The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

The Monster Within



Prologue



Victorian London, December 1837



The fog swirled around the dimly lit streets of London town, thunder seemed to almost crackle over head as in the residence of a family known as the Miller’s a party was in full swing.



Vanessa smiled down at her new born son who was gurgling happily in his crib, her blonde hair falling over her face as her lips were ruby red from the lipstick she had used, the child looked up at her with eyes full of love as Vanessa murmured softly “My beautiful baby boy, your future will be bright and full of happiness, your father and I promise you that” she looked up as the door was opened and in walked a man, Vanessa’s husband who said in his soft silky voice “The guests are arriving my love, we should let the child sleep” Vanessa nodded her head as she kissed the top of the child’s head walking over to her husband and kissing him lightly on the lips saying softly “Of course Leo, we cant keep our guests waiting now can we” Leo and Vanessa shut the door quietly as the baby grizzled softly the shadows dancing on his ceiling.



Down in the library, two young men were sitting on a couch drinking glasses of red wine as Vanessa and Leo entered the room, the young man with electric blue hair looked up and smiled at them as he rose slowly, his long black trench coat billowing out behind him as he bowed to them both saying in a soft smooth voice “Ahhh thank you both for inviting us into your home, we have all the ingredients we need to help you contact the demon world, if you still wish to go through with it of course” Vanessa nodded as Leo spoke saying “Yes please Mr Machen, we have your money here” Curtis nodded his head and picked up the wallet that held the money in it as he flicked through it making sure it was all there.



The other young man sitting on the couch rose up adjusting the black gloves that he was wearing as he seemed to almost glide over to Curtis pulling out a thick book as though from thin air as he placed it down on an octagonal table, it seemed to mysteriously fly open to the page that was needed as Curtis then looked up at Vanessa and Leo saying in a voice that seemed to almost stir the air around him “Are you sure this is what you want….once the doorway is open who knows what catastrophic events could be brought about, your whole world could be turned upside down in the blink of an eye” Vanessa and Leo both nodded as Curtis sighed and began the incantation from the book.



As he began the room seemed to almost physically shake as smoke poured from the book, a gurgling voice rose from the voice saying “I am the demon Azrael, I will feast on your souls” Curtis chuckled softly and threw some salt as the demon was entrapped, Curtis then said in a deeply commanding voice “Hush now Azrael, we can’t scare these lovely people now can we?” Azrael hissed saying sharply “What do I care for Mortal’s? They will turn to dust and blow away in the wind, I shall be forever Immortal” He turned his icy gaze onto Vanessa and licked his lips chuckling as he said in a hypnotic voice “Come child….let me taste you….let me feel you” as Vanessa started to move forward Curtis motioned to Liam who leapt in front of her with surprising deftness as he held her back whispering into her ear “Stop Mrs Warner, you cannot cross the salt line or the demon will be unleashed” Vanessa shook her head as she looked around dazed and confused.



Azrael seemed to hiss and curse at Curtis and Liam as he raged slamming against the circle of salt “I will NOT be kept prisoner, you do this to me time and again you accursed warlocks” his form shimmered as his eyes glowed red Liam looked with some alarm at Curtis who shook his head and then spoke in another language as Azrael seemed to dissipate and another demon, in the form of a beautiful young woman took his place, her voice was silky and sensual with a hint of French in her tone as she said to Curtis “Ahhh, hello there sweetheart, where are we this time?” Curtis smiled replying “We are here with the Warner’s, they paid us some mighty fine money to show them some demons, and so we came” the young demon girl nodded her head as she looked around stepping out of the salt line as Leo let out a gasp, Liam turned to him resting a hand on his shoulder “Don’t worry, she’s friendly….well friendlier then Azrael is her name is Isabella Fonte, we caught up with her in Paris she was being hunted for murdering a young man who was trying to rape her” Isabella bowed to Vanessa and Leo as she walked around the room slowly.



Meanwhile, up in his room the baby began to cry, as downstairs Isabella cocked her head and turned to Vanessa saying “Your child is crying, might I go and attend to him, I will do him no harm” Vanessa nodded her head as a dress of deep purple wrapped itself around Vanessa’s body as she left the library and headed up to see the young boy. She stroked his hair softly and kissed the top of his head as he began to quiet, Isabella then said in a soft soothing tone “Well you will grow up to have a big destiny young Rhys, I have seen the path you must travel and it will be long and arduous but…you will find true love, and maybe one day you will find that thing that you seek” she then turned away from the crib and left the room as Rhys settled back down and fell into a deep slumber.



As Isabella returned back to the library she was hit by a wave of anger, she looked around as Curtis saw her alarm he said hurriedly “What’s wrong Bella?” Isabella turned to face Curtis replying “I think Azrael, didn’t disappear like he normally does, I can still sense him, I shouldn’t be able to” she then fell to the floor holding her head as an invisible force kicked her across the floor sending her slamming into a book case as a deep evil laugh swept through the library.



Azrael spun around, his eyes blazing like fire as he saw Liam and Curtis running towards him, he punched Curtis in the chest sending him flying over the couch as Liam was tripped and slammed into the octagonal table collapsing to the floor, Isabella got slowly to her feet as she wiped some blood from the corner of her mouth as she said angrily “What the hell are you doing Az? You know you wont win” Azrael let out a deep roaring laugh as Vanessa and Leo fled from the room, but Leo wasn’t quick enough as Azrael leapt on his back making him fall to the floor breaking his neck, he then turned to Isabella saying with a hint of madness in his voice “You want to know WHY I’m doing this….REALLY you stupid little French whore, I am doing this because I cannot be contained by warlock magic, no magic should be able to hold someone like me, I am a VAMPIRE….and I will have my vengeance on this world….I will wreak bloody havoc” he chuckled softly and heard the young baby crying upstairs as he winked at Isabella “And I know just the thing that will help me, so if you will excuse me” he then turned into smoke as he made his way towards Rhys’ bedroom, but Isabella dashed after him blocking the path as she said sternly “NO, you are not going to corrupt this boys innocent soul with your darkness” Azrael chucked grabbing Isabella by the throat and lifting her up squeezing gently making her choke as he said softly but full of venom “Do you really think I give a damn what you think?” and with that he threw Isabella out of the bedroom window making her spiral down and land on the snowy ground outside in a heap.



Azrael chuckled softly as he muttered something and the window went back to how it was before as he stood over Rhys and looked down at him resting a hand on his chest as he muttered something in old Vampiric, Rhys let out a loud cry as Azrael began to shake as his soul entwined with Rhys’ and he felt himself melding with Rhys as all he saw was blackness, Rhys stopped crying as he kicked off his covers, a long red mark running down his chest.



In the library Curtis and Liam began to come around as they looked around with worry on their faces seeing Leo lying dead on the floor and Vanessa still unconscious on the floor, they heard silence in the house as Curtis said “Go and check on the baby, Azrael may have tried to harm him” Liam nodded racing up the stairs to see Rhys lying in his crib, with a long mark running down his chest, Liam let out a gasp of horror realizing that Azrael had melded himself with the young boy.



Rhys turned to face Liam and spoke two words “You lose” Rhys’ eyes flashed a crimson red as Liam then spun around heading towards the window and looking down seeing the crumpled figure of Isabella lying on the floor as he sank to his knee’s and wept.