Free Dream Vampire by Lauren J. Hunter Page A

intriguing, scary-movie-type graveyard. She’d always loved anything paranormal or metaphysical.
    Stephen had shared her love of all things spooky. A sad smile curved her lips as she thought about their first kiss as teenagers and how he’d bribed her best friend to send Alana alone to the cemetery. She wondered if every community used its graveyard as a popular make-out spot? They’d been so happy together. A frown overpowered the smile as she recalled the horrible men who’d attacked and killed him on New Year’s Eve, four years ago.
    That was when she’d stopped living, too.
    But Vivian was right. Time to rejoin the human race.
    Suddenly something—a sound, a feeling? She didn’t know—sparked her awareness and Alana froze, startled to notice that her mindless walk had taken her to the very spot she avoided at all costs. As she recognized the hated wrought-iron gate, her knees threatened to give way. Heart pounding, she studied the huge monstrosity of a mansion rotting behind the gate and felt a wave of grief so powerful she instinctively reached out to steady herself by grabbing one of the cold bars. As if the touch burned, she pulled away, taking a deep breath while the events of that terrible night replayed in her mind.
    It was here, at the entrance to this nightmare of a house, where her beautiful Stephen had been stabbed to death. Apparently, for the few dollars he had in his pocket. Immediately thrust into Memory Hell, she relived every detail, as if it were yesterday. She watched his life blood spread in a crimson pool as he slipped into death. His long, golden hair fanned out around his face, making him look like a sleeping angel.
    They’d spent the evening at that cute little British-wannabe pub on the next corner, laughing and holding each other, dreaming of a brighter future.
    The police had asked her that night and later, if she’d been aware of anyone following them. She’d been too distraught to be helpful back then, but she now recalled with absolute clarity the sounds of voices following them out of the pub. The murderers had been in the very same room with them, and for all she knew, they were still in the area. That realization tightened her stomach. She scanned the empty street, eyes exploring the shadows. No matter how afraid she was, she wouldn’t run away. She wouldn’t give in to the fear. She fingered the ritual dagger she carried in her cloak pocket. It would be put to good use if she ever ran across Stephen’s killers. Even if she died along with them. Their faces were burned into her memory.
    As she stood there, lost in her painful reverie, she had the eerie feeling that someone was watching her. Chills crawled up and down her arms. Snapping out of her tortured recollections, she lifted her head, searching the area for the presence she sensed. Holding her breath, she steeled herself for yet another terrible experience at this spot. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a flutter of movement. She swiveled toward the disturbance. Nobody was there.
    She took a few tentative steps, still braced for danger. Half expecting the same murdering drug addicts to jump out and grab her, she readied herself to pull the dagger from her pocket. Her heart thumped so forcefully that she swore she could hear it. Sweat broke out on her forehead. There it was again. That ripple of movement at the edge of her vision. And a soft sound, like breathing.
    Walking suddenly became difficult—as if lifting one foot, then the other, was more complicated than she could manage. She felt too tired to take another step. Her head filled with cotton, her mind went fuzzy. Stumbling over to the iron fence, she leaned back, resting against the bars. A wave of heat poured through her body and she opened the front of her cloak. It didn’t make any sense that she was burning up out in the cold night air. Maybe she was having one of those hot flashes Vivian always talked about.
    A fingertip brushed across her cheek. She