When Steven returned from his feeding he looked almost completely normal. He had just slaughtered several hogs at a local pig farm and drained them dry. The whole ordeal had made him sick to his stomach but vampires can't risk losing too much blood so like it or not if he needed blood he had to drink it. Tonight's fill in particular had made him both refreshed and sick. He trudged upstairs to his room and collapsed on to his bed. He pulled the letter that Father Gardner had given him from his jacket pocket and opened it. Just like Steven he passed out shortly after touching it and his mind began to fill with the memories of his parents's past before he was born.

...

1802

Twenty-four year old Greg Universe took a deep breath as he prepared to start preforming in the street. He was desperate for money and the only work he could think to do other than preforming was to farm on a ranch. Farming didn't make him much at the time so he hoped performing would solve all of his money problems well at least some of them. He found a nice spot where there were plenty of people, washed his face, combed his hair, and put on the best suit he had.

He began playing the best song he knew unfortunately his music wasn't exactly beloved by the people hearing him. 

"Boo!" They cried. 

"Get out of here!" 

"Sit down!"

"You suck!"

"You SUUUUCK!"

"Hmmph! Everyone's a critic." Greg huffed.

He got down from his stand and went to see if he could think of a better song to play. Unknown to him his life was about to change this very night because not to far from where he was there was a group of vampires ready to attack. They were servants of the wretched vampire queen Jasper, blood thirsty creatures of the night who sprang from Jasper's own blood. They were all completely loyal to her and obeyed her every command. Well there was one vampire who differed from the others. A female called Rose.

Unlike the other vampires she did not spring from Jasper's blood but from the blood of a vampire a thousand times more powerful and dangerous than Jasper could ever be. The very first vampire ever created on earth. Count Dracula. After he had been defeated and staked by Abraham Van Hellsing and Johnathan Harker some of the dead count's blood remained in his corpse and it was collected. The blood was then mixed with dead human skin and a special gem stone which caused a small selection of vampires to be created. 

Rose was a very strong and powerful vampire. She was a master at hand to hand combat and could kill a person so fast that they wouldn't have time to scream. Who better to be the queen's second in command. Yes she and Jasper worked together and were quite close. Together they planned to remove humanity from the earth and populate it with their own fellow vampires. There was only one thing that stood in their way and that was the vampire slayers. For hundreds of years the two had been at constant war with each other much like the devils and the exorcists were. 

Tonight Rose would be leading a group to attack the humans gathering together for a celebration. Just the time to attack. But something was waiting for them in that square. Once the eight vampires began their attack they found themselves face to face with ten slayers carrying wooden stakes, cloves of garlic, holy water, and sun lanterns. 

"It's a trap!" One of them realized.

"Say good night you blood sucking bastards!" A slayer shouted as he turned on his sun lantern and began firing wooden stakes.  Four of them were instantly killed, two turned to ash from the sun lantern and two destroyed by being staked. 

"Fall back! Retreat!" Rose shouted.

She and the three remaining vampires attempted to flee but the slayers were determined not to let these monsters escaped. So they released garlic and holy water at them injuring them badly. A whole gallon full was poured on to Rose, she hissed in pain as it began to weaken her body. She fell from the roof top and crashed into a nearby corner. Using whatever strength she had left, she began to crawl away to somewhere that the slayers couldn't see her. She was grateful that they were too distracted helping the humans who had been attacked to notice her. Once she was somewhere she knew she couldn't be seen she began to call for the other vampires using a special shriek that only bats and vampires can hear. She told them that she was too hurt to move and that they needed to come back and help her because the sun was about to rise.  But they didn't come, to the contrary they ignored her cry and left her there to die. She couldn't believe this. Her own kind leaving her to be destroyed by sunlight especially after everything she had done for them.

"Are you okay?" She heard a voice ask.

She hissed as a human walked toward her.

"Hey take it easy! I'm not gonna hurt you!" He said. 

"What do you want?" She said.

"I just want to help you. You look hurt."

"Don't you know what I am? Go away! Leave me alone!" She cried. 

"Are you going to die?"

"I will, when the sun comes up." She sighed. "I cannot move and I don't have anything to cover myself with and I am in desperate need of blood. But that doesn't matter to you so leave me alone so that I may die with dignity."

Greg knew how dangerous and evil vampires could be. From what he knew from them they were these horrible blood sucking demons but this one, this one looked so scared and sad. He could tell by the fear in her eyes that she didn't want to die. Greg didn't see a wretched monster who deserved to be put out of their misery, he saw a scared young woman begging for her life. He might have been crazy but he took off his coat and covered her with it then he scooped up her body. 

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Saving you. You know you're not as heavy as you look."

"Why are you helping  me? I'm a vampire."

"I know but...Something tells me you're not as bad as you seem."

He took her back to his house and laid her down on a mattress in a basement with no windows or any openings that would allow sunlight to peek in.

"I still need blood." She said.

"How much?" He asked.

"One pint should do."

"I'll be right back." He went upstairs and down to the local blood bank where he asked them to draw a pint of his own blood. The whole time he was thinking he had probably gone insane but he didn't care. Two hours later he came back carrying a pint sized bottle of blood.  "Here you go."

"Is this yours?"

"Yep."

"You're actually offering me your blood?"

"Pretty much. Listen you just stay here and drink that up. I'd love to stay and chat but I've got somewhere to be, help yourself to anything in the fridge but please don't let the neighbors know you're here or I'll get kicked out."

"Why?"

"Don't ask now can I have my coat back?"

She handed it to him, he put his coat on, and went upstairs.

"Wait! Who are you?" She asked.

"My name's Greg! See you later!"

He left. When he was gone she opened the bottle and drank every last drop of blood from it. She soon felt stronger and the pain in her body was fading. She was relieved that Greghad saved her but she was greatly confused. Why would a human save her life? Last she checked humans were savages who would kill a vampire in an instant but Greg didn't kill her. He saved her life, he gave her his blood. It was such a strange, new, experience. She wanted to know more about this human and why he would save her.

When night came and she had healed her body she quickly changed into some new clothes. She wore a green bustle gown and hat along with some boots.

 She then went outside to search for Greg. She found him in that same square preforming again and being rudely dismissed by the crowd. She didn't know why they hated his performance. She thought his music and his singing was wonderful. She found it kind of unusual for a human to musically talented. According to Jasper humans were unintelligent and uncultured beings who couldn't possibly have any talent.

"I like your song." She said.

"Really? Then you'd be the first."

"I never thought humans could make music."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Then you must have been living under a rock forever because humans have been making music since the beginning of time."

"Incredible. I was told humans weren't smart enough to produce music."

"Who told you that bogus?"

"Jasper."

"Who's he?"

"She." Rose corrected. "She's my friend and the queen of all vampires."

"Vampires have a queen? I thought they were ruled by Dracula?"

"He's been dead for years, after he died Jasper took over and she created her own kingdom of vampires who were created from her blood."

"So is she like your mother?"

"No I didn't come from her blood, I came from Dracula's."

"So is he like your father?"

"No it's not like that. Vampires don't have parents, we're not born we're made. We're either humans who were bitten by vampires or we grow from the head vampire's blood."

"So you guys don't get married or have kids?"

"Why would have children? Vampires live forever and when we're created we're fully grown not weak, helpless, young lings. You humans only have children because you don't live forever right?"

"Well that's partially the reason."

"What other reason is there?"

"Most of the time humans have kids because they want to love and take care of one."

"Love?"

"You know what love is right?"

"I have heard of it, it is an emotion you humans feel. Most common is between a male and a female who wish to live together. Jasper says that this emotion is weak and that is one of the reasons humans are such worthless creatures."

"How can she think that? Love is the most powerful thing in the world or at least that's what I've read."

"You can read?" She said surprised.

"Of course I can read."

"But Jasper says all humans are illiterate."

"Boy do you need a lesson."

Though Rose knew she had to return to Jasper and receive her next assignment but Greg was such  a fascinating human and everything her told her was so interesting. She wanted to know more. So she stayed with him, during the day she slept in his basement and during the night she walk with him and talk with him about different things. He taught her about the world of humans and how a lot of them had accomplished great things. He taught her about doctors, school masters, actors, musicians, poets, writers, scholars, artists, it was all so new and amazing to her. 

"What's that?" She asked when they walked by a house.

 Inside the house was a couple who had just been blessed with their first child. A healthy baby girl. The mother picked up the baby and held it close while the father tickled her causing the child to laugh and coo.

"That's a family Rose." Greg said.

"Family?"

"Yeah it's when two people who love each other have a child."

"Love can create new life?"

"Well...Yeah in a way."

"They look so happy."

"That's because they love each other Rose and when you're with the person you love you're always happy."

"I wonder what that feels like." She said. "To love someone and be loved in return."

"I've been wondering the same thing for a long time."

It was at this moment Rose realized everything Jasper had told her and the others was wrong. Humans weren't stupid savages. They were intelligent and cultured, learning about them was such a great experience. But it wasn't just exploring the human world she enjoyed, she found herself feeling so content when he was with Greg. He treated her so differently from her fellow vampires, they always spoke so harshly and cruelly but Greg he always spoke to her so kindly and sweetly. And Greg cared about her, he always made sure to get her inside the dark before sunrise and he always found a way to provide blood if needed. He also wrote her poetry and songs, he took her dancing, and She was so swept up in her joyful times with Greg that she hadn't even realized that she had stayed with him for three years.

"I have to go back." She said.

"Why?" Greg asked.

"I've decided that I want to tell Jasper and the others that what they know about you humans is wrong. That there's so much more to you all."

"Will I ever see you again?"

"You will I don't when but you will. Thanks for everything Greg."

"Uh wait! I....I wanna give you something."

"What is it?"

"Well close your eyes."

"Okay."

She closed her eyes and wondered what he was going to give her. She soon got her answer when she felt a pair of lips touch hers. It was a kiss, Rose had never had a kiss before and it was the most incredible thing she had ever felt. 

"What was that?" She asked.

"It's called a kiss. You give it to someone you love."

"You love me?" She asked.

Greg blushed hard.

"Well yeah, you're smart and strong and pretty also I like your hair."

Rose blushed almost harder than he did. 

"Hey listen if you end up living longer than me you won't forget me right?" He asked her.

"Of course not. You're the most amazing person I've ever met and I promise I'll come back to see you as soon as I can."

"Wait I have another thing for you." He handed her a book. "Something to help you know more about us."

"Thank you."

She then changed into a bat and flew away.  The book he had given her was a bible and reading made her realize just how special and wonderful humans can be and how they suffered more than any other living creature. She also realized that God was not at all how Jasper had depicted him. Jasper said the reason why vampires exist is because God abandoned them when they were human but after reading every single verse in the bible (vampires are speed readers) She discovered that it couldn't be true because if God even loved Satan he would never abandon anyone. She had to tell Jasper this.

She flew to the far off, mysterious castle that was home to the vampire queen Jasper. There she sat on her thrown drinking from a goblet full of blood. She was a large, strong, and muscular being, hard to believe she was female. When she caught hold of Rose she dropped her goblet in shock.

"Rose?" She said. "Rose....You're....You're alive?"

"Indeed I am."

"That's...That's wonderful. I was told that you had been destroyed by sunlight."

"Well i wasn't no thanks to you or any of the other vampires." She said angrily. "I called for help but no one came, they all left me to die."

"I'm sorry Rose but you have to understand we can't ruin the mission just to help one injured vampire. Sometimes sacrifices must be made."

"I guess but what about loyalty and friendship? Last I checked we were best friends."

"We are but the good of our people always comes first. Anyway I'm so glad you're here because I need your help with something."

"What?"

"I finally found away to exterminate those humans."

"How?"

"With this."  She held up a glass vile of a strange purple liquid. 

"What is that?"

"It's a virus that will infect and kill every intelligent creature on earth. Once I break the glass they virus will spread to every where, there will be no cure. The only ones immune will be plants and animals."

"But Jasper that would infect us too."

"Don't worry I've planned for that as well." In her other hand she held a small statue of a bat. "This is the praying bat, it will ensure that vampires are the only intelligent life who survive this. Once all the humans and every other intelligent being is dead vampires will finally rule this world."

"Jasper I've been thinking and I don't think we should go through with this."

"What?"

"Look for these past three years I've learned something about these humans. They're not as worthless and savage as you think they are."

"How do you know?"

"I've been able to observe them closely."

"How close?"

"Close enough to know that they're not as bad as you say they are."

"Rose may I remind you that these humans are not only brainless neanderthals but they've killed hundreds of us!"

"And we've killed thousands of them!" She defended. "Jasper I know you think we suffer the most but you're wrong. It's them who have suffered, just read this."

She handed her the bible Greg gave her. Jasper hissed and threw it down.

"What the hell are you doing reading that?!" She screeched.

"Jasper this proves that God didn't abandon us, it proves that he loves us and I think that if we try hard enough he can forgive us for the terrible things we've done."

"We have done no wrong!"

"Yes we have! We've killed thousands of innocents thinking they were nothing more than cattle but they're not. These humans they're intelligent and cultured and sensitive. We can learn so much from them!"

"They'll never accept us! They'll only kill us!"

"Not if we show them that we want to make peace. "

"Peace? With humans? Humans no nothing of peace or compassion or feelings!"

"You're wrong! There are plenty who do!"

"How do you know?!"

"Because I come to love one!"

"You what?!"

"After I was left for dead a human saved my life. He sheltered me from the sun and gave me his own blood. He taught me about the human world and he treated me better than anyone here."

"You fool! Love is weakness!"

"No it's strength! I love him! And he loves me! And there's no way I'm gonna let you destroy him or any other human!"

She lunged for the praying bat in Jasper's hand. Jasper responded by punching her and knocking her to a wall.

"You traitor! How could you turn on your own kind?!"

"That's easy! I just learned that my own kind is much more horrible and revolting than the humans are!"

Rose pulled out a sword and shield, the two she vampires began to battle. Jasper was strong but she was no much for a vampire born from Dracula's blood. Rose easily over powered Jasper and took the praying bat from her.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this old friend." She said. "But I don't want to be apart of this anymore."

"Traitorous wretch! You'll pay for this! I swear it!"

"Good luck finding me and good luck finding this! Because I'm going to hide this somewhere you'll never find it!"

Rose then fled from Jasper's castle never to return again. She flew off somewhere and hid the idol somewhere she knew Jasper wouldn't think to look. After that she returned to Greg. She explained everything that had happened and asked him if she could stay with him. He agreed without a single word or thought of hesitation. Their time together was a happy one and both couldn't help but wonder how they ever could've lived without each other?

"Greg." She said one night as they sat together by a lake gazing up at the night sky.

"Yes?"

"Do you remember when you said love can create a new life?"

"Yeah."

"Well I want that. I want us to create a new life together. One we can nurture."

Greg froze for a moment.

"You mean....You wanna have a baby?"

"Yes. I see couples with one all the time and they look so happy. They have a kind of joy that I would give anything to have. But if you don't want one-"

"No! No! I do but are you sure you want one now?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Let's have a baby."

"Wonderful now how do we make one?" She asked.

"You don't know where babies come from?"

"No. Do you?"

"Oh boy this is embarrassing." He said blushing. "Well it's like this."

Five minutes later...

"You humans do that?" Rose asked surprised.

"Yep."

"How strange but I can do it."

"You sure you want to?"

"Yes, do you?"

"Um..." Greg was blushing all over. "Yeah..."

"Okay then let's do it."

So within time she became pregnant and for her she couldn't have been happier. The thought of being able to bring new life into the world made her completely overjoyed. But there was one downside. Vampires were not meant to produce offspirng so the females who come from blood don't have birth canals meaning if one was to become pregnant and choose to let it be born the labor would cause terrible body damage and blood loss. Their only chance to avoid this fate was to abort the child or drink human blood to make their body stronger. But Rose didn't want her child to be a full fledged vampire so during her pregnancy she stopped drinking human blood.

As time passed their child grew at an alarming rate but it was strong and healthy. Unfortunately the stronger the child grew the weaker Rose became.  Finally on a thundering, rainy, stormy night Rose went into labor. She laid on a mat crying and moaning in pain, her body was so weak and frail and she was suffering terrible blood loss.

"Ah! Ah!" She moaned. 

"Hold on Rose." Greg said clutching her hand. "Hold on!"

"The baby! You have to find someone to save the baby! Find a doctor please!"

"I'll be right back, just keep holding on."

Greg left their house and went to find help. It was such a terrible night, the thunder, lighting, wind, and rain made it nearly impossible for him to see. He was worried that he wouldn't be able to find anyone but he was also worried that even if he could find a doctor he wouldn't be able to pay him for helping Rose.

"Excuse me. Are you lost?" He heard a voice and he saw a light. It was a lantern being held by a man carrying a bag. 

"Who are you? And what are you doing out here?"

"I'm Father Gardner. I'm a minister and I'm out here because I'm looking for a girl who was abducted from my church about a year ago but what our you doing out here in this God forsaken weather?"

"Help! I need help!"

"Whoa! What's wrong?"

"Rose! She....She's bleeding! And the baby...It's....You have to help me find a hospital!"

"Take me to her."

"What?"

"I'm a doctor I can help. Now what's wrong?"

Greg took Father Gardner back to his house and explained everything on the way there.

"You impregnated a vampire? Are you mad?" Gardner asked.

"She's not like all of them! You have to believe me!"

"With all due respect as a minister I must purge the world of evil creatures like vampires!" Father Gardner pulled a cross and a wooden stake from his bag. 

"Wait! Just look at her! Please!" 

Father Gardner sighed but he put his tools up and went into the other room. He saw Rose lying on the mat clutching her stomach in pain with huge amounts of blood surrounding her body. She looked up at him with weak, tearful eyes.

"Are you the doctor?" she asked. "Please help my child."

"I am a doctor but the only way I can save your child is to perform a c-section but that will cause you to loose more blood and you'll die."

"I don't care, just please save my child."

"Rose no!" Greg said. "There must be another way. Drink my blood so you'll be strong enough."

"No Greg. I don't want Steven to be like me. To be forced to kill innocents to survive." She turned to minister. "Do whatever it takes to save our child."

Gardner couldn't believe this, a vampire determined to bring her child into the world and refusing to let it become a full vampire even if it means she could die. That was as believable as a devil serving God. (He would later learn that was possible too.)

"Alright sir get me some water and something to wrap the child in."  Gardner said. He opened his bag, pulled out a first aid kit he brought, and began to perform a c-section on Rose. With in two hours a strong and healthy infant had been produced. 

"It's a boy!" He announced.

"Is he okay?" Rose asked weakly.

"He's perfect." Gardner said. "See for yourself."

He held up the crying infant, Rose smiled softly. She had never seen anything so beautiful in all her life.

"Does he have a name?"

"Steven." Greg said. "We liked Steven."

"Nice name." 

Father Gardner took the child into the other room and began cleaning him. 

"He's perfect Greg." Rose sighed smiling. "Greg promise me something."

"What?"

"Steven is going to be a strong and powerful boy. Promise me that you'll make sure he uses his strength for good."

"I'm promise but Rose you need to rest now."

"Greg."

"Yeah."

"I'm so happy." She whispered with one last smile.

Her skin was losing color, her eyes closed, and her breath was slowing. 

"Rose? Rose? Are you okay?"

No anwser.

"Father! Come quick!" Greg called. 

The minister wrapped Steven in some blankets and placed him in a crib then rushed back to them.

"What's wrong with her?" Greg asked.

"She's lost too much blood." Gardner said. "I don't think she'll last much longer."

"No! No! Rose! You can't leave me!" Greg begged. "Please!"

She was fading fast. Father Gardner opened his bible and performed a salvation of the soul ritual to ensure that when Rose died she would go to heaven after death.  

"I'm sorry but she's gone." The minister sighed. 

"Oh God!" Greg sobbed bitterly. Father Gardner gripped his shoulder comfortingly while little Steven continued to cry as he knew his mother was gone.