Blood Angel

[focusedheart]

Most never knew of the battles around them, of the dangers of those fights or the results of them. There was a time long ago when angels often came against vampires in a massive battle. Only a few survived. Those who did don't talk about it and the two enemies avoid one another as much as possible in order to avoid another war.

For one though, she was left in the middle stuck, unwanted by either side. Her name was Angelian. The only angel to become bitten by a vampire and survived. Her body has responded very differently than any other.

Her wings had turned to the color of blood with few black feathers. Her hair a deep red with blonde highlights. Her eyes black with a golden ring and of course the fangs.

It was those the marks that covered her wrists, neck and ankles. Marks that seemed alive as they would stir and move on her flesh.

Her angel side was still with her, forbidden to touch another, it causes her great pain to be touched. The worst times was when her vampire side came to the surface, the blood hunger. She had no choice but to feed, a process that is very painful and takes its toll on her.

Hiding and keeping her appearance normal around humans had been a learned task. It had taken centuries for her to figure it out but she had managed enough so that she could live among them but there was no hiding her marks except with long sleeves, pants and a choker necklace.

It was 2017 and she had made her way to the local bar that served all kinds of creatures. She had learned to mask her powers so as she walked inside, everyone knew she was something but never knew what. Her wings out of sight and a pair of jeans and a red long sleeve shirt clothed her with boots on her feet. Beneath the jacket she wore were two knives crisscrossed at her back.

Moving to the bar she sat down. The pain of being in such a place had numbed over 500 years ago but it still bothered her. She was never talkative and usually scared off anyone that tried to talk to her except the bar tender who put the usual before her as she sat down.

[gravitron]

Only a few minutes later, someone else entered and slid into the seat behind her. He had black hair and red eyes, was regular height and thin. He wore combat boots, jeans and a black T-shirt and didn't even try to hide the fact that he was a vampire. He appeared nineteen, but was probably much older. There were occasional glances in their direction, a bit surprised, a bit frightened. 
"This is a rare honor, Lucifer," said the bartender. "What might you be doing back here?"
"Not important. The usual, if you don't mind."

[focusedheart]

It had been easy to sense the stranger that had walked in and sat behind her. No not a stranger. She should know him shouldn't she? She pushed the thought aside and sipped on her drink.

With a grimace that was more from the marks at her neck and wrists then at the taste of the drink, she set it back down. Even after so long her angel side was constantly fighting her on things. No matter how simple it was.

The man's name. Yes he was familiar but from where. She wasn't sure of where. Her memory was good but had its holes.

[gravitron]

Lucifer was having similar thoughts, recognizing the girl beside him faintly, though with no idea from where. Best to be cautious. If he knew her, it might not be a good thing. It was possible that she didn't recognize him yet, and it might be better so. But he had to know who she was and if she recognized him.
"Hey there." He turned, the slightest hint of a smile on his face, and held out his hand to shake. "Lucifer Hastings. And who might you be?"

[focusedheart]

Her eyes flicker slightly as she looks to the man. She could feel the bartender eyeing her. The man knew she was never nice to anyone who tried to talk to her and never allowed for physical contact either so his gaze was a warning for her not to cause any trouble..

She was tempted to ignore the bartender's warning but doesn't as she nods to the stranger. "I'm Angelian."

Then her body tenses as she now had a good look at the male. Her eyes darkened and her hands clenched. "You."She growled under her breath.

[gravitron]

Angelian wasn't the only one being watched. Several people were muttering amongst themselves about Lucifer's rare courtesy.
When Angelian told him her name, a shock surged through his body. His hand dropped, his smile fell back into his old expression and he, very calmly, said, "Shit."
"Alright. You know me, I know you, that's clear enough. It's interesting to see you survived. I'm glad, too- I only try to turn people I like. It's a compliment."

[focusedheart]

The phrase if looks could kill was written all over her face. She was indeed very angry and wasn't being shy about it. "Yes I survived." She growled. He was glad?

Such an interesting way of showing such a thing. "You left me where you bit me at. I don't consider it a compliment." She growled again.

The bartender moves over to her a little and sets another drink in front of her. This one had something extra in it, it was a drink she used to have when she first started coming to the bar. It calmed her.

She glanced to the glass. No she wasn't ready to calm down just yet. What she really wanted to do was beat the crap out of the man in front of her.

Instead she moved to her feet suddenly and started for the door. Her fangs had dropped and her power was rolling off her in waves.

[gravitron]

"Yes, I left you there. You were an angel, I was a vampire. There's nowhere good I could have taken you. Besides, I had no idea what would happen to you- And still don't. For all I knew, you'd wake up and try to kill me."

[focusedheart]

She stopped short as his words reached her ears. That simmering anger only flared. Her hatred for the male only increasing. She could feel the eyes of everyone in the bar now on them. It had grown quiet except for the music still playing.

She had worked hard ,so hard to hide that she was an angel and he just blurts it to everyone in that room.

Turning she glared at him. "It was thousands of years ago. You easily could have done something in all that time."

She turns back around and heads out the door. Once outside, she took a deep breath. She needed to calm down.

[gravitron]

'How?' he thought furiously to himself. 'You were good at hiding. I had no idea where to find you!'
He sat again. "Bartender! Bring me something stronger. And don't test my patience, I'm in an unpleasant mood."

[focusedheart]

The bartender nodded and did as requested, setting in front of him a strong drink, one of the strongest he made.

She walked along the streets of the city quietly. Her anger was still simmering horribly and it was taking all her control to not go back in there and fight him.

There was more trouble in doing that though. So she kept walking.

The problem with her anger though, it distracted her. Kept her from realizing that she was being tracked. As she turned down an alley, she felt the thin fishing line tighten around her neck as her body was slammed against a wall.

She struggled to get free. Her vision was blurring as the fishing line cut into her neck and cut off her air.

[gravitron]

Lucifer took a big swig of his drink. 'Blasted girl has no appreciation,' he thought. 'She'll pay for this eventually.'
He took another swig, then stood. This stunned, nervous silence from everyone was getting on his nerves. He needed a walk. He walked out the door and in Angelian's direction without another word.

[focusedheart]

In the dark of the alley, she tried to reach around and claw at the one who held the fishing line. It only made her attacker tighten the line.

She fell to her knees as she started to black from the loss of oxygen. She bares her fangs.

"Die already half breed. You shouldn't even still exist." The voice growled in her ear.

A vampire who hated her. What a surprise. She had been foolish to let them get this close to her.

[gravitron]

Lucifer saw them in the distance, rushed forward and punched the attacker, who fell back.
"Maybe you should show a bit more appreciation now. Who is this?" he asked, stepping on his throat.

[focusedheart]

She collapsed on the ground, her breathing ragged and barely coming in. She pulled the fishing line from her throat. It was soaked in her blood.

She glared towards him slightly but didn't dare try to speak until her neck had healed. There was a good gash in it now.

Sitting up carefully as she still tried to catch her breath. The wound was healing slowly, she hadn't festival in months. She tried to avoid it because she blacked out after feeding because of her angel side.

After a moment she managed to get a few words out. "Vampire who hates angels." She winces.

[gravitron]

He crushed the attacker's windpipe a little further, beginning to make him black out.
"So you are still an angel. What did my bite do? I'm curious, are you a hybrid now, or did my bite do nothing at all, or....?"

[focusedheart]

She grimaces a little but carefully moved so her wings could be exposed. No longer white but black with red. Her eyes flicker slightly.

"I'm still angel but also vampire. Your bite only kept the war going inside me." She motions to her marks which were moving on her skin. "I can't be touched without pain, I can't feed without blacking out." She shakes her head a bit. "Your bite cursed me."

[gravitron]

"It was meant to be a gift. I considered you worthy to be the first to receive it. I assumed you would simply become twice as powerful as before, able to harness the abilities of angel and demon alike. You'd be unstoppable. I promise you, I meant well. To be fair, I find that you still look rather good. Like I said, I would only turn those I like. I had seen you before, and believed you deserved the power. My bite.... Did it do any good? Did it achieve anything?"

[focusedheart]

She looks to him carefully. He truly had wanted good from this. "I am faster and stronger than before but with my sides fighting each other constantly ,it's been hard to figure out what else I can do."

With a sigh she adds. "Being the first angel to survive a vampire bite I was cast out by my own and hunted by yours. I had no one to turn to for guidance and even if I had, in all the history of the world no angel had survived a vampire bite before."

She shakes her head and moves to stand up. Grimacing. She needed to feed but the task she hated most about all of this. The pain of it and then the blacking out right after.

[gravitron]

"Don't fight the combination. Try accepting it. Try making the two sides work together." He crushed the attacker's throat completely, releasing a stream of blood, then looked up at her, concerned. "You need to feed. I can tell. Fighting the vampiric hunger will get you nowhere. What is it about feeding that's problematic, exactly? Is it merely the taint of blood reaching your angelic side?"

[focusedheart]

She shakes her head a it, her eyes focused on the blood pooling on the ground from the dead vampire. "It is possible but I'm not sure. It could simply be the act of feeding itself because I must have physical contact to feed. I can't touch without pain."

[gravitron]

"Let's hope that's the case. If so, it's an easy issue to bypass. The only restriction is that we must feed. Some hunt animals, preferring that over harming humanity. Yet I doubt that would help you. More useful: Many of us feed from hospitals' blood bags. Not as good as fresh blood, but it will do. Do you think that would be worth a try?"

[focusedheart]

"Never tried bagged blood...it may work..." she admits. Carefully moving to her feet as she looks around a little then back to him.

She still felt exhausted, still didn't trust him but she didn't want to kill him right away anymore at least.

[gravitron]

"Well, you need blood, and quick. I think the nearest hospital is over that way, but I don't really do bags. Fresh is always best as it is. You ready to go?"

[focusedheart]

She nods at his words. As much as she was going to hate feeding, he was right. Her neck had healed up but it had taken a lot of her energy to do it.

Moving carefully as she walked with him towards the hospital. She had hidden her wings away again so she looked human once more. Didn't want to scare the humans off or draw in anymore angry vampires.

She glances towards him a little as they walked. How can she ever forgive him for what he did to her. His bite had taken everything from her and left her complete alone for thousands of years. Hated by both sides for being alive when she should have died. Can she forgive him? He seemed to care but could she trust him?

[gravitron]

"Let's just hope we don't bump into anyone I know.... True, there are very few supernatural beings who don't know me, but most will keep away due to fear. I have a reputation. I do have a few friends, though.... Colleagues. Equals. Mainly vampires, like me. We see them, that means trouble. But leave it to me. Say as little as possible. I should be able to drive them off. Not likely, but you can't be too cautious, especially after the scene we made....
"Shit. The scene we made. Everyone's sure to get wind of that. We really can't be seen. Twenty-four hours, I'd say, before any sightings of us together will mark me as a traitor conspiring with a half-angel. Doubt I'll be able to convince them that my bite makes you half one of us, but.... Luckily, I have safehouses. You want help, you can stay with me. I know more about being a vampire than you; I can help you adjust."

[focusedheart]

She nods slightly at his words. Realizing that he was right. There really was little choice in the matter. She had waited thousands of years for someone to want to help her. Grant she hadn't expected that when she did find help it would be from the man who had turned her.

"Alright...I'll go with you." Angry vampires she could handle. She had dealt with them before. Same with angels. The aggression that came from both sides had been continuous in the last several hundred years, why ever would she expect things to change.

[gravitron]

"Good. You may choose not to trust me, it is certainly your right, but I do want the best for you. May things be better someday. With time, I may be able to convince them that a half-vampire is still part vampire. I am very respectable among my people. In fact, you may be the key to complete peace between our two races.... The bridge between vampire and angel. I hope one day we may grow closer and learn to tolerate one another, perhaps even to work as a team, as close friends...." He let it hang for a moment. "By which, of course, I mean our races." The way he said it, it was clear he didn't mean their races. Or at least not only their races.
"Here we are." he said before she could speak up. "The hospital. I could sneak in the back, grab a few unnoticed..... Or, if you want, and can sneak around a bit, we can go together."

[focusedheart]

She stares at him a moment. His words had surprised her. It wasn't what she expected.

The idea of going into the hospital, wasn't a good idea in her state. She could feel the hunger was close to the surface. She shakes her head a bit. "I don't think it wise for me to go in there." She says honestly.

[gravitron]

"No problem. Probably better as it is. Been a while since you've fed. Well, I'll be right back."
And indeed he was. In what seemed like an instant, he had returned with a backpack full of blood bags. One, which he held in his hands, he tossed over to her. "This should last a while. Better to prepare in advance; No telling what the future has in store for us."