Chapter One

1

          It dawned on me that he might take after his father after all. And maybe, just maybe, we actually stood a chance at coming out of this thing with a few scratches instead of a casualty count. Whatever chance we had, it was obvious that we’d survive by the skin of our teeth. But we’d survive, and that was what really mattered when you came right down to it.

          It’s funny how hope springs out of the oddest sort of things, like the whistling sound off a broken mop cutting through the trees. A broken object going so fast that it literally pierces through the wind, creating a high pitch sound before it hits his target. When an object wounds wind, well that’s how I knew we possibly had a chance. I knew we needed a lot more signs than good target practice but we had time, we could do this.

          “He sure is a fast learner, Stell. You know it’s not a bad idea to turn him before he gets good enough to stake us both,” Piper mused.

          She put her arm around me pulling me into an affectionate hug as I just observed. I could smell the sweet aroma of vanilla coming out of her pores, the smell that hid the coldness of her touch. Briggs didn’t smell that on me. Briggs didn’t see a lot of things. That day had made me wonder what made me so different, but I kept those thoughts tucked away to the back of my mind. We had more important things to focus on.

          “He’s still got a lot to learn.” I said. It wasn’t worth arguing the other part. Piper was goading me, a stick in the mud noble response was just what she wanted, so she wasn’t going to get it.

          She tilted her head, both our ears twitching when he through another stake shard, once again creating a whistling sound. “You think it’s wrong for vampires to train some teenage kid to be a hunter? I mean, if you think about it, this is a whole new level of stupid for you.”

          “And you too.”

          She shook her head, smiling. But when I turned to look at my friend there was something different in her gold rim eyes. “You know what I mean, Stella. I’m just following your lead. I’ll have to go back to the family later, where we do the same thing. Here it’s different. But it’s almost like your not one of us at all. Your just…different. Sure you got the fangs, But you don’t use them the way we do. Those eleven days, Stell,” She shook her head.

          “What?”

          “You were weak as a dog, kid. I saw it. We all saw it. And you had food right in front of your eyes, in reaching grasp. Hell, the kid would hold onto you. I cant even imagine how good that boy smelt then he smells pretty tasty now but when you were starving? No one that I know could hold off like that. It’s not really…believable.”

          I shrugged, my gaze on Louie and his form. He was getting better, his movement almost as good as art. He’d get there soon, which brought a smile to my face. “I just did what I thought was right.”

          “Morals. How do you even have morals still? I gave up on those awhile ago. Sure, they’re cute. What you’re doing is pretty interesting, but who needs morals if you live forever? There’s no consequences if you do a bad thing. No one’s going to tell me I’m going to hell, because who’s going to kill me? Yet you, you still have that human fear of damnation yet you’re older than I am.”

          “Your point?”

          “Well, I don’t know. Your just…your just different. Physically too.  You look like one of us for sure but,” She pressed her nose against my neck. Her cold air made me shiver. “You smell human.”

          I raised my brow at her. I knew Briggs didn’t smell my death, but Piper was being ridiculous.

          She then took both my wrists; our white chalkiness seemed to have a nice shine in the darkness, didn’t it. “And your not cold.” Piper mused, taking my hand and putting it on her cheek. “Your toasty warm, soft too like human skin. I love humans for their warmth. How did you manage to keep that?”

          “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I retracted my hands.

          Another whistling sound pierced the air. This one was louder than the previous two. I cocked my head seeing the stake went right into the dummy’s chest. X marks the spot. Louie turned to look at me, his emerald greens filled with cockiness. He smirked puffing out his chest, trying to look taller and stronger. “Now that’s how it’s done, ladies.”

          Piper giggled, clasping her undead heart. “You make me go weak in the knees, Louis Briggs.”

          He bowed playfully as I rolled my eyes. “Ten more just like that, and we’ll call it a night, Louie. It was good, but you need to be able to do that every single time.”

          “Awww, why can’t you let the kid have a little fun. All work and no play makes Stella a dull vampire.”

          “We have werewolves to worry about, and vampires, Piper. I don’t think we have time to goof around.” I reminded her, rising to my feet. I could tell she was frowning but I didn’t need to look at her face to know that. I was a party pooper, guess I always would be.

          But party poopers got things done. We accomplished things. Grabbing the dummy I licked my fang in thought. If he could hit it, he could hit it further. I did about fifty paces sticking it in the ground. Ellie and I had made this thing just a week ago, Uncle John had to get her a padazzling gun so where the heart was, red fake ruby buttons glimmered in kiddy fashion. I took out the stake, a few padazzling jewels falling off as I stuck the thing in the ground. Turning around, I tossed the stake back to him, smiling lightly as he caught it with ease.

          Like it was second nature. Maybe he could be like his father. Hopefully possibly better, and more considerate, but that was all hope, something I lingered on these days.

          “Ten of these, got it Louie?”

          “What do I get if I can do it all in a row?” He smirked, flashing his pearly whites.

          “This isn’t some game, Louie. I don’t know how much time we have before its just wolves scoping the area.”

          “More reason to reward me when I do good.”

          “You’re a pain in the a*s, you know that?” I growled.

          He just smiled wider at me.

          “Just give him something; I doubt he can do it, so you got nothing to lose.” Piper shrugged. She laughed watching us both. Sometimes I wondered if this was her television program from the way she acted about it.

          Rolling my eyes, I conceited. It wasn’t worth the argument. “Fine Louie, what do you want if do it all in a row?”

          “To come with you next time you’re scoping the woods for lycan tracks and clues,” He rose his hand up as I gaped. “I’m going to come someday anyways, so what’s the big deal. If I don’t do it then…umm I won’t hide your blood bags on you anymore.”

          I twitched.

          Piper laughed.

          “You shouldn’t play with them anyways! But whatever just…just practice already.” I snapped clenching my fists. If I wasn’t low on options I wouldn’t put up with him and his gags. His and Piper’s gags.

          Unfortunately beggars couldn’t be choosers.

          Besides, Louie was cocky. And cockiness always led to failure. He’d probably do some show off move by the time he got three in a row. At least I could count on him acting like an ignorant wanna-be hero. He wasn’t ready to follow me around and help me out.

2

          Louie called it hustling. I called it him being a big a*****e. Apparently, when you hussle, you pretend your lousy at something. You do it horribly over and over again so your target believes you’re just bad, have no talent. So when a bet is made, they can’t lose. But hustlers, well then they pull out talent from their asses making their victims look like fools.

          Why he chose to hustle on his hunting skills was beyond me. It wasn’t just jerkish, but stupid. Horrible. Demeaning. It meant he had no regard to what we were doing. What we had to do.  All of this was a game, a silly little teenage game. A sport or something retarded like that. I was risking everything for his family and this town and for him to play hustling games was just downright disrespectful.

          All to go travelling in the woods as I scoped for clues. He deserved a swift beating; that was what he deserved.

          One right after the other, like a cannon and great precision. Each stake landed perfectly, the last he shot from behind just to further his great assy cockiness. As I stood gaping he just winked at me brushing past me as if it was nothing getting the stake out of the dummy.

          “Guess you got yourself a new partner,” he had said smugly.

          If I could, I would have slammed my fist into his mouth to make him eat those words. But knowing me, I would forget he was only human and use full strength. He was damn lucky I bit my tongue and held onto the fact that I needed him. Or else I probably wouldn’t mind sending teeth down his windpipe.

          He wondered why I didn’t talk to him when we walked back to the barn. He even tilted his head in his confused mannerish way when I slammed the door that lead to the stairway to their attic. He told me he was just playing around. He told me I needed to calm down. It was just a joke, and it wasn’t a big deal.

          I told him I wanted to be left alone.

          I locked the door, tredding my way up the steps. There was a light switch, but I barely used it, I never needed it. It was just a normal attic, covered with dust, odd contraptions and knick knacks that had no place in a home, but couldn’t be let go. Something I could relate to. There was a cot, an old springy sofa, and a freezer hooked up to the only outlet in this place.

          I know it was wrong to live off these people. It was wrong to be dependent off humans. It was wrong to live with humans, but I had nowhere else to go and with my sister waiting for me to leave and a possible bigger threat lurking by I couldn’t walk out during daylight hours to burn to death. Or else I would have.

          John Briggs, a man I thought was a coward when I first met, had turned out to be a bigger aid to me than I had ever dreamed of. Not that I should be proud that I was basically living off him. But under the circumstances I had to let it go.  That day, when Louie and I were home free, there was a point where Louie had to carry me as smoke came out of my pores. I don’t remember much about that day, except for seeing the barn, about to pass out again when the farmer came running over possibly crying.

          I remember him grabbing my face with both hands, kissing my forehead before everything went black. The rest of the day, Louie knew more than I did. I woke up in this attic on the sofa I sat on now. He was setting up a freezer with Louie talking about something about going over to the Veterarian’s place and buying off bags of blood. Not to worry about starving myself again, he’d take care of me. I was always welcome here.

          I was part of the family.

          I recoiled at the words and passed out again. Those eleven days had been hell and even though I did have blood in my system it still took a toll on me. Piper believes it did because I live off animal blood, and that’s just not healthy for a girl like me. Whatever the reason, after coming out of Luna’s ‘loving’ gesture alive, I could barely stay awake for a few days when I was safe.

          At first I was just going to stay here until Louis Briggs came. I would tell him about the lycans. He would want to protect his family, he was a father it was his duty, and then stay awhile so my sister got the point that this place was off limits. She’d pack up the clan and move, and I’d finally go my own separate way. I never had been alone, but I was a loner, I’d adapt and be fine with that. Everything was going to work out perfectly fine. But I should have known that it was all good to be true. The hunter didn’t trust me. He hated me. I could see in his eyes he saw me as this horrible threat. I never understood why but he just left me like I was nothing but dirt.

          You’re a vampire, you figure it out.

          So things changed. I had to stay here. I had to find lycans. I had to stay alive or else the whole town was screwed. Apparently Luna’s few moments of grace were gone and she wanted her own justice by reaping everyone in town the second I left. Or, that’s what Piper tells me. I had to teach Louie to be a good hunter. Unfortunately I needed him.

          I groaned running my fingers through my hair as I stared at the ceiling. I shouldn’t be with humans. I shouldn’t be depending on them. I shouldn’t have a kid follow me like some teacher through danger. I really thought I learned my lesson when it came to human contact and myself. But I guess I hadn’t. I hadn’t learned a damn single thing.