"Oh, my darling, thanks to you, my dead heart has begun to beat again."
A handsome young man with marble-like skin, brown hair, and unnaturally red eyes held a beautiful young woman in his arms. She was dressed in a bright white gown. Her blonde hair fell over her shoulders as she gazed at the young man with loving eyes.
"And you have freed me from my shallow life. You showed me a completely new world. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
The young man wore a sorrowful look that the woman immediately noticed. "What is wrong, Herald?" she asked worriedly, placing her hand against his cheek.
"Oh, your human life is so short, while I live forever. One day you will be gone, and I will be left alone once again." He shook his head and let out a heavy sigh, feeling a weight in his heart.
The woman pouted and looked up at the night sky, bright with stars. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, as if she had come up with a brilliant idea, "I have it!" she said, "Just make me a vampire!"
She rose from his lap and pulled her collar down, revealing her neck. At once, the vampire's eyes fixed on that beautiful throat and the blood-filled veins beneath her skin. He licked his lips hungrily but forced himself to step back.
"You do not know what you are saying, Helen. One bite, and you'll never return to the living. You can't eat anything except blood. Your life will be commanded by nothing but thirst."
"But then I can remain in your arms forever!" she insisted, pulling her collar even lower in a provocative gesture.
The young man could barely resist his thirst as he saw this. The woman smiled. "I know you want it to," she said teasingly.
"Very well!" hissed the vampire. Without any further hesitation, he sank his fangs deep into her neck.
The woman flinched as pain and pleasure overwhelmed her simultaneously. Slowly, she closed her eyes.
Just as he began to drink her red life essence, someone cleared its throat. "Um… am I interrupting something?"
The vampire recoiled. The woman sighed, both relieved and sad that it was over, slowly opened her eyes. They reflected both pain and incredible pleasure.
She looked up. About three meters away stood an unknown person. The vampire was still dazed from the taste of blood, yet deep inside, he was shocked that someone had managed to sneak up on him so silently. He narrowed his eyes and studied the figure standing before him.
The person was definitely a human. A young woman of about twenty-two years. She had long, uncombed black hair that reached almost to her hips. Her skin was pale, not as pale as Herald's, but pale for a human. Her eyes were black like ink, so dark that her pupils were indistinguishable from her iris. Large dark circles lay beneath her eyes, as if she had not slept for days.
She wore a torn shirt, and beneath it, a silver chain vest was visible. Around her neck was a tight black band from which hung a five-pointed star. She wore short trousers secured by a wide belt with many pouches attached, and she wore two heavy black boots.
Around her right arm was a black band from which a long silver chain wrapped itself. At the end of it hung a small silver sun as a pendant. At one side of her waist rested a long sword in a brown scabbard, at the other a pistol. In her left hand, she held a large crossbow that hung loosely by her side.
She looked at the two lovers with weary eyes. The vampire was about to speak, but without saying another word, the woman raised her crossbow and fired.
Herald reacted at the last moment. He turned aside, but too late. The bolt drove into his side. If he hadn't moved, it would have pierced his heart.
The vampire roared in pain as the wound began to sizzle. He seized the bolt and tore it out with a scream. He looked at the silver tip. He snarled furiously as his eyes glared at the woman, but she calmly loaded another bolt.
"Why did I have to open my mouth? I could have just killed him, but I had to make my stupid remark. Now I have the mess..." She shook her head as she fired the next arrow, but this time the vampire actually managed to dodge.
The woman remained unfazed and prepared another shot, but this time Helen stepped in front of her vampire lover.
The woman looked at her, annoyed. "Oh, come on. Get out of the way, girl!"
"No," Helen shrieked, shaking her head. "He is not evil. You must not harm him!"
The woman tilted her head. "He is a vampire, is he not?"
"Yes, that may be true, but he does not hurt anyone," Helen said with a trembling voice.
The woman gave no reply, only rolling her eyes. She strapped the crossbow back over her shoulder and drew her sword.
A silver blade gleamed in the moonlight. The woman stepped forward, seized the girl, and shoved her aside.
Helen fell into the dirt, while the woman immediately turned her attention to the vampire. But this time, he was the first to attack. With his claw outstretched, he lunged for her throat.
The woman laughed and struck with her sword. The sword cut vertically through his claw, splitting the hand between his middle and index fingers, but the sword did not stop. It split through his forearm until it finally came to a halt at the cartilage in his elbow.
The creature screamed in agony as the huntress pulled her sword out. She prepared for another strike, but the vampire leapt aside. He tumbled, almost blacking out from pain. He lunged at the woman again, but it was a sloppy attack. She dodged easily.
Herald bared his teeth as he deflected her next sword attack. He struck, but once again she dodged. She moved quickly, and each of her strikes was precise. The vampire grew more desperate as her blows cut him again and again. Then Helen jumped in once more and threw herself on the woman's back.
"Idiotic whore!" the woman snarled and flung her away, but the vampire had used this chance to begin running.
"For fuck's sake," she cursed and chased after the vampire. "Stay where you are, you pathetic coward! Why are you running? Aren't you a powerful and old vampire?"
The vampire did not respond, but simply continued running.
The woman pulled a long chain from one of her pouches and swung it as she ran. The chain was attached to a bolt with large barbs, which she fitted into her crossbow, "You won't escape me, beast."
She aimed and fired. It was not a perfect shot, but the bolt struck the vampire in the leg. He stopped with a roar and stumbled.
The woman pulled on the chain and dragged him back while moving towards him. Herald struggled desperately, but he couldn't get free. The woman advanced. She stabbed with her sword, but once more Helen blocked her, clutching the blade with her bare hand.
"Leave him alone! I love him! And he loves me!" she cried, tears in her beautiful eyes.
The huntress instantly released the sword when she saw the blade cutting into the girl's flesh.
She cursed. "Look what you have done!" she said, pointing at the bleeding hands. "Now I won't get the full reward!"
"I do not care what my father said, and your damned reward means nothing to me!" the girl screamed.
The woman sighed. "Calm down, it is not as if I want to kill you. Why are you making such a fuss?"
"If you hurt my Herald, I will kill myself! Then my father will have you hanged!" the girl screamed louder. "He will torture you, flay your skin…"
The huntress struck her on the neck. At once, Helen lost consciousness and fell aside. "Stupid brat, now I will kill 'your' Herald," she muttered.
The vampire attacked. With a roar, he sprang up and gripped the huntress' throat. He hissed as the silver star burned his remaining hand, yet he held on tightly.
The woman spat in his face. He shut his eyes in disgust as the huntress stomped hard on his foot with her heavy boots. Herald screamed as the bones of his foot shattered, yet he kept his grip.
The woman began to lose her last breath, so she drew her head back and smashed her forehead against his nose. It broke instantly, and his grip loosened slightly.
She seized the chance and tore herself free. She struck his face with all her strength, hitting his already broken nose. The once handsome face of the creature twisted with rage and pain as he struck back.
The woman dodged the blow to her stomach with a swift twist and kicked him in the groin. He howled in pain and stumbled back. She stepped forward, grabbed his hair, and pulled his head down.
She struck his face again, then his side, and seized the stump that remained of his claw. She pulled him towards her, and a disgusting sound could be heard as she grabbed one half of his arm. She stabbed her finger into his eye, blinding him shortly.
The vampire roared and struck with his free hand. This time, he hit her square in the stomach and hurled her backwards.
He leapt upon her and raised his claw in a finishing blow, but then felt cold steel under his chin.
"You bitch…" he hissed. The huntress grinned as she pulled the trigger. The hammer of the pistol struck the flint against the iron. A loud bang rang out as sparks flew, igniting the gunpowder.
The big silver bullet tore off the vampire's face. Blood sprayed on her face. She shoved him off and spat blood from her mouth.
She looked at the now still corpse of the vampire. She stood and brushed at her clothes, but her expression darkened when she realized it was useless.
She sighed, drew her sword, knelt before the vampire, and began to cut off his head.