• Mike wandered down the familiar wooded path. The dim moonlight lit the way as he walked. Mike's flourescent red eyes continued to flicker back and forth, looking for his nighttime companion. He was a bit later than usual, but Mike believed that she would still be nearby. Whenever Mike had come before, she was always there...

    Mike walked out into the familiar clearing, as still and quite as the dark sky glittering above him. He wandered and meandered his way over to that fateful rock upon which his lover had appeared to him that first destined day. He could remember it all so clearly in his head, that one night so many weeks ago.

    Of course, it was all for the survival of the vampires that he had been assigned this duty. She had been the first demon to wander the Earth in decades. Sure, every few dozen years or so, a new demon would find it's way out onto the crust...

    Mike let out a deep sigh as he saw her step forth from the trees. Even after so many times, Mike was still amazed by how beautiful Emenah was. Withe very step she took, Mike's heart fluttered with joy. She was back!

    "Oh, Emenah!" shouted Mike, as he raced across the clearing to the only other friend he had had in the last two months. After Jose and he had gotten into that dreadful fight, it was as if they had all forgotten about him. No one would ever greet him when they saw him, or even knod their heads in a small gesture of peace. No, no one would acknowledge his presence anymore, except Emenah...

    Mike slowed as he came closer, catching the demon in a powerful embrace. He slowly let go, feeling her warm body release him as well.

    "Oh Mike, what took you so long?" she asked.

    "I'm sorry dear. I had an assignment from the very top of the order; Mordred himself sent me out after that pesk of a wizard again. Sadly, his staff got the best of me." Mike pulled down his hood, revealing a large bump that protruded off his head.

    "Oh dear! Here, let me fix that." Emenah raised her hands to the peak of Mike's head. Laying down her palms over the wound, she closed her eyes, and with a flash of green light, the would was gone.

    "Oh, thanks! I-"

    "Mike, I'm sorry I have to tell you this; I won't be able to see you again for a few months. Even now, my father is searching for me. If he finds out about you... Well, let's just say I don't want to risk it."

    "There's not a chance, Emenah! I won't leave you just because your father disapproves. If it comes down to it, I'd even be willing to fight him for you."

    "No, Mike, you can't-" Emenah froze in the middle of her sentence. "He's found me," she murmured, as she collapsed into Mike's arms. As Mike shifted to hold Emenah up off the ground, he heard distant noises that rang out like blasts of thunder.

    Mike lowered Emenah softly to the ground, and listened as the noises came closer. Mike knew that he had two choices; he could run, or stand and fight. And he had made his decission that moment he had entered the glade, so many weeks ago.

    The demon broke through the line of trees, and Mike was stunned. Up til that moment, he had always seen things from the vampiric point of view. Now, he was starting to see things from Martin's point of view. For, out of the forest came at least a dozen other smaller demons.

    As the demons rapidly advanced on Mike, he reached down and grabbed the two Desert Eagles strung to his belt. With a roar of fury, Mike unleashed the stinging metal into his enemies. The Desert Eagle bullets tore into the demon's protective shells, causing cries of pain and anger to burst forth.

    "Stop! This one is mine for the taking," boomed the leading demon. He stepped forthe from the others, towering over them all. Black as the darkest night, his skin was covered in bumps undistinguishable from his actual skin. A long set of horns protruded from the monster's forehead, and claws came forth off his long fingers.

    As Mike stared at his adversary, he asked, "What has she done wrong? Doesn't a demon deserves as much of a right to love as a human or vampire?"

    "How dare you! Has she not told you? You have tainted her! Once a demon has become attached to someone, they will never let go. She will never be able to rejoin our race, not until the demons have wiped out your puny mortal races. Then, she may be released from her bonds."

    "If she has already been tainted, why not just leave her with me? she was happy here. Can't you just let her free?"

    "You ask too much of me, little vampire. She should never have left the core. I will take her back with me."

    "Over my dead body!" bellowed Mike. Quickly sighting in his Desert Eagle onto the demon, he took advantage of his one and only ally; surprise.

    Mike's Desert Eagles roared to life. With both guns firing into the demon's stomach, it let out a roar of rage. The Demon lowered it's head, charging forwards towards Mike. Using his vampiric reflexes, he dodged away from the Demon's charge, both pistols still tearing into silence of the glade. Then, his Desert Eagle in his right hand went dead. As Mike quickly reached down to grab another magazine off his belt, the demon noticed the absence of the weapon fire.

    The demon whirled around, whipping it's hard, scaly tale into Mike's chest, and sending him flying across the glade. Hitting the ground with a deafening thud, Mike glanced off the blow, his vampiricly overwhelming adrenaline surging through his veins like alcohol, numbing the pain. Mike stood up, and grabbed his Desert Eagles off the ground. Jamming new magazines into each pistol, Mike returned fire once more. As orange blood began to trickle down the demon's body, it raced across the clearing. Mike saw the attack coming, but this time, his vampiric instincts failed him.

    Caught in the demon's headbut, Mike was once again sent flying into the air. Straight up. Mike began to realize that the demon was just playing with him. Sure, Mike had inflicted a few wounds to it, but they were like paper cuts to the enormous giant. He realized that his only chance of avenging Emenah was to escape, and fight another day.

    At the highest point in Mike's flight, a flash of brilliant blue light erupted into the clearing. Blinded by the light, none of the demons saw Mike's landing. As the demons began to recover from the flash, Mike cleared his mind of all thoughts except one. As Mike lay in the flattened grass, he pictured Emenah, focusing only on her, like Jose had showed him so long ago. Mike's body began to turn transparent, as he kept his mind focused. Nothing else mattered except Emenah...

    As Emenah's father, the lead demon, looked around the clearing, he released a roar of rage at finding that his opponent had somehow escaped him.

    "Let me tell you this, pathetic vampire. I know you're out there somewhere, probably listening. If you ever touch my daughter again, I will tear you limb from limb. Puny vampire, enjoy these extra few days of life. For soon, the demons will come." With a few choice swears, the demon picked up Emenah, and trudged out of the clearing. The smaller demons followed in his wake.

    Finally losing concentration, Mike broke down into tears. He had not been able to hold off the demon; he had not been able to save Emenah; he had not even managed to uphold his pride.

    Yet, in the back of his mind gleamed a glimmer of hope. He might be able to rescue Emenah. of course, it would involve teaming up with his oldest enemy...