Chapter One

So hungry, so f*****g hungry, and I wanted out! I slammed opened my bedroom door and flashed to the landing. I looked down the stairs and growled. Giggling like a maniac, I jumped the stairs, landing silently in a crouch. I threw my head back, causing my long blond hair to go in every direction. “Sire,” I called and straightened, stomping into the darkened kitchen. I yanked open the refrigerator and scowled, squinting against the bright glare. “No blood!” I exclaimed. “Does this mean I get to go hunting?” I asked cheerfully, turning around and stabbing a finger into Sven’s chest. He grunted and caught my wrist in an unbreakable hold. “Well?” I continued, inclining my head to the side and smiling at him. He pulled me into his arms and away from the refrigerator, kicking it shut.

“No, no hunting,” he said softly. “Liana will be back with blood soon, I promise.”

“And brains?” I asked hopefully, sighing and practically drooling in pleasure at the taste of blood and brain matter. Too bad brains couldn’t last even a minute outside of a skull.

“Jordana?”

I blinked and refocused on my sire. “Yes?”

“There will be no brains.”

I pouted at him. “Why not? They are delicious. You should try it.”

He pulled back slightly and grimaced. “No thank you.” He inclined his head, as if listening to something. My ears perked up when I heard someone entering the house. “Relax,” Sven said, sighing. “It’s only Liana.”

“Only?” I asked and pushed away from him. I flashed from the kitchen and for the front door. I snatched the cooler of blood from Liana before she even made it over the threshold.

“Someone’s hungry,” she said dryly as I snapped opened the cooler’s lid. I scowled as it was snatched from me. I bared my fangs and hissed. Liana put up a hand. “Take it easy,” she said to me. “Take it easy. Let’s go to the kitchen first, okay? And then you can have as many bags as you like.”

“Jordana,” Sven called to me. “Come, sweetheart.” I snarled and spun around, flashing back to the kitchen and flounced into a chair, grumbling. Liana came in after me and set the cooler on the counter. Both of my sires’ eyes were on me, and I tilted my head back, until I was looking up at the ceiling.

“Don’t mind me,” I said, giggling. “I’ll just count the dust on the ceiling.” I had no idea how long I stared at the ceiling, but the next thing I knew, a hot plastic bag was pressed into my hand. I looked down and brought the blood to my mouth. “Two thousand three hundred and eighty-one,” I sang under my breath.

Sven chuckled, patting me on my head. “Drink up.” I looked at him, eyes narrowed, and bit into the bag. I sighed and glared at him. “What? What did I do now?” I drained the bag and crushed it in my hand.

“This is disgusting,” I complained and tossed the ball of plastic at him. He caught it and sighed. “Why do they even bother with putting those stupid chemicals in the blood?” I got up and pushed my way past him. His hand shot out and grabbed hold of my arm, bringing me to an abrupt stop. I snarled and jerked, twisting and punching him in the stomach. He growled, and I yelped as my arms were twisted behind my back in a painful angle.

“Please,” he said as I back kicked him. “Don’t do this.” I screeched and let myself go limp. His hold tightened on me, and I hit the floor, taking him with me. With a sharp mental command, I sent the clock flying toward his head. I growled as Liana plucked it from the air. Sven flipped me over, and he growled at me. I growled right back. “Stop it.” I hissed and bucked. It was like struggling against a f*****g brick wall. My head jerked up, and I sank my fangs into his neck, releasing a massive quantity of venom into his bloodstream. Sven snarled and pushed off of me, tearing his neck even more. I flashed to my feet and ran headfirst into a window, shattering it. I could feel Liana’s glare at my back, as I flew outside.

I inhaled the fresh air and skipped down the sidewalk. I crossed fifteen streets before I came upon a rogue, and yes, I was counting. Actually, I was singing it. I came to a stop and grinned.

“Hey,” the rogue called, walking up to me. “Who’s the lucky prey?” he asked, seeing Sven’s blood on my mouth. I slowly licked at the blood and shrugged. He stopped before me and smiled. “You still hungry?” I nodded eagerly. “You mind if I join?” I shrugged. “Is that a yes?” I shrugged again, his fêted breath threatening to turn my stomach. He nodded and stepped to my side. “Lead the way, gorgeous.” Smiling to myself, I continued down the sidewalk. “So what’s your name?”

I looked back at him, still grinning. “Why does it matter?” I asked sweetly and tried not to giggle out loud.

He smirked. “I guess not, but a name would be nice.”

“Hmm,” I said in thought and turned into a darkened side street, stopping when we came upon a dead-end. “You can call me brain-eater.”

He looked at me dubiously, stopping in front of me. “Brain-eater?”

I looked at him innocently, my eyes going wide. “What’s wrong with brain-eater? Don’t you like it?” I asked, pouting.

“Why brain-eater though?”

My eyes narrowed on him. “I have a secret,” I hissed softly. “But you can’t tell anyone.”

“A secret?” he asked, interested.

I couldn’t help it, I giggled. “A big one.”

“What’s the secret? I won’t tell a soul, promise.” I beckoned for him to come closer. He did, and I bent to his ear. “What is it?” he asked when I didn’t say anything.

“Impatient are we?” I asked, putting a hand on his jaw and stroking lightly.

“Very.”

“Well,” I whispered, drawing out the word. “I like to eat brains.”

He stiffened. “What?” he spluttered.

“Like yours,” I said cheerfully and wrenched his head all the way around before he knew what hit him. I laughed at the sound of broken bones and dug my fingers into his neck, tearing at the flesh until the head parted from the body. “Brain,” I hissed excitedly, and I shoved my hand into the mass of tissues until I found what I was looking for. “Brain brain brain!” I yanked out the brain, and my fangs flashed, as I quickly devoured the bloody cauliflower-like organ with glee. Laughing, I banged my head against the dirty brick wall, as all of the rogue’s memory washed over me. “Babies,” I said breathlessly. “He likes babies and young boys.” I banged my head harder and licked the blood off my fingers. “He killed lots of humans, mostly blonds. He hates blonds.” I stopped banging my head and bent to the body. “I love you too, Randy. I like your hideout,” I said and giggled. “Will your friends be sad? Wandy won’t be coming back. No no no, no coming back.” I picked up the head and lifted it to my mouth, letting the remaining blood pour down my throat. I sighed when there was no more drop left. I tossed the head against the other wall and tilted my head to the side. I licked the blood off my lips and walked to the head and picked it back up. I turned and waved to Sven and Liana. They groaned and made their way over to me.

“Oh sweetheart,” Sven said, sighing. “What have you done this time?”

“I’d done nothing, sire.” I held up the head. “Trophy?” Liana shuddered and made her way to the body. Sven stopped in front of me, and I hugged the head tightly, crushing it even more in the process. “Trophy?” I repeated.

“No, no trophy,” he said and held his hand out for the head. “Please, give it to me.” I dug my fingers into the eye socket and pluck out an eye. I held it up to him. Sven groaned and took it from me. I pluck out the other eye and gave it to him. Giggling, I ripped off the ear and handed it over. It turned into a full-blown laugh at the expression on his face. I doubled over, clutching at the head. When I was done laughing my a*s off, I straightened and ripped off the other ear. “Jordana,” he groaned, taking the ear from me. “Please, just give me the whole thing.”

I pouted. “But I am not done yet, sire. I still have a nose and a tongue left to go.”

He looked up toward the sky. “Make it quick.”

“Of course,” I said and bit off the nose and spat it at him. He caught it as I reached into the mouth and yanked out the tongue. “See? All done.” I flipped the head over and peered inside. “But no more brain,” I said, sighing.

“Jesus Christ,” Liana hissed, shuddering. She held out her hand, and I dropped the head. She caught it and flashed to the other side of the alley. I heard a sound of a whoosh as she started a small fire.

“Come,” Sven said, holding out his hand to me. I grabbed it, and we made our way over to her. He tossed the ears, eyes, nose, and tongue into the fire, and we watched them burned into ashes. I smiled and kicked gravel and dirt into the fire. Liana straightened and came to stand on my other side. She put a hand on my shoulder, and I turned to her, a grin on my face. She cupped my chin and inclined her head in thought.

“You are a monster,” she muttered under her breath, and I giggled. “Jordana?”

“Yes?”

“Please, will you tell us what happened to you?” I stilled, not even breathing. Sven put a hand on me, and everything went dark. We appeared back in the kitchen, and Liana gave me a pleading look. I ducked from between them. I strode to the window and looked out.

“There is not much to tell,” I said tonelessly as my sires came to stand behind me. “Only blood, pain, and darkness. What else is there to know?”

“Many things,” Sven said softly.

“I don’t have much to tell, but none the less, I shall let you inside.” I slowly turned to them. “I’d like Tristan and Ari to see and hear this as well,” I said, and Sven blinked.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Oh, I’m quite sure,” I hissed. “Because I wish not to relive it for a second, or a third, or a fourth, or you get the idea.” I laughed. “What’s the point? I’m reliving it over and over every day. My poor, poor, precious mind, how ever could I survive?” I sighed and leaned against the window, the one I didn’t so spectacularly break with my head. Sven looked at me for a very long, long time and then nodded.

“Very well,” he said slowly, and his gaze went distant. When he refocused on me, he once again nodded. “They are waiting. Whenever you are ready, you may begin.”

I nodded, and my gaze went to the ceiling, and stayed there. “I will take you back to 1801,” I said, and dropped every defensive guard I had in place. And as Sven, Liana, Tristan, and Ari slipped inside my head, I closed my eyes, ignoring the startled hisses from Ari and Liana, and the angry snarls of Sven and Tristan. And smiled.