Chapter 1

Over the course of 400 years, Ava has been bestowed with numerous titles: vampire slayer, immortal huntress, demoness, and more. These names were earned through her formidable reputation.

For four centuries, she has relentlessly pursued and dispatched vampires, her invincibility making her a subject of fascination within vampire circles.

However, Ava's life wasn't always steeped in such darkness. Four centuries ago, she defied her princess status to pursue a forbidden love with a human. The union of werewolves and humans was forbidden for various reasons. Firstly, werewolves found it impossible to recover from the loss of a human mate due to their profound connection, considering humans as fragile beings in constant need of protection. Secondly, mating with humans had dire consequences for their offspring. They could only produce wolf-men, hybrids unable to transform into full wolves at will. Their transformations occurred only under a full moon, accompanied by excruciating pain as their bodies contorted to complete the shift—a fate no parent would wish upon their child.

But Ava couldn't care less as she had fallen head over heels for this human. She had imprinted on him, and there was no going back. Things were going well for them until one day, a new creature—one she had never heard of before—attacked the village. It was far faster and slightly stronger than her, swiftly killing anyone in its path.

This single creature started multiplying in numbers as people who were deemed dead in the village started coming back as one of these bloodsucking creatures. Ava had seen many things in her lifetime, but she had never encountered necromancy. It was an art forbidden in her kingdom; her father would have burned every witch at the stake if such dark practices were discovered.

What made matters worse was that the resurrected villagers were not only the result of necromancy but were also bestowed with strength and speed, feeding on the blood of the villagers.

Sadly, her human mate, Michael, finally fell victim to one of these bloodsuckers. Unlike others, he didn't come back to life; he simply died. Ava felt an excruciating pain in her heart, the pain of losing a mate. The pain of knowing it would never stop hurting until the day she takes her final breath. She had kept his body, hoping he would return, but he never did. As his body began to decay before her, Ava's rage drove her to uncover the origins of these creatures. She discovered the witch who had created them using powerful and forbidden ancient dark magic. The witch, Olivia, had initially intended to kill Ava with the first creature, fueled by jealousy and a desire for revenge. Olivia had loved Michael before Ava arrived and resented Ava for his attention. As a witch, she knew that wolves and humans were not a good pair and that their union might harm their future children. However, her plan backfired, and Michael died instead. Olivia blamed Ava for her pain, but Ava's loss was unparalleled. When Ava confronted Olivia, she asked why, and Olivia explained her motivations, claiming she felt equal pain. But Ava, a wolf who had imprinted on a human and lost him, knew her pain was unmatched – a mix of agony and guilt that would haunt her until her final breath. The two enemies clashed, with Ava seeking justice for Olivia's actions.

They both fought, as Ava wanted her to pay for what she had done. But Olivia had ventured deeper and deeper into black magic, so much so that it had devoured her soul. She had killed her grandmother, the witch leader, and taken her powers for herself, making Ava no match for her. She quickly subdued her. Seeing how quickly she had been defeated and knowing she stood no chance, Ava begged that Olivia finish her off. However, Olivia was about to consider the option but then thought, killing her would only be mercy. She wanted Ava to suffer for the rest of her life, and she would make sure that the rest of her life would be a very long time. So she cursed her with immortality, ensuring that Ava would have to bear the pain of losing her mate for all eternity.

In the last four centuries, Ava has awakened every day with the same piercing pain and guilt in her heart. The loss of her mate, Michael, has remained an open wound, and she knows it will forever be a part of her. Refusing to succumb to her sorrow, Ava had embarked on a quest to hunt down and destroy every last bloodsucker, seeking vengeance for Michael's untimely death. Though she has spent centuries tracking and killing them, their numbers seem to multiply relentlessly. Yet, Ava persists, driven by her immortal curse and her unwavering determination to avenge her mate. As long as she lives, she will continue her crusade, fueled by the unrelenting pain and guilt that have become her constant companions.

After centuries of seeking vengeance against the vampires who killed her mate, Ava came to a painful realization: her quest for revenge would never bring him back. In fact, it only exacerbated the ache in her heart. Yet, her actions had already earned her formidable enemies. Even when she ceased hunting, the vampires continued to pursue her, driven by a desire to put an end to her existence, even if temporarily.

Over the past 400 years, Ava had endured unimaginable torments. She was placed under a sleeping curse and cast into the ocean's depths, a fate she suffered for 20 years until Kayla, Michael's sister and a powerful witch, rescued her. Kayla, herself cursed with immortality and doomed to never find true love, had repeatedly saved Ava from the clutches of her enemies. Ava had been buried alive, only to be consumed by termites and ants, regenerating and repeating the gruesome cycle for nearly 50 years. Kayla's interventions had become a beacon of hope in Ava's eternal life.

This cycle of revenge, torture, and rescue had defined their lives for centuries. Ava's immortality had become a double-edged sword, allowing her to persist but also forcing her to confront the consequences of her actions. As she navigated this treacherous landscape, Ava began to question the true cost of her vengeance and the moral implications of her endless pursuit.

Ava and Kayla returned to Ava's original home, now a thriving small town called Ashwood. However, their arrival was followed by a trail of death, pain, and suffering, as the vampires had tracked them down. The council of witches and powerful supernatural creatures residing in Ashwood convened to devise a plan to stop the vampires. They cast a powerful spell that neutralized the magic protecting the vampires from the sun, causing most of them to burn to death instantly. Those who had sought refuge indoors were later discovered and met a similar fate, being burned at the stake.

But their efforts to eradicate the vampires didn't bring the desired peace. The relentless creatures still sought Ava's demise, prompting the council to convene once more. This time, they reached a difficult decision: Ava had to leave Ashwood for the townspeople's safety. In truth, Ava wasn't concerned about the people's well-being, knowing she was invulnerable and any vampire who crossed her path would meet its demise. However, she gazed at Kayla, her companion of 270 years, and pondered what life would be like if Kayla weren't immortal. She realized she had never given Kayla a chance at a normal life since discovering her powers. So, Ava agreed to leave, but not before requesting a powerful cloaking spell from the council to render her invisible to any magical attempts to locate her.

With a heavy heart, Ava departed, leaving Kayla in distress. For years, Kayla wondered where Ava might be – trapped beneath a volcano, lost at sea, or subjected to excruciating experiments. The uncertainty lingered until Kayla eventually moved on, embracing a normal life. And yet, 129 years later, Ava reappeared at Kayla's doorstep, wearing a carefree grin, as if no time had passed at all.