Chapter 1

Riley

Five years later

I lifted my face to the sky. The freezing rain sent chills through my body. But it felt good. The water kept me alert and awake.

I tilted my head ever so slightly to the right. I closed my eyes and listened. I deciphered the sounds of the world form the rain. I could hear sounds of civilization close by. A town, only a few miles from where I stood.

I inhaled deeply. I could already smell the humans. So close, so defenseless, so tasty.

I broke into a run towards the town. I reached the edge of the forest I was just in within seconds. On the outskirts of town a few small houses stood alone, a few were already dark, one or two still had bright lights still shining.

I ignored them and prowled deeper into the small city. Even with the pouring rain, a few people still filled the streets. I watched one women, pull her young daughter along as they dashed through the puddles. The little girl squeaked with joy. A small smile capture my face.

I was a vampire but not a monster. They would live. They deserved it.

Humanity fascinated me. It was an interest I knew, though they supported it, my parents would never really understand. My mother would gently explain what she could. Which, in my opinion, didn't really make sense. She never experience humanity, she was born to two vamps, like me. But my dad had been human once. Oh, on occasion he would let me learn of his previous life but he never gave too much away.

I sighed. Supportive but they didn't truly get my craving for knowledge. Humans were different from me. They had such a different purpose in life. I observed some always rushing, working and living lives filled with schedules, dates, times, always on the move.

Yet there were others who liked to relax and take on life as it came. Each person had a different story and lived a different way.

But even with all these differences they were so much alike still. Each person had blood pumping through his veins and a heart keeping them alive. The only time I ever experienced that was when I was killing. I greedily drank their life to keep my own. Their blood sustained me. And their hearts had to stop for me to survive.

It made me feel guilty at first, but soon I got used to it. It was a habit.

I think this is one of the reason my parents were so concerned about me. At first I knew my mom hesitated to letting me hunt humans. She was weird like that. I knew all about her eating habits, but dad thought I should be introduced to both.

So I was and although animal blood was warm and delicious, human blood was so much better. Warmer, thicker more sensual. It made other bloods flop in comparison. I did try to follow mom's rule about dining on lesser beings though. What she didn't know is how lightly I followed it.

I made my own choices. I did value a human life but I also appreciated my own. I chose the people I wouldn't kill more over who I wouldn't kill. I did try to be nice about it. Bad guys were killed, the good guys lived. But I'm learning that in a society like ours that can be hard.

A bright light laminated the street ahead of me. I recoiled into the darkness. "Shit." I muttered and dove out of the way. I hid behind some metal trash cans in the alley.

The patrol car drove slowly down the street. In the platform on top I saw humans with large night vision goggles glaring around the darkness. They didn't see me hiding and moved on.

I sighed. And there was that of course.

A few years ago there was a giant, top-secret facility that blew up in a desert somewhere. When cops and FBl agents finally got to investigating it, they found a government complex they had no idea about. Some of the workers and lab techs who'd been there filled them in on the project.

Turns out the facility had been used to new experiments. War and bio-nuclear weapons were played with. But there most dangerous 'weapons' were something unknown to the rest of the world.

For years the people running the place had been capturing and experimenting on vampires. Needless to say the new spread like wildfire. People panicked and riots exploded. Everyone was scared and preparing for the worst.

From the ruble of the complex journals and some records were preserved. People read up on the subject. The project was released to the press so everyone finally officially knew.

Then the revolution happened. The humans banded together to create weapons and precautions against vamps. Street patrols watched over towns and every city in North America had a locked up shed filled with weapons so dangerous even one shot would blow a vamp to pieces.

We're strong but not invincible. Sure a shot can potentially kill us if we don't get blood but we can survive. But with these killers, a single shot was designed for the utmost accuracy. They were built to kill us.

I was only a kid when this was happening. It started when I was just an infant and into my toddler years. Well, what would have been my toddler years.

Technically I'm only five years old. Physically, I look to be about eighteen or so. Which is kinda awkward considering my parents look the same age. Both of them are perpetually eighteen years old. Some people would love it, but I know my parents would rather be normal.

Anyway, when they found out about the new threats, they freaked. I wasn't allowed outside by myself. They took every precaution to keep me safe. I knew it was for my own good, but the sheltered life was definitely annoying.

When I was three, or like thirteen, I rebelled, and they loosened their grip. My mom still worried like crazy though. She was always so afraid for me. Yes, I'm their only kid but I'll live forever, they need to let go. Do they honestly expect me to live with them for eternity?

I shivered at the thought. Not happening. Dad tried to talk to me. He told me to see it form her point of view. I was an impossible child, I was a gift.

I sighed. That's one way to look at it.

I pulled myself up from my hiding place and began again, slowly and cautiously, hunting. I knew it was probably better for me just to hunt animals but like I said, I'm curious. And human blood is ten times better.

A scream rippled through the night. I guess that's my cue. I headed in the direction of the scream.

Remembering it could be another vamp, I knew stayed quiet at first. At least until I got a better view of the situation.

I was safe. The scream came from a young girl. Probably only seventeen. She was backed against an alley wall. An angry defiance gleamed in her eyes. She glared at her attacker, a dangerous looking male with a large blade in his hand. He shook it menacingly at her.

"C'mon baby, this can be real easy." He said in a hoarse voice, "Just take off the shirt and we can have some fun." He chuckled darkly.

I clenched my fist. Yup, this is my guy. A rapist and from the looks of things, murderer.

The girl refused to comply. "Get away from me!" She shouted. Then she screamed again, not in fear but for help. She was brave.

With a quick move, the mugger landed the knife on her arm. A long line of blood dripped from the cut. The girl screamed again, this time her voice was laced with fear.

I swallowed. Her blood smelled amazing. No, I was after him not her.

"Ready yet?" The son of a bitch asked her. She sucked in deeply and bit her lip. She shook her head vigorously.

The man's eyes darkened. In an instant he grabbed her and had the blade pressed to her neck. She now cried softly.

"Shh, shh, shh. It'll be over soon." He still had her pinned to him. When took the dagger and gently traced it along her face. When he got to her forehead he pressed in.

The girl screamed in agony. I pulled the blade from her eyebrow to her chin. More blood poured down her face.

That's it. Ignoring my growling stomach at the site of her blood, I launched myself at her attacker.

He looked up in surprise. I hit him hard in the shoulder. He fell away from the girl. She ran a safe distance away.

I savagely beat the man's face. His face was bloodied and he had lost a tooth when I finished. "Are you having fun yet?" I growled in his ear. He only moaned.

I turned away for an instant. The girl looked at me with wide eyes. Tears still glistened and her face was bleeding heavily.

My attention was refocused on the bastard who attacked her. I felt the sharp stab of pain in my side. I looked down. He had stabbed me. I screamed and hissed. My fangs were now out of my gums. I hissed again. The smile he wore faded away. He looked at me in fear.

"Fuck you." I muttered. With those parting words, I took a bite out of his neck. His jugular popped on my mouth and I took a gulp of fresh blood. He had time of one small gasp before he died. I drank thirstily until he was drained.

I finished with my last swallow of blood and sighed. I tried to center myself. My fangs sank away and my bloodlust lessened. I sighed and wiped the blood from my mouth.

Then I stood and strutted to the girl. She was huddled in a corner sobbing quietly. "Are you okay?" I asked gently laying a hand on her back. I tried to stay calm but her blood smelled exquisite. I coughed.

She looked up slowly. "Thank you." Her voice was barely a whisper. When she finally met my eyes, hers were still red. "You're a vampire." It wasn't a question.

I nodded. She didn't look afraid. "Why save me then?"

"Just because I'm a vampire doesn't mean I'm evil. He was going to kill you, you don't deserve that."

She gave a small smile. "How can you tell?"

I smirked. "Just a guess."

We were silent for a few moments. I was surprised. Even though I had saved her, I expected to be turned into the patrols.

"You know," She began, "I used to be afraid of vampires." She gave me a look. "But it's good to know not every vamp is bad."

I smiled. She was different. Here we were, a human and a vamp, sitting in an alley in the pouring rain, just talking.

She grinned. Then he smile faultered. "Oh my gosh. He stabbed you." We both looked at the spot where I was stabbed. "You need to get to a doctor."

I laughed. "I'm a vamp. They'd kill me not cure me. You're the one who needs to get to an emergency room." I said. I put a finger my her gash. "You're bleeding pretty bad."

I took of the light sweatshirt I'd been wearing and balled it up. I gently pressed to her skull. She flinched.

"Shit. Sorry." I apologized. She shook her head. "Don't apologize. You saved my life. You got stabbed because of me."

"Anything for a damsel in distress." I said smirking. She rolled her eyes but laughed. "Does the damsel have a name?"

She giggled again. "Lexie."

"Well Lexie," I said helping her up, "We better get you to a hospital."

A little while later, I had brought Lexie to North Ridge General Hospital. Still still had my sweatshirt pressed against her face. I had also ripped off a piece of my shirt for the scar on her arm.

When stopped outside the exit to the emergency room. "Okay, get inside and get cleaned up. And," I winked, "stay out of trouble."

Lexie's face was serious though. "Thank you so much. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't shown up." She shook her head.

I put a hand on her shoulder. "It's the least I could do." She looked up at me again. Her brown eyes were filling with tears.

In a swift movement, before I had time to object, Lexie had her lips pressed to mine. I staggered back a bit but stayed upright.

All too soon, her lips parted from mine. She looked slightly embarrassed. "Wow. I just kissed you. I don't even know your name." She started stepping backwards. "Thanks again." She said awkwardly.

"Riley." I called. She stopped and looked at me. "Riley. Thank you." Another small smile played on her lips. "Will I ever see you again?" Her voice choked up.

I thought before I answered. I liked Lexie. I just met her, but I liked her. She was different from most humans and I enjoyed her company.

"I'm always around." She grinned, then stepped away into the hospital.

It was only after she was gone that I realized what I had just done. What am I crazy? I can't get involved with a human. The only reason the guards watching the hospital aren't shooting me is because at the moment I appear human. Why would a vamp escort a human to the hospital?

I sighed. Lexie was inside and would be cared for. I turned around and began walking away. I didn't want to. I wanted to be in there, making sure she was given all attention. I sighed and ran my fingers through my short brown hair.

I shouldn't even be considering seeing her again, but I am. I was going to get involved I knew. I was dumb like that. Dad always praised me for my instincts and intelligence, wait until he hears this.

But he wouldn't. He'd flip if I told him. Both my parents would.

I looked back at the hospital one more time. I couldn't see her but I wanted to.

Shit. What have I gotten myself into?