Chapter 1

"It must be done!" the Dramen Queen shrieked, gouging out furrows in the arms of her throne with her onyx claws. Splinters flew from the wooden chair, scattered by her ferocity.

"But your Majesty, they will surely kill any messenger we send," a wicked smile crossed the ancient advisor's face as the solution struck her. She began to chuckle and stretched her wings in self satisfaction, gloating at her own cleverness.

"And what, pray tell, has you so amused Lyth?" the Queen snapped in irritation.

"May I suggest sending the half-breed scum your Majesty? Whilst she may have our dragon and human characteristics the blood of every other species in the Hell Dimensions makes her too volatile, not to mention worthless."

The Queen sighed to herself, pleased at last to be rid of the embarrassing half-breed. She fixed crimson eyes on her advisor as she scratched at a black flaking scale, the iridescence nearly gone from her once gleaming nude body. "So let it be done, I want that thing out of my sight by nightfall."

The darkness of her target called to her, drew her closer to her destination, as if it knew tonight was the night. The street lamps in this area of Haed City were smashed and unlit; none of its human inhabitants dared walk the streets at this hour of night, afraid of what prowled the area. They thought it was a gang, but it was something far worse. Something that to their minds only existed in stories and nightmares - vampires.

Although humans had long ago left Earth, they had not left their oldest predators behind. Vampires, Demons, Weres, and Elves had come with them, disguised as respectable people only to vanish as soon as they reached the new planet in order to create their own supernatural communities that had been abundant on Earth.

She sauntered through the streets, fearing nothing, fearing no one. She had a mission tonight and she intended to succeed. So what if half the intention of sending her out tonight was to get her killed, she had come prepared.

Though viewed as the scum of the earth, she had learnt from experience that she was near impossible to kill. This knowledge, kept to herself in self preservation, led to an air of confidence she would never have otherwise projected.

Having hidden behind a pillar in the Great Hall of the Dramen Mansion she knew exactly why she had been chosen. The Dramens were desperate, but they needed someone expendable in case their messenger of good will ended up dead.

The stench of blood and fear hit her as she rounded the corner. Graffiti was everywhere in this part of the city, but it was conspicuously absent here. The rats and other vermin that infested the dark are were missing as well. Here, in what the supernatural community had named Death Alley, she would lay out the offer of the Dramens and hope to live another night.

She knew the dangers of entering their turf; Dramens were seen as beneath the 'pure blooded' vampires due to their mixed nature, and this had sometimes led to clashes between some of the older and more stubborn members of both species.

Looking neither right nor left she stalked down the alley, ignoring the looks of interest from the men leaning against the wall. They were little more than boys to her, lacking in any real experience of life. They had yet to experience the dangers and pleasure that she had, the thrill of battle and orgasm-inducing scent of freshly spilt blood.

She knew that this demeaning courier mission was a way to get rid of her, the Dramens fought few wars so there was little chance for her to be killed in one of those. Perfectly able to care for herself, yet having not yet reached her nineteenth year - the Dramen age of majority - she was forced to follow orders from those who despised her. She consoled herself with the fact that in two months she would be free to join Lucifer's forces and begin her career as a warrior.

As she progressed through the gathered vampires, a female grasped at a male's chest possessively and hissed, warning her rival away from what was hers.

She smirked, oh how the night would change if the proposal was accepted. As she reached the end of the alley she felt a presence at her back. She whirled, blade in hand, only to be confronted with the very man she wanted. She inclined her head in greeting, allowing her weapon hand to drop to her side, still holding the small dagger.

The man before her was little more than a boy. Looking to be just entering his twenties, he had an assurance and cockiness about him that only the young and naive can possess, yet there was also an air of authority and danger. He stood a good head taller than she did, a rarity for her as she was well over the average height for a human female, and his wide frame seemed to fill the entire width of the alley.

His eyes glinted wickedly as a half smile twitched at the corner of his mouth, "And to what might we owe the pleasure of your company?" he enquired smoothly, hidden menace flashing in his near-black eyes.

She allowed silence to reign as she stretched, shedding her clothes and allowing her scales to be seen as two dragon-like wings unfurled from her back. Someone gasped as she cocked a hip before bowing low. Although lacking the tail that many of the salamander-like fire demons possessed, she had learnt to compensate for the lack and moved fluidly.

"The Dramens offer their aid to the vampires when all are in trouble. All races of Hell know that the Dramens are dying out, due to our lack of males. Yet you, the vampires, are also dwindling in numbers. You women are few and we, the Dramens offer ourselves to you so that we both might live on," she stood motionless, waiting for a reaction, waiting for an attack. It came from behind, as these things so often do.

"My children will not be half blood scum, bitch!" a fiery-haired vampire roared at her before charging.

Before he connected with her she lowered her shoulder and rammed him in the stomach. As he doubled over, wheezing, she placed her hand on his shoulder and walked him backwards until his back was flat against the red brick wall.

She leaned in close and whispered in his ear, "Being a half-blood gives you so much more power sweetheart." Without giving him time to respond, she sunk her fangs into his neck and tore through his throat, spitting the flesh onto the floor. She rounded on the stunned vampires, eyes dancing mercilessly as she wiped the blood from her chin, daring them to attack her.

At the silence that greeted her she whirled, clothing herself once more to blend in with the human population. Turning away she began her journey back to the Mansion, only to run into the solid wall of a chest. Stepping back she glowered up, only to find herself looking up into the black eyes of the charismatic vampire from earlier.

"Don't look at me like that Your Highness," she spat angrily. "He started it."

"Of that there is no doubt," he replied calmly. "You and I have much to discuss about this proposal of the Dramens." He paused and gazed at her pointedly, cocking an eyebrow. "And perhaps a taste of what to expect during our mating".

She was frozen to the spot by the last comment; she wasn't supposed to get involved in the whole mating process. There was no way to know what kind of monster she might produce. This boy, the ruler of the vampires, The Lord of the Night, had just suggested that they sleep together and she hadn't denied him.