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PREFACE

Savannah, Georgia

City Market

October

Afterlight According to the Gullah, it s One: darkness or dusk Two: death, the life after, or beyond I’ tiruesome imprint in s that have happened in my life, I’ve just dealt with it, andI’ve learned is no matter how you face it, and no matter the situation, there’s one constant present: finality There’s no getting around it

My vision blurred as I watched the rain pelt theof the corner booth where I sat at Molly McPherson’s pub, and I blinked to see clearly through the evening shower outside God, I wanted a smoke, but these days it u and popped it into my mouth October twenty-third, nine prees Nothing was the saes were subtle to s others didn’t, and to be perfectly honest, I’lad as hell I’d much rather be totally prepared to face my fears and enenorance--no matter how innocent And trust ht of a pure silver blade rested against h as a constant reminder

"Hey, Riley, you want another pint?" The shout crossed the sht my attention

I lifted a hand at Martin, the bartender, and shook rinned and went about his business Molly’s wasn’t too packed tonight, but the constant mumble of patrons was a low drone inside er, my temples would start to throb

With the palm of my hand I wiped the moisture from theand scanned the busy, laress Street and City Market I spotted hi had he been standing there? Even though I couldn’t see his cerulean blue eyes at such a distance, I knew that Eli had absolutely no trouble at all seeing aze locked solidly onto h my veins, and I shuddered He stood there for aof people out on the wet Friday night, he h the croardHis features were young, flawless, and ancient all at once Dark brown hair swept tousled and sideways across his forehead, giving hiainst the palest, row closer, his features became clearer, and I realized just how deceptive looks really could be For instance, to most I probably looked like a total freak, with black hair and red-fuchsia highlights, tall leather boots, a fishnet tee, and pale skin with bloodred lips And I’on tattoos--visible beneath the fishnet--that crept from my lower back up my spine and down both ar inked into the skin at the corner of el I was not I may not look it, but I’m probably the most responsible person I kno, anyway I’ve a successful business, I pay my bills on tiood job raising ht in, and it intrigued me to see him interact with people; they were clueless, oblivious to as right beneath their noses despite the faultless, boyish, breathtaking good looks and char, and this I kneith co were possible, he’d die for me Was that love? Obsession? Maybe it was both But it was definitely soer had control over it It was terrifying and exhilarating all at once Talk about a high It topped any drug I’d ever done

I scooted from the booth and stood, dropped a five-dollar bill on the table, and waved good-bye to Martin as I headed out into the now-constant drizzle As the distance between us grew shorter, I could finally see the la eyes as they searched ainst reater horrors, and sorrows, than death Unio I would have vehemently disputed ever existed Vampires They’re real They exist And they’re so not what you think they are

And I was utterly, irrevocably in love with one

"You know, looking back now I can nail the

exact ed

What’s funny is, I noticed it right away, but it

never really registered I just didn’t get it Not

until later, after I realized vampires existed