Prologue

Never in my existence did I believe that life could end as it did, shocking was the truth. The horror of that night and by whose hand death came. Though I have not seen that blood-sucking parasite, I still remember the pain and tragedy she caused.  My rebirth through fire and blood did nothing to quench the pain of losing love and a part of my soul at that same moment. It became a never-ending agony for years. I live, hoping that love is not fully lost because, in every shadow of night, there is breaking dawn. The universe is magical, and in its power, life can be reborn...Just as I am reborn, love will surely one day live again. This is all that I can pray and hope for. 

It is the year 2008, and I stare out the balcony of my penthouse It's been nearly half a century since my life was forever changed. I look back on my human life, and it is days like this where I miss that time. It was so simple and full of love. Now everything felt complicated. Sometimes I just want to have a break from it all. I want to find a way to go back into the past. So many "what ifs" I used to think about during the first few years after an evil vixen turned me into a Vampire for her pleasure. A pleasure which I have never and will never reciprocate, until my dying breath. What if my wife Eliza and I had never stayed in England? What if we'd never settle down roots in London? Would she be alive? would my life had not changed? She desperately wanted to travel, and I never gave her the opportunity. I was so preoccupied with my business as a store owner, I never made time for her dreams. Some days it still eats at me raw. The only solace I could give her spirit is taking her with me when I relocated to America. 

After I first relocated to Ithaca, NY. I bought a country Estate and buried her underneath an oak tree, fulfilling her dreams in one manner. I do not live there anymore however, I still visit the property. I now have several properties plus businesses. My name "Hunter Eldridge" in the last few decades has grown into celebrity status, and I was surprised to be named "Most eligible billionaire bachelor". through advancing myself, my small store boomed into a corporate chain, the added bonus was a partnership with Starbucks in most of my stores. 5 years ago, I was blessed to open a publishing house as well.

E.H. Publishing has had success with multiple top-selling books, and awards. I am grateful for my success, and the benefits packages that accompany it but, were I being honest with myself, I feel empty. It has been several decades since I felt a woman embrace. I have tried, I have tried to move on but, soon all becomes dust in the wind and I have yet to find someone who touches my soul just as my sweet Eliza did. I will never again be able to see her, feel her again. 

I stare out the balcony at the Portland view, my phone beeps, letting me know what time it is. "Time to head to the office," I said to myself. I go back inside, dress in my favorite charcoal suit, and head to the lower parking garage to be inside my Audio R8 Spyder. I love this car! Silly, I know but, I feel like Tony Stark driving it.  As I pull out of the underground with the top down, I catch an intoxicating scent. This scent instantly shakes me and makes my mouth water, pushing my physical urges into overdrive. "What is that amazing smell?!". I take another deep to inhale, cinnamon and vanilla scent, blood so sweet. Sweetness, that stirs my senses into a frenzy.  I have not smelled anything so appealing. Suddenly, the smell brings recognition, like a perfume I know so well, memories come to my mind. Eliza! Good God, this is Eliza's scent! It can't be? could she be alive? could she have been transformed as I? No. It can't be, I cannot lose myself to hope. I have to find this person! I need to know for sure. I run from the car, making sure no one is around to notice. I am left reflecting on the last night of my human life and everything that transpired afterward, could it be that I missed the possibility that she survived? Whoever this person is, Eliza or no, I have to find her! I start to race towards nothing yet, somehow everything I could ever hope to have again while thinking about Eliza and every turn my life has taken since.