The Immortal Blood #Wattys2016

Prologue

I chased down the older vampire, probably three or four centuries old as I struggled to accept my surroundings. It was dark; there were no working lights, not even a flashing one as he led me up an alleyway.

The monsters had gotten rid of the lights, probably found them too bright for their photosensitive eyes but I didn't care, I didn't need the light, I could see well in the darkness.

He ran like a rat as I walked calmly down the alleyway, mindful yet not bothered by my surroundings.

The bins covered the place, bits of food pouring out them, the smell almost unbearable but I had a job to do.

I could hear the little coward, the hungry porcelain white monster cowering in the corner, probably hoping I was in a good mood.

I didn't say a word to him as the moon shone, reflected in the puddles of water. I looked at him as he shook, trying to make himself as small as possible. His master was dead; I knew that for a fact, there were no others of his kind left, not in London. I had cleaned the streets of all the vermin that covered it, attacking innocent people.

I raised my gun to his head; a silver bullet laced with garlic and soaked in holy water. It was going to be a quick, clean death.

I pulled the trigger mercilessly, watching him fall to ground, his head blown out before he turned into ashes slowly. I could see it; watch it for myself as he resembled nothing more than dust, taken by the wind.

My life as a vampire hunter was over, the streets were clear for once. I could go home, hug my life and cryptically tell her, cuddle my little girl and tell her how much I loved her, promise her that her daddy would be home more often.

I took my motorbike home before unlocking the door. For once I felt safe, I didn't have to panic and watch out, make sure I wasn't being followed by any of the hungry monsters or any of the vengeful that still had their sanity.

I walked into the house, my beautiful wife, Amanda there to greet me at the door as she hugged me, wrapping her soft arms around me. She was a little shorter than me, about 5,6ft, a beautiful honey blonde with eyes that would tempt even the devil, blue like an icy river.

I stroked her cheek as I tearfully whispered "it's over, I'm finished"

She cried on my shoulder with happiness, almost laughing with disbelief as she looked me in the eyes, my mint green eyes. I knew what she was telling me, that Sophie had wanted to see me.

I locked my guns inside a large trunk, placing the key in my pocket as I padlocked it. I had done my duty, I had successfully wiped out the vampires of London, even the Head Vampire was gone... the oldest in London was finally nothing more than ashes. Of course I felt pride; I had every right to feel pride. I had slain the Head Vampire, butchered him until he became ashes.

I crept into her room, trying not to wake her. Her long black hair fell onto the right side of her pillow, almost like a black large feather laid there as I pulled her covers up. She naturally removed her arms, forcing them over the covers as I smiled. She was going to be happy, she was going to have a father who could and would come home often.

He went to bed, lying next to his wife as he slept soundly. The first time in about four years, he could sleep well and without worry.

Sophie crept into her room, clutching her favourite chocolate brown teddy bear as she ran into our bed. I thought nothing of it until she said "the nice man wanted to play so I let him in"

"Let who in sweetie?" Amanda asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"The man, he told me he was daddy's friend" she replied as I threw off the covers.

I got up slowly, trying to look for my gun before it hit me. I had put every gun into the trunk; every weapon I owned was now in storage. My family were sitting ducks, I was a sitting duck and it wasn't going to take them long before they worked that out.

"Come out, Christian, I want to talk" I heard the man say, his twisted voice twisted my stomach, knotting it up as I sat still, holding Sophie.

No one said a word as footsteps got closer and closer then further away. None of us were breathing a sigh of relief, not a single one of us. We wanted to run but we were sitting ducks, free food for the monster that barely had enough sanity to talk.

"Come on out, I just want to play" it said again, its voice sickening.

"Enough! Do not play with food that isn't yours" a deep voice commanded. I could hear footsteps, at least three vampires in the house, one for each family member if I wasn't careful, if I wasn't strong enough to protect them. "Search the area, I want him found and I want him alive!"

"What about the others?" a vampire questioned.

"Bring them to me, we'll play ourselves a little game" the deep voice joked as they opened the other doors, leaving the bedroom door for last.

I tried, I really tried to defend them as the door opened but I wasn't much door, half asleep, my muscles aching with pain. I tried my best to fend off my attackers and ignore my pain but both of those seemed impossible. I punched two out of three before they took me, grabbing me by the shoulders, dislocating them cruelly as they dragged me out.

I could hear my wife, Amanda, screaming her lungs out, my daughter Sophie, crying and clinging onto her bear as they were dragged along with me to what may as well have been our deaths... it was likely to be. We were going to be killed, I knew that but I kept trying to kick myself free. Hearing my daughter call for me killed me inside, burnt me inside. It made me fight even more, just to try and save her, try and protect her, the one I loved, my family.

"This one's a little fighter" one of them whispered, a tall skinny man. The red tinge in his eyes gave him away as his tongue ran up Amanda's neck.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" I yelled as I tried to pull myself out of the monster's grip.

"That's enough, Stan, you'll have your chance" the vampire with a deep voice replied as he dragged him outside.

I kept struggling but he was so strong, much stronger than me. He kept me on the ground, on my knees as I heard my family screaming. The house was soon engulfed in flames, even if they survived somehow, the fire would have killed them. I had no hope of seeing them again, I knew that and what came afterwards only increased my pain.

He bent my neck, just enough to see the vein before he whispered "welcome, Jack to my new family". He plunged his sharp teeth into my neck, my blood trickled down as I fought but there was no use, I was dead before I had much of a chance. He force fed me his blood, the disgusting sickly sweet taste echoed in my mouth as I struggled but it was no use.

In a few moments, seconds that felt like hours, I was made one of them.