Author's Note

Welcome to my latest story! If there are any returning customers let me say I will be continuing with Dark Masquerade, eventually... Now before you pelt me with tomatoes let me explain! I am in the process of completing my undergrad thesis and because of this I am only able to have so much time to write. I have decided to put Dark Masquerade back on hold at least until the summer and focus on this story in the meantime. So don't worry Diederik and Everlet will return once again!

Now the reason why this story is taking precedence is because unlike Dark Masquerade I have; a. planned out the entirety of this plot line. b. i have had help in developing this story and characters from my friend Chantel, she is the unseen co-author for this story. c. the story of these characters has been stuck in my head for a long time and I can't keep them in any longer!

So now let's have the fun begin!

Ladies and gentlemen welcome to Dark Legacy!

The late evening air was cool against the petite woman's skin and she shuddered slightly and tucked her arms around herself as she walked out of the hospital. Though she always tended to be cooler than most, she hadn't expected the summer night temperature to drop so low, otherwise she would have been sure to bring a jacket with her. Walking she looked sideways to the red haired woman beside her who was chatting happily as they walk. Ember O'Connell was her nurse, and just finishing her twelve hour shift and was walking out with her. Ember was actually a great nurse, one of the best that Annabelle had ever worked with.

All her life the Annabelle Westing had, had to make weekly trips to the hospital for blood transfusions to help her deal with her genetic disease, but out of all those years she hadn't had so nice a nurse as Ember. She even dared to say that they had become friends, she knew that Ember wanted to help people, and that she was studying on the side to become a doctor so she could help more people. She was truly a kind woman.

Ember seemed to notice the brunette shiver from the chill of the night she held out her coat that was draped over her arm, "Here take this… It's no problem really. The easier I can make it on you the better. Borrow my coat. I have plenty. You can bring it back to me next week." Her voice was soft and warm as she spoke. Annabelle looked up at the other woman then down to the coat she was holding out to her.

"Thanks but its okay. You know I am always running cool, I will just hurry on home and tuck myself on the couch with my blanket." Annabelle assured the nurse.

"If you are sure…" Ember seemed to tentatively say.

Both the women stood on the sidewalk outside of the hospital, there was some unspoken bond between them that was more than patient than nurse. It was during the second week that Ember had started taking care of Annabelle's treatment that both the women recognized the abilities of the other. Ember had always been able to read minds, even knowledge that was locked away she was able to dig out. As she got older, her ability got stronger. Now she didn't even have to see the person in order to read their thoughts or see their memories. Ember had inherited this ability from her mother.

So the woman understood her daughter with much compassion to the strength of her ability. Even as an infant Ember had been able to project her thoughts, letting her mother and father know when she was hungry or needed to be changed without even crying. Her father however did not understand this, and it freaked him out to be able to know what his child wanted in such a way. He soon left them, wanting nothing of his freaky daughter. It pained her mother, but she held on for Ember as long as she could. Raising the young psychic with lots of love, compassion, a gentle hand, and encouragement.

Annabelle on the other hand was an empath, ever since she was young she had always seemed to know that other were feeling. It had gained her many friends as a child, she was always able to comfort those who were sad and rejoice when other were happy. It actually wasn't until she was in high school until she truly realized that it was an ability that was unique to her.

It was one time as Annabelle was seated next to a girl who was receiving her first blood transfusion and was crying inconsolably. Both Ember and Annabelle had reached out to the girl, one to try and calm her the other to read her thoughts so she could find what best to say to soothe the child. It was then that both women had felt the power of the other and they stopped and simply looked at the other.

They had never really spoken about it. It was a kind of silent understanding, of knowing that there was someone else who had an unexplainable ability. Both were respectful of the other, never prodding or asking uncomfortable question, and neither did they exercise of their powers on each other out of respect.

Rubbing her arm where the red pinprick still rested on her arm from the transfusion site Annabelle knew a bruise would show soon, another complication of her disease. But Ember was gentle when she put the needle in that now she felt almost no pain when she received the transfusion.

Turing the brunette looked at the other woman and smiled.

"Thank you again Ember for tonight, each time seems easier and easier." she said softly as she stood on the side-walk with the red-haired woman. Looking to the other she could sense her emotions but out of respect for the woman she had come to think of as a friend she did her best to block it out of her mind, but nonetheless she could sense her worry.

"I will be fine, please don't worry." Annabelle said gently and Ember slowly nodded and the red haired woman reeled in her worry knowing the other would sense it with her ability.

Annabelle's mother had accepted her gift, her father... he didn't like to speak of it at all. Not that he had been around enough to talk about it. It worked in international business and had to travel often because of it. But Annabella had never doubted his love, he knew he loved her mother very deeply, he called them often and sent gifts from places he went too. But her mother had the same disease that now ran in her veins, she had started to grow very sick but she never let anyone know. It was one day she came home from school to find her neighbour waiting for her with the police. They explained that her mother had had a heart failure sometime around mid-day, but by the time EMT's had gotten there she was already gone.

The loss devastated her and her father. He now travelled all the time, he hired a housekeeper to watch over her but for all intents and purposes he stayed out of Annabella's day to day life. He would send gifts and letters to her but he rarely called and only visited once a year. Annabella knew it was because she resembled her mother so much that it hurt her father to look at her. It no longer pained the brunette to know her father had removed himself from her life. But it was sad to be so lonely. Out of guilt she supposed her father paid for her apartment and bills but all Annabella truly and deeply wanted was him in her life. But she knew that would never happen.

"Well my bus is coming soon, I suppose I will see you next week then? Same time and place?" she said with a pleasant grin as she checked the time on her cell phone once more, the bus would be coming by in a few moments. Heading back home to an empty apartment... well save for the cat that would sometimes climb up her fire escape and visit her.

Ember smile to her and nodded.

"Yes, ma'am. Same time, same place." The red haired woman said and then she looked down at her own watch. "I walk home since I just live a few blocks away." It was about a half hours walk, but Ember didn't mind, she enjoyed the serenity of the evening.

This evening however, something dark and ominous seemed to be weighing at Ember's mind. A chill went up her spine, causing her to shiver slightly.

"Be careful tonight." Ember warned the petite brunette. She didn't dare elaborate on that, nor why she said it. Something just didn't seem right or safe about this evening, it was not the calm serene she was used to. The hairs on her arms started to stand on end.

Annabelle looked to her friend and a confused look across her face, but she did not question the warning. Licking her full lips she turned and saw he bus coming down the street and her felt her fragile heart skip a beat in her chest. She spared a look back to Ember and smiled reassuringly to her.

"I will and you have a safe walk too. Good night!" Annabelle said quickly before she jogged down to the corner of the block, her heart raced in her chest from the very light activity. It was not something she was really supposed to do, the disease on her blood disease was called thalassemia, it was a type on anemia but one of its symptoms was that she was small in stature and her heart was weakened, but she had grown use to her limitations over the years.

The petite brunette reached the corner just in time but her breath was heavy, the doors of the bus slid open and she climbed inside. The bus driver she didn't recognize, usually at this time it was the same guy driving the route but he had mentioned to her last week his daughter was close to the due date for her baby. Maybe she had given birth and he had taken time off to see his new granddaughter.

Quietly Annabelle went to the middle of the bus and selected a seat, the bus was nearly empty. Only two other occupants, they each had headphones plugged into their ears and seemed to be in their own worlds. She sat quietly, her head turned and she watched the city pass her by as the bus made its way along its route. The whole bus ride home would take about twenty minutes but thankfully it dropped her off right before her apartment building.

But it seemed that tonight would be different.

About fifteen minutes into the drive however the bus came to a puttering stop. The engine bad an ungodly noise before it came to its final rest. Annabella sat up straight trying to see what was happening. The bus driver got up and out, seeming to check the front of the bus. She reached her mind out to sense the driver's emotions, he was confused on what was wrong. As he got up and checked out the engine she felt his emotions change from confused to frustration. But it was clear the engine had been damaged and he knew it would not run now.

When he came back a moment later he spoke to the few occupants of the bus telling them the news.

"Sorry folks, engine is busted... you can either wait for the next bus or walk." he said flatly his was obviously not please. From his emotions he felt overwhelmed. Annabella turned and saw the other two men on the bus get up and leave, after a minute she stood as well. The bus driver looked to the very petite 5'1 brunette and he seemed to grow concerned.

"You sure you are okay to be walking? It is getting dark out." The bus driver said. Again from the driver's emotions that he was genuinely concerned for her well-being. Annabella simply smiled and nodded to her.

"Yes I am only a short walk away from home, but thank you anyways." The brunette said gently to the driver and then stepped of the bus. She started to walk down the street, the wind seemed to be picking up, looking up to the sky she noticed dark ominous clouds were starting to form in the sky. "Strange... the forecast said it would be clear..." she thought before she started to walk again hoping she would get home before it rained.

A few moments later haunting thunder started to clash overhead and quickly frightened people from the streets, and now Annabella felt that staying with the bus may have been a good idea. At least it would have been dry. Looking to her left she saw a local park, it would take twice as long as if she tried to walk the long way around, but she could be home in moments if she cut through the dark and empty park.

Deciding she would rather get home sooner she turned and walked down the small path that would take her through the park. The park was wooded, the streets towered overhead, and was usually busy with families, children and even teenagers. But the worsening weather seemed to have scared everyone from it, now it appeared that Annabelle was the only one who dared to be there at that time.

The park was eerie at best, it was clearly empty and swings creaked in the wind. Annabella couldn't explain what had made her feel frightened but she picked up her pace as much as she could with her condition hoping to get out of the park as soon as possible. Thunder boomed once more and made the petite girl jump, it was in that moment that evil chose to strike.

All Annabella actually felt before she saw the shadow move was a feeling of deep hatred and rage. It come out of nowhere and it was such a large overwhelming force of emotion that it stunned the brunette. It was like a haze around her and she couldn't know where the emotion was actually coming from. Turning she saw a flash before she was suddenly grabbed, a scream ripped from her mouth before she was thrown onto the ground and the wind knocked from her lungs.

"Such a pretty one..." a voice snarled over top of her, Annabella gasped trying desperately to breathe air back into her lungs. Her hazel eyes flew open and she stared at the figure above her, it was a man... if you could call him that. His hair was long, dark and mangled, skin was taunt and pale, his eyes shone a bloody red even in the darkness. His teeth her jagged and discolored, his foul breath washed over her and she breathed in to try and scream again but the creature's hand grabbed at her slender neck and gripped it tightly. Annabella winced and whimpered as she felt sharp nails digging into her the tender flesh of her neck.

"Mine... Mine... you will be my light!" the creature continued to snarl as he gripped her neck tighter in his excitement. A whine escaped her throat and the brunette kicked her legs, or tried too, to unbalance the figure above her and free her from his grip as he started to suffocate her. The creature did not seem to notice her struggles or care that he was crushing her windpipe. Instead he just stared down at the woman beneath him with pure desire, for both her body and her blood.

"I will have you!" he snapped before flashing sharp fangs to her, which caused Annabelle's eyes to widen as she watched the creature lean down closer to her neck. Sniffing at her skin as he sought out a vein. Annabelle felt her head started to feel light and her vision started to go dark. As she felt the world slipping away she thought one last thing, "Vampire..." Annabella though the world as she eyes started to flutter closed.

Well I hope you all enjoy so far! Next chapter we will see Ember again and see what trouble she is getting into and we shall meet our mysterious Carpathian heroes. Please leave me a little note or review if you'd like. Hearing from you guys always makes me work faster!

Until next time then my little darlings!