I remember walking out of the compound the first day of my leave. I held my pack over my shoulder looking up to the sky, and taking a deep breath. The air seemed fresher, cleaner than I had known on the compound. I almost felt free, almost. Walking the streets of Rome as a soldier on leave is an interesting prospect. The legions of Rome were required to wear, even when on leave, a certain tunic. It identified you as a soldier and you were to be accorded all the respect and authority it afforded. Much like your policemen today and their badges.
Citizens of course, treated a soldier off duty far different than one on duty. The off duty soldier was bought drinks, he was clapped on the back, women and men offered themselves for their pleasure. It was as if we were celebrated artists. I was too anxious to return home to be distracted by these.
I continued home taking a less public route, one where these distractions would not delay me. My thoughts raced as I grew closer and closer. I wondered how much Cassius had grown, or how Marcus would have the house. Would there be a celebration or just a private feast. And of course was Karine still there and would we still�be as we were when I left.
When I was finally within sight, I could no longer hold my enthusiasm back. I ran towards the house with all abandon. Before I could reach the door, Cassius ran out and tackled me while Marcus and Karine stood in the door and watched us. When Cassius finally let me up, Marcus and Karine were already near to embrace me and welcome me home.
That night we sat and feasted, our little family. It was a grand feast and I believe I ate more that night than I had the whole year.
"So Claudius, tell us of your travels. I cannot wait to join and see the world!" Cassius said clapping me on the shoulder. I smiled at him and told them of the pass and the Goths. The entire time however I could only think of the shadowy thing in the night.
Oh yes, my dreams were still haunted by her.
We talked for hours over the table, Cassius and I. Marcus was more content to watch and join in sparsely, Karine seemed to be uncomfortable, and every once I would catch her glancing at me strangely. Cassius would ask about the battles, or my men, I would answer of course, but Karine's glances were beginning to worry me.
The dinner ended late with Marcus retiring first. Cassius had drunk so much wine that soon after Marcus excused himself he passed out. Karine helped me get him to bed and then it was just the two of us. The uncomfortable silence continued as we made our way back downstairs.
Before I continue, I do not believe I was in love with Karine. I wish that to be clear. However she was the first woman I had ever been with so perhaps some infatuation was the case. I was hurt by her silence and her uncomfortable glances. This woman had seen me in darker hours, so I did not understand this since to me it was a time of joy. We sat across from each other in the living quarters, and while she did steal glances at me from time to time, she kept her eyes from mine. Finally I could no longer stand the idle chatter we were making.
"What is the problem, Karine? Since I have been home you have spoken all of two meaningful words to me. I�I don't understand."
Karine sighed and looked to see if anyone was watching or listening. She leaned in.
"It's nothing," she said her hands in her lap, her head looking down. I leaned in as well and tried to take her chin in my hand, but she jerked away. I took my hand away and sat back, folding my arms and when I finally looked back at her, Karine was gone. In her place was someone�different. She too was blonde but far slighter than Karine. Her eyes were a striking blue, like that of the ocean. In her hands she held a spider's web and she was manipulating it between her fingers and all the while she looked at me, through me. I blinked again and Karine had reappeared.
"We can't be what we were," she said. I shook my head still not recovered from that strange vision.
"What?"
"Claudius, I can't do it, I just can't," she said.
"We can't be what we were? I don't understand, I thought you had missed me. I thought," I said and she stood.
"What that I hadn't been with a man since you left? Or a woman for that matter?"
I stood and blinked back my tears. I do not believe it was my heart that was broken, although there was some ache in my chest. I believe it was more my ego.
"No�I hadn't thought-"
"No you didn't think. You thought you'd come home, greet Marcus and Cassius and then we'd retire upstairs so you could take me to your bed and it would be just like old times. Well it's not, things have changed," she said her back to me. I stood dumbfounded. I walked over to her and touched her shoulder.
"Karine, if you've been with someone else, I understand. I was gone a long time I-"
"Cassius, it's Cassius," she said.
I could feel the wind leave my lungs. I sat down on the arm of the couch and sighed.
"Marcus asked me to do it and�and I did and it�it wasn't like with you and I hated it. I'm tired of being passed around! I don't want this anymore! I feel like I'm nothing more than a test people have to go through before they are a man!"
I shook my head and touched her shoulder and turned her to me.
"You are not a test, you're not. I don't know why Marcus made you come to me, nor to Cassius."
"Does it matter? I never know who I'm going to end up sleeping with. Night to night it could change and I am sick of it. By my age women are already on their second child and with a husband. And here I am with nothing. I would have liked to have gotten to know you better, Claudius. That night was�special and I liked it�I don't love you, but I could have I just wasn't given the chance. Just when I began to know you, to see what's underneath all this armor you wear, Cassius is dropped in my lap and you're gone."
"I left because I had to, you know what they do to men who don't show up for their requirement. I will not be a slave." I said. Karine sighed and walked away from me.
"I wasn't asking you to be a slave. I know that life and you are not cut for it�neither am I but it's the only life I know," she said turning back to me. I shook my head.
"You're no slave. Karine, Marcus treats you like an equal. My mother was a slave, you are far from it."
"No, I am a slave, bought and paid for. I've been with Marcus a long time, and for a while it was fun, but after you�someone I could have loved it's all gone sour. And now Cassius. He's a good soul, but he's such a boy. He's not a man. And he won't be as long as Marcus has his whore sleep with him. He's more my son than my lover. You were never that. When Marcus asked me to come to you. I was�happy to," she confessed looking into my eyes. Now I could no longer look into her eyes. I knew I didn't love her, perhaps if I was given more time�that was not to be.
"What? Did you not believe I could think of you that way? Our practices brought me such�I wanted to be with you and that night was so good," she walked over to me and touched my shoulder.
"Some nights when Cassius is�with me all I can do to make it bearable�even enjoyable I think of you," she took my chin and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around her and returned that kiss.
I broke that kiss and looked into her eyes, the ache in my chest was worse now, and still it wasn't love�it was guilt. I felt guilty for this woman who had just bared her soul to me. I�Karine was a good woman, and she deserved far better than I could have offered her at that time. Perhaps I was just selfish, or far too inexperienced, or too young I do not know. Any man in his right mind would have melted and fallen in love with this beautiful, caring woman right now. She took the straps of her dress and let them fall from her shoulders. Her dress fell to her ankles and she stepped out of it. She stood before me naked in far more ways than just physically. I shook my head and picked up the dress. "I do not love you, Karine. I do not know why, but my heart�it will not be in this."
She looked at me, her eyes shining and touched my hand that held the dress. She led me up to my old room. She closed the door and took my chin in her hand and kissed me again. I pulled away, feeling�not pity, no not that. It was guilt. The only sensation I was feeling was arousal, no love, and no emotional pull except to comfort the sad woman in front of me.
"Karine, don't�don't do this, I don't love you. I-" she took my tunic and pulled it over my head so I too stood naked before her.
"I don't care," she said, "Just do this, and just this once be with me. Not your sparing partner, not your teacher, just the woman who stands before you."
I could not refuse her, not with her so�vulnerable. I took her in my arms and kissed her with a passion I knew I did not feel a moment ago. She moaned and returned my kiss. She began to back up towards the bed and lay upon it, bringing me onto her gently.
We continued that kiss for a long moment. She held me close, her fingers running up and down my back. I wrapped my hands around her face, touching her tear-streaked cheeks.
"Make love to me, Claudius." She said finally when we could no longer contain ourselves.
We did make love that night. It was not frantic, nor animalistic. It had it's own urgency, but it was slow, comforting. I had never been that way with her. It was always about pleasure and sharing. This was far different. And even when we finally climaxed, it was not fast nor urgent, it was just a long sigh and gentle.
I fell asleep that night holding her for a change. And that night it came to me. A nightmare that would come to me several times in my life. This was the first time I had remembered it.
I was walking through a field of wheat. My armor shined in the sunset. The breeze was light and just cool enough to be comfortable. I looked upon a small town and smiled for it was so peaceful and quaint. I began to walk in its direction it. It was as if I had been there before it was like�coming home. As I got closer I noticed one home set apart from the others. I began to walk towards it and the door opened. And there stood a beautiful woman. The most beautiful I had ever seen. She smiled at me as if in recognition, and waved me in, as if to tell me dinner was ready or�Her hair was red and she was shorter than I. The smile she gave was so intoxicating that I smiled too. As I grew closer the sky began to grow darker and darker until all was night.
It seemed I would never reach the house. I noticed the town was looking more and more worse for wear as I approached. The wood rotted, the street became crumbled and the windows broke and fell apart. The wheat field was turning brown and then to black and its decaying stench began to over power me.
I ran. I ran to the house hoping the woman would know what to do, to help me�to do something. As I approached her, she too began to grow old and her flesh began to run and slough off her. She was sinking under the weight of that corruption, yet all the while she smiled at me and the last she said as she melted into the ground was; "I love you."
I awoke with a start to find the sun just beginning to come over the mountains. I stared out the window for a moment and reached for Karine. I turned back to where she was laying to find her gone. The sheets were still matted from her laying there and they were still warm. Something made me look out the window I saw her leave the house with a few things. She turned once and I am sure she saw me. She raised her hand in a silent goodbye and turned and was gone.

I lie back down on the bed and put my arm under my head. I understood why she left. She could no longer be just Karine here in this house. She needed to find her own life, her own path. It was the right choice and I admired her for it. It is a shame she never truly got to find it.
Cassius awoke that day and went to my room to find me still lying there thinking. He sat at the edge of the bed. His eyes were filled with tears.
"Karine's gone, she�left me a note. I don't understand. What did I do to drive her to do that?" he said looking at me pleadingly.
"It wasn't you, Cassius. It was just the situation. She has to go and find her own way in the world. Just like you will when you leave."
Cassius looked back at me and nodded. "She never loved me,"
I shook my head, "She didn't love anyone, Cassius, that's why she needed to leave."
Cassius stood and nodded and headed out the door. I stood finally and got dressed to go tell Marcus the news. He took it better than Cassius and said he was hoping one day she would find the strength to leave. I'm not sure if I believed him.

For two days the house was silent. We talked little; Karine's leaving left us with a palatable sadness. I could no longer take it on the third day and decided to take a walk. I left early in the evening, the sun just beginning to set.
I made my way into the marketplace and walked around aimlessly, just content to be away from the grief. Had I known�
My wanderings began to find a point of destination. I continued my walk only now I felt there was someplace I was going. Somewhere I had to be. By the time I reached the old house, it was dark. Night had come and the house was filled with shadows, and I could not seem to see in the windows.
I had never seen this house before, yet I made it here with no directions and it felt as if I had walked here on purpose. I walked up to the door, and opened it with a creak. Using my will I made my eyes see in the dark. I walked into the antechamber and looked around.
The house had not been lived in for years. Perhaps the only occupants had been travelers or vagabonds that had stayed the night here. I walked through the rubble trying to remain silent towards the next room. Something was laying there in the darkness, a woman�no.
My heart leapt into my throat as I kneeled down and touched her hair. Tears filled my vision and I turned her over. Her dead eyes looked into mine and the rage filled me.
"Oh Karine�"
I hit the floor a few times with my fist letting my tears fall where they may. I regained my composure and looked closer. Her neck was bloody but no dagger made wound lay there. Just two small puncture wounds. I sat down next to her and laid my hand upon her back and again the tears came.
I did not notice a shadow creeping up on me, as my grief was blinding. A tentacle shot out from the dark catching me, wrapping itself around me. I beat at it and tried to get to my sword, but the shadowy thing trapped it. I looked to find the source of it, but another tentacle shot out grabbing me by the neck and forcing me to stare straight ahead.
I could hear something walking behind me, touching my back, and almost familiar touch. I tried to look with my sense but it was covered in darkness.
"Will worker�have you come to find me once again?" Her voice said, and suddenly I was full of fear. The woman walked out of the darkness into my vision.
"You killed her!" was all I could manage. The woman laughed and shook her head.
"No, sweet one. I touched her not. I smelled her body from my prowling and came to see what was hunting in my domain," she said looking down at the body.
"You did not do this? Then what you're the only Vampyros I have seen in the city!"
"Oh, there are many of us, sweet one. And it seems one more still; all know this is Ophelia's domain. Who so ever did this will not last the night."
I looked at her and tried to shake loose of the tentacles. She smiled and took my chin.
"My but in the darkness you are a fair one," she said licking her lips. I tried to turn my head from her but her grip was like iron.
"Leave me alone, I've had enough of you to last a life time."
"I watched you for a long time, will worker. Think that it was just nightmares in the hospital?" My mind reeled all those dreams and she truly was there, not in my dreams but next to me watching me lay there. She smiled and looked at me again.
"This is no place to speak, sweet one. Perhaps I should take you somewhere far more private," she said walking around me. She stopped and again I felt her hand on my back and everything went black.
I awoke much later to find myself lying upon a bed of pillows. My head foggy I arose and nearly fell I felt so weak. Feeling more than drained I touched my neck, nothing. Veils of transparent red and black surrounded the bed. I moved aside the veils and walked off the bed. A shattered mirror stood lonely against the wall. A walk in closet to the right was filled with dresses, and other finery. Surely this was the home of a noble woman. The mirror felt out of place and I wondered why it was broken.
I walked through the open door and down the hall. The floor was carpeted with red luxurious velvet, and made my footfalls nonexistent. I continued my silent walk down the stairs and seeing the door I ran to it. Grabbing the handle I jerked it, to no avail. It refused to budge.
I looked around and gathered my will and focused on the door.
"Leave if you will, sweet one," I heard her voice from behind me. I turned in a panic to the voice. She stood there in a long white dress; her black hair fell to her thighs. I held out my hand. Holding my will, ready to stop her.
"I am leaving! Don't try to stop me, I'm warning you," I said hoping my voice would not betray my fear. She held up her hands in mock surrender.
"I will not stop you, sweet one. Leave if you will," she said standing upon the stairs her hand on the railing watching me. I turned and tugged on the handle again. The door flew open nearly knocking me off balance with the strength I thought I had to use. I took one step and something stopped me. Perhaps curiosity, perhaps something darker. I turned towards her and looked at her again.
"What do you want?"
"I want your company, for a time of course. I rarely meet anyone who does not fear me."
"I fear you," I admitted. She laughed and walked slowly down the steps.
"You may if you like. There is nothing to fear," she said continuing down the steps.
I watched her, waiting for the shadows to erupt and trap me again. Instead she walked right by me, close enough to strike at me, but she stayed her hand. Close enough to smell her perfume. A mix of rose, vanilla and cream. I continued to watch her walk by and to an open room where she sat upon a couch and looked at me expectantly. I was unsure of what she expected of me and looked at her, then once more outside.
"What assurance do I have that you will not harm me?"
"My word if that means anything to you, sweet one. I just wish to talk," she said motioning for me to sit in the chair across the couch. I put my head on the edge of the door and sighed. I closed the door. Releasing my will, I walked towards her and sat down warily. She smiled and motioned to the glass of wine upon the table next to me.
I motioned a decline and she shrugged and leaned back, wrapping her arms on the back of the couch.
I raised my eyebrow at her and kept my eyes upon hers. Refusing to look around the room or anywhere else. She smiled again and leaned forward a little.
"My sweet one, looking into vampyros eyes will keep you far from safe," she said and chuckled. I looked at her harder.
"What did you want to speak to me about?"
"Oh so business like, so be it. You knew that woman."
"Her name is�was Karine," I said hotly. She nodded, her hair falling off of one shoulder. She gestured widely.
"We all have names, sweet one. What is yours?"
"Claudius," I said folding my arms. She smiled and looked at the ceiling.
"Claudius," she said rolling my name around her tongue. She smiled saying my name again. "A beautiful name, so strong."
"I did not kill your Karine, sweet Claudius," she finally said.
"I believe you, I think if you had you would gloat," I said cocking my head. She stood and I kept my eyes upon her. She walked towards me and touched my shoulder and then past the back of the chair. She walked over to a wine bottle and poured out another drink and took a sip.
"Why would I do that?"
"Because you are what you are. You're a thing of the darkness."
She shook her head sadly.
"Yes, I am in a way. You hate all of my kind. I would as well had they slain my Karine."
"She wasn't my Karine, she was her own."
"But you were her lover," she said sitting back upon the couch. I nodded.
"Yes."
"But you didn't love her," she said raising her eyebrows.
"No�no I didn't," I admitted unsure of what this had to do with why she wished me to stay. She nodded and took another sip of what I was sure was blood. She leaned forward again and brought her knees together and ran her finger around the lip of the glass.
"She didn't love you either�that was why she left," she said looking into my eyes.
I stood and began to walk out, my rage was building again, but I stopped short of leaving the room and turned.
"How in all of Hades do you know this!? And why do you wish me to stay? To torment me with these things!" I shouted, pointing at her. She looked at me calmly and motioned once again towards the chair. I felt almost compelled to sit back down and I did.
"I do not wish to torment you, my sweet. As for how I know these things, as I have said I watched you for such a long time," she smiled and laid her glass upon the small table.
"I also could smell your scent upon her, and her upon you," she said looking at me intently. I uncrossed my arms and leaned forward.
"Why? Why have you been watching me? What fascinates you so much as to learn all these things?"
"Because my sweet, I am lonely. For years I have dwelt here with no one to speak to, no one to warm the house with their presence." She said and smiled at me.
"You're lonely. And what does that matter to me? You attack me, leave me for dead, torment me for weeks on end nearly driving me insane and now you're lonely," I was becoming angry at this. I endured all that in the past because of her needing someone to talk to. At that moment I felt like getting up and walking out, still something made me stay. She looked at me in understanding almost and nodded. She stood and walked over to the fire and threw her drink in.
"I�it has been so long since I have spoken to anyone. I am sorry, Claudius. I did not wish you to fear me. I wanted to know these things because I was curious. The last will worker I knew was a long time ago," she said her back turned towards me.
I looked at her again and this time I felt pity. She must have lived such a long time without knowing anyone much less talking with them about�anything.
"What about others like you, you said there were many."
"Oh yes there are, but all they wish to do is play dangerous games and trap you in their webs of lies and deceit."
"I�I don't fear you. I know you won't hurt me�" I said. She turned from the fire and walked back to the couch. She leaned forward again and clasped her hands together.
"That night I drank from you, I was afraid. Afraid of anything that could see into the shadows. But after I drank and felt such warmth within me, I had to know of you. Where you go, who you see, who you love."
"You wasted your time, my life is fairly normal and boring."
"No, my sweet, you are far from normal. I tasted it within you, there is a greatness waiting to be unleashed," she said smiling. I smiled back a little flush from the praise. I took the goblet of wine and drank. It was warm and spicy. I nodded.
"Thank you for the wine. Why do you remain lonely? Surely a beautiful woman as yourself could find a man to keep you company." She smiled at me and looked into my eyes. I took another sip of the wine. It was intoxicating and very potent.
"That is what I wish, so much. Good men are difficult to find these days. They are all boys or rich decadent men who serve only themselves. Or want only boys," she smiled as she slid herself off the couch onto her hands and knees her eyes still gazing into mine.
My head was a bit fuzzy and I felt very warm as if I had been sitting too close to the fire. I felt my inhibitions go as I looked at her. I began to slip off the chair down to my knees.
"What is in this wine," I said touching my head. Even to my touch my skin seemed to be on fire. She smiled as she crawled to me slowly her body swaying slightly.
"Just a few spices to keep you warm and comfortable. This house is cold�so cold."
My eyes focused just a bit to notice her closer to me, then all my senses kicked in. I was still groggy, but my senses tightened. I saw her clearly now, her eyes so filled with desire and hunger. I began to move towards her, becoming more and more aroused with each inch I moved.
She drew closer and closer to me, as her dress seemed to just slip off. She finally reached me and tugged at my shirt lifting it off. I took her by the shoulders and brought her to me, her skin was cold to the touch.
"I'm so cold, Claudius, so cold�give me warmth�" she whispered her lips just inches from mine. I kissed her and her skin began to take on a warmth. I felt her hands take hold of my tunic and rip it off me so we kneeled in front of each other naked. She wrapped her arms around me as I laid back bringing her on top of me. Her hair enwrapped me and she continued her kisses. She moved down from my mouth and to my neck, and laid my head to the side and she lunged forward. I arched my back waiting for the pleasure of what she had done before. Instead she nipped at my neck and licked at it. I could take no more and rolled us over.
She gasped and arched her back as I entered her. Her skin was very warm at this point, though not as burning as mine and that burn seemed to pleasure her even more. I began to move against her, and her fingers wandered about my back to scratch her nails down the middle of my back. Her fangs extracted as she once again gasped and shook against me. I continued to my pace and after a brief moment she suddenly seemed to get control of herself and began to move underneath me. Her hips matching my own rhythm. Her eyes snapped open and looked into mine, locking me in her gaze. I felt something within my mind click. An almost silent command brought on by her eyes.
I could no longer hold myself back. Whatever she had put into that wine had sent all my senses into an awareness beyond all I had experienced before. She leaned up onto her elbows, her head thrown back.
I cried out as I emptied myself into her and her eyes grew wide and her breath came in pants. Her chest heaved and she brought her lips to my forehead.
"Warm�so warm..." she panted. She rolled us over onto my back. Still in the throes of my climax she took my chin and turned my head and sank her fangs deep into my neck.
Darkness ensued�

I found myself laying in that same bed once again. Unsure of how much time had passed since it was still dark. She lay next to me, her hand resting upon my chest. I looked her over. Her skin had grown cold to the touch and her veins were more apparent, tracing lines in her skin. I felt as if I had slept for ages. I tried to sit up and nearly fainted. My heart was fluttering and I was suddenly very weak. She murmured in her sleep and slowly awoke. I tried to breathe but it was getting harder.
"Going somewhere, my pet," she said as she laid her head upon my chest.
"What�what have you done to me?"
"I was wondering when you would fully awaken. I was hoping you'd would take longer, but you are a will worker, my sweet Claudius," she said tracing something on my chest.
"How long�how long�"
"Oh three nights, this is the fourth. Tonight you join me in the darkness�forever."
"What?" I said raising my hand weakly to my neck feeling the puncture wounds. She smiled and kissed my cheek.
"Oh don't worry love, you will not miss the daylight. And we will be together in eternity."
"You're mad! I don't want this�let me go and I'll�" I said my mind racing off the rotes Marcus had taught me. She laughed as she swung her leg over my thigh and sat down upon me. She brushed her hair from her face and smiled, her fangs protruding.
"Relax, my sweet Claudius. All this struggle will mean nothing when you awaken to the powers of Lasombra. The darkness will be your friend, and we shall wander this earth taking what we want, we shall be as king and queen." She began to lean down; her fangs were all I could see. I raised my hand and felt the will gather. She must have sensed this for she lunged at that point.
She was too late. My will hurled her against the opposite wall shrieking. I heard the thud of her body colliding with the marble. I rolled weakly off the bed and she was already to her feet. I turned to the shadows to see a tentacle whip towards me. I ducked as it just narrowly missed my head. Scanning the room I saw my things laying on a pillow just out of reach. I raised my hand and the sword leapt from the pile to my hands.
She shrieked again and another tentacle whipped out catching my hand that held the sword. I pulled trying to stave away from her but she was far too strong for me in my weakened condition. I turned trying to hold onto one of the posts on the bed when I saw the torch.
Fire�
I turned back to my sword as she began to drag me towards her, my bare feet having no hold on the marble floor. Grabbing the post with my free hand, I concentrated on the blade and felt it heat up within my hand.
I had only one chance to do this. I lifted my legs when I felt the tentacle pull me even harder and let go of the post flying towards her awaiting arms. I curled myself into a ball and ignited the steel of my blade to white hot fire. Ophelia screamed as she realized her mistake, however by that time my blade had already bitten into chest and she was alight.
I fell to the floor as the tentacle disappeared and she began to run about room in vain to escape the flames, yet only fanning them hotter. I rolled over to my back and watched as finally she fell to her knees and collapsed burning quietly in the corner.

I lay for a time trying gather my strength, but it was to no avail. I had no food or drink to replenish the blood she had taken from me. After hours of lying there like a weakened child, I found the resolve to try and crawl out of the room. Hand over hand did I crawl and grovel out of the door. The velvet of the carpet in the hallway leaving burn marks upon my knees as I crawled ever forward.
Reaching the stairs I tried to stand, holding onto the railing. My knees gave way after one step and I rolled down the stairs. I was entirely limp, which is probably what saved me from a broken neck. I lay there at the bottom of the stairs, nearly unconscious.
I raised myself and crawled to the door, opened it and heaved myself out onto the street.
Luckily a passing merchant saw me and brought me home in his cart. Marcus tended my wounds and a few days later I was fit to return from my leave.