Authors: Lori Perry
Why couldn't she sense him?
Frozen in the moonlight Ana kept her senses open to whatever could be lurking in the night; waiting for a sign the monster was gone. But he waited and watched her; she could feel his eyes on her – stalking her as she sought him. Who would be the victor in this game? Of course
she
would, Ana smirked, thinking to herself.
The poor scavenger dog lay whimpering nearby. Though she was a killer by destiny – there remained a soft spot in her heart for the weak or defenseless, this animal was both. Ana kept an eye on the bushes the intruder was hidden in as she quickly ended the innocent creature's suffering. Glancing at the lifeless body of the dog, she felt a brief pang of sorrow for it then stamped the emotion down. Not feeling anything was better.
Slowly she stood, readying herself for the true battle that she had sought that night; the one that would pay her enough to rest comfortably away from this hell. There’d been a brief time in her existence – between the death of her father and finally coming to terms with what she was meant to do – when she had lounged in fields, popping juicy berries into her mouth as she watched the clouds tumble across the sky; a time when becoming the slayer her father molded her to be was the beast she fought the hardest. In the end - when her body grew bored of the inactivity – and her pockets depleted – she accepted her fate and slain her first immortal in exchange for gold. The feast she enjoyed as well as the fine establishments she was able to sleep in - instead of a hovel or a tree for shelter - were too welcoming to give up. And the fact that her father would be sickened by her monetary gain from the way she
worked
her destiny made her job that much more enjoyable.
"Show yourself!" She shouted at the unseen opponent then waited for it to charge. Her first engagement with the undead breed had been with what was once a child, not more than eight years old. His parents had been shredded in front of him as some sick torture, then the vampires fed on him; the turning seemed an accident by the jagged scars at his neck.
"Attack!" Her father's words echoed in her mind as she looked into the reddened eyes of the child; the boy crouched clutching a rat to his lips. Guilt at taking the life of someone so young twisted her stomach and she hesitated. Surely there had to be another way; a cure could be found perhaps? But to even think it was going against everything her father was and believed in. She could hear his voice bellowing at her, yet again.
“
The only cure for the damned is to send them back to hell!”
Suddenly, searing pain ripped through her shoulder as the young vampire spun her off her feet, smashing her to the ground and pinning her with his little body. When this creature showed no sign of stopping, Ana wrapped her good arm around his thin neck and squeezed. His movements became choppy as his body jerked like a caught dog. He was too strong, her hold was slipping. As her father watched from the back of the room, this small vampire was going to take her life. At the last moment, her father swooped down and replaced his daughters arm with his own, then swiftly cracked the boy's neck.
"I'm very disappointed, Ana." He handed her his dagger and looked down disapprovingly at her as she tried to catch her breath. With a shaky hand, she took the dagger and looked at the pale child lying at her feet. He was probably a good boy when he lived, running and laughing with the other village children, playing as knights.
"Finish him Ana, before he wakes and proves what a failure you truly are!" Looking into her father's dark eyes she lifted the dagger and plunged it deep into the boy's chest, never breaking eye contact with her sire. There was nothing in her heart for him now but hatred.
The old shoulder wound ached as the scene played out in her mind and she absently rubbed the jagged scar. She hadn’t turned into one of them that night, though she’d believed that was to be her fate. The repulsive sour liquid her father made her drink – she assumed – kept the disease from taking hold of her young body.
"I'm not here to hurt you." The rumbling voice made her jump, but she concealed the weakness as she had been taught. In all her years slaying, they had never tried to speak to her or try to reason. For the first time, she’d been surprised.
"Then what are you here for?" she asked in a voice that masked her true feelings of wonder.
"The same as you; to destroy them." She considered his words but she had no doubt this
thing
wasn’t human. Rumors of other beings had been discussed by the hunters, but those creatures were never sought, at least not by them.
"Show yourself." She repeated.
"For years we have lived in peace, lived in secrecy enjoying our existence." He slipped from the darkness as he spoke calmly. "Now, that has all changed with these heedless young." So he was a vampire, and by the way he spoke he was an elder.
"You are one of them." It wasn’t a question.
"If you suggest me to be a dangerous bloodsucker," he smiled, perfect white fangs flashing against his dark skin, "then you would be only partly right. Vampire yes, and dangerous when need be, but reckless no."
Mixed emotions clouded her mind as he stepped slowly toward her. None of the usual warning bells sounded, but she kept her guard up; they were masters of deception and she needed to be ready to take his head. "No need to be frightened by me." He said coolly.
"I'm not frightened." She lied. Instead of being terrified of what this beast might do to her, she had become transfixed by his large form. She should be disgusted by the curiosity she held for him; his broad shoulders filled her view, his long, dark hair brushing them and tousling in the breeze. He looked like a pirate fresh from the sea, with a hunger in his eyes that she recognized. Not just for blood, but something more personal and for a split second she wondered what it would be like to sate that hunger in him.
"No? I hear your heart race beneath your breast."
"I merely ready myself for your attack." Her response was blasé and she gave her dagger an expert twirl to prove it. With a touch of horror, she realized she was enjoying this. Never before had she taken the time to speak to one of them;
hesitate and you die
was her father’s favorite phrase. And she’d adopted it, until now.
His grin stretched wider, also entertained with their banter.
"If I had wanted to attack you, Lady, I would have done so and been long gone without you ever knowing what happened." He plucked a rose from its stem and pressed the petals to his nose, breathing deeply. "Do you enjoy the hunt?" As he spun the flower between his thick fingers, he studied her.
"I enjoy the kill." Lifting her chin Ana wiped every thought from her mind other than plunging her weapon through his heart. "Something you took from me this night. I shall expect repayment for that."
Stop talking to the monster…start killing!
She was being reckless - giving into the curiosity for what he might say. He was an abomination – yet for the first time, the beast was stirring something inside her; something
other
than repulsion.
"Strong hatred for my kind I see." Lifting the rose, he brushed the petals against her cheek trailing down to her lips. Ana jerked her head away from the touch, spitting to show disgust she
didn't
truly feel – yet very much should.
"You're rabid animals that need to be destroyed." Why he had not tried to kill her yet Ana didn't know, but she needed to stop wasting time and finish returning him to the devil. Squeezing her grip on the hilt of her dagger, she envisioned blood burbling from the deep wound she would cause as it drained his life into the earth.
"Do you not wish to know my name before you kill me?" She recognized the flirtation he held in his voice, as if he were a human trying to court her. He tilted his head and looked at the knife she held at her side. Then she watched as his gaze caressed her hips, breasts and found her body responding to the heat of his stare. Yet, when his eyes rested on her throat her body hardened to him.
"I don't care what your name is. Do you ask the names of your defenseless victims before you eat them?"
"My name is Michael. You
could
thank me for saving you." He said as he pulled his hair back tying it with a piece of leather. He was a fool;
she
was a fool for allowing him to show her this side of hell – a side that could be pleasurable. But for him to believe he’d saved her from the baby leach proved these beings were just stupid animals.
"Saved me! You arrogant dribble! I had him right where I’d wanted him before you showed up and got in my way."
The vampire raised a brow and smirked in disbelief. She refused to notice that his eyes were a distinct emerald green - even in the misty moonlight – and the bridge of his nose was the perfect fit to his symmetrical face.
"
Go to hell!"
With his hands behind his head Ana threw her strike, but he had anticipated her move and disappeared in front of her eyes; vanished in a swirl of mist. She had heard the older ones were able to move their bodies from one space to another; something the other hunters called tracing, but that had been just a rumor hadn’t it? No one had ever encountered one old enough to use this ability.
She spun searching the night for him but he was gone. "I'll find you!" she yelled. Ana gathered her pack from its hiding spot then bent to the young vampire's body and ripped his fangs from his jaw, the proof that he was dead. With one last look around the clearing, she sashayed toward the road leading to the village. There might have been an added swing to her hips in case the vampire-that-didn't-feel-like-a-vampire was watching. "I will find you." She whispered.
"I hope you do." Michael smiled as he watched the pretty human's swaying hips disappear into the night. "I shall be waiting." For centuries he'd waited for her; waited to claim her body and soul and never imagined she would be so beautiful. And never imagined his mate would be a vampire slayer. A mere inconvenience for him, he could change her path easily. The way her body responded to a mere glance from him proved how easy this endeavor would be.
Michael lounged back against the thick branch considering his next move. His sire would instruct him to claim her that night; not to waste time in changing her mind and letting her decide that he was her future – her eternal future – and slaying
his
kind was unnecessary - though together they could wipe out the newly created
mistakes
she had attempted to kill this night. Ah, but he wanted her to have the choice; to learn the facts and still choose him as her mate; a choice that was never given to him.
From the moment he was turned and educated on the wonders his new life held for him, he longed for her; the one that would make his blood boil beneath his skin in the best way possible. A vampire’s mate would set fire to his body and only
she
would be able to sate his thirst or sexual hunger, so turning away from her was literally the most difficult thing he had to do. Like walking into flames by choice, knowing a cool river was right behind you.
From the shadows he had watched her tracking the young vampire, legs encased in tight leather conforming to her every ample curve. His body responded to her movements, so fluid and sensual. Her long hair shone in the moonlight and he wished to wrap the softness in his fist as he buried himself in her from behind. Immediately he knew she was made for him; this perfect woman with a passion for life and the unfortunate career of terminating his kind. The ache for her was as intense as he had heard it would be when an immortal found their mate. But the need to pin her beneath him, to press his hips against her hot core was near uncontrollable. There would be time, he repeated as she disappeared.
Chapter Two
Present day
Michael had followed Orlando's trail over nearly every continent, with him just narrowly escaping Michaels grasp each time. He wanted answers, needed to know whatever Orlando knew and how he came upon his information. For centuries, Ana was all that occupied his thoughts; how to find her and keep her safe and now this werewolf claimed to know exactly where she was and he would kill for the knowledge. For many years he believed Ana hadn't been reincarnated again; thought he’d lost her forever, then the wolf sent a note.
Vampire, your beloved Ana lives.
If this was a ploy to start a war, then Michael would be ready; however, if she truly lived and he didn't move mountains to find her before it was too late, he would gladly walk into the sun. Orlando's tactics of avoidance were improving, now he only went where the days were long and the sun stayed high. What Michael didn't understand was why Orlando would send a note sharing the information about his beloved Ana, then run. His fortune, everything he had would quickly be traded for her life; surly that was widely known?
Therefore Orlando was leading him somewhere, or stalling for a purpose. Perhaps Michael wasn't the only vampire on his trail? Werewolves had a way of pissing of their fanged counterpart easily, making for fast enemies. He just hoped to find the bastard fuzz-ball before any others did so he could extract the information Orlando held.