The truth be told, the real reason he stopped drinking was the dreams. It seemed that everytime that he would close his eyes after a night of drinking that same dream would seep into his mind and plague him with memories. That night long ago, the last night he truely had a family. he used to always find himself waking up with tears running down his cheeks. this tme was no different. he knew he shouldnt have drank but it had been so long and the task before him so great that he didnt want to die without one more good night. he rolled over and looked at the dark haired girl beside him. he could not remember her name or what he had said to get her there but he did remember some of the details and he was not sorry. he chuckled silently to himself when he saw the ring on her left hand and rolled out of bed. he was as silent as he could be while getting dressed taking special care to grab his revolver and his bag. he traveled light but everything he needed, he had. he knew that today would finally be the day. all the searching, the rumors followed, leads tracked down have finally led to this day. he had tracked this particular group of hethens all the way across the country. he had bought off a few people and threatened a couple more to get the information but he had finally found the group of daywalkers. sure they werent the most powerful vampires in the world but they were old and powerful enough to withstand the might of the sun so he decided that it was their time. "they have lived for long enough" he thought. he smiled with this thought because he knew they were each probably 300 years old so obviously they have been around for to long.by this time he had already left his room and walked downstairs, he was feeling hungry and after the night before he completely understood why. as he sat down to eat his fruit (he never ate meat before a hunt, they could smell it) he saw the same curves that he had seen bare last night come down the stairs, their eyes met and she smiled but quickly turned and sauntered away to her own room. he finished his breakfast quickly and left, there was still  things to do items to get. he walked through the village, looking around as he went, searching for signs of anything that might help him later in the day should his plan go aray. truthfully he never did have a plan. its something that his teachers had always critisized him for. they told him to never "leap without looking" but he had always hated planning. he had seen most plans go wrong in some of the most horrible ways imaginable and yet still all he ever heard was "plan, plan, plan". thats one reason he had left. but he couldnt think of that right now, he had a task to complete. he could think of this more later if he really wanted to. suddenly he saw one. he saw a daywalker. it was faint but you could see the little tell tale signs. their eyes gave them away. there was an odd glint to them in the sunlight, almost like they were on fire instead of the body, like those of the lesser vampires. he had learned many things at the academy and that was one of them, thr rituals were both interesting and gruesome. but he understood that without those rituals he would not have a job, a calling in life. he watched as the daywalker turned away entered a tavern through a dark doorway. he noticed that the daywalker had checked over his shoulders to see if anyone had been watching. "odd" he thought to himself. these beings are ancient and yet this had shown a type of wariness. from experience he knew that their confidence had sometimes been their downfall. due to their long lives they had become poisened with thoughts they had also become invincible and this was just not true. they had indeed become very hard to kil but they were still just as susceptible to deaths cold grip as anyone else. they would feel that grip soon. there really wasnt much left for him to get, a little garlic, a quick stop at the church for some water, just the essentials really. he had let his supplies get low again, something that he keeps telling himself that he wont do anymore. "eventually", he thought, "not having my supplies before i get to a town is going to get me killed". he took his time in the shops, no point rushing. he had a lot of time to kill. he bought his items and continued his walk to the church. he walked in and asked the preist for the blessed water. he lied and said it was for some type of ceremony because he knew that if he told him the real reason then he would look like an idiot. the preist obliged and handed him the water. he smiled and thanked the preist  and made his way to the front door, the preist asked him if he was going to pray before he left and he answered simply "god has no ear for my words" and walked out. he sat down to lunch and decided to wait the rest of the day inside the tavern. the rain was coming and he didnt feel like getting drenched, plus his equipment always worked better when dry.he looked at the decor of the tavern, he saw the usual wooden tables and candles, nut the wall decorations are what really made a shiver go down his spine.right there on the wall was the mounted head of a wolf. but it wasnt just a normal wolf. these ignorant peasants might not know what they had there but he did. it was the head of a werewolf. he realized that there might be a huge problem. his whole time at the academy he had looked over all the jounals of the great were wolf hunters and he had been able to track two three clans movements through the dealings that they had had together. he had never seen a clan in this area. he had never even heard of a clan being in this area. but he would have to think more on that later, he had just seen the sister of the girl he had spent the night before with. he got up and walked over to her. "hello" he said. "hi" she replied. he could see that her sister had told what had happened and that she wasnt really in the mood to be his new conquest. he didnt give up. "whats your name" he asked, still trying to get her to open up. "does it matter" she said. "of course it does why wouldnt it?" she looked at him, right in his eyes, and asked him the question he really didnt want asked. "what is my sisters name?" he had no idea. he had never thought to ask. her emotions werent as hard to sway. but he decided to be honest, " i didnt ask her". he gave he a little half smile and said "i only ask the beautiful women what their names are". this time he could see her smile. she even blushed. he knew he had her, and with the line he just used on her she was turning out to be just as easy as her sister had been. he realized what time it was and knew he needed to get a move on. so he looked at her and told her that he had some very important business to handle but that he would be back. he leaned in and whispered in her ear that he would very much like to see her later that evening but  that it would be late when he gets back and that to mkae it easier on everyone that she should just go to his room when she gets off work and wait for him there. she looke up at him and with a certain type of hunger in her eyes she nodded in assent. before he had the chance to leave she loked at him and asked his name. he looked at her smiling and said "conner". he turned and walked out of the tavern happy that he had secured some companionship for later in the evening. as he striked a match and lit the cigar he had just taken out of his jacket he chuckled to himself thinking back at the fact that he had gotten her to agree to be in his room later and still did not get her name. he took a long draw from the cigar and let smoke trail waft through the breeze carrying the smell of a modestly aged tobacco. he enjoyed his cigars as much his as random sexual experiences with nameless women. "but on to business" he thought. it had gotten dark pretty quickly and he decided to make his way to his hunting grounds. he had hid his bow and arrows in the woods so as not to bring to much attention to himself as he was walking throught the town, so before going to the vampires lair he went and got it. he was always glad that he had chosen the more traditional bow instead of the new crossbow. he couldnt sneak around as easily, the thing was too damn loud went it shot its bolts. but that wasnt something that he needed to think about anymore. his decision had been made long ago while he was at the academy. after a short walk he reached the hideout that the vampires were at. he climbed up into a tree and waited silently for the show to begin. he didnt have to wait long before he saw movement inside the shack. he could never figure out why this ancient species got on like they were better than everyone else and yet they always seemed to meet up in these tiny god forsaken piles of drift wood. he saw the two guards standing there at the door, he lined up his shot on the first of them and let loose th arrow. the wooden arrow flew through the air silent as a hawk and sank deep into the chest of the vampire, piercing his heart. quiickly he lined up his second shot and when the other vampire ran over to see what had happened to the otherguard he was also put down silently. conner hoped down out of the tree and moved swiftly to the door of the shack. he pushed it slightly open so as not to just charge in without knowing how many there are in there and where they possibly might be. he saw that there were two sitting at a table and as he was about to walk in he saw that there was a trap door in floor. he opened he door a little more and checked the rest of the shack. there was no one else there so he conner walked in and slowly and quietly made his way up behind the two sitting at the table. he pulled out two wooden stakes and drove them deep into the base of the necks of his unaware victims. knowing that this would not in fact kill them he pulled his rapier out of its sheath and severed the heads from the bodies. it was a chilling sight to see even though it was not the first time. he couldnt decide whether it was because he decapitated two individuals or the fact that there was no blood, (vampires are the living dead, no heartbeat, no spurting blood). he looked over at the trap door moved to it and without hesitation jumped into the black abyss. he landed on soft dirt muffling the sound of his fall. there was only one way the tunnel would allow him to go so he followed the twisting halls until he saw a faint light up ahead. he creeped up to the corner and peeked into the lit room. what he saw was incredible. just coffins. two rows of three making six. three on each wall. there was no more doors, no more tables with unsuspecting beings sitting at them, just coffins. he walked up to the first coffin and opened it up. there the vampire was just sleeping, eyes shut enaware of what was about to happen. conner pulled out another wooden stake and drove it into the vampires heart. he looked around waiting for the others to wake up. they didnt. conner grew angry because of this. had he really come all this way for this. had he really tracked these devils almost 100 miles to this tiny village just so he could kill them while they were sleeping. he just could not understand it. it was night time after all, even the vampires that can walk in the day light dont often sleep at night. "but no matter" he said. he pulled out the holy water and poured it on the blade of his dagger and went around the room opening the coffins and simply stabbing the vampires in their hearts before turning towards the tunnel and leaving. because of his thoughts and his anger at his painfully noring hunt he didnt notice what was outside until it was almost to late. as he steppped outside he heard a growl, a deep growl that turn a lessermans knees to jelly and his thoughts to those of the afterlife. werewolves. the very creatures that arent supposed to be in this area were now within yards of him. three in total, each as brown as the dirt under their paws, ready to attack. they're hesitation gave them away. they were first turners. this was no relief to conner for he knew that the first time someone turns into a wolf that they are stronger than even the oldest of werewolves. it is a strength they only have for tht first turn but the strength is the only advantage they had. they had the minds of childeren, they werent sure of what they should do with this stranger that had happened upon them in the darkness. theyre hesitation would be their downfall. conner pulled out his pistol and aimed at his new targets. the werewolves started to rush him all at once and even though conner could shoot well he was only able to down one of them before they were feet away. conner ducked as one jumped, again he pulled out his sword and drove it into the expsed belly of the wolf as it sailed above him. the wolf hit the ground with an thud and conner stood back up to face the third and final wolf. in the commotion conner had dropped his pistol but knew that he had only fired five shots. he had one more to go and it would definitely be in his favor to use the pistol rather than the sword. conner didnt like the idea of these massive beasts getting to close.the wolf itself was waiting, watching conner, hunched over ready jump and sink its teeth into the potential meal. conner gripped hos sword full of nerves, cursing himself for letting his guard down before he was back at the inn. he decided angainst the pistol and lunged at the wolf without warning, catching the wolf in the back wounding but not killing it. the wolf jumped back and howled in pain. conner assumed a defensive position and readied himself for an attack. the wolf, desperate for a meal and lashing out in pain, jumped forward in an attempt to end the fight in its favor but conner swung his blade with perfect timing and severed the bottom jaw forthe rest of the head. the wolf hit the ground and wimpered and although conner fought and killed them he was not cruel to them so he quickly put the point of his sword through the mutts head to end its suffering.conner looked around to see if there had been any witnesses or any smarter creatures waiting for the battle to be over so they could make a prize of the tired victor. after a couple minutes of looking around and listening he was satidfied that there was npthing around. he made his way back ti the inn hoping that his nameless pretty face was still waiting for him. he walked into the in and sat down for a quicck drink. the barmaid was very inquisitive as to why he had been out hunting at this time of night and he could say nothing. no explanation could come from his mouth. he hated dealing with the common folk after a hunt, even one as boring and then shocking as this one. conner finished his drink and paid, then without a glance at the barmaid walked up the stairs to his  room. he opened the door and was immediately enveloped in the smell of his dainty companian. he could see her with the help of a single candle that she had lit beside the bed. he took off all of his gear as she stepped out of the bed. she was still wearing an evening gown, whiv=ch he was happy about. he liked to undress his playthings himself. she walked over to him and he felt her soft lips press against his chhek. her hands pulled his shirt off as his fingers pulled her gown down. she stood there naked watching as he stepped out oh his boots and pants. he grabbed her hand and pulled her close and kissed her, then they made their way to the bed.  she wrapped her legs around his waist and moaned as he pushed inside her for the first time that night.