Hi! Just wanted to give a quick A/N. This story isn't going to be written quickly as I'm working on multiple other stories at the same time. The reason behind this is so that I can make sure everything is in sync because they are part of a series. I'm posting this chapter up now so that I can get some feedback on it and possibly the next chapter. I want to know what you guys would like to see or if you have any questions. This chapter is pretty short compared to my other ones, but I hope you still like it.

Enjoy!

Dahlia's POV

I needed blood and I needed it now.

That guy that's been snooping around Savannah, Georgia recently had tracked me back all the way to McKinley, Virginia. Whether he was intentionally keeping track of me or not was unknown, but he was a vampire hunter — that I was sure of.

My friend, Ivy — if you can really call her that, she was more of a nuisance than anything — had recently been turned. She wanted to meet up to say goodbye, said she had some personal issues arise. It wasn't hard to notice her uncontrollable bloodlust as every human walked by us. She must have been too famished to notice her obviousness.

I assumed she already knew what she was and so I told her everything. I revealed that I was a vampire as well and I could help her learn control. She said her ex vampire boyfriend's friend — who was also a vampire — had turned her. She said he was tall, dark, and handsome. Said his name was Enzo. Enzo, that was a sexy name.

Ivy seemed on board with the whole learning-who-I-am-now thing but neglected to show up at my house the next day. When I went to check on her at her house, I saw it in the process of being raided. There was a commercial van pulled up near the side of the house where the door was. Men held guns filled with wooden stakes and syringes suck out of their pockets, ready for quick use as they walked to and from the van. It wasn't hard to tell who those people were. Those were vampire hunters.

I hadn't spared those hunters or that house another glance before darting into the woods. I ran as fast as possible and my lithe body made for a quick escape. I thought they hadn't heard or seen me but I was proven wrong when wooden darts flew past my head, past the intended target: me.

I had barely made it out alive last time. The hunters had hit me with a wooden spear that nearly nicked my heart. I had ended up draining one of the hunters dry of blood. It helped me to get healed and take one of them out.

I didn't spare a thought to Ivy as I fought for my life. To be honest, I thought they'd killed her and her vampire boyfriend. I packed all of my belongings — which only consisted of a suitcase — and left town. It wasn't until I got to McKinley, Virginia that I began to feel slightly guilty. I decided I would try to look into helping Ivy if she was still alive, even though it was very unlikely. I had set out to travel back to Savannah when I saw that exact business van outside of a local diner near Whitmore College.

I wanted to check in the back of the van so badly. Maybe I'd find Ivy back there? But I didn't. It was too risky and I didn't know who was watching from the windows of the diner. I had waited until the owner of the van came out — he was a middle-aged man, around five-foot-eleven-inches, brown hair that was cut close to his head, and a slim build. He wasn't very big but not small either, just average. The second guy looked to be around my age, maybe a little older. He had sandy blonde hair that was longer than the other guy's but his build and height appeared to be virtually the same.

They got into the driver and passenger sides of the van and the van drove out of the parking lot. There were no words issued between them and nothing to even seem out of the ordinary. I was tempted to follow them but resisted. As curious as I was, I was not looking to get killed. Curiousness did nothing but get you in trouble and although I felt guilty for not making sure Ivy was still alive, I needed to remind myself that I didn't even know her that well — we were, at best, acquaintances — and she wasn't the only vampire out there getting snatched up by hunters. She was reckless anyway, I wouldn't be surprised if she put herself out on the line. I had my own issues to deal with and I didn't need a newbie vampire on my plate.

My bloodlust has taken a turn for the worst this past year. Anniversaries always make you relive the past and when you're a hundred you have a lot of anniversaries to relive. I had been so drowned in pain and guilt that I was about as reckless and careless as I could be. I drank from whomever I fancied and left them for dead afterwords, not a drop left to fall.

Anyways, I had told myself to let go of the hope that Ivy was still alive and not give into my insatiable curiosity, but I never could help myself. I internally fought a battle between me, myself, and I before eventually running off in the direction the van had gone. It had taken me a good four minutes to catch up, but they hadn't made it far. In fact, they were in the woods. I saw the van drive roughly through the vegetation and stop outside of a cabin.

I made myself as scarce as possible behind a thick tree and waited for the men to step out. Turns out, as scarce as possible wasn't scarce enough. I heard leaves crunching in my direction and as soon as I made a run out of the trees protection, I was made the target of wooden bullets. Each small bullet flew past my ears creating a phew sound.

As fast as I was, I wasn't fast enough. Multiple bullets hit my arms and legs. Not only did it sting but it burned. The wooden bullets were laced with vervain and eventually I began to slow down. I found a patch of shrubbery a few feet away and jogged toward it. I hid behind the large bush and let myself catch my breath, even though I didn't need to. I needed to gather my thoughts. I heard the crunching of leaves and knew I'd have to move in a few seconds, but what would I do? They could be waiting for me to step out. If I did that then I was as good as dead; however, I didn't have much of a choice.

The footsteps ceased and no noise passed, not even through my hypersensitive hearing. I waiting a few more seconds. Maybe they'd left? Maybe they thought they lost me? I heard heartbeats and knew they were close but thought they had to at least been far enough away for me to make my escape.

I decided now was time to go. I rose from my position and turned to see the two men pointing guns at me. The next second I was hit with a wooden spear.

Enzo's POV

I'd been sitting in this godforsaken cabin for a few days already. I was hungry and angry. I thought my days of torture were over, but it seems I've just been passed on from one psycho to the next.

My head hung low, legs arched, arms slung over knees, and back slouched. I held my position despite my aching muscles. I refused to let my guard down for even a second.

Outside I heard the tires of Tripp's van hit the leaves laying on the ground, crunching them. The car's brakes hit and I heard the engine shut off. I waited for Tripp to walk in here with one of his lackeys — be it Stefan, Matt, or some other pitiful soul — but none came. I heard them step from the car but that was it. I didn't hear any talking, didn't hear their footsteps on the porch outside. Nothing. Then I heard another car pull up, most likely more of Tripp's people. Again, I waited. Again, nobody came. Minutes passed before I heard voices outside the metal door.

"Hey, boss," I heard an unfamiliar voice greet.

"Hey, Josh," said Tripp.

"Who's that," the unfamiliar voice questioned.

Did they catch another vampire? Who else could they possibly be talking about?

"No one of importance," Tripp replied before saying, "Matt, take her inside."

Her? So there was a lady in the midst.

"Sure thing boss," I heard Matt grunt out a reply.

Only a few seconds passed before the metal door was unlocked and Matt walked in. Tripp trailed behind him along with two other guys. I paid no attention to the four men and instead settled my gaze on the little girl draped over Matt's shoulder in a fireman hold. For a brief moment my fangs extended at the hope that they'd brought me some fresh, warm blood, but then I smelled her scent and knew she was a vampire.

I couldn't see her face, but her body was dainty like a child's; however, her bottom filled out her formfitting, black jeans. All she wore was black — black shirt, black pants, black shoes. Her hair was also black as night, but her skin was as porcelain pale as a doll's. It would be as white as paper if she had no blood in her. How badly I truly wished she was human, so I could suck the life from her. So I could color her white skin as if it was a canvas and her blood was the paint.

Matt carefully made to set her down but before her bottom hit the ground she was back on her feet. She was so fast that I was the only one able to catch it. She pushed Matt away from her and went to the closest person who happened to be one of the men I didn't recognize. She snapped his neck and turned to the other guy. She sank her fangs in and moaned in pleasure, my own fangs elongating in hunger. She snapped his neck as well and made for Matt but Tripp snapped a vervain-laced syringe into her neck and she crumpled on the floor.

She whimpered in pain and Tripp raised his foot before pressing his dirty boot harshly on her cheek, her other cheek meeting the cold floor.

"Matt, chain her up," Tripp ordered. Matt followed his command but Tripp never let up on her, he still held his foot on her face. "You'll regret doing that, bloodsucker," Tripp told the black-haired beauty. She wasn't bothered. In fact, she laughed — it was crazy and pure evil. "Not as much as you're going to regret doing this to me. I'll kill you with my bare hands one day," she promised Tripp. His eye twitched, the only sign he shown of unease. She soon drifted off, unable to stay awake any longer and Tripp and Matt made their way out the door, carrying the two dead bodies and bathing the room into darkness once again, save for the artificial light beside the door.

Once I was left alone with the feisty vampire was I given the chance to gaze upon her true beauty. She wasn't talking now, but when I did hear her speak, it was strong and sure. It was soft with the lilt of an English accent much like my own. She had long, straight, black hair that stopped just above her bottom. Her porcelain skin was like a star in the dim lighting and she had faded red lipstick on her plump lips. Her brows were thick but they somehow suited her delicate face — they were the only thing not delicate about it. She was very short and thin; however, this suited her. With her monochromatic clothing choice she looked deadly; lethal. She looked beautiful.

Most men were all for the tanned, blonde, blue-eyed babe, just as most women were all for being that. But I wasn't ever interested in that. Those women may make for a good lay and they may be sexy; however, none of them were ever beautiful. I did love a woman long ago: Maggie. She was gorgeous with her dark skin and big eyes. She was sweet and caring but also human. It was too risky to be with her and I didn't want her involved.

Maybe now that I wasn't alone I could find a way out of here?

Maybe.