I

One Without A Name

A blazing sun was setting in the west, the golden orb of fire slowly sinking behind the mountains, a purple night slowly becoming dotted with diamond like stars appeared above the blood red of the dying sun’s final rays.

Silhouetted against the dying sun was a figured of a young man crouched atop the hill, he looked across the valley below him, the quaint little village with a soft golden glow in their windows. His bright deep sapphire blue eyes scanned the landscape and noticed a dark shape protected by the rising of the full moon. He knew that dark shape, a part of him wanted to join it, to feed along side it. Alas, he wasn’t welcomed among them, just like he wasn’t welcome among the villagers below. Cursed he was to walk between two worlds. The world of men and the world of vampires, as a sign of his curse, neither side called him by a name, he was a nameless wanderer to both people, an outcast, a stain upon society…a monster.

All of those things were lies of course. He did have a name: Nemo was his name. His mother, a human, gave him that name when he was just a tiny babe. His father was a vampire, and there pose the unique problem for him. Vampires were born without souls, yet, he was born with a soul, and there for a moral compass, human feels; things vampires lacked.

Nemo looked up towards the west, the sun was finally gone. His vampire sight, ten times better than human sigh in the dark, allowed him to see as clearly as he did in the day. He stood up, the thin martial of his trousers whipping in the cool night breeze, his skin pinching together to form goosebumps. His brown hair fell a few inches pass his shoulders and it whipped around in the wind, tickling his face. His face was rouged and good looking, a fine nose and a squareish yet roundish chin and jaw.

He wore a long sleeve tunic underneath a short sleeve tunic; atop the second tunic was a leather jerkin. A belt was around his waist and a dagger was at his left hip. Black leather bracers were on his wrists.

Sighing, the young man, half man and half vampire took a step. A step towards two clashing worlds, neither would accept him nor welcome him. Bolding he descended the hill’s sloping side.

The long stringy black hair and the ghostly pale face and the moon silver colored eyes stared at her. Kristen only in her long flowing white nightdress cowered in fear in a dirty ally. Her golden brown hair framing her heart shape face, her green eyes wide in fear as the vampire, with its gleaming white fangs and skeletal fingered hands with its long sharp black claws, slowly advanced on her. She dare not scream, the silver cross she wore around her neck danced do her body’s quivering in her fear. The cross was a gift from her mother, who had passed away two years ago.

“God, Almighty, protect me,” Kristen gulped, the muscles in her neck contracting to push her saliva into her gut.

“Such a nice neck,” the vampire purred, slowly advancing upon Kristen.

“Jesus Christ…my Lord and Savoir…smite down this dark demon before me,” she whispered, hoping that they would hear her in Heaven.

“Let me bite into it,” the vampire said and grabbed a fist full of Kristen’s hair. The girl cried out in fear as she was yanked closer to the vampire’s awaiting jaws. Kristen felt a slimy tongue lick her neck. “I must feed!” the vampire screech. Kristen squeezed her eyes such awaiting the bite of death, a vampire’s most potent weapon.

“No!” a mysterious voice came, and a boot delivered a bone shattering kick into the fast of the vampire. The monster howled in pain as it backed away, shaking its head.

It looked up, its white eyes narrowed in anger and blood red as a ruby oozed out of both nostrils. Kristen could see through the legs of her savoir that the nose of the vampire was crooked and broken.

Still in a crouch, the vampire looked up at its attack. It sniffed, giving a low bone chilling cackle. “So, the Outcast has come to feed with his father’s kin,” it laughed. “How nice,” the vampire said, getting up and walking towards the man.

“The Outcast…” Kristen whispered before letting out a small gasp. “The Monster!” and she backed away into the corner again, away from her savoir.

“Leave her alone Orinda,” he snarled. The vampiress, Orinda slowly walked towards him.

“What was it brother, that your foul mother called you, Nemo,” Orinda cackled again, now inches away from Nemo. She placed her bony hands on his broad shoulders. “Remember your father’s blood, embrace the bloodlust,” Orinda whispered before scrapping her fangs against his neck, barely drawing blood.

Nemo screamed as he slowly fell down. Orinda cackled before looking at her. “Once he bites your pretty neck wench, his vampiric side will be in full control and he’ll may finally be one of us,” Orinda looked down at the halfkin struggling to control the venom that she had introduced into his blood. “Even if he is a dirty halfkin,” Orinda sneered.

Kristen looked at the withering man, and a furious fire weld up in the pit of her stomach. Everyone in her village hated this man, the village’s leader’s daughter was his mother and she was banished from the village when the village learned that she was carrying a vampire’s child.

With a mighty scream, Kristen pulled the cross of her neck. “Feel the Holy Might of the Lord!” she screamed and pressed the cross against Orinda’s cheek. Orinda screamed as the metal burned her skin. She surrounded herself in a cloak of shadows, but not before knocking the cross out of Kristen’s hands, knocking Kristen back in the processes. Kristen landed cross the man.

“You’ll pay for this foolish girl!” Orinda said from a rooftop before joining in with a smaller band of vampires.

Kristen looked at the man she had landed on. He pushed himself to his hands and knees before glaring at her, a monstrous snarl across his face, and his vampire fangs clear and shining pearly white in the moon’s silver glow. His blue eyes ringed silver white like the eyes of his father’s kin. Kristen scrambled backwards until she felt the wooden wall of a house against her back.

“Please, have mercy,” she whispered, her fingers digging into the lose dirt. “Please, spare me,” she begged, tears rolling down her face cheek as he advance on her. She felt his knees against her bare toes, and she gulped awaiting his neck move. He grabbed her hair and pulled her close, he stared at her unsure what to do. He wanted to bite her neck, give in to the bloodlust of his vampiric blood, but something held him back. He loosened his grip on her soft locks; breathing hard and raggedly, he stared at her.

“You’re eyes,” she whispered, and cupped his face. That simple touch sent a shiver through his spine and a shutter along his entire body, and he collapsed into her chest, his cheek resting between her breasts, a very compromising position for a young woman, who was promised as well, for that matter.

A dog bark alerted Kristen, and she turned to see a mutt standing before her; in its mouth was her mother’s cross. “Oh, thank you,” she said, taking the necklace from the hound. The dog barked again, its tail wagging, before looking at the man before Kristen. It whined and nuzzled the man’s side.

“Kristen!” another voice sounded and soon yellow candlelight poured in. “Kristen! Thank the Lord that you are alright!” the young man said, as he drew nearer to Kristen, the dog whined and backed away into the shadows.

“Dante!” Kristen looked up at him and smiled.

Dante spied the man in Kristen’s arms, and where his head was resting. “What did he do to you Kristen?” Dante yelled.

“Nothing, he saved me from a vampire,” Kristen said as Dante grabbed the man’s shoulder and yanked him back.

“Its him!” another man among Dante’s little search party whispered. “The Monster.”

“What did he do to you Kristen?” Dante demanded, grabbing Kristen by her hair, yanking it until she was crying yet on her feet.

“Nothing Dante! He did nothing! I swear to the Lord in Heaven above, that he did nothing to me!” Kristen whimpered.

“Grab him,” Dante said. Two other men bent down and grabbed Nemo. They hoisted Nemo to his knees. Nemo was now awake and staring at Dante.

“What did you do to her?” Dante asked.

“Oh, you mean her?” Nemo looked at Kristen. “Nothing, other than save her from the vampiress Orinda.”

“You filthy bastard,” Dante hissed and slapped Nemo across the face. “You are filthy liar! What did you do to her!”

“I already told you! Nothing!”

“Why should we believe you, Monster?”

“I’m not a monster!”

“Yar ‘alf-vampire, dat’s monster enough fer us!” one of the men holding Nemo said. “What do you wan’ us ta do ‘ith ‘im Dante?” he asked.

“Bring him to the castle, throw him into the dungeon, I’ll tell my father that he tried to rape my bride,” Dante’s eyes narrowed. “He’ll be burn the next day,” he looked at Kristen. “At the stake,” he wrapped his arm around Kristen, before kissing her. “You better get home before your father gets too worried.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said tartly, as she allowed him to give her another kiss.

“I’m not a monster,” Nemo whispered. Kristen looked at him.

“I know,” she whispered as the two burly men dragged Nemo off. “I know,” Kristen could feel tears rolling down her cheeks and the gentle rays of the morning sun touching her face, casting her in a golden glow. Slowly, she turned to look at the rising sun. The golden orb, the flaming circle of the daytime sky, climbed higher into the heavens, banishing the night; Kristen sighed getting up and walking towards her house to tell her father she was all right.

“Kristen,” came a voice, the young woman turned to see Dante. His red hair was neat and tidy, and he wore rich clothing. He was a well to-do member of society; in fact, he didn’t even live in the tiny village. He was a merchant’s son, and had a lot of money at his disposal. Kristen often wondered why he would choice a blacksmith’s daughter for his bride.

Kristen certainly didn’t have soft, delicate hands. She was use to helping her father in his shop. Her hands were rough and calloused from long hours working the forge, molding the iron to her will. She certainly wasn’t delicate of build, for she had developed muscle tone that the fancy well-bred girls didn’t have. She was forceful and demanding, strong and independent. She was her father’s only child, so he treated her like a son, teaching her his craft. “Kristen, did you hear me?” Dante asked; striding over to her, he grabbed her arm, his grip painfully tight. “Kristen!”

“Yes! Yes, I heard you Dante,” Kristen said, yanking her arm free of his grip. “What do you want anyways?” Kristen asked.

“Do you want me to walk you home? Vampire may still be lurking in the shadows,” Dante’s eyes glanced around, trying to spot a hiding vampire.

“I doubt it, the sun is rising, vampires only attack at night,” Kristen said.

“I’ll walk you home,” Dante reached for her, but Kristen danced out of his grip.

“I’m fine, Dante!” Kristen’s green eyes flashed with anger. “I don’t need you to walk me home!” with that, Kristen walked off, mud squishing between her pale toes. Dante stared at her before swearing.

“Is something wrong Master Dante, sir?” asked his valet, Udell asked.

“No, nothing is wrong,” Dante hissed, eyeing the lanky youth. “Its just she is so, head strong, so challenging.”

“She’ll bend to your will in time,” Udell reassured Dante. “Other women have, why should this peasant be any different?”

“Exactly,” Dante growled. “I think she may have a soft spot for the Monster.”

“Because he saved her?”

“Yes,” Dante’s brown grey eyes narrowed. “Let’s pay the Monster a visit.” Dante walked off towards the abandon castle that served as the village’s jail. The crumbling ruins over looking the valley and the little village. The once mighty fortress of mortar and stone, now was nothing more than a filthy jail to house mainly drunkards.

Kristen pushed the door open to her house. “Father? Father! I’m all right! I’m home!” Kristen shouted. The metallic ring of hammer against steel stopped and the thud of heavy footsteps came and soon, her father, the village’s blacksmith, with his large belly, grizzly salt and pepper bread and thin wispy grey hair.

“Kristen,” he smiled, pale yellow teeth showing behind his lips, warm grey eyes sparkling happily. “Oh, Kristen, I was so worried you would’ve gotten attacked or worse killed,” he said, hugging his daughter.

“I was so afraid too Father, but I had the Lord of my side and I believed in His son, so I was safe from harm,” Kristen said.

“Good, good,” Cardew said, walking heavily to the wooden stool. “Ever since those monsters took your mother from me,” he shook his head.

“Father,” Kristen wrapped her arms around her father. “I miss her just as much as you do, but Mother is in the arms of our Lord now, she is safe in Heaven, away from all the evils of the world,” Kristen said, sitting on the opposite stool.

“I know, I know,” Cardew sighed. “But I still miss her,” he smiled and slipped his fingers beneath the cross. “I made this for your mother. A simple farm girl, it impressed her father greatly, and he allowed me to marry her. Even had Father Gregory bless it,” he smiled. “It will protect you, daughter.”

“I know Father,” Kristen got up and kissed her father’s cheek. “I shall get dress,” she said and walked off. Kristen paused when she heard her father’s ragged cough. It didn’t sound good and was getting worse. Sighing, she closed her eyes and walked off to her room.

Nemo was cruelly tossed into the cell, the rats squeaking as they scuttled away from him. As soon as he hit the stone, he rolled and sat up in a crouch. He glanced over his shoulder at the two burley men, and with a great leap, he lunged at them, mouth open, his vampire fangs gleaming in the morning light.

“Oh, shit!” the fatter of the two men cried, slamming the door before Nemo could get out. The young man slammed into the bars of his cell. Hissing and growling like a whiled animal. One of the men swiftly hit Nemo in the gut with the pommel of his sword. Nemo gasped for breath, letting go of the bars of his cell door, staggering backward. He looked up, blue eyes bright with hate and rage.

“You claim you aren’t a monster, yet you willing attack us?” the man with the sword said. “You are an unholy bastard!” he spat on the ground. “A servant of the devil, just like the rest of your kind.”

“I’m not one of them!” Nemo hissed.

“And yar certainly not one of ours either,” the fat one jeered. “Just wait til Dante comes, he’ll straighten ya out, dat’s fer sure.” He too, spat on the ground. The two men locked the cell door, and walked off laughing with each other, telling each other what they think Dante would do to Nemo.

Nemo sighed, leaning against the wall, looking out the window. He may be half-vampire, and have the agility of his father’s people, their heighten senses, and could jump like them. But, he didn’t have amazing strength, no vampire did. They weren’t close range fighters, preferring to fight with darts or throwing knives, long range weapons. Not that they weren’t deadly close range, their bite was their most deadly weapon, and their claws could cut deep gashes into the flesh.

Nemo sighed again; he knew he wasn’t getting out of this prison, not without help. Normally, when the villagers found him, they would drive him out of town, throwing rocks at him or rotten vegetables. Yet, he always came back, after a while.

“Well, well, well,” came the slimy voice of Dante. “Look what I have, the Monster.”

“My name is Nemo,” the vampire growled.

“Right, vampire,” Dante said, walking closer to Dante’s cell. “Don’t bother attacking me, I have powers that you won’t understand.”

“Tch,” Nemo turned his back to Dante, pulling his legs closer to his chest. “Doubt it,” Nemo said.

“You dare question me! I have power beyond your imagination!”

“You aren’t a true wielder of magic,” Nemo said.

“Yes, I am!”

“No,” Nemo looked at Dante out of the corner of his eye. “You are a simple conjurer, grabbling in the dark for the threads of magic, something you have yet to even grasp, let alone understand.”

“Big talk for someone that won’t even face me,” Dante sneered. “Have you even seen a real mage?”

“Yes,” Nemo replied. “In a land far away.”

“Oh, lemme guess, the mythical desert, right?”

“No,” Nemo half-turned to look at Dante. “I’ve been to the Elfwood and to the Dragonlands. Elves and dragons, understand magic, they have grasped the threads of magic, and are true mages.” Nemo snorted, turning away. “Don’t fool yourself, you are just a petty conjurer.”

“Am I?” Dante hissed, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “Just watch, vampire,” Dante said and rolled up his sleeve and drew a dagger.

Mildly interested, Nemo half-turned again to face Dante. Swiftly, the man cut his wrist, letting his blood drip down his wrist and onto the stone floor. He muttered something, and from the small pool of blood, a golem of flesh and bone, sinew and muscle arose from the blood. Nemo’s eyes widened and he got into a crouch. He hissed furiously, fangs barred.

“I take it you’ve never seen a blood golem before, have you?” Dante asked.

“What are you?” Nemo asked, even though knew perfectly well what this man was. The only magic men had naturally was this type of magic, most didn’t know about it, and those that did but were disgusted by it, used this inborn power to pass as mages, manipulating the elements when in realty they should be manipulating the dead. Still others knew of it, and learned from the elves the healing arts, and the last remaining few either went to the dark necromantic cults or were rogue necromancers.

Dante smirked and sent the blood golem after Nemo. The creature compressed itself into a pool of blood and slithered into the cell, before reappearing as a monster. Nemo backed away, eyes darting wildly trying to find a way out. He looked at the window, it was high, and he wouldn’t be able to get through it, but at least he would be out of reach of the golem. Turning around and sprinting the short distance to the other wall, he jumped and his feet made contact with the wall, scrambling he was able to grab the iron bars and pull himself up. He crouched and looked down at the monster.

Golems weren’t very bright. And this one seemed confused on how Nemo was able to evade his grasp.

“You think you can hide from my golem that easily?” Dante asked. “I heard that vampires can walk on the ceiling,” Dante smirked. “You are half-vampire, let’s see how much vampire blood is in you, then shall we?” he asked and cut himself again, the new blood swiftly went to the golem and the monster grew taller, able to reach Nemo.

Cornered, Nemo did the only thing he could do, he jumped down, landing in a crouch, and ran at Dante.

Dante smirked, “Fool.”

Nemo drew his dagger, and raised it above his head, with a might cry he leapt at the cell door. But, something stopped him, and he froze staring. Before him was a white ghost, it was a woman and she had long flowing hair and empty blue eyes.

“Mother,” Nemo whispered.

“Not anymore,” Dante said. “She is my slave.” And with a hissed command, the ghost attacked Nemo.

Nemo looked around, the blood golem was lumbering towards him, while the enslaved ghost of his mother floated eerily towards him.

“Let my mother go!” Nemo shouted.

“Oh, no,” Dante said. “Let’s here what her banshee scream does to you,” Dante said. “Scream my pretty one! Scream!” Dante’s contorted into a horrible snarling smile. The ghost opened her mouth and let out a blood-chilling scream. Nemo cried out covering his ears. He saw before his eyes his greatest fears and hellish deeds, biting the necks of the innocents. Killing his own mother in a furious rage, brought on by a bite of a vampire, when he was a mere child. All the horrors he done in his life, mixing with his mother’s unearthly shrieks and Dante’s unholy cackles, into one hellish symphony.

Suddenly a howl of a wolf sounded. The ghost of his mother stopped and looked at the window. The howl sounded again. The ghost shrieked, sending a bolt of terror down Nemo’s spine. The howl sounded again and again, growing closer and closer with each howl. The ghost screamed in agony, as did Dante. “Where is that accursed howl coming from?” Dante asked.

Nemo gave a vampiric smirk, “Wolph.” The banshee flew back at Dante, and into his chest. The necromancer screamed, as the banshee took a tiny piece of his soul before returning to the underworld. The blood golem groaned before shaking then finally collapsing into a puddle of blood. Nemo looked at the window to see his dog, which just happened to be half-wolf.

“You, mutt!” Dante screamed and would’ve launched an orb of dark magic if Nemo didn’t do something fast. Thinking quickly, Nemo drew a small knife from his boot and tossed it at Dante. The man cried out as the knife embedded itself into his shoulder.

“You think you won this round vampire! But tomorrow, at dawn, you’ll be burned at the stake!” Dante said, yanking the knife out of his shoulder, tossing it to the ground. Nemo spat at the door in disgust. Wolph gave a bark of agreement.

“Thank you Wolph,” Nemo whispered. The dog barked again. Groaning Nemo leaned against the cell. Wolph whined as he lay down, his white paws slipping between the bars of the lonely little window. “I know boy, I know,” Nemo sighed. “I don’t want to be here either, but nobody will break me out,” Nemo said. Wolph stood up and barked twice. “No, there is nobody in the village that will break me out,” Nemo said. The dog barked again. “The girl? She won’t come,” Nemo said sadly. “I’m a monster remember, even if I did save her, she would have to come with me.” Wolph was already off though, running to get the only hope for the young man.

Kristen was hammering away at the metal, her father too weak to continue his work. She was dressed like a boy, her long golden brown hair tied back in a braid, and a few wisps of hair framed her angelic face. Soot and ash were smeared across her pale face. There was a scratching at the door. Sighing, Kristen wiped her sweaty brow, before walking towards the door. She opened it, but saw no one, shrugging she was about to close the door when she heard a yip. Looking down, she saw the dog that gave her cross back last night. The dog barked again, before walking in. “Nemo?” Kristen asked, remembering the young man that saved her life. The dog barked again, wagging his tail, only to whine and look at his paws sadly. “Nemo’s in jail. What do you want me to do about it?” Kristen asked, the dog looked at the door and barked. “Free him! Are you crazy? I’ll be tossed out of the village just like him! Besides, I’m engaged,” Kristen said, just as a knock sounded on the door. Wolph’s hackles stood up as he went into a defensive crouch, a low savage growl escaped his throat. “Go to the forge and stay there,” Kristen said, watching the dog do as she told him.

Kristen shook her head and opened the door, to see Dante, his hand over the wound that Nemo had so graciously given him. “Dante!” Kristen reached out to her soon-to-be husband.

“Don’t touch me!” he snarled, Kristen lowered her hands and backed away slowly.

“Are you sure? You’re hurt, let me help you,” Kristen said.

“I told you already wench! Don’t touch me!” he spat.

“What happened Dante?”

“The Monster attacked me. I was trying to get information out of him about the vampire that attacked you, but he refused to talk,” Dante shook his head, flexing the hand that covered his wound. “He’s in league with them. He’ll be burned at the stake tomorrow.”

“What! He saved my life! Are you really going to kill him! You should be thanking him for saving my life!” Kristen shouted.

“He raped you!” Dante hissed.

“He did no such thing!” Kristen turned away from Dante. “Please leave, I have to get back to the forge. My father is ill,” Kristen said.

“Very well,” Dante stopped in the doorway. “Just to let you know, the execution is public.”

Kristen snorted as she heard the door shut. The dog came out, and Kristen knelt down and rubbed its neck. “All right, I’ll save your friend, but he owes me,” Kristen said. “Make sure you tell him that,” Kristen said. The dog barked again, and followed Kristen into the forge.

Night fell on the tiny little village, and the moon rose. The dog barked and nudged Kristen awake. Groaning, she got out of bed and walked to the door. She slipped on her cloak and opened the door, allowing the dog to slip out before her. She turned and shut the door. “I’m sorry Father,” she whispered and followed the dog to the abandon castle that stood sentinel over the village.

Kristen had no problem sneaking into the castle, mainly because everyone new that Nemo wouldn’t escape and nobody would be stupid enough to help him escape. Kristen descended the stares into the dank dungeon. The dog barked and bolted. “Wait!” Kristen shouted, running after the dog. She stopped when she saw it, wagging its tail and dancing in place, happy to feel the hands of its master again.

“What are you doing here?” Nemo asked.

“Your dog came and got me,” Kristen said, drawing a lock pick. “Now be quite,” she said and crouched to down and placed her ear against the lock, and she began to pick it. Slowly, she heard the tumblers tumble nicely into place, and the lock snapped opened.

“C’mon,” Nemo said, grabbing her wrist, as soon as he got out of the cell. “They will be coming soon.”

“Who?”

“Them,” he said, running up the stares, their booted feet making a dull echo against the stone.

Once into the main hall of the castle, Nemo glanced around, scanning the darkness.

“Do they live here?” Kristen asked.

“Sh!” Nemo hissed. “No, they don’t, but they like to come here when they can’t find anything, hoping for a drunk or two to feed upon,” Nemo whispered. “Okay, let’s move,” he said, giving a sharp tug on her wrist. Kristen gasped and stumbled forwards. “Keep up,” he growled.

“Slow down!” Kristen cried.

“Shut up! They’ll hear you!” Nemo hissed as he ran towards the door. He was only two yards from it when the dog stopped and turned, growling savagely.

“Leaving so soon, brother?” came the cool silky voice of the vampiress, Orinda.

“Leave,” Nemo hissed.

“I don’t think so. I have my vampires surrounding this castle, do you really think you can make it out of here alive?”

“How did you know?” Nemo hissed.

“I’m not that stupid! Orinda hissed, and her white eyes fell on Kristen. “So we meet again, girlie,” Orinda hissed. “Come, let me bite your pretty neck.” Orinda reached out for Kristen.

Swift as a viper, Nemo lashed, out, drawing his hidden blade in his bracer. Orinda had to back away a step; stumbling as she did so, to avoid the blade. Nemo finished his swinging attack, and landed in a crouch. One arm outstretched for balance.

“Wolph, get Kristen out of here, I’ll deal with her,” Nemo said.

“Do you really think you can deal with me?” Orinda raised her arms and jumped back lightly, landing on a gargoyle on the wall. “The Queen of the Vampires?”

“I think the odds are in my favor,” Nemo said with a smirk.

“You are mistaken Outcast,” Orinda hissed, her eyes narrowing. “The odds aren’t in your favor.” She raised her hands up and then thrust them forwards; a swarm of black bats, screeching angrily flew towards Nemo. Nemo waited until the last possible moment to escape, he jumped high above the bats, and flipped several times until he was closer to where Orinda was perched. He ran at her, his left hand drawing his dagger. With a growl he jumped up, higher than where his half-sister was standing, his right hand, downwards for striking her.

Orinda smirked, her white eyes narrowing. She rose on her tiptoes and spun around, a cloud of darkness engulfing her, slamming into Nemo, sending him flying.

Nemo tumbled out of the air, yet dexterously; he landed in a cat like crouch. He snarled, looking up at her. He hissed loudly at her, showing his fangs. Orinda stopped her attack and finished in a graceful pose, before crouching animal like and hissing her own challenge at Nemo. Turning away from her, Nemo ran up the nearest wall, slipping his dagger into his teeth, he grabbed the opposite gargoyle. Once he was perched atop it, he looked at his sister.

“Come and get me,” Orinda hissed. Nemo snarled and jumped to the nearest gargoyle, continuing to do so until he was near enough to the vampiress to give her a leaping attack.

“NEMO!” Kristen’s shrill scream echoed in the abandon halls of the castle. Nemo’s leaping attack was finished in that moment.

“Kristen,” he breathed, glancing at the door, Orinda gave a cruel smirk, and reached up and with long claws, slashed Nemo across the neck and cheek, sending him tumbling out of the air.

He landed on his back with a painful groan. His blue eyes widened when he saw Orinda sending a stream of darkness down at him. He rolled and got onto his feet, before she could send any more attacks his way.

He burst through the doors to see Kristen in the heart of a ring of vampires. Wolph barked a warning, but Nemo ignored it. He screamed when he felt two sharp fangs embed themselves into his neck.

“NEMO! NO!” Kristen cried, afraid to move do to the vampires around her.

Nemo felt the bite and knew exactly gave it to him. Twisting his dagger around, he slammed it into Orinda’s gut. She screamed, yet the damage was down. Blood pouring down both sides of his neck, his eyes moon white, Nemo was shaking from head to toe do to the vampiric venom in his veins.

He licked his lips, his eyes resting on Kristen, but then a memory came back to him. It was of last night, when she had touched his face and said his eyes were blue. Screaming in rage and confusion, he charged, dagger in hand, it steel stained red with blood. Leapt into the air and landed on the back of vampire, he thrust his hidden blade into the vampire’s neck, it screamed as Nemo pulled the blade out and jumped onto the other one.

But the others were now aware of the threat that Nemo posed to them, as they saw their fellow writhe in unimaginable agony only be turn into a skeleton, his flesh rotting before their eyes. Such was the power of the hidden blade that Nemo wielded.

“Who’s next?” his voice airy and raspy as he stood before Kristen, two vampires dead. “Nobody,” he smirked. “That’s too bad,” he snarled before running at them, he kicked on in the gut, only to turn around and thrust the hidden blade into his spine.

He leapt and slammed the blade with all the force he could muster into the skull of another.

Orinda, watched from her perch in horror as Nemo slaughtered, with brutal efficiency, the vampires she had brought with her. She looked at the wound in her belly. It would take time to heal, but since it was just a wound from a blade of steel, she would live. Her plan had completely gone awry, thanks to Nemo’s heart. She was hoping he’ll embrace the Bloodlust, he did…but in a way, she didn’t expect.

He used his Bloodlust to slaughter the vampires. Turning upon his own kin, rather than going after the human girl. “Damn it,” Orinda swore. She gave an ear splitting scream, engulfing herself in a cloud of darkness and heading back to her lair. The call sounded across the valley, singling to the other vampires to fall back and retreat. The last few remaining, left, before Nemo could kill them.

“Damn you!” Nemo screamed when they left. “Stand and fight you coward!” he screamed.

“Nemo,” Kristen whispered. Nemo turned his head to stare at her, his eyes bright white. “Nemo, please calm down,” Kristen said.

“Never! Now let me bite your neck, my pretty!” he breathed.

“Nemo, stop it! Please!” Kristen cried, now terrified. “Why did I even let you out of that accursed cell! I should’ve just left you to rot!”

Nemo sheathed his dagger and hidden blade, before grabbing Kristen’s wrists. “Let me bite! Must feed! Blood!” he gasped. Kristen, screamed, struggling, and was able to pull one hand free. She grabbed his face.

“Nemo! You are good! You are human! You aren’t a monster! Nemo please!” she screamed, sobbing. “Its me! Kristen!”

Nemo froze.

“Nemo! Nemo! No! Please! Nemo! Calm down! Nemo!” his mother cried. Nemo ignored her pleads as he advanced, licking his fangs hungrily.

“No! Must feed!” he hissed.

“Nemo! Please! I’m your mother! Please Nemo! My son! You aren’t like this! You aren’t a monster! Please!”

“Shut up!” Nemo shouted before pouncing, tackling his mother to the ground. He pinned her wrists over her head. He looked down at her, saliva dripped off his fangs hungrily.

“Nemo! Please! My son!” she cried. Nemo ignored her and lowered his head to her neck. “Don’t bite me Nemo! If you do, you’ll be a monster forever!” she whispered when she felt her son’s fangs against her skin. He stopped, and then suddenly he screamed letting her wrists, only he grabbed her head and slammed her skull against the hard ground three times, smashing the skull. Terrified that his mother was now dead he ran off. Leaving her lifeless corpse there for the vultures to eat.

Kristen shook against Nemo’s body, they were now very close. “Please, Nemo,” she whispered softly, as he lowered his head to her neck. “Nemo please, don’t hurt me,” she begged. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “You aren’t a monster, Nemo,” she whispered. “You saved me again, Nemo. You care, you are a good person,” Kristen whispered, and closed her eyes awaiting the bite that would end her.

Instead, she didn’t feel a bite, but a gentle kiss on her neck. It was a kiss a lover would give, firm yet soft, tender and loving. Kristen sighed and freed her other hand, before wrapping her arms around his shoulders. “Nemo,” she whispered, taking a step back, she saw his eyes were back to their deep sapphire blue color.

“We need to get out of here,” he whispered, grabbing her wrist. “The night isn’t young anymore, and we need to put a lot of ground between us, my sister and that necromancer,” he said, running off towards the hills.

They ran until dawn, before Nemo finally stopped. “Where are we going?” Kristen asked.

“Our ultimate destination or the one I plan to use to hide us?” Nemo asked.

“Both?” Kristen panted.

Nemo sighed. “First we are going to a village nearby, about three days from here, there we’ll be safe for a while, next we will go to a fishing village, stay there for a few days. Then, we’ll head to the Elfwood, rest there for a fortnight, finally, with the help of the elves and their permission, we’ll head to the Dragonlands.”

“The Elfwood? Dragonlands?” Kristen screeched.

“Vampires fear dragons and elves. Elves are the only known race to have a metal able to kill vampires without being anointed with holy water or blessed by a priest. Dragons were the first race to be created by Aether, they naturally are able to kill most evil and unholy things,” Nemo said and began walking off.

“But dragons are servants of the devil! They are serpents!” Kristen said, Nemo turned and pointed his finger at Kristen.

“Never say that to a dragon, because they are not. I happen to be dragon-friend to them,” Nemo said.

“That still doesn’t change what the Bible says about them.”

“Your holy book is wrong then,” Nemo said.

“Are we seriously going to walk all that way?”

“No,” Nemo stopped and crouched, touching the earth with his fingertips. He gave a low whistle followed by a high one. A loud whiny echoed, and soon a black horse was galloping towards him.

“You have a horse!” Kristen screeched.

“Not just any horse,” Nemo smirked. “Sired by the prize stallion of the Elf King himself and his most prized mare was this one’s dame,” Nemo said.

“An elf-horse?” Kristen gasped.

“He’s name is Brágo,” Nemo said as the horse trotted up to him. Nemo gave him a treat, before jumping onto his back. “C’mon, he’s the fastest horse around,” Nemo said.

Kristen grimaced when he reached for her. “Do I have to?”

“You broke me out of prison, saved me again from my curse, I think you owe me one horseback ride across the countryside,” he said with a coy smirk.

“Fine,” she said and grabbed his hand. He pulled her up and swung her around so she was behind him. Kristen grabbed his waist and pressed herself against his back. He gave a sharp double click of his tongue, tapping the horse’s sides with his heels, the animal whinnied and spurred off, leaving the village behind them.

Kristen looked over her shoulder and the last thing she saw of her home was the abandon castle that stood sentinel over the village.

Welcome and thank you for reading the first chapter of Nemo. I sincerely hoped you enjoyed this first chapter, and please leave any question or comments and I'll answer them to the best of my ability. I won't tell you anything about the plot if you ask a question related to the plot. For now, the rating will be T, though I may bump it up to M in the future. If you are wondering, this story is inspired by the song Nemo by Nightwish. You may listen to the song while you read this story.

R'n'R

Aysu