I saw a flash of red dart toward the open doorway. I moved toward the enormous set of double doors that led out to the covered, sun protected terrace. From inside the glass, I couldn't see anything. I opened the doors and looked around. They sequestered away the large space from the rest of the guests, a beautiful spot for privacy. The setting sun was visible beyond the shaded coverings.
No one was out here. I turned to go back in the main room when something grabbed me from behind, a cloth placed over my mouth. I hissed and struggled against an iron grip. The man behind me struggled to hold me. I shook back and forth to dislodge him. Using my preternatural strength, I broke free, gripped the arm of the attacker, and flipped him over my shoulder. He landed with a hard thud against the marble-stoned terrace. I bent his arm at an awkward angle. He grunted in pain. I looked down at his hand that bared the mark of Osiris on the back of it.
"Who are you, Hunter?" I gritted out, burying my knee into the man's back. I hissed, baring my fangs. He struggled beneath me and spit at the ground in front of me.
"Bloodsucking bitch!" He groaned out. I rolled my eyes and jerked my arm, dislocating his shoulder from its socket. He screamed. Something grasped my hair and dragged me backwards. I lurched back and reached for the waist of my dress on instinct, cursing as I realized my daggers were at home. I formed my hand into a claw and swiped quickly as I spun around. The man jumped away from me, releasing my hair.
Another man stood before me. He was shorter than the last man, stockier. He appeared to be middle-aged and had cropped brown hair. Wearing entirely black, he stood before me with his hands raised in a defensive position. I lunged toward him. When he raised his arm to defend his face, I gripped it, using the same maneuver to throw his weight to the side. I kicked my knee into his back, launching him forward onto the hard ground. He landed against the shade wall and damaged it, tearing open a sizeable gap of sunlight that fluttered in, and he sputtered.
A third man came running around the corner of the terrace. Taller than the first two, with dirty blonde hair, he snarled when he saw the state of his comrades. He pulled an enormous axe from the belt at his waist. Launching toward me, axe raised, he swung with incredible speed — but I was faster. I dodged out of the way of the blade and appeared behind him. Wrapping my arms around his neck, he ducked down and elbowed me in the sternum. I coughed. Growling, I slashed my claws at his front and raked across his chest. He gripped my hair again and twisted it in his fist, my head bent back.
A flash of metal glinted before my eyes, right above my head, and a thud sounded. A silver dagger protruded from the eye of the hunter; he fell back to the ground still. I gasped and looked to the bushes where the knife had come from, and I saw a glimpse of red disappearing into the brush. The second man was on his feet. He approached me with his arms raised. He pulled a silver stake out of his belt.
He lunged forward to strike with the stake. I blocked his arm and landed a blow to his chest, which had him clutching his chest and wheezing. He wiped his sweaty brow on his sleeve and came forward. As I reached to grab his neck, he snaked his leg out and tripped me. I fell to one knee. He grabbed my arm and held my arms behind me. I struggled against him. My strength was too much. He flipped over, tossing me. I landed to the side, right in the sliver of sunlight.
A crowd had gathered by the balcony doorway. None dared approach the battle or go near the now exposed sunlight. They stared at me with their jaws agape. I hissed and lurched to my feet. I felt the heat against my skin, a warm tingle spread over my body. Waiting for the burning, the flames, and ashes to consume me, I closed my eyes. But it didn't come. I didn't burn.
I opened my eyes and stared down at my hands, exposed in direct sunlight. The light fell directly on my face and warmed my skin. This couldn't be. I was a vampire. Have they been lying to me my entire life? What was going on? The light was harsh on my sensitive eyes. I squinted to see. I jumped up and out of the direct sunlight. The crowd gathered, whispered amongst each other. I blushed beet red and turned to face the remaining man. Using my unnatural speed, I flashed behind him. I gripped his neck and chin firmly in my hands and twisted. Feeling the cracks, I dropped him to the ground. I spat on the ground in front of him.
The man with the dislocated shoulder was attempting to retreat toward the bushes. I hissed and lurched forward, gripping his hair in my hands as I yanked him back. I held him up and stared into his eyes. There was a cut on his cheek. I leaned forward and licked along the length of the cut. The flavor of the blood exploded on my tongue. The hunter cringed and grimaced, struggling against me. I stared into his eyes once again.
"You're going to walk off of the balcony." I said in a low, smooth voice. The mans eyes glazed over, he nodded slowly. I released him. He stood and brushed dirt off of his clothes. Then he looked at the crowd of people behind me, unseeing. He turned around and rested his hands on the intricate railing of the terrace. Swinging one leg over, then the other. Standing on the opposite side of the railing, with his hands balancing him, he looked down at the cliff below.
Sweat lined his brow. It was clear he was trying to fight the compulsion. It was a human instinct to self-preserve. And that survival instinct is a powerful force. My compulsion needs to override it. The man took a deep breath and stepped forward into nothing. He fell.
I let out the breath I was holding. Brushing the dirt off of my dress and straightening, I turned to face the crowd that had gathered at the door. Alec stood there; his eyes narrowed with concern. He bit his lip and gestured for me to come forward. He grabbed my arm and dragged me through the crowd. We wove through the hallways to find a stairwell, running down the stairs until we ended up in the car garage. We got in the black Cadillac.
"I think it's time to speak to your father." Alec said as the driver put the car into gear.