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The book: Eternity and a Night is the second part of the prequel to The Night is ours. It cannot be read without prior knowledge of Eternity and a Day. For the ultimate reading experience, the author recommends the following order:

Alternatively, you can start with The Night is ours series and read the prequel afterwards. Or read the Eternity series first and then the two main parts. Whatever you choose, it will thrill your senses.

The author: Maria Spotlight Bennet dedicated herself to writing shortly after the birth of her first child. She has been in this business since 2016, publishing fantastic stories about vampires, werewolves, and witches. Since her youth, she has had a special connection to the night creatures. Her home, the Black Forest, provides her with the picturesque background as a source of inspiration. The author married her longtime boyfriend in 2014. The couple has two children.

For Henry and Maik, without whom this book series would probably never have come into being.

Eternity and a Night

The die is cast

By Maria Spotlight Bennet

Prologue

Nature is the authoritative means of forming the earth. It has existed for eons, shaping and changing the course of events according to its wishes. It is too equally good and evil, it can bring forth catastrophes or create the breathtaking. And sometimes she outdoes herself with her creations. Already once she succeeded in a special creation, soon the next ones would follow. The long night had begun.

First part

The Ancestors

From the beginnings

Emily found herself where her last journey had ended. Beside her stood the coffin, with her darkest secret inside. She had placed a hand on the lid, which was closed so tightly that no tremor on this earth could have opened it, but only her magic. Outside, the sun was giving way more with each passing minute; soon it would be time for the witch to leave. She sighed as she thought back to the past and what was in the coffin, the contents of which would have to remain dormant for a very long time. The battle between the witches and the Devil had gone in her favor, but the first coven of the Twelve no longer existed. From here to now, she had lost more than she initially realized. Emily knew where the rest of her kind were and if they were all right, and she also knew that Lucifer had been proven right in the end. For since the smashing of the Twelve, more young, power-hungry witches had followed, seduced by the dark Prince. Foolish as they were, they had devoted not only their souls but also their bodies to Satan, and Lucifer had once again succeeded in planting a malignant offspring in the laps of many. He had thus come a little closer to his goal of one day overwhelming the world with dark creatures. A battle had been fought, war was yet to come. If a story is to change, then it must be affected when the time comes, and the source for this tale would soon come to life. Emily looked into the mirror on the wall, her jade green eyes opened to full moons, her brunette hair hanging down between her shoulders. She wore a green robe, a brown braided belt hanging loosely around her waist; she slipped on her hood. The remaining spark of daylight died, a long way lay before the witch. She would have to leave everything behind, as fate demanded of her.

The wolf just opened his eyes. A full moon shone in the sky, casting the landscape in a silvery glow, the offshoots of which reflected on the hunter's black fur. Among the bare branches of the treetops above him, his eagle eyes perceived a quick movement. Something landed on the ground in front of him, a creature as monstrous as himself, with pitch-black, ominous wings. The bat sharpened its teeth; it too was ready to hunt prey. The wolf bowed briefly, his counterpart took the salute from him. Then these merciless hunters went on the prowl, unaware that they would soon walk into a trap.

Emily's feet still carried her bravely forward. She had been on the road for hours, had not rested. It was up to her to fulfill her mission and once again turn the tide of this game in her favor. It was the darkest night when she reached the cave, from the inside of which an agonized groan escaped. She had found it.

Badly wounded, the bat lay on the floor of the cave, the wolf holding the hand of his comrade, watching helplessly as the pain unleashed a burning inferno of agony in the creature's body. Yorick, the giant, had just before separated the bat's wings from its body with a sword stroke. Six brave men had ridden out to exterminate the two beasts. And when the giant had wanted to decapitate the wolf, the bat had jumped in between. The men had all paid with their lives, the wolf had then fled with his wounded friend into a nearby cave, where both had immediately taken on their human form. Close to death, a hooded figure had suddenly entered the cave. She showed her face, it was a woman, pretty to look at, with jade green eyes and long brunette hair.

"Do not kill me“, the woman begged, "I have come with good intentions. Your friend, he is badly wounded and if he is not helped quickly, I fear he will succumb to his injuries. I can help him if you will let me."

"We'll talk about that when the time comes. Are you willing to accept the offer now?"

Protectively, the wolf had placed himself in front of the bat, he regarded the woman skeptically. But the tortured groan of his friend led him to make room for the mysterious woman. She, on the other hand, took herbs from her skirt pocket and instructed him to chew them in his mouth.

"You are doing well, now take the resulting paste and apply it to your friend's wounds."

He did as he was instructed. The woman spread her hands over the injuries and began muttering to herself in a strange language. The chewed herbs, which lay spread like a green paste on the bat's open wounds, began to smoke. The smoke became increasingly dense, rising to the ceiling of the cave and finally enveloping the bat's body completely. When this steam had subsided, the wolf looked in amazement at the work of the witch. The wounds had closed, not even a scar remained, and the bat had sunk into a peaceful sleep.

"How is that possible?", asked the wolf, looking in astonishment at the woman in the green robe.

"I am a witch, my dear, and witches know how to heal." She sat down on one of the rock ledges and looked at the two creatures. To find them, the witch would have gone to the ends of the world.

"I am Emily, the first and most powerful witch, and I have come a long way to find you. You are unique, created by Mother Nature herself, just like me. I was her first child incarnate. Once I had a vision of you that our mother would create two more extraordinary creatures, so I knew where to look for you. But you are careless, you and your friend. Your destructive way of hunting has unnecessarily drawn the attention of mortals to you. I know this species, what frightens them will be destroyed. With me by your side, you could have it better, I would go with you and protect you. With my help, you would soon rise to be the kings of the night."

"That sounds promising“, exulted the wolf, whose spirit projected an almost majestic image to him, "but tell me, is this the service you require for the salvation of my friend?"

"Yes and no, I would like to be allowed to ask one more favor," she regarded him engagingly, knowing he was easier to fool. "Allow me to bless your offspring with the gift of immortality. Thus your species will outlast the ages forever."

This sounded like music to the wolf's ears, his weakness sealed his fate, for he had no idea what the witch had foreseen and what she was planning.

"I will grant you this wish, even in the name of my friend, and on top of that offer you to stay by our side. We will protect each other."

"So it shall be." Emily's heart danced inwardly, for her first move in this game had positioned the chess pieces correctly for the beginning.

"My wings“, he whispered dazedly, touching his back, "MY WINGS“, his voice boomed through the cave like a hammering on an ambos, "THESE BASTARDS HAVE CUT OFF MY WINGS“, and he pushed past the wolf, rushing towards the cave exit, " REVENGE!"

"My friend, calm down, this is going nowhere. You are agitated, I understand that, but we must not allow ourselves another misstep."

That's when the wingless creature caught sight of Emily, who was still sitting quietly on the ledge.

"Who are you?", hissed the man with the pale green eyes, whose life the witch had saved.

"She is the reason you are still alive. She took care of your wounds. Without her, I would have watched you die“, the wolf explained to his upset friend.

"I already explained it to your friend earlier, you were careless and that's exactly why you got caught. You are already flightless and I regret this incident very much. But if you're not careful, you'll lose your head as well“, Emily reminded him in a calm tone.

"Why should I hold back? This is what we were created to do, to murder and destroy“, the bat barked at the witch.

"No, my good one, you were created as the cornerstone of something far greater, and from now on things will have to be different. It is up to me to protect you and lead you to a better future. Your friend has already agreed. From now on, nothing will separate us. You will have to stifle your desire for revenge willy-nilly."

Emily stood up, she looked briefly at the two men, who could not be more different, before she left the cave. The wild and untamed was reflected in the dark eyes of the wolf and was reinforced by his tangled hair and an unkempt beard. His counterpart's face, on the other hand, seemed to be chiseled from smooth marble, yet the essence of an untamed animal throbbed in his heart as well.

"How can you so naively place our fate in the hands of a stranger?", the bat hissed.

"I had no other choice. What she says sounds perfectly reasonable", the wolf defended his position.

Reluctantly, the bat trudged out to the cave while the wolf joined Emily's continued march without complaint.

Morning dawned as the three set out on their continued journey. The bat stayed a little further behind, he didn't like the idea of having to follow a stranger's lead, and it was so good to be grumpy in the back rows. Their common path led them across the land, which lay before them with great mountains and wild rivers, making the heart of every wanderer beat faster. Disguised as humans, the creatures caused no more stir for the time being. Halfway there, the wolf suddenly addressed Emily.

"You told me you would want to bless our offspring with a special gift. When will that time come?"

"Not for a long time yet, my friend. After all that has happened, the wisest thing to do for now will be to hide in a distant place and let mortals forget."

In a dark patch of woods belonging to an area where humans had not yet set foot, the three waited in the darkness. The incident with the giant became a whisper, it was assumed that the creatures were dead. Emily was grateful for that thought. It granted her the chance to start all over again soon. Any civilizations were far away, the prey of the wolf and the bat consisted only of animals since their departure from the cave. Yet, they thirsted for more. And they would get more. Emily entered the rocky cave where the three usually hid. She had slipped on her hood, her fir-green robe dragging across the floor. In her hand, she held a sort of leash, the end of which was fastened around a man's neck. Gripped by the man's sweet smell, the wolf and the bat instantly desisted from their shenanigans. Like starved animals, their eyes drifted over to Emily's present.

"My dears, I have brought you something“, and she jerked the rope, the man crashing to the ground in response. His appearance was extremely gross, he had several injuries all over his body and seemed weakened.

"This man is responsible for the deaths of six children. He took pleasure in torturing them and cutting their bellies open while they were still alive before disposing of their dead bodies like garbage. I picked him up three days' march from here and drove him back across the plain without stopping. I am aware that fire is usually fought with water, for every element has its weaknesses. But in this case, it would be appropriate to fight fire with fire. And since you have not tasted human blood for a long time, I give him to you."

The creatures looked down at the man on the ground, who was all too easy prey in his condition. What was this all about? Was it a test for them, or was it simple revenge for a heinous crime? But the wolf and the bat were powerless against their own instincts. They dismembered the man and gorged themselves on his flesh, bones and innards. Emily watched the macabre spectacle. Spreading her arms as if calling to a higher power, she then let it be known,

"There are several more where this man came from. I have decided that it is time to continue our path, my friends, and show our faces to the world once again."

And so the witch left that part of the earth behind, as well as the events of times past, and the creatures obediently followed her. Their mission took them to the next town, which was at the foot of a mountain. The three passed through the city gate. The street was bustling with activity, horse-drawn carts loaded with animal pelts passed them by. The ground was badly churned up from the last rainstorm, and people had difficulty walking on it without slipping in the mud.

"This town stinks, these people stink“, clamored the bat, which walked past one of the horse-drawn carts and wrinkled its nose.

She knew the answer, after all, her vision had led her here. In this place, the next step was waiting for her, however, Emily had become a player by now and the creatures in her drag were just the pawns to be positioned at the right time.

"As I said before, it is time to present ourselves to the world once again. We're going to stay here, because I'm getting tired of having to hide all the time. In order for you to regain your strength, I will allow you to kill one human."

"Per night?", the bat asked, its eyebrows shifting upward in anticipation of joy.

"Per- month?" the bat's collar burst. The people in the square looked around at him for a moment, but the wolf managed to calm his friend down.

"My dear, believe me, everything I do from now on is for your good. If I had wanted you to die, you would not be here now."

"Where are you going?" inquired the wolf, who, after all, was so much more gentle in his demeanor than his counterpart.

"And what shall we do in the meantime?" asked the bloodsucker, giving the witch a grim look.

In the very next moment, the witch was gone. Night set in, descending its dark wings on the city, forcing most of the population into their shelters. The creatures sat in an alcove between two houses. It had been too long since their last meal, their stomachs growled.

"Screw her and her leadership, where did this get us? Oh, I'm too hungry to argue with you. Besides, my back hurts where I lost my wings."

The wolf knew it was no use trying to keep his friend from killing. Besides, the witch had granted them one sacrifice a month, why not start tonight? Their keen sense of smell led them in a northeasterly direction. There was an inn there, with a sign above the door frame that read 'to the roaring lion'. It was not the scent of warm bread and beer or that of succulent ham that had lured the two. Something far sweeter was in the air, the taste of blood. There was a lively atmosphere in the inn, where several people had gathered to celebrate the still young evening. Lightly dressed women sat with the men on their laps and lolling. There was laughter, there was bawling, beer flowed in streams down the throats of those who had attracted the two creatures with their sweet-smelling blood. A woman walked past the bat, carrying three mugs in one hand and a plate, with a large piece of boiled meat on it, in the other, trailing steaming aromatic vapors behind it. The bat's eyes wandered, something had caught his attention. It was a woman, she had sat down on the lap of a man, like many of her comrades, and was wiggling her buttocks audaciously back and forth. Her breasts were well-formed, though not particularly covered, and beneath them the bat heard the steady beating of her heart, pumping delicious blood into her veins at a constant rate. The beast walked over, almost hypnotically looking at his chosen first victim. This woman stank, dried urine stuck between her legs and her mouth had probably never received any care because some of her teeth, mainly those further back, were discolored brownish. On her forehead sprouted small pustules filled with pus, there were not many, yet they underpinned her unmaintained appearance a bit more. She had pulled her skirt up further to show more leg; her shoes were splattered with mud. With all the stench emanating from these people, hers was far from the worst, so none of her suitors cared. They only wanted one thing.

"What are you staring at, looking for a fight, my friend?", the equally scruffy man, on whose lap the young lady was sitting, swore.

"No not at all, but I want her“, and he pointed at the woman with the plump breasts in front of him. The pulsing blood in her veins had an uncanny attraction on him.

"Now, now, who's going to get all grumpy, you can both have me," the woman sneered, clearly alcohol talking, "give me five minutes, sweet stranger, I'll just finish off this guy here real quick, and then I'll come see you. Oh, and I'll take my money in advance, by the way."

"What the hell is this crap, I paid you for the whole night, you lousy piece of shit."

The man gave the woman a violent shove and she fell to the ground. In his aggression, he attacked the bat. Stupid mistake. The man's movements were predictable to the creature and as slow as a snail in the grass. The beast stopped the drunk's blow with only one hand, twisting his arm backwards. Cracking, the attacker's joint bent into an unnatural position. Screaming, he went down on his knees. All present stared at the spectacle, more men wanted to intervene, but the wolf faithfully stood by his friend. Blood splattered like red splotches of paint on the floor, the chairs and the furniture. The beasts were in a frenzy and eager to kill. In the commotion, the bat grabbed the man by the throat and lifted him into the air as if he was made only of feathers.

"You shouldn't have teased me, buddy“, he bared his fangs, his eyes glowing into ghostly beads.

"WATCH OUT!", screamed the wolf, who had observed the whore attack the bat from behind with a severed table chair leg. Abruptly the wingless creature turned around, the stake aimed at its target, the left half of the beast's chest. And suddenly the woman's hand came to a stop, just inches before it would have pierced the bat's heart. Transfixed, she stood there, all of them did. The entire guest room no longer moved, as if someone had stopped time. The constant up and down breathing of the mortals was the only sound that could be heard. The bat moved away from the stake. He watched the woman who seemed to be alive but did not move an inch.

Her voice pierced the room and caught the full attention of the two creatures. Emily stood near the entrance, her hood pulled over her head. Her face was thus in shadow, giving her a somber appearance.

"Stopped time, or your little fiasco would have taken a nasty turn. I realize that you are not happy with my rules, but I imposed them on you for a reason. You have already raged once and were almost wiped out once. Do you want that to happen again?"

"Good, always remember, I am acting for your good. You of all people, Bat, should know that better than anyone else. What happened tonight was and will remain the last incident, is that clear? From now on, you will trust me completely, or it will mean your downfall."

"What will happen to them now? After all, they are easy prey at this point“, the bat interjected.

"Your thirst for blood will get you nowhere. Be patient a little longer and the urge will subside. And to answer your question, tonight, they will not be your prey. Instead, they shall forget."

The witch raised her hand and stretched it forward, movement now came back into action, the people in the inn all continued where they had left off. The three strangers had disappeared, and no one knew any more what had happened. Why did the harlot have a stake in her hand, why did the man's throat and arm hurt so much, why were chairs and tables lying wildly scattered and partly broken on the floor? They did not know.

In a chapel in a small shabby cemetery, the three were hiding. Night greeted the day. Rats and other creatures were henceforth the food of the beasts. Emily never let them out of her sight. She knew, if her plan wanted to have a chance, then it required strict guidance. Week after week, they mingled among the people. Once a month Emily allowed the beasts a sacrifice. A corpse was never found, the witch made sure of that, and over time the wolf and the bat learned to control their thirst for blood. On the nights of the full moon, the wolf roamed the local woods, for the power of the moon over him was unbroken.

It was market day, on the large square in the middle of the city, quite a few merchants had gathered and were selling their goods. Mortals walked up and down, there was chatter, there was haggling. The air was filled with the singing of the town musicians, who hoped for a small donation from the passers-by for their lovely music. There was a smell of seasoned meat, baked goods, and fresh fruit. At some stalls, kettles were simmering, the steam of the food was rising. Adapting to the people's style of dress, Emily and her companions had ventured out. The creatures' long abstinence gave them a wide berth. Walking among mortals had become an easy thing for them. The wolf and the bat were walking across the square when both stopped as if thunderstruck. They stared straight ahead, something had caught their attention at the same time, or rather someone had.

"That woman up ahead, she's so... beautiful... I can't stop looking at her“, full of enthusiasm, the words came out of the bat. For the first time in his life, he felt something like happiness.

"I feel the same way“, the wolf interjected, a warm feeling gripping him tightly as well.

Emily, on the other hand, knew she was quite a bit closer to her goal. They had just discovered the cradle for new life, and soon her vision would become truth.

Second Part

The children of the night

It was a brunette and a blonde woman who had taken the heart of the beasts by storm. The bat had an eye on the blonde and the wolf on the dark-haired. Words had not yet been spoken, but their hearts knew what they desired. Strangely enough, they did not feel the urge to slit the women's throats with their razor-sharp teeth and drain them of blood while they were fully conscious. A hitherto unknown feeling fought its way from the depths of their subconscious to the surface. None of these unsuspecting lambs realized that the witch had cast a spell on the four of them. For so long, Emily had searched for two suitable cell hosts, had scoured the city for them secretly, silently, and now she had found them. Spellbound, the wolf and the bat strode towards their chosen ones, while Emily continued to hold the strings in the background. Under other circumstances, the two women would never have given the men a single glance. Only the witch's invisible spell ensured the creatures' imminent success with the ladies. Not many words had been necessary for the blonde-haired and the brunette to be so obedient to the creatures. Like possessed, they left their work on the spot and followed their lustful hearts. Emily, in her foresight, had prepared a room. The wooden shutters in front of the windows were closed, quite a few candles had been lit inside, their flickering light creating a cozy atmosphere. A resting bed was ready on the floor, consisting of dozens of soft pillows. The comfort of the room would be the necessary spice for the events ahead. As if guided by magic, the creatures entered with their companions. None of them knew why their feet had brought them to this place, nor did they care. Eagerly, the bat's lips slid over the blonde woman's, meanwhile, the wolf had soulfully buried his hands in his beloved's hair. All the blood flowed into the lower regions of the two men and ensured that they could penetrate their respective partners with powerful pushes and produced lustful groans. Waiting outside the door of the room, Emily listened to the spectacle. At that very moment, the special gene of the beasts connected with the females‘ amniotic cell. Soon new life would mature and take the witch further to her goal.

"What is it, Sarah?", she too was having trouble concentrating. Ingrid's voice sounded miles away to her.

Only slowly and with the greatest of effort did Ingrid and Sarah manage to break free of their trance. They looked around. It was the room they had gone into with the two men, at least that much they could remember. Dim lights were shining, their bodies both felt like they had been wiped out, and absolute chaos reigned in their minds. What had happened and more importantly, how long had they been here?

"You have nothing to fear“, a voice spoke out of the darkness; it belonged to Emily, who had made sure the two women couldn't escape.

"Do not be afraid, for you are chosen. The two men have implanted their seed in you, and soon you, my dear, will be the mothers of the first children of the night."

Emily released Ingrid and Sarah from their inability to move. Instinctively, the two jumped up and took flight. Before they even reached the door, they were in the clutches of the wolf and the bat.

"SLEEP!", the witch's voice commanded, and Ingrid and Sarah fell to the ground. If they woke up again, neither of them would know what had happened.

"Trust me, they won't, my spells always succeed. The seed is planted, one year it will mature in the womb, until then, the women are on their own. When they wake up, they will remember having slept with two men, but your faces will have slipped their minds. This grants us the opportunity to observe them from a distance, and when the time is right, I will again cast my spell on them."

The next morning the witch and her company had disappeared. The two women only knew that they had given themselves to two men in carnal lust, but no longer knew who they were. After a few weeks, they noticed that something was stirring in their bodies. Their bleeding stopped, Ingrid and Sarah knew what this meant. Emily watched the two cell-hosts from a distance. She was always on their heels, never exposing herself. Month after month, one of the villagers fell victim to the beasts. Usually, they were criminals that no one cared about, and Emily made sure to clean up after them.

A year had passed since the physical connection of the creatures and the mortal women. Outside, a storm raged, forcing the locals into their homes. It rattled the shutters with its pale hand, terrified little children, and made them crawl into their parents' beds, terrified. Meanwhile, the witch had lured Ingrid and Sarah away from the village with a spell’s help. The two women followed her into a cave, as if they were mindless slaves. There, in the darkness, the wolf and the bat were waiting. In the meantime, it was the year 0, new chronology would soon begin, as well as new age. In great pain and only with the witch’s help, Ingrid and Sarah gave birth to two boys that night. The babies lay on their mothers' breasts, drenched in sweat but happy.

"A boy, a beautiful boy, look, Ingrid, how lucky we both are“, spoke Sarah, so close to tears of joy. Their fortunes were about to change at that moment. Emily took the children away from both women. The newborns screamed, but Ingrid and Sarah were too weak to fight back. Fear stood behind the two women with a swinging whip, for just then, the wolf and the bat emerged from the shadows, and the curtain fell. Everything forgotten returned, Ingrid and Sarah immediately remembered their night with the two men. That they had held coitus with them, although they did not know why. And they also realized that they had been seduced by the witch, that she had pulled strings in the background; that was Emily's last sad gift to the mothers because the beasts had only one order.

No thought of happiness or even love now clouded the minds of the beasts. They too were released from the witch's spell and followed their primal instincts, hunt and eat. Helpless and defenseless, the women were at the mercy of the wolf and the bat, which greedily devoured their tender flesh. Sunk in a pool of blood, the beasts dismembered the bodies of their former lovers. When this slaughter was over, they once again took on human form. Meanwhile, the first light of day crept up the landscape, a sunbeam of crimson light falling through the cave entrance. The bat looked down at himself, something was wrong.

"I, I don't feel well“, wavering and swaying, he finally crashed to the ground. The wolf immediately rushed to his aid. But even the strongest can't fight against fate.

"Emily, help us, what is happening?", the wolf cried, the daylight outside the cave was getting stronger.

"I'm sorry, my friends, but your time is up“, one last time, Emily looked into the pale eyes of the bat, one last time, she heard the wild, untamed heart of the wolf beat. The purple of the rising sun had given way to a majestic gold that now flooded the entire cavern. The ancestors turned to stone, their solidified pillars collapsing like a flimsy scaffolding. Only dust was left of them, blown away by a breeze.

"You were never immortal, only with my help have you survived this long", the witch spoke to herself. "You will be remembered, you will go down in the history books as the Ancient Ones, but you were solely a means to an end." She bent down, there was a remnant of dust left on the floor. "Because you once allowed me to bless your descendants with the gift of immortality, I will now do so."

Emily walked over to the two boys, who were fast asleep wrapped in fresh sheets in the far end of the cave.

"You are the first children of the night, from your bloodlines a great empire will one day rise, vampires and werewolves have seen the light of day. And to ensure that you will endure the ages for all eternity, here is my gift to you." She opened her hand, in which she had picked up the last remnants of the Ancestors, and blew the dust from her palm. It trickled down onto the infants, who slept on, untouched.

With the rising sun, Emily left the cave along with the newborns and set out on her journey into the future.