Fighting For My Undead Soul

Chapter 1

Artemis' POV

My eyes fluttered open as bright light filtered into the bedroom through the open window. The house was still, no sounds filling the space outside of my own beating heart and the birds chirping outside. I sighed contentedly while stretching my limbs. I sat up slowly, my eyes raking across different parts of the room. I wouldn't have known Lena had come home last night if it weren't for the dirty clothes strewn across the floor or the still opened tube of toothpaste lying on the bathroom counter. Shaking my head, I slid out of bed, grabbing her clothes to toss in the hamper on the way to brush my teeth.

I would be more annoyed at my fiancé if not for the fact that I missed her more than anything. As the taste of mint overpowered my senses, I put my hand out in front of me, staring at the ring Lena had brought home months ago after asking me to marry her. Shocked at first, I hadn't responded. I had been planning on asking her the same thing of course, just not so soon. But, within seconds, I had regained my composure and said yes to possibly one of the most important decisions of my life.

Since then, we hadn't had much time alone together. She was still working through school, taking as many classes as possible to finish quickly. At this point, she could pass whatever tests necessary to become a doctor, but formalities still must be followed whether immortal or not. Her true interests lied within caring for the supernatural. When she wasn't attending to school, she was learning from my mom. Recently, they started a project together and they were apparently close to a "breakthrough." I was starting to get to the point where I didn't care about the stupid "breakthrough" though, because I was spending more time alone than I wanted and when I was alone it left me to think.

I tried not to think too much these days. I hadn't figured out where I was needed next. What was left for me to do? The hunters in our area had been decimated. Any clans or families left had called for a ceasefire, not wanting to risk their forces to take down vampires who were not even a threat to humanity. So, any free time I had led to thinking about the past and the people who now stayed there. Lena said I should go to a therapist, but I wasn't sure how it could be helpful to speak to someone about what happened when they can never truly know what happened.

I bent my head closer to the sink and spit. I turned on the water, catching some in my mouth, and swished to get rid of the remaining toothpaste clinging to my teeth. I spit again and gathered some clean water in my cupped hands, splashing the cold water on my face to help clear any bad thoughts. Something that had started to become a daily routine, sometimes hourly. I raised back up and leaned my hands on the counter, letting the water drip from my face with my eyes still tightly shut. My teeth were clenched as I repeated words to myself that had become a sort of mantra. You are strong. You are made of more than flesh and bone. You will persevere. Do not crumble.

My eyes opened, staring at my reflection in the oval mirror above the sink. Though my eyes registered what they saw, I didn't have time to flinch or even scream. Rather than staring at myself, I stared into the eyes of a man whose canines were already extended into long fangs. He moved swiftly and silently, grabbing my head, and twisting it in the opposite direction of my body until a crack sounded in my neck. Blackness filled my vision. Consciousness ceased to exist. I floated into a void and the fear that had gripped my body for a millisecond before, now shifted into relief at the blissful feeling of nothing which surrounded me.