Prologue

I wasn't sure what was happing right now, all I knew was that I was going to die.

The pain was unbearable, I couldn't see or hear. I was having difficult time breathing since I was severely attacked in the chest. The smell of blood filled my nostrils. I wasn't sure if I was only smelling my blood, but I knew for sure that the two Moroi were dead.

I tried to think of something, anything but the pain. But it was no use.

It was the only thing I could think about.

I think guardians came to the seen, but I kept blacking out.

* 2 hours before*

I was sitting on the bed, watching Mackenzie brush her long, auburn hair.

"You should be getting ready." She said flatly, not even looking at me, just staring at herself in the mirror while she brushed her hair.

I tried my best not to roll my eyes. "Not until Vicki gets back." Vicki was one of the families' guardians. She was called for an emergency sweep around the courtyard earlier and hasn't returned yet. So I was stuck to guard Mackenzie.

As a Dhampir I will become an official guardian, it was my job to protect and look after any Moroi I was assigned to. At this moment, it was Mackenzie. I had to make sure that in case of a Strigoi attack, I would make sure she got out safe and wasn't killed or changed. I would fight to the death for any Moroi. It was our job. Our whole meaning to life.

But right now I wanted to throw her into a group of Strigoi.

The Revere's were throwing a ball tonight. I know, it's a bit old fashioned but it's what the royal families do. Guardians showed up about a week ago for extra back up, plus all of the Moroi royals will have their guardians. Hopefully there would be a different Moroi in need of a guardian tonight so I could get away from here. The Revere's had enough guardians, but they still took me in. But I know they can't wait to get rid of me. But anyway, tonight the main focus was the ball. I was lucky enough to be able to attend it, but the catch was I had to stay by Mackenzie, or her twin brother, Riley.

So that's why Mackenzie was suffocating me in a corset and each time she did kept getting tighter.

After about half-an-hour of being tortured, guest started arriving and me and Mackenzie had start getting ready for our entrance. Well, more of the Revere's entrance, but since I was a guardian I was included.

The only pro to being with the Revere's.

Mrs. Revere, or Shelby, was more of a house mom who acts like she has to many children, when she only has two. John was nice (Mr. Revere) but I knew he didn't really enjoy my company. Riley usually picked on me, but I took it as hints that he had a crush on me. And Mackenzie just plain down hated me.

We descended the stair case into the huge ballroom. Vampires filled the ballroom. But none of them was dancing at this moment. All of them stood and watched in awe as the Revere's entered. Mr. Revere introduced us, and even said my name!

"Okay! Thank you everyone for coming! Now let's dance!" Said Riley. Mrs. Revere shot him a dirty look, but the guest started dancing anyways.

"Come on." Mackenzie hissed in my ear as she grabbed me by the elbow and started pulling me.

We wound up by one of the big windows that overlooked the garden that was at the side of the house. I loved going out there. So many different kinds of flowers. So many colors and smells. It was picture perfect.

I finally realized why Mackenzie has brought us over here, well really I wasn't really welcomed to come but I had to.

There was a guy about a year or two older than me. He had short, blonde spikey hair and diamond blue eyes. He was really cute. But I knew by the look Mackenzie shot me, this was her man.

Hello, Matthew." Mackenzie all but purred.

"Good evening, Mrs. Revere." He said, bending down and kissing her hand.

"And who is this?" He asked, looking at me.

"Oh, my guardian." Mackenzie said. "Ignore her."

Matthew and Mackenzie chit-chatted for a while until he asked her to dance. She of course said yes and they both made their way to the floor.

I kept a close eye on them while they danced and flirted with each other. They were both clearly very happy. And why shouldn't Mackenzie be happy. She had a family. She had a house. She had money and clothes that weren't stolen or loaned. She had people at her finger tips doing whatever she said. She had a life. And she took it all for granted.

You could say I didn't really hate Mackenzie Revere. I envied her. But I could never tell her that.

I wasn't like any other Dhampir growing up. My dad, a Moroi, actually stayed with my mother, a Dhampir. It's uncommon for a Moroi and Dhampir to stay together after a new Dhampir is born. Actually, it's rare. Moroi men normally leave when a Dhampir women gets pregnant. But not my parents. My mother was a guardian for my dad and they both fell in love. There loved carried threw way after I was born.

Then disaster struck.

I was twelve. Me and my parents were walking in the woods, taking a short cut to a gas station after our car broke down on a cross country trip.

The air was warm and sticky, and the sky was pitch black. All I remember was the screams of my mother as a Strigoi came out of nowhere and attacked her. She fought for her life. Steve, the other guardian, tried helping, but they just ambushed as. I remember the sounds of my mother and father fighting for their lives.

"Run, Dawn! Run! Don't come back!" Were the last words my father said to me. I took off running. Strigoi followed after me of course. But I was able to outrun them. It was miracle, I know. But after that night I was left with no one. Both my parents and Steve were killed that night. Ever since then I loathed Strigoi. I was homeless, because by the time I reached home, we were already being evicted since the rent hadn't been paid. And how was a twelve year old supposed to pay the rent? I spent the rest of my life wandering around the world. Finding feeders here and there and stealing whatever I needed. I knew my parents had left me money somewhere. But I didn't know where to start looking. I didn't even bother to start. I just went on with my life. Getting odd jobs here and there to buy new clothes or to rent a hotel room for one night so I could take shower and sleep.

It was a few months before when I stumbled upon the Revere's. I was doing an odd job for them and they took me in, saying that I could stay with them and be a guardian until I found my own Moroi. Of course I agreed.

I sighed and watched the vampires dance in the middle of the room. They way twirled and danced with each other in harmony.

I forgot all about Mackenzie when all of a sudden I saw Matthew talking to someone else. An older vampire.

I walked over to him. "Um, excuse me but where's Mackenzie?" I asked him.

"I don't know, she said she went to go find Riley or something." He said and went back to his conversation.

Well that was useful I thought. I couldn't remember ever seeing her leave though. I only, what, turned away for three seconds?

I searched the crowd for any sight of her or Riley. After fruitless results, I started searching the house.

I finally made my way to the courtyard.

"Mackenzie!" I called. "Riley!" No answer.

I sighed and started trudging across the yard. They had a bit of land that was undeveloped and was just woods. They had a trail and in the heart of the forest was a gazebo.

I started into the woods, off of path since I had a feeling that they went this way. My heels made it even more difficult to walk across the land. Sticks and roots almost made me trip a few times.

I jumped back a screamed. It came to me in such a sudden shock. As soon as I realized it I couldn't breathe. Right there in front of me, on the ground was Vicki. My hand shot over my mouth and tears willed up in my eyes. But I stopped within the same second. Vicki was torn up and clearly dead. But that's not what made me stop.

Strigoi.

They were out here. They killed her while she was scouting. That's why she didn't come back.

But the worst of it all was that somewhere out here, were Mackenzie and Riley.

I took off my heels and started running. I don't think I ever ran this fast in my life except the night my parents were killed. I jumped over and made my way over ever stick and branch. Heart pounded against my chest. I prayed all the way that I wouldn't find myself shocked again with Mackenzie or Riley's body.

I finally came to the clearing and breathed out a sigh of relief as I saw, unharmed, Riley and Mackenzie.

"Gosh!" Mackenzie cursed. "Can we ever get a break?"

I rolled my eyes. "You two need to get back to the party now." I ordered.

"Why?" Riley smirked. "It's our party."

"That is no excuse." I said.

"What are you going to do about it?" Riley teased.

"Look just come on-" I wasn't able to finish my sentence. Mackenzie's' screams filled the air.

My senses kicked in right away. I took off towards Mackenzie and was able to get the Strigoi off of her. The Strigoi barred his teeth at me, but I already had the stake I kept tied to my thigh under my dress in my hand. I threw my hand and plunged the stake right into his heart. His screams pierced threw the night.

The strigoi fell and I turned back to Mackenzie and Riley. But it was too late. The came down on us like rain. I fought off as much of the Strigoi as I could and tried to keep them back from the twins. Mackenzie kept screaming for help, but it just made the Strigoi more anxious.

I fought what felt like forever, and I was getting exhausted. If at all possible, it became even worse when Riley screamed and I turned around and the Strigoi jumped me from behind and ripped me apart.