Author's Note- Hey guys, I'm back with yet another story. Mainly because my muse is missing and I feel the need to write. Though, I think this will turn out to be an awesome story. I have some great plans for this one. For the inspiration of this story, I thank not only my friends Liz & Z, but also those who created the movie Underworld. That is what really inspired me to create this. Well, on with the story.

***Against All Odds***

Prologue

            I used to have a normal life, but that all changed. I had a girlfriend, a job, and a life, but it was all taken away from me that fateful night. The night...that changed my life forever. I didn't ask for this, it wasn't my choice. I didn't ask to be the one in the middle of the feud. It all happened, and I can't change it. I couldn't save those who are lost because of me, and I regret it. So many people have died.....I wish all of it would just stop. I can't go on like this. I just...can't. It's too much. But maybe...with her.....I can. This is how it started, how my life changed forever. Whether the change was good, or bad, I may never know. But this is the beginning of my story, a story of death, pain.....and love.

Chapter 1- It Begins

            His name was Richard Corvenus. He was tall, but not too tall, about six feet, and he was seventeen years old. He had short wavy light brown hair that ended just below his ears and greenish hazel eyes. He wore a brown leather jacket over a tight black shirt and long blue jeans. Standing next to him was his girlfriend, Kate Scantel. She was about fifteen years old and had curly red hair that was tied in a loose pony tail and dull, brown eyes. She wore a loose white shirt and a pair of blue shorts. As they walked down the dark cold streets of Britain, they talked about their day.

"So how was your day at work?" Kate asked.

"Normal," he said, giving a small laugh, "How was your day?"

"It was busy."

            The conversation lasted for a while as they walked down the empty streets. Suddenly, Richard felt a cold chill go down his spine. He gave a quick glance behind him and saw they shadow of someone hiding behind a wall. He was being followed. The same thing had been happening for the last few days.

"I think I should take you home now," he said, hiding his panic.

"Why? It's only..." she said looking at her wristwatch, "...9 o'clock. It's early."

"I'm tired. I have to get up early tomorrow."

"Well, fine."

            He led her home as fast as he could, glancing behind him every once in a while. They soon reached her apartment and Richard left saying good bye. He hurried home as fast as he could. As soon as he got there, he securely locked all the doors and windows. He sat down at the chair of his desk and listened to hear if anyone had followed him home. After sitting there silently for about 5 minutes, he was satisfied. He grabbed the remote control and turned on the television. After flicking through the channels and finding nothing interesting on, he decided to see if he could get some rest. He stood up and took off his jacket, heading to his bedroom. As he sat on the bed, taking off his shirt, he heard the sound of voices coming from the street below his apartment. He stood up, opened the window, and looked down at the street below. He saw the doorman of the apartment building arguing with a tall man. He looked easily twice the size of the doorman. Richard couldn't hear much of the argument because he lived on the 4th floor. All of a sudden, the tall man reached into the brown trench coat he was wearing, pulled out a gun, and shot the doorman dead. Then the strange man looked up directly at Richard and grinned. In panic, Richard ran to his desk and pulled out his pistol. He then hid under the desk. Next thing he knew, there was a knock at his door. He just sat there as still as he could and stayed silent.

"Is anybody there?" said a voice with a slight Irish accent, "Oh well."

            Suddenly, the door was kicked in and it fell to the floor. Standing in the doorway was the man Richard had seen before. He had short, spiky, light brown hair and golden eyes.

"Is there anybody home?" the strange man said, "Awww, come on mate. I know your here."

            The stranger walked over the broken door and began looking around Richard's apartment. Richard just sat there, not moving an inch. He knew that if he were to probably even budge, he would be caught. Something about this stranger just didn't seem right to him. He seemed......abnormal. As though the stranger could hear his thoughts, he turned around and looked toward the desk area, and seemingly sniffed at the air around him.

"Ahhh yes, your scared. I can smell your fear, it's everywhere," he said, grinning.

            Richard saw the stranger turn away from the desk area and start walking toward the bedroom. Just as he was sure the man stepped into the bedroom, he scrambled up and made a break for the exit. Just as he was inches away from the doorway, a shot rang out. Richard felt a hot stinging pain break out in his right shoulder. The force of the bullet twisted him around and he landed with his back to the wall. As he landed, he took a deep breath, feeling the blood spreading across the floor. The stranger walked toward him and squatted in front of him.

"What's wrong? You a little uncomfortable?" he said in a sarcastic tone.

"F....fuck...you...." Richard mumbled.

"Hmmm, guess we'll have to do this the hard way," he said as the smile on his face faded away.

            The stranger grabbed the collar of Richard's shirt, but before he could lift him off the ground, someone kicked his attacker in the stomach and sent him flying across the room. As he looked up weakly, he saw a young woman standing next to him. She had long, raven black hair that was split to the side with her bangs pushed back out of her face and in a high ponytail. She had deep, emerald colored eyes & wore black eye shadow. As far as her clothes went, she wore what appeared to be a black leather tank top the was laced down the middle and ended just above her belly button, and short black leather shorts with a belt that held 2 guns and what seemed to be a sword in it's sheath. To top it all off, she wore a pair of black knee high leather boots that laced up down the middle, a pair of long black gloves the ended between her elbow and her shoulder that had the fingers cut out, and a long black cape with a hood (*the hood is off at this point*). In all she looked no older than sixteen. She grabbed two black fifty caliber dessert eagles from her belt (*those are a type of gun*) and fired on stranger. The stranger dodged most of the bullets but one of them him in the shoulder. He staggered a bit but quickly stood up again.

"Does your kind ever stop butting into our business?" he asked her.

"It's never just your business," she said lowering her guns.

"Who...the hell...are...y..you...guys?" Richard said weakly.

"Why are you after this human?" the young girl said ignoring Richard putting her guns away.

"That is none of your business," the stranger said.

"It is now."

            The young girl ran at the stranger and flipped over, kicking him in the face. He stumbled back, but didn't fall over. He lunged at her and punched her in the face, and she punched him back. The young girl rolled backward and as she did, she pulled her two guns out again. She began firing at the stranger again, but after dodging a couple of bullets he pulled out two daggers and deflected the rest. As he advanced toward the girl, she began to back up, until she felt the wall to her back. When the stranger noticed that he had her cornered, he threw one of the daggers and it pinned her to the wall. As she struggled to get to get free, the stranger pulled off his coat and dropped it on the ground to reveal a loose black shirt and black jeans. Richard weakly looked up, he was drifting in and out of consciousness. He saw the young girl pinned to the wall next to him, and the stranger grinning at her. What happened next, was something he would of never believed unless he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. The stranger's eyes changed from their normal golden color to a complete black. Next, it seemed as if he started to sprout brown fur all over his body. A snout, tail, and claws all sprouted from his body as well. His clothes ripped off as his body expanded to almost twice it's normal size. When the transformation was done, the creature howled and looked at Richard and the girl. The young girl pulled out the blade with a seemingly unknown strength, and then hoisted Richard over her shoulder and began to run out of the room. As he looked at the girl's face, he could of sworn her eyes flashed from their normal green to a bloody red with slits then pack to normal. He heard the walls being torn apart by the creature behind them. As they drew closer to the window at the end of the hallway, the girl turned around and fired the last couple of rounds at the creature. The creature dodged most of them but a couple hit it square in the chest. As it staggered forward, the girl tripped over her cape and fell back through the fourth story window with Richard. As they both fell through the air, the girl clutched tightly onto Richard. The last thing Richard remembered was seeing the ground rushing toward them. Then, he blacked out.