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Chapter 1

Lesson one when running from a secret society of preternatural creatures: change who you are. My hair used to be red, now it's a mousy brown, my eyes are naturally green, now they to are brown. I used to wear very flashy clothes, but those attract way too much attention.

Which brings me to rule number two: blend in. My goal in life is to not be remembered five minutes after I leave a room. If no one sees or remembers me, they're going to have more trouble finding, and killing, me.

And the last rule I've made: stay in the crowd. It goes along with blending in. It's still relatively difficult to kill a person in a large crowd, not impossible, just difficult.

They've chased me across the continent. I don't know why. Perhaps quitting after an entire year would appear to be failure, and you can't disappoint the bosses with failure to kill one measly piece of vermin. That's what they call us, can you believe it? I couldn't, now I can.

I actually used to be a happy carefree girl, I doubt you can see that now. But I won't bother you with the boring details of my former life.

Rule three is what brought me to Chicago. I've lived in more than a dozen cities since I left home. No one is helping me. I depend on myself, though I do have the money my parents left me after they were killed by the vampires.

Anyway, back to Chicago. I was living in a Holiday Inn under the alias of Sarah Carter. Of course, I paid cash. After about three days I started to breathe again. I hadn't seen a vampire. They hadn't followed me. It wasn't a permanent settlement, I was living in a hotel. Once they stopped chasing me, I'd worry about settling. Surviving was my top priority at that moment.

There was a knock on the door; I nearly jumped out of my skin. "Housekeeping," a woman's voice said, she had a Puerto Rican accent.

I opened the door but kept the chain lock in place, "I'll be out in a minute." She nodded and went to the next room.

I packed a bag with all of my cash, a change of clothes, and my toothbrush. Hopefully I wouldn't have to run before I could gather my essentials, but it had happened before. I headed out of the hotel, walked to the L and went downtown. It was a sightseeing day.

It may sound a little strange to do sightseeing while on the run from vampiric murders, but it actually got kind of dull sometimes. When I wasn't running for my life, I mean. Water Tower Place was a big shopping area, so I headed there, and I could always go to the top of the John Hancock Building. Unlike most people, I love heights.

I hit Needless Markup, and Borders, I even went into the huge Marshall Fields. When I did get to the top of the John Hancock building around lunch time I spotted the first one. Vampire, I mean. He was a security guard. And he was looking at me rather intently. Apparently I had a large neon sign over my head saying, Target, and pointing. Maybe it made noises too.

There was a line to get back into the elevator, and I wasn't about to climb down all of those stairs. So I waited. It was important not to look like I was rushing. Maybe I just looked like the guys third cousin, Betty Sue. Yeah, right. That's it.

After I had my feet firmly on the ground again I stayed in the area. I had more area to run in the Greater Chicago Area than in a tiny Holiday Inn. The vampire didn't follow me, and I didn't see any others. Well, there was one in the café where I got a coffee, but he didn't even look at me. He was too busy reading the newspaper. If he let me be, I could return the favor.

"It's her," I heard a seductive voice say.

"Fuck," I whispered. I could almost feel those vampires breath on my neck. That was probably why all the hair there was standing up.

The newspaper reader said, "What are you doing here?" I guess he knew them. Three on one, well the odds had been worse before.

"She knows about us." I continued to act oblivious. Maybe there was another girl in that little Starbucks that happened to know about the Night World. And did I mention that my grandpa was Santa Claus?

I could see the newspaper vampire. He raised an eyebrow. "I highly doubt that." The two vampires that had been behind me moved toward the other. They didn't say anything. Did I mention that vampires are telepathic? I stood up. If I could get outside, maybe I'd get away. They wouldn't attack me in public, too much chance for exposure.

'Don't react,' I heard a voice in my head say. It must have been newspaper guy. I didn't react. 'I don't want you dead. Let me keep these goons occupied. Don't bring any attention to yourself, whatsoever.' He didn't have to tell me twice. I figured he did want me dead, but he was keeping the goons occupied. Probably just wanted to kill me himself. Maybe there was a reward on my head, or neck, as it were.

 I heard a voice in my head say. It must have been newspaper guy. I didn't react. He didn't have to tell me twice. I figured he want me dead, but he was keeping the goons occupied. Probably just wanted to kill me himself. Maybe there was a reward on my head, or neck, as it were.

I walked to the L station. Not running up the stairs to the train was one of the hardest things I'd ever done. And because I didn't run, I missed the train. I sat down and hugged my backpack in front of me. It wasn't really surprising when Newspaper Vamp sat down next to me. "Are you going to kill me?" I asked tiredly.

"I told you I didn't want you dead." Funny, he sounded tired too.

I looked at him then, he had very bright silvery blue eyes, and light brown hair. His skin was darker than most vampires I'd seen. Maybe he was Mexican, or half black. "Well, that brings the number up to two."

"Let me take you back to where you're staying. I'll make sure you get there safe."

I laughed, it was bitter. "Sorry, babe, you saved my life, that doesn't mean I trust you." He didn't look older than twenty. That didn't mean anything, but I always guess people's ages based on appearance, it's a human thing. "You might want to be careful, the vamps are circulating a picture of you, with your new disguise, and with red hair. Good luck." He stood up.

"Why did you tell me that?" He was nice, for a vampire.

"I'll just say I'm a friend."

I considered that, "A vampire, and my friend?"

"I never said I was yours."