Chapter One

There was a war going on.

It started the way these things always start, over territory. The gangs were always battling over feeding grounds, and tonight was no different. Only tonight things got worse.

First, it was only between the vampires of the ghetto, who held that ground first, and the ‘punks’, who were slowly taking over. If it had only been them, it wouldn’t have been anything worth taking notice of. But then, the ‘dandies’ arrived. They were the oldest, most organized, and the deadliest. They were efficient, cool, collected and also, so dignified and graceful you almost didn’t mind the bite. They were there that night because they felt it was time to eradicate those they felt were inferior.

I watched from a rooftop. For the most part, my interest was only in population control. There were too many to stop the killing of humans, not that there were many there, and who was I to interfere anyhow? But under no circumstances was I to allow a new vampire to be born.

All was going fine for me until the Hunters arrived.

I will admit, a part of me was pleased to see them; the more vampires destroyed the better. However, I also knew they were in over their heads. As able as they were, they were still novices. The only one who possibly stood a chance was Anthony, and even that was somewhat farfetched. I knew exactly why they were here.

Romulus.

He was the one that turned Anthony. He was the one who caused Anthony’s torment. It was in pursuit of Romulus that they captured him. And once Anthony was taken, the others were easily overcome.

Despite my lack of enthusiasm for rescuing them, despite my personal reasons for wanting to follow the dandies, despite my position of neutrality, and despite my better judgement, I went after them.

To my total lack of surprise, they were taken to The Cave. Each was being held in separate confinement. Naturally, I went for Anthony first. I found him in the deepest part of the lair, where there was only one way in or out. Lucky for me, I could easily move undetected. His hands and feet were cuffed, and bound with a chain to a thick column. Two guards stood sentinel, and I almost laughed at how simple it was.

I walked straight up to them. “How do you do boys?” They were quite shocked and rather caught off guard. The first one came after me in a lunge, but I sprayed him with a strategically filled water pistol I carried. “Here kitty.” He howled in sheer agony, falling the floor, crying out “Oh god, it burns and it freezes. Make it stop!”

I pointed the water pistol at the other one and waited. Clearly being the wiser of the two, he fled. “Take him with thee!” I commanded. Without thinking, he turned around, came back for his companion, and they left together.

“I never could stand the way they cry when I do that.”


Anthony looked at me, but did not move, or show emotion. He simply said, “Hello Elanor.”

I smiled at him, crossing my arms and leaning against the wall. “Happy to see me?”

“I’d be happier if you put that away.” I obliged and placed the pistol back into my coat pocket. “What’s in that thing anyhow? Holy Water? I thought that was a myth.”

“Of a sort.” I answered curtly. “Only worse. Think of it like ‘concentrated holy water.’” I walked over to him with the intention of setting him free, but stopped once I was directly in front of him. “Actually... I rather like thee like this.”

“Cut the crap and set me free. The others are still in danger.”

I laughed, and I saw that he smiled as well, something he seldom did.


Once the bonds were broken, we both set off for the others. It was mostly an uneventful endeavor, and we were quickly out of there, once again, finding ourselves on that fateful street.

It was clear by now. All that was left were corpses and rats. Patrick ran over to one of the bodies. Kid Ugly, his informant, lay flat on his back, pale and cold. He had put his life on the line for them, and he had lost it tonight.

“He knew the risk.” Lee said.


“It is important we clear the bodies quickly.” A voice said behind me. The others of my kind were arriving, led by Ross, who had been the one to speak.

I nodded and joined them, “Go, take your friend if you wish. Your car is over there, I doubt it’s been damaged.”

“Our weapons...” began Lee, but before he was finished, Celeb and Faun stepped forward with their guns, and Anna came forward baring Lee’s sword, in a manner reminiscent of Guinevere and Lancelot. Lee was, in fact, so moved by her grace he even bowed slightly as he took it from her.

“She’s right, let’s get back.” Patrick said softly. Anthony lingered for a moment, his eyes locked in a stare with mine, then turned, and left with the others.


I was left with my own, and we promptly made good work of disposing the bodies of the victims.


Usually they leave their victims to rot and be discovered in the street. The police, many of whom are the ones I chased after into The Cave, report the dead as victims of muggings, rapes, gang cross-fires, and other random acts of violence. People don’t question, they just avoid the streets at night, maybe vote for someone who says they can stop it, throw more money at the police department. Why should people question? Humans do enough to themselves as it is.

So it’s up to the Hunters, silly humans who think they can outmatch immortals, the few rogue vampires, usually ones turned against their will, the few werewolves and such that care enough to fight ... and us.

We are the First Born. Created before men, before vampires, before werewolves, before anything but birds and beasts long since evolved and extinct. We are strong, agile, swift, tall, lovely, and most importantly immortal. We are impervious to disease, discomfort, pain, aging and even forgetting. We can be killed, but not easily, we can die, but only when we desire no longer to live. We have been called many names: fairies, nymphs, sidhe, gods and goddesses, sorcerers and sorceresses, wizards, witches, angels, even devils. But my personal favorite word to use in English is elf.

We’ve lived silently, secretly among humans for thousands of years. We used to walk openly among humans, revered as gods and angels. But when our numbers began to dwindle, and the vampires began to reproduce, we had to force our entire worlds into the shadows. Humans were never to know for sure that immortals existed.

And so the war began. We were not to interfere openly. We’re not superheroes, we don’t drop down on serial killers and save damsels in distress. As I mentioned before, our concern is population control. We let the vampires take some, but we keep them from making new ones. We may stop a genocide, but we may also destroy an empire. Everything is about balance.

After a time, we become very good at disposing of bodies. I felt bad for all the ones that would have to simply go missing. I would remember every name, every face. My mind would be their grave; it would last longer than any tombstone. Most of them looked like they probably had no family to buy a grave for them anyhow. One didn’t come to this part of town if one had something to live for.

When all was done, I left hastily. The others didn’t ask any questions, letting me leave without so much as a glance, except from Anna, who’s soft eyes said in a swift glance “be safe, visit me soon.”

I was back with the Hunters in moments.

“Elanor!” Patrick exclaimed when I suddenly appeared in the doorway of his makeshift office.

“Sorry. Did I startle thee?” I said without sincerity. Patrick put his pen down, stood up and came up to me. He wanted to hug me, but he hesitated, just standing there, clenching and unclenching his fists a little.
“Thank you. For what you did...”

But I cut him off. “Don’t mention it. It’s what I do.”

He nodded. “Still...”

I stroked his cheek with the back of my hand, both tenderly, but a bit patronizingly.


He snapped out of his daze suddenly. “So... what brings you here?” He spoke while walking back to the table. He made a face, when he thought I couldn’t see, that showed he felt these words ineloquent. I smiled sheepishly; it happens all the time for an elf.

“I’m here for information primarily. I want to know where to find him.”

I didn’t need to specify. Patrick sat on the table, letting his feet dangle. So sweet.

“Do you think Anthony would sit around if we knew anything?” He replied shrugging.

“Is he still moping around like a teenager?” I scowled.

Patrick nodded his head towards his left. I walked further into the room to see into the adjoining one. Anthony was sitting on the couch, watching TV, his legs curled up to his chest, sucking childishly from a medical bag filled with donor blood. I wrinkled my nose.

“I really wish he wouldn’t do that in public. It’s so... pathotic.”

Patrick breathed a laugh. “Pathotic’s not a word.”

“Well, I can’t say the word pathetic ... it has a different connotation these days. What word can I use to translate ‘pathétique’?”

“How ‘bout ‘emo’?”

“Ugh. Such an overused word. I’ll stick to my French I suppose. Though, I should be able to make up a new word if you can.” I added sarcastically.

“What was you’re other purpose for coming? You insinuated there was one.”

“Yes, of course.” I pulled out an ornamental vial from my pocket filled with crystal water.

“What’s this? Some ancient elven magic elixir?” He half joked.

I smiled. “Something like that. Elven holy water of a sort. An infusion of the light of our sacred star. It’ll work the same way you’d expect holy water to.”

“Do ... you need the vial back? Is it come sort of relic?”

I laughed. “I got it from the hobby store. It’s just a trinket.” Patrick laughed in response. “It just seemed more appropriate than a water bottle.”

“Well I appreciate it.”

“Use it wisely.” I leaned in, clasped my hand around the one he held the vial with, and kissed his forehead. “Be safe.”

He nodded, and I left.


I thought of going back to the street, to see if I could pick up a scent and follow it to Romulus. But the sky was starting to lighten, and dawn would come quickly. André was sleeping alone in our bed, and I desired to be there when he woke.