The World of Myth Magazine

When the sun kissed the edge of the world, and darkness draped me in shadows, I had to leave this fleshy shell to patrol. I moved into the ether and onwards. My companions and I were tasked with holding back vampires, warped wizards, witches, and demons. All those who had fallen from grace. For eons I thought I knew evil, then, there was you.

I had first noticed you in a nightclub, a dive, a pit, peopled with pain, self-hatred, and despair. You dispensed drinks and drugs with a smile. They couldn't pay. You didn't seem to care. Here you could garner many willing dinner dates, (dates you would dine on,) very much like a running buffet, as degradation swallowed them whole.

Taught to fight in both the physical and spiritual realms, I was strong, I feared nothing. Until I looked into your eyes and was caught. Heat filled my body, searing yet sweet. My clothes felt repulsive, pressed to my skin. I needed to feel your tongue lick away the sweat that dripped down my cheek.

As I reached out to touch your face, hands grasped me, carried me away from you. My anguished screams echoed in my ears. I fought and kicked and clawed to escape. A blow to the chin silenced me. My brethren had saved me, but for how long? You had my scent now.

How could I bring down this vampire if all I wanted was him to defile me? To feel his sharp teeth and nails piercing, drawing blood, as he forced the length of his muscled sleek body against mine? This did not bode well. I was our strongest fighter, but could I destroy him? He had been working hard and had become very well versed in the ancient arts. Hardly used at all now, most had no idea what havoc the ancient spells and potions could cause.

Our elders would have to search amongst the papers and books, in old chests and cupboards, to find the written wisdom of our ancestors.

We had no choice, time to retaliate in kind. Even if we could find a spell or incantation strong enough to best this creature, how would we use it? It seems this renegade vampire could glamour anyone into doing his bidding.

Out of nowhere I had an idea so simple, I could not believe it. I am a moderately young demon, so I still have an interest in the human's modern day life and wellbeing. I watch television. Listen to the radio. Which means adverbs. My idea was to deflect the vampire's gaze by wearing contact lenses!

All it needed was a thin sprinkle of silver dust held within the lenses and he would never know he had no control over me until it was too late. I checked this theory out with our alchemists. After huddling together for what seemed like eons, they agreed it was feasible. I asked them to make a pair, as quickly as they could. I didn't like the thought of this rogue entity on the loose.

I was astounded when two days later I was presented with a pair of contact lenses. I was assured these would deflect the Lamia's attempts to glamour me. The only way to test that claim out was to, well, test them.

That night I was prepped and primed by four lovely ladies of our chapter. Make-up slathered on, silky black dress, and "Eau de BPositive" liberally splashed about. Intel had our target lounging in the lounge of the popular night club "AllinVein"

We planned to re-enact the scene of my first encounter with the vamp,

This time with the advantage in our court. It was a simple plan, with few moving parts to go wrong. I would approach Zarbos. We'd found out that much about him, an ancient Persian name it seemed. I would flirt a little and if the contacts lenses worked I should be able to take the next step.

Although I would be frisked on the way in, the bouncers would be looking for concealed weapons, and things such as garlic, holy water etc. My weapon of destruction was a thick solid silver chain, currently being utilized as a strap for my evening bag. I planned to wrap it around Zarbos's neck, then get behind him. With my knee in his back, I should be able to subdue him. Silver burned and weakened vampires.

If the contacts failed and Zarbos took control of me, my backup would swoop in to take him out. That would mean a bigger, louder fight, but those were our choices.

I walked into the club as if I owned it, sashayed over to the target, and waited to see what the next few minutes would reveal. I had to think of him as the target to distance myself from the effects of his overweening masculinity. It didn't help that he was so very beautiful, and his eyes! He looked at me and drawled,

"This is a surprise; I didn't think you would be back. Come over here sweet thing,"

Wait, I was still in control. I could have walked away if I wanted. Time for the next step.

The signal that I was going to attack was when I took my handbag of my shoulder. It was over in seconds, he was on his knees, shaking with the pain, but refusing to scream. We got him out through the back door, into our van and screeched away at high speed.

Back at headquarters, Zarbos was sitting on a chair, bolted to the floor. He was wrapped in more silver chains, which must have hurt a lot.

What I found puzzling was he hadn't put up a fight. He was staring at me with a look on his face I couldn't interpret.

Finally, he spoke, with difficulty, due to the chains.

"It's Delphis isn't it? Look, you are making a huge mistake. Between you all you have ruined my mission."

"What mission?"

"I have been ruining business at AllinVein, giving away free drugs and drink, to get the attention of an ancient vampire, Elisabet. She has to be stopped. She has been drawing too much attention to our kind."

"Why would we care if that was the case? We have to patrol "your kind." If humans become more aware of you, that would make our job easier."

"Things have changed. Starting like a ripple in a pool, she has made new vampires, then left them to run amok. Their bloodlust is uncontrollable when they are first made. So many humans have been slaughtered needlessly."

"Are you trying to tell me you care about humans suddenly?"

"Yes, hard as that might be for you to believe. Many feel like I do, we are sick of the smell of death. We have existed for a very long time, but with the advent of synthetic blood, we can stop feeding on humans at last."

I wanted to believe him, but how could I? He saw my hesitation, and continued,

"Would you believe one of your own? Ask Fergus if you can trust me. Months ago, I found him, in an alley, surrounded by five Newlings.

He had barely seconds left of live. I killed them all. When I told him it was a warning to Elisabet that her time was over, he agreed to keep quiet and help me if he could."

When summoned, Fergus verified all that Zarbos had said. I asked him why he hadn't let us know immediately about Zarbos. His reply made sense.

"Even if you believed me, which I didn't think you would, word would get out about the plot, and Elisabet would have been warned."

This changed everything. We gathered together, trying to reach a decision. It was finally agreed that if an ancient vampire was going to meet her "Final Death," we could not get in the way. The knock-on effect alone would shake the vampiric world. Every vampire made by Elisabet in the thousands of years she had existed would implode when she was forced into the light of day and ceased to be.

Reluctantly I freed Zarbos, and watched, fascinated, as every wound and cut on his magnificent body healed and disappeared. He caught me looking at him, and between one breath and the next, I was in his arms.

Before my troop could attack him, I gestured for them to fall back. Looking into his eyes again, I saw no blood-lust, only desire. He lowered his head until his lips were almost touching mine.

"Thank you for trusting me. It's a great pity I can't show my appreciation, but we have an audience. I will go now and deal with Elisabet. If I may, I would like to see you again, we could discuss how we might work together. I feel we have a common goal."

All this said with a provocative, wicked smile on his very kissable lips.

Then, he was gone. I had forgotten how quickly vampires could move.

I knew I would see him again, and to my surprise, I hoped it would be very soon.

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