It's been eighteen years since the war started; eighteen years since my mother died during childbirth; and eighteen years since I was born. I don't know what happened then, but I do know that my father is still alive. He left my mother alone with a friend of his, when she was pregnant with me. Mason is his name. He's been looking after me since my mother died. I look nothing like her. My eyes are bright blue and hers are green. Her hair is wavy and blonde, and mine is black and straight. Mason always said I look like my father, but he never tells me who he is. No matter how many times I ask. He also says I'm a natural born leader, like him. Which is why I was the head of the rebel soldiers, which was about twenty-five people. We fight the vampries who try to attack our city, and kill them. Saving a few here and there to interrogate. I was different than the rest of the soldiers. My senses were far more advanced, and I could move faster and heal faster than them. Most civilians respect me for protecting them from the vampires. Others fear me, because I fight like the enemy. There's one difference between me and a vampire...I can walk in daylight.
One afternoon I was sharpening my knife blades, when the sirens went off telling us there were vampires nearby. I packed my things and met the soldiers at the door. "Alright, i want temas 4 and 5 to set a perimeter around the civilians. Rally them into one place. Team 6, watch the south end of the city. Team 2, you take them from the east. Team 3, the west. Then wait for my signal. Alpha team, you're with me. We're hitting them dead on." I said. The soldiers went off in their teams and waited for my signal. My team formed a line and we all stood at the gates of the city. I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing, then concentrated on the sounds around me. About twenty vampires were spread out all around us. "We got twenty surrounding Alpha." I said into the mic on my wrist. I heard the team leaders acknowledge and my team formed a circle. I held my favorite weapon tightly in my hands. It was a chain with a blade a the end. I let part of it drop so the blade was hanging, then stepped forward a little. "Come out where I can see you" I said to the blood suckers. "We do not wish to fight you" a male voice said back. "Thens how yourselves" I said. "Not until you have all your men stand down" the voice answered. I turned back to my men and nodded. They lowered their weapons, but were ready to raise them again in a seconds notice. The setting sun was hidden behind one of the buildings creating a shadow. Three vampires walked out of the shadows. Two males and a female. The female wore a black dress that went down to her knees, and she had long red hair about shoulder-length. The males looked like they could be brothers. Both had dirty blonde hair and green eyes. Same height and build and everything. They stopped about ten feet away from me. "We wish to speak to the one called Mason" The male in the middle said. I smiled and shook my head. "No way" I said. "Then tell him we bring a message from Xander" He said. Everyone looked at them in disbelief. I thought it over for a minute then looked at him. "I'll let you talk to him, but only if I'm with. The other two can stay outside and I'll make sure none of my men attack you" I said. He nodded and we all walked back to the base. I walked in with the vampire by my side and everyone stared at us. "Mason" I said. He stood and followed us into a separate room. "Hello Mason" the vampire said. "Luke" Mason said back. I looked at Mason in shock. "You know him?" I asked. Mason just nodded. "He is one of Xander's most trusted members of the clan" Mason said. "And how could you possibly know that?" I yelled. His face stayed calm even though he knew I had a temper. "Tori, I think its about time you learn of your father" he said. He told me the whole story of what happened that day. I had to sit down halfway through and I just sat there stareing at him. Once he finished I just sat there for th elongest time. "So you're saying...that my father is Xander, and I am a vampire princess?" I said. Mason nodded. "Ok so why were you sent here?" I asked Luke. "At midnight tonight you will turn into one of us. Then we are to bring you back with us" he answered. "What if I refuse?" I said. "Then you will probably lose control of your thirst and kill everyone" he said bluntly. I raised my eyebrows. "Oh" was all I said. I sighed and sat forward resting my elbows on my knees. I ran my fingers through my hair. I lifted my head up and said, " I can't just leave them here to fight forr themselves" "Victoria, you are the only one who can rescue Xander from Gabriel. I brought a group of vampires with to help protect the civilians." Luke said. "Wait a minute, what do you mean rescue?" I asked standing up. "Gabriel took Xander prisoner a few weeks ago. Before he was taken away he told me to search for you. He said you were his daughter, and that you could lead us to save him" Luke said. I paced for a minute, then looked at Mason and Luke. "Ok. I'll go, but only if the civilians are ok with having vampires around" I said. He nodded and I stood up and got everyone's attention. "I'm leaving" I said. Everyone started yelling at once, and I had to shoot a gun at the ceiling to shut them up. "I wouldn't be if I wasn't sure you'd be safe. These vampires are from Xander's clan...and I..." I paused for a moment. "I'm his daughter. I've been chosen to lead the rescue team to get him back, but I'm not going unless you're ok with having vampires around" I said. They all whispered amongst themselves until one of my men stepped forward. "If they're from Xander's clan I don't mind" he said. Everybody else eventually agreed and I packed a few things in a bag, then said goodbye to Mason. "We have to leave now" Luke said. It was dark now, so Luke could be out without having to hide in the shadows. We went outside of town, and then they stopped. A Dodge Charger came speeding up and stopped in front of us. "Get in" Luke said opening the door for me. I did, and he got in next to me. The woman from before was driving and the other guy was riding shotgun. The woman floored it and I gripped the passenger seat and screamed. Once I calmed down I sat back, and put on my seatbelt. "Ok so I know Luke, but what about you two?" I asked. "Logan" The male said. "Scarlet" said the woman. "Are you two brothers?" I asked Luke and Logan. They nodded. "Aww that's cute! You both have 'L' names." I teased. Logan laughed and Luke just smiled and shook his head. "You really are a lot like him" Luke said. "Tell me about him" I said turning to face him. "Another time. Right now we have to get you to the halfway house before midnight so you don't kill us" he said seriously. I gulped and stared out the window. "That bad, huh?" I said softly. I felt him set his hand on mine. I turned to him and looked into his green eyes. "Don't be afraid. I'll be right there with you" he said. I felt something, right then. Like my heart wanted to just burst out of my chest so it could be next to his. "Thanks" I muttered pulling my hand away, and making the feeling disappear. It was five minutes to midnight when we pulled up to a house. Luke rushed me into it, and took me to the basement where there were chains on the wall. "Quickly, we don't have much time" He said gently pushing me against the wall. He chained my wrists and ankles, then looked at me. "See you on the other side" he said with a smile. He stepped back to the opposite side of the room. I looked around and saw a see-through cooler with blood bags in it. A clock sat on the wall to my right, and I stared at it. I watched as the minutes sped by until there was only a few seconds untill midnight. The second the clock struck twelve a rush of pain came over me. I screamed and my body felt like my bones were being broken one by one. My canine teeth grew and sharpened to a point. My fingernails grew longer and thicker. Another wave hit me. I screamed again. "Only a few seconds left" Luke said. The biggest wave yet came and everything felt numb. I stopped screaming and my body went limp. My hands were bloodied, because I was fighting the restraints, and the blood dripped onto the floor. I stared at it. The very sight of it was driving me insane. Luke undid my restraints, and picked me up bridal style and gently set me on the couch in the corner. I tried to sit up, but he stopped me. "Lie down. You need to rest" he said. I laid back down, and looked at Luke who was about to walk out the door. I closed my eyes. "Luke" "Yes" he answered. "Don't leave" I said softly. "Ok" he said. I could hear him walk back over and sit in the chair next to the couch.