Bella ran a few fingers through her shoulder-length blonde hair and smiled into the mirror. Her deep green eyes glinted with ferocity. She was only nineteen years old, but she had seen more horror than most eighty year olds had dreamt of. She and her father were a vampire hunting team. He had left two nights ago on a mission to kill the vampire called “The Beast” He was so named because of the calling card he always left on his victims. In his victim’s cold, pale hands he always left a small card tied to a white rose. On the card was a picture of a beast. The Beast was notorious because of his calling card. Her father and she had been tracking him for years, looking for a slip up that would lead them to his hideaway. Her father had found it, and though he told her where it was, he insisted on going alone. He didn’t wish to risk his daughter’s life. But Leo Venatori never returned. Bella was determined to go and find him. She looked into the mirror again, checking that all her knives were concealed beneath her clothing. She wore knives on both arms, and another set on her wrists for easy access. Two stiletto knives were tucked into her boots and another on her thigh. She smoothed the skirt she wore down. Silly human customs. She thought to herself. She wished desperately she could wear breeches like a man, but, then again, the skirt hid any knives she could place on her body. She could probably hide a whole sword and no one would be the wiser. She wrapped a shawl around herself and slipped a dagger into the front and back of her bodice. There. All set, now all I have to do is get to The Beast.

Bella stepped into the hall and crept down the stairs and out the door. No use waking the servants. Sandra knows where I’ve gone if I don’t return. Sandra was her family’s maid, housekeeper, and trusted companion. Sandra knew about vampires and wanted them dead as much as Bella and her father. Sandra would take over the household until the two of them returned. Bella’s father had willed his house and all his belongings to Sandra, if Bella died before Sandra did. She was capable of handling herself.

Bella stepped into the courtyard, leaning over to smell the roses in front of her house before hurrying to the stables. She grabbed the saddle and bridle for her horse and quickly readied the little mare for the journey.

“Shh now Ginger. It’s alright.”

Ginger was a stocky chestnut mare with dark pools of amber for eyes. Bella loved her, often riding her around her father’s land in the mornings before breakfast. Bella mounted Ginger, sitting side-saddle, and cursing propriety for it. She tapped Ginger into a canter, guiding her down the path. The Beast’s current hide-out was only a night’s ride from Bella’s house. They were fortunate in that. Ginger flew through the woods and Bella kept her eyes wide open for anything that might attack her. Wolves weren’t the only danger in these woods.

Before dawn Bella pulled Ginger’s reins, slowing her to a walk. She looked around herself warily, then up at the giant castle looming above her. She had slept most of the day before so she would be aware for the impending battle. Bella stepped through the huge metal gate of the castle and glanced at all the rows of white roses. So he grows them himself. Interesting. Bella continued down the path to the front door. She drew the knife out of her bodice and tossed her shawl on the ground. She no longer needed it to hide the knives she wore from the human world.

Bella stepped through the front door. Inside the castle it was dark and drafty. She shivered a little, watching the shadows for anything that moved. She checked each room on the lower level before ascending the stairs slowly. She heard a coughing noise to her right when she stepped onto the next level. She sidestepped through the door on her right and gasped.

“Father! Are you alright?”

Bella rushed to her father and knelt down beside him. He was covered in dark bruises where the vampire had obviously fed from him. He was pale and shivering.

“Bella, leave now. He’s stronger than you or I can handle. Leave me here.”

Bella shook her head, pulling her father up and setting his head in her lap.

“No, I won’t leave you.”

Bella gasped as she heard a noise to her left. Out of the shadows stepped a man. He was dressed in all black; his eyes and his hair were black as well. Vampire.

“Well hello Bella. I’ve heard so much about you from your father. Pity about him. He’s nearly out of blood; I’ll have to kill him soon.”

Bella launched herself at the man, tearing at him with her dagger in fury. Her dagger sliced across his chest and he laughed at her. He grabbed her wrist and yanked the dagger from her hands, tossing her against the wall hard.

“What a little tiger you are. I’ll have fun hunting you down once I finish with your father.”

Bella slumped on the floor and gasped for air. He’d nearly broken her back with that little toss. He was strong, no doubt about that. She coughed.

“Take me now instead, and let my father go.”

“No Bella! You must save yourself!”

“No father. You will live, and I will die instead, or he will hunt me down after he killed you and then we would both be dead. It’s better one lives.”

“Done. I’ll take you for your father’s life.”

The man picked Bella’s father up and pushed him through the door.

“Get out of here old man. I’ll have so much fun with this pretty little daughter of yours. I’ll make her scream my name before I kill her.”

Leo Venatori raced down the stairs after one last apologetic glance at his daughter. He wished he could do something to save her, but he could think of nothing that would be of any help to her.