Chapter - 1 One Year and Three Months Later

I was at school again, sitting with my friend in her room and working on our essays together. Nothing extraordinary. Yet today is another one of the days that it feels like the world is crashing down on me again. I was slowly getting over my mother's death or so my therapist said, but I didn't tell her everything about that day or what I thought. If I had, she'd have put me in a psych ward because weird things have been happening to me for the past year and nothing can explain them.

"Hey!"

I blinked and my eyes refocused on my eyes back on my friend. "Sorry what?"

She ran a hand through her long dark hair and sighed. "I asked if you were alright, but you spaced out."

"Sorry, just been thinking again." I sighed and closed my laptop and put it into my backpack that was hanging off the back of my chair.

University was turning out to be a boring nightmare that I couldn't get out of. Going for a Batchelor of Fine Art's is fun and all, but I used to share all of my ideas with my mom. She's not here now though and I'm struggling to make an adjustment. All my friends have seen it and left me alone, all but Braylee. She's refused to leave me on my own to deal with everything and I appreciate that.

I shook my head. "I'm gonna header."

Braylee smiled at that and handed me my Art History text book, which is too huge for its own good and I stuffed it in my bag. "See you later then, Astrid."

I pulled my coat on and grabbed my backpack. "Yeah, drawing tomorrow, lots of fun." She snickered. "I think I'll get a coffee. I have a feeling tonight's gonna be a long one."

"Essays don't write themselves."

I turned and waved over my shoulder. "You got that right!"

I made my way out of the lounge and headed for the main desk entrance, keeping my head down. I was half way there when someone called my name. "Astrid!"

I looked up to see Jason running towards me from a classroom. "Hey Jay, what's up?"

He smirked and turned on the charm, but I ignored it. He had a long way to go if he wanted to charm me into going on a date with him. I don't even find him attractive, but half of the student body would love to get their hands on the blonde haired, blue eyed man with an amazing body, but I prefer brunettes.

He stopped and tapped my nose. "I've been hearing some interesting things about you Astrid. Is it true that you hit the gym three times a week to keep that figure?"

I rolled my eyes and swatted at his hand. "Oh kiss my ass Jay. What do you really want?"

"Always to the point aren't ya." He laughed. "But seriously, have you been following the news?"

My face pulled into a frown on its own accord. "Not recently, why?"

"There's been these attacks happening all over the city and they're getting worse. Police have no leads."

I nodded. "Yeah I think I saw something about that in the paper the other day when I was passing by a stand."

Jay nodded and bit his lip. "Dad's on the team that's trying to find the cause, they think it's an animal."

"Some kind of animal?" I asked. Had I seen something like this? "In the city?"

"That's what I've overheard, but they're not sure. I was going to offer to walk you home till this blows over."

I put my hands on his shoulder and smiled sweetly. "No offence to you and you toned muscles Jay, but I can look after myself." I dropped my arms and turned to continue on my way.

"Just be careful please."

I looked at him over my shoulder. "Always."

I made it to the main desk and caught Mrs. White as she was doing mail. "Anything for me today?"

Mrs. White startled and whipped around to see me and smiled lightly. "You're going to give me a heart attack one of these days Astrid."

I laughed. "I don't mean to." She just rolled her eyes.

"A man came in looking for you."

She stopped talking and I waited for more information, but it didn't come. "Yes?" I asked.

"Oh, sorry." She blinked and held out an envelope. "He dropped this off and took off."

I grabbed the envelope and ripped it open. "Thanks Mrs. White, see you tomorrow."

"You too Astrid." She smiled and turned back to her work while I turned to walk out the main doors.

I ripped the last part of the envelope as I walked through the doors, getting a bad feeling as I pulled the letter out to read. My eyes focused on the words as I opened the paper up, and I started reading it.

We know who you are Astrid.

We know who your mother was.

Your time has run out.

You will pay for the lives,

Taken by your mother.

It was written in beautiful scripture, but as I read my breath started to shake as I exhaled, fear and hurt hitting home in my heart at the mention of my mother. Quickly I shoved the letter in my coat pocket and pulled my backpack tighter on my shoulder. I couldn't help but scan the street, not noticing anything, I started walking. Forgoing the coffee shop down the street and heading straight home, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched or worse yet, followed. I shot more looks over my shoulder and quickly darted around the corner. My brain automatically telling me to go home and my body listened.

I quickly looked over my shoulder again and ran into something or someone. I rattled my cage and I fell on my butt with a squawk of surprise. I looked up to see a blonde haired man towering over me, wearing a trench coat. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." I stammered.

The man didn't move and had a look of hatred on his face. "Are you Astrid?"

"N-no!" I lied and knew that it wasn't at all the least bit convincing going by the man's face. I quickly got to my feet so I could run.

A loud smack resonated down the street being carried by the concrete walls of buildings. I didn't feel anything at first, I just listed to the side after the slap. Then the pain came, a burning sting that made my skin warm. My hand came up to cradle the side of my face automatically as the man growled. "Don't lie, we can tell when you are scum!"

I flinched and my heart started picking up speed and crashed against my ribs. There was more than just one? My question was answered in the form of two equally as big guys stepping up behind the first. My heart felt like it was going to break through my ribs at any second.

The men all smirked at me, looking with hungry eyes. Without even thinking I lashed out, dropping my bag. I rushed forward and punched the first man in the nose, feeling the satisficing crunch of bone under my first. He stumbled and fell back clutching his nose. While the two stood shocked, I kicked them in the knees making them fall as well with pained grunts.

I ran, ran for my life. Taking random side streets and alley ways. Someone grabbed me and threw me into a wall. My head made a sickening crack against the wall and my knees gave, but my attacker held me up against the wall. The adrenalin was pumping into my blood steam profusely, but my head was swimming making it impossible to see the person holding me up.

"Did you honestly think you could get away?" A smooth, deep male voice asked. "You humans are all so predictable."

His hands tightened around my arms making me wince. My head was pounding, heart beating extremely fast and I had no idea what was going on. My head fell to the side and the man's face changed. His eyes went dark with a look of hunger and he inhaled sharply through his nose. "Do you know how good you smell?" While he talked I could see sharp fangs in his mouth. I whimpered and squeezed my eyes shut.

"Shh." He hushed me and leaned in. His nose brushed my neck at the pulse point and he inhaled deeply. "It'll only hurt for a minute." He murmured and kissed my neck, sucking at the skin. "Shh." He said again as I whimpered.

I could feel the drag of his fangs against my skin for a moment before my world erupted in pain.