The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day-Saints. Established in 1830 by one Joseph Smith in Fayette, New York. A hierarchical establishment built upon the beliefs of restoring the original values Jesus was proclaimed to have preach before the Crucifixion.
Bishop Theodore Higgins found it to be pompous, but never the less he played the role as a means to keep up his cover. He had studied the theology of Mormonism for over 80 years to keep up his ruse, and while he himself wasn't particularly fond of lying, he knew when he needed to. 180-some-odd years of life taught him that.
Theodore had seen it all. Having been born in 1838, he had seen and observed just how much the world had change, but how humanity had remained stagnant. They may have evolved culturally, but physically and mentally they had all remained the same.
Theodore lost his humanity when he had been nine years of age. So inherently he never really saw himself as human. His last memory of being a human was when he was helping his brother till the fields of their family farm.
He remembered the fields, how the dirt felt on his feet. The soft soil between his toes and the uncomfortable sensation it gave him. Theodore was never one to enjoy the feeling of wet or soft things on his body. It made him feel gross.
Just as gross as he had felt when his master had killed his brother in front of him, and turned him into a vampire shortly thereafter.
How his master forced him to kill his mother as his first meal.
How his master mistreated him and made him more of a slave than an equal.
But that was the past. That was before he had sought vengeance against his master and broke his shackles. Now, he was a free man, able to do what he pleased. And while his master was long gone, and was as awful as he had been, Theodore could thank him for one thing, and that was uniting him and his now wife Jessabelle.
Ah, but that was a story for another time.
The point was that Theodore had been alive for a very long time. He had seen many a people, been a part of many a church and many a religion. Hell, Theodore wasn't even his real name. It was just the name he was currently using. Jessabelle wasn't his wife's name either. Their original names had been forgotten to time.
Every fifty or so years they would change their names to remain being seen as different people. It was the only way for them to continue living their normal, every day lives. If someone going by the same name for the last 180 years approached you, you would think that something was fishy as well. So would the that regions government.
But, he digressed. Being where he was now, in this small town filled with genuinely nice people did allow him to retain some of his humanity. It kept him whole. Kept him sane. Kept him from turning into the true monsters that he had seen out there. Creatures of violence and bloodlust, kept unchecked and turning into nothing but beasts.
It was why as he looked out on the crowd of happy, chattering folk after a successful service, he could feel the smile on his face. It was why he sought out jobs like these. Bringing hope to people who clearly needed it or simply just wished to believe that there was a higher power out there.
Theodore himself, despite being a Bishop and having made a lot of friends in the church was himself not a Mormon. He was Christian, yes, and he believed in God as The Bible depicts, but he himself did not agree with Mormonism. Yes, he had been in the Mormon church for 80 years, but that didn't mean he believed in their beliefs.
Yes, he preached them.
Yes, he rallied with them.
But that did not mean he believed what they believed.
In his time as a member of the Mormon Church, he had seen, met, and grew close to many people. From a few of the local farmers, to even a spare few families who had invited him into their home. His blood drive was also very popular, and when he did it once every year, over a hundred people would come and donate a pint or two.
It was how he kept himself from being a menace. Over the years, he had accumulated over 30 liters of blood, and kept it frozen in a chill room underneath his manor in the nearby woods. He lived afar from town, but it wasn't like it was difficult to get there and back; only a thirty minute drive, or in his case, run from his manor to the town.
During the time he had spent in his town, a lot of odd people visited his church as well. From former prime ministers, current and previous mayors, even travelling American politicians like George Bush.
Why, there was a time when Theodore, who back then was going by Franklin Russet, had shaken the hand of President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt; something he held in high honour to this very day!
However, if there was one thing that he had not been expecting, it was the arrival of a Helsing Operative. He could spot them from a mile away, as any good vampire ought to. But this one? This one was different. This one was actually from the Van Helsing bloodline.
It was easy to tell, given that his eyes were uniquely golden. A trait that was shared only with the Van Helsing lineage. His body language screamed of "holier than thou", what with his arms crossed and his left leg draped over the other. As if he was a king sitting amongst peasants.
As annoying as it was, that was just how most Van Helsing acted. Full of themselves and pure nuisances. Theodore knew for fact that he was going to become one in the next few days. A regular vampire hunter was bad enough as is, but a Van Helsing made things so much worse.
Theodore had seen various vampire hunters throughout his life. All of them had fallen to him, and all of them died excoriating deaths. He had a reputation among the Helsing Organization. They no longer sent fledgling hunters his way anymore. Now, they were only sending Marquis-Ranked hunters after him.
And even then, they couldn't get the job done.
It was easy to tell who was what rank based on the pin they wore. Fledglings, or Recruits as they dubbed, didn't wear a pin at all. Seeing as this one wasn't wearing a pin, that meant he wasn't here for him.
Which could only mean one thing....
"Bishop, a word, please?" A voice spoke out to Theodore as he glanced over his shoulder. It was Sister Marie, one of the assistants he had on from Castlegar. She had come to his church after there had been reports of violations of his congregation not adhering to the core values of Mormonism.
It was frustrating. He had gone this long without getting The Elders attention, but now it seems he has. He wondered what it was? "Oh, it doesn't matter. This was bound to happen," Theodore thought, frowning.
He continued to watch as people began to flood out of the sanctuary when he spotted Jolyne, just without her hair dye. A smile had found itself on his face after seeing her.
Not only that, but to see her seemingly happy too...
It had been years since she had attended. No doubt it was because her parents wished her to. They more than likely saw her miraculous recover as just that; a miracle. Perhaps he can expect more visits from her? Even if she wasn't going to join his congregation, just her mere presence put a smile on his face.
Turning to face Sister Marie, Theodore, bowed his head to her, before standing straight as a board. "And what could I do for you, Sister?"
"I wanted to know why that troublemaker is here," Sister Marie said, nodding in the general direction of Jolyne. "You are aware of her reputation in town?"
"Well, yes. I am quite close with their family, Sister. But why does it matter? Anyone is welcome here at our church. Period. I should not have to think we need to discuss this," Theodore replied as Sister Marie frowned.
Sister Marie was an older woman, in her mid sixties. She had silver hair styled in a romantic tuck, and she wore a full body black dress with white gloves. Her eyes with a shade of brown much like most folk, and she had beauty mark above her upper lip.
Sister Marie was from an older generation. A generation that was not as inclusive as Theodore had began to witness crop up around town. But even still, it was a shame that this same behaviour was still prevalent so many years later.
"I am well aware of your policy. But… she lies with the same sex. You know…"
"You do not need to act like it's a dirty word. Yes. I am aware that she is a lesbian, and that she has dated other girls. What does this have to do with her prayers to God?"
"It is wrong," Sister Marie put forward, her eyes narrowing. "While we may be accepting of those... people," Sister Marie said, disgust in her tone, continuing, "They are not welcome in the church, to attend our services, or their wickedness might spread!"
"No, Sister Marie. I will not allow such thoughts to be apart of my church. I do not care how others in this enclave receive or deny those of the LGBTQ movement. While I do not fully understand it myself, that does not mean I will shame them or make them feel lesser for it," Theodore reprimanded as Sister Marie stared at him, taken aback.
"It goes against The Book of Mormon. It goes against our core values…!"
"Then our core values must change," Theodore replied causing Sister Marie to gasp. "We live in an era were people will be who they wish to be, within reason. If a man believes themselves to be a women because it brings them peace of mind, then let them be a woman. If another man marries another man, let them. If another woman marries another woman, let them. Who are we, mortals, to judge what God should accept."
"Blasphemy! Are you mad?! God—"
"I'm sorry, Sister Marie, but are you God?" Theodore interrupted, staring at her a judgmental glare in his eyes. "Are you a prophet, Sister Marie? Do you speak for God? Last I checked, as I have said, God accepts all in his kingdom. Since when were you, or any of us, a judge as to who enters his gilded hall?"
"That's a slippery slope you're treading down, Bishop…" Sister Marie warned, prompting Theodore to scowl.
"If you cannot accept that as my viewpoint, then I will ask you to leave."
Sister Marie stared at him as if he had committed a cardinal sin. To be clear, he might as well have. It wasn't a secret to him that Jolyne, as well as a few others of his congregation were a part of the LGBTQ community. There was a gay couple who he had officiated the wedding of a few weeks ago, and a few other people who harboured feelings for the same sex.
He never once saw a reason to deny their existence. God accepted all in his kingdom, and using the bible, or in this case The Book of Mormon, to bash those who were attracted and married to the same sex was nothing if not disgusting.
"I will be reporting you to the ministry. Count your days, Bishop," Sister Marie hissed, storming away as Theodore let out an annoyed sigh. Perhaps it was time to pack up and leave? Jessabelle had been getting a little sick of this place, too. They had spent 45 years here, so maybe it was time for a change?
"But then again, I have a spawn here now. My priorities lay with her," Theodore mused as he stepped down from the elevated platform where his stand was. He had a lot on his mind at the moment, and he needed to find a time and place to sort through those thoughts.
"You must be the Bishop of this church," a voice spoke out to him, as Theodore look in their direction. Sure enough, it had been the Van Helsing he had seen earlier. He was standing in the doorway, his expression twisted into an amused smile. "I must say, I did not expect a vampire to infiltrate the church, in any format."
"What brings you here, Van Helsing."
"You know what it is I am here for. But I figured I would do you the courtesy of at least giving you a chance," Van Helsing said, his arms crossed. Theodore remained unamused.
"I can see that you are a fledgling. If you are meant to intimidate me…"
"Oh, no. Not you. Someone else is coming for you. Your spawn on the other hand…"
A split second.
That was all that it took for Theodore to travel from one end of the room to the other. Van Helsing did not flinch, even with pair of claws pointed directly at his jugular. "Hit a sore spot, have I?"
"You will leave her alone."
"Or what? Suffer your wrath? I've never heard of a vampire being so defensive of their spawn before. Unless… She's the one."
"Keep your wretched hands away from my spawn. Do not play games you cannot win."
Van Helsing laughed, before turning his back to Theodore and heading toward the exit. "Trust me, Bishop, I know I can win. The question is… can you?"
When Van Helsing looked back at Theodore, the pupil in his left eye began to glow a brilliant blue, and then he vanished, leaving Theodore behind as he sneered.
"This is not good…"