Blood Stained

Due to a Vampire’s complex evolutionary nature, it can make killing them difficult. Some crumble in sunlight while others relish the sun’s embrace. There is always a certain species with an opposite of a stereotypical weakness. One might have to be killed through decapitation, while the other could just attach his head back on. This makes hunting them difficult to kill or destroy.

Werewolves on the other hand have a very simple evolutionary structure, and it takes years for it to come into effect. This makes them more predictable and easier to terminate.
Lycan’s, unlike their wolven brothers, are even more simple. They have a distinct allergy to silver. But master their molecular transformation a lot quicker than werewolves.

Dhampir’s can be killed by most things that would kill a human. Although more durable and more likely to survive than a human, they are the easiest and least complicated to explain. With no evolutionary change foreseeable.

With each new derivation of a species, there shall come new strengths and new weaknesses. It is by exploiting these strengths and weaknesses that allow us to win conflicts of war.

The Dojek’s on the other hand are tough. We know not what their origin is, nor do we know their weaknesses or what they are capable of. A few have been killed, but that is believed to be by mere chance rather than knowledge or skill. We do know that they were once regular vampires. We do not know how they became the Dojek’s we see today. Completely removing the head and/or ripping it to pieces appear to be the most obvious. But if not burnt, they heal quickly and piece themselves back together. They stand at the size of a small house. Clawed hands allow them to pick up and manipulate objects, while retractable wings give them the ability of flight. This is physical mutation. The deeper, invisible mutations, that we can’t see with the naked eye are the ones we have no knowledge of, and is what makes them so unpredictable.

“We must feed…” Nathaniel said. Alpha squadron stopped, and watched as the Vampires pulled out blood packs from their bags. With humanities technology advancements before the war, they were able to perfectly clone blood. Which most Vampires took an oath to drink. Other Vampires still prefer fresh, un-cloned blood. So have been provided donor’s or feed off of animals. Unfortunately, nether cloned nor animal blood is nearly nutritious as live, human blood.

The Vampires, tore the top of the plastic casing off and poured it down their dry throats. Certain, rings of cartilage in the esophagus expand fully over the width of the gap, and are thinned. So that when blood hits these plates it is diffused into the veins and arteries. This is one of the physical transformations that happens when turned.
“Are you ready to move?” John asked, he had become accustomed to the fearful look of the Vampire’s blackened eyes when they feed.
“Yes. How far until we reach our destination?”
“Not far. About a mile. A cave made of rubble from torn down buildings is where the blind man is supposed to live.”
“Can you be sure that the Vampire was speaking truthfully?” Kiera asked.
“No. But he seems too cowardly to lie to us.” John answered.
Suddenly, a screeching roar erupted across the land. “Take cover! Now!” John commanded, and the team disbanded. Hiding beneath boulders and under bushes. Damon sniffed the air and Nathaniel readied himself to pounce. The sound of beating wings made it’s way to their ears, as up above circled a Dojek. It’s pinkish scales occasionally glinted in the fiery hot sunlight. It landed roughly, resting a claw on a boulder.
John and Kayla held their breath as the creature snorted up the air and scanned the area with it‘s blood red eyes.
Thump, thump, thump. Went Kayla’s heart. Fear welled up inside them both as the Dojeks ear twitched at the sound.
Nathaniel slowly and silently drew his concealed sword, Marcus gripped his arm and shook his head. The Dojek stared at the sky and roared. They all clutched their ears as the roar ripped through their skulls. And with one, powerful flap of it’s leathery wings, it took off and flew east. Towards the setting sun.

Cautiously, they slipped out of their hiding places and gathered in a circle.
“It knows.” Marcus said.
“Knows what?” John asked
“Where we’re heading, it has gone to find the old man.”
“How does it know?”
“I don’t know. But it knew we were here as well. Perhaps some form of telepathy? Either way it knew our intentions, and it most certainly knew we were here.”
“Then why did it not kill us?” Kayla said.
“Remember these are not animals. Their minds and thoughts are still complicated. Perhaps it just wanted us to feel a sense of failure.”
“Then we shall have to get there first. You and Nathaniel are going to have to be prepared to carry Kiera and Mitchell, if he cannot change. Damon and Lorna, sorry to stick you with this task, but you are going to have to carry me and Kayla. It is the only way we can be fast enough.” John directed.
“Why didn’t we do this before?” Mitchell asked.
“Because it would have been a waste of energy, there was no threat to the contact before. But now there is, and he may be the only one who knows where the objective is. Okay let’s go. Mitchell try and change but don’t put too much strain into it. Damon and Lorna, you know what to do” They nodded in recognition, and closed their eyes in concentration. Mitchell did the same.
Soon, the sound of crunching bones filled the air. Damon’s jaw snapped into a snout as grey fur burst from his skin. Lorna’s nails pushed outwards into blackened claws and she curled over into a hunch. Sweat fell rolled from Mitchell’s forehead as his eyes turned black and his nails pushed out into claws.
Damon howled and hunched back over, which was soon mimicked by Lorna. Mitchell hadn’t made any progress, but still tried to force himself to change. John swung his leg over Damon’s back, who snarled and snorted out dust. Kayla did the same to Lorna and Lorna stretched her arms forwards, flexing her claws.
“Let’s move out, as fast as possible guys.”
The two Vampires dashed passed Mitchell and Kiera, scooping them up in their arms along the way.

They were gone. A gust of wind followed the flitting characters, and the very few blades of dried grass swayed in the wind.