Summary: I love Risika and Jagar, so: Risika is a half-vampire blood-bonded to Jagar, her boyfriend. Jagar's enemy is Nikolas, and he tries to kill Risika. But Nikolas has a secret…he's going out with an old friend! And of course, there's Elliot…

A/N: What if Risika started out bonded to Jagar? And had a sister? And Nikolas had a girlfriend? And Vida was a vampire? Basically, ignore the familiar names because the characters, stories, and backgrounds are completely different. Treat them as completely new characters, as if you met them for the first time.

Disclaimer: I don't own the vampires' names, and the basic concept belongs to Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, but the rest, is mine. Including the plot, and the characters.

Chapter 1: Survival

One week. Those two simple words can mean so many things. One week until the end of the year, one week until I die, or one week during which I cannot eat. And there is the dictionary definition: a period of seven days, especially from Monday to Sunday or from Sunday to Saturday. But for me, one week is the amount of time I have to wait before I can join Jagar for eternity. It is the seven days before I become what I have always wanted: a vampire.

Now, you would say that should not be a problem, and truthfully, that would not be a problem. Except just one thing – Nikolas doesn't want me to become a vampire. If I were to live and then become a vampire, I could be an immense threat to his power, and perhaps even that of his girlfriend, the legendary Vida, whose strength is second only to that of Seite, the first and most ancient of vampires. However, that isn't the only reason she's famous. She is also relatively young, considering she became a vampire a little after I got blood bonded, a mere three hundred years ago. The reason that I could be so threatening is that I have had, and still have, an aura of strength around me, even though I am only a human.

Since I began describing myself, I might as well continue. My name is Risika Auron. The house that I own and inhabit is located near the lightless forest that surrounds the vampiric town of Dark Rose, Pennsylvania. I appear to be a seventeen-year-old girl. Appear, because I age at 1/300 the rate of humans. I have long ebony hair that falls straight down to my waist, and I alter my hairstyle to suit my mood. My eyes are a piercing emerald green, uncommon in humans, and my skin is pale. I am a bloodie, which means that I am blood bonded to a vampire. In this case, my blood bonder is Jagar, a vampire who appears nineteen (vampires don't age at all) and also had, oddly, emerald green eyes before he died. Jagar has two main enemies: Nikolas and his fledgling Vida. As a half vampire, I can glide from place to place, ability that only bloodies have. It means that I can move at supernatural speeds. Vampires are stronger than humans because they can lash out with their mind and use it to transport themselves. They can't be photographed because their atoms move too fast to do so.

Anyway, the first time Nikolas attacked me was about 300 years ago. His unfortunate encounter left me with a bracelet-like scar around my ankle. The main sensation I can remember is the blinding pain. Normal knives cannot injure bloodies much, but it was no normal knife that injured me that day. A witch's blade forged with powerful ancient magic, was plunged into my skin. The two kinds – witches and vampires – are generally enemies.

Now there are only six days remaining. To prevent Nikolas from destroying me, I must glide constantly. This is very tiring, though. For now, I am resting on a rock, but I spy a flicker of movement in a nearby bush. I stay still. I am too exhausted to escape anyway, and running will not help against vampires. Suddenly, the motion ceases. I blink, and Nikolas apparates in front of me.

"Tired, are you?" he sneers. "Well, heed my warning. You and your boyfriend will both be in big trouble if you don't give up on becoming a vampire."

"And exactly who is going to cause such big trouble?" I retort, my tone full of superciliousness. "You? Jagar already has more power than you can ever match, and once I transform, you won't stand a chance."

"But you forget something, Risika. Just as you have Jagar, I have Vida. And she is much more powerful than you'll ever be. So, I give you two days to think this over. If you still insist on becoming a vampire, then I will have no choice but to kill you. For Vida's sake as, well as mine!"

"So what you're saying is that you need a vampira for protection?" I query with exaggerated innocence.

"Watch your fucking mouth," Nikolas replies, advancing towards me. He tosses a heavy branch at me with no more effort than lifting a twig an grins as I double over in pain. Then he is gone.

I stay seated on the rock for a few more minutes, pondering on what Nikolas said. Once more, I sense an aura coming near. This time, however, it is not Nikolas, but Jagar himself who arrives.

"Risika!" he exclaims, full of concern. "What happened to you?" I have a drop of blood trickling down my arm, due to the little "love tap" Nikolas left me. Jagar frowns as I explain. "Well, then you obviously can't glide any longer. Nikolas could have exterminated you had he chosen to, though he would soon pay with his death if he did. Perhaps you can recover in my house. Come over tomorrow."

Just five days are left, now that I am in Jagar's house. I spent the day learning how to wield a knife, fight with fists, and exercise my mental abilities, and I am exhausted from the exertion. The rest of the evening I plan to spend in bed. And yes, I said bed. Neither I nor any vampires sleep in a coffin. In fact, most of us detest them. I think my dreams will be peaceful tonight.

Four is the number of days that I will be defenseless against Nikolas and his kind. Having gotten over the initial shock of my training, today I am out on a walk. My path takes me through the forest along the banks of the Swift River. Upon return, I find the door forced open, broken. I touch Jagar's mind, but find only a dull ache. Alarmed, I run through the house and find Jagar, his face taut with pain, in the kitchen. When I see him, I reach out to his mind again. This time, he responds: Risika.

Jagar! What happened?

Nikolas, he responds weakly, his skin paler than usual. He came looking for you. I wouldn't tell him where you were, so he did this. Jagar gestures at his right ankle. I look at it and gasp. I know, he says, a touch of irony in his voice. There is a scar around his right ankle, like a bracelet. It is identical to the one Nikolas gave me so many years ago.

I can't stay here anymore, I inform him. Nikolas will keep hurting you, and I cannot allow that to happen.

Wistfully, I think of that moment for which I have waited so long, for which I must still wait. I have three days left until I become a vampire. As I sit on my porch, deep in thought, I sense another aura approaching. I recognize it to be the aura of Nikolas.

"Risika," he hisses. "I saw your precious Jagar yesterday. I think you know what happened. So tell me… Do you accept my offer? Will you stop? Or must I force you to quit?"

"No! I will not stop!" I yell, trembling with fury.

"Then I shall have to kill you, Risika, and now is as good a time as any."

I get to my feet and face him, slightly worried. When I become a vampire, I will not fear him, but right now, Nikolas has more abilities than I. My only chance is to get his dagger, which he wears in an arm sheath. However, Nikolas doesn't bother with his knife. Instead, he strikes with his mind. Immediately, I throw up my mental barriers. Because of Jagar's excellent training, I am successful in holding him back for a few seconds.

"Not so strong, are you, Nikolas?" I taunt. "Letting a bloodie block your attacks."

"Shut the fuck up, Risika," he growls. "You don't know what you're saying."

"Oh, don't I?" I mock, striking at his mind. He reels from the blow, unprepared, and I lunge forward. I hit his hand, and the blade flies through the air. Nikolas reaches it before me, but I summon my remaining strength to thrust at his mind again. He pauses, and it gives me the time I need. I grab the hilt and stab at him with it. I must not have missed, because he doubles over in pain, and I take the opportunity to latch on to the center of his mind. Quick as lightning, I draw a scar around his left wrist, and watch him writhe in the dirt. I am preparing to slit his throat when I hear Nikolas in my mind.

I gave you a chance once. Shouldn't I get one as well?

I was weak then, but now we are equal. Why should you get a second chance?

Spare my life, he replies, and I will not harm you until you change, and have the strength to fight.

I ponder his offer, thinking about how good it would be to kill him now. But I do not wish to feel the wrath of Vida until after I am a vampire, so I shrug.

I agree. But I will keep your knife so you cannot surprise me.

Nikolas nods slightly. It is all he can do through the constant throbbing that the Arun magic must have caused. I leave him lying on the ground and turn my back. I have this day and two more left, and a lot of things can happen in that time. Yet I am unafraid. I have his knife and his word, fragile though it is. Nikolas cannot harm me now. And I will deal with tomorrow when it arrives.

A/N: Crappy chapter, I know, but it does improve, as it goes along. It's a long one, so I request at least one review before I post the next part.