Chapter Text
Azazel had just come from a meeting with his father Satan and was very distressed about his own son’s recent activities of their land. He commanded that Vladimir be summoned immediately, and while in waiting, he paced the study with his wings stretched a little.
The kingdom down below wasn’t all fire and brimstone like all the stories said. There was a massive castle where the royal family resided behind a steel gate and a dark limestone perimeter.
Around the kingdom, there were multiple dark alleys with burning lanterns that never went out with a molten lava river running through different areas in a shape of a serpent. Satan kept his kingdom clean, but there was still a horrible side to it, if he decided to change the look.
At that moment, Azazel was in his demon form with his huge black wings that stood two metres in height and slightly swept the floor. He had two horns on each side of his face where the ears usually were that twisted out like a bull with two smaller ones on top of his forehead that stood straight up.
While most demons looked more human, Azazel was the next in line to the throne of Hell as his father was king, but he refused to be called prince. He commanded the mass army and always wore his battle regalia that covered his shoulders and both shins.
“You called, Father? Is everything alright?”
Azazel turned and saw his son enter the room that had only a large mahogany desk, which blended in with the natural feeling of the world around. To accompany the desk, there were many statues of past kings and royal members, dating back to who knows when, as Azazel had only known his father to be the king.
He had lost his mother many moons ago when she slipped up to the world of humans and was killed while walking the streets. On the desk, there was only a pile of parchments that needed signing, and an old ink well with an ink pen sticking out.
Vladimir was the exact image of his father, just a lot younger. He used his time training with the army that his father commanded, but he was starting to find that boring. Vladimir, or Vlad as he liked to be called, had the mindset of a typical teenage boy.
He just couldn’t stay interested in anything for too long. The only thing he did like was partying and sneaking into his grandfather’s supply of alcohol. That was strictly forbidden, but he was a rebel and liked to test the rules and limits of his grandfather’s patience.
Satan and Azazel had come up with a plan to find Vladimir some sort of motivation, but Azazel wasn’t sure if his son would take to it like he hoped. Azazel took a deep breath and looked at his son squarely in the eye.
“Yes, Boy, your grandfather is most displeased with what you have been doing down here as of late. He has a job in mind for you that will last until you get a message from him.”
Vladimir sat down on one of the high backed wooden chairs, slouching a little with his right arm resting atop of the cushion as he listened to his father while fiddling with his phone.
“Well, for me it’s actually kind of lonely down here. I have to make my own fun, since I am not allowed to do any of the good stuff. All I have is hearing tales of the army that you control, Father. I need to be able to have some kind of responsibility. All my friends have gone off to wars in the past, but you wouldn’t let me. I feel like I’m missing something.”
“Yes, I know that, Son. Please trust me when I say that I had the same problems when I was your age too. That’s why your grandfather and I have decided to give you a job that I did once too. This is your chance to prove yourself to him.”
“Just what kind of job has he got in mind? He is the King of Hell. Why didn’t he come to me instead of getting you doing it?”
Azazel sighed out of frustration and put his hand on his forehead for a short time as he sat behind the mahogany desk.
“You know that your grandfather is busy. I know that it can be lonely down here, as it was for me at your age too. Now listen carefully, as he will be watching you do your job from here. You are to go to the world above and walk amongst the humans! Your life down here will come to a temporary stop. You will not live as a demon….but a vampire.”
Vladimir was in shock and stared at his father as he sat up straighter and stopped fiddling with the phone.
“Vampire? They walk in the night only! How am I supposed to fit in?”
“You will wear this.”
Azazel held out a ring that had a silver band and was embedded with a black onyx gem in the shape of a rectangle sitting in the centre. The setting itself was engraved with small demons. Vladimir was confused, and he slowly accepted it from his father.
“What is this ring for, Father?”
“This is called a daylight ring, Son. You will have no trouble walking around during the day as long as you are wearing that.”
Vladimir slowly slipped it onto his right middle finger and took a deep breath. He couldn’t help but feel apprehensive over his new duty, and Azazel could see it in his son’s face.
“Now listen carefully, because there are rules that come with this. You must feed only on ONE human a day and to ALWAYS cover your tracks. That way you will not be found out, and you will meet a young lady, who will tempt you….BUT in no certain terms are you to feed on her. You accomplish this for as long as needed and not get into trouble, then you will able to return home.”
Azazel waved his hand over his son, and instantly Vladimir’s horns and wings were gone, and he looked stunned. Here stood a young man with sleek black hair, chocolate brown eyes, and he was wearing a black dress shirt and slacks. On his feet were shiny black dress shoes, and in his left ear was a small gold earring.
“Hey, wait a minute, Father! How am I supposed to do that? I know NOTHING about being a human or vampire!”
“You will learn as you go. You just need to be careful and follow the rules. Only your grandfather will decide when you’re able to return down here. Learn all you can Vladimir, and always be very mindful, as we will be watching.”
*******************
Azazel slowly walked his now changed son to the Forbidden Steps which led to the world above. He patted his son on the back in reassurance.
“These will take you to the world above. Learn as much as you can as you now have different powers. Be safe, Son, and heed my words. DO NOT forget the rules of this mission. You will hear from him soon enough.”
Slowly, Vladimir took the stairs one at a time with apprehension while his father watched him. Eventually, he found himself in the upstairs world. Vladimir took a look around as he was surrounded by trees, on what looked to be an ancient plantation of some kind.
Taking a deep breath, he remembered his father’s words, and the warning as well, and he tentatively walked towards the nearby lights of the neighbouring city.
Over the next couple of days, he tried to learn as much as possible, and the first thing he was able to do was finding an apartment. Vladimir had honed into his vampire skills and learned the power of compulsion, so that meant he was able to get what he wanted without having to pay for it.
One Saturday night, he was wandering through a local park just enjoying the serenity and the crisp clear air when he saw a large group of people in an all-out fight. The smell of blood was new, and he found that he just couldn’t resist it no matter how hard he tried.
The smell was too tempting, and Vlad found himself creeping closer and closer to where to brawl was playing out. Vlad licked his lips as he saw one man throw a right hook on another, and the temptation grew stronger.
“Father said only one a day. Just go for the neck. I can do this. I am feeling hungry.”
He whispered as slowly his eyes turned red and fangs came down. With lightning speed, he ran over and grabbed the first man within reach, and after feeding from his victim’s neck in pure bliss, he hid the body to never be found.
********************
Lily Gilbert was a beautiful twenty-seven year old with long, straight brown hair, which was often tied back off her neck. She had high cheek cheekbones that brought out her stunning brown eyes. Her skin was naturally pale, and sometimes she would wear the smallest amount of make-up.
She was just on her way to a night out with friends at a local bar when she accidentally brushed the arm of Vladimir, who was slowly walking away from the park and down a city street, which made him stop in his tracks.
“Oh, I’m so very sorry.”
He slightly smiled.
“It’s alright. No harm done.”
Vladimir was wanting to say more but found that he simply couldn’t get over just how beautiful she was, and he was suddenly lost for words. Here was this Aphrodite, who stood before him, and suddenly he was completely frozen.
Lily brushed her hair from her face and smiled back as the stranger’s eyes were piercing into hers, and she was getting a little nervous with him just standing there.
“Well, I best be off. Again, I am sorry for bumping into you.”
Vladimir stood on the pavement, watching her leave, and he noticed that she had a small bounce in her step.
“I know that I will see you again. I just know it. Something happened when she touched me”, Vladimir whispered as other pedestrians were forced to walk around him.
All of a sudden, the lights and sirens of a speeding police car came and went, and he decided to follow out of curiosity. It was not long before Vladimir came across an altercation that the police were trying to break apart, and with lightning speed, he was able to pick out a person, who was standing nearby and away from all the action.
Vladimir enjoyed his second meal of blood, but he also knew that he had to cover his tracks as he picked up his victim and swung the body over his shoulder and fled from sight before the police had realised that one man had gone missing from their count.
After feeding on his latest victim, Vladimir took the lifeless body back to the trees near the plantation and dug a deep hole in the ground in the shape of a small grave before dumping the body there.
“No one will find it for a very long time. I feel terrible for doing this, as I sure miss my old life with my father.”
Vladimir made sure that there would be no chance of anyone finding it by accident, and he levelled the ground as best he could before again walking back to the city deep in thought.
It wasn’t long before he arrived back in his apartment, and after turning the lights on, he sat down on the drabby couch and flicked the TV on for background noise as he pondered over his actions since he had arrived aboveground.
“I wish that I knew WHY Father and Grandfather had sent me up here. They have no idea about what I have to face being here, but I know that I can do this. I just never expected it to be this hard, as I smell fresh blood everywhere I go.”
The thoughts went swirling in Vladimir’s mind as he simply closed his eyes and stretched out on the couch while the online shopping channel presented items of no importance and just kept going on to fill the silence of the room.
Thank you for reading this. Please be kind and leave a kudo and comment below.
You are able to subscribe to this and to my profile so you don't
miss out on any updates or new work 😀