"Aunt Kelly is a straight up B.I.T.C.H, Bitch!" A young Ciara collapsed onto the couch. Her dangling silver skull earrings waved back and forward.

"Watch your language," Sambuca warned. "Eleven year old girls don't talk like that."

She folded her arms across her chest. "Why can't I stay with you? I'm closer to you than that freaking sea hag."

"She is your mother's sister," he explained. "And the court gave her custody."

"This is bullsh..." She caught herself after Sambuca gave her a long stare. "I mean bullcrap. Why did mother have to die?"

Sambuca sat next to her on the couch. He didn't have the courage to tell her how her mother died or what her mother did. He wanted to stay true to Helen's wishes. "I missed her too. Y'all were the closest thing I have to a family."

Ciara rested her head on his shoulder. "You know Aunt Kelly hates you." She looked at him and pulled his goatee.

"She never liked me," Sambuca said.

"It's because you're black," Ciara explained. "She doesn't want your blackness to rub off on me."

"Deep down she's insecure."

"Up front she's a racist bitch!" Ciara was always a smart, witty person that loved to swear. Sambuca tried to curve the cursing, but that was becoming a losing battle.

"Language," he warned again. He quickly changed the subject. "Are you still doing your drills?" Referring to the series of exercises and fighting techniques that Sambuca had been teaching her for years.

"Of course," she replied. "It the only thing that keep me focus." She pulled back her long raven hair into a pony-tail, which exposed the freshly shaved sides of her head. Sambuca noticed, but wasn't going to say anything. "I did this," she pointed to her hair, "to piss off my aunt."

"Did she freak?"

"Yeah." She walked over to the door and picked up her backpack. "I guess it is time to go home, before she calls the police on me."

"I'll be here if you ever need to talk."

"I know." Despite the constant interference from the Aunt, Sambuca and Ciara always maintained some form of friendship.

###

At the age of fourteen, Ciara was going through the misunderstood emo look, wearing heavy eye make-up and black lipstick. She grew out her hair jet black hair way passed her shoulders and started to support bangs. She was pretty, but she was always a pretty girl, no matter how she looked. It wasn't just her look that changed, her relationship between Sambuca had changed as well.

She was going through her mother's belongings. She laughed at old pictures from her mother's high school yearbooks and other photos. She went through her mother's clothes. Aunt Kelly called the clothes vintage, which was just an excuse to charge more money for old stuff, if Ciara ever decided to sell them. They were the only things she had left from her mother. She continued to look through the old boxes, when she came across her mother's journal. She opened the book and there was a strange handwritten title on the first page, 'Tales of a Vampire Hunter.'

"What the hell?" Ciara was puzzled by the title. "A weird name for a journal." She started to read it. She thought it was a strange bend of real-life situations and an over imaginative fantasy. There were references to vampires, clans and embracing. The book also said that Sambuca was a vampire human hybrid. Many thoughts were running around in Ciara's head. Was this shit real?

She continued to read. She came across references to trips overseas, destroying purebreds and wanders. Facing supernatural creatures that only the most twisted mind could conjure up. The book talked about the birth of Ciara and how this fight against the undead was going to make a better life for her raven hair darling. Ciara came to the final entry and read about Lilith:

Her strength and power rivaled my friend, Sambuca. She kills without mercy, she shows no pity. I saw some of her victims with their heads ripped off their body, not cut, I mean literally ripped off. Which led to us to cover up the murders to prevent a city wide panic. Vampires are real and the world is not ready for the truth. We have been fighting this fight for decades and Sambuca has been fighting it even longer.

We have been investigating deaths and murder in the city for months. We followed leads hoping to catch a break, hoping that the Mistress would screw up and make a mistake. The city was only aware of ten dead victims, but the body count was a lot higher, around fifty, mostly junkies and prostitutes. The city didn't care about them.

We finally got on the trail that led to the murderous monster, Lilith. We tracked her down to an old abandoned house, just outside of city limits. When we opened the door, she was standing there, like she was waiting for us. I laid my eyes on Lilith and I was shocked. I never seen a woman so beautiful and so deadly. Her dark hair draped the olive skins of her flawless face. Her dark piercing eyes peered into my soul. Sambuca yelled, "Focus!" which I did. I emptied my mind and didn't fall under her spell. A discipline mind was an effective tool against the creatures of the night. Then, a dozen of drones came out of the back rooms and ran towards us. They were led by Jennifer, one of the Mistress's Optios. They were a joke. Sambuca and I slaughtered them like rats, but Lilith wasn't rat. She charged us. She kicked me back twenty feet, taking me out of the battle. She used her claws like blades as she and Sambuca exchanged blows. She fought like no other vampire we ever faced. She was a warrior, a fighter, a natural born killer.This creature, this Lilith, this beautiful being, this horrify exotic marvel must be destroy.

I was able to get back into the battle. Sambuca trained me well and that training wasn't going to waste. Sambuca and my blades rained on to her, but she blocked each blows with her claws. She tried to roundhouse kick me, but missed. That miss was my opportunity. I stabbed my katana deep into her side and she cried out. My blade pierced her ribs, but missing her heart. Sambuca punched her and sent her flying back into the stairway. Which wasn't the best plan. The house old and unstable. The force of Lilith hitting the stairways kind of knocked loose the main support beam and the house collapsed on us.

This night Lilith got away, but she was hurt. She bleed, just like the rest of us. She knew that Sambuca and I could take her down. Tomorrow night, we will enter her lair and kill the beast.

"What the fuck?" Ciara's eyes repeatedly scanned the final entry. "This can't be true." But the details, the history, could it be? Ciara came up with three possibilities and she counted them off in her head. One, this is true. Two, my mother was a closeted fantasy writer. Three, my mom was fucking nuts. Debating this by herself, wasn't going to get her the answers. There was only one person that could answer her questions, Sambuca.

It was two o'clock at night. She could wait until morning to talk to Sambuca, but she wanted answers now. She couldn't call him because her phone was confiscated. She only saw one way. She climbed out of her bedroom window and got on her bike and headed to Sambuca's house. As long she was back by morning, she should be okay. His house was about five miles away, but it was a ride she did a dozen times. Her hair blew in the light breeze on this slightly cold spring night. The cold air kissed her face as she raced through the streets of suburbia.

It took some time, but she finally arrived his house. His black Mustang was in the driveway, which was a fair indicator that he was home. She flew off the bike and ran towards front door and loudly banged on it with her fist.

"Open the door, Sambuca." She continued to bang until the door open slowly.

"What are you doing here? It is late." He stated the obvious. "Kelly is going to freak."

"Fuck that bitch." She stormed in through the door and faced Sambuca. "And don't give me any lectures about my fucking language." She poked her finger at his chest. "The only thing I want to hear from you is," she reached in her book bag and pulled out the journal. "What the hell is this?" Holding the book in his face. Sambuca's eyes widened when he noticed what Ciara was holding. "Is this real, fantasy or some delusional bullshit?"

Sambuca walked to the couch and sat down. "It isn't the latter two. The book, your mother's journal. It is all real, all of it."

Ciara dropped her book bag and covered her mouth. "Are you fucking kidding me? Vampires, monsters," she pointed a Sambuca, "and you," she dropped the journal and walked back from him. "What are you?"

He let out a deep sigh. "I'm your friend."

"Tell me everything," Ciara ordered. "Especially, how my mother really died?"

Sambuca confirmed everything in the journal and provided Ciara so much information about vampires that left her head spinning. He shared the correct way of stopping, disposing and killing the cursed creatures of the night. Then, he told her about how her mother was killed by Lilith. How Sambuca's sword pierce through Helen's heart and how his old friend died in his arms. The police did investigate the murder and even questioned Sambuca, but found that he had nothing to do with it. His charisma went a long way, one of several benefits of his darker side. Now, Helen's murder was a cold case that would never be solved, but Sambuca hoped that it would be revenged.

After hearing the story, tears ran down Ciara's face and smearing her make up. She used her hands to dry her tears and took a deep breath. She made one small request of Sambuca. "Take me to her grave."

Sambuca looked to the clock on the wall. "It's late."

"I don't care," Ciara cried. "I need to see her."

"So be it." He took his car's keys off the hook on the wall. "Let's go."

The drive was different. Normally, there would be chatter between the two, but an awkward silence filled the void. No talking, no loud breathing, the radio was even turned off. It was like riding in a tomb. The soft roaring of the engine murmured in the background.

When they arrived to the cemetery, the silence between the two continued. Ciara slammed the door and Sambuca followed. The cemetery was dark. There were no light posts or any artificial lights of any kind. They only had the stars and the light of a crescent Moon to guide them. It has been a while, since either of them been to the gravesite, both felt a sense of guilt for not visiting more. They passed several graves with massive headstones. Some were beautiful statues of angels others were ten feet tall pillars that reached into the night sky. At night, statues took on an unholy appearance, like something from a terrified child nightmare.

They finally arrived at Helen's grave. It was marked with a simple headstone with only her name, her date of birth and death. Ciara walked and kneed by the headstone. She careful pulled some weeds and brush off the dirt by the base. Her hands caressed rough textures of the stone. She traced over her mother's name. She felt the groves and indention of each letter, then ran her fingers over the dates. Her eyes teared up as she reflected on the memories. They were fond memories. Helen was a good mother.

Ciara closed her eyes, trying to recall the sound of her mother's voice. She remembered the soft volume and smoky tone when her mother spoke. The way her mother's voice cracked when she sang a goodnight lullaby.

Ciara remembered her mother soft kisses that were planted on her forehead before she went to school. She remembered holding her mother's hand when she help her crossed the street. She recalled her mother's laugh. It was funny. Her mother snorts.

Ciara missed her. She didn't know how much until this moment, but her sadden turned into rage. "Is Lilith alive?" She asked Sambuca, but she was still staring at the tombstone.

"She's in hiding." He kneeled down next to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "I haven't been able to find her."

"I swear," She placed her hand firmly on her mother's headstone. "I will revenge your death."

"What?" Sambuca questioned. "That is not what your mother or I wanted."

"Bullshit," she answered back. She stood up and faced him. "Why did you trained me to fight for all those years?"

He pointed his finger at her. "I trained you to learn discipline, to protect yourself and to fight. I didn't train you to kill."

"Then teach me." Her teeth clenched, only leaving her lips the form the words.

"I won't break that promise to your mother."

"Fuck that," Ciara snapped back. "My mother was killed by some prehistoric bitch. Lilith is still running around free. I'm going to find her and take her down, but I need your help. So, fucking train me!" She yelled so loud that the dead took notice.

"No," he answered back.

She shoved his chest. "Train me, Goddammit." She shoved again and repeated the request. "Train me, you son of a bitch!" She threw a punch and he blocked it.

"Good," he said referring to the punch. She threw another punch blocked it that as well. "Better." High spin kick, he ducked as the kick whistled by his head. "Don't hold back, come at me. Release your anger. Anger is a gift. It gives you strength."

She growled and rushed him. Big mistake on her part. He leg swept her and sent her flying to the ground.

"Your anger gives you strength," Sambuca repeated, "but you must remain focus."

She smashed her fists onto the ground. She discreetly grabbed a handful grass and pulled out a clump of dirt. She got back on her feet.

A smirk came to Sambuca's face. "I'm stronger and bigger then you. Any straight on attack would be suicide."

Ciara looked around quickly studied her environment. She saw several large tomb stones on her right. She had a plan. She ran towards him again. She flung the clump of dirt in his eyes. Blinded him for a short period of time, but that was all the time she needed. Instead of a straight attack, she jumped on the large tomb stone on the right, propelled herself towards her teacher and perform one of her favorite moves. The spinning high kick caught Sambuca by surprise and was stunned by the attack. She high kicked him in the face and then kneed him repeatedly in the stomach. He bend forward and she elbowed the back of his neck. He fell on all fours. She kicked him in the ribs and he fell onto his back. She straddled him and delivered several blows to his face. A loud slapping sound was heard when Sambuca caught Ciara's fist in his hand.

"That's enough," Sambuca said with a smile. He was still holding her fist. "You are an excellent fighter, now I will make you a killer." His eyes narrowed as he made the next request. "Now, get off of me, before a break all the bones in your hand." He let go of his hand and she got off her teacher.

"When do we start?" Ciara asked.

"We just did," he answered back. He rested his hands on her shoulders. "Repeat after me. The creatures of the night will not sleep, as another slayer joined our ranks. The fight will end when they are all dead. Or when the last slayer has fallen." Ciara repeated the words perfectly. From now on, she knew that her life would be different.