Chapter 1

A woman in the window

Keira sat up abruptly in bed, the fever raging through her body like an invisible force. She moaned as the nausea overwhelmed her and her body convulsed bringing up metallic tasting bile. The door creaked open and a woman walked in. Keira's heart rate and breathing increased. Oh, it was only Allie. Her sand coloured wavy hair drifted down her back, pinned back with a delicate clip decorated with autumn leaves. Her summer dress was coloured in a light shade of tangerine and her pale skin glowed in the morning sunlight.

"How are you feeling Keira," she asked cheerfully "This fever has had quite an effect on you, hasn't it?"

Keira tried to speak, but no sound came out. Her throat ached harshly as she coughed up another mouthful of fowl liquid. Allie was at her side in a second, stroking her hair.

"You need to drink something, you throat must be awful." Allie said walking out of the room. Keira sighed again, her chest heaving desperately to catch a breath. Allie returned seconds later carrying a mug of steaming concoction and a hot water bottle.

"Here you go, drink it up," she said smiling.

Keira took the mug and drank it down. She could feel the blood trickling down her throat and it tasted good to be drinking it again. Keira's coven could survive on human food, but they needed blood to heal. She could feel her throat easing as the gruesome drink worked its magic.

"How was that?" Allie questioned comfortingly.

"Fine," Keira said.

"Wow, your throats healed miraculously," she said sarcastically and smiled nudging Keira's arm.

"Allie, I'm not in the mood for jokes." Keira replied gloomily, licking the blood from her lips.

"Sorry, just trying to cheer you up a bit," Allie sighed.

"Its fine Allie, thanks for staying."

"No problem."Allie said with a fond smile. She paused as if thinking of what to say. "So, going to school tomorrow?" Keira's face drooped at the thought. The thought of going back to school, bored her. She didn't mind school but it wasn't exactly a joy. The lessons taught her stuff she already knew and she found the constant chatter and people of secondary school, desperately irritating.

"I guess." Keira mumbled as she shrugged her shoulders with an irksome look on her face.

"My expression exactly," Allie voiced smiling. "Have you heard from anyone?" A confused look spread over Keira's face.

"Anyone from you class?" Allie questioned.

"Oh― no." Keira replied.

"Well it'll be nice to see them," Allie stated.

"Yeah," Keira sighed.

"You must be tired after last night." Allie said softly. "I'll let you sleep; you need to be healthy for tomorrow." She smiled weakly walking out of the door and pulling the handle leaving the door slightly ajar, and letting a slither of light creep into the room. Keira lay down and wrapped her frigid fingers over the hot water bottle lying across her chest. Her eye lids softly shut and her mind drifted into a deep sleep.

It was the middle of the night when Keira awoke. Her bed hot and her body sweating. She kicked the duvet to her feet and lay on her back looking up at the dark ceiling. Glancing at her clock she noticed the time was 3:00am and she grimaced as thoughts of school returned to her mind. Keira would need to be well for tomorrow so she closed her eyes again. Sensing a sudden jerk of movement outside, her head shot to the side. A face was present at the window, glowering a ghostly shade of ivory. It was the face of a woman, whose mauve eyes burned vindictively into Keira. Her face had the sheen and pallor of bone itself, as it shone in the gleaming moonlight. The women's jaw tightened as her face broke out in a malevolent grin, her gaunt hand reaching inside the slightly open window for the latch. Keira jumped out of her bed, her heart skipping beats, she crossed the room to the window, but the woman was gone, vanished into the darkness of the night. Keira felt herself desperately gasping for air. Her head was suddenly spinning as her world blacked out and she crashed to the floor, banging her head violently on the gnarled floorboards.