Nightstorm (Final Edit)

Prologue

1980

Terror. The kind of fear that only a child feels, coursed through her veins. Yekaterina and her twin sister, Nadia shivered, drenched by the pounding rain.

Yekaterina tore her gaze from the dark night outside their shelter and checked on Nadia, who curled up in a dark haired ball in the corner. The tree house their mother hid them in offered little shelter, but it served to hide them from the vampires that came to wreak havoc on the Nightstorm family.

She didn’t think her family ever faced such peril before . Hunting vampires for the Vatican was never going to be a safe life, but the Nightstorms were a powerful bloodline, and very talented.

Still, Kat remembered the looks on her parent’s faces when they realized the sheer number of undead here in the Grey Childe Village. Perhaps they might have done things differently with more time to plan. With better information.

But there’d been no time. So they’d attacked the coven of vampires nearest the main village, killing the Master and many of the lesser ones in the bargain. The information they’d been missing was the presence of the other two covens.

In an alliance of revenge, they united and came for the Nightstorm family’s blood. They’d been eating dinner when the temperature dropped, setting everyone on edge. Kat had been terrified, but not as much as Nadia. Nadia was a gentle soul, and Kat knew she had to be strong for her twin or they might not survive.

She swung her gaze to the small entry to the tree house and sighed. She knew in her heart what Nadia hadn’t guessed yet. The Nightstorms were dead.

It’d been far too long since the start of the attack, and all they’d heard since is was the sound of the raging thunderstorm all around them, and eerie silence otherwise.

Kat cocked the crossbow her father had begun to teach her to use when she turned five a few months ago, and crept forward.

“Stay here, Nadia. I’ll check it out.” Kat did her best to make her small voice sound confident. Nadia nodded, eyes huge as they stared at her twin.

Kat took a deep breath and made her way down the ladder, across the yard, and to the house. All she could hear was her own pounding heart and rain. After a pause, and with shaking hands, she pushed open the door to the house.

It was barely attached to the frame anymore, squeaking on its hinges before crashing to the ground with a thud. She winced at the sound, and ran inside, hoping the vampires were all gone. Otherwise, that noise would have drawn them right to her.

The crossbow drooped in her too small hands and she sank to her knees in a carpet so soaked in blood it made a wet sound when she hit it. The carnage around her was so brutal that she recognized nothing of her father, mother, or older sisters in the gore.

Her body began to shake, tears welling in her small frame when the temperature plummeted and her skin prickled. Both sure signs there was a vampire nearby. She desperately tried to suck up her grief like she’d been taught all her life. There was no time to cry. She steadied the crossbow and stood up to her full diminutive height.

By sight alone, she knew he was the most powerful vampire she’d ever seen, not that she’d seen many. At five years old, she’d only ever been allowed to observe hunts. She’d not have started to participate until she was ten. But she’d seen enough to know this one wasn’t the usual leech.

“Was this your family, child?” He asked, sounding almost bored. As he talked she could glimpse his fangs. He was so tall she could swear his head brushed the ceiling. Strong features, claws and eyes that have no whites in them, scream danger.

“Yes.” Kat admitted. “Are you here to kill me?” She hoped Nadia had the good sense to run. He raised an eyebrow at her and offered her his hand.

“I mean you, nor your sister in the tree house any harm. But you should leave this place. Come, and I shall see you safely to the orphanage.” He offered, flexing his fingers slightly as if to punctuate his invitation.

Why would a vampire want to help a vampire slayer, even one that’s only five years old? She had no hope of besting this vampire. He could kill her with less than a flick of the wrist. Still, she had to ask. “Is this some sort of trick?”

He raised his eyebrow again, black eyes glittering in the dim room. Darkness peering at her from death incarnate.

“Look at it this way child, trick or not; what choice do you have?” He flexed his fingers again.

Knowing he’s right, she hesitantly took his hand, and he picked her up effortlessly. Shame and rage poured through her blood, and she vowed to herself that she’d never be helpless again.

***

Not so far away, Joy Parker sat up in bed, three year old frame shaking, sobs wracking her, seeing images of blood, death, and a dark haired girl with rage in her eyes, held by a man who wasn’t a man.

She took a deep breath and screamed for her mother.