Forbidden Love by Natalie Hancock Page B

rolled across the sky, the moon poking through a little.
    It wasn’t enough. Katrina needed more.
    The stitch in her side burned, making it hard to breathe as pain shot through her sides and chest. Holding it didn’t help either.
    Katrina jumped up, lightly landing on a boulder. Turning around, still holding her breath through the pain.
    The others were nowhere in sight.
    Guilt made her stomach squirm. She was a protector, more than a predator. Choosing to escape seemed like a good idea at first.
    Katrina breathed with relief when the others came through the trees, not even glancing at her as they ran past, their feet and legs covered in scratches and mud.
    Quickly, jumping from the boulder, she increased her speed through the trees as the sounds of snapping twigs and rustling leaves followed behind her. These vampires are getting sloppy.
    Trees flashed by her, just a blur of colour as she fled.
    She might have failed the others they’d all left behind, the ones she had killed, but if there was one thing she could do it was make sure their deaths didn’t happen in vain.
    Just a little bit further. The trickle of running water was all Katrina could hear over the pounding of her heart and panted breathing. The moonlight shone down through the trees and her entire body shook. Her senses sharpened, her gums throbbed as her teeth lengthened. She almost moaned at the relief she felt.
    Then she heard them behind her. They were after her, the challenge that made them work for their fun.
    Not this time . She was escaping and with the full moon on her side, the vampires were in for a shock. They’ll all be taken down for all the others they hurt—for what they did to her.
    The trees thinned and spread out, leading to an open space with nowhere to hide. The moon shone brightly down, almost warm like the sun. Katrina’s bones cracked but she kept running, keeping at a steady pace, determined to make it to the water before she completely changed.
    The others pushed the boats in the water.
    Katrina watched them speed off into the distance. At least they had the sense to turn the motors on.
    The vampires pounced, knocking her to the muddy ground and pinned her there.
    Katrina struggled against them, still changing, her limbs lengthening with her hair while she kicked and punched, trying to escape.
    One of them bit into her neck hard.
    Katrina screamed loud and hard, the noise echoing around them. The change withdrew as her energy and blood did. She needed the strength to change completely. She would have fought otherwise, and with a vengeance.
    Katrina turned to the women, saw them frozen with shock. “Go!” She struggled against the hands and legs holding her down, scratching and biting, needing to escape.
    The sound of the boat motor fading into the distance made the situation she was in worth it as the grip on her throat tightened, cutting off her scream of fury and pain as a vampire crushed her throat.
     

Chapter One
     
     
    Come on, just a little closer. Keta raised her crossbow until it pointed straight at her target—an unsuspecting vampire. Come on, you bloodsucker. Turn around. With a steady hand, she braced the crossbow against her shoulder. It packed a punch and with an already bruised shoulder, shooting the vampire was going to hurt.
    It would all be worth it.
    The vampire turned around.
    Tall with light hair and a handsome face, Keta didn’t let his good looks get to her as she aimed for his chest. She didn’t shoot just yet—he was speaking on the phone, and as always, curiosity got the better of her.
    Quietly putting the crossbow on her back, she inched down the rocky hill she’d hidden in. If she could get closer, maybe she could hear the conversation. If it led to more suckers to kill, she’d sleep well tonight.
    Creeping closer, sliding down the hill until she could hear the vampire’s words, she made sure both her scent and herself was hidden and listened closely.
    “Aye, yes, yes. No one knows.