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  Half Blood

  First published in Australia in 2014 by Short Stop Press

  An imprint of A&A Book Publishing Pty Ltd.

  ISBN 9780992298593

  This EPUB edition:

  ISBN 9780992438326

  Copyright © Isabella de Horta 2014

  This book is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 and subsequent amendments, no part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means or process whatsoever without the prior written permission of the publishers.

  Cover design, e-book format by David Andor / Wave Source Design www.wavesourcedesign.com

  A&A Book Publishing Pty Ltd

  Leichhardt, NSW 2040

  Email: [email protected]

  Website: www. aampersanda.com

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  I wouldn't have finished this book without the infinite support from my family and friends.

  I'd like to acknowledge my English teachers who have always encouraged me to write. Also, a special thank you to my favourite author, Alyson Noël, who inspired me to get my book published after attending her author talk at my local library.

  So thank you to all those who played a role in my journey. It's meant the world to me.

  Tatiana

  E

  veryone wondered why I was so special. Why I was so different. Why it was me and not them. My people were jealous, but they'd do anything to protect me from the hunters. They wanted to experiment on me, use me, but I wouldn't let that happen – all because I was a half blood.

  Half vampire.

  Half human.

  Because I was half human, I could eat human foods instead of blood and not die from starvation. I was weaker than vampires yet stronger than humans. I could run fast, but only for short periods of time because I needed to catch my breath; so yeah, I needed to breathe otherwise I'd die. I was not allergic to garlic or holy water. Unlike other vampires, I could go into church without feeling claustrophobic and, of course, it was a myth that vampires couldn't cross a river bank. We can't disappear into thin air either.

  I guess I had more advantages being a half blood.

  If you were thinking, Will she die when exposed to daylight? Trust me, I'd heard that question asked over and over again all because of those stupid movies and legends. No, we didn't die when exposed to daylight, but it weakened us. Don't worry, we can't read minds either. That's another myth.

  We'd been caught by hunters before and it wasn't pretty. My mother and father swore in Spanish as they fought them off while I escaped with my little brother Jamie.

  "Hon, do you want some pancakes?" my mother's voice brought me back to the present. She was wearing her maroon apron over her yellow sundress and her wild curly hair stuck to her forehead as she worked in the kitchen.

  "Yeah, I'm starving," I said. My stomach growled in pain as I smiled up at her.

  "Nice PJ's," said a voice behind me. I spun around and found Brad. He was wearing his usual jeans and green V-neck sweater. His blonde hair was ruffled, most probably from his run to my house. His eyes were a dark brown, like many of the vampires in the town.

  We lived in a small town called Luna Falls, which meant 'Moon Falls' in English. I'd always had this theory that it was called Luna Falls because vampires only hunted when the moon was out; otherwise it would cause some people to question things and become suspicious and we didn't want that.

  I'd lived here my whole life and so had Brad. We grew up together. I loved him like my own brother; my other half.

  "Nice hair," I said smirking. He just laughed, used to my insults, especially in the morning.

  Brad was popular. Girls loved him and they practically threw themselves at him but I didn't mind. I did become protective though whenever people talked about him behind his back. Many of the girls were jealous of our relationship. They thought that we had something between us, or maybe that we were just sleeping together, but he was not my type. Like I said, he was like a brother to me. I'd always known that Brad's parents and my parents wanted us to become an item, because of how close we were, but that was never going to happen!

  We both walked into the dining room the sun was finally out after days of rainfall and it lit up the room. I saw little Jamie sitting at the dinner table drinking a glassful of blood. Okay, it might be crazy, but I'd always hated the smell of blood. He was wearing his school uniform, grey pants, and a white button-up shirt which looked big on him. He got his brown, curly hair from our mother. Jamie was a vampire just like Brad, but because he wasn't in his teens he hadn't developed the strength or the urge to drink blood; but he still had to drink it. He also had to wait five long years until he turned thirteen.

  When Jamie looked up his face brightened, calling out to me, "Tati, Tati, Tati!"

  He jumped out of his chair and ran to me with a wide smile on his face. He hugged me tight and I hugged him back. When he pulled away he looked up and saw Brad.

  "Brady!"

  "Hey man, remember how I taught you that special handshake?" When Jamie nodded enthusiastically, Brad held out his hand and they both did a weird guy handshake. I shook my head.

  "Hurry up Jamie, you're going to be late for school!" my mother shouted from the kitchen. Jamie quickly grabbed his glass of blood and ran out of the room. "You hurry up too, Tati."

  I groaned. I didn't want to go to school today. I was too tired and my body felt sore from yesterday's training. Ever since my parents found out I was a half blood they wanted me to learn how to fight my own battles.

  They had found out when I was five. I had broken my arm falling down the stairs and when it hadn't healed they sent me to a vampire doctor. Yep, a vampire doctor! He told my parents that I was a half blood.

  Brad and I sat down at the dinner table and my mother walked in with pancakes, ice-cream, and fruit. I licked my lips as I stared at the plate of food. She set the plate in front of me and I dug in.

  "Morning Elena," Brad said, smiling at my mother.

  "Good morning Brad, you hungry?" she asked and I could hear her faint Latin American accent.

  "Nah, you know how my mum gets with food," he said with laughter in his eyes. His mother wouldn't let him leave the house if he hadn't eaten breakfast and packed a bottle of blood in his bag.

  My mother laughed and said, "Of course." She walked out of the room.

  Brad turned to me, "You wanna come over after school?"

  "Sure I mean, if that's okay with your groupies."

  "Sssoo it's your birthday soon, what are we going to do?" I asked Brad, smirking. "Are we going to hire strippers?"

  He laughed, "No way, I want something small."

  "Come on! You don't turn seventeen again," I said.

  "I know … but I want to spend it with you. Maybe we could hire some movies and order some pizza?"

  I groaned. "You're such a party pooper."

  He chuckled at my choice of words. We were just in front of the school when I remembered I had forgotten my assignment that was due first period.

  "Oh crap, I gotta go back home," I said anxiously.

  "Why?"

  "I forgot my assignment, I'll be right back." I looked at him, "Save me a seat?" He nodded and I ran back to my house with inhuman speed.

  As I arrived, something didn't feel right. I couldn't hear my mother in the kitchen cooking or washing the dishes. I couldn't hear anything, other than ragged breathing. I quietly walked towards the house. That was when I heard it, someone's voice.

  "Where is she?" The voice sounded venomous, demanding.

  I shivered. Cautiously, I went to the window and saw two men guarding the h
allway and the front door. They both wore jackets and black beanies over their heads. I looked away from the hallway, focusing on a man standing with his back to me. He shifted a little and I found my mother sitting on, no tied to, a chair. I could see blood on her clothes.

  Oh no, please don't kill her!

  I must've stepped on a stick because it made a loud, snapping noise, echoing in the silence. They suddenly straightened and turned around, but I ducked before they saw me. I heard people shuffling around and I looked around for an escape. I picked one of the trees that surrounded my house and quickly moved behind it.

  Hearing distant footsteps coming outside, I braced myself. I knew they were going to find me and I would have to fight, otherwise they'd take me. My heart was pounding in my ears and I could feel them coming closer as each second ticked by. I got ready and kept my breathing in control. When I heard leaves crunch behind the tree I was hiding, I stepped out into the open. I saw one of the hunters there holding a knife in one hand and a silver gun in the other. I knew there were wooden bullets loaded inside the gun; wooden bullets could kill me but only hurt a vampire.

  I never looked away from the hunter's eyes. I was determined to win the fight. I could see that he was scared; he wanted to run away.

  "You know this isn't a fair fight, you have a gun and a knife. I just have my skills."

  "You're the half blood," he hissed and spat on the ground. He was average height, built, and had long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. There was a leather strap wrapped around his waist carrying knives, stakes, and needles.

  "I have a name."

  I felt someone coming up behind me. The hunter's blue eyes looked over my shoulder and that was the only confirmation I needed. I knew the other hunter's body would be inches apart from mine, so I clenched my fist and swung my elbow back with so much force the second hunter tumbled to the ground with a crunch. I looked over at his body lying on the ground.

  Oh well, just a few broken ribs, I shrugged.

  A movement caught my eye. The remaining hunter wanted revenge, and so did I. Sensing him behind a tree, I snuck up behind him. But he wasn't there anymore. Suddenly, a huge arm wrapped around my neck, closing my airway as it tightened around me.

  I remembered what my trainer said, Focus and think about what your next move is. Make them think they have the upper hand until the last second. As they start to lose their grip on you, then you strike back.

  As I struggled for breath, I slowly put my hands around his. Squeezing tightly, I tried to break a few fingers. I could hear his breathing and as I gripped his hand tighter, his hold loosened. I took my chance and flipped him over my shoulder. His body slammed against the dirt with a thud. He groaned in pain and tried to catch his breath.

  "What do you want from me?"

  The hunter just looked at me and didn't say a word.

  "Answer me!" I said growling. I bared my fangs at him and he yelped.

  "You're the ultimate weapon," he said as his voice shook and his face went red with anger.

  "Ultimate weapon for what?" I asked, confused.

  He shook his head in pain and wouldn't answer me. I shook his shoulders, but he still wouldn't budge.

  When I showed him my fangs again he simply said, "What's the point, you'll kill me anyway."

  I groaned. I hated doing it, but I knew I had to keep my family safe. I had to! I put both of my hands on either side of his face. I closed my eyes as I snapped his head to the side and flinched when I heard the crunch.

  Someone was still talking in the living room. His voice was so vicious.

  "Well, someone has come to save you Elena. Let's hope for your sake it's your daughter."

  I had this urge to rip out the man's heart, but I didn't, I couldn't. If my mother witnessed that she would be disappointed. I ran with a blur towards the back door and found another two hunters guarding it. I snuck up behind one of them. Putting one hand over his mouth and the other behind his head, I snapped his neck, flinching again at the sound of it breaking.

  The other guard turned around to see where the sound came from. When he saw the figure on the ground, his face paled. He looked up and saw me, but before he could do anything I swung my fist back and punched him square in the jaw. His head snapped to the side and he stumbled back a little, but quickly regained his balance. My hand felt like it had connected with a piece of brick and I knew I would be getting a bruise.

  He's stronger than the others, I thought.

  That wouldn't stop me though. He swung his knife towards me and I moved out of the way, but not before he sliced my arm open. I growled at him. I couldn't feel my arm or even move it. Blood trickled my damaged limb, dripping onto the tiles as an overwhelming darkness took over me.

  Ethan

  I

  was left alone all week. My father told me he had a new lead on a vampire. I had wanted to go along, but my father was stubborn. He thought I was not strong enough to fight a vampire off. He must have been crazy because I trained everyday … and occasionally I went hunting and fought a vampire or two without him knowing. I couldn't tell him because I knew he would ground me.

  My mother left us when my father got too obsessed about hunting down vampires. She had wanted a normal life. But one thing I wished she did was take me with her. I wouldn't be surprised if my father chose killing vampires over me. My older brother moved out when he turned eighteen. He didn't want anything to do with vampires because he didn't want to turn out like dad. He still knew how to fight though, just in case, one day, a vampire attacked him.

  "Hey Eth, you coming tomorrow night?" Meredith asked, bringing me back to reality.

  "Huh? Oh, nah I can't, sorry."

  "But you said …"

  "Lay off, he said no," Nate snarled at her.

  Meredith huffed, did the famous flip hair thing, and stormed off. I looked away and tried not to laugh. No one had ever liked Meredith other than her BFFs. She always hassled me because everyone knew that she was in love with me, ever since we made out last year. I shook my head, remembering. I hadn't meant to kiss her but because I was so wasted it just happened without thinking and she became so clingy.

  Meredith hung out with us, but only because Sarah and Madeline liked her. Otherwise none of us would let her stay. Meredith had red curly hair that hung just above her shoulders and she was white as, no joke. She didn't tan and she had freckles all over her body. I mean she was gorgeous, but her personality kind of ruined her looks. She had blue eyes that made any guy feel sorry for her.

  Nate, on the other hand, was a really good friend of mine. Since we were in fourth grade, he had all the girls chasing after him, which I found amusing. He had sea blue eyes, blonde hair, and he looked like a surfer boy. He was anything but that. He also worked out a lot and his muscles popped out of his shirt.

  Daniel, sitting across from me, said, "Yeah, he's playing basketball with us boys."

  Daniel was a close friend of mine too. We met in sixth grade and ever since then Daniel, Nate, and I had been like brothers. Daniel was a jock and he didn't care what people thought about him. He had short black hair, brown eyes, and tanned skin, which made his muscly arms stick out along with his chest. The main thing I liked about him was that he was always honest, whether it was with girls or his friends.

  "You're still going, right?" Steven asked when I didn't answer.

  "Yeah, definitely," I said, nodding.

  Steven wasn't that close to me, but everyone knew he wanted to be. I liked him, but I didn't like how he treated girls like shit. Steven wasn't that popular, but he had looks that girls loved. He had a tattoo on his right shoulder that said a word in Latin. He told all the girls he went out with that it said his first love's name. Apparently she 'died', but I took Latin in ninth grade and that wasn't a name. It actually said 'Revenge'; I didn't say anything.

  My phone vibrated in my pocket and I fished for it. The screen said the caller was blocked. I picked it up anyway.

  "Hello?" I said, sus
piciously.

  "Ethan," my father's strong voice answered me.

  "Hold on," I said. Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I got up from the cafeteria bench and walked towards the lockers. "Hey dad," I said into the phone.

  "I got the girl."

  "The girl?" I asked, confused. I regretted asking the question when I heard the disappointment in his voice.

  "The girl. The one we've been looking for, for years."

  "Dad it's not like you've been sharing this information with me," I said with irritation.

  "I'll explain when I get back."

  "Okay and when is that?" I asked.

  "Tomorrow at the latest," he said, hanging up on me.

  I sighed and put my phone back in my pocket. My father was coming back home.

  Yay, I thought, without enthusiasm.

  And who was this girl? Well obviously she was a vampire, but why her? I shrugged my shoulders and made my way towards the nurse's office to get a sick note and go home.

  Tatiana

  I

  felt something prick my neck. I opened my eyes to see a needle full of liquid go into my system. I couldn't help but laugh weakly when I smelled garlic.

  "What are you laughing at?"

  One of the hunters strode towards me and put his hand around my neck, squeezing tightly. I coughed, struggling to get even just a little bit of air.

  "Let her go, we're not here to hurt her," said the dangerous voice.

  Rays of light came through the windows but this voice came from the corner of the living room but I could hardly see the figure standing there. When the older man turned around I couldn't see his face, but I saw his piercing green eyes, bloodthirsty eyes. The hunter's grip loosened and he backed off. It took a few seconds to catch my breath so I could talk again. I looked over beside me and saw my mother slumped in the chair unconscious.

  "What the hell do you want from me?" I hissed, never looking away from the man.