The city was a dangerous place at night. Ever since the vampires had violently come out of hiding nearly a decade ago even the most hardened criminals took shelter behind blessed steel doors once the sun set. The few stragglers that hadn’t quite made it home when darkness descended were never heard from again. The sunset curfew was the law but most people only obeyed it because it was meant to save their lives.
It started in Paris. After millenniums of hiding in the shadows, the stuff of myth and legend, vampires were forced abruptly into the light. It is still unclear what caused the vampires of Paris to go on a rampage that cool April night. They hunted without regard to hunger or need. Humans were killed by the thousands as they sought to flee.
Traditional weapons did very little damage to the vampires and the city was declared a total loss after a month of trying to fight back. Only a master vampire could create new vampires but even the oldest of the species had succumbed to insanity and began creating vampires at an alarming rate. The Council sent in a team of their best warriors to take care of the problem but even they never returned. Finally, fearing the insanity would spread, Paris was destroyed.
Vampires seemingly disappeared but the humans knew better. They began developing technology so any future wars would not end the same way. “Vive la Paris!” became the war cry around the world. Any vampires caught were turned into lab rats and were subjected to a barrage of tests. Curfews were enacted and people were told to arm themselves with silver and blessed crosses. Those who could afford it had their dwellings blessed by a priest.
However, there were a few who ignored the warnings and the curfews. They came and went as they pleased, to hell with the consequences. Some of these people thought it was all a government scam. They generally lasted only a short time before they disappeared. Others were the wannabes. These were the disillusioned souls who actually wanted to be turned into vampires. They too disappeared quickly, though it was unknown if they got their wish.
And finally, there were the hunters. These were the brave few who decided to stand and fight rather than cower in the darkness. They generally worked in teams and left the safety of their compound armed to the teeth. These were the only humans that returned, night after night.
Writing prompts: city, loss, vampire