Laney Moss took her water bottle from the side pocket of her backpack. Unscrewing the cap, she took a long swig of the tepid liquid, wrinkling her nose at the metallic taste. Her white tank top was sticking to the trail of sweat running down the middle of her back, but she could already feel the first drafts of cooler air that would come with nightfall. Eyeing the setting sun, she stuck the bottle back in its designated pocket and set out again.

Maybe not such a great idea to start a hike so late in the day, but nature had called. And after the hectic week she’d had, she’d answered with enthusiasm. So here she was, about thirty minutes south of her apartment in Vegas, hiking through the upper portion of the Mojave Desert.

She saw a distance marker on the trail and squinted at the sinking sun again. If she kept up a good pace, she should be able to reach her car before it completely set. But first, she took just a moment to admire the breathtaking pink and orange hues of dusk streaking the blue sky. Following the reach of the sun with her eyes, she watched as the last lingering rays touched the cactus and other foliage, and tinted the sand with gold, like a painting come to life. Sighing with pleasure at the wonder of Mother Nature, Laney resumed her hike.

She was about a mile from her car when the temperature took a swift dive. The sun had dipped below the horizon, but she could still see well enough. However, she was an experienced hiker, and she knew that when full darkness came, it would be fast and sudden. Which was why she was well supplied with a flashlight, a headlamp, and pepper spray to ward off any nighttime critters that might get too curious.

Stepping off the trail, she took off her pack and set it on an outcropping of red rocks so she could find her gray pullover hoodie. Pulling it out of her pack, she gave it a good shake to make sure nothing had crawled in there during her last break. Sticking one arm into a sleeve, Laney froze, listening.

She thought she’d heard something behind her. Perhaps she’d surprised an animal coming out of its burrow after sleeping the day away. Moving only her eyes, Laney looked from side to side, and then cautiously turned her head to look behind her. She could’ve sworn…but no, there wasn’t anything there. It was probably nothing more than a shifting of the sand, either from the wind or a reptile, but it was enough to set her on high alert.

Still watchful and keeping an eye out for anything that moved, she stuck her other arm through its sleeve and tugged her hoodie down over her tank top. Taking her pepper spray out of the front pocket of her cargo shorts, she slung her pack onto her back and started walking again, holding the small can at the ready. It was probably nothing, but it was always better to be prepared.

She’d been walking about ten minutes when she thought she heard footsteps on the packed mixture of dirt and sand on the trail behind her. Laney glanced back nervously over one shoulder. She didn’t see anything, but it was almost full dark now. However, she didn’t want to stop to pull out her flashlight. Dammit. Why hadn’t she gotten it out when she’d stopped earlier?

Keeping up a brisk pace, she shrugged her pack off her shoulders and started digging around for her flashlight, glancing back every few seconds to make sure she wasn’t about to become dinner for one of the coyote that frequented the area. She’d heard them singing to the rising moon just a little while before. It sounded like they were quite a ways away, but she was well aware of how distance could be deceiving in the desert.

Her hand came in contact with the cold steel of her heavy-duty flashlight just as she tripped and stumbled over a displaced rock on the path. With a soft curse, she regained her footing and picked up her flashlight from where she’d dropped it.

A feral growl directly behind her lifted the hair on the back of her neck and froze the blood in her veins a moment before the adrenaline kicked in. Switching on her flashlight, she spun around, swinging the beam from side to side. At the same time, she dropped her pack and lifted her pepper spray in front of her. The light flicked past and then landed on something. Laney blinked hard, her mind unable to comprehend what it was she was looking at.

The thing moved, covering the fifty feet or so between them so fast she had no time to open her mouth to scream. It towered over her in the split second before it attacked, and she caught a flash of crepe-like skin covering a hairless head, long fangs, and red glowing eyes.

The scream tore from her throat as it fell on her. Thin limbs with abnormal strength wrapped around her, cushioning her from the impact as they landed on sand still warm from the sun. With a surge of courage she didn’t know she possessed, she swung her heavy flashlight at the back of its head. It landed with a solid thunk, but didn’t phase the creature at all. Her eyes widened and she screamed again as it wrapped one hand in her hair, yanked her head to the side, and sank those long fangs into the side of her throat. Pain lanced through her, and she began to fight in earnest. But no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn’t get—whatever the hell it was—to release its grip.

And then it began to drink.

Holy shit. This thing wasn’t trying to eat her. It was draining her blood. Instantly, she knew what it was: Vampire.

Laney knew that vampires weren’t just in bad horror flicks. They actually existed. Her father had told her about them before he’d died. She’d even seen one once, years ago, when she was up north on a business trip. A few of her co-workers had invited her out for dinner and drinks after their late meeting, but she’d left the meal earlier than everyone else because she’d wanted to get back to her room and watch a movie while she went through her notes.

Being unfamiliar with the city, she’d taken a wrong turn while walking back to the hotel and she’d stumbled across a scene that was now forever seared in her brain.

A man—a very handsome man—had a woman pressed up against the side of an old bookstore that was already closed for the night. His face was buried in the curve between her head and shoulder, and he was kissing her. One of his legs was wedged between her thighs and the woman was humping it shamelessly while making little sex noises. It had been so erotic: the way he’d held her captive against the wall; the way she’d clutched at his shoulders.

Laney had watched, completely transfixed by the sight of them. In spite of herself, her body had begun to burn and her breathing came in pants. The woman had opened her eyes and looked straight at her, her eyes glazed and her mouth slack with passion. And still Laney watched, desire clenching low in her belly as the woman smiled, closed her eyes again, and orgasmed almost violently in his arms.

As the woman spontaneously combusted, the man lifted his head and leaned his head back, looking up toward the sky. Laney had been shocked to see blood dripping from sharp, pointed teeth. It ran down his chin and landed on the woman’s bared breasts.

Laney’s desire had gone cold, and she’d gasped out loud before she could stop herself. The man’s head had whipped around, following the sound. And when he’d spotted her watching, he’d smiled. Spinning away, Laney had ran back the way she had come, his laughter echoing between the buildings around her.

She’d never told anyone about that night, knowing they’d all think she was nuts or had had too much to drink, or both. And the one person she could’ve told was gone now.

The thing gave her hair a sharp tug and Laney cried out. She didn’t realize she was crying until she felt the tears running down her temples. It groaned with pleasure at the sounds of her distress and sucked harder. She was beginning to feel lightheaded, and knew that if she didn’t do something, this thing was going to kill her.

Gathering every ounce of strength she had left, she managed to free her arm from where it was lodged between their bodies. Aiming the pepper spray at its face, she lifted her chin, squeezed her eyes closed, and pressed down on the depressor. For a moment, she was scared shitless that it wasn’t going to have any affect on the creature, even though the side of her face and neck was burning like fire. She continued to spray, emptying the entire can into its face and mouth until, finally, it detached from her throat with a roar of rage. Rolling off her, it clawed at its skin as it screamed.

Laney scrambled to her feet. Clutching her pack to her chest, she left the thing writhing on the ground and staggered away. She didn’t look back. She didn’t want to see it. Tears from the pepper spray blurred her vision, and her hands were shaking so badly that the beam of her flashlight jerked around sporadically on the path. She tripped more than once before she finally reached her car, but each time she staggered back to her feet and kept going. Unzipping her pocket, she dug for her keys, terrified that they had somehow fallen out. But no, they were still there. It took her three tries to hit the button that would unlock her car.

Once inside, she locked all of the doors before starting the engine. Stomping down on the gas, she pealed out onto the road, gravel flying and tires squealing. She didn’t think. She didn’t try to call anyone. She only concentrated on getting the hell out of there and to the safety of her apartment. If she could just get home, it wouldn’t be able to get to her, not without an invitation. And she sure as hell wasn’t about to invite it inside of her home.

It occurred to her later that she had run through at least two red lights, but having to pay a couple of tickets was nothing compared to the terror she felt. Surprisingly, she managed to get upstairs and inside without anyone seeing her. Even her pain in the ass roommate was out. When she stumbled into her bathroom and flicked on the light, she realized that was most definitely a good thing.

Dried blood caked her neck, her dark hair, and the front of her hoodie. Tears streaked her dirty face, and her normally olive-toned skin was pale and clammy. Reaching up with shaking hands, she lifted the neckline of her sweatshirt away from her throat, revealing two ragged puncture wounds. Blood still seeped from the holes. She should go to the hospital, but what the hell would she even tell them? It would bring her more attention than she wanted.

Sitting down on the side of the bathtub, she braced one hand on the wall and turned on the water for a shower. As she waited for the hot water to kick in, something brushed against her bare leg. Laney jerked away so hard she almost fell into the tub, her lungs locking up in terror. But it was only Fraidy Cat, her orange tabby rescue cat. He’d gotten his name when he hid under the end table for three days after she’d brought him home. But looking at his brazen attitude these days, you’d never know it. She reached down automatically to pet him, and as she stroked his soft fur and felt the vibration of his purrs, her heart resumed a normal rhythm, and she sucked in a grateful breath of air.

She didn’t let herself think about what had happened. Not yet.

Leaving her clothes in a pile on the floor to be tossed out later, she stepped under the hot spray of water. The wound on her neck stung like a bitch, but she clenched her teeth and allowed the water to wash out the dirt and germs. She had to stop a few times because she was so lightheaded she was afraid she was going to pass out, but eventually she managed to get herself scrubbed clean and dressed in her navy “No Wake Zone” nightshirt. Digging the antibiotic ointment out of the first aid drawer, she applied some to a large square of gauze and then taped it over the bite.

Once she looked a little less like an attempted murder victim, she staggered out to the kitchen and opened the fridge to get the orange juice. It took her a couple of tries. The door was amazingly heavy. In retrospect, she probably should have done this first, but she was in shock. Laney recognized the signs, and it explained why the sight of all of that blood had sent her automatically to the shower to get clean.

Fraidy meowed, weaving in and out of her legs as she stood there in front of the open fridge door, wanting his dinner. She looked over at his empty food dish and blinked. The room spun around her.

And everything went black.