The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

Prologue



The weather in metropolis this evening was ominous. An overcast sky gave way to heavy rain, which appeared as though it would never end. The lightening that charged across the sky was abruptly ensued by an enormous crack of thunder, which consequently blacked out the city of London within a half-mile radius.



Five minutes earlier…



She strode towards her bedroom with definition. In one of her arm’s she hugged several used notebooks and magazines, and in the other, she held a freshly made cup of black coffee.

Standing sideways on, she used her shoulder to push open the bedroom door. It popped ajar, and she carried on inside.

The young woman placed her coffee down gently on the bedside table to the right of her and dropped her books onto the rumpled bed in front. She turned to close her bedroom door, and as she did, the bedroom light dimmed.

“Shit…” muttered the woman, displeased. She marched out of her room to the open-planned kitchen and pulled open several drawers in search of candles and a lighter. No sooner had she done that, the lights flickered again.

“It’s going to be one of those nights.”



Chapter One



The glow of each candle threw ever-changing patterns of light onto every surface in the quaint public house. Diners carried on their meals with their loved ones or colleagues as if nothing had happened and the drunks at the bar found that they now had something to chat about.

In between the drunks at the end of the bar and the consumers on numbered tables to the right, sat a burly man, Hunter, and next to him, Jim, both physically and mentally his complete opposite of a brother.

The scrawny bloke appeared to be in his late twenty’s with an unkempt look about him, and he sat hunched with his arms crossed on the bar before an empty pint glass. With no hardship, he pushed the glass away from him with the back of his hand and it shot forward, stopping just short of the edge.

“We’re going.” Stated Hunter, firmly, whilst rising from his stool.

“‘Ang on a minute bruv, I’ve only ‘ad one pint!” Exclaimed Jim still sitting in his seat.

“That’s enough Jim.” …And with that said, he collared Jim from his barstool, walked to the exit and pushed him out the door.



It made a change. It definitely made a change from being inside. Everywhere now was shrouded in complete darkness.

“What the fuck was that for!”

Jim composed himself and let his eyes adjust to the darkness.

Ignoring Jim, Hunter started to walk. Jim threw his hands up in the air, made a remark, and then reluctantly followed.

“Is it time?” Jim exhaled catching up to his brother’s brisk walking pace.



No reply.



“Answer me. Ah, for fuck’s sake Hunter. Is… it… time?”

Jim gave up trying and settled with walking by his brother’s side in silence.



The storm was waning. Still no light came from streetlamps or windows, and cloud covered what was to be a reasonably bright night.

“Oi, oi bruv!” Jim said smugly.

“’Ave a look what I’ve just found.”

Jim stopped, pulled his hands from his pockets and picked up a sodden leather wallet from the pavement. Hunter stopped ahead of Jim and rotated to face him with a disappointed look upon his face.

Jim rolled his eyes in contempt and sifted through the wallet, discarding anything that wasn’t of use to him. He pocketed the money, kept the ID card and threw the rest on the ground then carried on with Hunter to their territory.

It wasn’t far away now. A burning grin of satisfaction etched itself across Hunter’s face.

“It’s time.”



Chapter Two



The man’s imagination ran wild. Knowing London and what could happen to him if he didn’t quicken his pace going home would surely be his last mistake.

Luckily he didn’t live too far away, and his home was only a couple of roads down from where he worked that evening.



His warm green eyes darted upwards, looking at the scale of the apartment block; he then threw his eyes back on the keys in his hand. He fiddled, found the key and let himself in. Once inside, the man ran his fingers through his clipped mousy brown hair and sighed with relief, then headed up the stairs to his apartment.



Shit, it’s dark in here.



***



Droplets on the window formed maze-like patterns. The rain was lighter now, but everywhere was still dark except from the vivacious glow of candles dotted around people’s windowsills.

The young woman sat in her armchair half-asleep, clutching her journal, and listening to the rain.

The sound of something jingling and scratching at the door shocked her awake. She faced the door and as she did, it opened causing her to jump again.



“Lauren?” questioned a calming voice in shadow. “Just me,”

The young woman felt a sharp twinge in her arm. She clamped a pencil between her teeth and grimaced. She could feel the fluid streaming beneath her skin and she didn’t like it one bit. Surely a flu injection shouldn’t feel this bad she thought, and as soon as she did, it was over; much to her delight.



Her name was Ebony; Ebony Faulkner and she wore her fair hair cropped, hiding her sapphire eyes beneath a long fringe. Her trend was gothic, to go with her name she chose for herself nigh on a year ago. This was her, eternally her, and for no one would she change.



Ebony slipped on her hooded jacket, being careful not to brush her arm, said her thanks to the doctor and headed out of the surgery with her mother. Why she would ever say thanks to someone who just caused her pain, she would never know.