Hunters and Monsters

Prolouge- Our stories.

Tw: mentions of past death, death, cursing

1120 words

Edited 4/20/22

250 years ago...

When Virgil Black woke up, he had no idea where he was. The last thing he remembered was the man at the front door, the lights flickering, then a scream. The pain in his neck. 

Reaching up to touch the throbbing spot, Virgil winced. It hurt like hell, and his entire right side was sore. Just what the fuck happened last night? Did that even happen last night? How long was he unconscious?  was he in any immediate danger? What was going on?  OHGODWHEREISHE?

Looking around, Virgil discovered he was in a bedroom which was definitely not his own. There was a small window, and nothing but the moon filtered in to light the semi-dark room. He could hear the crickets chirping outside, an owl somewhere far away letting out it's warning call. A creaking sound echoed through whatever house he was in, then there was the sound of footsteps getting closer. How was he hearing all of that? Virgil knew his hearing was shit. 

The door to the room opened, and a tall teenager with glasses poked his head inside. The boy was pale, but nothing compared to Virgil. He wore all black, and looked like your typical smart-ass.

"Ah, good. You're awake." The boy noted. "You must be very confused. My name is Prince Logan, and I'm to show you around and explain your situation to you. Let's go downstairs before I start explaining, though. I'm hungry, and suspect you probably are as well."

Virgil hesitated before speaking. After a moment he demanded, "Why should I trust you? What happened last night?"

Logan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose under his glasses. "I knew this would be difficult." He turned to Virgil again, face devoid of any emotion. Virgil only then noticed that his eyes were an unnatural shade of blue, somehow both glowing bright and seeming to be sucking the light out of the air.

"Your family was attacked by a rouge vampire around a week ago. For some reason, he infected you instead of killing you along with the rest of your family. You've been asleep for seven days, here in the estate where I grew up. Virgil Black, I'm afraid that you are now a vampire. I'll answer your questions on the way to the kitchen, let's go."

Virgil hesitated, but then carefully ran his tongue long his teeth. His canines felt longer, sharper. And were probably fangs. Staring out the window for a moment, he realized his hearing wasn't the only thing super enhanced; his eyesight seemed way better too. Vampires were said to have ten times stronger scenes than humans. 

Well. To put it nicely, shit.

Virgil scrambled out the door after his guide.

15 years ago...

Roman Prince woke from his sleep to the sound of shattering glass and running footsteps. As he stumbled from bed, he heard a scream. A woman's scream. His mother's scream. 

Roman ran from his bedroom only to collide with his twin brother, Remus, who had been doing the exact same thing. The twins looked at each other as another scream came from downstairs, and they quickly ran down to help their mother.

Their father was usually the one who protected the house, but he was out on a special business trip. Meaning he was out hunting, killing the pests known as Unnaturals, or was on some kind of quest. 

The twins' parents never told them about their Dad's work as a hunter, the boys just sort of figured it out. 

But if he wasn't home, and Mother was in trouble...

The twins ran into the kitchen as a humanoid figure with green rotting skin slitting their mother's throat with it's claw. It turned to them with a wicked grin, showing it's needle like teeth in a mouth of black gunk. It's glowing green eyes were sunken in it's ugly head.

"Ghoul!" Roman screamed. Remus rolled his eyes.

"You think?" He asked, strangely calm for a boy who'd just watched his mother getting killed. Then he turned to the ghoul. "Let our mother go, you! Enough of your tricks! You're lucky I know an illusion when I see one, or you'd be dead already."

The grotesque ghoul cocked it's head to the side, a look that almost resembled curiosity on it's scarred face. The it opened it's arms, and out tumbled a very much alive woman. 

Remus walked towards the ghoul as Roman stood, frozen in shock and maybe even a little fear. The night was silent exept for Remus's footsteps, then a slapping sound. "You will not touch that woman. Aren't females protected by your code?" Remus hissed. 

The ghoul whined, clutching the cheek Remus had slapped with both of its hands. Then it let out an ear shattering screech of rage and dove as Remus, talons first, and dragged the boy out of the house as he howled and cursed.

That was the last time Roman saw his brother.

10 years ago...

Patton Valentine ran outside after his best fried since childhood, Roman. Patton understood Roman was in a lot of pain since his brother's disappearance, but over the last three years Roman was slowly becoming even more distant, his smiles becoming a little less real every day.

"Roman, where are you going!" Patton asked as he stumbled after his friend out of the school and down the driveway. It was their last year of elementary school, Roman can't keep this up or he may not go forward to middle school with Patton.

"I have a job to do, Patton. I'll be back by lunch."

"That's what you said last week, Roman! You missed the rest of school and were all bloody when I checked up on you! I don't like seeing you hurt!"

Roman froze, but didn't turn around. "Better me than some innocent kid."

"What? Roman, we're twelve! We are kids! I understand that you're still hurting because of Remus, but you have to stop throwing your own physical health away. He wouldn't want this."

This time Roman turned, anger in his eyes. "Remus wouldn't care. You wanna know how he died? He stared a murderous monster right in the face and he slapped it, because it pretended to hurt our mother. He threw his life away to protect us, and I'm not about to let it be in vain."

"What, a monster? Roman what are you talking about? Remus vanished, you never said anything about him dying!"

"Patton, there are things about this world that you don't know. That most people aren't aware of besides silly legends or myths they are told. Monsters, your little fantasy creatures from stories; they're real. Well, some of them. You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"It's a long story." Roman admitted, looking too tired and defeated for a twelve year old.

"I've got time."