I never showed up for dinner that Sunday, Shelley had sent me a text at four pm and I’d met her outside at four thirty. I answered my father’s fifth phone call at nine pm when Shelley had finally left, leaving scratch marks on my back and my legs a little weak.My bed, the sofa and the sideboard in my room had truly been broken in after her visit. Link had said nothing as we ate cereal the next morning and I owed my parents a visit. My mother wasn’t happy and Chase had only laughed when I told him the real reason I had missed dinner.I had my first lair meeting that evening and I was slightly nervous about speaking to all those people that didn’t know me and whom I didn’t know. I had members that I’d never met before and now I’d bombard them with changes and new rules.The lair’s main business aspects comprised of nothing. I was shocked too. Andrew had lived off of taxing his members so much that they were suffering and he was living in luxury. That was one of the first things I was g

Another week passed by and so far Lucas had no information for me on the missing girls. Even Timothy couldn’t find anything on them because we had nothing to go on. I hated feeling that nothing could be done, I wasn't used to failing.I had just returned from a meeting with the Police Chief and even his file was thin. He remembered the missing girls and I felt like he was hiding something from me. I could feel the disturbance in the house’s aura the moment I closed the front door behind me.“You weren’t invited in,” I said as I stood in the foyer.“Forgive the intrusion, I came only to make the acquaintance of the new Sire,” the voice said from the living room.I heard his footsteps as he walked out of the living room and faced me in the foyer of my house. He was a vampire and I instantly had my defenses up. Abeloth confirmed the evil that radiated from him and he was on tenterhooks as well.“My name is Lucius and I’ve come to discuss the arrangement we’ve had with the previous Sire,”

Megan pulled me away and led me to a bathroom where she wiped the blood from my face and washed the blood from my hands. She hadn’t said a word and I stood there as she rinsed the blood under the tap from both my knives.“I’ve never seen someone kill a vampire before,” she said softly.“I’ve killed my fair share,” I said to her.“When you were in the unit?” she asked me.“Yes, you kill plenty of everything,” I said as she closed the faucet and dried her hands on a paper towel.“I think we both need a stiff drink,” she said as she took my hand and led me back to the ballroom and straight to the bar.Plenty of Sires wanted to talk to me and Lucas had given them one look before they all left grumbling with my business card in hand. Megan had ordered a bottle of scotch and we both downed our first three drinks.“You’re going to be overrun by Sires wanting to form an alliance with you now,” Lucas said to me as we sat at the bar. Rylee had taken Megan back to our table and she had left relu

After the whole ordeal of my introduction and acceptance as a Sire I was bombarded by unannounced visits, phone calls and emails. Sires from all over sent me gifts and more than a few of them wanted to know if I would train their future Sires to fight vampires.I was kept so busy that I hadn’t seen Megan for four days now. I had received a multitude of alliance offers and business proposals sent my way and I was feeling very out of my depth. Lucas had laughed and put the phone down in my ear when I called him for advice.It also seemed that I had somehow gotten a new nickname and even the Elders had started referring to me as the Hunter. Abeloth loved it and basked in the glory of all the attention we were getting where I hated being put in the spotlight.“Come in,” I said at the knock on the office door.“Morning Sire Ryder,” she said as she opened my door and remained standing in the doorway.“Linda, please come in,” I said as I stood up.Linda proceeded to walk into my office follo

“What the hell just happened back there?” Brenda asked sounding near hysterics.“It’ll be okay Brenda,” I said to her as I stepped on the gas and sped up on the highway.“Why was he acting like that?” she asked.“Brenda, his dragon recognized you as his bonded half,” I said to her.“Oh no, no, no, no,” she said as her hands instantly went around her arms as she cradled herself.“His name’s Cameron O’Connell, his father is the Sire of the Chicago lair. I’ve known them my whole life and I know that he’ll arrive at my house with his father and probably mine as well not long after we reach it,” I said to her.“I can’t do this,” she whispered fearfully.“Brenda, look at me. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. This remains your choice and as your Sire I won’t force you to recognize this bond if you don’t feel ready to do it,” I said to her.“Do you promise?” she asked me.“I promise you, you’re part of my lair and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe,” I assured her.Forty mi