Chapter 2

I used my bare hands to dig his grave. When it was deep enough I climbed out from the bottom and kneeled by Dante's side. I removed the wedding band I had given him years ago and slipped it onto my finger. I left the necklace I gave him from our first year together with him. The necklace held a locket that contained a hand painted portrait of me inside. From the day I gave it to him he never once took it off.

I caressed his face with the tips of my fingers, tracing each cheekbone and each eyebrow and along his jaw line to his chin. Gently I lay my fingertips upon his mouth, tracing first the top and then the bottom lip. I remember the first time he kissed me and I started to cry. Tears falling onto his face, I kissed him for the last time and whispered, "Goodbye my love."

I placed his body so gentle on the cold ground at the bottom of his grave. With each handful of dirt that I covered him with my tears fell harder. When the last bit of dirt was put over him, I stood there sobbing, knowing that not only was my beloved Dante buried there, but so was my heart.

The next night I searched out some of Dante's immortal friends and asked them if they knew where I could find Quinton's lair and his underlings. When they asked why I told them what had happen to Dante and that I intended to find and kill each of his underlings one by one or die trying. Once they knew they were more then willing to help me find Quinton's lair and they found it within hours of my asking.

In the shadows I watched as the underlings came and went. Each step they took my anger grew. Here they are, walking among the living, while my beloved Dante was buried in the ground now, lost to me forever because of their 'father'.

After memorizing faces and scents of those young vampires I began my quest to avenge Dante's death. Every night I took one underling's life, starting with the weakest first. Before each killing I question them on where I could find that underling that left his father behind that night. Some didn't answer willingly. I took great pleasure in torturing them till they gave me the clues I needed to begin my search.

I made sure to kill the underlings in the same fashion as the first: by ripping out their throats and draining them of their blood. I was emotionless except for my anger and grief as I watched them die. My only satisfaction came from seeing the fear that crossed the remaining underling's faces when they discovered their fallen brother's bodies on the steps to their lair.

A month after Dante's death all of Quinton's underlings were dead except for one. That one was the young vampire that fled from the cemetery that night. He never did return to his father's lair to warn or protect his brothers.

My journey took me far and wide for the next year. Traveling through the night to another town, another village, or another city. I left a trail of death and destruction behind me and still to no avail was I able to find him. But my search continued and I will not stop till I find him.

*

The Present...

I'm so glad to be back home in the Smoky Mountains.

Every year, after all the tourists have gone and before the leaves fall from the trees, I come back to my log cabin in the mountains, hidden away among the trees. This place helped ease the over two centuries of memories I have unlike anyplace else in the world.

A wonderful man who had a way with wood unlike any other built the one story ranch style cabin over 10 years ago. After months of cutting through red tape and paying off certain individuals he was able to start building my home.

I was never here during daylight hours, but from day one my servants came out and took photographs to show me the progress that was being made. From the hard work of digging the basement to the final shingle being nailed down I was able to watch it all come to life.

And what a beauty it is. The light colored logs had aged over the years and made the cabin blend in with the pines and maples. A curved walkway of stone weaved its way from the circular driveway to the large front porch and a wonderful wood and stain glass front door.

Once in the entryway you could turn right and walk into a small hallway that led to the master and guest bedrooms or you could turn left and walk into the living room with its high vaulted ceilings that made the room feel bigger then it actually was. Along the far wall was an incredible fireplace made of fieldstones that stretched from the floor to ceiling. And from the living room you could see into the rather large kitchen that had a breakfast bar separating it from a very cozy dining room.

The backside of the cabin was the best though with its view of the Smoky Mountains that most mortals would love to have. The wall of the cabin on this side was almost completely glass and gave a feel of the outdoors being in. French doors provided access from the master bedroom, kitchen and living room to the deck that stretched completely across the rear.

That's where I stand right now, out on the deck of my cabin staring out over the mountains. The full moon just rising over the ridge, looked so big and beautiful as it shined it's light down into the valley. The moonlight reflected off the fog below as it creeps across the ground and stretched out like skeletal fingers through the hollows.

I wrapped my hands around the deck rail and closed my eyes, inhaling deeply. The scent of the fall season brought a smile to my face. Then I noticed the different sounds of the night: the hooting of an owl, the breeze blowing through the leaves on the trees and a waterfall splashing on the rocks in a nearby stream. All of them combined together to brought me a peaceful comfort.

I wished that I could come out during the day and see the sun shine onto the mountains, to look upon the array of color that nature has painted over the treetops. No matter how I tried, pale moonlight was just not the same as bright sunshine.

The wind began to pick up and I looked out toward the west, seeing an ominous looking cloudbank slowly rolling its way east, thinking that those clouds looked to be heavy with snow instead of the rain that they should be at this time of year. Since I'm unable to feel the cold I looked over to my right at the thermometer mounted on the railing that the temperature was slightly above freezing and almost right for making snow.

I stepped off the deck and began a walk around of the cabin, checking for any loose items that may be blown away then gather up some wood from the pile and head inside. I could easily live without any heat here but since I brought my two favorite servants, who are more like parents, with me, I need to keep them warm and healthy.

When I walked in my male servant Chad, rushed over taking the wood from my arms and placed it near the fireplace. Chad is one of the sweetest men I've ever had in my life to serve me. I don't know what I would do without him at times with the way he takes such good care of me.

"I didn't get to watch the news this evening, Chad, is there a storm coming?"

He turned around to face me. "Yes, there's quite a snowstorm on the way. It's surprised all the weathermen with coming this early in the year."

"Do we have plenty of supplies to make it through?"

"Yes we do, Marina. Rose and I made a trip to the grocery store this afternoon and your special meals arrived right as we got home."

"Since this is our first storm of the season, will you please be sure to check all the shutters as soon as the weather will allow?"

"That's the first thing on my to do list. So don't worry, I'll make sure not a crack of light gets through."

The shutters are the backup system I had installed for emergencies. If for any reason I'm unable to make it down below to my basement hideaway, I can flip a single switch from every room to activate the shutters and protect myself from sunlight.

I smile at him. "I knew you would think of everything like always. I don't know why I even bothered to ask."

I walk over to him and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for everything, Chad. I really do appreciate the care you have given me all these years. Why, if you weren't married to such a sweet, lovable woman, I would snap you right up."

I watched him blush and shuffle his feet. "It's my pleasure to help take care of you. You know that Rose loves you like a daughter. We both do."

I gave him a quick hug. "Okay, enough of this sappy stuff, I'm going to check the weather report."

Sitting down in a soft leather chair, I faced the wall of windows that looked out over the mountains and clicked the remote in my hand. The local country radio station came on playing a classic song, something about dreams, and then the DJ announced the latest on watches and warnings. The prediction of eight to twelve inches of snow for the higher elevations had not changed since their last update.

Around midnight Chad and Rose came in to wish me good night then retired to the master suite. Not long afterwards I saw the first big snow flake fall. Within minutes that one flake looked to have multiplied into thousands. I sat there in the darken room watching as the flakes swirled in the wind and couldn't resist going outside.

With my head tilted back I looked straight up into the overcast sky letting the heavy flakes hit my face. An old childhood urge came over me and I stuck my tongue out, catching a snowflake.

The first snow of the season had always been a special time for me. Every year it brought back memories of playing with my brothers and sisters as a child in England. Images of snowball fights, sledding and of making snow angels with them filled my thoughts.