Blood Feud

BLOOD FEUD by John Lamont

www.myspace.com/jlamont2

BLOOD FEUD by John Lamont

Cannons EXPLODE across the DARKNESS. FADE IN. EXT. FOREST-NIGHT LONG ARIAL SHOT across a dense thick forest. The rustling of foot soldiers can be seen between the leaves. VAN (v.o.) Transylvania. Once a land of endless beauty; now overshadowed by the dark cloud of war. INT. FOREST-CONTINUOUS Several Muslim warriors move quickly as landing cannon balls rock the earth around them. VAN (v.o.) Muslims from the Ottoman Empire invaded attempting to build a stronghold in the region, and from there launch an offensive against Russia. The troop pauses kneeling into the brush, silent, waiting. A rustle crosses the bush. Suddenly they are rushed by a dozen unarmed men. Though outnumber by the Turks, they appear immune to the bullets fired. They grab the Muslim warriors ripping them apart with their bare hands and feeding on their blood. As the attack continues, we PULL BACK and move through the forest to a large castle. Surrounding the castle are hundreds and hundreds of men charging out of the castle into the battle.

2 VAN (v.o) Each attempt, was fought back by the swift and vicious hand of the local ruler’s elite guards, those loyal by blood to the Count of Transylvania. In one of the towers, the COUNT stands holding a chalice. VAN (v.o.) With each attach of the Turks, the numbers of the elite guards seamed to grow. The man smiles, a trickle of blood runs from between his lips. FADE OUT. VAN (v.o.) For nearly one hundred years, the bloody stalemate between the Russians and the Turks continued. Until... FADE IN. INT. GRAND HALL-CONTINUOUS Large doors open as a tall MAN wearing a long coat and broad rimmed hat enters. A crack of lightening rips through the hall BLINDING us. CUT TO: ANGLE STONE WALL: The shadow of the man raising a stake crosses the wall. He brings it down stabbing his victim. An echoing boom of thunder announces the man’s second strike. BLACKOUT. VAN (v.o.) The count had been killed. (beat) But not before he bore two children.

3 FADE IN. CLOSE UP: A young menacing man in his mid to late twenties. VAN (v.o.) Prince Mara. CLOSE UP: A girl appearing sixteen or seventeen. VAN (v.o.) And the princess, Jezidrow. FADE OUT. EXT. FOREST-CONTINUOUS Russia with their superior weapons and technology start advancing through the Transylvanian forest warring with the Turks. The vampiric guards are nowhere to been seen. VAN (v.o.) With the death of the Count, the Vampiric Empire was shattered. Factions from within warred for power. Those loyal to the Count’s bloodline, went underground. (beat) The land of Transylvania fell into the hands of the Russians. INT. LUXURY TRAIN CABIN-NIGHT Vampire Royals sit and talk amongst themselves as servants bring in food and entertainment. PRINCE MARA ignores the commotion looking out the window at his homeland until it is out of sight. VAN (v.o.) During the internal conflict, the Great Slayer, took the heart of the Princess. Solidified in his roll as emperor, Prince Mara reestablished his powerhouse in the center of the world--Paris. His first act once reclaiming power: to declare war on the blood line of VanHelsing.

4 BLACKOUT. VAN (v.o.) The blood feud continues: ‘till today. INT. BEDROOM-NIGHT A baby cries. A WOMAN stirs. The alarm clock reads: 3:32. The woman turns to the baby monitor sitting beside the clock. The crying continues. WOMAN I got it, babe. But her husband remains silent sleeping facing away from her. The woman gets up walking slowly out of the room. INT. NURSERY-CONTINUOUS The woman enters without putting on the light. She coos softly to comfort baby. Picking him up, she holds him in her arms. She continues shushing him as she shakes him in her arms. Then the baby’s eyes open. Large, blood filled eyes. He opens his mouth showing large demonic teeth and bites down into his mother’s shoulder. INT. ARTEMIS’S BEDROOM-DAY ARTEMIS bolts awake grabbing her pistol off the night stand. The annoying drill of the alarm clock is ignored as Artemis covers all points of the room with her pistol. The balcony’s blinds are open, letting the rays of the setting sun throughout the room and across the bed. Taking a breath, Artemis turns off the alarm clock. She lowers the pistol resting her head in her arms sitting still allowing her heart rate to go back down.

5 EXT. 7TH STREET METRO CENTER-NIGHT Artemis parks a black H3 Hummer outside the Metro-Rail station. She sits still behind wheel breathing slowly. She looks up at herself in the mirror giving a sigh. INT. BATHROOM-CONTINUOUS Blood and water run down the sink and LAPD Officer HICKS washes his hands. He looks up at the mirror shaking his hands dry. The automatic sink shuts off. He turns to the door ignoring the sunken body locked in one of the back stalls. INT. 7TH STREET METRO CENTER-CONTINUOUS Artemis moves through the crowds toward the train platform. She turns looking around cautiously. CLOSE UP: Artemis’ eyes scan the crowd. ARTEMIS POV: Her computer enhanced contact lenses use an infrared scanner regulating the body temperature of every person. In the crowd, a man with a body temperature of 65.40 speaks to another with the body temperature of 98.30. REVERSE. Artemis walks through the crowd toward them. As she moves, she slides a silver bowie knife from a hidden pocket in her cargo pants. As Artemis passes beside the two MEN, she drives the knife into the brainstem of the one. He convulses for a second before his body turns to ash burning his clothes away. Terror crowd. throws to his

comes across the other man, as he charges into the Artemis bolts after him, quickly tackling him. She him to the ground getting on top. She puts the knife neck. ARTEMIS We seem to have attracted attention, so I’ll get to my point. I’m looking for the barony. MAN Go to hell, bitch.

6 ARTEMIS Try something more original. The man smirks as he notices two cops walking toward him. MAN The Night-Watchmen are coming. ARTEMIS The barony, where is it? The man starts laughing. Artemis looks up as the two officers break into a run. A train arrives. Artemis bolts for the train. Officer MOSES HAKIM stops kneeling next to the man. But Officer Hicks runs past toward the train. MAN I’m alright, get her. Hakim bolts for the train as the doors start to close. He barely makes it in when the train starts moving off the platform. INT. METRO BLUE RAIL-CONTINUOUS Artemis rushes to the back of the train. She turns as the cops follow not far behind. ARTEMIS’ POV: Officer Hicks’ body temperature is regulated at 63.2 degrees. Officer Hakim’s temperature reads 99.1 degrees. REVERSE. Artemis moves to the back door as the train station goes out of sight. She turns the emergency lock, but leaves the door in place. She turns as Hakim and Hicks enter the rear car. HAKIM Hold it right there! Hakim takes the lead aiming his pistol right for her head. Artemis intercepts them grabbing Hakim’s arm twisting him back. Her jujitsu skills allow her to keep Hakim between her and Hicks.

7 ARTEMIS Wanna see a magic trick? She pushes Hakim hard into Hicks. Hicks throws his partner to the floor raising his gun for Artemis. She knocks it loose driving her knife upward through chin into his head. He convulses for a second as his body burns to ash taking his clothes with him. His shield falls to the ground over the pile of ashes as Hakim lays on the ground shocked. Artemis brushes the ash off her tanktop looking down at him. ARTEMIS See. Magic. Hakim gets up, but Artemis takes him and pushes him into a seat. The homeless man in the back, looks up watching. Other than him, the train is empty. Artemis pushes the knife against Hakim’s throat. ARTEMIS I’m looking for the barony. Perhaps you can help me. HAKIM Barony? ARTEMIS Yeah. That bloodserf told me you were a watchman. HAKIM Watchman? Artemis drives her knee into Hakim’s chest and uses the knife to cut his right shirt sleeve off. ARTEMIS Where’s your tattoo? What kind of watchman doesn’t bare the mark. HAKIM I don’t know what you’re talking about. ARTEMIS How long have you been LAPD?

8 HAKIM Two years. I was just transferred to night duty two weeks ago. ARTEMIS That’s long enough to become a vampire. HAKIM Vampire? There’s no such thing. ARTEMIS Really? What the fuck is that, pixy dust? Hakim stares at the ash lying on the floor. ARTEMIS You’re not a watchman. What the fuck are you? HAKIM I’m Muslim. ARTEMIS Well praise Allah, because he just saved your life. Artemis gets off him. ARTEMIS Two years, and you never noticed that half the cops don’t ever show up during the day. And the other half don’t work the night shift. HAKIM So what? ARTEMIS You had better open you’re eyes. Artemis places her knife away stepping back. Hakim picks up Hick’s shield from the ash. HAKIM I don’t know what you’re looking for. But Hicks and most of the night cops hang out at the Scarlet Vein.

9 ARTEMIS What is it? HAKIM It’s a strip club in downtown. They all go. ARTEMIS Have you been there? HAKIM No. I have a wife and two daughters. Artemis glares at him. HAKIM It’s against my religion. ARTEMIS After tonight, there’s no going back for you. If you want to live, you should take your family and get as far from this city as you can. As the train slows coming to the next stop, Artemis bolts for the back of the train. She jumps feet first slamming into the emergency door. It breaks free hitting the rails. She remains on top as the door slides a little. Then she gets off running across the elevated tracks. Hakim sits back breathing slowly. INT. H3-NIGHT Artemis parks a few blocks from the club. She pauses, taking out a small black case from her door pocket. She takes a set of fake vampire teeth and snaps them over her own. She adds a touch of red lipsticks to bring out those white oversized teeth; and some moose to give her hair a wet sexy look. INT. SCARLET VEIN-CONTINUOUS Artemis steps in slowly armed only with the bowie knife hidden in her pants. ARTEMIS’ POV: Scanning the room, all the strippers, waitresses, and the BARTENDERS’s body temperature read 68 to 70 degrees. Only two thirds of a the patrons read normal

10 body temperatures between 97 and 100 degrees. REVERSE: As Artemis steps toward the bar, she notices a group of a dozen cops hanging together. There are two scantily clad waitress serving them drinks. The bartender mixes up some of usual drinks until he notices Artemis. BARTENDER What can I get you? Artemis smiles showing her teeth. ARTEMIS The house special. BARTENDER Of course. He takes a bottle from under the bar and pours her a drink of rich red liquid. He hands it to Artemis in a martini glass. Artemis smiles taking a sip. She steps away sitting down at the one of the dance tables. ARTEMIS’S POV: She watches the police, as one of the strippers [vampire] leads one of the officers [human] off into a back room. STRIPPER Hey stranger. REVERSE: Artemis turns seeing the vampire STRIPPER checking her out. ARTEMIS Hey. STRIPPER You look good enough to eat. Looking for a good time. ARTEMIS Definitely.

11 INT. VIP ROOM 1-CONTINUOUS The cop sits on the bed as the stripper gives him a private dance. She then takes off his gun belt and proceeds to unzip his pants. INT. VIP ROOM 2-CONTINUOUS Artemis stands looking out the sky-light. From here she can see many of the buildings nearby. The stripper closes the door. STRIPPER Is this your first time? ARTEMIS Coming here, yes. I’m new in town, so I thought I’d check you’ll out. STRIPPER Well, you can definitely check me out. She pushes Artemis on the bed. They start kissing, but the stripper takes lead by kissing Artemis’s stomach. Artemis rubs against the stripper’s right shoulder noticing makeup on her arm. ARTEMIS What’s this? Underneath the makeup on her arm, is a tattoo. The stripper smiles. STRIPPER My tattoo. They make us cover it up. ARTEMIS Can I see. I promise, I won’t tell. STRIPPER I don’t think I should. Artemis sits up. ARTEMIS Come on. Artemis kisses her, but the stripper gets up walking

12 casually across the room to a small table. Artemis moves quickly. She stabs the stripper in the back with her knife and pushes her against the wall. Reaching into the table drawer, she finds a small pistol. Artemis drops the vampire pushing her facing into the bed. The silver blade burns through the strippers lungs nearly paralyzing her. Artemis wipes the makeup off her arm revealing a tattoo of the Mark of the Barony. Just then the door burst open. Artemis dives to the floor firing her pistol hitting the incoming vampiric guards. They turn to ash as the stripper gets up. She charges Artemis, but the last shot goes through her head. ARTEMIS Looks like I’ve found the barony. Artemis drops the pistol heading for the hallway. INT. HALLWAY-CONTINUOUS Heading out of the room, she picks up a pistol and shotgun off the ground. Checking the magazines she finds them holding silver bullets. ARTEMIS Excellent. Following the sounds of ecstacy, Artemis enters another room. INT. VIP ROOM 1-CONTINUOUS The stripper, now fucking the cop, turns toward the door. She growls blood dripping from her chin. Artemis fires the pistol sending her to ash. With blood coming from several points across his neck and chest, the cop sits up. He goes for his gun but Artemis fires again hitting him between his head. He falls back against the bed. ARTEMIS I’m sorry. Turning to exit, she notices a black dome over the door.

13 Shoving the pistol in her pants, she takes the shotgun. INT. SECURITY ROOM-CONTINUOUS Artemis can be seen on the monitor heading for the door. INT. HALLWAY-CONTINUOUS Artemis exits. From around the corner at the end of the hall, several guards rush toward her. Artemis fires the shot gun taking out a few holding them off. JACOBS stands by the corner holding his pistol. Behind him are several other vampiric guards. One of the other guards holds up a flashbang grenade and a plastic vial containing two different chemicals separated by a piece of glass. Jacobs nods. Pulling the pin from the flash grenade, he tosses it down the hall. Artemis dives back into the room as the blinding light burns down the hall. That guard and several others charge down the hallway firing their guns wildly. Jacobs hangs back. As they approach the door they break into two groups surrounding both sides. Then the guard pulls the pin out of the plastic grenade. It shatters the glass mixing the two chemicals. He tosses it inside the room. INT. VIP ROOM 1-CONTINUOUS This grenade sends out an intense ultraviolet radiation. Not getting away in time, it burns the guard’s hand and part of his face. Artemis ducks behind the bed as the ultraviolet radiation burns like white light throughout the room. After it dissipates, she sits up shaking her head. Her contacts slide back over her eyes. The team of vampiric guards move into the room. But Artemis surprises them taking out several with the pistol. When empty, she uses the shotgun finishing the group off. The guard who threw the grenade tries to escape, but Artemis blows his leg off with the shotgun. She walks up to him as he tried crawling away.

14 INT. HALLWAY-CONTINUOUS Jacobs ducks back around the corner as Artemis steps out. GUARD What kind of vampire are you? But Artemis fires a shot into his head sending him to ash. Dropping the shot gun she picks up an MP5 one of the other vampire guards had dropped. She moves down the hall toward Jacobs. Turning the corner, she finds the hallway leads up a flight of stairs to a security door. INT. SECURITY ROOM-CONTINUOUS Jacob slams the door shut securing it. The security room was broken into two sections by a thick bullet proof glass wall. The side with the door had metal detectors and body imaging scanners. The other side of the glass had security monitors and a weapon’s cage. JACOBS Where is she? The GUARD monitoring the cameras turns to him. GUARD Coming up the steps. They watch on the monitors as Artemis walks back down the steps into the hallway toward the main floor. INT. HALLWAY-CONTINUOUS Stopping halfway down the hall, Artemis sifts through the ashes. She picks up a spare clip and two UV grenades. Then she heads back into the main room. The music is so loud, they cannot hear what has just transpired. INT. SCARLET VEIN-CONTINUOUS Artemis enters firing wildly taking out the strippers dancing on stages. Before their ashes hit the floor, the bartender is riddled with silver.

15 Panic sets in. People run for the exits. The group of vampiric cops charge for Artemis. She yanks the pin on the first UV grenade tossing it toward them. She looks away as it goes off burning them out, as well as many of the vampires near them. Artemis fires the rest of the gun in the crowd killing anyone, wether human or vampire. INT. SECURITY ROOM-CONTINUOUS Jacobs, and ten other guards, stare at the monitors with shock and awe. KALMA, a tall slender vampire, entered from another door on the “more” secure side. JACOBS What should I do? KALMA If you cannot do the job you were hired to do, you are no longer any use to us. Jacobs turns making eye contact. JACOBS Yes, my lady. Jacobs goes to the gun cage with about ten other guards. They load up submachine guns. KALMA Take care of her. I will take the Baron to the duchy tonight. JACOBS Yes, ma’am. (to guards) Let’s go. Armed up, Jacobs opens the door and heads down the steps with the others. Kalma goes out the door she came in.

16 INT. SCARLET VEIN-CONTINUOUS Artemis drops the MP5 walking toward the bar. She picks up the bartender’s shot gun as Jacobs and the last troupe move in. Artemis tosses the second UV grenade taking out most before they get a shot off. The others open fire, but Artemis dives behind the stripper stage. With blind fire, she takes out a few more. She keeps moving, and subdues them quickly. Jacobs, being the last to die, dives down on the other side of the stage. Jacobs sits still, silent, listening for movement. But he doesn’t hear anything. Then the shot gun pumps. He looks up and Artemis stands on the stage point the shot gun right at him. She fires with flinching or remorse. Dropping the shot gun, she picks up an Uzi and a spare magazine. She puts the magazine in her back pocket, and checks the one in the chamber. She kicks the bottom rack of the bar open taking out a high proof liquor and takes a swig. She walks up to a dead bloodserf and rips a piece of his shirt. She shoves it into the mouth of the bottle. Artemis shoots the lock of a utility room and kicks the door open. She empties the click on the power boxes. Placing the gun under her arm, she lights the strip of cloth on fire. She tosses the lit bottle at the sparking power boxes. It explodes on contact sending a power serge throughout the entire building. The utility room explodes in flames. Artemis reloads the Uzi. The lights burn out exploding. INT. SECURITY ROOM-CONTINUOUS All the monitors over charge and explode starting a fire inside. The sprinklers try to come on, but get cut off only dripping water. INT. BARON’S OFFICE-CONTINUOUS The BARON pulls a USB drive from his computers and starts a format on the PC. Kalma enters with another GUARD.

17 KALMA Are you almost ready? BARON Yes, there’s nothing here. He puts the USB drive and several other papers into his suitcase. Kalma walks over to an interior wall. KALMA Which one is it? BARON Next one over. Kalma takes a painting off the wall. Then she punches it breaking through the sheetrock. She continues beating the wall revealing a hidden escape hatch. Smoke seeps out the whole, but Kalma continues smashing the opening larger and larger. KALMA Take the baron out. I will stay and intercept the intruder. GUARD Yes, ma’am. BARON I’m ready. KALMA Go now. They get to the escape tunnel as the smoke gets darker and darker. BARON But the smoke...? KALMA You don’t breathe. Now move! Kalma exits the office through the main door.

18 The guard heads in first. The baron is about to follow when a gun is fired. He turns to the smoke as Artemis steps out firing the gun. The Uzi empties as the baron turns to ash. Dropping the Uzi, Artemis bends down sifting through his ashes. She picks up a gold ring with the Imperial Seal/Mark of the Barony on it. She slides it on her thumb as Kalma enters the room. KALMA Artemis Van Helsing. Artemis looks at her. Reaching up she removes the vampiric teeth dropping them on the ground. Kalma smiles taking out two sai swords. Artemis draws her knife. KALMA Wow. You have his eyes. Artemis attacks with kungfu and the knife. Kalma is highly trained, and with dual weapons she has the advantage. But Artemis is agile, dodging blows and cutting Kalma across the stomach and face. But pain only engaged her, making Kalma seem stronger. Artemis kicks her to the ground. Driving the knife down toward her head, Kalma raises the sai swords to block. Artemis’ arm slides between the forks her blade stopping inches from Kalma’s face. With a kick, Kalma throws Artemis back ripping up her arm. On her feet, Kalma moves in again. Using the knife, Artemis blocks and kicks Kalma through a burning wall. She crashes into the floor. About to get up, the ceiling above her collapses crashing down on her sending her through the floor. Artemis steps back as the fire surrounds her through the interior walls. She takes a deep breath waiting. ARTEMIS (murmuring to herself) Awe fuck. She replaces the knife and then jumps out the window.

19 EXT. SCARLET VEIN/BARONY-CONTINUOUS Artemis hits a tree crashing through several branches before landing on the pavement below. She sits up, feeling pain throughout her body. Looking up, she sees a dark vampire standing across the street. He wears black, with a long trench coat. He stands motionless, just watching as Artemis rises, the burning barony behind her. He turns walking down an alley. Artemis draws her knife. Fighting the pain, she crosses the street following him down the alley. EXT. CITY STREETS-CONTINUOUS As she exits the other side, she finds him nowhere. Just then, a black Dodge Challenger R/T screeches to a halt in front of her. A young priest [VAN] steps out of the car. VAN Artemis, get in. Artemis stands staring at him. VAN The Night-Watchmen are everywhere. Come on! She gets into the passenger seat as Van turns the car around. VAN My name is Van Williams, I’m a priest. ARTEMIS No shit. How did you find me? VAN One of my parishioners called me. Told me something was going down at this vampire hangout. ARTEMIS That hangout happened to be the Barony of Los Angeles.

20 VAN Congratulations. But you’ve attracted a lot of attention. Van turns up the police scanner. VAN They have the whole area locked down. Van turns it off slowing down as they reach a police barricade. VAN Let me do the talking. A police CAPTAIN walks up shining his light in the car. Van opens the window. VAN Can I help you officer? CAPTAIN Evening Father. Little out of place for a two A-M drive with your lady friend. VAN Being a priest is a 24 hour job. My friend here...was trying to buy drugs. CAPTAIN Perhaps you should try a rehab center. VAN She broke out of two rehab centers. I’m taking her back now. Van reaches into a side pocket of the car pulling out a business card. VAN I’m the chaplain at the Center For Hope. Their offices are closed now, but if call or come by in the morning, they will vouch for me. The captain shines the light in Artemis face. She puts her hand up obstructing his view. She turns away as Officer Hakim walks up to them.

21 Hakim makes long eye contact with her. HAKIM Captain, it’s not her. CAPTAIN Are you sure. HAKIM Yes, I’m sure. CAPTAIN Alright, you can go. The captain steps back letting Van go through. He turns his attention to the next car as Hakim watches Van drive off. Hakim walks to his squad car and enters Van’s license plate in the computer. His record comes up. REV. VAN WILLIAMS He finds the car is registered to The Church of The Blessed Redeemer. INT. CHALLENGER-NIGHT Artemis looks around the inside of the car. Then she returns her gaze to Van. ARTEMIS So, what kind of priest are you? Van smiles. VAN I used to be a hunter. Now, I run a ministry for hunters out of my parish. We have sun-rise services every morning. You should come by sometime. Van stops across the street from the church. ARTEMIS Just take me home. Van pulls away.

22 ARTEMIS Look, I don’t need church. VAN Before tonight, I might have disagreed with you. You certainly do live up to the legend. Artemis glares at him. VAN What, you don’t think people know about the great Artemis Van Helsing, last of the Van Helsing. ARTEMIS You don’t know anything about me. Van stops in front of her building. VAN Maybe. But I do know you don’t have to do this alone. Van hands her a business card. VAN Come by or call anytime. A priest’s job is a 24-hour job. Ignoring his gesture, Artemis gets out of the car. INT. ARTEMIS’S BEDROOM-DAWN Artemis opens the blinds as the sun begins to rise over the city skyline. Stepping away she peals off her clothes heading to the shower. INT. APARTMENT-LATER Artemis sips a cup of tea slowly as she brushes out her hair. INT. BEDROOM-CONTINUOUS Then, she lays down pulling the sheet over herself, falling asleep.

23 INT. DUCHY-DAY Prince Mara leans back in his office chair. MARA How many did we lose? DUKE ASURA stands, hands folded in front. ASURA The barony has been completely destroyed. The security force, his aids, three dozen. About fifty of the NightWatchmen, an unknown number of bloodserfs. Rage wells within Mara as Asura goes through the list. MARA And what of the baron himself? ASURA Deceased. It’s been confirmed. MARA Fat bastard. I want a full report. Was it the Anarchs? ASURA I believe so, sir. Kalma enters the room behind Asura slamming the door. Asura turns away from the TV for a second as she come in. Kalma walks toward Asura, as the Prince waits on the other line of the Cisco HD video-conference. KALMA It wasn’t the anarchs. It’s was Artemis. Mara’s temper flares up driving him to his feet. KALMA The baron’s security forces mistook her for a vampire, and she used our own weapons against us.

24 MARA The bloodline of the Van Helsing has been a scourge to my family for too long. Asura, make her death your top priority. She is the last in the bloodline, and you make sure it ends with her. ASURA Yes, sir. KALMA One more thing, your highness. MARA What? KALMA Slayer is back in town. MARA Find him. And finish him this time. Mara terminates the connecting bringing the Cisco logo back up on the television. Asura sighs sitting down at his desk. ASURA What do you think he wants? Kalma gives him a long dirty look. EXT. DESERT CONSTRUCTION YARD-DAY A highway sign reads: WILSON COMMUNITIES GROWING TODAY, THRIVING TOMORROW And behind this sign contractors, well diggers, and ecological experts work together as the foundations of a dozen “cookie cutter” houses are being dug. The FOREMAN with clipboard in one hand and water bottle in the other walks up to his well DIGGER.

25 FOREMAN How we doing? DIGGER We’re about two hours behind schedule. FOREMAN Get a move on, they’re not paying us by the hour. The foreman heads over to a plot where a CONTRACTOR packs the dirt with his bulldozer getting ready to lay the foundation. FOREMAN The cement’s due in one hour. He makes some hand gestures. The contractor nods. Suddenly the sound of scraping metal pierces his ears. Turning he sees, the bulldozer had scrapped a large piece of scrap metal buried deep in the dirt and sand. The contractor shuts down the machine to check it out. FOREMAN What is it now? CONTRACTOR Sounds like I hit some metal. He bends down and moves the dirt with his hand finding a large silver box. He finds two edges, and they’re two feet apart. The foreman and another CONTRACTOR [2] walk up as he tries to uncover the box. CONTRACTOR 2 What’s ya find? CONTRACTOR 1 Don’t know. But it’s big. The second guy grabs a shovel inching the dirt away. It’s five feet long, two feet wide, and more than one feet deep.

26 CONTRACTOR 1 What ever’s inside, I get to keep it. Excited like children, they continue trying to dig it out. FOREMAN It’s a coffin. CONTRACTOR 1 You’re just jealous that I found it. They finally get it loose and find a large padlock. CONTRACTOR 2 That’s real silver, isn’t it? CONTRACTOR 1 Looks like it. They wrap a cable to the box and attach it to the bulldozer. Backing up, they pull the box out of the whole in the ground. FOREMAN Whoever put it there, didn’t want it to be found. CONTRACTOR 1 Sucks for him. He raises the shovel and slams it across the lock. By the second blow, it breaks free. Using the shovel for leverage, he cracks the seal. A stench fills the air as the lid opens. They gasp as the only thing they find is a two hundred year old corpse. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. CONSTRUCTION YARD-DUSK Police lights flash as the San Bernideno Sheriff’s Department assists the corner with the retrieval of the body. It is loaded into the truck. FADE OUT.

27 INT. ARTEMIS’S APARTMENT-NIGHT Artemis wakes in a fright noticing the sun is down. She grabs the alarm clock, it had been unplugged. Quickly, she grabs the pistol from the side table. She turns the light on, but the bulb pops burning out. Slowly she gets up heading to the door. She steps out pointing the pistol in every direction. Scuffling is heard from the kitchen. She moves in seeing a man standing over the stove. ARTEMIS John? The man turns to her. He delivers a sinister smile with blood dripping off long fangs. Artemis steps back hitting the wall. She raises the pistol, but the chamber clicks empty. The vampire attacks. She dives away toward sliding glass balcony door. But the door is locked. She bangs relentlessly but it doesn’t brake. The vampire attacks her from behind bitting into her neck. Looking up she sees the same tall vampire that stood across the street of the barony. He simply stands on the terrace watching. A shrill beeping fills the airs getting louder and LOUDER and LOUDER!! INT. ARTEMIS’S APARTMENT-DAY Artemis bolts up in a fright grabbing the pistol. After a few seconds she checks the magazine. Finding it loaded, she turns off the alarm clock. She sits hugging her knees, still clutching the pistol. Slowly she gets off the bed going over to her closet. She hunts through it looking for something. Artemis throws a box out of the closet. She sits down opening the box. There are several packages of photographs, still in the envelopes. But Artemis’ attention is drawn to a large white-leather

28 bound book. She opens it finding large 8x10 photos of her wedding. Her husband (the man from her dreams) stands with her, both full of smiles. A tear rolls from her eye as she slowly turns each page. The pain of her loss gets stronger and stronger. On the last page is a smaller photo to make room for a DVD clipped on the inside back cover. She takes it out. Placing it in the DVD player, Artemis sits on the bed. The gun remains in her hand as the sun disappears behind the city skyline. ANGLE TV: The DVD loads showing several thumbnails of the various clips. Artemis selects one from the reception. As it plays, the video focuses on Artemis and her husband. They dance to the music. The camera will often pass over the crowd, stopping on the DJ for a few seconds, then move to ring-man and flower girl dancing, then pass back to the married couple. REVERSE: Unable to control her emotions Artemis sobs openly. She looks down at the gun and pulls the slide. A bullet moves into the chamber. Tears streaming from her eyes, she rubs them on her arm raising the pistol to her temple. She closes her eyes for a second again. Then, she pauses for a second staring intently at the television. As near shock comes over her, her arms drop. Grabbing the remote she presses rewind. ANGLE TV: As the video backs up to a pan of the audience, Artemis presses play. There, standing in a corner by the door, is the same vampire that stood across the street from the barony; the same that invaded her dream. REVERSE: Diving for the floor Artemis starts shifting through photos. First, she finds her son’s baptism. Though most of the pictures focused on the newborn, a few wide shots show that same vampire sitting in the back of the church. She flips through, and finds that in every major event that was photographed, that vampire was at every one.

29 Shock and horror fills her as she stands up stepping backward. The photos fall from her hands spilling to the floor. Convulsion hits as Artemis bolts to the bathroom vomiting. Dropping to the bathroom floor, she breaks down crying. INT. MORGUE-NIGHT The CORNER and sheriff deputies bring a body bag in and place it down on the table. CORONER Thanks guys, I’ll take it from here. He picks up a voice recorder turning it on and placing it beside the body. He snaps on some latex gloves before beginning his examination. CORONER Subject appears to be a child or small adult, about five and a quarter feet tall. Small boned. He touches the pelvic bone. CORONER Female. Never gave birth. He fingers the body’s stomach and ribs. CORONER Bone structure is surprising resilient. Flesh decay suggests over two hundred years, but the bones are well preserved. More tests will be necessary to determine time of death. The lips crumble as he examines the teeth and jaw bone. He notices the upper teeth are oversized. CORONER Bizarre mutation of the teeth. Suddenly the corpse bolts forward grabbing him. It bites into his jugular spirting blood all over itself. The coroner tries to fight and scream, but the grip is to strong and his voice box is sliced from the bottom set of teeth.

30 The woman drops the body on the floor and slides off. Almost immediately, the decayed flesh starts to fall off leaving newer pink flesh underneath. INT. HALLWAY-CONTINUOUS She walks out of the morgue into a hallway that connects the sheriff’s department holding cells (all empty) with the stairway and leads up to main area of the sheriff’s office. The woman remains standing as a sheriff OFFICER walks down the steps. OFFICER Excuse me? The black decayed flesh mixed with fresh blood gives her a zombie like appearance. The officer grips his pistol moving forward looking for the coroner. OFFICER Dr. Thomas. The woman cocks her head staring at him. She opens her mouth muttering noises. The officer sees the coroner’s feet on the ground and raises his pistol toward the woman. OFFICER Don’t move. He grabs his radio. OFFICER Miles, Lewis, get down here. He barely finishes the last word when the woman attaches him ripping out his throat with her teeth. She bends back as the blood runs down her neck and bare chest letting out a roar. The last of the dead skin falls off revealing JEZIDROW. EXT. SHERIFF’S PRECINCT-LATER A police cruiser pulls up slowly with lights flashing. The deputy picks up his radio.

31 DEPUTY 1 The lights are off. No signs of movement. The driver stops the car. DEPUTY 1 We’re going to check it out on foot. DISPATCH Roger that. Proceed with caution. The two officers get out drawing their pistols when Jezidrow stumbles out of the front door. She is completely naked with blood running from her mouth down her chest. DEPUTY 2 Jesus. He lowers his weapon as he moves closer. DEPUTY 1 What the fuck did you do? JEZIDROW I was thirsty. DEPUTY 1 Come on. He takes her arm leading her down the steps. He puts her in the back of the police cruiser. DEPUTY 2 Dispatch, looks like we got here too late. No signs of life. The first deputy grabs a flare and walks into the precinct. DEPUTY 2 And call the fire department, I smell gas. INT. SHERIFF PRECINCT-CONTINUOUS The first officer steps inside looking around. The area is scattered with bodies--bled dry.

32 He walks to the back and yanks the gas line from the water heater. He walks back to the main door taking one last look. He lights the flare and tosses it inside the room. EXT. SHERIFF PRECINCT-CONTINUOUS The deputy walks out nonchalant as the building explodes into flames spilling glass everywhere. INT. CRUISER-CONTINUOUS They both get inside. JEZIDROW Take me to see my brother. DEPUTY 1 Who? JEZIDROW My brother, the prince. Take me to him immediately. The second officer chuckles. DEPUTY 1 Do you have any idea where you are? JEZIDROW Don’t make me ask you again. The second officer pulls out his cell phone. DEPUTY 2 Samael, we found a stranger in town. She claims to be Prince Mara’s sister. What do you want us to do? (beat) Got it. Be there in a minute. He starts up the engine. DEPUTY 1 We’re taking you to Governor Samael. INT. MEAT PACKING PLANT-NIGHT A cold chill sits in the air. Large double doors open as the

33 police cruiser drives inside. The deputy gets out. Govoner SAMAEL looks down from his office in an alcove overlooking the main area. The deputy opens the door and Jezidrow steps out. The cold air does not bother her, despite her lack of clothing. Samael’s jaw almost drops. SAMAEL I’ll be fucking damned. He rushes down the metal steps as she walks for him. SAMAEL Jezidrow. Finally a small smile crosses her face. JEZIDROW Samael. Nice to see you. The two deputies exchange glances. JEZIDROW Where is my brother? I must see him. Samael takes off his jacket and puts it around Jezidrow. SAMAEL Yes, um, well. Let’s just say that things are different now. JEZIDROW Different? SAMAEL Politically. Not all vampires are his subjects. JEZIDROW All vampires are bound by blood. She slides the jacket off him, her temper flaring. JEZIDROW And you! You swore to my father that you would serve the family.

34 Samael backs away as Jezidrow walks toward him. The deputies and other guards close in around her. SAMAEL You’re father is dead. That was over two hundred years ago. We don’t live under his rule anymore. JEZIDROW (realization) It’s been two hundred years. SAMAEL Yes, a lot has changed. JEZIDROW Does my brother still maintain control over this land. DEPUTY 1 He only thinks he does. Jezidrow shoots him a look. DEPUTY 1 We control these parts. That’s the way it is. And no one is going to change that. Jezidrow turns back to Samael. SAMAEL Everyone thought you were dead. JEZIDROW Think again. SAMAEL I’m sorry, but sometimes things are better to stay as they were. Jezidrow turns the corner of her eye as the other deputy has gathered a shot gun. Several other vampires have all gathered and stand around her. She turns back looking down the barrel of Samael’s gun. He fires. A single shot through the head drops Jezidrow to the ground. But she doesn’t ash. Instead, she gets back up digging the

35 silver bullet out with her fingers. Samael’s eyes widen. She drops the bullet on the ground. A shot gun blasts Jezidrow into a nearby beef carcass. She flies off it attaching the deputy that fired. She grips her fingers into his skull crushing his head in. It takes only a few seconds before his body turns to ash. Jezidrow jumps as guns everywhere start firing. She dives sliding across the icy ground and rolls to her feet. Springing from the shadow she attacks one of the armed vampires. Then she moves as two more cover that area. She runs up ripping his brain stem out sending him to ash. The other turns but she grabs his gun hand stripping it from him. She pushes him against the wall and kicks him in the chin crushing his skull into the steel wall. He turns to ash. Jezidrow sees Samael move up the stairs to his office. Turning two more vampires come at her. She springs into the air over a few more beef carcasses as shot gun blasts rip the meat to pieces. She lands square on her feet behind the one. With her bare hands she rips his head off. The other turns firing, but she is gone again. Coming at him from the side she slams his body into the police cruiser. She smashes his face into the door twice crushing bone and spilling blood. The third strike crushes his skull completely sending his body to ash. Looking up, she sees Samael doing something at his desk. She springs forward landing halfway up the steps. She jumps again on the outside, flies through his front window, and lands in a crouched position on his desk. His computer monitor and some papers fall to the floor. Samael stumbles falling on his back. The dead vampire’s blood drips off Jezidrow’s fingers. JEZIDROW You have committed high treason against your blood. She jumps down landing her knee into his chest. JEZIDROW You know the penalty.

36 Samael roars throwing her aside. He gets up grabbing her. Amazingly, the five foot-four inch, 95 pound, female vampire, takes control of him and forces him into the wall. She grabs Samael again throwing him into the desk sending it splintering into two pieces. He tries again, but she slams her bare foot into his chest pinning him down. JEZIDROW Where is my brother’s emissary in this land? SAMAEL Los Angeles. Asura, he’ll take you to your brother. He’s still faithful to your family. JEZIDROW Blood is family. She reaches down ripping out his heart. As it beats in her hand, she takes a bite out of it. She smiles as the blood runs down her face. Samael turns to ash along with the remaining parts of his heart. Jezidrow walks back down the steps. The air is cold and black soot lays on the ground. She walks up to the police cruiser and opens the door. She gets in on the passenger seat and looks around. Eyeing the glove box she opens it. Taking out the driver’s manual she flips through it. INT. HAIMA-NIGHT Two LAPD OFFICERS are sitting at the bar drinking. Hakim and another officer [JENKINS] enter taking seats with them. JENKINS Hey guys. I’ll take a Crown and Coke. HAKIM Club soda. One of the cops turns staring at Hakim. OFFICER 1 It’s your fault? Because of you, fifty more cops are dead.

37 Hakim remains silent. JENKINS Guys, calm down. OFFICER 1 Quit defending him. You know it’s true. (to Hakim) You know what really happened. You let her get away. HAKIM I don’t know what you think happened, but like I told the captain: we split up on the train, and when I got back... OFFICER 1 Yeah, yeah. All you found was his shield. Well, because you let her get away, she burns down the best hangout we had. Now we have to drink this watereddown shit. HAKIM I’ll be in the car when you’re ready. Hakim exits without another word. OFFICER 2 Joe’s right, we have to do something about him. JENKINS I know. OFFICER 2 If he wants to come over, fine. Otherwise, we let him go. JENKINS I’ll talk to him. Jenkins pays for his drink and excuses himself. EXT. HAIMA-CONTINUOUS Hakim is leaning against the car breathing in the cool night air.

38 Jenkins walks out standing next to him. JENKINS I know what you told the captain, but didn’t you see anything unusual? HAKIM Can we get off the subject? JENKINS No, I don’t think we can. The question is, do you want me to explain what happened? HAKIM You can explain how a knife blade can burn a person to ash in seconds? JENKINS Yes, I can. LATER: The two cops exit the bar as Jenkins finishes talking. Hakim comes out of his shock. The two cops walk to their squad car waiting for some reply. HAKIM Well, seems like that’s the way of the future. OFFICER 2 Alright. Time to loose your cherry. HAKIM Excuse me? OFFICER 1 Follow us. They two cops get in their cruiser, and Jenkins and Hakim follow them out. EXT. CHURCH OF BLESSED REDEEMER-NIGHT The police cars stop in front. The officers take out their shot gun and M16.

39 Jenkins takes Hakim’s pistol and checks the magazine. JENKINS There’s a priest in there, he coordinates all the hunter’s activity in this city. Kill him or we make you one of us. Jenkins hands him the pistol. HAKIM I have to kill a priest? JENKINS There is no god but Mara. The four turn toward the church when they see SLAYER, a tall dark vampire dressed in black with a long black trench coat. SLAYER You are trespassing on holy ground. Leave now or I will send you to the devil! The two cops intercept him firing their weapons. Bullets rip through Slayer sending him to the ground. They bust up laughing, but Slayer stands up again. OFFICER 1 Oh shit. Slayer draws a sword from the sheath strapped to his back. OFFICER 1 Get the silver! But as the second cop rushes to the squad car to change his ammunition, Slayer cuts the first vampire cop down. The second vampire cop loads a shell into the shot gun. But as he turns it on Slayer, the vampire hook kicks the gun away and then slices his head off. Jenkins quickly changes magazines of his pistol and fires on Slayer. The silver bullets burn through his body but miss vital organs. Slayer charges throwing Jenkins against the door.

40 As bullets fly, Hakim drops to the ground, unsure of who’s side he’s on. Slayer throws Jenkins against the squad car. He knees him in the gut before bitting him in the neck. He only takes a little bit of his blood stepping back giving his wounds time to heal. Dazed, Jenkins picks up his pistol. Slayer drives his sword through Jenkins’ chest between the plates of his cevlar vest and into the squad car’s window. When he pulls the sword out, Jenkins’ body slumps over. Hakim sits still on the ground locking eyes with Slayer. Slayer wipes the blood off his chin. A shot gun is cocked as both look toward the church. Van stands at the bottom of the steps with shot gun in hand. He steps forward thrusting a prosthetic leg as he walks toward them. VAN Be gone! Slayer snarls before running down the street. HAKIM You’re that priest? VAN Show me your right arm. HAKIM What? VAN Do it! Van raises the shot gun. Hakim rolls up his sleeve. VAN No, you’re shoulder. Hakim unbuttons his shirt and shows him right shoulder. HAKIM You’re the one they wanted dead.

41 Van lowers the shot gun. VAN Welcome to the night. Van kneels down beside Jenkins and pulls his shirt down. VAN See this. It’s the Mark of The Watchmen. It integrates the Seal of Empire. HAKIM Empire? EXT. CITY STREETS-NIGHT Hakim parks the squad car in front of a closed store. Van parks the other car behind. Van, dressed in his priestly attire, gets out leaving the driver’s side door open. Hakim remains inside, sitting and thinking. Van opens the door. VAN Don’t over think things. Let’s just finish this. From the backseat, they take Jenkins’s body out and drop it on the ground. VAN It’s bad enough we have to fight vampires, but to fight human’s working for them. It’s so much harder to clean up. HAKIM I don’t understand. VAN The Vampiric Empire is huge, they have their hands in everything: politics, industry. Even drug running and weapon smuggling. They’re the largest organized crime syndicate in the world, stretching into over fifty countries.

42 HAKIM How? VAN How do you stop something, no one believes exists. (beat) Look, at this juncture, you have limited options. Either you take your family and leave this city, no looking back. Or you stay here and fight them along with us, and risk losing everything. HAKIM Everything? VAN My family was killed by vampires when I was four years old. My grandparents were killed when my father was only twelve. And that’s been the story of most hunters. Van pauses giving Hakim sometime. VAN If you decide to stay, come to my service at 6:00am. Better call this in, before they start to wonder where you four are. Van turns and walks down the street. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM-NIGHT Hakim is sitting behind the desk as his captain sits across holding a fire. CAPTAIN I’d say you really had some bad luck these past few days. First, you’re partner ends up missing. The next day, you answer a call and two more cops go missing and your new partner ends up dead. Care to explain? HAKIM I don’t know what to say?

43 CAPTAIN I.A.D. is going to have a field day with our department. But let me tell you, this whole fiasco, starts and ends with you. And I will not let this department suffer because of it. The door opens and Kalma enters with a Detective McBRIDE. McBRIDE Captain, this is Hakim’s attorney. CAPTAIN Good, you need one. The captain gets up and storms out. McBride and Kalma exchange glances; McBride exits closing the door. Kalma takes a seat. KALMA I know things aren’t what they seem here. And I know you know, more about what is going on then you let on. INT. OBSERVATION ROOM-CONTINUOUS McBride sends everyone out of the room and shuts off the recording equipment. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM-CONTINUOUS Kalma places some photos on the table. One of Slayer, one of Artemis, one of Van. KALMA I know you’ve had contact with each of these people. And normally, that would really both me. HAKIM Who are you? You’re not a lawyer are you? KALMA No, I’m not. Hakim swallows hard.

44 KALMA What you say is between us. I’ve already made sure of that. Now, tell me. HAKIM Let me see your right arm. Kalma stands up taking off her suit jacket. She unbuttons her blouse and pulls it down showing the Duke’s Seal of the Empire on her right shoulder. KALMA This what you wanted to see? HAKIM Yes. Hakim looks down as Kalma buttons up her blouse. KALMA I am an emissary of the duke. Right now, he is overseeing all operations in this city until a new baron is appointed. HAKIM The Scarlet Vein. KALMA You catch on fast. Kalma takes out some photo’s of Hakim’s wife and children. KALMA Here’s the deal. You work for us or you and your pretty little wife die. And you’re children become our slaves for the rest of their nature life, and then the rest of their unnatural life. HAKIM You want me to kill the priest? KALMA Oh, no. It’s stupidity like that costs us Night-Watchmen. I want you to spy on them. Report to us their movements, their whereabouts, when and where they plan on attacking.

45 Kalma slides a cellphone across the table to him. KALMA Keep this with you at all times. There’s a G.P.S. built in. And remember, no matter where you run, we will always find you. Kalma gets up and exits, then McBride returns. McBRIDE Don’t worry. The captain will place me in charge of this investigation, and I’ll clear you. HAKIM Is the captain a “watchman”? McBRIDE No. But he takes orders from one. He’ll do as he’s told. Hakim stands up. McBRIDE I am your handler. You answer directly to me. You do what I tell you, as if I was god. Understand? HAKIM Yes. McBRIDE I am speed-dial #2 on that phone. You will make reports to me daily and whenever things important come up. HAKIM Yes. McBRIDE Any questions? HAKIM Do you also bear the mark? McBRIDE I do.

46 HAKIM Do I need one? McBRIDE No, we need you to fit in. Besides, if you fail, that won’t matter anymore. Hakim takes a breath. McBRIDE Better hurry, or you will miss the sunrise service. EXT. CHURCH OF THE BLESSED REDEEMER-DAWN Hakim finds the service already in process and takes a seat in the back. The church is small and the congregation smaller. There are only thirty people there out of the one hundred fifty the building could hold. VAN The devil lives among us. And many of you see him and his agents. You know, of the path of righteousness which you have chosen. And no one, who takes our Lord’s body and blood, will be succumb to the evil that is so flooding our streets. We must continue to fight the demons, no matter where they may hide. EXT. FREEWAY-DAWN A motorcycle rider dressed all in black, with black helmet and visor, speeds down the empty freeway as the sun rises behind. VAN (v.o.) As the light of salvation comes with each rising sun, so will our Salvation come. The rider speeds past a highway sign reading: LOS ANGELES 100

47 INT. CHURCH OF THE BLESSED REDEEMER-DAY Van stands by the door as the small congregation exits. GERRY, a tall hunter of native-American decent, walks up to Van. GERRY Father Van, do you remember that community of vampires I was telling you about. VAN Yes. GERRY Marcus just called me. They’re all dead. VAN What? Are you sure? GERRY I’m going to head down there now. VAN Wait for me, would you? GERRY Sure. Hakim walks up to Van and Gerry as they are talking. They pause looking at him. VAN Oh, I think you should bring it. Gerry nods excusing himself. HAKIM I’ve thought about what you’ve said. And I want to work with you. They turn as Artemis heads toward the door. Hakim and Artemis lock gazes. VAN One second.

48 EXT. CHURCH OF THE BLESSED REDEEMER-CONTINUOUS Artemis exits and Van rushes down the steps after her. VAN Artemis, wait. ARTEMIS What? VAN There’s a community of vampires in the desert that got wiped out last night. Do you want to come check it out? Artemis pauses for a second. ARTEMIS Sure, why not? HAKIM Do you mind if I come along. VAN Sure, we have to break you in sooner or later. You can ride with Gerry. EXT. DESERT-DAY Van driving the lead in his Dodge Challenger, and Gerry trailing behind in a Durango drive toward the city limits. Blocking the road is a California State Trooper, MARCUS VASQUEZ. He leans against his car as Van approaches. Van gets out and they shake hands. VAN Marcus. Good to see you. MARCUS Follow me. INT. MEAT PACKING PLANT-CONTINUOUS The five stand inside the meat packing plant. Black ash is littered everywhere, flies hang on the beef carcases as a stench fills the air.

49 Hakim wipes the black ash off the police car with his finger. HAKIM What happened here? Van picks up some spent cartriges off the ground. MARCUS You won’t believe it. Let me show you the videos. INT. SAMAEL’S OFFICE-CONTINUOUS Marcus sits behind the computer. MARCUS The computer was on the ground, but apparently she wasn’t interested in it. Marcus runs the surveillance videos. Van’s eyes widen as he watches Jezidrow tear the vampires apart. VAN Fascinating. ARTEMIS Never seen a naked girl before? GERRY Stronger. Faster. Immune to silver. What kind of vampire can do that? VAN Only a pure blood. GERRY But they’re all dead. VAN Apparently we missed one. ARTEMIS One vampire destroyed every other vampire in this entire town?

50 GERRY If this vampire has any connection with the Empire, every Anarch is going to take up arms against them. There will be a bloodbath. VAN Marcus, I need to find and destroy every evidence that this attack was by a vampire. Then we have to hunt down every remaining vampire in this county and be sure they’re put down. We need them to think it was us, that way the backlash will only come back this far. GERRY I’ll get to the City Hall and find places where vampire would go during daylight. VAN Good. We only have till sundown, then this whole town will be crawling with them. EXT. CITY HALL-DAY Gerry unrolls a county map over the hood of Van’s car. GERRY There’s only two possibilities. There an old airfield, here. And an abandoned gold mine here. VAN Good work. We’ll clear the airfield first. Van walks to his trunk and opens it. He takes out all assortment of military-grade weapons. ARTEMIS What if the cops asked to search you’re trunk the other night. VAN We do the lord’s work here, I don’t worry about trivial things such as that.

51 Van hands her an assault rifle with shot gun foregrip. He throws his suit jacket inside and takes out a dual pistol holster holding twin .50 calabur Desert Eagles. He gives Hakim a UMP submachine gun, and several magazines full of silver rounds. HAKIM I thought bullets couldn’t hurt them. VAN Silver rounds. Through the heart or the head. Van hands him some magazines for his pistol. VAN You might want to switch your pistol to these. Hakim drops the magazines from his gun into the trunk and takes the silver clips. Marcus pulls up beside them. MARCUS Were we headed? VAN The old airfield, about fifty clicks North. MARCUS Good. Follow me. Van slams his trunk closed. EXT. AIRFIELD-CONTINUOUS The three cars move across the highway at 90 to 100 miles an hour. They come up on the airfield quickly. Marcus cuts the gate chain with bolt cutters and leads them in. They pull to the administration building first and unload.

52 VAN Make two teams. Marcus, you go with Gerry. Artemis, Hakim, you come with me. GERRY Got it. They head off to the side door. Van, Artemis, and Hakim go through the front door. INT. ADMINISTRATION BUILDING-CONTINUOUS They clear the main lobby and head up a flight of steps to the offices. They search every room one by one, but find nothing. They exit a side door and go down the fire escape. EXT. AIRFIELD-CONTINUOUS Gerry and Marcus exit from the basement and meet up with them. MARCUS All clear. Van takes a deep breath staring at the main hanger. VAN Let’s go. He leads them forward toward the main hanger. When reaching the door, they find movement inside. HAKIM How do we know if they’re vamps or not. Van looks up. VAN Gerry, Marcus. Hit those skylights. We’ll wait on you. They burn, they die. GERRY You got it. Gerry and Marcus head around the side finding a ladder built into the wall. They head up to the roof. Van draws his pistols and Hakim notices some custom laser

53 engraving on them. HAKIM Divine Wrath? Van shows the engraving that are similarly placed, but different. One reads: DIVINE WRATH. VAN My mentor, another priest/hunter gave this to me. He got it after a trip from the Holy Land from a Rabbi hunter. It never misses an unholy target. HAKIM An “unholy” target? Van smirks opening the door. INT. HANGER-CONTINUOUS The three sneak inside. Van signals Artemis down a hallway to another perch. He and Hakim move toward another. EXT. HANGER-CONTINUOUS Marcus and Gerry plant small explosives across the windows. Afterwards they hook up cables to an anchor in the roof. GERRY We’re set. INT. HANGER-CONTINUOUS Van looks up toward the blackened windows. VAN Here we go. Now! With a boom the windows explode. Following the raining glass, Gerry and Marcus belay inside. Immediately the vampires working underneath the glass, are burned to a crisp. Van fires his other pistol at a barrel of jet fuel sending several barrels exploding. Shrapnel flies everywhere.

54 From various control rooms, bullets ring out. But Artemis fires with the assault rifles taking them. As vampire guards exit the air traffic control tower, Hakim intercepts them firing UMP. Marcus and Gerry touch down, clearing the rest from the main room. Hakim and Van move up the steps of the air traffic control room to the top. INT. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL-CONTINUOUS Surrounded by blackened windows, the vampires fire relentlessly on the small door. They were pinned down, but had the firing advantage. EXT. HANGER-CONTINUOUS Artemis walked out of the hanger turning her assault rifle toward the tower. It was only two to three hundred feet higher than the hanger. She fired shattering the blackened windows. INT. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL-CONTINUOUS The sunlight burned through taking out one of the vampires. This gave Van the change to toss a UV grenade in. Once it burned out, Van and Hakim charged in covering all the point of the room. EXT. HANGER-CONTINUOUS The five met up at their vehicles. Marcus takes the lead as they leave the airfield. EXT. GOLD MINE-DAY Arrive at the gold mine, Van takes point. ARTEMIS We’re running out of daylight. It’s probably a maze of shit down there. VAN We’re not going in.

55 HAKIM What? VAN Last time I chased a vampire into a mine shaft, I came out in more pieces then I went in. We’ll push them back, and then lock them in. GERRY You want it? VAN Yes, we’ll give you cover. ARTEMIS What’s it? INT. GOLD MINE-CONTINUOUS The doors blast open with some C4. Gerry and Hakim enter first weapons aimed. Marcus enters carrying a bag and Van behind him. Artemis stands outside guarding the door. VAN On those posts. We’ll go six back. Marcus and Van places C4 charges on the six support posts on the entrance of the shaft. On each C4 they place a small remote detonator. MARCUS I hope that’s enough. GERRY Cover me. Gerry exits and Artemis takes his place. He returns with a black duffel bag. Van takes it and carefully places it in the mining cart. Artemis walks up to him as Van opens it. ARTEMIS What the fuck! She finds a nuclear warhead inside the bag.

56 VAN An Iranian hunter sent this to me. ARTEMIS It’s a fucking dirty bomb. VAN Yes. And we had better close this tunnel before it goes off in sixty seconds. Van arms the warhead and sets the timer. Gerry walks up and together they push the mine cart forward. It rattles and squeals sending a loud echoing screech throughout the mine shaft. But even louder, come the roar of the vampires as they charge from the darkness. VAN Go! Gerry and Van let the cart go as it rolls down the tracks deeper into the mine shaft. They run out, but Gerry has to drag Van with his prosthetic leg. The vampires mostly ignore the mine cart charging past toward the hunters. GERRY Fire! Marcus, Artemis, and Hakim open fire taking out vampires. Gerry and Van make their way past the C4 charges and collapses outside the mine shaft. MARCUS Fall back. VAN Now! Marcus pulls out the remote detonator. Hakim and Artemis step backward firing keeping the vampires at bay. With a press of the detonator the C4 shatters the support beams. The roof caves in closing off the entrance. They move as quick as they can until the entire ground shakes like a violent earthquake ripped through.

57 ARTEMIS You bastard, if I get radiation poisoning... MARCUS You won’t. HAKIM Did that kill them all? VAN Probably not. But at least the ones that survive won’t blame the empire. GERRY That may not be our only problem. Gerry stands up watching as the sun is beginning to set. VAN We gotta go, now. Marcus? MARCUS I’ll ride with Gerry. Marcus takes off his police uniform and throws it in the back of his car. Leaving them, he gets in with Gerry and the two take off through the desert. They hit the freeway just as the sun disappears. INT. MOTEL ROOM-NIGHT Clothes litter the floor. A TV’s low volume comes merely as a hum. Two naked bodies lie on the bed. The man is ghostly pale. Dead. Jezidrow rolls over to her back. Getting off the bed, Jezidrow picks up the man’s white dress shirt. She only claps two of the buttons and exits leaving the rest of the clothing on the floor. EXT. MOTEL-CONTINUOUS It is a cheap 24-hour motel, a rent by the hour type. Jezidrow walks past the desk attracting the eye of the clerk. He watches her until she turns the corner out of

58 sight. EXT. CITY STREETS-NIGHT A MAN in a suit talking on his bluetooth headset, walks frantically down the street. Jezidrow turns behind him and walks sexily toward him. MAN Yes, well how long is this going to take. Look lady, just get me a damn taxi. He turns seeing Jezidrow walking toward him. With each step the shirt opens at the bottom showing her disregard for clothing. He stares at her. MAN Great, now I’m being stalked by some crazy half-naked bitch. What? He turns looking to the street sign. MAN Grand and 24th. Yes, get here quickly because I’m not going to stand in one place. By now Jezidrow is only feet from him. She reaches up to touch him. The man steps back not watching to touch her. Jezidrow roars showing teeth. MAN Shit! The man takes off running. MAN Shit! Jezidrow races after him and pounces like a cat. She wraps her arms and legs around him and bites into his neck. He cries out in pain dropping to his knees as Jezidrow drains his body. His bluetooth headset falls to the ground, and a female voice can be heard calling out to him. Three THUGS walking down the street noticing Jezidrow lying over the man’s body. She looks up wiping the blood off her

59 chin staining the shirt. The three start laughing at her. THUG 1 You alright there? THUG 2 Looks like she’s a pole short of a strip club. The other two crack up laughing. THUG 1 Hey bitch, what did they give you tonight? Jezidrow laughs unsure what the joke it. THUG 1 Want to have some real fun? THUG 3 Dude, don’t. That bitch is gonna be dirty. JEZIDROW I want you. Jezidrow stands up touching the thug. He smiles as Jezidrow starts rubbing against crotch. THUG 1 You want it, bitch. JEZIDROW Yes. THUG 2 Go on, give it to her. The thug opens his pants stepping forward. She sits up on the hood of a parked car and the thugs starts to fuck her. His two buddies start cheering waiting for their turn. Jezidrow comes close to orgasm quickly, and at that moment she bites into the thug’s jugular. The pain races through him and immediately he pushes back. But doing so forcefully he falls back onto the ground bleeding profusely. Jezidrow laughs as he squirms bleeding to death.

60 THUG 2 Bitch! As the first thug bleeds to death, the second draws a knife and lunges for her. She catches his arm twisting it. The knife falls to the ground and Jezidrow bites into his throat. The third grabs the knife off the ground and stabs Jezidrow repeatedly in the back. She turns grabbing him. The second thug falls to the ground. Before passing out, he sees Jezidrow’s wounds heal in seconds. Jezidrow throws the third into the car. She rips his arm off before preceding to remove his head. INT. CHURCH OF THE BLESSED REDEEMER-NIGHT Artemis, Hakim, Gerry, and Marcus enter taking a seat. HAKIM There’s something that’s bothering me. What’s a pureblood? GERRY According to the legend, only the Dracul and his decedents? ARTEMIS According to legend? GERRY Before I met you: I would have only thought of it as bedtime stories hunters tell their children. Van enters carrying a black leather bound journal. VAN A bedtime story that can kill you. GERRY What have you got there? VAN The journal of Abraham Van Helsing.

61 ARTEMIS And why do you have that? Gently Van closes the book handing it to Artemis. MARCUS What did it say? VAN After Van Helsing killed the Dracul, he kidnaped his daughter and buried her in the Mexican desert. GERRY Why didn’t he just kill her? Van shrugs. HAKIM If he buried her in Mexico, then it couldn’t have been her in San Bernideno. MARCUS Oh, shit. Of course. VAN Exactly. HAKIM What? VAN California was part of Mexico. MARCUS Less then a year after winning their independence from Spain, California succeeded and joined the Union. In between, they would have been part of the State of Mexico. That was around the time he claims to have buried her there. HAKIM Now what?

62 VAN We have to get to the princess before the Empire gets to her. She’s been locked up for 200 years. She won’t know about all the things they’ve done. She’s probably looking for the duchy as we speak. ARTEMIS She’s not the only one. VAN Hakim, keep an eye on the police reports. Where she goes, she leaves dead bodies everywhere. HAKIM I’ll make a few calls. Hakim takes out his phone and exits as he dials. ARTEMIS I can’t believe you’ve had this all the time and never told me. Artemis storms out holding the journal. Van sighs. VAN You guys can hang here for the night. Van follows Artemis out. EXT. CHURCH OF THE BLESSED REDEEMER-CONTINUOUS Artemis walks to her H3 Hummer parked in the church’s lot. Van meets up with her. VAN Look, I’m sorry. But not everything is as it seems. Hakim rushes out of the door. HAKIM I gotta go. Quadruple homicide in south central. All victims drained of blood.

63 VAN Make you remove their hearts. If it was the princess, when they turn they’ll be stronger than your average vampires. HAKIM What? VAN They’d be 1st Gens. A cross between “normal” vampires and purebloods. HAKIM Remove their hearts, right. VAN Or, you can torch the bodies, but make sure they burn all the way through. HAKIM Yeah. Okay. Hakim gets to his car and exits. ARTEMIS Here. Artemis gives Van the journal back and gets into her car. ARTEMIS I have more important things to do. VAN What are you going to do? ARTEMIS What I do best. Artemis slams the door and pulls out of the lot. EXT. STREET-NIGHT Hakim arrives finding someone already standing over the bodies. Quickly, he grabs one of the silver clips before getting out of the car. HAKIM Hold it right there!

64 Slayer looks up yanking the heart out of the dead business man. HAKIM You! Slayer growls showing teeth. Hakim raises the pistol but hesitates. Slayer stands up slowly. Sirens are heard in the background. Slayer merely snarls and disappears into an alley. Hakim steps forward finding all four of the bodies had their heart’s removed. Artemis squeals to a halt in the street. ARTEMIS Hakim, where do the Night-Watchmen hang out now? INT. ALLEY-NIGHT A body is thrown hard into the wall. He collapses on the ground, fighting a broken leg the VAMPIRE gets up and tries to limp away. But Jezidrow appears and throws him down again. JEZIDROW You bare the mark of the Imperial Seal. Tell me, where can I find the Duke. VAMPIRE I don’t know, I swear. Jezidrow shoves his face into the wall, with enough force to crush a mere human. She throws him against a dumpster making an echoing dent into the side. Jezidrow drives her hand into his back and grips his heart. JEZIDROW Tell me, where can I find him! The vampire chokes blood.

65 VAMPIRE I don’t know. But I know where you can find someone who does. Go to Haima. It’s a pub in West Hollywood. Ask for Kalma. Furious, Jezidrow squeezes the vampire’s heart into a bloody pulp sending his body burning to ash. INT. HAIMA-NIGHT Artemis enters baring her fake vampire teeth. Taking a seat at the bar, the BARTENDER pours her a drink. Haima is a bar and pub sporting several pool tables, dart boards, and a big screen TV. A few cops are there, but only a few. Artemis takes her drink and moves to a booth where she can better scope out the entire area. Still wearing the blood stained dress shirt, Jezidrow enters. All eyes fall on her, as the half-naked vampire moves toward the bar. Artemis spots her leaning forward to watch. BARTENDER What can I get for you, honey? JEZIDROW Kalma. BARTENDER Sorry, I don’t know that drink. Jezidrow grabs the bartender and yanks him over the bar. She drops him to the ground. JEZIDROW Perhaps you can show me the duchy instead. The two Night-Watchmen step forward drawing their pistols. Jezidrow stands up roaring. The two cops open fire but the bullets pass through her. When their guns run dry Jezidrow snickers. She leaps forward and rips them to pieces. The bartender gets up reaching for

66 his shotgun, but Jezidrow takes him out next. All the remaining vampires stand in the bar watching her. JEZIDROW I’m looking for Kalma. SLAYER (o.s.) Try in hell. Jezidrow turns seeing Slayer standing in the doorway. JEZIDROW You! SLAYER It’s time I put you down. Slayer draws his sword stepping forward. Jezidrow leaps at him, as Slayer swings his sword. He misses the first blow, but kicks her as she comes in. He swings again cutting her across the stomach. She dodges another blow, but the blade cuts her across the face. Artemis remains sitting gripping her pistol under the table. Poised. Waiting. Jezidrow is faster and stronger than Slayer, but his skills both with a blade and martial arts, are far superior. This allows him to control the fight. With a powerful kick he sends Jezidrow flying through the back door into the alley. Artemis gets up following. EXT. ALLEY-CONTINUOUS Slayer remains ready, as Jezidrow does not give up easily. The blade seems to have little effect at slowing down Jezidrow’s momentum. And when she manages to knock it free from him, she is able to turn the fight to her side. Slayer rolls to his feet, but Jezidrow grabs him by the collar. She throws him into a brick wall nearly breaking him through it. With a drop kick, she crushes bones. Just then, several police cars squeal to a stop at the end of the alley. Jezidrow looks up as Night-Watchmen storm the alley. Without warning they open fire. Caught unawares

67 several shot gun blast through Jezidrow’s chest. Jezidrow dives through a glass window into a storefront to escape. But the six Night-Watchmen follow her in. Artemis exits the bar after they have gone. But she finds Slayer gone. EXT. STREET-CONTINUOUS Rushing out of the alley, Artemis finds Slayer feeding off a homeless man. She opens fire hitting Slayer. He drops the body and rushes into the alley. Artemis changes magazines. As she passes the body, she fires a shot into his forehead. EXT. NEXT STREET-CONTINUOUS Slayer crosses a street and disappears into a parking garage. Just as Artemis is about to exit the alley after him, two police cars brake through the barricade gates after him. INT. PARKING GARAGE-CONTINUOUS Slayer is running straight through when one of the police cars hits him. He smashes into the windshield and rolls off. The four Night-Watchmen exit coming after him. Drawing his sword, Slayer fights them off. Just then, a swarm of vampires and Night-Watchmen charge in with all assortment of melee weapons. Slayer continues to fight them off when Kalma appears from the throng walking toward him. KALMA Slayer! Her roar causes all the vampire to freeze and back away from him. Slayer turns to her. Kalma draws her two sai swords. Slayer grunts rushing her with the sword. She blocks and gets some of her own moves in. She’s fast and her kicks sting as bad as the silver sai swords. Though Slayer may push her away, she’ll wall-walk

68 around to his back. Artemis sneaks closer toward Slayer and Kalma as their melee intensifies. She takes out two UV grenades yanking the pins. Walking out from her hiding place, she tosses them both inside. Slayer looks up sensing her presence. Kalma turns. The two UV grenades land near them before going off. Slayer drives across the hood of a parked car to shield himself. Kalma takes a nose dive through the windshield of a car ducking onto the floor. The intense light burns off half of Slayer’s face as he barely got away in time. After the light dissipates Artemis steps forward. She finds the vehicle where Kalma hid. She was gone, a rear door left sitting open. And Slayer was either ash or nowhere to be found. EXT. BEVERLY HILLS MANSION-DAY The sun clears the distant skyline of the city as a large three story mansion sits in peace. The yard is large guarded with men dressed in paramilitary gear. Two GUARDS stand posted at the gate dressed in urban camouflage and armed with submachine guns. The driveway to the gate winds out of site with trees lining both sides keeping the entrance closed off from the street. Walking up the driveway, Jezidrow appears still dressed in only the tattered and blood stained dress shirt. The guards exchange glances as she appears. GUARD Can I help you miss? The other guard steps away moving around behind her. JEZIDROW I request an audience with Duke Asura. The guard sneers.

69 GUARD Do you have an appointment? JEZIDROW I don’t like your attitude. GUARD Suck my dick. Jezidrow grabs the guard by the neck thrusting him against the gate. With a twist of her wrist, she snaps his neck. She stands waiting for a second, surprised he is not ash. The other guard fires his submachine gun ripping wholes into her back. She takes the knife from the dead guard and after dropping him to the ground throws the knife into the other’s throat. JEZIDROW Humans. Standing up, she tears the gate open with her bare hands. INT. DUCHY SECURITY ROOM-CONTINUOUS The security room is in chaos, one the GUARDS watches the monitors. MONITOR GUARD She’s inside. Another GUARD is on the radio. RADIO GUARD She’s crossing the yard toward the doors. All units, cut her off. EXT. DUCHY YARD-CONTINUOUS Jezidrow is halfway across the yard when the front doors open. A dozen Day-Watchmen with submachine guns exit the building standing in her way. All guns point at the halfnaked unarmed vampire. GUARD LEADER Don’t come any closer. Jezidrow does not even respond. She continues walking.

70 GUARD LEADER Fire at will. INT. ASURA’S BEDROOM-CONTINUOUS Asura turns hearing the gunfire outside. The dark blinds have been drawn keeping the interior light to a mid-dusk. Once he gets up, Kalma sits up in the bed. KALMA What is it? ASURA I don’t know. Asura turns on the television switching over to the security channel. He accesses the outside security camera. Jezidrow attacks each guard regardless of the bullets being fired into her body. Some, she rips them apart with her hands; other’s she merely wounds to come back and feed off them later. ASURA Son of a... Asura cuts himself off as he rushes out of the room. Kalma is up following quickly. INT. DUCHY ENTRANCE HALL-CONTINUOUS Asura rushes down the front steps toward the door. Several vampire security guards are posted inside with weapons poised. The front double doors are made of a tinted and UVshielded glass. Kalma rushes down the stairs behind Asura as he gets closer to the door. KALMA Asura, don’t! She runs up to him as Jezidrow throws one of the corpses toward the door. Asura turns grabbing Kalma and diving out of sight when the body crashes through the glass windows. One of the vampires turn to ash as the sunlight comes in through the broken window.

71 Fresh blood sticks to Jezidrow’s skin as she walks up the steps to the duchy. Asura fights Kalma to get up, as she doesn’t want to let him go. But he gets loose walking into the hall standing directly in the sunlight. He raises his hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight, but his body is unaffected by the sun. Jezidrow stops in her track when she sees Asura. An uneasy pause comes over everyone watching them. Then Asura bends down on one knee bowing before Jezidrow. It takes a second to register, but all the others inside also bow. Jezidrow walks up to Asura putting out her blood stained hand. He takes it standing up. ASURA It’s good to see you safe. JEZIDROW I am greatly distressed at the plight of my kindred. ASURA My apologies, your majesty. JEZIDROW I wish to see my brother. ASURA Of course, come upstairs. I am sure he will be delighted to see you are alive. (to Kalma) Would you get the princess of clean pair of clothes. KALMA Yes, sir. When they reach the top of the stairs, Kalma excuses herself. INT. ASURA’S OFFICE-CONTINUOUS Asura leads her inside. He looks over her, her hair is a mess and her skin is caked with dried blood and vampire ash.

72 ASURA Do you wish to freshen up before you see the prince. JEZIDROW Did I ask that of you? Asura grabs the phone. ASURA My Prince, I have someone that wants to see you. You won’t believe me; you have to see it. Yes, sir. Asura raises the remote turning the television on. Jezidrow turns to the TV as Mara sits behind his desk. MARA Jezi? Jezidrow walks toward the TV. JEZIDROW Brother. What has become of you? She pokes the TV sending a ripple down the screen. MARA Jezi, how...? How are you? JEZIDROW Not in a box. MARA Asura, charter my jet. You take off at sundown. I want her in Paris by morning. ASURA Yes, sir. MARA Don’t worry Jezi, Asura will bring you to me. JEZIDROW I anticipate our reuniting.

73 MARA And Asura, don’t let anything become of her, or you find yourself replaced! ASURA Yes, sir. I will protect her with my life. The screen goes blank. Kalma enters and bows. KALMA Your highness, I have drawn a bath for you. ASURA Kalma, stay with her. I’m going to send in the Day-Watchmen. He picks up the phone. ASURA McBride, arrange for the Day-Watchmen. INT. ARTEMIS’ BATHROOM-NIGHT Artemis stands in the shower washing blood and vampire ash off her body. She reaches out turning the water. Sliding the door open she find Slayer, still burned, standing at the doorway. Artemis tries to scream, but Slayer grabs her throat. VAN (v.o) Artemis. Artemis! INT. ARTEMIS’S BEDROOM-DAY Artemis bolts upright choking finding Van standing next to the bed. She grabs the pistol habitually, but Van grabs her. VAN It’s okay, it’s okay! ARTEMIS What the fuck are you doing? VAN You were dreaming.

74 ARTEMIS Shit. How the fuck did you get in here? Van stands up handing her the pistol. VAN I broke the lock. She glares at him. ARTEMIS You sounded like you were being attacked. Van walks out the bedroom and Artemis follows him. INT. KITCHENETTE-CONTINUOUS Van starts filling a tea kettle with water. ARTEMIS What are you doing? VAN Making some tea. You want some? ARTEMIS What are you doing here? VAN I need to talk to you. Get dressed, I’ll wait. LATER: Van pours himself and Artemis a cup of tea. VAN Why do you hunt? ARTEMIS I don’t know. I just do. It’s all I’ve done. VAN The vampire that killed your family, is dead. Right?

75 ARTEMIS So, I should stop hunting just because he’s dead. VAN To what purpose? ARTEMIS Look, I know this is all the priest-ly psychobabble shit you guys do, but really, give it a rest. VAN I’ve been where you’re at. As have many of the other hunters. They don’t all come to my services because they’re Christians, they come because it’s a safe place for hunters to come and unload their issues. ARTEMIS Well, I don’t have any issues, I staked them a long time ago. VAN You’re harboring a lot of bitterness. And fear of ever being close to someone again. ARTEMIS Didn’t you get enough preaching out of your system this morning? Van smiles. VAN Never. It’s why I never take the collar off. A priest is a 24-hour job. Artemis rolls her eyes at him. ARTEMIS Is being an asshole in your job description? VAN When the job calls for it.

76 Just then, Van’s cell phone rings. VAN Hello? HAKIM Father Van, the LAPD has just issued an arrest warrant for Artemis Van Helsing, and all the Day-Watchmen are mobilizing. VAN Then it’s not an arrest warrant; it’s a death warrant. Thank you. Van hangs up. He steps out onto the terrace looking up and down the street. ARTEMIS What is it? VAN The Day-Watchmen are coming for you. EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING-CONTINUOUS In minutes, the building is swarming with SWAT. Detective Lieutenant McBride leads the team. He barks orders getting the building surrounded. INT. ARTEMIS’S APARTMENT-CONTINUOUS Artemis walks over to her closet taking out two black duffel bags. Opening them she produces a combat shot gun and a strip of leather holding shot gun shells. Quickly, she loads. Van goes through the other bag taking out two MP5 submachine guns. He loads them heading for the door. ARTEMIS Why are you sticking your neck out for me? They’re not coming for you. VAN I’m a priest. It’s my job to look after my flock.

77 ARTEMIS But, I’m not catholic. VAN My flock is one of profession, not religion. Van cracks the door. INT. HALLWAY-CONTINUOUS Van crosses the hallway to the stairs. He looks inside seeing the SWAT team moving up the steps. Artemis follows close behind. ARTEMIS We only have another second before that elevator arrives. Van turns as the elevator floors rapidly increase to theirs. VAN Let’s go. INT. STAIRWAY-CONTINUOUS Van kicks the door down firing both submachine guns. After taking out the initial wave of SWAT, Artemis rushes to the railing firing the shot gun. The SWAT Team soon becomes disorganized by the bodies falling around them. Van and Artemis rush down as quickly as they can. The third team fires up the steps at them. Reloading in waves, they keep an incessant amount of bullets head their way. Van and Artemis are forced back against the wall as the bullets land just above their head. Without hesitation, Artemis grabs a grenade pulling the pin and trigger. ARTEMIS (whisper) One, two.... She throws the grenade over the railing and it explodes before landing sending railing shrapnel everywhere. ARTEMIS Move!

78 Van moves quickly as he can on his prosthetic leg. The submachine guns run dry, so he drops them. Artemis fires right from behind sending a SWAT into the wall. ARTEMIS You okay? VAN Yeah. Van laughs as he takes off his suit jacket. From a back holster he takes his twin Desert Eagles. ARTEMIS You know, they say people who carry large guns compensate for having small equipment. Van smirks. VAN Twin fifty caliber Desert Eagles with armor piercing rounds. Van walks right past her. INT. GROUND FLOOR-CONTINUOUS Van goes through the last door on the ground level. Each shot fired sends an echoing boom through the hallways. The bullets pierce through the SWAT’s body armor knocking them completely off their feet. Artemis smiles as she follows him firing on the SWAT trying to flank them. Van ducks behind a corner as the last SWAT teams stands between them and the door. ARTEMIS Abaddon? Artemis reads the laser engraving on the right pistol. VAN My father bought this gun for me on the day I was born. Van turns firing from behind the corner. His marksmanship is straight on, taking out several of them through their armor.

79 One bullet pierces the SWAT’s shield but gets lodged in his visor. The Day-Watchman pisses himself as he stairs at the bullet which would have gone between his eyes. Looking up, he sees Van walk toward him. He fires again hitting through the helmet inches above the other. It cracks the helmet sending his body falling through the glass doors. EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING-CONTINUOUS Van and Artemis exit. Van drops magazines quickly reloading. Artemis also, takes buckshot cartridges from her leather belt and reloads them to the shot gun. ARTEMIS I haven’t had that much fun hunting since.... He expression drops. Van places his pistols back into their holsters and gets into his black Challenger parked nearby. Artemis gets in beside him. They pull away from the curb. INT. CHARGER-CONTINUOUS Van turns on the police scanner as they speed down Caesar Chavez Blvd.: DISPATCH All available units in the vicinity of Caesar Chavez and Figurora, please proceed to a police shootout at the apartment complex. Suspect is Van Williams and Artemis Van Helsing, last seen driving a black Dodge Challenger, licence plate.... VAN Oh no. ARTEMIS What is it? VAN They’re sending everyone after us now. Not just Day-Watchmen.

80 Just then, two police cars pull up between them. ARTEMIS How will be know the difference? VAN God forgive us for the sins we are about to commit. The police car behind them opens fire cracking the rear windshield. ARTEMIS Got any weapons? VAN Trunk. Pull the lever behind the rear head rest. Artemis reaches across the back seat pulling the leaver. The back seat falls forward showing all assortment of gun. She loads a UMP submachine gun. Van opens the sunroof. Artemis sticks her head and the gun out of the car. Firing on the police car she shoots up the windshield killing both cops relatively quickly. She fires on the hood until the engine explodes. The car swerves off hitting another parked car sending it up in flames. Artemis goes back in to reload. VAN Good going, we’ll never loose them now. INT. McBRIDE’S CAR-CONTINUOUS McBride drives parallel but a few blocks away from Van. His lights and sirens are on diverting traffic away from him. As he passes a major intersection, he turns seeing the Challenger. They are neck and neck. Flooring the engine he gains speed moving up past them. He gets about a mile or so in front and cuts out onto their street. EXT. STREETS-CONTINUOUS The police have set up road blocks and cornered Van forcing

81 him right toward them. Instead of giving up, Van floors the V8 372 horsepower engine heading right toward the roadblock. VAN Hold on. McBride screeches to a halt behind the roadblock. He grabs a silver case off the seat behind him and rushes through the police to the front of the line. Dropping the case, he snaps it open. Immediately, he takes out the chrome pieces and assembles a high power sniper rifle. The other cops only stand back as he loads the sixbullet clip into the rifle. Taking aim he stairs down on Van. McBride fires. A single shot zips through the air. It hits the front driver’s side tire causing the hot rubber to explode. The chrome wheel slams on the asphalt sending sparks everywhere. McBride looks up from the scope congratulating himself. Van slams the brakes Reaching between the forces both seats to glass as explodes as vehicle.

swerving the vehicle into a stop. seats he pulls a release lever which recline completely. Just then all the bullets ricochet into sides of the

Without hesitation, Van grabs two smoke grenades. He yanks the pins and throws them out of his car. They release enveloping the entire car with white smoke. Van and Artemis exchange glances before getting out of the car. Several SWAT move in through the white smoke. Van draws his twin pistols firing. Artemis cocks the shot gun taking out a few more. OUTSIDE THE SMOKE McBride hears the gun shots going on inside the while cloud. He turns to the officer next to him. McBRIDE Gas them! He nods in agreement. Three of the officers fire tear gas grenades into the white cloud. They explode releasing a green gas into the white smoke. McBride singles for more SWAT to move inside the bellowing

82 white cloud. INSIDE THE SMOKE the gas seems to have little effect on Van or Artemis. Artemis’s shot gun is empty, so lets it drop to the ground. With puffy red eyes and small drip of snot from her nose, she pulls the air tank off one SWAT. He collapses coughing. Another approaches, but Artemis steals his knife and cuts him up, including across his mask letting the gas inside. She looks up seeing Van set off two more smoke grenades. He leaves one on his side tossing the other to Artemis’ feet. Van reloads his pistol Divine Wrath and steps OUTSIDE of the white cloud. He raises it firing several precise shots. Three hit their targets taking them out instantly. One misses hitting the squad car door. The cop stands frozen in place. Van only walks back into the cloud of white smoke. The cop falls to the ground leaning again the car. McBride stays sitting next to him holding his sniper rifle in his arms. INSIDE THE SMOKE Artemis finishes the last SWAT when Slayer appears. SLAYER I came as quickly as I could. Slayer sniffles slightly, as the gas has a slight effect on him. Artemis grabs the knife lunging for him. Slayer leaves his sword in place, and grabs Artemis’ arm. VAN Artemis, don’t! Artemis looks up as Van dives over the roof of the car to intercept the two of them. ARTEMIS Who the fuck are you? Van and Slayer exchange glances. SLAYER Artemis, I’m... BAM! A bullet whizzes through the dissipating smoke hitting

83 Slayer in the side of the head. Blood and brain matter splatter across Artemis’ face as her shock and horror turn to pure rage. Artemis turns as the SWAT moves in again. Two of them fire tasers hitting her in the chest. Van dives to the car for another grenade, but a cop grab him pushing him hard against the car. Sounds blend together to absolute nothingness as Van watches Artemis lay unconscious next to Slayer’s body. The cops hold the trigger of the taser sending excessive electricity into her. Van yells but can’t hear anything. Van is tossed into a police van. They toss Artemis’ body onto the floor. McBRIDE Him to. OFFICER But he’s dead. McBRIDE Put him in the fucking truck. Now. OFFICER Yes, sir. A few cops drop Slayer’s carcass into the van. McBride takes their weapons and slams the doors. INT. POLICE VAN-CONTINUOUS McBride gets into the passenger seat of the van, and it pulls away from the scene. As best he can with a fake leg, Van passes the cuffs under his feet. He kneels down over Artemis and checks her pulse. He gives her a few chest compressions until she coughs. He sits back as she lays barely conscience on the ground. EXT. DUCHY-DUSK The police van arrives on the front lawn of the vampiric duchy just as the sun sets behind the buildings. McBride and the driver get out. They are met with six other

84 Day-Watchmen. They take Van out. By now Artemis is able to at least stumble out, but the Day-Watchmen drag her in. A few also grab Slayer’s body. INT. DUCHY ENTRANCE HALL-CONTINUOUS Van and Artemis are dropped on the floor in the entrance hall, where Asura, Kalma, and a few other Night-Watchmen wait. Jezidrow, wearing a black petite silk dress and nothing else, also stands with them. When they bring in Slayer’s body, Asura steps forward. ASURA Get him upstairs. And strap him down. Quickly. ARTEMIS He’s dead, what good is he to you? Asura turns smiling. ASURA Artemis, last of the Van Helsing. Good to finally meet you in person. And you, a pathetic little priest to the hunters. You will get what has been coming to you, as well. Jezidrow steps up toward Van. She sits down on his lap and licks the side of his face. JEZIDROW Asura, can I have him? VAN Yuck. JEZIDROW Please. Asura sighs. JEZIDROW I’ll need a snack on my flight.

85 ASURA Fine. Kalma, see what you can do to make him more accommodating. KALMA Yes, sir. ASURA The rest of you, take Artemis upstairs with the other one. The Night-Watchmen grab Artemis. ARTEMIS Get your hands off me. She tries to fight them off, but is still to weak. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM-NIGHT It’s a large white room. Slayer’s corpse is chained to the floor. They bring Artemis in and chain her beside him. Then they leave slamming and locking the door behind them. INT. OBSERVATION ROOM-CONTINUOUS Asura, Kalma, and McBride are all standing in the observation room watching. ASURA All these years, we’ve over estimated them. Always attacking when at our strongest, and thus was he. And now, we have them both. KALMA It’s sundown. Asura smiles. ASURA Excellent. INT. INTEGRATION ROOM-CONTINUOUS Slayer’s body twitches causing the chains to rattle. Artemis turns slowly as the twitching continues more and more. She tries to move away, but the chains keep her in one place.

86 Slayer’s body convulsing, as if life is being forced into him against his will. His eyes open, bloodshot, dilated. Mouth gapping open as the cry of life comes back to him. Blood spills from his gums as he teeth are forced out by large vampiric teeth. Then his body collapses. After a moment, Slayer looks over at Artemis. ARTEMIS Stay the fuck away from me! SLAYER Artemis, this isn’t what you think it is? Artemis keeps her distance. She pulls on the chains but they will not come loose. SLAYER I’m not going to hurt you. No matter what you think I am, my soul is still here. ARTEMIS No, I don’t believe it. SLAYER That’s why you remember me at your wedding, when you’re child was born. I have been protecting you, and your ancestors, since the beginning. Slayer sits back. SLAYER I am cursed. When the sun goes down, I become one of them. With all of their strengths and weaknesses. It lasts until daybreak, when I return to myself. ARTEMIS Why not just kill yourself? SLAYER I have died many days. And each night is the same.

87 INT. OBSERVATION ROOM-CONTINUOUS McBride hangs his head in disbelief. McBRIDE A “were-vampire”? That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard. KALMA This was Asura’s greatest achievement in the Blood Arts. McBride silences himself. He steps forward getting a better look. Jezidrow enters dragging Van behind her. Van is wearing a leather domination collar, and Jezidrow holds the end of the leash. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM-CONTINUOUS Slayer takes a slow deep breath. Turnings his eyes to meet Artemis. SLAYER I’m so sorry. ARTEMIS You bite me, I swear to god I will cut your heart out. He turns away grunting. INT. OBSERVATION ROOM-CONTINUOUS Asura draws his pistol. ASURA This is boring. He hands it to Kalma. ASURA Just wound him. She walks out. The door slams sending chills down Van’s spine.

88 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM-CONTINUOUS Kalma opens the door drawing Slayer and Artemis’ attention. She empties the entire clip into Slayer’s stomach and legs being sure to miss his heart. Slayer collapses bleeding as Kalma slams the door shut again. Slayer rolls on the floor as the silver burns into his skin. Artemis moves away rattling the chains. As Slayer rolls onto all fours he makes eye contact with her. He pounces like a cat grabbing her chest. She throws her feet, as best as she can, to keep him at bay. His fangs are inches from her face. INT. OBSERVATION ROOM-CONTINUOUS Van lunges for the glass banging hard. VAN No! INT. INTERROGATION ROOM-CONTINUOUS Slayer looks up toward the glass sniffing the air. INT. OBSERVATION ROOM-CONTINUOUS A sinister smile crosses McBride’s face. But just then, Slayer snaps his chains and jumps through the glass window. He attacks McBride throwing himself on top bitting into his jugular. Asura steps back reaching for his pistol finding it not there. He turns to the door. Kalma returns tossing him the pistol. Jezidrow quickly exits yanking Van to the floor dragging him along. Asura reloads the pistol turning on Slayer, but he jump kicks Asura knocking him into Kalma. VAN Get Artemis! Slayer’s eyes meet Van’s seconds before he is drug out of sight.

89 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM-CONTINUOUS Slayer jumps back into the interrogation room. He snaps Artemis’ chains. Getting up he blasts the door open with brute force. INT. HALLWAY-CONTINUOUS Artemis attacks Slayer in the hallway. Quickly, he turns sending her crashing to the floor. SLAYER You want to kill me, fine. But help me save Van first. ARTEMIS Why do you care? SLAYER Because. That’s what family does. INT. ANOTHER HALLWAY-CONTINUOUS Van grabs the chain using Jezidrow’s strength to pull himself to his feet. He sends some quick punches and tries kicking with his prosthetic leg. She catches it, so Van jumps up kicking with his good leg right to her face. It stuns her, but the leg disconnects from Van. He falls on his back as she holds his prosthetic. Before she can recover, Van reaches up pulling a pistol out of a hidden compartment inside the leg. He fires a single shot right into her head. Jezidrow drops the leg reaching down picking him throws him hard into the wall. She chokes him as small crucifix from under his shirt. He yanks it presses it into Jezidrow’s forehead. She screams back as Van keeps his hand on her head.

up. She Van pulls a off and falling

Van fires a shot into the sprinkler head sending water pouring down upon them. VAN Exorcizo te, creatura aquæ, in nomine Dei Patris omnipotentis, et in nomine Jesu Christi, Filii ejus Domini nostri, et in virtute Spiritus Sancti.

90 Van crosses himself. Suddenly Jezidrow’s skin starts to boil as the water seeps into her clothes. She pushes Van away dropping to the floor. She crawls away from the “holy” water soaked floor. Leaning against the wall, Van stands under the flood of water. ARTEMIS Van! Van turns as Artemis and Slayer have turned down the hall. Artemis grabs Van’s arm helping him away. Slayer stands on the other side of the water as Jezidrow watching as she crawls away. VAN Slayer, let’s go! SLAYER Go, get Van out of here. Slayer turns back toward Jezidrow. SLAYER Jezidrow! She turns seeing him. She stands up as this Slayer moves toward him. SLAYER I should have killed you when I had the chance. JEZIDROW Don’t worry, I won’t make that mistake. Slayer attacks bare fisted, punching and kicking. But Jezidrow is stronger and tougher. She takes each hit, and sends some of her own. She manipulates his arms into pretzels forcing him through walls. EXT. DUCHY-CONTINUOUS Artemis drags Van out of the building. Van fires his remaining bullets dropping the pistol on the ground. He turns back to the door.

91 VAN Slayer!! But Slayer is nowhere to be found. VAN We have to go back. ARTEMIS No way, I’m not losing you to a fucking vampire. They reach the back of a black SUV. Artemis lets Van go, as he stands exhausted on his one leg leaning against the back of the truck. Artemis smashes the rear window in with her elbow. She opens the tailgate and quickly loads an M16. She turns firing just as a group of vampires had almost overtaken them. Van wastes no time. He hoists himself up on the tailgate grabbing a shot gun. By the time he finishes loading it, Artemis has finished the M16. She turns and Van tosses it to her. INT. DUCHY-CONTINUOUS Jezidrow sends Slayer through a wall braking through some gas lines spilling plaster dust into the air. As she heads forward toward it, she turns seeing Artemis and Van at the truck. She runs forward and jumps through the window. Slayer is back follower after her, when Asura grabs him from the rear. EXT. DUCHY-CONTINUOUS Artemis is still firing the shot gun when Jezidrow lands in the middle of the lawn. Her deafening roar is cut off by the blast of the shot gun. Cocking it, Artemis fires again. Six, seven shots; Jezidrow still stands. Artemis raises the shot gun to her eye taking aim, she fires. Silver buckshot blasts into Jezidrow’s head. The force of the shot gun knocks her into the air. She flips over landing face down in the dirt. Artemis is standing over her pumping the shot gun again. The chamber clicks empty.

92 Jezidrow looks up. Bone can be see through her flesh as she stands up. Artemis drops the shot gun running for the truck. VAN She’s not dead? ARTEMIS No, but I think I managed to piss her off. Though a crash of glass and mortar Asura is flung out an upper story window. With sheathed sword in one hand and Van’s dual pistols in the other, Slayer dives out after him. Asura lands flat on his back. Slayer comes down knee first driving into his chest. With broken bones Asura coughs up blood. Slayer gets up running for the truck. Slayer tosses Van his sword. He grabs it and throws Slayer a grenade launcher. Slayer drops the pistol inside and Van crawls through the truck to the driver seat. He quickly hot wires the truck firing it up. Artemis loads Abaddon firing on vampires left and right. Jezidrow stands up as vampires turn to ash around her. She moves around the truck to the passenger seat. Slayer fires the grenade launcher into Jezidrow’s chest. It blows a whole right through her body. He turns as Asura gets to his feet. He fires another grenade into Asura’s head blowing half his face off. He turns to the duchy itself and fires the other four shots into the second story. The story explodes. VAN Slayer, get in. Slayer drops the grenade launcher getting into the back of the SUV. INT. SUV-CONTINUOUS Artemis turns to Slayer pointing the pistol at his head.

93 ARTEMIS One false move, and I swear I’ll blow your hear off. VAN Aren’t we one happy family. Van floors the engine charging through the gate. INT. SANCTUARY-NIGHT Slayer leads Van into the main sanctuary. Artemis is behind them still holding both pistols. VAN Mara wants Jezidrow to fly out to Paris tonight. We can’t let her leave. When they reach the front of the church: VAN Wait, leave me here. Slayer helps him into the front pew. VAN My spare leg is in my closet. Would you bring it when you are ready. SLAYER Sure. Slayer exits the front of the sanctuary. Artemis hands Abaddon to Van. ARTEMIS You’re father bought you this. On the day you were born? VAN Yeah. ARTEMIS I thought you were adopted at four. VAN I’m sorry you had to find out this way. We wanted to tell you earlier.

94 ARTEMIS We? VAN Listen, please. Slayer has been watching over our family line for two hundred years. ARTEMIS Really? Then why are you and I the only ones left. I’ve ready my grandfather’s journals, our family was huge. At least a hundred men bore the family name. VAN It was our great-grandfather who decided to split the family up. He and his brother thought that if they did, it would increase their chances of survival from the Empire. Only, the distance made it hard for Slayer to protect both family lines. They didn’t know about him. ARTEMIS Protect us? If he’s was such a good protector, why is my husband dead. Why did I have to stake my own child. VAN That was my fault. It was the same day I met Slayer; the day I found out about you. INT. ABANDONED GOLD MIND-FLASHBACK Light at the end of the tunnel. Two hunters rush toward the warmth of daylight. The ground gives way under Van. He grapples the dirt, but a vampire has his leg. Using his claw-like hands he cuts into Van’s leg exposing bone. The other hunter stops. But as he comes back to assist, another vampire reaches from above grabbing his head picking him up. It bites into him as the body hangs struggling. Just then, Slayer appears with sword in hand. He moves in

95 cutting the vampire to ash. Grabbing Van’s arm, he pulls him out. INT. SANCTUARY-CONTINUOUS ARTEMIS So, you have an excuse for everything. VAN The day I lost my leg, Slayer saved my life. It was the same day that vampire attacked your family. And like you, my parents were killed by vampires. INT. LIVING ROOM CLOSET-CONTINUOUS A young boy of four sits behind the closet door. The light of the room streams through blinds. He watches as his family is slaughtered by vampires. VAN (v.o.) They had returned from a hunt for the day. They killed them all, include by brother. He was six at the time, I was four. And by some act of God, they didn’t look in the closet I was hiding. But I saw it all happen. INT. SANCTUARY-CONTINUOUS Artemis remains emotionless. VAN (con’t) My parents were killed on May 4th, 1989. A tear rolls down Artemis’ cheek. EXT. HOSPITAL ROOF-NIGHT-FLASHBACK Slayer and Kalma are on the gravel roof engaged in a melee battle. Kalma’s sai swords block and strike with great precision, but Slayer’s persistence pays off keeping her at bay. A BEEP comes from her waist and she backs up taking her pager off her belt. She looks up giving Slayer a sinister smile.

96 KALMA You can have this one. But the other is mine! She jumps off the roof. INT. SANCTUARY-CONTINUOUS Artemis wipes the tear from her cheek. VAN The day you were born, was the day I was orphaned. We’re connected, not just by blood. We are in this blood feud together, and we’re going to have to work together if we’re going to see it through. ARTEMIS For a long time, I thought I was alone. Why didn’t you tell me before. VAN I wanted to. But would you have believed us. So, I waited. The Empire doesn’t know I’m still alive. When Slayer brought me to the hospital that night my family was killed, the only word I said for a year was “van”. I had blocked out the first four years of my life. ARTEMIS Adopted by hunters? VAN No, I was adopted by a nice family in Sacramento. It was my priest, who became my mentor. He was a hunter, and through his counseling, I regained those memories. I didn’t decide to follow in his footsteps, until after my accident. ARTEMIS And just because Slayer keeps his “soul” when he turns, doesn’t make him any better than the rest of them. He still hunts.

97 VAN I know. I keep praying, asking God for an answer, but one has yet to come. Artemis cocks her pistol. Van and Artemis lock eyes. VAN Perhaps. I will leave that between you two, as a man of the cloth I don’t pass judgement on any of God’s children. ARTEMIS You’re faith makes you weak. Van smiles. VAN I respectfully disagree. ARTEMIS I’m going downstairs. VAN Don’t forget my leg. Artemis exits out the front of the sanctuary. INT. VAN’S OFFICE-CONTINUOUS Slayer pulls on Art of War causing the bookcase to move. Slayer steps aside. SLAYER There’s a security switch at the back. Do you mind? Artemis glares at him walking into the armory. At the opposite end is a light switch. When she flips it, the UV lights turn off. Slayer steps inside and starts preparing weapons. Artemis stares at him keeping her hand on the switch. SLAYER If you really want to kill me, I won’t stop you. He pauses making eye contact with her.

98 ARTEMIS Jezidrow. Why? SLAYER I imprisoned her to barter for the antidote to my curse. ARTEMIS I take it they never gave it to you. SLAYER She’s more dangerous than her brother. ARTEMIS Why? SLAYER She’s like a predator. All she does is fuck and feed, and often at the same time. She will feed wether she’s hungry or not, and she will use sex to entice her prey. Slayer slams a few magazines into MP5's. SLAYER But it’s to late for me. Tonight, this ends. Slayer starts loading the weapons into a black duffel bag. ARTEMIS What do you propose we do, since none of our weapons will do. Reaching underneath the counter Slayer produces an archaic wooden crossbow and some wooden stakes. ARTEMIS A stake gun! SLAYER I haven’t used this in years. He pulls the cable back and loads a stake.

99 SLAYER But it should work nicely for Jezidrow and for Asura. INT. SANCTUARY-NIGHT Van sits, eyes closed, speaking in hushed tones under his breath. His fingers massage the rosary beads in his hands. EXT. WOODS-DAY (VISION SCENE) Van stands dressed in his black suit, bare feet (both legs are real). He looks down smiling wriggling his toes in the soft grass. VAN (modded v.o.) My body. Hearing the voice, Van turns sharply. CUT TO: INT. HELL-CONTINUOUS (VISION SCENE) A screeching noise cuts through the air as the ground explodes into flames. A large crucifix hangs suspended in the air. Blood drips from the wood. VAN (modded v.o.) My blood. Van reaches out his hands to it, but finds his hands bleeding. The noise intensifies. Blood runs down’s Van’s forehead as he steps away from the crucifix. Both his feet explode in blood and pain forcing him to his knees. VAN (demonic v.o.) My body. My blood. My body. My blood. The words echo throughout the environment, as the piercing noise gets louder and LOUDER. Van’s screams to dull the pain, but it cannot be heard through the sounds around him. INT. SANCTUARY-NIGHT Van bolts up from lying on the ground. Artemis is kneeling next to him. Van mutters under his breath.

100 ARTEMIS Van. Van takes his spare leg off the pew and snaps it in place. He gets up walking to the alter still muttering. Slayer stands off to the side watching Van. He exchanges glances with Artemis. VAN Uh, Slayer, would you get me a vial from the nursery. Five ccs alt-to do it, and a cap. SLAYER Anything else? Van ignores the questions turning to small wooden crucifix. He picks it up smashing the base against the alter. He takes one of the wooden stakes from Artemis and uses a cord to tie the crucifix to the stake. When Slayer returns, Van takes glass vial. He fills it with the grape juice from the tabernacle. He picks a piece of the host and places it, along with the vial into a wrapped cloth. He places one hand over and one hand under, closes his eyes, continuing his mumbles. When he stops, Slayer and Artemis remain silent. Van opens his eyes smiling. He turns handing the wrapped cloth to Slayer. VAN I know how to break your curse. The opportunity will come tonight. You will administer the Eucharist to Asura, and stake him with this. He shows the crucifix-stake to him. SLAYER You’re mad. Only a priest can administer the sacrament. VAN You were once a presbyter.

101 SLAYER Along time ago, before the curse. VAN Tonight, you will be sanctified under the moon by the power of the Spirit, and that is when you are to do it. SLAYER I don’t understand. VAN Sh. Van pauses placing his hand on Slayer’s shoulder. VAN Salvation comes to all who seek it. Van steps down away from the alter past Artemis. Slayer turns following. EXT. LAX AIRPORT-NIGHT A small two engine jet pulls onto the main runway. INT. COCKPIT-CONTINUOUS Asura sits behind the two vampiric PILOTS. PILOT This is Delta-Two-Niner requesting permission for taking off. TOWER Roger that, Delta-Two-Niner. You are second in line for take off. Please stand by. PILOT Roger that, tower. He turns to Asura and nods. ASURA Good. Asura exits to the main cabin.

102 INT. JET CABIN-CONTINUOUS Jezidrow is fidgety starting out the window. JEZIDROW I’m hungry. ASURA We can’t stop now, we’re under orders. Jezidrow squirms in her chair, her short black dress rides up her legs. Asura turns away when he notices she is not wearing panties. JEZIDROW Oh come on, I’m starving. ASURA I am a servant of the emperor first. Control yourself. PILOT (v.o.) This is the captain speaking. We are first in line for take off. JEZIDROW I want to eat, now. PILOT (v.o.) Asura, we have a problem. ASURA (to cockpit door) What? Pissed off, Asura get’s up and opens to the cockpit door. ASURA What? TOWER We have an unidentified vehicle on the runway, headed right toward you DeltaTwo-Niner. PILOT I think it’s them.

103 ASURA Get us in the air, now! TOWER Delta-Two-Niner, you are not clear for take off. Power down now. The co-pilot shuts off the radio. EXT. RUNWAY-CONTINUOUS Artemis’ black H3 Hummer races across the runways toward the private jet. An army truck follows. INT. H3-CONTINUOUS Van looks through the rear view mirror while driving. VAN It’s the national guard. SLAYER I’ll take care of them. ARTEMIS If you kill one of them, I swear I will find you and cut your heart out. SLAYER Deal. VAN Slayer. He hands Slayer two flasks. VAN You might need these. Slayer puts them into his jacket. He then jumps out of the H3. EXT. RUNWAY-CONTINUOUS Slayer lands comes closer the truck he back edge of

on his feet. He charges the army truck. As it he jumps into the air. Clearing the height of lands on the roof. With a roll he grabs the it and flips inside. Taking all the national

104 guard troops by surprise, he subdues them with a few brutal but non-lethal martial arts maneuvers. INT. H3-CONTINUOUS Van pulls the H3 onto the runway just in front of Asura’s private jet. Artemis climbs into the back bed picking up a sniper rifle. ARTEMIS Try to hold it steady. VAN Hurry up, it won’t take long to take off. Artemis takes aim. INT. COCKPIT-CONTINUOUS Asura stands between the pilots. ASURA Get us airborne. The pilot pushes the throttle forward as the jet begins to take air. BOOM! A single shot fires through the windshield hitting the pilot. His head explodes in blood and ash. The throttle drops and the plane drops hitting the runway hard. Asura is knocked off his feet. ASURA What the fuck? The co-pilot ducks trying to keep the plane straight without looking forward. INT. H3-CONTINUOUS Artemis cocks the hammer sending the spent cartridge flying. ARTEMIS Got him!

105 INT. COCKPIT-CONTINUOUS Asura takes the pilot’s seat. ASURA Can you get us out of here? CO-PILOT I don’t know, without looking. Maybe? ASURA Hurry up before we run out of runway. Keeping his head down, the co-pilot moves the throttle forward. INT. H3-CONTINUOUS Van checks the mirrors noticing the plane is taking off. ARTEMIS I don’t have a shot. Van turns back at her. VAN Move! He slams the breaks sending Artemis flying onto the floor of the back seat. EXT. RUNWAY-CONTINUOUS The H3 screeches to a halt as the jet flies overhead. The front landing gear catches the H3 ripping the truck in half. The bottom of the jet scrapes the roof as the landing gear is ripped from the jet. The hummer is spun around facing the rear-left landing gear. Van ducks as the rear hits the windshield shattering it to pieces. It rips the roof open, but remains attached to the plane. The jet passes over the H3 and collapses into the runway. The jet brakes apart spinning across the runway until making a complete stop. The engines explodes. An emergency door flies off. Asura, grabbing Jezidrow’s arm,

106 exits the plane first. Jezidrow is burned, but not seriously. Kalma and the co-pilot exit next. The majority of the vampiric guards make it out before the plane explodes. Kalma is the first to notice the damaged H3 only a hundred paces away. KALMA Should we finish them? ASURA No, we guard the princess. (to co-pilot) Get us another plane! CO-PILOT This way. The troop moves away from the wreckage. In the distance emergency crews head toward the plane. INT. H3-NIGHT Van comes to. Shaking his head, he slowly steps out of the SUV. EXT. H3-CONTINUOUS Van stands leaning against the truck. Looking up, he finds Artemis standing by the rear of the truck loading weapons. ARTEMIS Rise and shine. VAN Thanks. What’s for breakfast. Artemis hands him a M5. VAN Yummy. EXT. HANGER-CONTINUOUS The co-pilot leads them to a small hanger on foot. He opens the doors showing another small jet.

107 CO-PILOT It’ll take me a few minutes to fuel and prep it. We’ll be in the air in ten minutes. ASURA You have five. Asura turns seeing Van and Artemis coming toward them in the distance. He turns to the guards. ASURA Get them. Jezidrow is going to follow, but Asura grabs her arm. ASURA Stay here. You’re the one they want. CO-PILOT (o.s.) Asura, can you help me with this. Asura walks up to him to help prep the plane. Jezidrow turns seeing another national guard truck driving toward the hanger. She smiles licking her lips. The vampiric guards open fire as Van and Artemis enter the area. They take cover behind some crates and tractors. Van looks up seeing Jezidrow head for the army truck. VAN Artemis. She looks, and Van nods for Jezidrow. She hands him the stake gun and two wooden stakes. ARTEMIS I’ll get Asura. Van leaves her one of his MP5's, and rushes into the darkness after Jezidrow. EXT. RUNWAY-CONTINUOUS Jezidrow walks toward the truck. The DRIVER stops getting out.

108 DRIVER Are you alright, miss? She smiles showing teeth. Then attacks. Her force throws both their bodies against the grill of the truck. The passenger takes out his pistol firing. She springs from the driver to the other ripping his throat out. Then she sees the entire convoy unload. Each guardsmen is equipped with M16s. She pounces dismembering, but not killing, every one. Once they are all subdued, she begins to feed on them at her leisure. The stake gun pops when Van pulls the trigger. But the stake lands feet away. Jezidrow looks up, blood dripping off her chin staining her dress. Van quickly reloads the stake gun. Jezidrow rushes for him. Van raises it again, but Jezidrow is on top of him. She throws him hard against the truck cracking ribs. He crawls for the stake gun, but Jezidrow grabs him. She picks him up pushing him against the truck again. Artemis finishes with the last of the vampiric guards. She looks up toward Van. She drops the submachine guns drawing her pistol rushing toward them. Reaching up, Jezidrow grabs his white collar and pulls it off taking his shirt along with it. Then she bites into his shoulder. Van grabs her hair trying to pull her off, but she is too strong. ARTEMIS No!! Artemis fires the pistol as she runs, but she is clearly not getting there fast enough. The bullets hit Jezidrow’s head distracting her from Van. She drops him to the ground. Artemis stops running to reload the pistol. She looks up as Jezidrow starts walking toward her. Van opens his eyes noticing the gas tank under the national guard truck. He turns toward one of the dead guardsmen drawing his bowie knife. He stabs the gas tank letting the fuel leak out. Reaching out, Van picks up a grenade off the guardsmen’s

109 belt. He gets up to his knees. VAN Artemis, run! Jezidrow turns seeing Van still alive. He is clearly weak from the lack of blood. But he manages to pull the pin off the grenade and toss it at Jezidrow’s feet. ARTEMIS No! The grenade explodes. A split-second later, the truck explodes covering the entire area in flames. Artemis is throw back several yards from the second explosion. Artemis rolls over tears streaming down her cheeks. ARTEMIS Van! She gets up, but all she can see is smoke rising off the charred bodies. INT. HANGER-NIGHT The co-pilot fires up the engines. CO-PILOT We’re set. Grab the princess, and let’s get the fuck out of here. Asura jumps out of the plane noticing she had left. With a crash of glass, Slayer falls from the ceiling. He lands on the nose of the airplane standing over the copilot. Slayer draws dual pistols and opens fire shattering the front windows and sending the co-pilot to ash. Slayer jumps, flipping in the air, and lands on the ground. He opens fires on Asura emptying both clips. The caliber forces Asura against the wall, but when the clips empty Asura still stands. ASURA You idiot! I’m immune to silver. Slayer draws his sword off his back.

110 SLAYER Then I guess I’ll just cut your head off. Slayer is about to strike, when his sword gets caught by Kalma’s sai sword. He turns kicking her against the plane. He moves in with sword. She blocks effectively, and kicks him hard. He hits the ground sending the sword sliding across the ground. Artemis enters picking up Slayer’s sword. She walks forward. Suddenly, Slayer lets out a yell and roar. Both women look at him as he tries crawling away, but in dire pain. Rolling to his back, Slayer notices the FULL MOON. Only now, a lunar eclipse is in progress, as the earth’s shadow passes over the light of moon. Kalma turns to the moon noticing, as does Asura. ASURA Son of a... The dilation of slayer’s eyes fades. His teeth shrink. He becomes human. ASURA That’s impossible. Asura steps back in fear. Artemis lunges forward knocking Kalma off her guard. Kalma rolls back to her feet engaging Artemis. Asura turns Asura grabs

grabs a hammer off a table to use as a weapon. When he Slayer kicks him hard in the chest. He then stabs with the crucifix-stake just missing his heart. Slayer the hammer and forces Asura’s mouth open.

Artemis knocks one of the sai swords from Kalma. But she quickly moves in with a kick and uses the last sai sword to knock Slayer’s sword from Artemis’ hand. Slayer shoves the host and the glass vial into Asura’s mouth. Slayer gives him an uppercut to the chin breaking the glass vial. Then he stabs Asura again, through the heart, with the crucifix-stake. A force of energy explodes between them suspending both in the air. Hearing the noise Kalma moves to assist Asura.

111 Artemis grabs one of the fallen sai swords. She throws it stabbing Kalma through the back of the heart. She turns to ash. Artemis grabs the sword moving toward Slayer. Suddenly, Asura’s body explodes into burning embers releasing Slayer. Artemis keeps her distance. Slayer rolls to his back looking up. As the earth’s shadow passes, moonlight shines down upon him. Cautiously, Artemis walks toward him. ARTEMIS You alive? Slayer sits up slowly smiling. SLAYER Yes, I think I am. ARTEMIS Good. We better get out of here. Just then, a cell phone rings. Turning Artemis scans the area. She steps forward pickings up Kalma’s cell phone from her ashes. MARA (o.s.) Kalma, where is Asura? Have you taken off yet? Where’s my sister? ARTEMIS The princess is indisposed because she’s dancing with the devil beyond the gates of hell. But don’t worry, I’ll be sending you to meet them shortly. She snaps the cell phone shut. BLACKOUT. THE END.

Blood Feud Mark of the Empire

Vampiric Empire Hierarchy Prince Mara

Princess Jezidrow

Mark off The Duchy

Emperor's Court

Duke Asura

Markk of the Barony

Duke's Court (Kalma)

Baron

Mark of The Watchman n

Watch‐Commander (member of Baron's Court, always human)

Mark of The Bloodserf

Day‐Watchmen (human police)

Baron's Court

Night‐Watchmen (vampire police)

Bloodserfs (humans working for Empire)

Kindred (all vampires affiliated  with Empire)