"You look capable, so instead of having you become an Abomination, I will change you." He smiled as he said while the look of horror struck the hunters who were forced to kneel before him. "Isn’t it wonderful to know that you will become one of us?" Dmitri asked, grinning at them. "Becoming one of those you once sort to kill, isn’t it a thing beauty?"

"My Lord," Leroy called and Dmitri turned to him with a smile.

"Do not worry, Leroy, they will be my newborns. They will make useful soldiers." He turned back to look at the hunters and smiled again. "The Blood Moon is upon us, it will enrich and empower you, as newborns you will gain a lot from this if you can survive the process of changing."

They stared at him like he was the devil himself, speaking of changing people and dying like he was telling them the happiest news of their lives.

"Don’t look at me like that," he said, his smile fading from his face and they wished he hadn’t stopped smiling. "You humans speak of those who are unlike you worse than I do," he said, making them realize that they were not any different from him.

He looked at Leroy standing closely behind him should any of the humans try something stupid like attacking Dmitri. "Send for Azrail, these are the same people who robbed him of his city, he might want to change one of them," Dmitri said and Leroy bowed. Dmitri smiled again imagining what a newborn, born of Azrail, would be like. He would be strong knowing the strength of his maker.

"Lord Dmitri," Azrail called to his attention the lent he entered. Hearing him, Dmutti smiled and turned to face Azrail. He wanted to see the look on his face. He told him to change one of them.

The vampires these days no longer changed humans, only those who were willing to change. Most of them were just humans who thought it was cool to be a vampire or they were just curious to know what it felt like to be one, those were the only people who were changed. Many of them would die due to their poor resistance to the pain of change. He had high expectations for these before them, they were used to pain knowing what training they had been put through. Unless they wanted to die rather than change, he was almost certain they would all make it through.

"I have prepared a little present for you," he said with much enthusiasm. Azrail stared at him waiting for him to reveal what the present was. "pick any of them..." he paused to think for a moment, "...two of them and change them. I want to see your newborn."

Azrail stared at the vampire as if he was speaking a language he did not understand. Why the sudden interest in changing humans now when the fight they had been preparing for had come knocking at their door? "My lord?"

"I mean it," it said walking away from the hunter to stand beside Azrail. "They will lead the attack. I want to see the look on the faces of those hunters once they see their own leading their enemies out to war against them."

Azrail sighed inwardly knowing he could not do anything to stop him. The idea wasn’t that bad either. "I understand," he said and Dmitri smiled even brighter than he had ever smiled the whole day.

"Excellent." He said walking towards the hunters and again while making sure Azrail was next to him.

***

Dmitri stood at the top of the building staring at the moon which shone in its full glory. There was a little part on the moon that was dark red, something that was hidden from human eyes but all non-humans could see. He shut his eyes as he listened to the sound of the changing humans. The screams and groans were like music to his ears, each with a different melody.

"It is time, my lord," Azrail stood behind him. He listened into the distance and could hear the battle cry of the shifters along with the explosion of the human weapons. "Should we set out?"

"Wait until their transformation is complete. Then we move out. I would like to walk with them but I can’t do that because I am needed to escort our dearest ancients to battle so you will lead them," he then looked at Leroy, "As the captain who had been leading the vampires and rogues shifter along with the Abomination, you will lead them once again."

"Thank you, My lord," Leroy said, happy to be out on the front lines killing the humans rather than being assigned to stay behind and take care of some other things.

"Your vampires, are they with you?" Dmitri asked Azrail. The hunters turned newborns were many and powerful but not enough for someone like Azrail to lead. He should lead an army, not a squad.

"They are,’ Azrail replied. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"Are they enough or would you like me to hand you a few old-timers?" Dmitri smiled at the idea. It would shock everyone including Gaia if Azrail could control those beasts of vampires.

"It would be a pleasure," Azrail replied with a faint smile. Having a squad of newborns to lead was one thing, adding a few of the dark vampires would make it much more interesting.

Leroy, who had no idea about Azrail being able to do that, stared at them not knowing how to react or what to say. Azrail’s reply and smile were all it took for him to realize why and it shocked him. He shut his eyes and sighed inwardly. Turning to look at the changing humans, some had changed successfully while others were almost there.

"I will head out to gather my team," Leroy said. Giving one last bow to Dmitri, he gave a glance at Azrail before he left. He finally understood why Dmitri liked Azrail so much.

*********

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