Vampires.

They have reigned over the tender hearts of man for ages. Few know they truly exist, but they all know of their craving for human blood. Some have attempted to ward them off with the help of the occasional hermit or shady oracle. In spite of this however, the vampires still had their fill, regardless of whether these wards were in effect or not.

Finally, it wasn't until the hunters came along. They were dedicated to protecting the innocent townsfolk, keeping more dried corpses from showing up in graveyards. The vampires found them a burden; the humans found them their shadowy saviors.

But still, for some reason there were few victims that kept getting bitten, regardless of the fight the hunters put up. This was because the vampires had found another way around; contracted humans who were sent to collect their meals, or in few cases, serve as the meals themselves. The hunters found this a disgrace; they were determined to cut off the vampires' food supply more than ever, even if it meant killing a human that was suspected of working for their original quarry in the slightest...

With that, those uninvolved with the ongoing battle had now just begun to fear the hunters as well as the vampires...

Name: Judes
Age: Never bothered to record. Could be several centuries old. Physically, he appears to be in his 20's.
Race: Vampire
Weapons: He keeps his beloved sword nearby in case he must do battle against the hunters. If that fails, his long nails and some of his honed self-defense techniques would do.
Misc: He prefers to wear loose clothing, even out in public at night. If he must, he will resort to formal ball clothes.

Name: Amelia VanHaggart
Age: 19
Description: Dresses in dark gowns, light blonde hair, sapphire blue eyes. Her hair reaches to the small of her back but is generally worn in either pigtails, ponytails, or intricate buns/braids of some sort.
Weapons: An arm-strapped crossbow that fires stakes and a sword.

Amelia VanHaggart rested back against a tree as she tried to catch her breath. Tonight would be her first mission in trying to kill the vile creatures of the night that were harassing her townsfolk. All but one Vampire had left the village due to being sick of having to fight her family, the amount of non-hunter blood diminishing, and what little blood there was left wasn't worth fighting the VanHaggart family to get it.

Now that Amelia was nineteen, it was her turn to prove herself and take on this lone vampire to win her place in the line of Hunters. But Amelia's thoughts were full of doubt: She feared that she would freeze, the vampire would be so hypnotic and seductive that she would completely lose herself and forget her mission. But above all else, she feared being bit or becoming one of them.

Shaking her thoughts aside, Amelia remembered the encouraging words of her father, secured the sword upon her back and the bow upon her arm, and set off upon her path; running as fast as she could to try and reach the Vampire's Lair before the sun went down.

The Vampire's lair was but an old castle that once belonged to an aristocrat family... that was, until the darkness of night took over. Ever since then, it was almost like a haven to the very darkness that took over the place...

But then the hunters came along. Regardless of the interference they have caused, the vampires continued to satisfy themselves on the blood of innocents. The hunters were merely a change in the routine; a game of Russian Roulette with variable odds. It helped that they could easily even the odds, or even increase them, with a hired hand...

But those days were almost over. And his brothers-in-blood had left him alone to finish off what remained of the villagers.

That wasn't to say that he wouldn't mind being alone however...

He felt that would soon change the moment he heard the sounds of creaking doors at the mouth of his domain. A smirk came to his lips; he could start to make out the intruder's scent... it was the ominous smell of hunters, from that family no less... but what made it intruiging was that the scent was... feminine.

It seemed he had a new toy to play with; with that, he blended into the shadows nearby in preparation to greet this... 'Guest'...

Although the heels of her boots echoed around her in the halls, Amelia walked through foyer as quietly as she could; her eyes darting around every corner, her body jumping at the slightest creak the old house made as she walked.

Walking up the stairs, assuming the vampire would be asleep due to the sun having a few minutes left before setting, Amelia calmed her nerves and hardened herself for the moment at hand. The moment would soon come when she must slay this demon: Her future depended upon it.

With every door she came to, Amelia opened it with her crossbow aimed and ready to fire in case the vampire was awaiting her. Would the vampire have sensed her presence? Heard her movements? Smelled her blood? Amelia could only hope the creature had weakened senses, for she was not ready to battle just yet; her fears were too escalated and her nerves were not calm enough to think clearly.

But why was she feeling like this? She had been training for this moment for her entire life; watching her brothers and fathers do it before her. Why was she acting like villager? Hardening her features and raising her head erect, Amelia walked with confidence and tried her best to maintain that confidence as she wandered the halls in pursuit of her prey.

The vampire could hear the girl's footsteps as she made her way through his domain. He felt a shiver go down his spine; already he was imagining the things he could do to this girl...

As she made her way down the hall, it wasn't very long until one of the doors that she walked past opened, as if by an odd breeze. The room it lead into already was finely decorated, and almost... homely. A fire was already going in the room's fireplace, and teacups and a teapot were set up at a small table, enough for two. Not to mention the chairs at the table as well as a few other seats were cushioned for comfort.

However, the only thing that could throw off the scene was a quiet, albeit contained chuckled that came from an indefinate source...

Amelia bit her lower lip as she watched the door swing open and heard he eerie laugh. Something wasn't right.. The vampire was expecting her.. How could that be? Had he been watching her family and preparing for this moment?

Amelia was a bit disheartened by the fact that her attack wasn't a surprise. However, Amelia shook the feeling as she stepped into the room and looked around her. "A party for two? How quaint. Do you truly think I am naive enough to sit down to tea with you you vile creature?" Amelia called saucily, a rush of adrenaline giving her the courage and the confidence she needed for this mission.

"Come out, you creature of the night, do not cower in the shadows," added Amelia with a haughty smirk.

The voice chuckled again, this time it was at a more determined location; behind her, and dangerously close to her ear. "You should be careful how you use your tone; You could end up sending a different signal..." He chided lightly.

Gasping at the sound of his voice in her ear, Amelia felt her heart race and a blush form in her cheeks from being frightened so easily. Whipping around, her arm raised, Amelia smirked as she said icily, "Unless you are not smart, how can you possibly mistake my intent kill you for some other signal? What signal could it possibly be? Lust? Love? Longing? Sympathy?" Amelia asked sarcastically.

"Please, do not kid yourself. There is no possible way I could feel anything but hate towards a vile creature like yourself. You murder needlessly, just for the sport of the hunt. You prey upon my people as if they meant nothing more than a good meal. To you, that may be, but to us they are family, friends, kin. For that, I will not let your deeds go unpunished and I shall slay you in the name of my fallen family," declared Amelia with confidence as she prepared to pull the trigger.

The whole time, a pale, almost handsome man stood there, watching her as she went on about how his kind were 'monsters'. He simply smirked a bit as he retreated into the corner's shadows, melding into the blackness as if it were camoflauge.

"You would think that we are bloodthirsty monsters that would ravage an entire village in days..." His voice began, again without a definite source. However, the fireplace began to appear dimmer as her surroundings began to darken around her, as if the shadows were starting to close in on her... "But that was only because there were a good number of us here, days ago..." As the shadows got closer to her, almost engulfing her, she could feel something sliding across her, almost like a serpent... rather, a number of serpents... "But I am the only one left, as you can see now... and I should tell you that I don't drink much, that often... Rather, I can rely on one good, healthy source..." As she was completely engulfed by the shadows, she could feel one of these serpent-like sensations brush her along her cheek.

Finally, the darkness faded away, and she found herself in what appeared to be a sort of ballroom. Across from her was the vampire Judes, who was now carefully caressing the blade of his sword. "But if you would rather not believe that... then I suppose I will have to defend myself... should I?"

"What makes you think a human would give themselves willingly to your appetite time and time again?" demanded Amelia. Taking out her sword, Amelia scowled at the being before her as she began pushing the thoughts of how they arrived in the ballroom from her mind.

"No human in their right mind would agree to such a thing. Now enough chatter. Prepare yourself, for this night you will die," Amelia called as she darted after him and lunged at him with her sword. "You have picked a very pretty death place, vampire, how thoughtful of you to consider your last memories for when you die," said Amelia icily as she swung her sword.

"Such a pity..." He shook his head and tsk'd. "You don't know the pleasures of being bitten by one such as I..."

He simply raised his sword to block hers as she swung at him, and then they were locked. "I thought this place would be fitting for a dance between two different roses..." He said with a smirk, and then, he pushed her away with his sword.

"Pleasure? I think not," spat Amelia as she planted her feet firmly and glared at him, "The only pleasure your kind can create is by dying; for your death is the only thing that brings us humans pleasure," added Amelia icily as she lunged at him once more, aiming for his arm to wound him and slow him down.

Once again, he locked swords with her. This time, he brought her sword-arm up with his as he closed in, grasping her free hand as if in a dance. He pressed his body against hers as he smirked. "Poor thing... Your family must have sheltered and propagated such an innocent flower..." And with that, he gave her a light peck on her forehead, before he pulled away from her, this time in preparation for a lunge towards her.

Amelia blushed from the feeling his lips had against her skin. No one had ever kissed her before, not even on the hand. The only men she had been around were her family, and they were not the affection sort of men.

Scowling, Amelia said icily as she darted towards him to meet his sword, "You shall pay for that! How dare you become forward and do such things! Do not hope to sway me with your actions. I will kill you one way or another."

"Hmph.." And with that, he made a stroke aimed for her chest; it should be able to cut her clothes, if not her skin.

Finally, he appeared right behind her, as he grabbed her from behind. "I'll show you how foreward I can be..." He whispered cunningly into her ear, as he gave it a gentle nip; still, it was enough so that she could feel his fangs...

Finally, he let her go, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Looking around her, Amelia realized she was all alone in the room. Keeping her sword out, Amelia frowned at the sight of her new dress.

Taking her hair out from their looped pigtails, Amelia used one ribbon to tie her hair up into a ponytail before placing the other beneath the hem of her dress's bodice to cover the small cut as well as to cover her breasts from being revealed to the vampire.

As she circled around in place once, Amelia frowned. She was lost. Deciding to take the door across the ballroom to her left, Amelia called out to the vampire, not thinking about the words he had spoken before he had nipped her ear, "Running so soon?"

Amelia was furious: Not only was she furious about his forwardness in kissing her forehead, but she was furious he dared place his fangs upon her skin. Just who did the vampire think he was? Just who did he think he was dealing with? Amelia was a VanHaggart, and she would not take his threats and vile actions sitting down.

"Why do not you come back and fight like a man?" Amelia called as she entered a corridor and turned right. "Or are you no longer able to behave like a man now that you are a sick creature who preys on the innocent and drinks them dry of their blood?" she added furiously as she stalked off down the hall in search of the vampire; throwing open doors left and right and searching the rooms.

"Ah, madam, I am wounded..."

With that, two doors across from each other opened. A harsh breeze when through them... but then by the time she found out, another part of her dress was cut.

"You simply have no idea how... pleasurable it could be... once you are chipped of that rusty armor of yours..." He chimed metaphorically.

Whipping around, Amelia's free hand went to her back and felt the long cut in the fabric across her waist.

Darting into the second door that opened, Amelia looked around for the vampire as she called out, "Vampire, the only pleasure I will have is the pleasure of having killed you myself: Now not only for what you have done to my people, but for what you have done to my dress as well!"

Looking around the room, Amelia held her sword out, ready to lunge at the slightest movement.

"Ah.. madamoiselle, can't you find pleasure in... other things...?" He asked soothingly, as once more he had his arms around her, though strangely enough, he was without his sword.

He pressed his lips against her neck as he took in her scent. "Come now... for one who is this lovely, you can't possibly make room for a little romance in your life...?" He asked, as he began to slowly undo the ribbon that tied her dress together to expose her chest...

Struggling out of his grasp, Amelia blushed a deep scarlet as she held her dress shut with one hand while the other slid her sword past the vampire's waist, cutting his shirt if nothing else.

"How can one who is alive romance with the dead?" Amelia spat as she planted her feet to lunge at him again. Doing her best to fasten the ribbon once more with her free hand as she added icily, "Just who do you think you are? Do you truly think, vampire, that I will fall prey to your charms and fall to your seduction? I think not. I am not accustomed to such attentions, so you will find you are wasting your time trying to seduce me."

"Now pick up your sword and fight!" she shouted as she lunged at him, stumbling slightly as she did so.

This time, he managed to as if miraculously catch her sword in nothing but his own nails, which almost looked like claws. "Come now... can't you see the flaw in your words... If you claim that you are not accustomed..." He paused, bringing her towards him with his free arm, pressing their bodies together. "...Then perhaps I can get you accustomed..." He looked into her eyes with a most tender gaze. While he had no power to hypnotize others, contrary to belief, he did have a 'thing' to him that could match up as well to that effect.

Her eyes not able to move from his, Amelia lost herself for a moment: She was lost in his gaze and words, his voice spinning webs around her. Feeling her sword start to slip from her hands, Amelia shook her head to clear her thoughts as she slowly snapped back to reality. Now scowling at the vampire before her, Amelia tightened her grip on her sword. "Never," she said icily before spitting at him and struggling to get out of his grasp, sword and all.

He scowled a bit as she spat at him, but he wiped his face, though he refused to let her go. Instead, he gently tickled at the edge of her palm that held the sword. "Why must women be so stubborn..? It would take a certain something to change her mind..."

"A certain something? And what would be this.. certain something?" Amelia asked with a scowl as she tried to keep her grip tight upon the hilt of the sword; her body still pushing against him as she tried to get out of his grasp though the effort was futile to say the least.

"I'll have you know I am not so easy to prey upon, vampire. You may say pretty things, but you do not even know my name. I was sent to kill you, you do not mean any of the things you say: You simply wish to delay me and keep me from killing you so that you may escape," continued Amelia icily.