“Dinner is served,” Elisa sank her fangs into the conductor’s neck and began to drink. Stefan recoiled at the horror he was now witnessing.

“What are you?” Stefan’s eyes went wide as Elisa pulled back, her mouth covered in blood.

“We, are vampires, and you must now drink, or you will die,” Elisa brought the conductor over to him. She carried him with no more effort than if she were carrying a child.

“I can’t do that.” Stefan again recoiled.

“Don’t be stubborn, take a deep breath and smell him,” she held the conductor closer to him. Despite not wishing to obey her, he involuntarily did exactly as she had instructed. When the conductor’s scent reached him, when he smelled the blood, he lost control and attacked the conductor and bit savagely into his neck, “good, very good my child.” Stefan drank the conductor dry. It was a few days before he got over the fact that he was now a vampire and the fact that he had killed an innocent man. Elisa’s words helped him adjust. She promised him that the Reich would be his new family and that as long as their Bloodline prospered, he would never be alone. The words took hold, and he never looked back. Elisa promised him a new family and that is exactly what Stefan got.

In the years that followed, Elisa took very good care of Stefan. He grew to love her as a mother. They moved to the state of Alabama within the United States. There they began to expand their influence. The Reich’s primary goal was to take control over all crime and narcotics in their territory, and earn money. When Elisa’s territory reached three cities, she was granted the rank of Obersturmfuhrer or First Lieutenant. All was going according to plan until another vampire, also with the rank of Obersturmfuhrer began clashing with Elisa’s holdings and interests. His name was Hulderich Von Strauss, and he was as cold and sadistic a being as they came. Elisa was more than a match for him, and countered his brash and brutal assaults into her territory easily with cold and calculated tactical retaliations. Hulderich was repeatedly beaten back and quite often humiliated.

Stefan did not understand why infighting was both allowed and encouraged. Elisa explained that the Fuhrer only wanted the strongest soldiers in his Bloodline, and the infighting ensured that only the strongest advanced. He often thought that working together would have been a better option. He also did not believe what happened next. After 15 years of battling, Hulderich had enough. The county they were battling over was now solely controlled equally by Hulderich and Elisa. Hulderich challenged for complete control of Baldwin County. He cited that Elisa was not ambitious enough and that she had dishonored him numerous times. The Fuhrer reviewed the challenge and oversaw their combat personally.

The challenge, another strange custom of the Reich, but one Stefan understood completely. The challenge consisted of single combat to the death to settle a dispute. Elisa was older than Hulderich and was confident that she would prevail. She had been wrong. After a savage melee, Hulderich ripped Elisa’s head from her body and emerged the victor. After her head was ripped off she quickly turned into black sand and fell into a pile to the ground. Stefan was once again forced to watch helplessly as this time, his Bloodmother was killed before his eyes. He kept his expression calm and still as any weakness now, would be witnessed directly by the Fuhrer. The Fuhrer looked on and then congratulated Hulderich. He granted him the rank of Hauptsturmfuhrer, or the equivalent of Captain, along with complete control of Baldwin County. Gestapo then walked over to Stefan. “What shall I do with you?”

“My Fuhrer, I have been with Elisa for 19 years, I feel I am ready to be on my own,” Stefan bowed as he uttered his words, “with your permission of course.”

“You should destroy him.” Hulderich snapped. “He was trained by weakness; he shall be just as weak.” Stefan bit his lip; He wanted to lunge at Hulderich and rip him in two, but any words or actions against Hulderich would mean his immediate death.

“I tend to agree with you on one part,” The Fuhrer turned around, “but not the other.” Stefan waited helplessly; his life now hung on the Fuhrer’s next words. “I believe he is worth saving. I will have you complete his training Hulderich, this way I know I will have yet another capable soldier.”

“I will not take him!” Hulderich yelled. The Fuhrer paused in his tracks and was on Hulderich instantly. He tore both of Hulderich’s arms off before he could retract or take back his ill spoken words. Stefan could barely contain his smile. It was now Hulderich at death’s door. Good Stefan thought, save me the trouble, keep ripping limbs off until he turns to sand.

“You will do as I command, or you will do no more!” The Fuhrer kicked Hulderich across the room. He hit the wall and Stefan swore the entire building shook from the impact. “Now, what are your orders?” It took Hulderich several minutes before he could even answer, much less stand.

“I will train him,” Hulderich weakly got up and made his way over to Stefan. He looked over at Stefan. “I only see weakness in you, but I will change that.” Hulderich walked out of the building and Stefan was forced to follow him.