I kick the monster between the legs, but it doesn’t faze. Maybe it’s not male? Male or not, I’ve pissed it off. It tips its head back and growls. Then its other arm springs forward and it clutches my throat. Blood pours from its eyes like rain from the sky. I ram my elbow into its chest, hard. But it barely budges. It’s a strong one.

They all are.

And humans are weak.

It dips its nose toward my neck and takes a deep whiff, like I’m a top grade sirloin steak. I whack it in the chest and kick it in the shin, refusing to give up. Finally, it loses balance and stumbles backwards. Not missing a beat, I skitter around it and swerve around the other one. Then I run.

But I fall after a few steps, my nose cracking against the concrete. I roll over and the monster hovers above me. The more blood that drips from its eyes, the hungrier it is. And this one’s eyes are pouring water like a rainstorm. It assesses me, death staring me in the eyes. Yet am I not afraid. I should be terrified, but I never am.

The monster’s lips part.  “No!” It cries.

My blood freezes. I’ve never heard one speak. I didn’t think they could speak.

It turns from me and wanders back down the tunnel, the other one following closely behind.

I stay on the ground, my jaw slack with shock. Because vampires never EVER leave humans alive.

Chapter 2

After the vampires vanish, I sprint down the tunnel as fast as my legs will carry me and don’t slow down until I reach the river. The Highers built the river around The Colony, and constantly dump sodium chloride into it, which is just a fancy word for salt. The salt causes excruciating pain when it mixes into the wounds on vampires’ skin. It’s the one thing that keeps them away, the one thing that protects us from being overtaken with the blood thirsty disease.

I jump into the water and swim until I grow tired. Then I let the soft flow of the water carry me to the end of the river. I drag myself onto the cement platform. I’m tired and soaked, but the glass vial is still in my pocket and that’s all that matters.

“Open up,” I call out, spitting out water. “Please.”

The steel door swings open, and smacks loudly against the wall. Tristan steps out, hands in pockets, a shocked look on his face. “What happened to you?”

I push to my feet and ring the water out of my long, black hair. “Why are you guarding the door? I thought Bernard was on duty tonight?”