In the Beginning

Come children; gather round and I will tell you a story. That’s right, come up close and get comfortable.



Long ago, before man came out of his caves permanently, there was born to one of the northern clans, a daughter. She was unusual in many ways, but most noted was her silence. From the moment of birth, until her third year of life, she did not cry, laugh or babble as other babes do, and most of the tribe found her frightening. For this reason, her mother named her Va’ Amphare, which means ‘with no sound’. It was certain that she would have been put out for the animals had it not been for her mother, a great healer, whom no one would risk offending.

Va’ Amphare did not take well to her mother’s milk, lying listless and ill the first week of her life. At last, her mother undertook a vision to determine the cause of her daughter’s sickness. She pounded the roots of two plants and mixed them equally, putting them in water and drinking them. Stretching out on a hide, she lay for two nights and a day, shuddering from time to time. The others watched the child and wiped the mother’s face, which quickly became drenched with sweat.

Slowly, the dim light of the cave faded away and it seemed to the healer that the top of the mountain opened, so she could see the stars. The velvety black of night shifted and grew until she discerned the powerful form of a man. He strode down from the starlight to stand above her. “Why have you called me, healer,” he hissed through gleaming, pointed teeth. Shuddering in fear, she covered her eyes finding she did not have the courage to respond. “Do not fear me,” he whispered, gently. Kneeling he grasped her hand and raised her to a sitting position. “We have met before, healer.” He stared into her eyes and filled her mind with images. Memories flooded back to her and she knew him. “Tell me what you desire,” he smiled and nodded, “I will do all in my power to give it to you.”

“My child,” she murmured. “She sickens and I fear she will die.”

“Our child will not die,” he said stroking her hair, “but there are things you must do. Day must never see her, or he will destroy her. Give her life’s blood and she will grow strong. Speech is not necessary to her, though she can use it. She will never feel the cold and, while she can love deeply and without reservation, she can also hate until it consumes her.”

“I will remember,” the healer whispered in return. She watched as he turned from her and rose toward the heavens.

As he neared the stars he stopped and called down to her. “Take our daughter, healer, and leave your people. Seek out a new home and I will make sure no harm comes to you. Ask what you want of me and I will give it.” But the healer shut her mind to him and promised herself she would not abandon her people.

When she awakened, she would say nothing except that Night Sky had spoken to her, claiming the girl as his own. Thereafter, she mixed blood with the milk, pricking her breast and letting tiny red drops flow into the child’s mouth. The baby immediately became stronger and was soon well. The healer was also careful to shield her child from the sun, allowing her to leave the safety of the cave only at night and at that hour between night and day when it is neither. She no longer wrapped her child in skins, saying that she was untouched by the cold. In time, the clan realized the truth of this and grew used to it.

At age three, Va’ Amphare began to speak in full sentences, clearly and with a sweet lilting voice that made all who heard it long to do as she commanded. She continued to grow and became strong, as strong as the men, hardened by hunting. It was her habit to slip out at night and track smaller prey. When she was still young, her mother made sure several of the men accompanied her, but soon she was hunting on her own, killing and contributing meat to the group. If the others found it strange that the beasts had less blood than expected, it was never mentioned.

She grew tall and willowy, with long flowing white hair and the palest of skin. Because of this, she was not greatly desired by the men of the tribe, and when her womanly time came, none sought her as mate. This did not seem to affect her, and she continued as she always had, holding herself aloof from the clan, except for her mother and Au’ Clee, her brother. Late that summer, another tribe moved into the region. The hunters found evidence of them often, but they were a peaceful group, and the clan allowed them to remain. Game was abundant, and no one went hungry.

Years passed and Au’ Clee became a man. He hunted with Va’ Amphare frequently, enjoying the night, until he took a liking to a rosy cheeked girl in the other tribe. Instead of hunting, he snuck down and met the girl, staying with her until nearly daylight. Va’ Amphare followed him once, watching while they played their teasing lover’s games and feeling for the first time a loneliness she could not dispel.

Eventually, Au’ Clee brought the girl home as his mate. It was soon apparent that the girl would cause trouble. She was a vain and selfish woman, who jealously guarded her place in the tribe. She had a sharp tongue, which she was not afraid to use on the other women. Ambitious as well, she undertook to learn healing, but was soon thwarted by her mate’s mother who disliked her and would not teach her. At this insult, the girl grew vengeful and picked heartlessly on any member of the clan weaker than she, or with some fault she could exploit.

Va’ Amphare was often subjected to the girl’s temper and venom. More so, because she ignored most of it, or smiled sweetly and walked away into the coldest of nights where the woman dared not follow. This she did, because she could not bear to add to her brother’s troubles. For his part Au’ Clee remained silent, saying nothing to either mate or sister. The tensions between the women increased and intensified, but still no one interfered. Finally, a fight broke out. It lasted only a few seconds, but when it was done, the girl of the other tribe lay dead and Va’ Amphare stood above her, blood covering her hands. Despite her family’s protestations she was banished. They forced her from the cave as the sun rose, its fingers stretching out over the trees and striking the mouth of the cave. One touch of it on Va’ Amphare’s skin sent her into a frenzy of pain. She shrieked and began to burn, her skin browning and bubbling before their eyes. Distraught and desperate, her mother tossed a heavy hide over her. Grasping it tightly, she fled for the trees and darkness.

As soon as night fell, Au Clee and his mother went searching for Va’ Amphare. They found her scarred and broken, barely alive. In anger, the healer picked several types of leaves and berries, grinding them to a powder. She mixed it with human blood and spoke prayers to Night Sky over it. Then she gave it to Va’ Amphare and watched as her wounds healed and her strength returned. When she was well, the healer and Au Clee went back to the cave and did not speak of it to anyone.

Sometime after Va’ Amphare had been cast out, hunters returning at night saw her pale form following them. This led to much discussion and it was decided that none would hunt alone. The very next evening two of the younger men went out, but did not return. A search for them the next morning, turned up their hideously mutilated bodies completely drained of blood. Terror struck the group and no hunter would venture forth at night. All the clan went about their work quietly, while the healer worked with a smile on her face and a lightness of mood. Au Clee watched silently from a corner, knowing in his heart who was responsible.

As his mother slept, Au Clee took some of her powders and crept down to the stream. Here he mixed the herbs, as he’d seen his mother do, and crawled into the brush to await a vision. It was not long before the sky disappeared and was replaced by blackness. Soon stars began to appear and Night Sky formed above him. “Why have you called me?” he demanded.

Au Clee shivered and pulled himself to his feet. “I want to know why you have brought this disaster on us. Why didn’t you heal my sister and make her as she was before?”

Night Sky descended in a rush and struck Au Clee hard across the face, throwing him to the ground. “How dare you question me!” he shouted. “I warned your mother, but she ignored me. Then when she saw what she’d done, she begged for me to intercede. So, I have answered her and visited revenge on those who deserve it.” He loomed menacingly over Au Clee. “I should destroy you for your part in this but I will not.” Smiling to himself, he backed away. “You may live with the knowledge that you helped bring about the destruction of your people.” Then he faded away, leaving Au Clee aching and in despair.

Days passed and nothing unusual occurred. The memory of the bodies faded and the clan returned to their normal habits. One morning, two young girls rose early and left the cave before sunrise going to the stream to bathe. Their brother followed and waited in the bushes where he could hear, but not see them. A strange gurgling sound alerted him and he rushed to their aid only to discover he was too late. Au Clee listened to the tale with a heavy heart, but said nothing.

The attacks continued with no reprieve this time. The killer even slipped into the cave one night taking several people as they lay sleeping. One night a hunter was awakened by soft, furtive noises nearby. On rising from his palette, he discovered a female, tall and pale, with long flowing white hair standing over one of the others. Blood trailed down her chin and she directed a hate-filled glance in his direction before fleeing to the sound of his startled cries. Now it was clear to all that Va’ Amphare had returned. But that was not the worst of it. It was soon discovered that her victims were endowed with her powers and rose from their burials to take victims of their own.

In desperation the clan fled the caves and the region. The healer went with them full of remorse, but her son, unable to face his people, disappeared into the forests of the north. Leaving gained them nothing for Va’ Amphare followed them. Thus it was that her kind spread throughout the world. Stories of them are many and they are said to have great powers. They are called vampires after Va’ Amphare and like her, they do not cry, nor do they feel the cold. They must have blood to survive, and they travel only under the watchful eye of their father, Night Sky.

Beware children, look behind you and watch the shadows. They are there; forever hunting, drinking, and spreading like disease. Take care, or one night they may find you. Bedtime now children, sleep well.