Craning his head slightly, Zach saw his sister below, searching for him. He’d found the perfect hiding place on the roof of the old storehouse. From his position he could see almost the entire village. The sun burned low in the sky, and the warmth of it heated the air. Zach had a good view of the placid ribbon of the Plat River as it wound its way north of the village. The stream picked up current as it flowed east toward the falls, becoming a white rush of water spilling over the black rocks.

Kat had already tried to find him in the building, but she hadn’t looked on the roof. Probably because both of them knew their mother would have a fit about Zach being there. She disappeared into the woods but then returned a few moments later.

“Zachary Bern, you come out now!” his sister demanded as she stomped her foot. When only silence greeted her command, she huffed off, yelling, “I’m going to tell Mom!”

The sun had already begun its descent beneath the horizon, and Zach really didn’t want to give up his spot yet. In this comfortable position, he watched the sky darken to twilight. The twinkling light of the stars grew stronger as the sun finally disappeared completely. It felt peaceful to Zach, but he knew it wouldn’t last long when his sister came back.

Even though he was older than Kat by four years, he didn’t mind when she bossed him around. She was only six, but he had always let her tag along with him from the time she’d learned to walk. He sighed when Kat returned, dragging their mother by the hand down the lane. It was time to give up his perfect hiding spot. As they stopped in front of the building, his mother called out, “Zachary, get out here now. It’s way past time for dinner.”

Before Zach could stand, several dark figures came out of the nearby woods. As he started to rise to shout out a warning, the swift, unexpected movements of the other people stunned him. They moved incredibly fast. When one of them grabbed his mother, Zach froze with the high-pitched terror of her scream. Even more cloaked figures swarmed from the trees, heading in the direction of the village. In the bright silver glow of the moon, he could see the fear on his mother and sister’s faces.

Still, Zach couldn’t force his limbs to move. He lay plastered to the roof, helpless as a man held his mother pinned to him with one arm. The other wrapped around his sister’s waist, and the man appeared unperturbed by their struggles. Under his arm, suspended against his side, Kat wriggled desperately to free herself.

In front of Zach’s eyes, the man buried his face against his mother’s throat as she screamed and tried to kick her way free. Zach felt nothing but horror as he realized the dark figure was a vampire. His mother’s attempts weakened and her screams faded into silence. Immobile with his own fear, there was nothing Zach could do, and disbelief rose with the terror, this couldn’t possibly be happening.

In the distance, he heard more screams and shouts from the direction of the village. When the vampire dropped his mother’s body, her sightless eyes stared up into the sky and tears blinded Zach.

Kat’s terrified sobs went unabated as another figure approached from the woods. “Hel, if you’re going to keep that one, shut her up. Reto will be here soon. He wants to bed down for the day then returnd to Forest Crest.”

They both ignored the dead body lying in the dirt near them. When the man pulled back his hood, Zach saw the arrogant lines of his features.

“Since when have I listened to Reto?”

Zach memorized each detail of his mother’s murderer. Hel was ungodly beautiful in the way of vampires: blond hair spilled around broad shoulders, framing the pale, sweetly curved visage. The man looked like an angel come to life, but the blood on his lips gave lie to the false innocence. Beyond scared, Kat did no more than whimper against the hold on her.

“Don’t push your luck, Hel. You run the Blood Assara by his grace.” With a sneer, he added, “Or are you ready to take Reto on?”

Hel’s features distorted into pure rage, twisting his handsome face. “Shut up, Vel. Just shut up.”

“Take only the young ones, the rest we feast on. Those are his orders.” Vel didn’t bother to hide his smirk of amusement.

In the village, a fire burned against the night sky. Zach could hear screams and shouting and caught glimpses of people running through the trees as they tried to escape.

Several vampires came from the village, leading a roped line of prisoners down the lane toward the old storehouse. When they stopped in front of the building, Hel strode over to the humans and picked up the end of the rope, tying it around Kat’s neck. After dropping her to the ground, he went inside. Two of the vampires walked along the line and untied three of the mortals. Their victims struggled violently as they were dragged into the building.

A few vampires remained outside to guard the humans as the others followed Hel. Though the night was warm, Zach shivered uncontrollably as he tried not to sob.

From inside the building came the sounds of long drawn screams, shrill in their intensity. They battered Zach’s ears. He didn’t want to know what was happening, and he covered his ears to block it out. A vampire would occasionally walk out of the building, then toss a body carelessly to the ground before grabbing another and going back in.

The carnage of torn victims, their organs spilling from the dead shells of their bodies, scented the air with their blood. Zach saw the face of his teacher, twisted in the agony of her death. A hole had been torn out of her chest, the mass of her insides exposed from her throat to her stomach. Zach swallowed against the rise of bile in his throat and closed his eyes tightly to blot out the sight, but it didn’t help. The screams still rang relentlessly in Zach’s ears.

Several vampires came out into the open yard and one walked up and down the lines of prisoners. As she pointed to a female human, another vampire stepped forward and unknotted the rope around her neck. The young girl sobbed piteously but the vampire grabbed her wrist and yanked her forward. A third vampire coiled another rope around the girl’s neck, then waited for the next chosen prisoner. As each was pulled forward, the rope was looped and tied around their throats. When the vampire approached Zach’s sister, he almost cried out in protest, then bit his lip so hard it started to bleed. Only the young were taken and, once finished, four of the vampires led the roped humans toward the woods.

Zach felt the despair of being unable to do anything. It blackened his soul and tears spilled down his cheeks as he shriveled inside himself. Resting his forehead to his arm, he shook with the sobs he tried to suppress.

An eternity later, there were no more vampires or people coming from the village. Zach wasn’t sure if any had escaped or not. He could only pray his father and brother had gotten away. He hadn’t seen them with any of tied prisoners who huddled despairingly in the yard.

Screams continued to erupt sporadically from inside the storehouse and didn’t fade until long moments later, sometimes abruptly cut off in mid-sound. Zach didn’t dare move at all. He knew he had to stay where he was until the sun rose. Then he could get out of there and try to find his sister.

Several dark shapes appeared soundlessly behind the four vampires guarding the prisoners. Sudden flashes of metal glinted in the moonlight before the stakes were thrust into the unsuspecting backs. Without a sound, the bodies crumpled and several more figures appeared out of nowhere. The tallest one pulled out a sword and the others followed. With efficient speed they sliced the heads off of the downed vampires from their bodies.

For some reason, none of the prisoners made any noise, and when Zach glanced over at them, he saw every last one of them was in a daze. They stared vacantly ahead, unaware of the activity around them. As the cloaked figures pulled back their hoods, Zach knew in an instant they were vampires as well. An unearthly glow to their skin betrayed what they were.

With one motion from the man in the center, the rest spread out to block the exits of the building. Zach studied the vampire. Long, black hair lay in thick waves around a pale, set expression, and Zach thought there was disgust etched in the lines, but a moment later there was nothing but blankness to the man’s features. He forced himself to brand the face into his mind, and Zach swore someday he would kill them all.

When one of the doors opened, the man lifted his hand. A horrible shriek followed, and a second later a vampire on fire lurched into the yard below. Zach smelt the unmistakable odor of burning flesh. The shouts of the other vampires inside the building erupted as the vampire on fire collapsed and fell face first to the ground. As the rest poured out of the doors, they were met in fierce battle by the vampires waiting outside.

Everywhere Zach looked, bodies were engaged in bloody combat. The gleam of swords and stakes repeatedly flashed in the glow of the moon. Seriously outnumbered, the first group of vampires fell fairly quickly.

“Jai, gather the bodies and stack them in the building, then torch it!” the black-haired vampire yelled out as he fought with Hel.

“Yes, Night!” the man yelled back before he motioned to several of the others. They dragged the fallen vampires across the ground and into the storehouse.

Grim determination settled on the faces of Night and Hel as their swords clashed with deafening sound. They circled each other, trying to find an opening in their opponent’s defense. Hel’s body bore many bloody marks but Night’s had only one, where the tip of Hel’s sword had caught him on the arm.

Zach saw something oddly beautiful in the deft movement of limbs as Night pressed the attack on Hel, forcing the other vampire back. He had heard tales of them, but he’d never seen a vampire, since none had ever come to his village in his short lifetime. They lived across the border where the rivers of blood red water flowed.

In a lightening blur of motion, Night parried a blow meant to cleave through his arm. Before Hel could bring the sword back around, Night brought his down on Hel’s head with all his strength.

The blow sliced through the skin and bone at the top of Hel’s head and down to his throat. It didn’t stop until the blade stuck from the vampire’s neck. With a harsh growl, Night forced the sword free and Hel dropped to the ground.

Zach was so engrossed in the battle below, he didn’t notice the flames licking up the side of the building. The smoke alerted him to the danger of his position, and he frantically jumped up to get back to the small hatchway.

An arm wrapped around him and he felt himself lifted into the air. Too frightened to struggle, Zach’s heart raced with the empty space between him and the ground. His fingers clung desperately to the arm around him, finding the flesh hot to the touch.

“I’ve got you.” A soft voice spoke near his ear but nothing stilled the panic inside Zach. The spot where he had been was already engulfed in flames. Its bright glow and acrid smell of the fire singed his senses.

A moment later, Zach felt solid ground beneath his feet and the arm released him. Whirling around, he found himself face to face with the vampire, Night. A fathomless blue gaze stared at him and Zach stumbled back, trying to get away. Something in the depths of those eyes fascinated and frightened him; the vampire’s face, too close to his own, appeared smooth, ageless, unflawed. Zach could still feel the heat of that skin on his fingertips.

As Night took a step toward him, Zach flailed wildly out with his fists. When Zach took another step back, the heel of his shoe caught on a rock and he tumbled backward. Bright stars burst across his vision and sudden pain shot through his head, then blackness descended.