The Vampire's Hunter

One //Juno// It's Finally Happening

Present, 20xx

For a lot of girls, turning 16 is an important phase of their life.

For me, it was the most important phase of my life.

Mom smiled at me, wearing her signature red lipstick and her caramel hair in a bun. "Are you ready?"

My own dark brown waves had been left open and free to flow over my black leather jacket. The only ceremonial piece of jewelry I had brought with me was the silver nose stud encased in a small, red velvet box barely the size of my palm.

I smirked at her, making sure to show her how confident I was. "Of course I am. I've been waiting for this day."

That was indeed the truth, but I couldn't help worrying. What kind of life was I going to lead after phasing?

I shook my head as if to clear it of my fears. Whatever was waiting for me, it was there because I had chosen this path for myself. Out of the two things I could become,
I had chosen to become the beast.

But who said I couldn't be a beauty as well?

The ritual room's elegant ceiling towered above us as I sat with my mother in the front seats. There were about a hundred or so others of our kind gathered to witness the ceremony. After all, it wasn't every day that one of the most feared and respected vampires' child would step up to transition.

This whole time, up until today, I had lived my life as a human. A bitter taste formed in my mouth as I recalled the snotty girls boarding school that had been my home for the past 16 years. Of course, that didn't hinder me from learning how to use my charm on the teenage male population.

I was irresistible. And I knew it.

The pastor cleared his throat, immediately silencing the crowd. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. We are gathered here today to witness the transition ceremony of Countess Juno Lisette Hayes. We shall begin by calling up the fine lady herself."

I could feel all eyes on me as I got out of my seat, walking confidently yet gracefully to the stage. I wanted to show I was just as refined as them whether I was human or not.

The pastor gave me a brief nod of acknowledgement, then turned back to the crowd. "It is not often that there are such powerful half-bloods who wish to forfeit their humanity in exchange for becoming one of us."

The audience muttered, obviously thinking that it was a given that half-bloods should choose their side. I smiled to myself. I was pleasing them.

I extended my right hand, showing the pastor my rosy palm. The pastor began muttering some mumbo-jumbo which I didn't care to listen to; I knew it would do its job.

I could feel warmth enveloping me, swallowing my body whole. I gulped. Too hot. To distract myself, I started paying attention after all.

"Let the Night envelop all that is Day. Let thy soul lay out thy ultimate weakness, by which you shall perish." The pastor chanted, sprinkling some glittering silver dust onto my palm, then closing it.

Suddenly, all the warmth in my body rushed towards my closed palm, and I felt a sudden desire to cut it open to release the hot rush.

But there was no need for that.

I looked down at my now split open palm, from which a bloody silver knife protruded, blade first. Despite the blood on it, the knife seemed to gleam.

The crowd watched me with expectant eyes, and I already knew what I was supposed to do. I pulled the knife out slowly with my other hand, making sure to draw blood. Then, once the knife was completely out, I gripped the handle and aimed it at my heart.

The pastor looked at me intensely, as if this was a sacred moment. I suppose it was.

I was ending my life tonight.

"Countess Juno, have you prepared yourself thoroughly to take on the everlasting role of an immortal?"

"I have." My words echoed around the grand hall, capturing the audience's attention and holding it well.

"Have you bid your goodbyes to the realm of the mundane?"

"I have."

"Very well. Now, pierce your wall of weakness and let the blood that is spilled form an indestructible barrier."

I swiftly dove the knife into my heart. As I closed my eyes and fell to the ground, I chuckled humorlessly at the irony of a pastor, a supposed man of God, help to create another one of who were supposed to be the Devil's children.

I knew that when I came to, I would be stronger and faster, and my life would never end. My beauty wouldn't change. I knew that I would be treated with even more respect and honor than I have been by the people of our kind. I knew that they would send me to a public school, somewhere in a big city, to test my limits. To see if I could control my urges.

I knew that my eyes would become a colour that would be determined by my power. It would either be amber, green, or blue. Whichever it was, the colour would be an amplified version of the original.

I knew I would wake up as a vampire. An invincible, unbreakable immortal.