Author's note: The following story is a work of fiction based on the "Vampire Hunter D" anime films from 1985 and 2001. All characters in the story are not of my own creation. They are copyrighted by Hideyuki Kikuchi. The following story is copyrighted © 2001, 2002, 2003 by Mark Moore.

I wrote the first draft from Wednesday, December 26, 2001, 12:00 PM to Thursday, August 1, 2002, 10:56 PM. I would now like to thank Penny L. for providing Leila's last name and the name of her hometown, Kelly Hu for Lamika's statement about the steak, and Charlotte McFarlane for the names of Leila's relatives. Thank you! =)

I started working on the final draft on Wednesday, November 20, 2002, at 11:37 AM. I finished it on Monday, May 5, 2003, at 10:22 AM. Feel free to send/leave me reviews, whether they're positive, negative, or something in between. Thank you, Cathy, for posting this story at The Vampire Hunter D Archives.

There's one rather sexual scene in this story. If this offends you, don't read it. You have been warned. Enjoy the story!

Thursday, July 21, 12090

Doris Lang stared out the window, searching for clues.

It was rather dark; only a small amount of light was cast down in front of her.

"I still don't see anything." Doris told the others.

"Keep looking." Rory told her.

It had been three months since Doris, her brother Dan, and their adopted sister, Lamika Lee, had been exiled. They had left their home with a rock band called Dazzle. Doris and Lamika were now members of the band, and they were on tour.

Their destination was Los Angeles, where Doris hoped to find four of her ancestors. The trip was taking a long time due to a number of reasons. Most of the roads were bad, so they had to drive at a slow speed. In the case of rubble blocking their path, they had to either clear it or find a way around it. They had to stop for fuel at gas stations. These were rare, since not that many people drove automobiles, so they had to fill up lots of containers with gasoline before they continued on their trip. When they stopped in a small town to get something to eat and drink, the locals would request musical performances. In addition to meals, Dazzle also got a few dollars. Doris had asked Rory if she could drive the Firebird. Rory had agreed. Doris had no idea where they were, but she wasn't about to admit to the others that she had gotten them lost.

"I think I see a sign." Doris said.

They all looked outside. The sign read: Las Cruces.

Phoebe opened up their map and checked it. "Doris, Las Cruces is in New Mexico, which is in the Claybourne States!"

"No wonder we're not in L.A. yet!" Ingrid yelled. "We're going in the wrong direction!"

"What?!" Lamika asked.

Dan folded his arms over his chest. "Way to go, sis."

Doris felt embarrassed and ashamed at herself for making such a huge error, but she kept her mouth shut and drove into town.

Leila Markus dismounted from the cyborg horse.

So much had happened to her recently. She had lost her adoptive brothers, Borgoff, Kyle, Nolt, and Grove. Both of her parents had been killed when she was a little girl. She was now all alone.

Leila looked up at the man that had given her a ride back to her house. D sat on his horse, wide brim hat on his head, cloak on his back, boots on his feet. She had gained a certain amount of respect for this vampire hunter in the short time that she had known him. He was sort of a friend.

"Thanks for the ride." Leila said.

"Will you be all right here?" D asked, not looking at her.

"Yeah, sure." Leila said.

"What will you do?"

"I dunno." Leila said. "I'll get a job. Might take up basket-weaving."

She didn't know why she said that, and she immediately felt stupid.

"All right." D accepted. "Good-bye."

D rode off down the street on his horse, leaving her alone.

She sighed and turned to face her house. She walked up to the front door and took her house key out of her front right pocket. She put the key in the lock and turned. The door opened. She wasn't sure if it would have or not. She had thought that the house may have been sold in her absence, and the new owner had changed the lock.

Upon opening the front door, she was greeted by darkness. She walked into the living room and felt around for the candle and lighter. She lit the candle and was greeted by the site of furniture covered in sheets.

It was still her house.

She kicked closed the door and locked it. She walked over to a chair and pulled the sheet off of it. The chair was clean, untouched by dust after all these years. That meant less cleaning for her.

But first, she needed to get the power back on and get something to eat.

Doris parked the Firebird on the side of the road, and everyone got out of it.

They leaned against the car as Phoebe tried to figure out which way to go.

"This is all your fault!" Phoebe told Doris. "We wouldn't be lost if you had bothered to check the map!"

"Sure, blame me!" Doris yelled back. "None of you bothered to correct me while I was driving!"

"Calm down, both of you." Rory told them. "Doris, why don't you go to that house across the street and ask for directions?"

Doris walked across the street and knocked on the door.

Leila had come back home after getting the power turned back on in her house and going shopping. She had flipped on the light switch in the living room and was happy to see the light come on. She had then put her groceries in her refrigerator and cleaned the house up a bit.

She had taken a steak out to her backyard and turned on her electric grill. She had just put the steak on the grill when she heard the doorbell ring.

Leila wondered who was at the door. She was sure that she wasn't important enough to the rest of the town that anyone would want to visit her. She walked back into the house, unlocked the front door, and opened it.

A girl with golden blonde hair in double ponytails was standing outside.

"Yeah?" Leila asked.

"Hello, my name is Doris Lang. My friends and I are lost. Could you maybe give us directions on how to get to L.A.?"

"L.A.?"

"Los Angeles."

"No." Leila replied. "Sorry."

"All right. Thanks." Doris turned and started to walk away.

"Hey, do you have a place to stay for the night?" Leila asked.

Doris turned to face her. "We usually sleep in the car."

"You and your friends can stay here for the night." Leila offered. "We'll figure out how to get you on your way tomorrow."

"Oh, gee, we wouldn't want to impose."

"It's no trouble."

"Thank you." Doris turned and yelled to the others across the street, "Hey, we're staying here for the night!"

In a few minutes, Phoebe, Ingrid, Lamika, and Dan came to the door, carrying their pajamas, robes, and toothbrushes.

"There are five of you?" Leila asked in surprise. "Oh, no! That's too many! I don't have enough room! So, take your stuff and go sleep in your car!"

Rory walked up to her door. Leila looked at him.

Rory smiled at her. "I...am here."

"I - I - I..." Leila couldn't get any other words out.

Rory walked into the living room, followed by the others. Leila silently closed the door and locked it.

"Are you okay?" Doris asked her.

"Uh, yeah." Leila said. "I'm afraid I don't have enough room for six guests. We'll have to share rooms. There are three."

"Okay, I'll share a room with Lamika." Doris said.

"I'll share a room with Vixen." Phoebe said.

"And I'll share a room with you." Rory said, smiling at Leila.

"Uh, no, you won't." Leila told him. "You'll sleep on the couch."

"What?!" Rory asked. "You insult me!"

"Calm down, Rory." Doris told him. "You'll have Dan to keep you company."

"You're putting me with a child?" Rory asked her. "He's your brother, not mine."

"Well, I don't want him to see me and Lamika...doing it." Doris whispered in his left ear.

Rory smiled. "Why not? The kid'll enjoy it."

"Shut up." Doris said.

"Okay, I guess it's settled." Leila said. "I've got a huge steak on the grill. Anybody hungry?"

The visitors all agreed that they were.

They went into the kitchen. Leila got plates from a cabinet and forks and knives from a drawer and set the table. Then she got bread and a bottle of barbecue sauce from the refrigerator and set them on the table, too. Finally, she got some extra chairs.

"Anybody want anything to drink?" Leila offered.

"Wadaya got?" Phoebe asked.

Leila opened the fridge. "Milk and beer."

"Beer." the girls said.

"Beer." Rory said.

"Beer!" Dan exclaimed.

"Dan!" Doris yelled.

"I mean milk." Dan told Leila.

Leila smiled at him and got a glass from a cabinet. She poured him a glass of milk. Leila got six bottles of beer from the fridge and passed five of them out.

"Let's go out to the backyard." Leila said. "I gotta watch the steak."

They went out to Leila's backyard. A light was on at the back of the house, and it provided enough light for them to see.

"So, tell me about yourselves." Leila said.

"Well, I'm Doris Lang. I'm 17 years old. I'm from Ransylva, Oregon. It's a small village."

"I'm Lamika Lee. I'm also 17 years old. I'm from Ransylva, too."

"I'm Dan Lang. I'm 8. I'm Doris' younger brother."

"I'm Rory Llewellyn. This is my rock band, Dazzle." Rory bowed and kissed Leila's right hand. "You've undoubtedly heard of us."

"Sorry." Leila said.

Rory frowned and straightened himself. "Anyway, I'm...24 years old. I'm from Los Angeles, California."

"I'm Phoebe Ashe. I'm 20 years old. I'm from San Francisco, California."

"I'm Ingrid Kruger. I'm 20 years old. I'm from Berlin, Germany."

"Well, nice to meet you all." Leila said. "I'm Leila Markus. I mean...Leila de Lavga. I'm 24 years old. I'm from right here in Las Cruces. In fact, I just moved back here tonight."

"Oh, really? Where have you been?" Doris asked.

Leila was silent for a moment. "I was 10 when it happened."

Sunday, August 10, 12076

"Good night, Leila."

Leila smiled up at her mommy. "Good night, mommy."

Nadya de Lavga finished tucking her daughter into bed and turned off the lamp.

She left the bedroom.

Leila soon fell asleep.

"Leila! Leila, wake up!"

Leila woke up with a start at the sound of her daddy's voice.

He had just run into her bedroom, and he looked very scared.

"What's wrong, daddy?" Leila asked, sitting up.

Merrill de Lavga looked straight at his daughter. "Mommy's missing! I heard her yell, and I ran out into the backyard! I found her cross on the ground! It looks like vampires have kidnapped her!"

Leila gasped and became very scared. "What?!"

"Come on! We're going to Auntie Evelyn's house!"

Leila got out of bed, holding her teddy bear, and ran over to her daddy.

The two of them ran down the stairs and out the door.

Leila hadn't had time to put on her shoes, but her feet didn't get cut. It was a short run, and they were at Auntie Evelyn's house.

Merrill knocked on the front door. "Evelyn, it's me! Open up!"

Soon, the door opened, and Auntie Evelyn was standing there.

"Merrill, what's wrong?"

"Nadya's been taken by vampires!"

"Oh, my God!"

"Watch after Leila! I'm goin' after 'em!"

"Daddy, be careful!" Leila exclaimed.

Merrill knelt down and hugged his daughter. "I will, Leila. I promise. And I promise I'll bring mommy back."

Leila hugged him.

Merrill stood up. "I need stakes, garlic, and holy water."

Evelyn got the items from a drawer and gave them to him. "Be careful, Merrill."

Merrill nodded, then he turned and ran out the door.

Evelyn went and stood in front of Leila, and she placed her hands on the young girl's shoulders. "Pray with me, Leila."

Leila and Evelyn knelt on the floor.

"Dear Jesus," Leila said, "please let my daddy kill those vampire bastards and save mommy. Amen."

Monday, August 11, 12076

"Leila! Lord, wake up, girl!"

Leila woke up with a start at the sound of her auntie's voice. She immediately sat up. "What is it, Auntie Evelyn?! Has daddy found mommy!"

"Sweetie, come downstairs!"

Leila got out of bed and ran with her auntie downstairs. She followed her mommy's sis out of the house and into the street. They ran to the town square.

Leila came to a halt, frozen in shock. Her daddy was laying on the cobblestones. One of the stakes he had taken with him was rammed through his heart.

"I'm sorry, Leila!" Auntie Evelyn cried. "Your daddy's dead!"

"Noooooooooo! Daaaaddyyyy!" Leila ran over to her daddy, knelt down, and hugged him.

Thursday, August 14, 12076

They had the funeral in the afternoon.

Leila released her auntie's hand, walked over to the coffin, and dropped a white carnation on top of it. The flower fell on the wreath. Other people then dropped their flowers, too. She didn't see a point in it. It wouldn't help her daddy.

Her auntie put her left arm around her. "Let's go home, Leila."

Saturday, August 16, 12076

Leila was sitting on the sidewalk outside Auntie Evelyn's house, holding her teddy bear.

It was dusk.

She was so mad. The evil vampires had killed her daddy - and maybe her mommy, too.

"Leila?"

Leila looked up. It was her mommy. Her mommy was alive.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Leila got to her feet and ran over to her.

She hugged her mommy.

"Mommy, you're back!" Leila cried for joy.

"Yes, Leila," Nadya said, "mommy's back."

Her eyes started glowing blue, and she grew fangs.

Evelyn came out of the house. "Leila, come inside. It's past sunset. Dear God, Leila, get away from her!"

She ran over and pulled Leila out of Nadya's arms.

"Help!" Evelyn yelled. "Vampire!"

Soon, people started rushing out of their houses, holding stones in their hands.

Then things got really confusing for little Leila. Two men grabbed hold of her mommy. Everyone moved to the town square.

Auntie Evelyn pulled Leila along. "Come on, Leila. You need to watch this."

When they got to the square, everyone surrounded Nadya. They started throwing stones at her.

"No! Stop! Don't hit mommy!" Leila yelled.

They wouldn't listen. Everyone threw stones: her neighbors, her priest, her Auntie Evelyn, her friends, the mayor, the sheriff, and everyone else.

"Stop it!!!" Leila screamed. "Stop it; damn you!!!"

"Here, Leila." Evelyn shoved some stones into her hands. "Throw them at the creature."

Leila threw the stones on the ground. "No! I won't kill my mommy! I won't kill anyone!"

Soon, it was over. Her mommy lay dead in the middle of the town square.

Leila ran over to her body, knelt down, and hugged it. "Mommy..."

Everybody started walking away.

Leila looked at them. "Damn you all to Hell!"

Her auntie walked over to her and pulled on her right arm. "Let's go home, Leila."

Leila slowly stood up. She looked at her auntie. Hatred blazed in her eyes. "Yes, Auntie Evilyn."

Leila fought back tears.

"I'm sorry." Doris told her.

"Thanks." Leila said. She looked at the grill. "Steak's ready."

Leila put the steak on a plate and turned off and unplugged the grill.

They went back into the house. Leila shut off the light at the back. They all entered the kitchen.

Leila put the plate in the middle of the table. Everyone sat down.

They each cut for themselves a part of the steak, took a piece of bread, poured barbecue sauce, and started eating.

"How is it?" Leila asked.

Lamika chewed and swallowed a piece of steak. "I like the texture. It feels great in my mouth."

The other girls and Rory started laughing uncontrollably. Lamika eventually realized the double-meaning of her statement and started laughing as well.

Dan remained puzzled. "What's so funny?"

Doris got her laughter under control. "Nothing. Eat, Dan."

"You still haven't told us where you've been." Phoebe told Leila.

Leila stuck a piece of steak into her mouth, chewed, and swallowed. "When I was 17, I met up with the Markus Brothers."

Wednesday, June 3, 12083

Leila walked over to the hole and dropped a white carnation on her Aunt Evelyn's coffin.

She hadn't cried when the body was found two days earlier. She hadn't cried since then - not even during the funeral.

She was free.

Leila turned and walked away, not looking back.

When her parents had been murdered nearly seven years earlier, her aunt had become her legal guardian and owner of her parents' house.

Ever since that time, Leila had lost all of her friends. They hadn't been killed by vampires. She simply hated them ever since that night. She hated everyone in the town. To avoid problems, she had mostly kept her mouth shut, but she had sometimes argued with her aunt. Her aunt had remained firm with her, however, sometimes even hitting her if her niece had yelled for too long.

It was poetic justice that Leila now owned her parents' house and her aunt's house.

Leila returned to her own house.

She had made some quick decisions in the few hours after she had found her aunt's body. Some of her aunt's personal belongings had been moved to Leila's attic. She had sold the rest of them and her aunt's house on that same day. Leila had deposited most of the money into her own bank account. She had not bought any new food or drinks. Now, the refrigerator was empty. Earlier this morning, she had vacuumed the house, packed a bag, placed sheets on the furniture, and had the power shut off prior to attending the funeral.

Now, she took one final look around the house, walked outside, closed and locked the front door, placed the key in her front right pants pocket, hung the bag over her left shoulder, and started walking out of the town.

She didn't know where she was going, but any place was better than here.

End part 1 of 3