Author's Babblings: I do not own the Carpathian stories or concept, although all of the characters used in my story are of my own creation. I will be attempting a weekly update until the story is done. (We will see if I manage it though). Reviews are appreciated, and no I don't know exactly where this is going so all of you readers (as I am hoping to get more then one… or at least more then none to follow along) will be finding out how this goes pretty much as I do. Now I hope you enjoy. ^_^

Chapter 1

Damek slid through the night unseen as agitation filled his being. The lead he had been following had proven to be yet another dead-end. And for the first time he found himself truly questioning how humans, mere mortals, could arrange this, if it was even true, and if it was worth all that he was going through. He had been forced to go to ground in such a dangerous, exposed place. And his surroundings had made everything that much more difficult. Without thought he had drifted into the park, the only patch of open earth on the god-forsaken island of steel and concrete, over run with all the dregs of humanity.

Dispelling his tumultuous thoughts, he scanned the area, and looked for pray. Small animals abounded, as did humans in spite of the fact that darkness had fallen. Near by there was a particularly promising prospect, a young woman in her mid to late twenties sitting alone on a bench. He could smell no drugs, nor sense illness to indicate that she was not in good health. The largest living thing near her was a dog running about in the bushes chasing a squirrel.

Letting the air currents carry his mist form he approached her, slipping into the stand of trees behind her. Once he had her in his sight he began looking the area over. It was lit by one of the many lampposts that lined the main paths. Moving along the tree line, as it arched around the bench and toward the path's edge, he checked for security cameras. The last thing his people needed was to give the human butchers any more 'proof'.

Once he was certain there were no cameras and that no one would disturb them, he began to move away from the trees and toward her. While he pulled the mist into his rough form, he did not make himself visible, not yet. He would not do that until she was under his thrall. And truth be told, the only reason why he had yet to do that was because the chaotic thoughts had begun to creep back in, playing havoc with his concentration.

If he were in his true form he would have shaken his head. It had to be this place, so little earth, so many toxins, so many people, and so much noise. It had to be the place that was causing him so much difficulty. Making his foul mood even worse.

"A beautiful night, is it not?"

As caught up in his thoughts as he was, it took Damek a moment to realize that she had spoken. Freezing, he scanned again; there were still no others around, none that she could have been speaking to. Double checking to be sure, his senses told him yet again, the same thing: there was no one else there.

"I find that breathing in the night air, here, away from the noise, helps to clear my head." A squeal of tires followed by a long horn blast caused her to chuckle and amend her statement. "Well, at least most of the noise that is."

An odd sensation went through Damek's being, even though he was little more then a cloud of molecules. The sensation told him that it was he she was talking to.

As if to confirm this she turned to face him. The glasses she wore reflected the light from the lamppost so that he could not see her eyes. But he could feel that she was looking directly at him, even though he could not be seen. It looked as though she was going to say something more but was interrupted before the first word could leave her lips by a beeping from very near her person.

Turning back she reached into her pocket and silenced the noise. In a stronger tone she called out, "Eddie, come. Work time."

The dog, which had been looking for another squirrel to chase, stilled instantly at the sound of her voice, and started bounding toward her as soon as the second word had left her lips.

"And before you say anything, he does have a leash. I just happened to let go of the other end for a time."

Damek found himself controlling the urge to chuckle, in spite of the fact that he needed to determine just how she knew he was there. A human physic would have reacted to not being able to see him; she did not. And had it been the influence of a vampire he would have sensed it by now. There was no taint of that kind of unnatural corruption lingering near by, and certainly none that came from her.

It took him a moment to notice that she had gathered her bag without looking at it, and then it all made sense to him, just as the dog, a German Shepard, bounded out of a nearby bush and into sight.

She was blind.