He stared at the looming building.

It had been so long. So long since they last met. He was unaware of the time. Unaware of how long he had been standing here? From eternity? . .he could hear the holy choir repeating several times. .the chorus of people dying down with every passing second .

Night had arrived.

The cathedral was the same as he remembered.

The cypress tress were surrounding it in a protective stance . Protecting it against the creatures of the night. The great trees of cypress were known as protectors of the Holy sights . . . the smile on his face was rueful.

But they knew. .knew that Count Dracula was as real as their nightmares. Witches roamed around the streets , snatching souls to feed on and as for his breed. .they did everything.

From souls to blood to death.

With a grace and stealth that only his being could posses , he moved towards the building.

As he moved, an owl hooted . . sounding anxious. Restless.

He stopped momentarily, his sharp eyes catching the big gray owl staring straight at him . .a knowing look in it's ancient eyes.

The bird shifted uncomfortably on the branch it was nestling on.

He didn't blame the animal.

For it was only them who could recognize his lot. Who could actually see what laid under the pale skin. A curse his kind had to live with. A curse that binded them with the wretched animals.

The owl hooted again in alarm watching him advance towards the building.

The hooting had turn to screeches.

Shaking his head , he went on again. The great oak doors of the cathedral open, welcoming everyone but his breed. It was written-no. .it was carved on the door in old cursive Latin.

O Glorious Archangel,
St.Micheal , Prince of the heavenly host , Defend us in the battle and in the struggle against the army of darkness, against the spirits of evil in high places. O Great Army of Angels help us against the army of Satan . Help us put him under our feet. Help us cast him into the abyss of Hell that he may no longer hold men captive , carry our prayer to the throne of God, that thee mercy of God may come and lay hold of the beast , Lucifer .

He scoffed but he couldn't deny the power of magic in it . . .as powerful as he was. He could see. .see the door throbbing , humming with energy only he could feel. The magic on it was sealed with dragon blood. Ancient blood of an ancient being. The pressure of it would have been too much to bear if he wasn't what he was. Magic repulsed his lot. It didn't have much affect on him except that it was a . . repellent.

But they didn't know now did they?

The only way he could be warded off was simple.

Not let him in.

Do not give the permission to let him in.

It was as simple as 2+2 = 4.

But the fools didn't know.

He could feel the thrill in him coming to life. The challenge on the door exciting him , arousing the creature in him to life. Answering to what was etched on the door.

Just as he stood on the threshold of the cathedral, he could see the inside. People moving around. Going towards home . Some were in rush. Others were standing in a line to commit to a sin .

Just as he thought about a way to break in-

A child break free of his mother's hold. Giggling away. His plum cheeks reddening with adventure, the blond curls bouncing around. The distressed mother called him out.

"Louis! Come back right this instant!"

But she was ignored as the blond boy ran , his little legs taking him further and further away from his mother and seeing this he . .smiled. The smooth pale skin of his face crinkling like plastic.

The child laughed out loud as he reached the threshold and as if just noticing his frame, his baby blue eyes went wide and he skidded to a halt barely avoiding hitting his knees.

The curious eyes of the child watched the tall man , his pink mouth gaping a little. The man was . . beautiful. His ethereal beauty was enough to make him forget his little adventure.

Taking his chance , he smiled down at him but the smile seemed so foreign on his frozen fetaures but the child didn't notice . Enarmed with his glamour, he stared .

"And what is your name, young man?"

His voice tinkled like bells tinkling at a temple with a soft breeze.

"Louis." The reply was instant. The chubby cheeks blushing , the blond curls falling over his forehead.

"Louis. .did you come to pray?" He asked , careful not to widen his smile.

"Yes .I-i came with momma." He replied and then as if to show him he was stating the truth he looked back over his shoulder . . .right where his mother was standing . Now busy chatting with another woman.

"I see. Your mother is busy , Louis. " He said softly, the lilth to his voice wrapping around the child.

He nodded stiffly.

"Why don't you come in." Louis said shyly .

"I can't come untill you invite me in. Will you invite me in?" The man asked kindly.

An eager Louis nodded fiercely.

"Yes! I do. I do invite you in!"

As soon as little Louis uttered those words even the child could see the subtle change in the man. As if a veil had been lifted off his beauty revealing the predator lurking inside .

The fright on his baby face was palpable as he stared at the man he once considered beautiful. The man stepped inside and Louis spun around and ran and ran until his little body collided against his mother's knees. The mother lifted him up in her arms as he dug his face in her neck.

No one saw the vengeful smile on his face as he stepped in.

Feeling the current of magic , it was trying to wrap around his legs in a weak attempt . . invisible hands slithering around him but it couldn't stop a creature that was permitted in.

Once a commitment is made to allow evil, evil can re enter any time.

As he stepped in, his eyes saw the altar . .the empty choir. .a woman with rosemary beads . . mumbling everything holy.

A marble statue of the Virgin Mary . .her eyes closed . .her hand outstretched as if asking for your heart.

Glancing up, he saw the chandeliers litted up with candles in it. Casting a yellow light on the residents. An extinguisher moving around with a long pipe , a clothe wrapped around the top. . extinguishing all the candles of the cathedral . . leaving only the chandelier to burn. Shadows leaped around the walls as people moved.

He didn't look around much because really . .the cathedral had one marble statue when there should have been an immortal entity occupying this place.

Here he was.

Filling up the immortal entity place, he wanted to laugh out loud but he didn't. Lest people cast him even more of curious glances .

Families were walking out, thanking the priest for today's service and asking him to pray for them.

If praying was the answer , he would have done a long time ago.

With determined steps, he moved towards the confession box. Making sure he was the last one in line. Really there was only one person in front of him .

He wasn't a patient man but for the thrill of what was about to come, he waited patiently.

The building was empty now when his time came. He didn't mind the utter chaotic silence . He was bred from it.

Used to it.

The middle aged man got out of the confession box with red rimmed eyes as he dabbed away at his eyes with his rumpled handkerchief.

Amused , now he stepped in the box.

A wooden door with tiny holes on it stood between him and the priest.

Knowing well, it was just him and the priest now.

No other entity in the cathedral.

Little did the priest know his confessor could see well through the tiny holes as if he was right there standing with him in the tight space.

"Son, I can hear your breath. Do you wish to cast away any burden on your chest?" Priest was sounding tired . Probably wanting to get done with the night.

"Yes father. I have come to seek for forgiveness. I have come to repent." He said solemnly .

"I'm listening, child. If you repent from you're heart No sin is big enough not to be forgiven by God. " The priest said as his sharp eyes saw through holes . .

Saw the priest taking a small leather bound bottle of brandy out of a secret pocket in his robe. Taking off the cap , he took a sip of it.

"Father, have you ever sinned?" He asked looking at him as clearly as a daylight.

The priest fumbled around with the bottle , putting the cape back on as he gulped down the liquor.

"No. I haven't. If I did . .I would be standing where you are now. "

The pretentious words of the priest fell over his head as he smiled . .his smile widening. .giving a glimpse of the sharp canines.

"Then father forgive me for I have sinned. I have killed everyday every night of my life. Some says I'm the devil, father but I'm helpless for the devil lives in me. He seeks me out at day . .at night. Forcing me to do his bidding. Father how is it that I like the devil more than God? Why was I chosen to live an immortal life ? I didn't ask for it. . Father how is my sins different than yours? You sit there trying to be a saint while I stand here owning my sins?"

His voice was getting sinister with every word. He heard the rustling of the priest's robe and then he saw the door getting unlocked . .as the priest peered in through his big rimmed glasses. .a candle in his hand.

The eerie light of the candle could only get to half of his face.

He blinked .

And then the horror leaped into the old priest's eyes as he saw the vile creature in front of him.

He clutched at the cross hanging around his neck.

"D-devil! Curse you! Devil!" He brandished the candle like a weapon.

But he couldn't continue much because his hand shot out, wrapping around the priest's neck, his eyes bulging out with sheer terror.

The candle dropping to the floor.

The priest's robe catching fire .

He didn't let go , in fact he slackened his hold around the neck.

It seems like he was simply holding him immobilized as the fire licked away at his clothes. .going up and up.

The priest screamed , begging to be saved but they weren't screams. They were more like pathetic whispers.

"My sins are no worse than yours, father . Why should I be the only one to repent?"

A gurgling sound came from the priest's mouth.

A haunted smile fell on his lips , he leaned in.

His bloody eyes boring holes in the old man's eyes.

"Repent. Father repent. Say I repent." He demanded looking more gaunt than ever.

Amid the screaming and the writhing he did manage to utter those words. The will to live in his eyes stronger than the creature strangling him.

"I-i repent! I repent!"

A coldness like no other the priest had seen fell over the creature's face.

"I forgive you father. I forgive. . " He leaned in closer to his ear. " Rest in eternal . .peace."

And then he didn't budge.

Didn't bat an eye.

As he watched the old man burn to crisp right in front of him. As he watched the life glowing right out of his eyes. . he breathed in.

Breathed in the decay of death.

The stench of burned flesh.

The chaos that surrounded him. .he breathed all.

Stepping back, he watched the blackened skeleton falling to the ground, eyes were replaced with two dark holes, nose transformed into a hole, lips pulled back. . .a grotesque image of the man he had been.

Turning around . .a deep satisfaction filling his insides. He shut his eyes absorbing the screams the building just heard.

Opening his eyes, he stalked towards the door, the exhilaration in his body giving him energy. .as he moved. .he remembered.

Remembered something.

Turning around, he stared at the Virgin Mary statue.

Kept staring at it until in the blink of an eye he was standing right in front of the statue.

Eyeing it's lifted hand.

As he kept looking at the outstretched hand, he lifted his hand. . slipping it in the statue's.

Crumbling the outstretched hand into powder.

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