research

I am currently researching, so writing is going slow at the moment. I really am getting into native american names, their meanings and what names best identify with my characters. Last names from what I have read have little meaning, its their given name that helps identify the individuals character....at least that is what I am getting so far. I have a couple people to interview on that subject and more about their cultures and customs. I want to be as accurate as possible in my writing. My readers deserve it; if I didnt do it I would feel as if I cheated them and myself.

The start of my journey

I wanted to start out by telling you my genre of choice. I like sci-fi fantasy/Romance. I have written many short stories involving witches, vampires, were wolves and anything else preternatural you can think of. I am currently two chapters into this book. I will post them for feedback purposes. After that, you will all have to wait for me to finish to read the rest. I am currently at a critical point in this series/book. I have many directions of which to choose from; most or all of which I will address in this series. I am at a crossroads, which way shall I go? I have a lot to think on and I look forward to your comments/suggestions on what I have thus far. Happy reading!

My fangs stirred as I listened intently for any sign of movement above. It was happening more and more these past few days. The fang thing I mean; just another wonderful thing about being a female vampire. The normal everyday human female had to deal with the monthly cramps, bloating, back pain and hormonal changes of their mating cycle. Vampire females however also deal with the thirst that comes with ‘that time of the month.’ Our bodies get the extra blood for the baby from outside sources rather than making it ourselves. Not that I had to worry about that; there was no way I was going to have a baby anytime soon. If I did, my aunt would not only be trying to kill me, but the baby as well.

I was the last of her nieces and nephews alive. After the others’ parents met their final death either by choice, accidents or outright murder, Aunt Sophie went after each and every one of their children. Hunted them down like animals to keep her throne. She was the queen of all vampires; dark, powerful, greedy and outright evil.

I am now stuck hiding in the basement of an empty house trying out outrun her guards. My father died yesterday, killed by auntie herself. I have to admit that was a switch, the guards usually did the outright killing. My father was however the most powerful of the family next to Sophie and he took out at least twenty guards before she went after him. I was determined to get out of the city, out of the state, out of the north eastern United States. Far away from her and the throne. I have never voiced any interest in being queen. Truthfully I hated the idea of ruling the vampires. They are always starting wars between territories, killing one another over the silliest of things like a wrong word said at a formal meeting, not greeting one another with the proper etiquette of their title or something as simple as not sending an invitation to all the right people.

The biggest problem about our kind however; is killing a human. Attention brought upon us was very dangerous. If humans knew of our existence they would try and hunt us down and kill us out of fear. Knowing the human race they would also try and figure out how we work, why we are immortal and how to harness that power. Human knowledge tended to turn out badly, even if intentions are good to begin with. Look at nuclear energy for instance, all that destruction, death and fear that came with that discovery. Nope, human knowledge was not a good idea for anyone; us or them.

So that’s where we are now boys and girls. I hope you would like to stick around during this cat and mouse game, it could get interesting. Oh, one more thing. My name is Vera Alder, Princess of the American Vampire Clan, nice to meet you.

CHAPTER 1

Let me first explain a few “misunderstandings” the human race has about vampires. I will not burst into flame when I go out in the sun. I do however have fair European skin, freckles and all so I do burn very easily; even if it only lasts about an hour before going back to normal. No tan for me, our skin heals itself very quickly giving no time for that golden look humans enjoy. I do not sleep in a coffin; I prefer my soft Egyptian cotton sheets, down pillows and comforter. Not that I will be seeing anything like that anytime soon. I am not allergic to silver, it happens to be my favorite for jewelry. Crosses do not have effect on us; in fact there are as many Christians among us as there are humans. Our version is a bit different; not damning us and all that. We believe in having a soul just like anyone else, we are not evil by nature. Our customs and morals do differ from humans but the basic idea is the same. We need to breathe just like anyone else, our red blood cells however break down about every week or so giving way to the whole feed on humans thing. Without a steady supply of human blood we lose our ability to carry oxygen to our cells causing death by asphyxiation but that takes like a month so we can go a bit longer in between feedings. We cannot turn a human into a vampire; we are born this way just as humans are. Werewolves however are contagious and farie can do wonderful and horrible things including shape shifting people into any number of things. Nasty creatures the lot of them.

You all have gotten a few things correct however. We can bespell a human and many other creatures with our eyes. We can make you forget, believe, or do any number of things as the need arises. I can move so fast the human eye cannot detect me, blend into shadows and seem to disappear to most creatures, jump really high and hold my breath for well over an hour. I’m not bullet proof but unless you shoot me so many times in the heart that it’s completely destroyed or chop my head off I will heal extremely fast.

We are also capable of a number or horrible things, like anyone. Ours just come in a much nastier variety. Some of us are capable of destroying a mind completely, turning someone into stone though that one’s not common. Some of us can fly, some can shape shift, others read minds, change peoples moods, see the future or someone’s past although I have seen that in humans rarely as well. My personal favorite is telekinesis, because naturally I can do that one! I got the hang of that one at about twenty. Being three hundred eighty nine makes me a master at it or so I would hope.

It’s still quiet, no signs that anyone followed me in here so I may as well let you know what I look like, kind of a need to know thing. I’m five foot three inches tall, about one twenty soaking wet. My hair is a medium brown with golden highlights, it goes down to about the middle of my back. I have green and gold spun eyes, freckles across my nose and under my eyes and full lips. I have a very curvy shape, not skin and bones like my sister was. I like black clothing, dark makeup, light lip gloss and lots of jewelry. I have angel wing tattoos on my back and our family name down both of the undersides of my forearms which are now covered up by sheathes with throwing darts in them. I am wearing a black t-shirt that says I heart monsters on the front, black Tripp pants and knee high strapped leather boots with weighted knives in custom pockets on each side. I have a black and silver tiny coffin ring my mother gave to me when I was young on my right middle finger, a plain silver band on my right thumb and one with my family crest on the forefinger of my left hand. The side pockets of the pants each hold two silver throwing stars each. A nine millimeter hand gun strapped to each thigh with armor piercing bullets, four extra clips in the back pockets, my hair is put up with two steel rods that are as sharp as an ice pick and double as weapons and a small vial of human blood around my neck for emergency healing purposes. Oh, I forgot. I also have a small sword that goes in between my shoulder blades, the hilt coming out of the shirt at the base of my neck for when I am out of ammo or have close combat. A gift from my father the day Sophie made her first attack on him.

My cell phone says its two thirty seven p.m. There will be no more movement today; I’d better get some type of rest before sunset. It’s easier to move in the shadows at night and less witnesses should there be an encounter with either of the two guards tracking me. I need to get to Paytah before tomorrow night. My father told him to expect me if he died and to get me to the west coast, hoping Aunt Sophie would come to a compromise with me so far away. Somehow I doubt it.

Chapter 2

I woke up just as the sun was setting. The temperature was about 19 degrees so I doubt that there will be many people venturing out. I got my long leather coat out of my backpack and put it on. It wasn’t for the cold; temperatures don’t really bother us until absolute zero or above three hundred degrees. It was more for hiding the weapons and not to look out of the ordinary to humans I may encounter.

Throwing the black leather backpack which held a lot more ammo, a change of clothes and toiletries over my shoulders I quietly started up the basement stairs listening for any signs of movement. I doubted the guards had tracked me here or I would have heard from them by now for sure but it was better to be safe than sorry.

As I reached the top of the stairs I drew both guns from the thigh holsters and turned into the living room preparing for anyone or anything that may be waiting in the shadows. Holding each gun at arm’s length, I circled around to catch every corner and shadow. There was nothing in the room but an old battered couch that looked like it had been there since at least the seventies complete with shag carpet matted with dirt and god only knows what else. Quickly moving to the front door I listened outside, the sound of two humans walking a dog down the neighborhood street were the only signs of life outside in the brisk winters evening. I put the guns back in their holsters and slid a throwing dart out of each sheath and into the palms of my hands. That’s when I heard him behind me. The slightest brush of fabric against the doorway gave him away. Her guards were known for their talents but being able to sneak up on a vampire was indeed a big talent. I can hear a heartbeat from quite a ways away and I heard nothing, sensed nothing before he brushed up against the doorway. If he hadn’t made that slight mistake I would be dead right now. Spinning around I threw both of the darts at the extremely large man in front of me. He had to be at least six and a half feet tall and a wall of muscle. He had dark hair and bright blue eyes that pierced into your soul. One dart hit him in the throat, the other in the thigh. His huge bulk shook the floor as he landed on his back grunting from the pain the darts had caused. Before I even had time to move he was on his feet running at me, darts still stuck into him. He slammed me into the wall, breaking the drywall with my back. I felt the sharp sting of a punch a crossed the face followed instantly by the stab of the throwing knife that had been lodged in his thigh in my gut; I tasted blood in my mouth as I crumpled into a ball on the floor. I slowly took the dart out of my stomach, willing it to heal. Careful not to move anymore than I had I stopped my breathing and slowed my heart rate as much as possible and still stay conscious. I waited for him to think he had won and come over to finish me off. As he leaned over my face I quickly grabbed the dart in his throat and ripped it to one side, slicing open his right jugular. His blood splashed at my face as he fell to the side.

Knowing this wouldn’t keep him down for more than a few seconds I grabbed my darts and ran down the hall into a bedroom, slamming the door behind me. Putting the darts, knives and throwing stars on the floor next to me I grabbed the guns and pointed them at the closed door as I willed it to stay shut; blood dripping off my face and soaking my t shirt. The door wouldn’t open with my power keeping it closed but nothing stopped him from breaking the door apart and getting in anyway. As I waited my heartbeat slowed and time seemed to as well. I was trained for years for this to happen and my body responded accordingly. Slowing everything down meant I would have more time to react to an assault, more time to plan the kill. A small smile crossed my lips as I heard the door begin to break. I had the advantage and he was going to die.

The door started cracking as he tried to kick it in, as the first hole appeared I slowly raised the darts off of the floor so they floated at my head level. Another kick sent his leg through the door and I quickly shot one of the darts at his knee cap, ripping it apart as it went all the way through the same leg I hit the first time, the point coming out the other side.

“What the fuck!” He growled, pulling his leg back out and grunting as he pulled the dart out of his knee. I couldn’t help but shutter at the thought of how that must have felt; but hey, the guy was here to kill me what are you gonna do?

“You can stop anytime now and leave me alone you know. Tell Sophie I’m not interested in her precious crown.” I yelled.

“You know I can’t do that, I was ordered to kill you and I follow my orders. Besides, you’re just a little bitch; you think you can best me?”

“Oh I know I can. You’ll be the bitch when I’m through with you,” I laughed. Always laugh at your opponent if you want them to lose control of their emotions. That way they are more apt to making mistakes; like this guy who ran full force at the door. The force of his actions only got him about half way through the door before my blocking stopped him.

I fired two rounds into his head and he slumped into the doorframe. Getting up I ran at him and kicked him back through the door, his body hitting the opposite wall; the head wound already starting to heal as he rose up I thought of my throwing stars, sending them into each of his shoulders, pinning him to the wall. Turning directly around I reached for the remainder of my weapons on the ground; all of them landing directly in my hands. As fast as I could I put them back into their proper places, which for me was less than a half a second, grabbed my backpack and jumped out the bedroom window. I needed to get out of this crowded neighborhood and get him to a place that I could kill him and the body wouldn’t be discovered right away. That way it can be disposed of without human interference.

There was an empty office building about two miles down the road. The owner had stopped renovation right in the middle of the project due to the economic conditions and lack of funds. It was exactly what I needed. I was already about two blocks ahead of him at a full run when I heard him crash out of the house. As I came to intersections I just jumped right over them, not wanting to get hit by an oncoming car and needing to stay far ahead of him. Being small has its advantages; I was much faster and more agile than he so I kept a good distance between us without exhausting myself or losing him in the process. I wasn’t running away, I needed him to follow.

The empty office building was now three blocks away. It was perfect for what I needed; room for me to hide, kill and clean up without anyone hearing or seeing a thing. As it was I was getting shocked looks as I ran by humans; my face and hair being covered in blood tended to do that. I erased their memory of me as I ran by.

I reached the front door of the office building just as he rounded the corner two blocks down. I waited a split second for him to see me and darted through the large empty lobby, painted the customary white base and the dust covered black marble flooring. I started up the stairs; heading for the top floor, the higher the better. As I reached the very top of the stairs, I heard him open the door at the bottom the sound echoing off the concrete walls. I looked around and saw cubicles and an office in the very far right corner. Hearing the guard rush up the stairs I bolted through the cubicles and into the office. I was in luck, there was a heavy wooden desk in the back of the room. I jumped over it and quickly turned it on it’s side, using the thick wood as a shield from any weapons other than a gun, there was no hiding from that but it would buy me time.

I halted my breathing as he reached the top floor, my heartbeat was making enough noise thundering in my ears, he didn’t need any more to help him find me. The large man wasn’t graceful as he searched, tearing apart cubicles as he went. He was too over confident that I couldn’t best him. Typical of the male gender whether it be human or vampire. There are always retards in the bunch, being immortal didn’t change that. I heard him make the decision to look inside the office and readied my guns. As soon as the door handle moved I jumped up and fired a round into his head, it didn’t even slow him down. He just smiled and threw four of his throwing stars and my two at me, I could see the wound begin to close as I ducked to evade. I took one of my knives and jumped over the desk and straight at him. He had time to fire two shots at me, hitting me in the collar bone, shattering it, making my left arm useless for the few moments it took to heal. The other bullet landed in the wall behind me. I didn’t slow down, that would give him time to further injure me. Instead, as I reached him I jumped and aimed my knife at the middle of his chest with my right hand, tucking the injured arm over my stomach and drove it straight through the heart when I landed. He lurched forward as I ripped the knife back out, changed angles and drove it back in again. I ripped the wound open to the side to give me enough room for my hand to fit. Throwing the knife to the floor I reached into the chest cavity, pulling out the pieces of heart that were still intact and crushing it in my hand, ensuring the guards death.

My hand had been ripped apart by the broken ribs of the guard’s chest, his blood mixing with mine as the cuts healed themselves. I suddenly had a vision of my aunt. She was wearing a form fitting black gown over her slender frame. She was thin to the point of looking fragile even if she was anything but. A golden crown decorated with onyx stones across the top was sitting atop her long blond curly hair, rings adorned her long fingers in the same fashion and her perfectly manicured nails were painted that same deep black. She looked magnificent and deadly sitting on her throne. My breathing halted as her gaze lifted to mine; her golden eyes showing violence and anger. She could see me, how I didn’t know but two things I was sure of; she knew her guard was dead, and she had powers like none this world had seen. She had a blood connection with her guards; she was controlling them from safe inside her fortified sanctuary. I knew then I had to kill her. Someone that evil with that much power couldn’t rule our people; it would destroy us all.

“Why hello Vera, I wasn’t expecting this. You must be quite the fighter to have survived Lucas,” she said smiling; showing just a hint of her deadly fangs. “No matter, I have many stronger guards for you to play with. I do hope you enjoy them, or perhaps it’s more like I hope they enjoy you?”

“I told you I want nothing to do with your crown and you know it. Call it for what it is aunt; you just hate the thought of your brothers blood walking around. You see me as a serious threat, not something to just be rid of for competitions sake. I scare you.” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. The truth was she scared the ever living shit out of me; always had. Her eyes flared with rage then. Great, I have managed to piss of the queen of our realm. Way to go genius.

“You are nothing but a spoiled little brat; a baby! How could something so insignificant scare me! I do however think I will enjoy watching you try and best those I choose to come for you, I am very bored with day to day life. Thank you niece; for making my days more interesting.” She said flashing those fangs once again as she disappeared.

Just bloody wonderful; more company on the way. I needed to get to Paytah quickly, I needed the backup and some new toys. She wanted to be entertained; I could do that; just as long as she didn’t mind watching her men die.

Please let me know what you think! I love feedback!