet. With her hands against the wall for support, she made her way to the bathroom. Inside she glanced at the mirror, and gasped in shock; through the dust, her pale reflection stared back at her. Another spasm took hold of her, and she fell to the ground.

“Katianna?” Varo looked around the room as he entered. “Katianna?” he called again.

“Varo!” her voice sounded desperate, causing Varo to panic.

“Katianna! Where are you?”

“In the bathroom.” Katianna’s voice cracked, and Varo could hear her breathing heavily. He ran to the bathroom and flung open the door, immediately dropping down to his knees and lifting Katianna up.

“What happened?”

“I don’t know, I-oh gosh!” Katianna squeezed her eyes tightly shut. After a moment, she relaxed, and said, “I think it’s time.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes I’m sure! Varo, we have to do this, now!”

Varo woke with a start, very conscious of a pain spreading through his arm. Myra’s hand was clutching it tightly, her nails digging into his skin, her eyes squeezed shut and her face contorted in a strange expression.

“Myra!” Varo bolted upright, taking Myra’s shoulders in his hands.

“What’s happening to me?” Myra gasped, opening her eyes and looking at Varo with fear.

“No . . .” Varo uttered, “No! This is not supposed to happen to her! She’s not like the others!” Varo began yelling, pulling Myra closer to him, holding her tightly in his arms. Tears began streaking down his face. “She’s not like the others!”