Across the Line
For years there has been a war between Dhampir and Lamia. Each species was once human, created as an experiment to push human evolution forward. Leading scientists worked long and hard in a secluded location somewhere in between the mountains and deserts of the western United States. The Lamia were created first, in an attempt to create a super human. Of course, this was once attempted legally. But when human subjects are involved, not everyone's going to agree. So this operation was created privately and illegally.
The Lamia were given the strength of two men, the agility and reflexes of a cat. Their senses were also enhanced, but both their sight and hearing are extra sensitive to a point that direct sun light hurts because there pupils were nearly fully dilated, making their eyes look black; and any sound 90 dB or above will cause pain and hearing loss unless wearing high quality hearing protection. One unexpected flaw with the Lamia was their change in blood type to something we have never seen before. Because of this there was a rapid death of hemoglobin in their cells. Now, the Lamia had to have a minimum of 1 pint of blood a week to keep them barely alive. To keep them healthy and fully functional, they were given 3 pints a week and hearty meals to keep up with their metabolism. Although if they missed a meal, they would become angry, violent and do whatever they could to save themselves, even if that meant feeding from another.
A few years passes and one Lamia went to long without blood, and bit a scientist. He was quickly put down without a second thought. The next day, the doctors skin became very dry, and eyes turned a pale white, then pitch black. Several other doctors tried to find what was wrong. But in less than a week, he turned into a Lamia. It was soon discovered, that if the saliva of a Lamia came into contact with a human, they would change. Doctors began to panic and become fearful and this disease began to spread.
With this rapid outbreak of the “Lamia” disease as it was called, many victims were taken from their lives and forced to live in a refurbished prison. Of course, this prison was also unknown to all but a select few in the government. For years they were kept hear, year after year, things becoming worse for the Lamia. Tired of being locked up, the Lamia rose up, thinking themselves the higher species and the humans as prey.
Mass panic spread though out the United States and steadily crept to the rest of the World. Fear of the Lamia, of no longer being the top of the food chain. The World leaders in genetics came together and went to work to combat the Lamia.
This is when the Dhampir were created. The drug created to make the Lamia was redone and again, distributed to make something to combat the Lamia. Immune to their “disease”. The Dhampir are as strong as 3 men, can run flat out for 2 miles before becoming winded. They are not as agile or flexible as the Lamia, but still more so than a human. Their senses are only slightly higher than humans, but not by much. The distinguishing feature in the Dhampir is their rich orange eyes. Unlike the Lamia, there was no change in blood, no diet change aside from more food to keep up with their fast metabolism.
Both free in the world, Dhampir trying to protect these weak humans, Lamia trying to claim their place in evolution. Humans, slowly disappearing. Either falling to the “Lamia” disease, taking the Dhampir vaccine or dying off. It’s a new world. What side do you chose?