Chapter 1

Willow Ardelean swished her tail back and forth in annoyance, letting out a deep, throaty growl as she perched lazily on a high branch of a tree, carefully watching the blacksmith pound iron into lethal stakes. For a human, iron would be nothing more than a weapon, but to a vampire, it was deadly. One scratch could burn right through flesh. A stake through the heart, on the other hand, could end a vampire’s life. Forever.

The town smelled strongly of garlic, practically burning her eyes right from their sockets, and salt lined every home and doorway as far as the eye could see. An abundance of mirrors filled each home, suddenly making what used to be a peaceful town into a deathtrap.

In a graceful bound, she jumped down from the tree and trotted on all fours along a dirt path. Oblivious children played ball in the streets and frantic adults urged them inside as if another vampire attack could happen at any moment.

She rolled her green eyes at the display. Few vampires were brazen­­ enough to attack during the day in a town filled with humans that outnumbered them. Besides, any human who trespassed on vampire property was asking for fangs in their neck. If anyone asked her, the vampire who attacked the boy wasn’t the guilty party.

“Shoo!” a woman shouted, batting a broom at her. “Black cats are bad luck. Heaven knows we need all the luck we can get.”

The woman wasn’t the only one to cast her disdainful looks, therefore, she kept to the deepest shadows instead. As a vampire, she’d developed a knack for hiding. If she didn’t want to be found, she wouldn’t be.

At long last, she reached the Silver Palace and when all eyes were occupied elsewhere, she let her transformation drop. Her four black furry paws grew into two slender arms and two feminine legs, her ears replaced by fiery red hair, and her whiskers melted into cheekbones, her naturally plump red lips standing out against her pale skin.

For two hundred years, she had opted to live a normal life among humans rather than in the city of vampires where her father lived. It hadn’t been easy, but her curiosity couldn’t be satiated, not when there was so much to learn from them.

“I finally found you! I’ve searched everywhere.” Sanne gave her a delicate smile, the lantern in her hands lighting her overly innocent face. Her dearest friend in town was the daughter of a wealthy noble, but Sanne certainly did nothing to earn her way at court. Aristocrats tolerated her presence, though they didn’t welcome her as their own, especially because the jarl was a woman of little patience.

“Come! The jarl requests your audience.”

She swallowed apprehensively but put on a smile, nonetheless. If the jarl ordered her head on a stake before she found an opportunity to leave town, she certainly would have a hard time leaving here alive.

Alixia sat high on her stone throne, a look of serious regality in her eyes as she watched her approach.

“I do not like to be kept waiting,” the jarl said, her deep voice befitting her station.

“My apologies,” she said tightly with a low bow, keeping her eyes on the floor. She turned her head and her heart nearly jumped out of her ribcage when she caught sight of a mirror on the other side of the room, one that showed no reflection staring back at her. Casually, she moved away to avoid anyone noticing. If they learned of her deadly secret… “What do you need?”

The jarl stood from her throne and paced the length of the floor, the fire in the hearth reflecting in her eyes. “I brought you into my stead for a reason. You’re good with…” Her eyes traveled over her still form, finally finishing with, “Men.” Although she had never chosen a mate, she certainly could act coy if the situation demanded it.

“This vampire business is getting way out of hand. People are beginning to turn on one another. As you are already aware, a carpenter set the baron’s residence on fire, burning everything to the ground, including the baron.”

She already knew of the incident but didn’t bother divulging the details. The carpenter hadn’t set the fire, but rather a vengeful young woman who the baron took advantage of on what should have been her wedding night. She still seethed inside at the thought. She used the fire as an excuse to feed on the vile man before he was consumed by the flames. It seemed a fitting end.

“And where do I fit in?”

“Yes, well, you know what happened to Greenshire, right? No one dared trade with them after a werewolf raid a few years back for fear of becoming infected. I don’t want the same thing to happen to Lakefalls.” The jarl turned to look her square in the eyes. “I am expecting a visitor and I need you to keep him in line.”

It didn’t make any sense… What did the werewolf raid and the vampire attack have to do with a visitor?

“With all due respect, I’m spooked by the latest vampire attack. I plan on leaving town for a while.” Or forever. Perhaps it was time to move on to the next city under a new identity. Begin a new life—one of the dozens she already lived after three hundred and forty-one years.

“Nonsense, you never spook. You will stay and that’s final. I am far too busy handling internal affairs to keep my visitor in line myself.”

She held back the growl that wanted to escape her throat as she stared back at the jarl. Back home, no one dared to give her orders, but she had left her world in favor of making a life among humans. With or without the jarl’s permission, she planned to leave this place behind. Forever.

Still, she forced a smile to her face and gave the jarl a small curtsy.

“Very well.”