CHAPTER 1

July 9, 2035

"Here, I'll teach you."

"No I can get it!" I whined. I was barely three years into my vampire life and still trying to get a hold on handling the sword. Dallas had drop me off over at Eric's for him to watch me, and train me for a couple of months.

"Dana, you being stubborn is not going to make this any easier," he grabbed my arm.

"But I just did it, you saw me." he smiled.

"Fine, Dana, go ahead. I will not stop you this time," I took the sword in my hand trying my best not to grab it too hard, I attempted to twirl it but again it fell. I dropped the sword. This is hopeless.

"Are you ready for me to help you now?" I rolled my eyes at him, he smiled.

"I don't want to learn anymore."

"Dana in our world, female vampire are either warriors or used for sex. Dallas thinks you'll be a hell of a fighter, but if you want to give it up, I can teach you how to work that sweet little body of yours," I looked up at him and smiled.

"What makes you think I don't already know how to work this body?" but I got up and handed him the sword. There was no way in hell I was going to be a whore. I watched his hands, the way he moved his body and feet.

"Don't squeeze and don't think to much about it, become one with the sword Dana." he gave me the sword and left me in a giant room full of sand bags. He didn't return for hours and when he did I had a better handle of the sword. "That's enough for one day, let's go eat." he took my hand and led me into a giant dining room, it was completely dark, but being a vampire I had better vision in the dark than I did in the light.

"Can I go take a shower before we eat?" I had just been practicing with a sword for hours and he was trying to sit me down at a table

"Yes, but please return quickly" I nodded and ran to the room he showed me. I exhaled finally, this was my first time running into Eric, and he was the sexist man I had ever seen. Those green eyes of his were turning me on so damn much, I almost took him up on the order to teach me a few tricks but Dallas warned me that my sexual drive would be intensified and that if I gave into it, they would call me weak.

I hopped in the shower and out deciding on a pink summer dress, and some flip flops, I was hoping maybe I could talk him into having a picnic outside, his estate was huge, I wanted time to admire it for myself though when Dallas and I arrived earlier today I was thrown directly into this room and told to change so that training could start. I walked downstairs and there he was sitting at the head of the table looking like a king awaiting his guest, I coughed and he looked up at me. At first he just stared, okay maybe this dress was a bad idea but it was too late to change. I sat in the seat to his left.

"You look beautiful tonight," I smiled and blushed. Goddamn it, blushing was bad, wasted too much blood.

"Thank you," I saw the table and in the middle a giant bowl of blood, I licked my lips, we as vampires rarely drank from a human, we got our blood from most blood banks and butchers, the blood I tasted from butchers was nasty but it did the job of fulfilling my needs. We could actually eat certain foods, meat, wheat, fruits and vegetables, but no dairy or onions but right now I needed that damn blood that smelled so damn tasty.

"You're welcome to drink." I grabbed a bowl and the giant spoon and poured me a bowl full, I knew this wouldn't be enough but I had to look like a lady . . . didn't I? There was a silence, he was reading a paper and I had already gone through six bowls.

"Am I not supposed to talk to you?" he brought his paper down.

"Um?"

"Am I not supposed to talk to you?"

"Depends."

"On?"

"What do you have to talk about, I don't entertain vampires of your status" I scowled at him but he didn't seem to care, he was arrogant, I rolled my eyes and stood.

"My status," I mumbled as I walked away, when he didn't stop me I went outside, there was a giant field of well manicured grass and a path that went two ways. Hmmm, which way should I go left or right. I shrugged my shoulders and went left. I never went the right way, I laughed at the play on words. going this way, following the stone path in place led to a stable filled with horses, of course I was on a ranch, I smiled as I watched the horses, it was late so most of them were sleep and others were just noising around. I smiled as I saw two off in a corner together, one had its head on the other's back, and I looked under one and saw the one holding the other one was the male.

"At least you guys have each other," I whispered as I leaned against the wooden gate that held them together. I watched them for I don't know how long.

"Dana?" I turned and saw Eric coming my way and gulped. The man didn't have on a shirt, God help me, his body was molded perfectly, and his jeans were low on his hips. He strode to me like he was angry. I have to stay away from him, I kept telling myself.

"Yes, Eric?"

"I've been looking for you for twenty minutes." he stopped talking.

"Okay?"

"Where have you been?"

"I've been right here."

"It's almost dawn, let's go," he grabbed my arm. I snatched it away. He looked at me as if I was dirt. "How dare you."

"How dare you!" I yelled back. "Don't grab me like I'm some rag doll, dawn isn't for another two hours. Now leave me the hell alone, I was enjoying the company of the horses." he grabbed me by the neck.

"Don't you ever talk to me like that again," he threw me into the giant oak tree, he tossed me so hard, I almost fainted. I got up and shook it off I zoomed away from him and went into my room and locked the door. The nerve of him! My dress was ruined! The entire right half was in shreds. I walked into the bathroom, and looked into a mirror; my neck had his hand print on it. I couldn't believe he handled me like that. I pulled out my cell phone and called Dallas, there was no way I was staying here.

"Hello?"

"Dallas, it's me Dana."

"What's wrong? You didn't sleep with him, did you?"

"No! Right now, I'm more likely to stake him in his sleep!" he laughed.

"What happen?"

"I want to come home."

"What happen?" I told him the story. "Is anything broken?"

"No, I don't want to stay here Dallas, he treats me as if I'm a beggar, a homeless bum." he laughed, it took a lot of control not to break that phone.

"If you want to go Dana, I will come and get you."

"Thank you," I hung up the phone and started packing my clothes, despite the pain of my side. There was a knock, I knew it wasn't Dallas so I didn't bother to answer, he'd come in eventually. The door opened.

"Dana?" I looked up at him. "Dallas called me, you're leaving?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you don't want me here and I will not stay where I am not wanted. I will learn to fight on my own."

"How do you plan to do that?"

"Are you the only person in the world who knows how to handle a sword?" he was in my face the next instant. "Go ahead this time throw me into the tub. I don't care, I'll be leaving soon."

"You have a quick tongue."

"And an even worst temper and right now, you're working my nerve and I only get one of those a day." the sides of his mouth quirked up.

"I told Dallas not to come," I moved away from him.

"What do you mean, you told him not to come?"

"Exactly what it sounds like."

"Why in the hell would you do that? Its not like you want me here!" he smiled.

"You're the first one of my trainees to back talk me and then want to leave," I looked up into his green eyes, staring down at me with interest.

"Call Dallas back and tell him to come and get me."

"No." I started counting down from five. five. . Four . . . three . . . . Two . . . one.

"Why are you trying to keep me here?"

"I find you interesting. You're the first female trainee I've had who actually wants to leave me." ugh! This arrogant jerk!

"You are the most arrogant person, I've ever met."

"Can I make a deal with you?"

"No, I want to go . . . now!"

"If you stay, I'll behave," I stood.

"What's behaving?"

"When you're not training. I'll feed you but the rest of the day I'll leave you be but I require that you train ten hours a day, everyday. If you want a day off, seventeen hours the day before." seeing how I could sometimes go days without sleep, that was fine by me.

"And you won't say a word to me?"

"Not a peep."

"Deal." I went and got into the bed and let the darkness overtake me but I heard him chuckle before he left me.

I've been here for two weeks and for the past three days, I've worked out for seventeen hours straight, now I have three days of peace and I plan to make sure I enjoy this. As Eric promised me he doesn't speak to me during my rest time and today I have to myself. I walked into my room, and placed on a pair of my shorts and a tank top. I had slept from sun up to sun down and tonight I was planning on having my own private picnic under the moon and stars, with one of my favorite books. When I walked down the stairs, and into the kitchen I asked the cook to pack my food to go. He only smiled, he was human and every since I told him my age, he was scared shitless of me. I walked outside and over to the pond he had on the other side of his home, I placed the blanket down. I walked back inside and grabbed the bowl and plastic container of steak and made my way outside

Once I had finished eating, I had stuffed myself; I was laying down just looking up at the sky. I remember Dallas asking me if I ever missed being a human, I told him no, and I still stand by my answer, being a vampire was cool, I mean the whole drinking blood is nasty even to think about but other than that, its perfect, I don't miss my life as a human, I grew up jumping from foster care to foster care, fighting literally to survive. The girls hated me because I was beautiful and the boys tried to touch me and when I told them no, they took it as a challenge and would try and force themselves on me. I prayed to God at night that I never ran into any of them.

"You weren't at dinner today?" I opened my eyes and Eric was staring down at me.

"I have wanted to have a picnic since I got here and now since I have the time. I'll be out here every night."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I didn't bother to even answer that question, I felt him sit next to me. "You've been making wonderful progress; I think you're my best student yet."

"Who would have thought . . . me, a woman." he smiled.

"Do you mind me sitting here?"

"Your estate, you are free to do as you please." I closed my eyes, we sat in silence.

"Can we be friends?"

"No." he laughed.

"Why not?"

"You're too arrogant to be friends with someone of my status."

"Maybe you could teach me different," I opened my eyes. "Or we could be friends during your off time."

"Off time?"

"When you're not training." what other choices did I have for company at this moment.

"Okay cool but if you slam me into another thing. I won't ever speak to you again."

"Deal."

"So how old are you?"

"834."

"Impressive."

"How old is your body?"

"21, you?"

"27."

"Have you ever been married?"

"No."

"Serious relationships?"

"Why are you asking me this?"

"I'm making a profile, I want to understand you."

"No."

"What about you?"

"No to both."

"Are you a virgin?" I laughed, I wished, my virginity was stolen from me.

"No."

"Did you love the man you lost it to?"

"I've never loved a single person in my life as for the man who stole my virginity, there's nothing to love because I killed him."

"Family?"

"Don't have any."

"Me neither." he laid back next to me.