Amy walked down the dark alley. She was waiting as usual. She was known as the best vampire hunter ever. Her only motto was "don't work, let them come for you." She was tall with blond hair and big blue mischievous eyes, which got from her mother. She was good looking but had a predator's walk, silent and purposeful.

She started thinking about her family. Her mother had died when she was seven and she didn't know where her brothers were. Thinking about them brought tears to her eyes. She didn't remember them much but the last night was engraved in her mind. It happened on Christmas Eve.

They were sitting in the living room watching It's a Wonderful Life. Her oldest brother Kevin was seventeen. He usually didn't stay around the house much. He was quarterback of the football team. He was tall with wavy brown hair he was very well built. Kevin had a mischievous glint in his eyes and a dazzling grin that could make any girls' heart melt. He was popular with both the girls and the guys because he made life interesting and exciting with his harmless antics.

Her other brother Ethan was sixteen. He was the smart one but he envied

his brother and always felt as if he were walking in Kevin's shadow. He was slightly shorter than Kevin was and not as built. He had light blond hair and blue eyes. He and Kevin were exact opposites.

Amy never knew her father. Her mother had told her that he had left when she was born. That night they were just enjoying being together. Then the window burst open. A man climbed in. Kevin looked shocked to see him.

"Sorry about the window honey," the man said.

"Dad?" Kevin asked shocked.

"Michael," Mrs. White said. "Please-"

Michael ignored her. "Kevin, my boy, you look just like I did when I was

your age." Mrs. White pulled Amy to her but Michael wrenched the little girl out of her arms. Amy started to cry. "This is what forced you to leave me!"

Mrs. White tried to get Amy away from him, but she was easily swept aside. Amy was thrown into a wall and as she began to lapse into unconsciousness she saw Michael bite her mother's neck with what looked like fangs. When she awoke the house was in flames. Amy rushed to her mother's lifeless body and tried to wake her. She was found that way later that night by some fire fighters.

Amy snapped out of her reverie. She had vowed after that night to find the

man who had been her father and make him pay. After a lot of intense training, she became the most accomplished female in martial arts and kickboxing in the state Rhode Island. She had gone from foster home to foster home until she had found Melas, a small town that seemed to have strange things happening there. A few months back, three vampires came two whom were supposedly "good." Amy didn't believe that. No vampire was capable of being good in her mind.

"And you hunters have such pure hearts," a voice behind her said with disdain. "You murder our kind never wondering if they had ever hurt a human being before."

She whirled around with her stake about to attack the vampire but he was closer than she had anticipated. When she turned, he grabbed her arm and pinned it behind her. She stomped on his foot then leapt away she tried a roundhouse but ended up on her butt when he grabbed her leg. "This is pathetic. It will all be over soon." He pulled out a gun.

"Coward," she spat.

"I'm not scared of you," he told her. "But Michael doesn't like his merchandise to be damaged."

"Michael?" Amy asked scarcely able to hope. "As in Michael White?"

"How'd you know that?" he demanded. She flew at him, kicking the gun out of his hand. She then kicked him back and pulled a cross out. She kicked his legs out from under him and straddled his legs.

"Where is he?" Amy demanded.

"You won't get anything from me," he said. "And I'm not really scared yet." At those words, a gun cocked.

"Get up darling," a cold voice said. Amy stood keeping her back on the intruder. "Drop the cross." She obeyed but she had her hand on her stake. She whirled around suddenly and kicked the vampire behind her. He fell backwards. She then straddled his legs. He grabbed the hand, which held the stake and neither of them made any move. "Moving a little fast aren't we?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"Shut up," she said, her voice hard.

"Ooh scary," he said with complete sarcasm. She was finally able to get the stake out of his hand. But before she could make any move to finish him off she saw two other vampires approaching. Both had guns trained on her.

"You okay Dylan?" one asked as he walked up.

"A regular party," she said dryly. That's when she saw the two vampire's faces. "This isn't possible. You were dead!"

"In a way," the slightly taller one said. Even through her terror and confusion Amy was sizing up her adversaries. The one she had attacked was tall and muscular; he had blue eyes and dyed black hair. The other Dylan, she guessed was not as tall or muscular but still built and handsome. He had brown hair and brown eyes hidden behind his lightweight glasses. The glasses were what surprised Amy. Vampires usually only picked people with no handicaps to turn but there was a keen intelligence that was on his face that more than made up for his physical liabilities. As she looked at him she had the feeling that she should know who he was.

Although Amy was a little curious about these two, it was the other two vampires that caught Amy's attention. One was starring at her with confusion. The other was staring at her with faint recognition. "Amy?" he asked.

"It is you," she whispered. Tears came to her eyes as she looked at her brothers.

"Amy?" Kevin asked confused. "But you're dead."

"Time out," the other said. "What's going on?"

"Amy?" Dylan said with a laugh. "This is too good." She looked down at him studying him.

"Dylan Goode?" she said finally realizing who he was. He had been Ethan's best friend. "Is this 'Everyone From My Past Come Back To Haunt Me Day?'"

"Well, I never even heard of you so- no," the other said.

"Are you going to be moving?" Dylan asked her. She stood quickly and backed up away from him.

"Sonny, this is our little sister," Kevin explained. "How'd you get away?"

"Firefighters," she explained, looking for a way out.

"Even if you ran we'd just catch you," Kevin said noticing her restlessness. She snapped back to reality thinking: this is my only chance. "Give up Amy."

"Okay," she said easily.

"You're going to try to kill him, aren't you?" Dylan said. "I'd like to see it."

"I'm not planning anything," she said.

"Yeah right," Sonny said coolly.

"Would you rather have me fight?" Amy asked crossly. "I'm going with you because you're all big strong manly vampires and I'm just a helpless girl."

"Okay," Dylan said. "Now I know you're planning something."

"Forget it, Dylan," Ethan said. "Michael can take her."

"Let's go," Kevin said. Sonny led with Ethan and Kevin on either side of Amy. Dylan brought up the rear.

"You know," Ethan said, "you could at least act scared."

"This is why I became a hunter in the first place," Amy said slowly and deliberately. "To avenge your and mom's deaths. I did almost die that night but I survived, for a reason."

"And you believe this reason is to kill father?" Kevin asked. She nodded and Kevin went on "He's gong to kill you, painfully. He's not your father Amy."

"What?" she asked shocked.

"He's right," Ethan said with a calm manor. "Mom had an affair after father had already turned. He knew that he couldn't have been the father of the baby she was carrying so he gave her two choices: get an abortion or leave. You can guess which she chose."

"If you run right now we'll pretend we never saw you," Ethan said. Kevin nodded in agreement.

"I can't do that," she said.

"Amy, think!" Kevin yelled. "Do you want to die?"

"No," Amy said. "But I've been searching for him since I became a hunter. He killed my mother; I want to return the favor."

"We gave you a chance," Ethan said heavily. They led her to a nicely kept house in a residential neighborhood. Amy was surprised. She had never been to a vampire's "lair," but she didn't expect this. "Sonny, could you get the door?" The other vampire rushed forward and opened the door.

Ethan and Kevin led Amy inside the dimly lit living room that's when she saw Michael lying lazily on the couch. Amy felt a hate and anger that she didn't know she was capable of building in her. He looked so smug and arrogant that she wanted to stake him right there, but she didn't move. All she could think was: /you killed my mother, you made my brothers what you are, and you ruined my life!/ She didn't dare move for fear that he would guess her motive.

"You're home," Michael said standing. He balked when he saw Amy recognizing her immediately. He glanced at Kevin and Ethan then back at her. "Amy."

"Bingo," she said coolly.

"Leave us," he told Dylan and Sonny. They left, leaving Kevin and Ethan in the room with Amy and Michael.

"Do they roll over and play dead too?" Amy asked in an excited tone belying her true feelings.

"You had the nerve to lead her here?" Michael demanded.

"She wanted to come," Kevin said simply.

"You let her!" Michael exploded.

"That," Ethan admitted. "Is true."

"Well," Michael said composing himself. "She's come all this way. I might as well entertain her." Her started towards her, but Ethan and Kevin moved at the exact same time to block his path in a move that looked planned. "What are you doing?"

"We won't let you kill her again," Kevin said. "Well, technically it's the first, time but for us it's the second."

"Do you believe that you two will be able to stop me?" Michael demanded.

"Between the two of us, I believe that we could do some damage," Kevin said.

"Fine," Michael said, "but if she stays she must wear these at all times." He handed Kevin a pair of handcuffs. "And one of the others must turn her. And boys, if she does anything to annoy or harm me, I will kill her. Also, she must stay with one of the others." He left. Before Amy could move to defend herself, Kevin put the handcuffs on her.

"Great," Amy said, "did I mention that I would rather die than become a vampire?" " We lost you once Amy, we won't lose you again," Ethan said.

"I guess we should chose who she'll stay with," Kevin said. "Dylan?"

"Yeah," Ethan agreed. "He's the only one we can trust."

"This has been, by far, the worst day I've had in a really long time," Amy said miserably. They walked out. A few female vampires lounged around watching her

with faint interest. Sonny had two of the three vampiresses sitting beside him pretty much hanging all over him. I really hope I won't be like that when I turn, Amy thought disgusted. Dylan stood when they entered the room.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"We have a request and before you ask our father did clear it," Ethan said. "We want you to turn her."

"Whoa! Hold it!" Dylan said.

"I turned you," Ethan said. "Consider it returning the favor."

"Okay," Dylan said slowly. "I'll do it. But why?"

"Even if she leaves, father will hunt her down," Kevin said. "This is the only way for her to live."

"She'd *rather* be dead," Amy said annoyed that they were talking about her as if she weren't there. Even after that, they only glanced at her briefly.

"She also has to stay with you," Ethan said.

"Hey, can I get in on this?" Sonny asked. Kevin favored him with a low dangerous growl. "Touchy."

"It's fine," Dylan said. "I have an extra bed in my room anyhow."

"Also, make sure she stays there," Kevin said. "If she gets loose she'll try to kill father."

"Done," Dylan said. Ethan nodded. He and Kevin left. "Come with me." Amy reluctantly followed Dylan into his room. "Look, Amy, neither of us want this, but we don't have a choice. Do you really want to die?"

"No," Amy said shocked that he had to ask. "But I don't want to become a vampire either! I don't have much of a choice in that, do I?"

"No," Dylan said. "Not really." He shook his head. "This is really weird. What are the odds that we would find you?" Amy was looking around his room. It was decorated in dark colors with a single lamp that barely gave off any light at all.

"Nice," she said when finished her examination of the room.

"I'm glad it meets your approval," Dylan said with a roll of his eyes.

"When I was little, I had a huge crush on you," Amy admitted looking at the handcuffs holding her hostage.

"Really?" Dylan asked surprised.

"Oh yeah," Amy said with a humorless laugh. "I used to watch you, Ethan, and Kevin play basketball and fantasize about stupid stuff like weddings and first dates." He looked slightly surprised. "It was stupid though, I even knew that then. You were the older best friend of my brother." She was trying to get the handcuffs off, but Dylan didn't look too worried.

"They won't come off," he told her.

Amy sighed still trying to get her hands loose. "He's going to pull rank to get you to kill me. Unless he decides to do his own dirty work which is sort of doubtful." She seemed to give up on the handcuffs. "So where am I going to sleep?"

"I *am* supposed to begin to turn you," Dylan said.

"Right," Amy said she looked at him suddenly scared. "Does it hurt?"

He smiled slightly and sat down on the bed. "No," he said. "There's brief pain but after that you won't feel anything." She sat down on his bed. He took her into his arms holding her gently. He tilted her head back. He bit down. She felt a spasmodic moment of pain before it faded like a bee sting.

He pulled away and cut his own wrist. He put it to her mouth. The blood flooded her mouth. She had to either choke on it or swallow. /Michael is still alive,/ she thought. /I can't die yet./ She swallowed.

She became dizzy as he pulled away. She fell back on his bed. "Amy?" She started to get up but another wave of dizziness came over her. Dylan went to the other bed and pushed the covers aside. He then picked her up and placed her in the bed. He tucked her in and looked down at her with a half- smile. "Goodnight Amy," he whispered. She cursed herself for showing such weakness in front of him but just lay there. There was nothing more that she could do tonight