With no time to spare, I dashed in to wash the blood off my hands, scrubbing hard at my fingernails where some red spots didn't come off so easily. I also pulled a long-sleeve fleece top over my t-shirt, not wanting the cop to see the needle mark on my arm and make me out for a drug addict. With my luck, it would inspire him to search the property.

"Ms. Sanders," a male voice called out. He sounded familiar.

I looked through the living room curtains to find the deputy who'd spoken to me a few days before outside. He stood by his car, leaning on his good leg, wearing pressed khaki pants and a white button-up shirt. Voices from his police radio blared from the open window of his vehicle.

My palms were sweaty as I made my way out to greet him. The blood stains on the cabin walls didn't look too visible, a quick glance assured me of that, but I still didn't want him getting close.

"Hello Deputy, what brings you here?" I stuffed my hands into the back pockets of my jeans, and pasted a sweet smile on my face.

"I heard you moved out here and wanted to check on you," he said, studying the area around us.

Aside from the cabin and my SUV, trees and vegetation dominated the scene. Not much to look at. There were a few neighbors some distance away, but none of them were visible from where we stood.

"Where'd you hear that?" I asked.

"Fairbanks isn't that large, Ms. Sanders. People talk."

Right. He didn't need to spell it out any clearer. He was keeping tabs on me and I needed to watch myself. Something about him felt off, but I didn't know what.

"Moved in today. Thought I would stick around for a while."

He gave me a skeptical look. "You're not still searching for that friend of yours, are you?"

I opened my mouth to deny the accusation, but stopped myself. He wouldn't buy any excuse I gave. Considering my recent activity, he must have heard about my ongoing search efforts. I shrugged instead. "She's here. It's just a matter of finding her."

He shook his head. "It's a wasted effort. She'll turn up when she's ready, they always do."

Somehow, I doubted that, but didn't have time to debate the matter. Daylight hours were burning. "Is there something you need deputy?"

My question brought his eyes back around from where he had been studying the cabin. I crossed my arms at his penetrating stare, not liking the suspicion reflecting in his gaze. The movement drew his attention to my hip.

"Is that a gun I see on you?"

His observation made me twist my neck around to look at the object in question. I had forgotten it was still tucked in my pants. Carrying the weapon at all times in recent days had made it feel like a part of my attire. In my haste, I must not have pulled the fleece top over it all the way. Damn the deputy for noticing.

"It's for protection," I explained, falling back on the excuse I'd given the gun dealer. "I heard about all the wild animals roaming the woods and figured it might be a good idea to have one with me."

His face relaxed. Maybe I wasn't the first woman to take that kind of precaution around here.

"A young girl like you, that's understandable, but do be careful. A gun isn't a guaranteed way to stop big animals."

"Of course, but better than nothing, right?" I asked with a raised brow. A good firearm could kill anything if aimed well, so long as your target didn't have immortality as part of its make-up. Then things got tricky.

"That's true," he frowned. "Do you know the Alaska laws for carrying concealed firearms?"

Had this become an interrogation? I was familiar with those and didn't find it amusing, especially since I was on private property. The guy seemed determined to draw out our conversation. At least I had an answer for him. If you were going to skirt the law, you needed to know it first. I stated the basics off the top of my head.

"No permit required, but don't bring it into schools, courthouses, or bars?" Not that I followed that last part, but he didn't need to know that.

"Yes, but next time, remember that you should always inform a police officer when you're carrying it. Otherwise, you can be charged for failure to do so."

"Sorry about that," I apologized. "You surprised me with your visit and I wasn't thinking."

He nodded, accepting my excuse like all men who underestimated women. Most of the time that annoyed me, but in this case it worked to my advantage. I had forgotten to tell him about the gun, so my answer had been the truth.

"It's alright," the deputy said, "but do be more careful in the future. A young girl such as yourself shouldn't be living alone out in the bush."

"It isn't that far out from the city, deputy, but thank you for your concern," I replied, taking a step back toward the cabin.

He tipped his hat. "I'll let you finish settling in."

After his car disappeared beyond the trees I went inside to finish cleaning up the mess from my earlier bloodletting. Better to hide the evidence in case any more nosy people came around to "check" on me. I couldn't be sure if he came for the reasons he'd stated or if he had an ulterior motive. Human minds could be manipulated by vamps, leaving me unsure. My truth meter worked best against sups, whose minds usually couldn't be tampered with. The deputy could be a pawn for all I knew.

Chapter Eight.

An hour before sunset, the cabin stood ready for whatever might come. I typed a short email to Lisette and Mrs. Singh updating them with my progress, or lack thereof, but left out Aniya's recent phone call. No point in worrying them further. Both had been checking with me almost daily since I arrived. I gave Lisette my new address, wanting someone trustworthy to know my location in case the worst should happen. At least she could pick up my things since my body would have little chance of being found. A morbid thought, but my optimism wasn't very high at the moment.

To keep up my strength, I ate some spaghetti I'd cooked earlier for lunch. The meal settled into my stomach like lead. Staying calm hadn't been easy since discovering my life was in imminent danger. At least in the military it had been a general threat as opposed to this time, where the enemy had singled me out. They would be coming sooner or later. All the different types of painful torture methods they might use if they captured me swirled through my head.

The hours rolled by with no sign of them. By midnight, I lay on the couch near the front door. The Sig rested on my lap, with a round loaded in the chamber, its cold metal a small comfort. It had no safety. One pull of the trigger would do the job. I kept my fingers away from that part of the gun. No point in saving the sups the trouble by taking myself out.

Would they really come for me? I had this morning's phone call to go by, but nothing more. Part of me wanted them to show up so we could get this confrontation over with. Sitting here waiting in anticipation was going to drive me crazy.

My senses lit up about the time I began to doze off. Vague sensations of dread rolled over me as they came, moving at a steady speed in my direction. The group consisted of three vampires. They couldn't get inside, but my hand still gripped the gun. Having a sword right now might have been helpful. Beheading was one of the few ways to kill a vamp. I doubted I could strike fast enough for it to work. Stakes to the heart could hold them immobile so you could finish them off, but getting one in the chest would be almost as difficult as simply cutting their head off. They were too strong and fast for me to do it without the element of surprise.

The vampires closed in on the cabin, slowing to a walking pace as if they had all the time in the world. Their ages ranged from twenty to one hundred. Just strong and experienced enough to be a problem. My combat training gave me the proficiency needed to fight newly turned vamps, but these were beyond my skill level. The protection of my new home had better work.

Within moments, they arrived and sent the youngest one ahead to the door. The knob sizzled when the vampire jiggled it. He let out a shocked yelp and a string of curses. The idiot should have known that would happen, even if I had only moved in twelve hours ago.

Chuckling came from across the yard. Did they think this was some kind of game? I was tempted to go to take a peek out the window, but didn't want to be near it with one of them so close. The idiot standing in front of the window always died first in the movies.

"Melena," the oldest vamp drew out my name in a compelling voice, "why don't you come out here and talk to us."

Of course, the compulsion in his voice didn't work-not even with using my name. Names could have power over a person, but not mine. I ignored their repeated calls and remained silent. They might have been able to hear my heart beating faster, but there was no point in talking to them yet. All three began calling to me at once, so that "Melena" echoed across the yard with an eeriness that made me shiver. It went on for a few tense-filled minutes before dying down.

Uncertainty rose to fill in the sudden silence. There were rare humans born resistant who weren't sensors, but they numbered at a fraction of one percent. Maybe they would think me part fae or something. Some people appeared to be human but had a trace of the supernatural from their ancestors crossbreeding with humans. It gave enough of a boost so they couldn't be compelled, except by the very old immortals-who held enough power to do it anyway. Except on sensors.

"You can't stay in there forever," the first one called out.

I'd had enough of playing the quiet girl.

"And you can't stay out there forever," I yelled back.

"We can stay out here long enough," he replied. "We know you're looking for your friend. She belongs to us now, but don't worry, you'll be joining her soon."

Not if I could help it. They must have made her a blood slave, which sickened me, but drinking my blood wouldn't have quite the same affect on vamps that a human's did.

"You're not getting in, so go away." Not my best come back, but I couldn't think of anything else.

"Come out now and we'll go easy on you." His voice came out cajoling. "I give my word of honor." Right. He said this while his buddies stalked around the cabin. It didn't take my senses to see the truth.

"Not a chance," I shouted back.

"Very well, the choice was yours."

They were far enough away from the front window that I could take a peek. The vampire I had spoken to, the oldest of the group, stood about fifty feet away near the trees. The moonlight illuminated him enough for me to see some of his features. He had the same dark hair as Philip, Aniya's kidnapper, but his shape was leaner and he had a more arrogant posture.

"Some choice," I muttered.

He smiled, looking straight at me through the window. "Better than none at all, little human."

There was no point in replying.

The vampire and his friends backed away from the cabin at least a hundred feet, probably so I couldn't hear them. The oldest one held his phone to his ear, no doubt calling for reinforcements.

I stepped away and let the drapes fall back in place. While the bedroom had blackout curtains to block sunlight during the height of summer, when the nights were short, the living room window had sheer fabric. It made it easy to peer out so long as I stood close. I grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator to relieve my dry mouth and paced the living room.

Thirty minutes later, I sensed half a dozen werewolves enter the area. Their signatures raked over my mind like sharp claws digging at my skull. It took me a minute to adjust. They moved at a semi-rapid pace, but were close enough together to make me think they rode in a vehicle. I didn't worry too much. The wolfsbane would hold them back. At least in theory-I'd never actually tried it myself. Wanda had kept the herb around, so she must have believed it worked.

I sunk into a chair near the window that matched the couch. In a habit formed during my childhood, my fingers crossed hoping they wouldn't get close. The herb had to have a range of effectiveness, but I didn't know how far it might be. They didn't seem bothered by it yet.

For now, the werewolves stood speaking with the vampires, their postures rigid. A casual observer would think they were about to head off to war. Ten minutes passed before they moved toward the cabin. When they came within thirty feet of the walls, they started sneezing. A little closer and their breath wheezed in and out as if their airways were closing off. Those in wolf form went into convulsions. Maybe the animal form came with a heightened sense of smell.

I snickered, unable to help myself. They'd come in with so much confidence that they never guessed a well placed herb could keep them away. One of the vamps, who had come forward to help the werewolves, glared in my direction.

"Think you're smart don't you?"

"Not at all, just prepared," I said, not bothering to raise my voice. Vamps had no better sense of smell than humans did, but he'd proved his hearing worked more than well enough.

"We'll see," he yelled back over his shoulder.

Once they had the werewolves out of the "danger zone", the vamps stalked their way back towards me with determination written all over their faces. They spread out, getting as close to the cabin as possible. Sizzles sounded all around when their hands tried to reach underneath the structure. Their muttered curses confirmed my suspicions.

They were trying to remove the wolfsbane, but soon discovered it was out of their reach. I had expected they might try that when I decided to put it outside. It would be impossible for them to get to so long as it lay within the confines of the home's support structure. I wanted to thank whoever laid the curse on the vampire race a few millennia ago, preventing them from getting into any human's residence without an invitation. As soon as they got close to the borders of a home, it was nothing but sizzles for them if they weren't welcome.

The vampires moved back to where the wolves stood. They shouted threats on the way involving something along the lines of being drawn and quartered. As if any of them had been alive when that was still a practice. Did all younger immortals try to sound older than they were?

One of them began speaking on their phone again. They were running out of options and would have to give up soon. The predicted thunderstorm loomed in the distance and the wind had begun to pick up. It would be an hour or so before it reached us, but I hoped it would scare the sups off sooner.

A lightening strike, if direct, could kill them. Not only that, but they were a natural magnet for them whenever they were outside. Much like an antenna on top of a tall building. If they valued their lives, they wouldn't stick around to get hit.

Twenty minutes later, two witches showed up. They drove a large SUV with headlights blazing, not bothering to hide their entry onto the gravel drive. When the werewolves had come, they had shut their lights off as soon as they turned from the main road. I could sense annoyance from the sups who were forced to cover their eyes. It almost blinded me with my normal vision.

One of the witches had a good amount of power, not as much as Noreen back in California, but enough zing coursed through her to be considered formidable. The second witch had about half that strength. They both appeared cocky as they got out of their vehicle. Their high heeled boots looked out of place and impractical, but they wore them with a certain grace and fluidity I couldn't have managed out in the woods.

The two women arrived at the congregating point and settled into wide stances with hands on their hips and disapproval stamped on their faces. Most modern witches tended to avoid the outdoors, being forced to come here must have irritated them. They liked their creature comforts. One spoke in a boasting voice that she had never seen a human so easily best werewolves and vampires. I grinned to myself, thinking she would be eating her words soon enough.

With a cocky sway of her hips, the stronger witch moved toward the house, her long blond hair fluttering in the breeze. Even through the dark, I could see that the golden locks were the one decent feature she had. Her skin appeared far more aged and wrinkled than it should for a woman in her mid-thirties and her lips had a permanent down-turn. She also had the famous hooked nose Hollywood portrayed bad witches as having. It stood out from her face, but this time it wasn't a cliche. She used a simple illusion spell to prevent anyone, aside from me, from seeing her true appearance. Her forays into the dark arts must have caused the loss of beauty. It had to have been a nasty spell to cause this much damage-most required a different sacrifice than personal looks.

I could tell she wanted to show her apprentice how superior witches were to the other races. She moved to the door and I sensed her attempt at an unlocking spell. Of course, it didn't work with my blood in place. She tried opening the doorknob without magic, but that failed as well since the door remained locked. Her feet stomped on the porch. After a moment, she tried to shove the door open with the weight of her body, but it didn't budge.

"Unless you want this cabin destroyed," she growled out. "I suggest you come out now. Otherwise, I will not hesitate to use force."

"Give it your best shot," I replied. The cabin could hold against any magic she tried against it. If her first spell hadn't worked, none of the rest would either.

Her rising anger pricked against my senses, but I was too amused by it to care. She tramped over to the side of the house and attempted a spell to knock a hole in the wall. It bounced back and knocked her on her ass ten feet away. She had packed quite a punch into that one and hadn't figured it would spring back on her. I caught her fall from the kitchen window and waved at her. She shot me a rude gesture in return.

To her credit, the embarrassing display didn't stop her from trying again. A series of spells came hurtling through the air in rapid succession. I could feel the power of each one, but none of them did more than make me flinch a little. The blood protection held. Her magic didn't. She'd tried everything, including water and air, only to have them fail too. It had to have taken a great deal of strength to perform so much at once. She didn't have a lot left. I imagined it would take her days to recover after tonight-all magic had its limits.

This group of sups didn't understand what a sensor could do to protect themselves. Of course, they couldn't have known what they fought against before getting here, which made things easier on me. The knowledge of my race had eroded over the centuries as we stayed in hiding and none of the ones here had been around when sensors were still prominent. It gave me the advantage I needed.

A frustrated scream came out of the witch when she finally stopped trying to put a hole in the cabin. By this point they were all laughing at her. She had brought it all on herself. I had to laugh too when she started kicking up dirt as she made her way back to the group. She shot me a venomous look that would have terrified most people, especially if they saw what she hid under the spell, but it didn't bother me. I'd seen more scorn from human enemies while serving overseas.

They started another discussion in hushed tones. By this time, the storm had reached us and loomed overhead, darkening the whole scene so I could barely make out their figures. It would start any minute. Lightning flashed nearby, but as yet, no rain fell. The sups glanced a few times toward the threatening weather, but didn't stop talking. One of the vampires picked up a tree branch that was about the thickness of a baseball bat and broke it into a three-foot long piece. What did they plan to do now?

He carried the branch in a determined grip as he and the two witches moved toward the cabin. The women had daggers in their hands and an idea of what they might be about to do formed in my head. My feet took several steps back until I stood at the border between the living room and open kitchen area.

Faster than I could see, the vampire swung the branch at the window, shattering it. With swift movements, he swept the glass away using the same tool. He might not be able to put his hands inside the cabin, but the branch didn't have that problem. I stood frozen, watching him closely. It didn't take a genius to figure out why the witches had come with him. They didn't need an invitation to go through the opening he'd made.

I raised the gun, which had been in my hand the entire time, as soon as the vamp stepped away. In his place came the older of the two witches. As she began to climb through the window, I knew I couldn't hesitate. It was a matter of her life or mine. Sometimes, you don't get the luxury of a choice if survival is at stake. When her foot crunched on the loose pieces of glass, all my focus went straight to her through the sites of my weapon.

The witch's gaze froze on me. I let out a calming breath as my finger squeezed the trigger. The gun kicked back at the same time as a loud report hit my ears, making them ring. Horror flashed on her face right before the bullet hit its mark, erasing her expression. She had seen her death coming.

All of these details registered in my mind, as if it happened in slow motion. I never took my eyes off the open window and immediately reacquired my sights in case I needed to shoot again. The witch's body had fallen back onto the porch, but the vampire continued to stand there, a shocked expression on his face.

The younger witch began to scream. I leveled the gun at her, but she turned her back on me and bent down to check on her friend. It put her out of my sight and she appeared too distraught to be a threat. She wailed loud enough to hurt my ears. The two must have been close for such a visceral reaction.

The woman I shot had to be dead, she wasn't immortal. Nothing came to my senses to indicate she might still live, her life force had left within moments of the bullet hitting. I assumed the vampire would be trying to heal her with his blood if there was a chance of saving her, but he made no move to do so.

Instead, he gave me a look filled with so much hatred it left little doubt he'd kill me in a slow, methodical manner if given the chance. I stood my ground with the gun now pointed in his direction, and gave him my own cold stare.

No emotion touched me, only the will to survive.

If the gun could have done any real damage, my finger might have been pulling the trigger again, but it'd be a waste of a bullet. Even giving him a temporary wound wasn't worth the trouble. Besides, he couldn't get in to harm me anyway.

I kept the weapon raised until he picked up the body and moved off the porch. The other witch followed right behind him, continuing to sniffle. She paid no attention to me, her sole focus on the woman whose body lay lifeless in the vamp's arms. In my military career, I had shot at enemies before, but never watched them die. I wasn't sure if any of them had since we never stuck around to find out. My limited experience came from ambushes that occurred while driving the streets of war zones-our goal had been to fight our way out and get to safety, not hang around checking for bodies. Staying in one place for too long in situations like that tended to invite more danger.

This experience had very little in common with those from my past. Part of it may have been the location-I should have been safe in my own country. Instead I'd been forced to kill. Even if the witch hadn't had the best of intentions toward me, it still didn't feel right.

One moment she had stood before my eyes and in the next she didn't. A mere blink in time altering all that would go forward. Her existence came to a sudden halt the instant I pulled the trigger. The memory flashed before my eyes and the look on her face imprinted on my soul.

While the sups dealt with the ramifications of their latest plan, I let the scene play several more times in my head before shoving it into my special box. The danger hadn't gone away yet. Lingering on what had happened wouldn't change anything and I didn't need to be putting myself at further risk. I couldn't let them capture me because then there would be no one to rescue Aniya. Mrs. Singh needed her daughter and I wanted my friend back. They were not going to stop me.