It was a rather unremarkable morning. The sky was a pale grey and the grass of the front lawn was still damp from the downpour of the previous night. The birds could be heard in the distance, chirping relentlessly, and the soft whooshing of tires through puddles was the only other sound. Across the road, water dripped slowly and silently into an overflowing bin. The smells of wet tarmac and lavender pressed against my nostrils; the overwhelming scents made me feel slightly nauseous. My heart pounded crazily against my ribcage and my hair was stuck to my head due to sweat. I was finally alone and absolutely terrified.

I had known it was going to be a bad day before I even woke up properly. There was a knot in my stomach the moment I opened my eyes— a feeling of panic I couldn’t quite place. I lay back against my soft pillows, urging myself to go back to sleep, but the panicky feeling forced me to full alertness. I crawled over to the window at the end of my bed and peered through the sheer curtains: my parents had just left and were preparing to Disapparate. Again, panic nagged at my insides, but due to my long sleep my brain wasn’t working properly, so I couldn’t interpret my unease.

I got up carefully and walked over to the crystal mirror that dominated my bedroom. I looked terrible: my long blonde hair stuck up in odd places, there were dark red bruises underneath my brown eyes, and angry red spots dotted my hairline. I was definitely paler, and as my skin was already transparent, this was certainly an achievement. Pulling a simple black day robe from my closet, I dressed quickly and attempted to comb my hair into submission. I gave up after several fruitless endeavours and walked slowly out of my bedroom doors and to the stairs.

I stumbled on the first step. My legs felt heavy and there were tingling sensations in my feet, as though they had not been used for a long time. I examined my left foot closely; it was no different, except- it seemed as though I had lost weight. I examined my wrist and gasped when I could make my thumb and littlest finger meet around it. On the right hand side, a circular bone protruded that I had never seen before. Something was seriously wrong.

I inhaled sharply, and then winced at a pain in my ribs. Gripping the rail tightly, I ignored my shaking legs and descended the steps like a toddler who had just learnt to walk. Every step took a huge amount of effort, and although there were only thirty-two, I had to stop and rest twice.

The kitchen door was ajar, and I suddenly realised I was hungry. There was a pot of tea upon the oak table, and I poured myself a cup and sat down.

It was still boiling; my parents must have left straight after breakfast. I drank as fast as the heat would allow me to; it felt warm against my parched throat and made me feel fuller. After I had finished it, I could barely move as I was so full up. I was surprised; normally it would take four slices of buttered toast to satisfy the gnawing ache in my belly.

Now I had awoken further, the feeling of panic was growing. Although nothing was obviously different, there were subtle, inexplicable changes I couldn’t understand. Why had I lost so much weight? Why was I so uncomfortably full after a cup of tea? Why was I so weak?

Then a horrible thought invaded my brain: had I been sick? I dismissed it at once; my parents were rich enough to put me in a private hospital. They would never put my health at risk by keeping me at home.

Feeling uneasy, I got up carefully and tottered towards the front room. As soon as I opened the door, I could smell my mother’s perfume: lavender. It always reminded me of babies, although I had never understood why. It really didn’t suit her; it was soft and gentle whereas she was harsh and lively. Something spicy would have been more appropriate.

I sank into a black velvet couch, feeling grateful as relief coursed through my tired legs. Closing my eyes, all I could see was hot redness as I tried to picture the events of the previous night.

It had been my father’s birthday, the first one we had spent together as a family in fifteen years, because my parents had been in Azkaban for ages. My aunt and cousin had come to celebrate with us. There had been wine…

Everything seemed to click into place. The weakness, the grogginess, and the lack of appetite… they were totally usual after drinking alcohol.

But that doesn’t explain your weight loss, said a small voice inside of me.

“Shut up, brain,� I muttered out loud. Having an explanation was comforting, and I had never been one to decline comfort. During the sixteen years that was my life, I had always taken the easiest route. Consequently, I had achieved mostly ‘Acceptable’ grades in my O.W.L.s. The professors had always been telling me that if I’d only worked, I could have got ‘Outstanding’ in their class.

I felt a pang of longing as I thought of Hogwarts. There was still a month until I began my seventh year. I felt somewhat irritated at the fact that I still had to wait a month to use magic, but the thought of my birthday excited me; I’d always loved cake and presents.

A newspaper caught my eye. The last one I had seen announced the return of the Dark Lord and the appointment as Rufus Scrimgeour as Minister of Magic. This time the headline spoke of a Muggle family of four that had been murdered near London.

“Hasta la vista, filth,� I muttered, grinning.

The smile was wiped off my face when I saw the date: 17th October 1996. It couldn’t be right. There had to be a mistake. Two months could not have passed since I’d gone to sleep.

Suddenly, the front door crashed open. I dove behind the sofa instinctively. A loud squeaking noise told me there was a house-elf, but I didn’t know who else was there, and in my weakened, wandless condition, I was in no position to fight.

“Homenum Revelio!� screamed the harsh voice of my mother.

I was torn between running out before the spell discovered me and staying where I was. I was too angry and confused to think properly, which made me hesitate. Luckily, she must have directed the spell upstairs as the sweeping, shadowing sensation did not engulf my body.

“She’s not here, Bella,� said my father impatiently.

“You fool!� she bawled at the house-elf. “Crucio!�

It shrieked in pain. I could imagine it writhing on the floor in agony beneath my mother’s unforgiving scowl. I had never seen her that way before, although I had heard about it from others. But finally experiencing it for myself frightened me.

“What part of give her potion every twelve hours don’t you understand?� she bellowed over the house-elf’s sobs. “She’s woken up now! She’s gone! Her death will be your entire fault!�

The house-elf’s screams were becoming quieter. My mother’s Cruciatus Curses had become stronger since she’d left Azkaban, and many house-elves had lost their sanity when they’d met the wrong end of her wand.

“You’ve got to calm down!� snapped my father. “We’re not going to find her while we’re torturing house-elves!�

“It needs to be punished! I will not have Evie condemned like Draco because of our failures, Rodolphus! She was safe while the Dark Lord thought she was dying!�

“That’s why we need to find her, now! She can’t have gone too far; her wand is still in the safe!�

The door slammed shut again. I stayed crouched behind the couch, shocked. What had happened to Draco? I had always looked out for him; he was my baby cousin. My anger had ebbed away completely, as now I knew they had done it for my safety. For one moment, I considered going straight back to bed.

But I had never been a selfless person. I wasn’t about to waste my life for my parents’ piece of mind. I ran over to the safe and entered the combination; it swung open and I seized my wand, and then took as many Galleons as I could fit into my pockets for good measure.

It didn’t take long for me to fill a bag with robes: I was seventeen now and therefore able to use magic. My heart pounded as I raced down the stairs, leaping over the glassy-eyed house-elf in my haste to leave the house. I stepped out into the front garden, and there I was. That was when my story began.

Standing in the front garden, waves of panic began to wash over me. Never before had I been completely on my own. Before they had been sent to Azkaban, my parents had taken care of my every need. After their imprisonment, my father’s parents had doted upon me. Then earlier that year, when my parents had finally escaped, they had spoiled me rotten, trying to make up for fourteen years of neglect.

But I was completely alone and free to do as I wished. I could Apparate, but where? I really had no where to go. Although my pockets were heavy with gold, I was apprehensive about spending it due to the fact I didn’t know how long it would last. Going to the family vault in Gringotts would raise suspicion, and I doubted that my parents wouldn’t alert my grandparents to the fact that I was missing. I was so confused, but I knew I was wasting precious time that I didn’t have by staying in my front garden.

I walked towards the gate that sealed off our property. The surrounding countryside was empty; the large wood separated us from the Muggle city. Not even a Muggle car wandered down the sandy dirt track that lay close to the house. To the left I could just make out the deep navy half of the sky that was the sea. I felt a huge urge to go there, but I knew it would be the first place my parents looked: I had always loved the sea.

Still, there were plenty of other seaside towns. Perhaps I could go and live by the coast. The idea of waking up to that familiar salty tang, the whooshing of the waves and the shrieks of the gulls was certainly appealing. So I spun on the spot, concentrating with all my might on a perfect, secluded beach.

I entered the compressing darkness and found myself standing upon shimmering, navy pebbles as the pearl-gray sea played its game of rushing backwards and forwards. It was deceitful; at some point the tide would come in and drown all that were left on the shore. Tears welled up in my eyes as I wondered how long I could survive. I found a large flat rock and sat on it, letting the motions of the waves soothe me.

I was exhausted, sore and cold, but I didn’t care. I watched the sky. In this part of the country, it was pure white and had a fluffy texture. Although I knew it was the clouds, I was fascinated by it. After about an hour, I had calmed down enough to focus on the daunting task at hand.

The truth was, at some point I would have to sleep. The two months I had spent comatose had made me more tired than I could ever remember being. I tried to think of a place to stay. My parents were going to notice my wand was missing, so Diagon Alley was out. I was far too proud to even consider the Hog’s Head. But then I remembered a quaint hotel I had stayed in with my grandparents. I couldn’t remember its name, but the image of its whitewashed walls that were draped with ivy was sharp in my mind, and I managed to Apparate successfully.

The pathway up to the hotel sloped crazily downwards and twisted in odd shapes. Made of powdery white stones which crunched under my shoes, it cut through a garden that was overflowing with flowers. The scent was sweet and sickly, and hung thick in the damp air. The place looked like a fairy tale cottage. Although it seemed stupidly cute now, when I had visited it as a child it had seemed like an enchanted place straight from The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

I opened the yellow wooden door and a little bell tinkled gently. A middle-aged witch in lilac robes rushed out to meet me. She was so enthusiastic I doubted whether she had many customers these days.

“Welcome, welcome!� she sang. She bounced up and down happily, grabbing my bony hand and pumping it in time with her jumps. “I’m Alison.�

“Evie,� I replied, trying to pull my hand away. When I finally freed myself from her iron grasp, I said with as much dignity as I could muster, “I’d like a room.�

“Of course you do! That will be three Galleons, with all meals thrown in!� she gushed, practically wetting herself with excitement. “I’ll have a house-elf take your things up for you; dinner is being served as we speak! Cookie!�

A tiny house-elf (couldn’t have been more than two years old) appeared at her side, beaming. I passed it my bag and allowed Alison to lead me into the dining room.

Like the rest of the hotel, it was sickeningly adorable. A picture of a kitten reminded me of Dolores Umbridge. There were many circular tables, each covered with a little lace cloth with a pink vase overflowing with tulips in the center. All were empty apart from two. At one sat a boy not much older than myself with bronze hair and at the other sat an elderly couple.

I took a seat at the table closest to the door. Alison placed a huge portion of pie in front of me, and then fluttered over to the elderly couple. I wolfed down my food; my appetite had returned with a vengeance. After I’d finished, I sat back, blissfully unaware that I was being watched.

Then, the boy with the bronze hair was suddenly sitting opposite me. I nearly fell off my chair in surprise.

“Hello,� he said, grinning mischievously. “I’m Ben, Ben White.�

“Never heard of you,� I sneered haughtily, standing up and walking towards the exit.

“You’re supposed to say, ‘hi, I’m…’� he trailed off, looking at me expectantly.

I sighed. The kid wasn’t going to let me go unless I answered him. “Evie Lestrange.�

“Le- WHAT!� he exclaimed.

“Yes, my parents are wanted mass murders,� I said lightly. This had never failed to get rid of annoying admirers and I was practically counting down the seconds until he ran away.

However, his face split into a relieved smile. “Good one. You actually had me fooled for a minute there. What brings you here?�

I scowled. “I wasn’t joking!�

“I’m here on work,� he said, ignoring me. He looked around, and then continued, “I work for the Ministry, you know. Right now there are some vampires terrorising the local Muggles,� he was muttering in my ear, as though it were a secret.

I sniggered at a mental image of Muggles scuttling crazily out of the way of blood-sucking monsters, or holding up wooden crosses as their houses were demolished.

“I’m telling the truth!� whined Ben, looking hurt. “They’re in league with You-Know-Who!�

“Then keep as far away as you can,� I warned. I mentally slapped myself. What did I care if the idiot got himself murdered? It would give me peace and quiet.

“You can come with me, if you want. We usually work in pairs, but my partner- he went over to You-Know-Who,� he said sadly.

“What’s his name?� I demanded.

“Algernon Selwyn,� muttered Ben, biting his lip.

“That idiot!� I exclaimed. Algernon had been two years above me at Hogwarts. His father was in the Dark Lord’s inner circle, a friend of the family and held in high esteem at the Ministry. He was OK, but Algernon was not. An arrogant swine, I had disliked him ever since I’d met him.

Ben smiled appreciatively. “He is, isn’t he? So what do you think? Will you help me tonight?�

“You don’t even know me,� I sneered.

“And I’d rather it stayed that way,� he said, suddenly serious. “I don’t want to know your life story, believe me.�

“Good!� I snapped, offended. “I wasn’t going to tell you anyway!�

“We’ll meet at seven ‘o’ clock, in the lobby. Be there,� he said, and then he vanished into a room.

I stood there, feeling like a fool. Alison hadn’t told me my room number. I searched my memory for the name of the house-elf.

“Cookie!�

A loud crack confirmed that I’d got it right. The tiny house-elf had appeared in front of me, her long ears twitching slightly. “Yes, Miss?�

“Where is my room?� I asked, irritated.

“Cookie will show Miss,� she said, walking to the far end of the corridor. The door was wooden but painted white, with a golden number seven attached to it. I opened it and felt another surge of annoyance.

It was like a child’s dream bedroom. The wooden slats of the floor were uneven but worn smooth by time. The walls were thick and white, with oak panelling that looked like it could be hiding a secret passageway. There was a huge window with a built-in seat, littered with fluffy pink cushions. A large four-poster bed with sheer white hangings took up most of the room. There were at least six mismatched mattresses and four pink blankets. A large oak wardrobe was built into the wall, explaining why they were so thick, and there was a little desk in the corner decorated with dragons and unicorns.

“You may leave,� I said to Cookie.

She bowed and left the room, leaving me to strip the bed of excess blankets and pillows. I lay down, still fully dressed. Closing my eyes, I fell asleep before I even had time to mull over the events of the day.

When I woke, it was dark. I lit the lamps with my wand and checked my watch. Half past six. I still had time to waste until I met Ben. I told myself I was going with him because he was a meal ticket and ignored the mounting excitement in my abdomen. Although I had slept for barely two hours, I felt refreshed and ready for action.

After a quick shower, I went down to the lobby. Ben was waiting, holding two heavy shoulder bags. He gave one to me and I looked inside. It was filled with swords, stakes and other Muggle weapons.

“Why do we need those?� I frowned.

“You can’t use magic on vampires,� he said simply.

That was something new. According to my family, magic solved every problem. I followed Ben down the crooked path. The sky was a deep, midnight blue and stars were scattered across it in random patterns. The smell of flowers had stopped being so overpowering now, and the songs of birds had been replaced with the bleeping of crickets.

It was a five-minute walk down a gravel path that twisted through a dense forest to the Muggle village. I stayed close to Ben, as the trees blocked out all light and made me feel uncomfortable. When we reached the village, the only light came from the stars and the half-crescent moon. There were no signs of life anywhere: all of the windows in the houses were dark.

“Why are they all asleep?� I asked.

“They’re not; they’re hiding.�

Gooseflesh prickled the back of my neck as I looked out at the horizon. A huge graveyard was set upon a towering hill, and thousands of headstones leaned towards us, silhouetted against the dark sky.

“What a dumb place to put a cemetery,� I said, trying to sound less scared than I really was.

“Come on,� said Ben, pulling me towards the center of the village. A huge fountain stood there, but it was turned off. The place was too quiet, eerily silent. Then-

“Argh!�

A piercing scream shattered the still night air. I grabbed a sword from my bag and rushed after Ben to the source of the noise.

Four vampires were chasing a girl of around fourteen down a dark alleyway. Their skin was sallow and waxy, their features distorted, their eyeballs dark and sunken into their sockets. They moved faster than the normal human did, their tattered robes streaking out behind them. They were catching up with her easily.

“No!� I screamed. Muggles dying wasn’t the joke my family made it out to be. The girl in front of me had feelings. We even looked alike; if you put her in robes and gave her a wand, I wouldn’t have been able to tell us apart. In that moment, I realised my parents were wrong. We were all human.

My screams distracted the vampires. They stopped, sniffing the air. They appeared to sense the magic in my blood, in Ben's blood. Magical blood was obviously something that they preferred, as they turned to pursue us instead.

As they sped towards us, I threw my sword at the nearest. It hit him in the chest, and he fell to the floor, writhing in agony as the life left him. I desperately pulled another weapon from my bag; another sword. The vampires were an arm’s length away. I took a desperate swipe and they backed away, preparing to strike again.

“Don’t swallow their blood!� yelled Ben, “or you’ll become a vampire, too!�

I covered my mouth with my hand and began stabbing furiously at the remaining vampires. An arm was ripped from one and he howled angrily, bearing his pointed teeth at me. Again and again, I stabbed and swiped, until one fell and there were two left.

In one livid slicing movement, Ben beheaded the nearest vampire. Blood spurted everywhere, but I kept my lips clamped together. Infuriated by the death of his fellows, the remaining vampire ran at us and jumped on Ben, pinning him to the floor. The vampire bared his teeth, ready to bite…

In one livid slicing movement, Ben beheaded the nearest vampire. Blood spurted everywhere, but I kept my lips clamped together. The remaining vampire looked infuriated and ran at us, incensed further by the death of his fellows. He jumped on Ben, pinning him to the floor. The vampire bared his teeth, ready to bite…

I pushed the sword straight through the vampire’s cold heart. He collapsed on top of Ben, groaning as the life left him. Ben pushed him off and stood up carefully.

“You saved my life!�

“Don’t go all sappy on me!� I scoffed, secretly thrilled. Finally, I had done something worthwhile, even if it was wielding Muggle weapons. I felt elated; I even forgot the threat of my parents and the Dark Lord. All that mattered was my pounding heart, the adrenalin pumping through my veins and my flushed skin. I was properly alive for the first time.

A loud sobbing caught my attention. The Muggle was still in the alleyway, looking at Ben and me and howling. I used a quick cleaning spell to get the blood off us, and then walked over to her. “What’s your name?�

“J- Jade,� she squeaked between her cries, clearly terrified.

“I’m Evie, he’s Ben. Are you okay? They didn’t bite you or anything?�

She shook her head. “So- vampires- do- do they-�

“Exist?� said Ben seriously. “Yes.�

What little color there was left in her face vanished and she swayed dangerously on the spot, as though she were about to faint. I gripped her arm, keeping her upright. “Are there any more?�

“No,� she said weakly.

“Obliviate!� said Ben sharply.

At once Jade’s eyes became unfocused. Her childish features became smooth as all the terror was swept from her memory. I grabbed Ben’s arm and we Apparated back to the hotel. Alison raised her eyebrows knowingly; she obviously thought we had gone for a romantic walk. I smiled sweetly at her as we passed and she grinned insanely. Not only was the woman irritatingly childish, she was also a hopeless romantic.

Once we were out of Alison’s hearing range, Ben muttered, “What do you think? Fancy being my partner?�

I nodded and went to my room. Now all the excitement was over, the panic was filling me again. I hoped we would go somewhere else the next day. Staying in one place made me feel trapped, as though my parents could burst in through the window at any moment. I wasn’t afraid of them; they had shown me nothing but kindness and love. I was afraid of going back to sleep and never experiencing life again. I was also afraid of the Dark Lord. My parents had never betrayed, not even when their freedom was at stake. He must have done something pretty awful to Draco to make them pretend I was dying. As I fell into a troubled sleep, nightmares began to plague me.

“Blood traitor,� someone hissed. “You’re a filthy blood traitor. Now you die!�

I woke up, drenched in cold sweat. My heart was pounding as though I had just run a race. All I could remember of my dream was the one phrase I had heard before I had woken up. It haunted me. I had saved a Muggle, gone against the Dark Lord. As far as my family would be concerned, I was as bad as the Weasleys.

You can’t go back. You must keep going. You’ve made your choice; you must stick to it.

For once, I didn’t tell my brain to shut up. I agreed with it. I got out of bed and peered out of the window. Everything was still and bathed in dim gray light. The first birds were beginning to wake up and twitter. It was as if I were the only person in the world.

I went back to bed and drifted into an uneasy sleep. I woke up the next morning with a headache, but ignored it as I packed my things. I finished by midday; I wanted to get out of the hotel as soon as possible.

Ben was milling around in the lobby, reading the notices about lost items that were plastered on a wooden notice board. When he saw me, his boyish features split into a wide grin.

“You ready to get going?� Ben asked.

I nodded, and we walked back through the sickeningly sweet garden and to the forest. He grabbed my arm tightly and we reappeared outside a dingy-looking Muggle inn.

“Vampires around here,� Ben explained, as we walked towards it.

It looked seedy; a yellow neon sign flickered unevenly, bearing the words The Black Rider. About a dozen motorcycles, all rusty and metallic, were clustered around a metal bike shed at the end of the concrete parking lot. The inn itself was built with sturdy bricks and timber pillars, painted black, and the bricks a rust colored. Various advertisements for beers adorned the dirty windows, and as we walked through the door, I could hear the neon sign buzzing like a beehive.

There was a smoky haze. The one room was filled with what looked like glowing white balls, which gave out dim, flickering light. Thirty Muggles sat upon rickety stalls, drinking from large glasses. The women were old and scantily clad, whereas the men looked intimidating, their muscular forms covered with strips of shiny black leather. In the far corner, a few surrounded a battered looking table covered with green felt, all clutching long sticks and trying to knock brightly colored balls into one of the four holes that were set in each corner. Many were smoking cigarettes, but a few sucked upon cheap cigars.

Two barmaids were on duty, flirting and batting their eyelashes in fruitless attempts to get tips. The men jeered and tried to sneak glances down their low-cut vests.

“No,� I said quietly.

“I know it’s a bit rough-� Ben began, but a fat man with a hairy chest cut him off.

“All right, darling?� asked the fat man. “Want a real man?�

“I already have one,� I said coolly, moving closer to Ben.

“Oi, you!� called the barmaid, her tone teasing. “Leave the poor girl alone!� She walked out from behind the narrow bar, revealing her short legs that were swathed in fishnet tights and her bare abdomen.

I did not know where to look.

“Did you two order the room?� she asked. When Ben nodded, she continued, “I wouldn’t go out tonight, if I was you. There is a gang of mass murderers running about; the police are baffled. They cannot find ‘em anywhere. They look and look, but there’s no hide or hair of them anywhere.� She looked around and lowered her voice. “There’s a rumor, you know. They’ve been saying that there’s vampires’ running round!� she cackled madly. “I ain’t trying to put you off or nothing- mind you. I am just warning you. Well, have a good night.�

With that, she went back behind the bar and resumed behaving alluringly.

“You see,� muttered Ben. “This is the closest place to it.�

“Humph!� I snorted haughtily. “I must be the first of my kind to ever-�

I broke off. A blond man with sallow skin had just passed a dingy mirror, and no reflection had appeared. I remembered that only vampires and ghouls had this property, and as the only smells were of tobacco and alcohol, that the man must be a vampire.

“What?� asked Ben, his eyes following my gaze.

The vampire sat with two other people. I could tell by their emaciated figures and sunken eyes that they were also vampires. One had long, red hair and the other matted black curls. They sipped from hipflasks, not glasses like the rest. One look at Ben told me my suspicions were correct.

We walked over towards them, Ben with quick, easy strides, whereas I fluttered along nervously behind. The vampires smelt us before we even got there. They all stood up and began walking towards us.

“Hey!� said the barmaid. “I don’t want any trouble!�

We ignored her. The Muggles crowded round, excited about the unexpected entertainment. I knew that they though Ben and I stood no chance; after all, they didn’t know our shoulder bags were filled with weapons.

“Want to take this outside?� Ben whispered.

The blond vampire rolled his eyes. “For a Hunter, you seem to lack in information about our kind.�

“How did we manage to spot you then?� I sneered, raising an eyebrow.

“We will enjoy you. Magical blood is far more replenishing than that of Muggles,� said another vampire, with long red hair. “And both so young…�

“I don’t think so!� I said, pulling a sword from my bag.

Ben imitated me, and the bar erupted with screams. The Muggles raced towards the tiny door, pushing over tables and forming a vast, hysterical crowd in front of it.

“Ring the police!� screamed the barmaid.

The blond vampire growled and ran at me. He pinned me to the floor, squeezing the wrist that held the sword. I heard my bones crack and screamed. With my uninjured hand, I grabbed the sword and pushed it through his chest. At once, his jaws stopped snapping together and his blood streamed onto my clothes as I gasped in pain. I couldn’t move.

Ben was fighting the other two. He had a sword in his right hand and a stake in his left, and he was brandishing them wildly as the vampires circled him, trying to find a way to get in and take a clear bite.

The redhead managed to dart out of sight, and snuck up behind him. I saw him gaze hungrily at Ben’s exposed neck.

“Ben!� I screamed.

Ben jumped forwards, escaping the fangs just in time. The black haired vampire lifted him up and flung him into a jukebox that stood in one corner. Multicolored glass shattered and shards flew everywhere, showering the panicking Muggle crowd. Sparks hissed and sizzled, setting fire to the shades pulled back by the nearest window.

The redhead saw me trapped beneath the dead blonde-haired vampire. He kicked the body off and made to throw himself on top of me. I rolled out of the way just in time, so that his body collided with the wooden floor with a loud thud.

Holding my sore wrist to my chest, I ran over to Ben and pulled him up. Slightly dazed, he gazed at the fire in wonder. It had spread to the bar, fed by the highly flammable alcohol. Coughing, I pushed the redhead into it.

A loud scream told me I had aimed well. I averted my eyes and looked for the black-haired vampire. He was hissing and spitting, backing away from the fire. I threw my sword, desperate for it to hit him. It did and he fell silently to the floor, dead instantly.

All relief that I had felt upon the death of the vampires vanished as I realized my situation. I was trapped inside a burning building, I was in pain, and Ben was barely conscious.

Or so I had thought. The smoke choked him, forcing him back to full alertness.

“Evie, what are you doing?� he exclaimed. “We’ve got to go, now!�

And with that, he grabbed my arm and Apparated us out of there.