Chapter One

My clothes were bloodied, and my arm broken from the recent battle. I stumbled into the nearest night club I could find.

After studying the target, I knew he had gone into one of these clubs. I looked down the street. Now to figure out which one. I scanned the room, my arm hanging at an impossible angle when I zeroed in on him. I smiled, seemed luck was with me the first club I tried and here he was.

I heard Thana, my second in command’s voice, came over the radio, “General Nerine, did you find him?”

I grabbed the walkie talkie and hissed, “Yes, first club on the right, he's not exactly a runner. Cocky bastard.”

“Everything is ready on our end.”

“Good, see you soon.”

I walked to the bar and sat down as I waited for the bartender, keeping an eye on my target. Reva was supposed to help lead the target from here, but the coward ran off when we were fighting Prince Dagon’s men. I will have to deal with her later.

“You need me to call an ambulance?” The bartender asked, walking over and nodding to my arm.

I shook my head, “No I am fine, Shot of vodka please.” I replied with a smile as he shook his head in disbelief.

He handed me the shot; I downed it and asked for another; he refilled my glass, and I left the bar, dropping my money on the counter before grabbing my drink from the counter and heading towards the dancefloor. I had lost sight of him; the place was crowded for a weekday.

I scanned the faces of the crowd looking for him when I spotted him; He was talking to a lady on the dancefloor she smiled at him, and they went to sit at a nearby booth.

I walked over and sat down in the booth with sitting on the opposite side of the table from him and the woman he had just guided off the dancefloor.

“Little worse for wear, are you not?” He asked, his black eyes zeroing on my arm.

I shrugged as I sipped from my glass. 

“You found her awfully quick.” I accused, nodding at the drunken woman next to him.”

“What can I say? I was feeling a little peckish.” He replied, purposely showing his fangs to me, I didn’t flinch. I was used to vermin like him.

Looking at his appearance, you would never know he was a vampire, he was tall with a broad muscled frame and short light brown hair. He wore an expensive suit and looked like a businessman, stopping for a drink after work. His black eyes watched me curiously as I glared at him.

“Aren’t you a judgey little firecracker?” He mused.

“What can I say? I don’t like bloodsuckers.”

“How would you know unless you tried it?” He asked, amused.

“I don’t have the need to.”

“You aren’t human either, though?” he accused.

“I am not any of your business.”

Before I could blink, he was sitting next to me, "You could be." He whispered as he stroked my cheek with his thumb. The woman that was sitting beside him looked freaked, she got up and left almost running into the crowd.

“You can try it.” I dared him as I angled my gun at his heart.

“That won’t do anything, and you know it.” He laughed.

“It shoots blessed wooden stakes. It will work just fine.”

“You’re a hunter?” he hissed, backing away.

“What gave me away?” I smirked, not moving the gun.

“What do you want? And what happened to you?”

“Your guards put up a hell of a fight.” I smiled, “My employer wants back what you stole.”

“I stole nothing, who is your employer?” he asked, annoyed.

“The order has sent me on behalf of Alpha Rawlins, you have taken something important from his pack, and he wants it back.” I explained.

“And who are you?”

“I am the hired hand of the Order. That is all you need to know.” I stated as I calmly finished my drink.

“And what order would that be?” He asked, annoyed, “Thanks to you I lost my supper.” He sighed, staring off into the crowd.

"You should know we, after all, have taken out so many of your kin," as he stared at me blankly, I added, " it’s the ancient order of Valhalla Bridge.”

He moved so fast and pinned me to the back of the booth, he moved my hair and revealed my pointy ears, as he studied my features he hissed, “Valkyrie?… you are a Valkyrie assassin.”

I hissed at him as my claws sharpened on my good hand and I sliced across his face, causing thin lines of blood to drip down his face.

I laughed, “I am not an assassin, otherwise you would be dead, I am a hired hand, determined to wipe out your kind.”

“Not if you don’t live past tonight, small one.” He smirked.

I hissed in response, “I am not small.”

He laughed, “It is a fact. Since you dropped by and my dinner left, how about you replace her?” he teased as my mouth went dry.

“Don’t you dare!” I cursed as he leaned over me, his fangs lengthening as they pierced my neck, he moaned as my blood streamed into his mouth. I hit him and tried to push him off me with my good arm, but I was unable to move him.

Memories assaulted me and pictures flashed through my mind, bringing up things that were best left forgotten.

I was repulsed when my body reacted to his bite, I would be the laughingstock of the order if they knew. “Get the fuck off me, you parasite!” I yelled as I slipped the dagger from my sleeve and stabbed him.

He pulled away a surprised then confused look on his face, “Your blood is divine, like a drug.” he looked at his wound. "Now really, that was uncalled for, you know..." his words died, his eyes widening.

My hand flew to my neck, applying pressure to the wound as he seemed mesmerized by me, rendered speechless.

I backed away from him, shocked by what had just occurred. My radio went off. “General Nerine, are you still with the target?” Thana asked.

I looked at him, ignoring her as he seemed to change, his eyes becoming lustful and more primal. His voice was guttural, he looked at me and spoke the words that sent chills through me, “Bride.”

“Fuck that.” I yelled at him before I turned and ran. My team can come after him, I knew how possessive vampires were with their brides and I was a hunter for crying out loud. No way would he catch me.

He followed, but I was faster. There was an advantage to being a Valkyrie, I sped up and sidestepped around people as I worked my way through the crowd heading for the exit hoping he didn’t have any other guards hidden in the busy establishment. The order could send another squad after this guy.

I passed by some humans dancing and one man groped me as I was trying to pass by, without thinking I shoved his hand away, hearing a loud crack as I broke his hand. He screamed in pain.

Whoops looking behind me, the Prince Dagon gained on me, forgetting the human, I bolted out of the door and headed down the street and into the forest, to my sisters who I knew were nearby, since we had set an ambush up nearby.

Thana stood in the branches of a nearby tree, waiting with four of our squad in similar positions around us.

"He’s right behind me!" I yelled as I saw her prepare to attack.