Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

a/n: rating to go up when more story is added

January 6

I remember being horrified with myself when I drank blood. I was sick the first few times. I made myself throw it up. But the next day, I would be back, drinking it down. Viktor found me doing this. He told me not to worry, that I would lose my humanity soon enough and drinking blood would be second nature. I don't know why I just remembered that. Maybe because I'm finishing off my own meal, cloned pigs blood. Viktor owns a company called Zirodex, a company that makes cloned blood and sends blood out to hospitals. They supply us with the blood we need for the coven to function well.

I have indeed lost my humanity. Drinking blood does feel like second nature, I am no longer bothered by the crimson liquid. I find myself doing things I never would have done before. I hunt and kill lycans. And, yet again, Kraven's hunch was correct. The lycans were exactly where he said they would be. This seems odd to me. How does he always know where they will be? He never goes out on a hunt.

I got a new partner today, much to my displeasure. His name is Rigel. I like to work solo. If I must have a partner, I prefer Kahn. He is close to me age wise, and is the only one I would dare to call my friend. We share the same hatred for lycans, although I don't know his reasons for his feelings. He know mine though. I remember when I first met him.

-

Viktor had told me to get some sleep, which I did. He had also told me that we would reach Ordoghaz the next day. I awoke early, combing my hair as best as I could and smoothing my nightgown, which I still wore. I brushed my teeth with a hand made toothbrush and washed my face carefully with ice cold water. I wanted to look the best I could when meeting the rest of the coven.

We boarded a train and went into a compartment without windows set in the walls. It was obviously made for vampires, as there was blood lain out for us. We had one lamp burning, which cast menacing shadow on the wall that swayed with the movement of the train. I watched them a while, almost believing they were alive. Even through the dull light I could see clearly as if in sunlight. This amazed me.

Viktor spoke quietly in my ear. "We're here." The train was slowing down, until it came to a screeching halt with a little jolt that shook its passengers. It was a little past the middle of the night. I climbed down carefully, the brisk wind swirling the bottom of my gown against my legs. As we started forward, I thought I heard a wolf cry.

Viktor looked at me curiously. "Are there wolves here?" I asked.

"No, only lycans. Why?"

I shook my head. "I thought I heard a wolf cry." The other Death Dealers stiffened at my words. The wind changed and I clearly smelt a horrible stench. The Dealers regrouped, pulling silver tipped weapons out of their leather coats. A small group surrounded us and Viktor pulled my hand to follow him. A large majority stayed behind, following at a distance and surrounding us.

I heard another cry, closer this time, and the stench became almost unbearable. It smelled like unwashed body combined with wet dog and body odor with a faint scent of rotting meat. A Dealer came closer to Viktor, whispering lightly in his ear so no other could hear. "There is a small pack of five lycans surrounding us. There is one ahead of us, two on either side, and two in the back," the Death Dealer said. I could almost hear the heartbeats of the lycans surrounding us.

I thought I saw a dim shape ahead but I couldn't make it out through the fog. A low growl sounded, alarmingly close by. The fog was swirling so dense and thick I could barely see three feet in front of me. And there was a hoard of angry lycans stalking us. Things couldn't get much worse, or so I thought. I was wrong.