Chapter: 1

An alarming sound awoke Katarina from sleeping. She groaned at the sound coming from the clock. She placed her hand over the top and shut off the alarm. After lying in her bed for a couple more minutes she raised her body from the bed. When she got up from her bed she looked around her room which has clothes thrown all over the place. She never had time to clean anymore. Her busy schedule kept her from doing house hold things. She glanced at her clock and noticed it was already 12 in the afternoon. "Another night out late again she spoke to herself. A little amount of light escaped the curtains and revealed her room with the little amount of furniture. She never saw the point of having so much household materials since she was never home. She was either at college studying like every normal person her age. But during the night she did the greatest thing. Finally Kat refocused her mind and quickly ran to take a shower. The warm water made her tired again, but she didn't like cold water….it was just…cold. When she was done she shut the water off and grabbed the blue towel hanging on the rack outside the tub and wrapped it around her body. She walked into her bedroom and slipped on a pair of jeans and a light green tank top and turned to look in the mirror. A brush was right on the dresser; she grabbed it and brushed out the little knots in her long dark hair. She brushed dark mascara and rolled on some eyeliner above her eyes. The black around her eyes made the ice blue color in her eyes show more. After she finished getting ready she looked back at the clock "Shit I am going to be late!!" she yelled at herself as she grabbed her books and her keys. She ran out the door and down the steps to her car. She slid into the driver's seat of the white Mercedes. She put her keys in the car and ignited the engine. It made a low rumble as the car came to life. She backed out of the parking space and drove straight out to the road. When she arrived at the college, she had a minute left till her class started.

"Hey Kat." A voice said which came from the car next to hers.

"Hello Alex." Katarina spoke while a smile extended on her face. The young looking boy was sitting in the front seat of his car holding a lit cigarette in his right hand dusting the burning ashes off. His light skin was flawless as the sun shined. His blonde hair was cut short and spiked and his green eyes brightened up as he scanned Katarina. "Are you coming to class or are you going to sit here smoking all day. ----I thought he was going to quit---you're going to be late." She said with a sigh.

"Yea I am going but I am taking my time. I am always late it wont make a difference if I am on time one day and late the rest now would it Kat?" He asked filled with sarcasm as his smile lengthened. Katarina nodded wishing she never asked…she knew he would use his sarcasm against her.

"Okay well I am never late and I am going to be late now because I stopped to talk to you-------rolling her eyes-----I got to go…don't be too late Alex. You know the teacher doesn't appreciate it." She said walking away not giving him a chance to reply. She reached the door that led to her professor's classroom. She opened it quietly and shut the door behind her as she heard the teacher already starting his lesson. She took her seat in one of the benches in the back and grabbed her recorder from her bag.

"Why are we late this morning Miss Henna?" Mr. Vause asked

"Sorry I woke up late this morning." She answered while Mr. Vause nodded and continued with his lesson. Katarina turned on her recorder as the professor talked. Her eyes began to droop down as she began to fall asleep. The last couple nights had worn her out. Minutes past until she felt an elbow nudge causing her to wake up realizing she was sleeping.

"Hey what are we talking about? Alex said while sitting next to her now.

"I don't know I fell asleep." She said exhausted.

"Long night?" Alex asked

"Yea is the group getting together for a meeting tonight?" She asked in a low whisper so that she wouldn't disrupt the class.

"Yes but I am not sure if Rainol will be there to lead the group meeting." He whispered in return. Kat nodded while refocusing herself to listen to the professors lesson.

"Okay that's all for today. Class dismissed." Everyone got up from there seats and walked out of the room. Kat and Alex followed along with everyone as well. She stayed silent while walking back to her car. Before they reached the parking lot Alex stepped out in front of Kat stopping her in her path.

"What's on your mind Kat? You look so down today." She sighed and looked away from him.

"I killed another vampire last night…" she said sadly

"So isn't that a good thing." He asked with concern

"Yes but he killed this little girls parents before I got there…now she is all alone." She said between sobs

"It reminded you of when you were young." He sighed as he grabbed her in a tight embrace. "I'm sorry Kat, everything's okay now, you have me and the rest of the group as your family now."

"I know…thank you." She said while backing out of the hug beginning to walk to her car.

"So I will see you tonight right." Alex asked. She nodded as she slid into the front seat of her car.

"Okay see you then." He said lastly. She ignited the engine and headed back to her apartment. When she arrived home it was beginning to get dark outside. 'Its almost time again.' She thought to herself. The group X-inct which was a group of the best vampire hunters out there. Katarina was the best. She took a high place along with Rainol the leader of them all. Katarina never seemed to want to lead anyone. She always did her own thing.

she reached her door unlocking the lock quickly. As she walked inside and headed towards her room until she was interrupted by a shadow lingering in her living room. She walking into the room as Rainol came into view sitting silently on her sofa.

"What do you want Rainol?" she asked questionably. She took a seat in one of the chairs that she had in the living room.

"You know very well what I want, Kat your supposed to be guiding them. Instead I do al of that in your place."

"I have no place. I work for myself. I just attend the meetings because I don't want to hear any of your complaining but obviously its not helping." She said rudely, standing up now heading for the kitchen.

"You know you place Kat, you were born to guide us." He walked over to her grabbing her wrist.

"I was born to do nothing!" she yelled. He tightened his grip on her and leaned in closer to her face.

"You were born to be one of us. It is your destiny, that your parents wanted for you to be a part of." He said while he twisted her wrist around revealing the permanent marking on her skin which identified one of the hunter.

"My parents are dead. I have no destiny." She said with no fear. He squeezed her arm tighter making her let out a sound of pain. She felt his tight grip like it was going to snap her wrist.

"You need to stay in your place; you are to guide the others. What do you think your parents would have wanted? You are a disgrace to us all." She glared at him with tears forming in her eyes feeling his arms tighten more around her wrist.

"Please just let me go." She said sadly. He glared at her then dropped her arm. He walked back towards the door.

"You need to decide if you are with us or against us Kat. X- inct is your destiny if you like it or not." He said while slamming the front door as he left her alone standing In her kitchen. Tears flooded from her eyes

"HOW DARE HE TOUCH ME!" she yelled. She wiped her hand across her face wiping her tears away. Her mascara was smeared down her face, but her tears didn't fade.

"He well never knows the hate I have for him." She threw the closest thing to her which was an antic vase. The vase hit the wall violently shattering into a bunch of small fragments hitting the floor. Anger furrowed through her. She crouched down into a squat while placing her hands over her face. Tears continued to role down her cheeks. 'Why must I be part of this group? I know nothing of my parents. I may be good at what I doubt I am not going to take over the group. He is wrong…it is not my place.' She thought. She wiped her tears away one last time and got up from ground and walked to her bathroom to wash her face. Her cheeks were as pink as her eyes from crying. She replaced her make up and then headed for bedroom. The shades were open letting in the moon light. Katarina walked towards the window and shut the shades so that no light escaped through the cracks. She went to her closet as she reached for a black box with silver straps across it on the shelf. After she placed it on the bed, she went to grab her black leather boots, then began to untie the straps on the box, lifting the lid revealing a black outfit that had a mask laying on top of it. She quickly changed and then slipped on the leather boots. Once she finished she turned herself towards the mirror and tied her hair up into a pony tail and placed the mask that covered her face above her nose.