Chapter One
Prologue
Matthew
“Wait up, guys!” Ellie’s tiny voice shouted from somewhere in the thick trees behind us. Ryder, my twin brother, rolled his green eyes at me and pushed forward through the underbrush not bothering to slow down for her sake. Ellis, or Ellie as I called her, was our next-door neighbor, and she was always trying to follow us. It didn’t matter if it was to our tree fort in the backyard, down to the corner store for soda and bubblegum, or even around the playground. She was scrawny— all arms and legs— with long, black hair and big, blue eyes. She was younger than us by four years. I looked after her like a sister, though. Her parents were always working, and I felt like it was my responsibility to make sure she was safe. Sometimes it got annoying though, like today.
All Ryder and I wanted to do was go to the local swimming hole and hang out. It was an especially hot summer day in northern Michigan, but Ellie insisted on tagging along again. One look at her big, round eyes made me sigh and hold out my hand for her to take. Ryder grumbled and rolled his eyes, but I gave her an encouraging smile and tugged her along.
We needed the break. Being the youngest members to join the Circle, a coveted group dedicated to hunting and eradicating vampires, left us tired from all the training and studying we’d been doing over the summer. Our father was the leader, which meant double duty because no way in hell were we allowed to slack. We had a lot to live up to. Our father wasn’t exactly known for his sweetness when it came to ridding the world of vampires. He was the best for a reason.
We were supposed to be meeting our two other friends and fellow hunters-in-training, Gabe and Justin, out at the lake today. I knew without a doubt both of them would be there already. We’d spent the last few weeks of summer break in the grueling heat, working ourselves to the bone as we mastered throwing stakes and knives plus practicing martial arts. I’d managed to master wielding a sword and throwing daggers while Ryder was a pro with a bow and his fists. To be fair, both of us were good with our fists. I was lost in thought, worried about what tomorrow’s training would bring when I looked around to find that Ellie wasn’t beside me any longer. Somewhere along the way she’d fallen behind. Maybe it was my eagerness to get cooled off and see my friends or the prospect of a day of relaxation that I went ahead, leaving her small frame to navigate through the overgrown forest.
“Matty!” she squealed, her voice panicking. “Matty! Where are you?”
“I’m right here!” I called out, stopping as I craned my neck to see the top of her head bobbing through the foliage. She came bursting through the brush, her pale skin sweaty and a cut on her round cheek.
“Jeez, Ellie! If you want to come with us, you’re going to have to learn to keep up!” I admonished, giving her a disapproving look but using the nickname I gave her years ago to soften the blow. I wiped at my brow, the heat of the day irritating me.
“Sorry,” she breathed out, her sapphire eyes shimmering, her lower lip puckered out like she was going to cry. “You guys are just so much bigger than me! My legs are smaller!”
“You won’t always be so tiny,” I chuckled, my bad mood dissipating as I took her small hand back in mine and pulled her along. She had a way of doing that to me. Whenever I was mad or frustrated, all I had to do was look at Ellie. She’d cast me a toothy smile, her blue eyes shining, and my foul mood would evaporate. That little girl was sunshine on a cloudy day.
But then days like today would happen. My mind would be so focused on that little slice of freedom it was hard for me to think of much else. We worked long, hard hours doing our training. These few moments were precious to us. Having to bring Ellie with us was sometimes a burden. I hated thinking of it that way because I loved her to death. But damn. A guy needed some quiet time every now and then. Ellie was only eleven, so it was difficult to haul her around with us all the time. We were fifteen-year old boys. I knew Ryder had outgrown hanging out with her, but there was something about the girl I just couldn’t ignore. So even though it frustrated me, I brought her with us whenever she asked. I enjoyed her company, even if it did mean I had to wait for her on the hottest of days.
“Is Ryder mad at me?” she asked, huffing along as we hurried through the forest.
“Why would you think that?” I replied, contemplating just giving her a piggyback ride to make the trip go faster.
“He’s always so mean to me now,” she replied, tripping over a branch. I caught her quickly and pulled her forward. She stumbled along beside me, her cheeks flushed as tiny rivers of sweat cascaded down her face.
“It’s just hard for us, Ellie,” I answered, slowing down a bit so she didn’t have to struggle so much. “We’re getting older now. Some of the things we want to do aren’t things an eleven-year-old girl would enjoy or even understand.”
“Like what?” she demanded, stopping and putting her hands on her little hips in the haughtiest of ways, her small foot tapping on the forest floor. I had to bite back a laugh. She looked older than what she really was as she stood staring up at me, waiting for an explanation.
“Like hanging out with our friends, dating, playing guitar,” I explained, casting a quick glance at her, the smile finally tugging my lips upward. “We’re growing up. We won’t always be around as much as you’re used to.”
“Oh,” she answered, dropping her hands to her side, her mouth tilting down into an annoyed grimace. “That stuff is dumb. Why do you want to date girls anyway?”
“You’ll understand when you’re older,” I replied, taking her hand again. She let out an exaggerated sigh but didn’t say any more.
Whoops and shouts filtered through the forest from our friends in the distance, so I quickened my pace, Ellie doing all she could to keep up. When we broke through to the clearing, the lake known as Emerald Cove spread out before us like a glimmering gem. The waters of this small lake were a brilliant green color and were fed by natural springs. It was always comfortably warm and inviting, which made it a popular hangout for the younger crowd.
“Took you long enough, Matt!” Gabe shouted, waving me over. Ryder was chatting up Ashley Winston, the hottest and most popular girl in our grade. She had a few of her friends in tow. It was no surprise that he’d zeroed in on her immediately. That was Ryder’s way—hot chicks first. It didn’t help that they all tended to gravitate toward him. Ryder was as good looking as he was charismatic, leaving a wake of heartbreak wherever he went. We were only fifteen, but I couldn’t even count on both hands the amount of conversations I’d had with girls he’d loved and left, working hard to explain that Ryder was just Ryder.
“Sorry.” I grinned, walking over to them. Ellie hesitated behind me. As outgoing as she was with me and Ryder, it was a whole other ballgame when it came to strangers. She always clammed up, stumbling over her words, her face red as an apple. My mom said Ellis had anxiety issues. I said she was just shy. Her parents were never around, so her only interactions for the most part were with me and Ryder. Socially awkward? That was Elllie.
“Hey, Matt,” Whitney Hall, one of Ashley’s hot friends, said as she grinned at me, her dark eyes sliding up and down my body. “I was wondering if you were coming!”
The girls were dressed in their bikinis, and it took all I had to keep my raging teenage hormones from spilling over the top of my swim trunks.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” I answered idly, trying to be cool.
“Who’s that?” Ashley demanded, pointing her finger at Ellie, her nose wrinkled as she took in the sight of her clad in a one-piece kitten swimsuit and shorts. “Did you seriously bring your little sister with you?”
Ryder glanced at Ellie before shooting me a look that said, I told you so.
“Oh. No. She’s just some neighbor kid,” I replied dismissively, waving Ellie off. “She likes to tag along.”
“Real cool.” Ashley rolled her eyes and went back to talking to Ryder. I glanced back at Ellie whose face was red with embarrassment. For someone so young, she was rather attuned to people around her. My heart clenched for my young friend. If they only knew what a sweet, fun kid she was.
“She’s a cool little kid,” Justin piped up, trying to vouch for her. He and Gabe both spent a lot of time at our house for training. They knew Ellie almost as well as I did. Almost. “She won’t be any problem.”
I shot Justin a look that said, thanks, before turning my attention to Whitney.
“So, you want to go for a swim?” she asked, smirking at me, her long dark hair hanging in a ponytail down her back and her brown eyes shining.
“Yeah. Absolutely.” I smiled, allowing her to take my hand and lead me to the water. I didn’t bother casting a backward glance at Ellie. She’d be fine. She’d play in the sand or something.
Whitney let out a giggle as I splashed her with water, her caramel-colored skin glistening in the sunlight filtering through the trees. I became so enraptured with her, that I lost track of time. I had to have been in the water for hours with Whitney.
Ellie.
I glanced to the shore. She was sitting alone, her legs crossed, her eyes downcast.
Damnit.
I was just about to swim to shore when Gabe went over and plopped beside her, handing her a juicebox. Her eyes lit up, and she took it from him, eagerly sipping on it. He started talking to her. She laughed, grinning at him as he doodled in the sand in front of her. She followed suit, clearly enjoying the game he was playing with her.
Thank God.
I caught Ryder’s eye as he stepped onto the shore. He gave me a sheepish smile before sitting down beside Gabe and Ellie, joining them in their game. Ellie let out a loud giggle as she frantically tried clearing the game with her foot. Ryder flopped her back, his fingers digging into her sides causing her laughter to echo around us.
Ryder could play a hard ass all he wanted, but I knew deep down he still cared for the munchkin just as much as I did. She was like a little sister to us.
“You really shouldn’t bring kids out here with you,” Ashley’s irritated voice cut through my thoughts.
“What?” I looked at her, my brows crinkled.
“What’s wrong, Ash?” Whitney chuckled, treading water beside us. “Jealous of a little girl?”
“Shut up, Whit.” Ashley rolled her eyes, her mouth turned down into a pout. “It’s supposed to be just for us. You know, people who can be out after seven at night. Bringing a little kid ruins it.”
“Ruins it for you maybe.” Whitney snickered as her hand found mine under the water, drawing my attention back to her.
“She’s fine.” I dismissed Ashley’s words with a roll of my eyes. My attention immediately went to Whitney as she pushed up against me in her wet bikini.
“We should take a walk.” She giggled in my ear.
“Absolutely,” I murmured back, my heart hammering in my chest at her words. I didn’t bother to look back at Ellie. I knew Ryder and Gabe were with her.
We swam to the shore quickly. Whitney grabbed a towel before tugging me down the beach and into the thick forest. Her mouth was on mine the second we were hidden in the woods. It took me a moment to recover from the shock, but I quickly caught on, my hands landing on her small waist.
***
“Ellis! Ellis!” Ryder’s voice cut through my slumber. Whitney’s head moved on my chest. We’d fallen asleep after our make out session.
“What’s going on?” Whitney asked groggily.
Sitting up, I looked around. It took me a moment to realize that the air around me was buzzing. Heavy. Thick with something I’d only ever felt when I was on a hunt with my father.
I jumped to my feet, bringing Whitney with me, panic rising in my chest. There was a vampire nearby. I ran through the woods with Whitney’s hand in mine and burst onto the beach to find Ryder looking panicked, his green eyes wild. Gabe and Justin were calling out for Ellis. Ashley was too.
“What’s going on?” I demanded.
“Where were you? Is Ellis with you?” Ryder growled, looking behind me, his face falling when he realized only Whitney was with me. “This is bad.”
My stomach clenched.
“You feel it, right?” he whispered in a rush, his eyes roving over the edge of the forest quickly.
“Yeah,” I answered thickly.
“We have to find Ellis.”
“Where was she? When was the last time you saw her?”
“I don’t know,” he answered, his voice shaking. “I was on the beach with her playing. She asked where you went. I told her I didn’t know. Then she said she needed to use the bathroom, so I told her to go into the woods. I went out to swim with everyone and guess I lost track of time. That was almost two hours ago. Then the air changed.”
“Ellie!” I yelled, pushing past Ryder. “Ellie-bear! Ellie!” It was getting dark out. The thought hadn’t escaped me. The air was getting thicker. I felt like I was going to vomit. If a vamp got her. . .
No! Damnit! Ellie’s smart! She probably just walked home.
“Ellis! Ellis!” Ryder shouted into the night.
Our friends soon joined in calling her name even louder, but she never replied. My heartrate picked up, and I swallowed thickly. Where was she? I knew Ellie. She was scared of her own shadow. She wouldn’t wander home alone. All the reassurances I’d tried to give myself were bullshit. I’d been so caught up with Whitney that I hadn’t been paying much attention to anything else. And then we’d fallen asleep. I wanted to kick myself.
“Ellie!” I yelled frantically into the dark, my voice hoarse and cracking. “Ellie! Ellie!”
“What the hell are we going to do?” Ryder growled, his fingers tugging at his blond hair. “I told you to make her stay home! Remember what Dad said? Remember what we’re training for?”
“No.” I shook my head in denial. “No, that wouldn’t happen to Ellie. They-they wouldn’t hurt a little kid!”
“They’re vampires, Matt,” Ryder hissed in my ear. “Blood is blood regardless of what container it resides in. We’re hunters in training. You remember the sightings in the area!”
“Dude, something feels off,” Gabe said, coming to my side with Justin following. “Can’t you feel the change in the air? It’s getting heavier the darker it gets. We need to get to the Circle. We need to tell your dad.”
“If it’s what I think it is, we’re all in trouble,” Justin added, his brows knit as he gazed through the darkened forest.
“No,” I repeated, kicking up my inhuman vision a notch. “That’s not possible!” I knew it was very possible, my mind betraying my mouth. It didn’t matter how many times I denied the possibility, it was there, clinging like cellophane, suffocating me.
It didn’t matter Ryder, Gabe, Justin, and I were from a long line of vampire hunters and had been training to join the Circle since we were born. It didn’t matter how hard we’d be training or the weapons we could wield. None of it mattered if we couldn’t find Ellie. None of us had even been on hunts on our own yet. Those didn’t happen until we turned sixteen. Everything had just been observation. But now it was looking like it was going to become a reality because I was going to tear the heart out of any vamp who thought he could touch my Ellie.
There had been animal attacks in the area recently, but we knew what they really were. As hunters, we were just as strong as the vampires with their supernatural strength. They could shift, and we could shift, meaning we could change at will into animals. Vamps typically stuck to wolves and bats, cliché as that was. At least Hollywood had gotten something right.
“We need to get Dad,” Ryder agreed. “Fast.”
I nodded, knowing he was right. If Ellie had tried going home and stumbled into a vamp, she was as good as dead. Michigan woods were dense, making it difficult to see through the dark trees. Trying to find her would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
“We’re going to go home and see if Ellis made it back,” Ryder announced to the girls. “Justin and Gabe will make sure you get back to your houses. We’ll let you know if we find her.”
“Are you sure?” Whitney asked, coming to my side.
“Yeah, I’m sure Ellie just decided to go home and play with her dolls or something,” I replied tightly, sending up a silent prayer that was what happened. I gave a nod to Gabe and Justin letting them know they were in charge of getting the girls safely home. Justin gave me a thumbs-up indicating he knew what to do. Ryder threw me a look that stated he was ready to go and I nodded, following him into the woods, away from our friends.
I let out a low groan as I shifted into a coyote, a relatively easy feat for someone as young as me to shift into. Our abilities allowed for our clothing to be an extension of us, so worrying about having to shift out of them was never a problem. Ryder followed suit, and we raced through the forest as fast as our four furry legs would take us.
