Prologue

Iwas so sure the case was done and closed.

It was so obviously a vampire. He was losing control of himself, draining people in their homes. It was so black and white.

"Fuck," I murmur to myself, opening my eyes slowly, wishing my vision would stop being so fucking blurry so I could actually see my surroundings. I was very wrong about this case being done. I try to move my hands and find them cuffed behind the chair I'm sitting in, the metal jingling behind me. The sound is too loud in this otherwise silent room.

My heart picks up speed as I realize the situation I've found myself in. I'm chained to a chair in someone's basement. I look all around but find myself alone. The tiniest bit of relief hits me as I realize the rest of the crew is safe. It's just me here.

When we got to the town, we took our time investigating. There were three bodies, all three had been completely drained of blood, bite marks clearly present and it wasn't hard to realize fangs made these marks. Someone was killing innocent people and based on the evidence, they were slowly losing control. If we didn't stop them now, we knew they would just keep killing.

We did what needed to be done.

It was me who finally found the vampire. He tried to fight back. He tried to drain me as well. But my silver blade was sharpened just that morning. With all my might I took his head clear off his shoulders, stopping him once and for all.

My head throbs with each beat of my heart and my vision is dangerously close to going dark once again. But I fight myself to stay awake and present. I blink over and over until my vision clears enough for me to get my bearings a little better.

Definitely in a basement. There are a few tiny windows at the top of the walls and it appears to be nighttime. Okay, so I haven't been out too long.

What's the last thing I remember? Fuck. I was walking into town by myself. I was planning on hitting the gas station for some marshmallows for Carlos because I forgot to grab them earlier.

I can't believe this is happening. In all my years of being a hunter, I've never been so fucking blindsided before. Well, not since Trish and finding out all the bullshit she was into. My sister turned out to be a rogue hunter, killing supernatural beings just for being different than herself. But since then, I've been so fucking careful.

The click of heels against the floor draws my attention and my eyes go to the stairs, watching as a woman steps into the room with me. Her eyes are hard and angry as she looks at me and a chill goes down my spine.

I clench my hands together, schooling my features as best as I can. I know she can probably smell how fucking terrified I am but I won't give her the satisfaction of seeing me scared.

How the fuck did we miss that there were two of them?

"Glad to see you're awake," she says carefully, coming to stand in front of me before squatting down so we're at the same eye level. This vampire is incredibly pretty with long brown hair and piercing eyes but there's something about the curl of her lip that makes her terrifyingly ugly, like she's more than capable of killing innocent people without a second thought. She's beautiful but cold, the worst combination in my experience. Not too much unlike my sister unfortunately.

"I wish I could say the same to you."

"Funny," she says, her voice saying anything but. She's not amused in the slightest. She's not chatty. That doesn't bode well for me. Usually when they're talkative, I can talk them into letting me go or at least distract them enough to get my hands free. Having her full attention on me like this makes my stomach sink.

"You took something very precious to me, human."

"Your hunting grounds?"

"No," she spits out, her lip curling into a snarl, yet her eyes are tortured with anguish. She's angry but she's also mourning. Fuck. "You took my mate away from me. I feel so empty without him. I can't eat, I can't sleep. I can barely function without him here and it's all your fault. You killed him!"

"He was draining innocent people!"

"I don't care!" The vampire slaps me so hard it makes my head spin a little. "You will pay for this," she says, standing up straight and pacing around the room. With her attention away from me, I begin to wiggle my wrists, trying to get some sort of leverage to pull them free or loosen them enough to start slipping out of them. I really don't want to break my thumbs to get out of these but if that's what it'll take, it's what I'll end up doing. Anything to get the fuck out of here.

"How do you plan on making me pay? A life for a life?" Gods, I really hope that's not the plan.

She turns back towards me, her eyes glaring daggers into me. "Something close enough," she murmurs as she straightens up, seeming to come up with an idea. "I want to make you hurt as badly as I hurt."

"I can take pain," I tell her, clenching my jaw. "Is that your plan? To torture me until you feel I've been hurt enough?"

"Something even better," she says, smiling for the first time since entering the room. I swallow thickly. She comes in close, grabbing my chin between her fingers, forcing me to look up at her. I try to turn away but her grip is too strong.

"What then?"

"I think I'll take that which you hold so fucking dearly, little hunter. I think I shall strip you of your humanity and watch as you become the monster you apparently hate so much."

It takes a moment for my brain to process but when it does, my entire body locks up with fear. I tried to hide my feelings but now they're broadcast so clearly across my face. "No."

"Oh yes," she says, the delight evident in her voice as she smiles down at me. "You're going to be a vampire by the morning. I think I'll leave your body to reanimate near the ER, that way you'll have a feast right there waiting for you. Let's see how easy it is for you to control the bloodlust. Then your crew will have to be the ones to put you down."

"Please no."

"The perfect plan." She smiles down at me, her fangs falling down into place. I try to move away, scooting the chair back as I attempt to fling myself away from her. "Poetic justice really."

"Don't do this. Please. You can go free. Just leave me."

"Your pleas will get you nowhere. My mind is made up." I watch as she bites her own palm, her blood welling up to the surface.

A scream leaves my throat as her fangs dig into my shoulder. My scream is cut short as her hand finds my mouth. I do my best not to swallow but despite my best efforts, it happens. I know the moment it slides down my throat and my fate is sealed.

I close my eyes as my head grows light. Everything begins going black and with the last amount of energy I possess, I throw out a little prayer to whoever will hear it that I have enough control not to hurt anyone when I wake up again. I've never been big on believing in some deity or god out there, but in this moment, I'm not sure I have anything else.