It was 5:30 am. I punched my alarm clock in frustration as I forced myself to leave the comfort of my warm bed. The noise died as the clock hit the floor. Something had obviously been messed up. I knelt beside the table and picked up the clock. The back end had shattered and debris littered the floor. I kicked my bed side table and hissed under my breath. I hated Mondays. Mainly because, number one, it's the beginning of the week. Number two, because half the population of guys are still drunk from the Sunday night before, which means we end up with more calls, and more high speed chases.

I had been working in the Wichita Police Department all my life. As soon as I got out of law school, I applied for the job. Twenty years past, and I have become one of the most reliable sources in the building; always getting the job done, no matter what. I thrived on adrenaline. Adrenaline and sarcasm. They were my anti-drug.

I arrived at the police station in a chipper mood. I had gotten over the fiasco this morning. I believed in two choices: I could be in a good mood, or a bad mood. I chose to be in a good mood. That was how I ran my life. I slid my ID in the door and walked through the separating doors. There was a counter that went in a full circle, with a gap in the side, in the center of the room. It was a big room, with doors all along the side of it. To the right was my office. I walked through the doors and was immediately stopped by sergeant kale, who had a purposeful look on his face.

"Ms. Harrow," he nodded his head in greeting, "officer Sharp needs back-up."

He spoke quickly, and turned towards the door. I followed him out of the building and jumped into my cruiser. I jammed on the radio and asked him what had happened.

"I have no idea," he responded, with a grim tone.

We drove along East Kellogg Avenue, until sergeant kale came to a stop. I couldn't see over his SUV so I grabbed my utensils from the seat: pepper spray, gun, taser, ect., and jumped out of my car. I was shocked at what lie in front of me. And upturned hummer with fire blazing out of control. Firemen were franticly trying to extinguish the flames, but to no avail. Sergeant kale had exited his vehicle, and ran past me in to the chaos that had unfolded. Officer Sharp was speaking with two other officers, unharmed.

Out of the corner of my eye, a man jumped from behind a bush, and made a break for the woods. I pursued him at a hard sprint. When I entered the woods, a couple of feet behind, he was gone. I stopped, dead in my tracks. I scanned the area for any sign of movement. I crept slowly forward, gun at the ready. My heart was pounding and my breathing got heavy. I had an intense feeling that someone was watching me. I slowly turned in circles and surveyed the area. Nothing. No snapping of a twig, nor the rustle of underbrush. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye; my heart felt like it was going to explode from my chest. I searched the ground, then realized it came from the trees. I looked up, and saw a dark figure standing, motionless. I could not see his face, but his head was angled in my direction. Crap.

He jumped from the trees and landed on his feet. His legs did not even bend. That was definitely not normal.

I tried to steady my hands as I pointed my gun at his chest. I couldn't see any major facial features; the sun had not yet risen. As he approached me his face became clearer. I squinted my eyes, hoping to get a better look. He had grey-blue eyes, short, rugged, brown hair, with minor stubble. But above all, he was gorgeous.

He stopped in front of me, a smirk formed on his perfect mouth.

"Ignorant human," he jeered, "do you really think your mortal weapons will kill me?" I was astonished, even his voice was sexy.

"Fine, I'll just find an immortal one." I slipped my hand into my pocket and slowly pulled out my pepper spray. I put my hand on the spray thing and braced myself. I threw my hand up and pressed the spray thing.

"Ha, ha, ha! Take that you fiend!"

Instead of reacting, he let out a fierce growl. Double crap. I started to back up deeper into the woods. He bared his razor-sharp teeth. Vampire. This guy was a vampire. I was in trouble.

I looked over as the sound of rusting caught my attention. A woman with long, flaming red hair, that put my short, brown hair to shame, appeared beside me.

"James, what are you doing? Didn't you feed just last week?" she purred.

"She followed me. What are you doing here, Victoria? I thought you wanted to go after that farmer?"

"Oh, I did. He was an easy catch. Didn't even know I was there." She smiled and laughed a laugh that made my skin crawl. "Where's Laurent?"

"I have no idea."

"Hmm."

"Last I saw him he was in Forks. I suppose we should go after him."

"What about her?" He nodded his head in my direction.

"Make it quick." And she was gone before I could blink.

I turned towards the vampire named James. I planned an escape route in my head, but I knew it wouldn't work. I was screwed. He lunged at me and I sidestepped at the very last minute. I tripped over a root and landed face first in the dirt. This just keeps getting better. I scrambled up as fast as I could, but as soon as I regained my footing he slammed into me. I felt his lips against my shoulder and he sank his teeth into my skin. I heard a growl coming from the other direction before I was plunged into darkness.