January 10, 2004 -- Life for me started in 1675, the year of my birth. I was raised the daughter of a prestigious puritan reverend in New Haven, Massachusetts. Little more then a decade before, my people came to New Haven looking for religious freedom. Yet the puritans were for from freedoms of other kinds. Men were still heads of the house, and women and children knew their places. My father was a dreadfully stern head, especially after my mother's death in childbirth. My father loved both my younger sister and I but not having a mother around was a strain our family. I and my sister, when she was old enough, took up the slack of the late Mrs. Quentin and for years that was the way it went until my father informed me that I was to be wedded. At first I tried to fight it, find some way to change his mind, but he would not be deterred. Once I warmed to the idea my father arranged for me to meet my betrothed, Hunter Redfern. Had I known what I do now, father's permission or no, I would have fled from that place. But as it were I knew nothing and so I too fell under the charm of Hunter and soon I could not wait to begin my life with him. At the time I was naive and thought that Hunter really cared for me, loved me even. But that naivety, it was my downfall...

...My down fall.

Angie stopped writing then; for the moment she couldn't form the words to describe this twisted tale of hers. Writer's block. Who has ever heard of someone getting writer's block telling a true story, she mused sullenly.

Angie sighed. She didn't know what compelled her to write of her past life with Hunter. Maybe it was a feeling that her time was short and she had nothing else that held her to this world. She didn't want to be forgotten like so many often were. She wanted to live on forever.

Angie closed her journal and walked out of her one bedroom cottage. She lived alone. She had to. She though that Hunter might hurt someone close to her kept her alone. Even now, in this incarnation Hunter's presence was overpowering.

She had to get out into the night. Claim it; embrace it. Only then would she truly be free. The shadows had been a part of her for so long she had become a part of them. And it was all because of Hunter.

Angie had been with Hunter in all her past incarnations, and each time he found a new way to screw her over using that damned soul mate link. But this time she wouldn't surrender to him. She just couldn't. If she did, she feared that this time her soul would be truly lost. Hunter had caused her so much pain over the centuries, but as twisted as it was she still... loved him. Angie had the disturbing feeling that she'd still love him even if he signed her soul over to the devil.

Along with the great love, there was something else there, too. Hate. She hated Hunter with a passion, and if she could have, she would have killed him a long time ago. Angie knew she was contradicting herself, but it couldn't be helped. Someone once said that hate was love turned inside out. She believed that. There is always an exception to the rule, she thought bitterly, and Hunter is an exception if there ever was one.

He had loved her in the beginning, when he got what he wanted from her. He was down right tender and loving in those days, but when that faded, his love turned to hate and her heart turned to stone.

Angie began walking towards the woods. She lived on the outskirts of town; the woods were always accessible to her. She walked until she came to a clearing. She walked to the center of it and lay down, peering up at the stars.

She thought about Hunter for a moment and distantly wondered what it would have been like if Hunter had been a normal man, a normal soul mate. They could have spent countless lives together, happy just to be with each other. They could have spent many a night cuddled up close near a fire. Instead she had spent the better part of all of her lives running back to a cold-blooded monster that had just used her, and then when he was done, killed her. Sure they had spent plenty of nights in front of a cozy fire wrapped in each other's embrace, but that was different, no mind merging, no soft kisses and sweet caresses, and usually Hunter was taking her blood with out consent. It couldn't all be blamed on him though; she had stayed with him through all of that and even begged him to turn her into a vampire.

Angie was no angel; she had done her fair share of misdeeds. But now, in this life, she sought to rectify her wrong doings. She would, she knew, make things right again. Once her soul had been tainted by Hunter's black heart, her aura had even turned a hideous black to reflect her inner emptiness. Every day had been a struggle not to pack up and live the rest of her days beside Hunter, but she couldn't now.

Angie smiled to herself as she closed her eyes, eyes suddenly heavy with the promise of sleep. She signed once as a dream filled slumber seized her...

Past -- 1692
The day had finally come. She would finally meet Hunter Redfern, the man that had become smitten with her. She wanted everything to be just perfect when she met him, nothing less would do. And you are not just meeting Hunter, you are meeting his adoptive son John too, she reminded herself.

She wished she had a woman to help her out with these things, but her mother died in childbirth and Angelina's sister was even more inexperienced with this then she.

"You will just have to make due," she muttered to herself as she dressed in an emerald green garb that perfectly complemented her green eyes. She fixed her hair into a bun at the nape of her neck and gave herself one quick glance in the mirror before running down the stairs and into the living room.

She knew her father and Hunter were old acquaintances from long ago, but aside from what he looked like she knew nothing more about him.

She stiffened as she heard a knock at the door. Taking a deep breath Angelina opened the door. Her breath caught at what she saw; by God he was beautiful!

Her father's description had been less then justifying. He had beautiful, silky, blood red hair, the most mysterious golden eyes, and the most perfect body she had ever seen. He was dressed in tight black pants and soft black boots. He also wore a white poet style shirt. Beside him stood another man not much older then she with gorgeous dark eyes that reflected the midday sun.

Angelina moved, motioning them inside. "You must be Hunter Redfern and John Quinn?"

Hunter nodded. "And who might you be little one?"

"I am Angelina. I would love to say that my father had told me much about you but he has not."

Hunter and John glanced at each other, black meeting gold, amusement sparking in both their eyes.

"I must talk with your father about some...important matters. I hope that you will take this opportunity to get better acquainted with John." Hunter bowed slightly and exited quickly, leaving Angelina and John alone.

He looked around the small room in boredom.

"So, John, how long have you been living with Hunter?"

Again amusement seemed to twinkle in his midnight black eyes. "Well, not long actually. Seven years about, I think."

"You must be very grateful towards Hunter for taking you in?"

"Yes, something of that nature." He paused moving a hand to rest under his chin. "Hunter and I have an arrangement of sorts."

"What kind of an arrangement?" She asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"You are very inquisitive." John laughed.

Angelina shrugged her shoulders. "You brought it up."

"Right I did. Okay, well, let me bring up another subject, why have I not seen the woman of the house?"

"You have, you are looking at her."

"You know what I mean."

"My mother...died while in childbirth. I never knew her."

"Oh, you have my deepest sympathies."

"Do not bother, as I stated earlier, I never knew her and you can not miss what you never knew. You can only long for what you have missed."

Angelina heard laughter and spun around. There stood Hunter and her father. He walked over to her, "You are wise beyond your years, little one." He paused. "You father has given his permission for me to ask your hand in marriage. Will you accept?"

Angelina was ecstatic. Would she accept! Wild stallions couldn't stop her! She calmed herself as she raised her head, looking into his eyes. "I would be honored to be your bride." She lowered her head as Hunter embraced her, strange slights dancing in his eyes. If she had known then what she knew now, she would have run screaming into the next incarnation.

Present day

Angie sat up with a start, feeling something moving at her back. She was instantly alert and began searching her surroundings. She saw a flicker of red as a figure came into view, strides screaming "predator". Angie slowly got to her feet and closed the distance between her and the mystery man.

She sighed. "Hello, Hunter."


Hunter sat in a dark corner drinking a bottle of whiskey straight form the bottle. He didn't usually drink like this, but it was the only was to dull the trail of thoughts that had invaded his consciousness. He was on his fourth bottle and still he could hear her, not clearly, but well enough to drive him mad. God he wished that she'd shut the hell up or at least learn to block her thoughts better. All night he had been trying to get a quick meal. All night sexy wild women had been literally throwing themselves at his and he couldn't even have a little fun because her thoughts were distracting him.

Hunter stood and tossed a twenty-dollar bill down on the table. "Well, I'll just have to shut her up personally." This would be the first time that he had seen her since he last killed her. He'd waited this long now it was time to have some fun, she owed it to him.

He smiled as he walked out of the Black Onyx and towards the woods were he was sure that he would find her.

Hunter couldn't figure out why fate had been so cruel in giving her a cold blooded murder for a soulmate. Even he, for all this faults knew what an injustice it was. He loved her he was sure, but what could he say, he was not programmed for love. Almost all of his marriages had been arranged, no love involved. The only time he had loved any of his children had been when it was beneficial to him. Other then that he hadn't cared whether they lived or died. He hadn't been broken up when Dove had been staked or when Lily was killed. Even the child that he and Angelina had had together didn't hold much importance in his mind. He'd lived centuries thinking this way, it had been drilled into his mind since birth. He couldn't ignore what he had been all those centuries ago, not when it had been his only companion over the centuries. And he wouldn't let anyone change the way he thought, not even his soulmate.

"Especially not her. The more she hates and loathes me the better it will be for all involved." Hunter said allowing a wicked grin to mar his features. "And right about now she should despise me." He knew that he had screwed her over from every possible hole in her body-literally and figuratively and he really didn't feel any type of way about it. He was a council member and how would it look if Hunter Redfern turned up with a soulmate. Ranting crap about peace between the vermin and night worlders. They'd surely find a way to get rid of him and Angelina or Angie as she was called in this incarnation. He sure was not going to die for anyone. And you don't want anything to happen to Angelina this time either, a little part of him whisper.

Hunter stepped out into the clearing and spotted Angelina. He allowed a small chuckle to escape his lips. She stood and turned towards him.

She sighed, "Hello Hunter."

"Hello Angelina."

Angie lowered her eyes momentarily. "Don't call me that. I am not Angelina anymore. She died a long time ago. You made sure of that. Hunter came and stood directly in front of her. Angie's heart began to quicken.

"I would but Angie than doesn't suit you." Hunter looked at her through dark lashes.

"No? I think that sad death suits me well."

"Sad death? Humph. None of your deaths were sad. You did not even know any of them were coming." He paused as if thinking. "You know that's what surprised me about this incarnation. So how does it feel to be an awakened old soul?" He asked running his finger along her collarbone.

Angie knew Hunter was just doing this to get under her skin and annoy her. Yeah well its working, she thought miserably. She wanted to punch Hunter in the face or at the very least in the knee, maybe shatter it, but if she did that would mean revealing to Hunter what she was and right now she didn't want Hunter knowing she was a Vampire Hunter. She wanted so bad to just kill him right now but she knew that if she did she'd go crazy. Hunter hadn't, but she was sure that was because he was already nuttier than a fruit cake. Looking into his eyes, she knew that Hunter had never truly been sane nor had a sane thought in his head. She shook off Hunter's finger and jabbed him in the crest with one of her long violet nails. She was desperate to return to him at least a little bit of the heart ache that she felt.

"So Hunter, how is John doing?" She saw something resembling anger flash in his eyes turning his eyes to spun gold.

"John isn't with me anymore he defected and ran to daybreak with a vampire hunter, his soulmate." He spat it out as if he didn't like the taste of his own words.

"Aw! How awful for you. So now I guess you have no heir." Pause. "Don't look so surprised Hunter. I keep up on my Night World news. I also know that Delos and

Ash Redfern have soulmates as well. So now you'll have no pure male Redfern to pass the "Family Business" to when someone finally stakes you." Another pause." Or you could always pass it to Garnet or Roseclear. Oh no, wait just a second Roseclear is out of the question, the Harmans wouldn't let you touch her. So that only leaves Garnet and unfortunately she's a screw up so..." A low smile spread across her lips as she jumped up and down like a child and clasped he hands together. "Now that means you have absolutely no heir."

"True enough. But I could always get another one..." He grabbed her by the shouldered and snaked an arm around her waist. "Then problem solved."

"Get bent, Hunter." She was starting to feel uncomfortable. She could handle cruel, sadistic Hunter, but not this one. This Hunter was the one that she had fallen for, hard. This Hunter knew what he wanted and always, always got it. Now he reminded her of the Hunter from her first incarnation. "What makes you think I want to have another child with you when you royally screwed the first on up." She said fighting back tears. "Alexandria adored you, her father and you destroyed her. Just like you destroy everybody else you come across."

"How, pray tell, did I do that." He said confusion marring his beautiful face.

"Is it that long ago that you don't even remember."

'I have forgotten a lot of insignificant events over the centuries." He smirked.

Angie slapped him hard across the face and pushed him away from herself, "

Well, let me refresh you memory. You treated her like dirt. You were never a father to her, John gave her more love then you ever did. Everything she did, she did to have your approval. She wanted nothing more than to be seen by you as a true night worlder not a half breed. And when she realized that she'd never get that, she killed herself. By the time I found her she was nothing more then a shriveled -"

Hunter pointed a finger in her face. "That was not my fault. She was not a true night person and she never would have been. She was a spoiled child and her killing herself proves me right."

Angie dropped to her knees tears rolling down her face. "No Hunter all that proves is that you're an evil, insensitive person that I have ever had the displeasure to know and the even greater displeasure to have as a soulmate. Fate really fucked up when she was handing those out." She whispered looking up at him.

Hunter looked down at her never taking his eyes off of her. Angie looked away blinking a few times. After a while she whipped roughly at her tear stained face and climbed to her feet. "Well, I would love to continue this stroll down memory lane but if I stay here one-second longer, I'll save you the trouble and kill myself."

Angie turned ready to leave, "Wait!"

"Wait for what Hunter, you to kill me, fuck me senseless or both?"

Hunter spoke harshly ignore the latter of what she had said, "I couldn't kill you even if I wanted too."

"Why might that be? Finally grew a conscious or are you just playing with me?"

"No games, I can't kill you, but you should now the reason why."

Angie turned fully around and glared at him, "I'm sick of these stupid guessing games.

I don't know why you can't kill me."

"Because you're a vampire." Oh. She couldn't believe that she could have forgotten that vampires didn't get more than one chance at life. If they screwed that up they were...screwed. If Hunter did kill Angie she would be gone for good. No coming back for her. The question now was why did

Hunter care. If anything this should make him happy.

"Why do you care if I don't have an endless ticket to reincarnation?" She said staring at Hunter all signs of hate gone from her face.

"That is none of your business." Hunter huffed and stalked off before she could even say one word.

"Okay, that was weird, even for him." She shrugged her shoulders and began her walk back to her house.

Angie walked back through the woods. She wondered what the hell Hunter was talking about. Why wouldn't he take the chance offered and just end her miserable existence put her out of her misery? She wondered for the fifty-thousandth time who the hell fucked her over so royally by giving her and insane bastard for a life partner. She had given him a chance, more then one in fact and he had taken it and thrown it in her face.

"Then why the do I still love him the way I do?" She began. "Why? God I'm so confused. I hate him and I love him." She shook her head in frustration. "I want to strangle him, and I with to fuck him."

Goddess I'm pathetic, she thought piteously as she unlocked the door to her cottage.

She didn't even bother turning on the lights as she walked to her bedroom and plopped down on the bed. She just wanted to sleep. Angie closed her eyes and fell into a fitful slumber, filled with haunting dreams and angelic nightmares.

Past -- 1692

Angelina was so excited, it had been two weeks since she and Hunter had been married. And after one week of traveling they we finally here. Angelina and

Hunter had yet to christen their marriage and she was getting antsy and anxious.

She couldn't wait for him to run hot, passionate kissed up and down her body.

Angelina yawned and stretched thinking of what they could be doing if he would just hurry up and come to bed.

She was dressed in something she was sure that he would like. White satin surrounded her body exposing her long legs. She had made the nightgown herself especially for the occasion. She knew it was a bit risqué for the times but she absolutely knew he would love it. It was very form fitting in all the right places and showed off her creamy pale skin.

Angelina heard the bedroom door open and sat up. Hunter came in with a grin on his face, golden eyes flashing.

"Hello Hunter." She said her voice becoming seductively low.

"Angelina," he said with a trace of amusement. "Why, we are very aggressive all of a sudden." He moved towards the bed and sat down removing his boots.

"I have been waiting for this moment ever since I laid eyes upon you. I think I have every right to be," She crawled behind Hunter dropping both legs on either side of his body and kissed the back of his neck.

"That you do." Hunter turned around and grabbed both her arms with one hand and wrapped the other around her waist. He began to kiss a trail from her lips down to her breasts and back again.

"But now it's my turn." He whispered close to her ear before crushing his mouth against her lips in a brutal kiss.

Angelina loved every second of this slow torture; she wanted it to go on forever. Well, almost forever she didn't think she could take an eternity of wicked kisses and sweet caresses. But for now ... for now it was paradise. Every time he touched her he left trials of fire in his wake. Fire that she thought would consume her.

But it was heaven. She watched as Hunter pulled his shirt over his head and climbed back on the bed. She looked into his golden eyes and knew with out a doubt that he loved her...