• It was a couple of hours before dusk. A young boy vampire who looked about 15 years old with purple eyes and hair as black as a pitch-black night lay under a giant apple tree that was surrounded by a pond of water eating an apple. Besides swimming the only way to get across was a small rock path across the water and a raft that could carry about 6 people. He wore a black t-shirt under a crimson red button-up shirt, black jeans, black shoes, and a silver necklace with a large bright blood red ruby. His name was Dante Kazahana and he was a vampire from the Raven vampire clan.
    He had always loved this part of the cave. It was the only part of the cave that had some plants that were edible from what he knew of. Only he and his 2 friends Zane and Shino knew where it was at. Every day after school Dante, Shino, and Zane would meet up here and enjoy the apples. Whenever there were lots of apples they would load buckets of apples and sell them in the town marketplace.
    Suddenly, he heard some flapping coming from deep in the cave. It started out faint, but came became louder and louder as it drew nearer. At the entrance of the apple part of the cave, the flapping stopped and turned into footsteps. From the entrance appeared a girl with short black hair and sea-green eyes. She wore a pair of faded blue jeans, red t-shirt, a small silver necklace with a small but sort of glowing single diamond necklace, and carried a large green backpack. She looked about 14 years old and seemed to shine with beauty; her name was Shino Yama and was also a Raven vampire.
    She hoped from rock to rock over to the apple tree. As soon as she got over to the island she walked over, picked an apple, and sat down next to Dante. “Hey, Shino,” said Dante, “Where is Zane?”
    “He isn’t coming today. Remember he wasn’t at school again today.” replied Shino as she took a bite of the apple.
    “What, again?” says Dante, “We hardly ever hang out together anymore.”
    “Cut him some slack. You know how sick he has been, Dante.” said Shino, staring at the pond of water a few feet from them. She was right of course. Zane was growing paler and paler and he often threw up his food. Because of his puking he would become more and more “thirsty” and had to be restrained when hunting because of fear that he would kill the human. He even sometimes attacked other vampires.
    There were 6 major rules for the Raven clan rules religion. #1: No Raven vampire must claim the life of a human or other vampire. #2: Raven vampires must only drink enough to control their thirst for blood. #3: Raven vampires are only allowed to kill another vampire it goes on a blood rampage, attempting to kill a human or vampire, self-defense, attempting to harm another vampire, or transforming a human into a vampire without the council or human’s consent. #4: Raven vampires are not allowed to converse with vampire slayers. #5: (this rule goes for all vampires) always keep out of the media. #6: when “hunting” always knock out the human first, quench your thirst, and take their wallets.
    The S.S stood for Slayers Society. They were a large group of demi-vampires that have sworn to kill all monsters. Upon joining they are injected with enough blood of a vampire to turn them into a half vampire. It is said that there are 10 squads with 10 captains that were masters of strange fighting styles. Nobody has ever been known to have defeated any of the captains in a battle, but then again the captains hardly ever had to fight with all the other demi-vampires.
    “Oh well. I guess you are right.” Said Dante, as he picked up a rock and skipped it across the pond. It skipped 5 times and then went underwater.
    For a moment Dante and Shino didn’t say a word and just starred at the ripples on the water. Shino quickly reached into her bag and pulled out 2 Dr. Peppers and offer one to Dante. He thanked her and drank the soda.
    “You know that nearly all the girls in school are going crazy over Zane’s condition.” Says Shino, with a smile, “They are saying that he is the hottest boy in high school, but I don’t agree.”
    “Really, who do you think is the hottest boy then?” asked Dante with a grin.
    “We had better back. It’s almost dusk.” Said Shino, with a big grin as she stood up and began to hop from rock to rock back towards the entrance.
    “Hey wait up!” shouted Dante has he followed after her.

    * * *

    Dante and Shino eventually made it back to the underground town of Raven. They arrived in the town square near the giant clock tower which always served as the marketplace. It was always crowded, but anyone who was still in school had to meet at the clock tower and had to leave for the hunt in small groups just in case something went wrong during a hunt.
    Dante and Shino was the first of the students in high school to get to the clock tower. After a period of time Dante grew restless and two of them walked into the small garden behind the clock tower. The garden had many kinds of flowers and roses. Shino’s favorite flower was the Wild Rose that grew near the center of the garden.
    In the center of the garden by the Wild Roses stood a stone pedestal that had old worn out writing carved into it. It was so old that water that sometimes dripped from the ceiling had made it impossible to read.
    “Damn I wish I could read what it says.” Said Dante, trying as hard as he could to make out but was hopeless.
    Shino laughed and said, “Do you ever pay attention in class? The teacher explained it yesterday in class. It talks about an old legend about the end of our clan. It talks about a chosen one with wings of a black winged angel who will battle another who has wings that have the stingers of a scorpion at each tip of the wings. The name of the legend is called LOVELESS. It is believed that the chosen one’s name would be Night Houyu and that he or she will avenge our clan. Know anyone with a last name Houyu?”
    “Nope. Why do they call it LOVELESS?” asked Dante.
    “I don’t really know why but it has something to do with some kind of old poem. All I know is that there were 5 acts to the poem, but the last of the acts was lost.” Replied Shino with a small smile.
    “Cool but I believe that is just a load of crap.” Said Dante and looked up at the clock tower, “Oh crap. Only a few minutes until the high school group leaves.”
    Quickly they ran out of the garden and to the front of the clock tower where the high school group. There, near the back of the group, was a boy who looked about 16 years old who had strange blue hair and brown eyes and looked ghostly pale. His name was Zane and was arguing with a lady teacher about something. Eventually, the teacher said something and walked off. “Hey Zane why was the teacher and you arguing?” asked Shino, concerned.
    “The teacher isn’t letting me go on the hunt because of my illness. I told her that the doctors said it was okay, but she said no.” said Zane with a disappointed face.
    “She must be crazy or something you look a whole lot…….better.” Said Dante, lying. He couldn’t help but feel sorry for him because Zane’s whole life was screwed up. Nobody even knew who his parents were. Zane was found on Dante’s next door neighbor’s door. The old couple raised him until he looked about 8 years old when they were killed by vampire slayers. Now with the mysterious sickness it made his life a whole lot worse.
    “I know you are lying, Dante.” said Zane with a sad face, “Well either way I haven’t even found out what my vampire wings look like so I would have to be flown. I would just be in the way. You guys should go on without me.”
    Zane had never revealed his wings before. Vampires only revealed there wings for the first time when they receive an emotional shock. Most of the vampires in the high school had already first revealed there wings, but Dante, Zane, and a few others had never ever revealed there wings before. Shino was once attacked by a newborn vampire that had just been blooded and killed it. The experience revealed her wings for the first time.
    “Are you sure,” asked Shino.
    “Hey, go ahead for the hunt. You two go have some fun, okay,” said Zane, faking a smile.
    “Okay Zane, we will go. See you in a few hours Zane,” said Dante as the clock tower bell rang. As Dante and Shino walked off Zane waved them goodbye, not noticing the devilish smirk that appeared on his face when they were a distance away.




    It didn’t take long to find a suitable meal. Dante and Shino found a quite chunky man in a bit too small Boy Scout’s outfit. Shino flew Dante about 30 feet above the man and waited for an opening to drop Dante on the man. They followed him for about 20 minutes until they got to his house. As he was trying to unlock the door he dropped his keys. Shino, not wanting to miss an opening, released Dante to the man.
    The man stood up and looks up just in time to see a boy with black hair and purple eyes do a spinning kick in midair. The heel of Dante’s foot connected the man’s cheek bones and was knocked out before he even hit the ground.
    Quickly Shino landed and grabbed one of the man’s arms with Dante and dragged the man into the alley way of the houses. Not wasting time Dante and Shino quenched there vampire thirst. Soon afterwards Shino said, “Hey Dante, since we had already through do you want to go see an abandoned church I found a few hunts ago?”
    “Sure, but we had better check in before we go so there isn’t a panic between the teachers.” Said Dante as he stood up and stretched his back.
    After dragging the man back to the position that he was knocked out and stole his wallet. The raven vampires stole the wallets and would burn them as tribute to the gods as forgiveness for drinking the blood for human. The more money burnt would mean that the more forgiveness. They left the man his credit cards and license. Surprisingly, the man only had $4 in his wallet.
    It only took them an hour to find and report in with the teachers. Afterwards, Shino flew for about 30 minutes to an old abandoned stone church on some cliffs high above the sea. The church was enormous and somehow had a certain shine to the place. “What is this place?” asked Dante, curiously.
    “It is called Forbidden Holy Ground. It is supposed to be one of the 10 Forbidden areas that were supposedly created by a goddess. I will explain more inside” Said Shino, walking to the beautiful church’s giant doors.
    As soon as he walked in he was dazzled by the beauty inside the church. There was a stone pedestal that sat on the stage and behind it was a stone statue of a girl whose eyes were shut and had long hair. In her hands was a giant broadsword looked like it was new, just like everything else inside the giant church.
    As Dante marveled the beauty of inside the church, Shino walked near the stone pedestal and motioned Dante to come closer. As Dante walked closer he asked, “Hey what’s up with the little girl?”
    “I already told you, Dante. She is the goddess that created the forbidden areas.” Replied Shino, with a smile on her face.
    “What is her name?” asked Dante.
    “Her name was Aura. She was the one who blessed the first vampires. However, when she created the first vampires her brother and husband Chaos saw what she was doing and transformed her creations. This caused the vampire’s to have to start hunting humans for blood or else they died. It also made them burn in the sunlight, burn from holy water, and basically not the holy image that the goddess believed. She then, in rage, sent him into the deepest, darkest regions of the underworld.”
    “How do you remember all this stuff?” asked Dante.
    “I read about it in a book about old legends and myths.” Replied Shino.
    “Bookworm…” said Dante with a big smile.
    Shino slapped his arm and said with a smile, “Shut up, wingless.”
    They stood there and laughed for a while. “Well we had better get back to the Raven cave,” Said Dante after recovering his breath.
    “Yes, we should, but wait a second. I have to give you something,” said Shino as she reached behind the stone pedestal for something and came out with a potted plant.
    “Isn’t it suppose to be guys who give girls flowers?” said Dante grinning.
    “Shut up!” laughed Shino as she handed him the plant.
    “What kind of plant is this Shino?” asked Dante.
    “It’s called a Honeysuckle. I found it while I was going on a hunt.” Replied Shino.
    “Cool thanks. Hey do you think I could leave it here? I really don’t wanna drop it when we are flying back.” Asked Dante.
    “Sure. Well let’s get out of here.” Said Shino as she started running out the door as Dante chased her out.


    It didn’t take long to get to the Raven cave. However there was definitely something wrong. The cave entrance was blocked, as if there was a rock slide, but there was evidence of some kind of an explosion. Quickly, Shino and Dante went to the spot where light during the day shone on the apple tree.
    Slowly and quietly, they walked back to town. As they got closer, they picked up the scent of vampire blood. When they came into view of the town, they gasped. The whole town was in flames and there was screaming coming from all over. Quietly the 2 of them got closer to the horrible site.
    In town vampires that weren’t from the Raven clan were attacking the Raven vampires by the hundreds along with S.S agents killing the Raven vampires.
    Dante watched in disgust as others died. He wanted to save them, but he wouldn’t be any help. There was nothing he could possible do to save them. He grabbed Shino, who was crying, by the hand and led her off to the way they came through.
    When they got back to the apple tree, they sat down. Just before Dante was going to sit down, he ran to the edge of the pond and puked. He washed his mouth and face out with the water and walked back over to Shino who was still crying. He hugged her and tried to comfort her as she began to cry on his shoulder.
    Dante couldn’t imagine what she must be going through. Her family without a doubt was dead. Dante, however, had never had a family. He had been an orphan his whole life. His parents were dead. His dad died from being attacked by evil vampires before he was born and his mom died giving birth. Shino, on the other hand, had a father, younger brother, and a pregnant mother.
    For nearly 15 minutes Shino cried on Dante’s shoulder before she spoke, “What are we going to do Dante? Where are we going to go?”
    “I...I don’t know. Maybe we should get out of here?” said Dante, scared of what may happen.
    “Where should we go? It is nearly dawn already,” replied Shino, still not lifting her head off his shoulder.
    After thing for a few minutes, Dante replied, “Hidden Holy Ground. We should stay there until dusk tomorrow and then head for the Desert Vampire clan. They are the closest allies and closest in distance from Raven.”
    Then Shino lifted her head off Dante’s shoulder and stared at him with her teary eyes. He then wiped her tears away, cupped his hands around her face, smiled, and looked her in the eyes and said, “Don’t worry. Everything is going to be just fine. Now let’s get out of here before we get chopped up by the vampires and S.S agents or burnt to a crisp by the sun. Got that?” She gave him a little smile, nodded, and summoned her wings.
    She flew the two of them back to Holy Ground as quickly as she could. The sky was quickly brightening as they entered the doors. They walked over and stood next to the stone pedestal. “It is just like the legend foretold. The Raven vampire clan has fallen,” said Shino, “and we may be the last of the Raven vampires.”
    “I doubt it. Lots of our clan could still be alive. Even if we were the last of our clan at least I have you Shino,” said Dante, staring at Shino.
    She seemed surprised by what he said, but then smiled and moved closer to Dante. Then he put his hand on her face again and kissed her. They kissed for about 20 second. Then all hell broke loose…
    Suddenly, the multi-colored glass windows above the door shattered into a million pieces. Dante got in front of Shino, protecting her from the sharp glass. Lots of the small pieces of glass stabbed him in the back, causing some blood to slide down his back. Ignoring the pain and blood, he turned to what caused the glass to shatter.
    Suddenly, what appeared to be a scorpion tail shoot at him from the wreckage? Dante then dived with Shino out of the way of the scorpion tail; the scorpion tail struck the stone pedestal and shattered it into pieces.
    The tail then returned to its host which was a vampire with long silver hair and green eyes and wings that had the tails of a scorpion on each tip. The man looked about the same age as Dante and had a smile on his face. Blood dripped from his wings; it was the blood of many different Raven vampires.
    Full of anger, Dante shouted, “Alright, I’ve had enough. Who the hell are you and why did you attack my clan?”
    The silver haired man just laughed and said, “Why, Dante? Do you not remember who I am? Look harder.”
    Shino then gasped and said, “No way? It-it can’t be…”
    Dante studied the man for a few seconds and then gasped, “Impossible! Is it really…”
    The silver man smiled even bigger and said, “Yes it is me.”
    “How could you do it…” said Shino.
    “What has happened to you…” said Dante.
    “…Zane” said Dante and Shino at the same time as their blood ran cold.
    “Actually, I have planed this day for quite some time.” Said Zane, “I was never actually “sick”. I began to have nightmares about the end of the world 2 months ago. At first I was scared, so I went to the doctors, but they told me that the dreams should soon end. However, the nightmares continued until I began to hear my “mother”. She told me that I was going to be the one to destroy the world. The only reason I was puking and turning pale was because my heart was darkening and my wings were growing into what they are now. Obviously, you can tell what I plan to do now.”
    Dante and Shino were shocked from what Zane just said. He was possibly the nicest and kindest person they knew and now he had become a true monster.
    Suddenly, he began to strike with his 6 scorpion tailed wings, causing Dante and Shino to dodge each strike as he laughed like a madman. They dodged for a little while, but after a long time began to tire out. Dante paused for a second to catch his breath and to wipe the sweat about to run into his eyes. A scorpion tail caught him off guard and struck at his face. Luckily, he caught it with his hands before it could strike him just an inch from his face.
    He knew he would eventually be struck with the sharp scorpion wings soon. Suddenly, Shino, trying to dodge a strike, tripped and fell onto the ground leaving her wide open. Seeing this Dante dove in front of her to protect her from as all the tails then struck at her.
    Suddenly, a shinning light shined and blocked the attacks. Zane began to scream as the light began to blind and burn him. Dante and Shino stood up and watched as Zane thrashed with his scorpion tail wings striking in all directions. Dante looked to see what was causing the shinning light. It was the statue of the goddess Aura that shone and burnt Zane.
    Dante then turned back to see Zane burn, but in front of him all of the sudden was Shino with her arms stretched out. She had a shocked and pained look on her face. Then he looked down to see one of the scorpion tailed wing tips sticking out of her stomach. “...No” was all Dante could say before the scorpion tail wing returned Zane, who turned and ran out of the church and flew off.
    Blood shot out of Shino’s wound quick as she began to collapse. Just before she hit the ground Dante caught her and sat her in his lap. She looked at him with a smile and said as he began to cry, “I guess he got me.”
    “Yeah I guess he did. Don’t worry you are going to…” started Dante.
    “Don’t lie. You know I am going to die. It’s okay.” Shino told him.
    Dante then began to cry harder as Shino’s warm blood began to soak his jeans more. “Why are you crying?” asked Shino, “Don’t cry, Dante. Boys don’t cry.”
    Those were the last words Shino said before she died. Dante continued to cry with Shino in his arms. Finally, Dante shouted, “SHINO” as loud as he could. Suddenly, he saw 2 giant black wings. He stared at them for a while until he realized that they were his wings… his vampire wings.
    “She is with me in Paradise, Dante. She is watching you.” Said a voice behind Dante. He turned around to see the goddess Aura statue glowing again. The voice had apparently come from the statue. “What is it you want to do?”
    “I-I-I want revenge” said Dante, wiping the tears from his eyes, “for everything Zane has done. I will kill him for killing my clan and for killing Shino.”
    “Are you sure? The road will be long and hard. You will suffer great sorrow,” Asked Aura. Dante nodded. “I suppose I have no other choice but to lend you my support. May you be able to defeat every foe and obstacle that should get in your way? Please accept this broadsword in my statue’s hands as your weapon on your quest.”
    Suddenly, the katana shot out of the statue’s hands and into Dante’s. The glowing from the statue then ceased. Staring at the giant broadsword in his hands he vowed, ““By the sacred Holy Ground which I stand on, by the blood that was shed last night, by the deep and eternal grief I feel, I swear; and by thee, the spirits that preside over me, to chase the demon that I once called my best friend Zane who caused this misery, until he or I are to die in mortal conflict. For this purpose I will preserve my life; to execute this dear revenge and I call to you, dead spirits of who was murdered last night, to give me strength and to aid me on my quest for revenge. Let me deliver the cursed and hellish torment and despair that now presides over me to that demon, that b*****d Zane.
    Dante then took off Shino’s silver necklace and put it around his neck and put her bag on his back. He then carried her body and laid it in front of the statue. Suddenly, there was a flash of light and Shino’s body and all the destruction in the church had disappeared. Instead of the statue of Aura, there stood a statue of Shino with her arms behind her back smiling. Dante then returned his wings back into his body, smiled, and then passed out in front of the statue.