Danielle Pierce: Vampire Hunter

Prologue

Paris. A beautiful city really. I’d always wanted to go there. But not like that. Not the way it ended. It started as a romantic holiday with my boyfriend Scott. I was 16 and in love. But my past caught up to me, and in no time, I was attacked and captured by one of the deadliest vampires known. He tortured me. Put me under a trance, I was in his power for weeks. He made me kill Scott. Scott, the man I loved, with his grey eyes and dirty-blonde hair. Something pulled me back. I think I remembered who I was when I told Scott I loved him, right before ending his life. I fought my way out of the trance, and escaped. But the memory still haunts me, reminding me that, sooner or later, my past will catch up with me.

DANIELLE

The cold damp ground rushes up to meet my feet as I bound through the dark cobblestoned streets. My breath slices through the air like knives of steam. I’m not even totally sure who I’m running from, not that it matters. I can hear the heavy footfalls just seconds behind me, and a dagger flies past, just mere millimetres from my face. I have to do something. Now. Or else they’ll catch me. I begin to chant…but the words are cut short as a dagger wedges itself deep between my shoulder blades. Damn.

A rough hand grips my shoulder and jerks me awake. Pain sears through my body and up my spine. I bite my lip to keep from crying in pain. I try to move but my body screams in resistance.  I slump back down, pulling my knees up to my chin and sitting very still. A hand smacks me hard in the back of my head and sends me sprawling across a wooden floor. I lay there a moment, listening to waves lapping gently against the wood. I must be in a boat. The rough hand grabs me again and pulls me to my feet. The world spins for a moment as I try to gain my balance. “Bring her to me.” orders a voice. I know it from somewhere…it’s been forever since I heard it last but I’d recognise the velvet smooth voice anywhere. Kazvin Dark. Thief. Murderer. Vampire.

The rough hand throws me over the side of the boat. I land on my knees in the damp sand, twisting my hands into fists as white hot flames of pain lick at my back where the dagger hit me. The owner of the rough hand kicks me in the ribs sending me sprawling across the beach. A small moan of agony escapes my lips. The man laughs as he walks over to kick me again. His boot connects with the back of my head and I whimper as he lifts his boot above my skull.  “Drake, enough.” The heavy boot is drawn back and Drake glares down at me, I scowl back at him. Oh, how I’d love to crush a boot into HIS skull. I push myself up onto my knees; sitting back on my haunches and watching Dark slowly walk towards me. He takes long strides, bare feet sinking deep footprints into the sand. If I wasn’t Dark’s main enemy, I might’ve thought he was handsome, he has pale, pale skin, golden blonde hair and deep ocean blue eyes. He has an incredibly slim figure with muscles straining under his almost translucentskin. His body is shining white in the pale moonlight, and his black pants drag in the sand. Drake, whom I haven’t inspected very well, stands behind him, glaring into the distance, playing with a dagger. It occurs to me that he is not a very happy person.Figures. “Well, hello there beautiful” purrs Dark, “How nice of you to join us.”

“I didn’t have much of a choice.” I growl, “It seems more forced.”

“Yes well, I knew you, of all people, wouldn’t come very easily.”

“Got that right, you jerk! What do you want with me?!”

“Oh my darling, it really isn’t like that. You think after all these years I still want to harm you? No, dear, I’m just back for what you owe me.” Dark smiles; and I can see his fangs sliding down through his gums. He’s standing in front of me now and I can smell the blood on his breath.

“I don’t owe you anything Kazvin.”

“Oh yes you do. You never gave me the blood you promised me for letting you go. Don’t you remember?”