Asterios(1)

-Hey, did you know that...?
-IN THESSALONIKI, Asterios, in Thessaloniki!

''Pff...what a prick, I was just trying to be friendly, he must have been old when he was embraced that's why he is like my grandpa''
Thought Asterios and put his headset on to listen to some music.
For a man looking in his early 30's his choice of music was kinda weird, opera.
He let his mind go a few years back, back to where this strange story had begun.

He was on his last year in the university of Naples getting his degree on surgery.
Ever since he could remember he wanted to be a doctor and there he was ready to be one and he was determined to be a very good doctor.
Half-Italian and half-Greek from his father's side he was always a party animal during his early years and university hadn't changed that at all.
Even his friends were amazed at how he could be that good at his school and at the same time be the soul of every party in the campus.
It was the week before his final exams when he met that woman.
He was just taking his evening walk around the campus admiring half naked girls and the setting sun.
At a corner, as if she was expecting him, appeared a red-haired latina smoking a cigar.
She wore a flame-red dress that short that it could have been a T-shirt.
She smiled at him and spoke in a voice that Asterios could swear it was coming out in a million different languages.
-Can you light me please?
-In many interesting ways! Asterios answered.
-So young and so determined?
-Always determined, luck favors the reckless!
The woman was over 30 but Astetios could swear she was more beautiful than many other younger girls.
-So? Can you light me?
-I wish I could but I don't smoke you see. It would be bad for my reputation to smoke while asking my patients to quit it.
-You are a doctor?
-Well in a month I will be.
-What do you specialize in?
-Surgery, I like learning about people's inner beauty.
-Young, reckless, funny and a doctor? You are the star of this campus I guess.
-You can say that, so can I offer you something in return of not being able to light you?
-Can you? said the woman and licked her lips.
''Damn woman, she knows damn well how to play a man'' he thought.
-A drink? Dinner? Wild, free sex?
-I like you, at least you are honest with your intentions, my name is Cassy.
-Cassiopeia? What a nice, ancient Greek name.
-Are you familiar with Greece?
-I am half Greek actually and I am Asterios, most pleased to meet you Cassy.
-Ok young, determined, funny, reckless, a doctor and half-Greek...tonight Asterios is your lucky night. I will show you things you had never been aware of.
-My place or yours?
-Mine, my car is right there.
Asterios turned his head only to see a Porsche cabrio parked a dozen meters away.
-That car suits you dear.

Asterios jumped in the car ready for the night of his life but what followed was more than he expected.
They both ended naked on the bed but at the moment he was ready to explode the woman who was on the top smiled wickedly letting two huge canines appear and bit him on his neck.
-Welcome to my world Asterios, she said with blood-his blood-dripping from her mouth.
Asterios still remembers the next days passing by like a movie. A horror film to be exact.
The woman was a vampire belonging to a clan of vampire-mages which was always on the search for gifted people and scientists. Their meeting that night was not one of chance. She had been watching him for some time.
And now he was one of them.
What would follow was simple. He would get his degree-the woman had arranged for his exams to be held during night hours-and he would vanish from the mortal society joining the rest of the clan at Vienna to initiate his studies in all things magical.
For a reason he didn't care for what had happened to him, his new self was better than his old one and the only drawback was the sunlight which was now lethal to him.
On the other side he now had an eternity to experiment with whatever crazy idea he may have had.
And also magic? This life was going to be awesome.


And there he was on a plane going back to his homeland, from his father's side at least, for his first assignment. He had been told that Thessaloniki was actually a very bad place for new vampires of his clan but he had also learned from his creator that in Thessaloniki he would have a lot more freedom to conduct his experiments.
The local regent of his clan was much more open minded than many others and he had a nice collection of scientific equipment for him to play with.
Also the local prince admired and helped young vampires eager to prove themselves and for Asterios everything in his life was a challenge to be accomplished.

He looked again at the middle-aged man next to him.
''Old minds in old bodies'' he thought.