Born of Night (rewrite )

Chapter one (rewrite)

A/N Thalia is the savior of Olympus here and the war against Gaea never happened. Thalia joined the hunt after she turned sixteen.

The throne room on Olympus was a site to marveled at. Its pillars were of ornate marble, gold engravings decorated crawling up the stone, each with its own story. Those of heroes who were best remembered for their heroic deeds and of course the gods for their battles against the monsters that roamed through Greek mythology.

There was a crash of thunder that sparked through the ceiling and into the center of the throne room. One by one, each god appeared on his and her throne, bright flashes indicating their arrival. The thrones formed a horse-shoe shape with Zeus and Hera's thrones at the center of the U shape. To Zeus's right sat the gods starting from Poseidon and from Hera's left sat the goddesses beginning with Athena.

"What is this meeting about Father?" drawled Ares, picking at his nails with a dagger. Before Zeus could open his mouth, there was a loud crack as if the earth was tearing, the shadows in the throne room seemed to thicken and Hades stepped out and went to sit on the last vacant throne.

"It would be about the new threat that I have noticed within the Underworld Ares." Hades said, and each god perked up at the news. The Hearth spit haphazardly. Zeus grumbled, "Indeed, my dear brother as late as he is, has much grave news."

"I have been notified by Thanatos that the doors of death have weakened," the gods were alert immediately at that sentence. Apollo who was once slouched suddenly sprung up, listening carefully. "Thanatos (he who guards the doors of death) has noticed that some form of monster known as vampires have awoken from the darkness of Tartarus. There has also been a certain decrease in the overcrowdance in the Fields of Asphodel although I am unsure if the events were connected or not."

Poseidon spoke up. "I must ask but what are vampires, they surely are not in our domain." "They are close to empousa, monsters whom spawn from Hecate but are they not from western fairy tales?" Questioned Athena. "We must call upon Hecate, she should be able to enlighten us on these monsters" with that Zeus shot a bolt to the sky. There was a puff of grey smoke and a goddess appeared in the throne room. She wore a black silk dress that dragged in tendrils on the floor as she walked to up the gods. In her hand she grasped a torch, her symbol of power. "My lords," she bowed, "for what do I bestow my service upon?" "Hecate, what do you know about vampires?" asked Apollo. "My lords, vampires are the kin of the primordial Nyx and are formed from corrupt souls. Oh, my surely this is not about the surge of vampires?" shock and horror showing on Hecate's face. "What is it?" grumbled Zeus. "I fear for the rise of her darkness, this must mean that she has recruited many to join her army. The corrupt are easily convinced," with that Hecate disappeared in a puff of smoke leaving realization to dawn upon the Olympians.

"Well, that leaves us with grave news," Apollo muttered. Zeus drew himself to full height, a shadow cast over his face. "Artemis, I demand you and your hunt to track these vampires." He left with a flash of lightning. Artemis paled, this was a dangerous mission.

Artemis surveyed the camp, that her hunters had laid down before climbing up the tree. She had stayed in her maiden form which she found the most effective. They had tracked the vampires to Yellowstone park, and although she had never met one, she could taste the heavy scent of darkness that lightly trailed though the park. "They must be near." She muttered. She lingered on the thought and she was brought back to the memory of her as Apollo dragged her back before she could flash back to her hunters.

Exterminate them, Zeus had said, and his order left a bitter taste in Artemis's mouth. As the meeting adjourned, Apollo pulled her back. "What?" she snapped, already irate simply because of the tough job at hand. Zeus had sent her off merely with a hint on where the said vampires were. Apollo sighed, " Sister I worry for you sometimes, always so headstrong," he smiled fondly at her and she could feel the tension in her shoulders melt away. "Vampires are the kin of her darkness. Even I fear to say her name. I don't want you injured." Artemis softened at her brother's anxiety for her safety. She smiled, " Do not fret brother," with that she turned and vanished back to her hunters.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when a huntress on guard by the tree-line burst into the clearing, pale faced. "Oh milady, they followed me back!" she cried. Artemis frowned not knowing what she was on about and before she could ask the bushes rustled. She put a finger to her lips, gesturing for the huntress to be quiet and nocked an arrow. It sailed true and hit a target, a sharp growl erupted from the bush. A body tumbled out, it was a man in a tux and if it wasn't for the feral snarl on his face, Artemis would have turned him into a jackalope for sneaking up on them. His hand clasped the arrow that was wedged in his shoulder and pulled it out with ferocity. His face was drawn, fangs bared with a long dagger in his hands, ready to pounce. There was a shout and Huntresses poured out, bows and knifes drawn. They must have heard the commotion, Artemis smiled, it would be a simple battle. The smile fell off her face when there was a sharp whistle that rang out and vampires seemly crawled out from the underbrush. It was around 20-15 an advantage to the monsters in front of them but Artemis was determined. She unsheathed the sword at her side and slit the throat of the vampire creeping up to her. Hell erupted.

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The huntresses panted and viewed the silver the dust that had settled in their hair, clothing and the ground around them. Artemis had learnt that vampires were hard to kill, they were fast but with a goddess at their side, the hunt won. Their corpses had burned away after they were killed, leaving behind only silver ash. "Thalia, clean up the area, I will survey the bush for any other vermin." She said to the daughter of Zeus before getting up and disappearing into the bush. She scouted the area and just as she was about to return to the clearing, there was a minute rustle in the bush behind her. Had she not been a goddess, she wouldn't have heard it. She jumped in and grabbed the unsuspecting prey and pushed it against the tree, her dagger against its throat. When she saw who more like what it was, she almost recoiled in disgust. It was no doubt a vampire, a woman too but on hiding its face was a terrifying mask of Medusa. It had its daggers drawn and pointed at Artemis. "Milady?" Thalia's voice cleared her mind and she appeared by the tree behind Artemis. Quick as a flash the vampire had thrown its dagger and it wedged into the trunk of the tree pinning Thalia to it by the hood of her parka. The huntress letting out a shout of surprise. Artemis stupidly let herself become momentarily distracted and the vampire grabbed her hands of its neck and flung her to the ground with surprising strength. The two grappled and the vampire was strong but soon Artemis got the upper hand, pinning the vampire to the ground. The huntresses had heard Thalia's shout and rushed to see what had happened. Artemis grimaced, flipping the vampire onto its back and flashed bronze cuffs onto her wrist. "You're coming with me to Olympus, vampire."