Note to Self Note to self: Do not wear sexy undergarments during the vampire apocalypse.

As I ran, I made a list of all the other things I shouldnt do. Stripteases. Calflength boots. Socks that require garters. Not only is it embarrassing to run around in your underwear, but it is a bitch to run in untied boots, and my stakes kept poking my unprotected thigh. Veera would just have to put up with sport bras and yoga pants. I ventured a quick glance behind me. The creature was catching up. Good. I just needed to get it a little further, to an open eld where it couldnt transform and hide. I looked ahead again - fuck. A gaggle of intoxicated frat boys stumbled down the street, singing loudly. They caught sight of me and started cat-calling. One classy individual started humping the air. It was tempting to leave them for the vamps, but then I imagined Sir Humps-a-Lot as a vampire. VAMPIRE! I shouted, and again as it took a moment to get through the fog of alcohol. Once it did, they immediately ran for the nearest house. Even drunk, they knew exactly what to do. Find a home, get inside, wait for dawn. At this point, it was instinct for most people. Those who hadnt internalized it were already dead. Another glance at the creature. It paid no attention to the frat boys, who were still an easier target. Assassination. Figured as much. Hotel rooms didnt have the same protection as family homes, but most vamps still preferred to hunt in the streets. Maybe it would be a good idea to dye my hair a more normal color, try to blend in a little better, like the Council suggested. I led that thought away to discuss with Veera later. I put on another burst of speed, trying to get out of the city as soon as possible. Finally we left the city limits and running became more difcult as I left pavement for the grass. This was as good a place as any. I stopped running and turned to face it, pulling out Steak Sub, the largest of my stakes. The creature slowed down as it got closer, stopping a few yards away from me. Running full-tilt at a hunter is a good way to get yourself re-killed. I adjusted my stance slightly and thenwaited. I had nothing to gain by making the rst move; my untied boots would just get in the way. So I took this opportunity to size my opponent up. What were his strengths? His weaknesses? 5/18/2012 1 Katie Nolan

Note to Self He was tall and gangly. Being Turned had given him a measure of grace, but it was clear that he had been a total klutz in life. Weird choice for assassin. I mean, vamps are stronger and faster than your average human, but you cant Turn a dweeb into Chuck Norris, and kung fu skills arent like STDs. Why on earth would the Clan go through the trouble of Turning this guy? Something nagged at the back of my mind, but the creature had come to a decision. It feinted to the right; when I swung my stake at it, it blocked with a hard blow to my wrist. Steak Sub dropped from my momentarily nerveless ngers. I hooked my left leg around its, slashing the tendon with the blade on the back of my boot. The vamp tumbled and I reassessed the threat. The Clan had obviously put some time into training, so they werent just mindlessly throwing canon fodder my way. I dropped down to pin it to the ground, but it rolled onto its back and grabbed my arms. Another roll and I was the one pinned down. I couldnt reach my stakes and my legs were trapped. It stared into my eyes as it unsheathed the fangs, no doubt trying to mesmerize me. I twisted and crushed my hip against its, breaking my bottles of holy water. The glass shards ripped into my skin, but they didnt hurt me nearly as much as the holy water did the vamp. It howled in pain and loosened its grip just enough for me to wiggle into a better position. I rolled it over and trapped it between my thighs. I pulled out Steak Sandwich and slammed it into the creatures chest. It stilled. No dust, no dissolution, none of that stuff movies do to disconnect violence from its consequences. It just went from an animate carcass to an inanimate one. Lucky for me it had been such a twig; I didnt have the strength right now to handle anything larger, and I didnt have my phone to call for backup. I climbed off it, wincing slightly as my various cuts and bruises protested. I detached the knife from my boot. A stake would put a vamp down, but the only way to make sure it stayed down was to cut off the head. This would be easier with an ax, but I hadnt grabbed it when I started running. Running around naked and ax-less; not my nest hour. It nally hit me, when I started sawing off its head - that niggling thought at the back of my mind. Recognition. I understood then why they had sent this one after me.

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Katie Nolan

Note to Self Elijah. My brother. They had obviously hoped I would hesitate to kill my own esh and blood. It had worked on countless other hunters, but I was the Queen Bitch. I didnt see human faces in these creatures. Thats how I managed to put down my mother, my father, my ex-girlfriend, and now Elijah. I reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the deck of cards that he kept with him for the impromptu magic trick. If any part of me had hoped, that hope was gone. I did not cry. Tears would come later, when the job was done. It took some effort to saw off his head. By the time I had nished digging the separate holes, the sun had risen. Veera arrived as I was ling in the holes, a robe in one arm and a shovel in another. She nished the burial as I put on the robe. Elijahs dead, I told her. She didnt need any other explanation. Theres a home a few minutes away, she said. We can stop there and ask for a shower. She would keep the family distracted while the shower masked the sound of my grief. We had done this before. She wrapped her arm around my shoulder and led me to the car. At least theres one bright side, I said, leaning my head against her shoulder. Whats that? Theres nobody left. Even considering the circumstances, she rolled her eyes. I think Im offended, she said, but her voice was light. She never minded my gallows humor, unlike the other hunters who took themselves so seriously. It was one of the things I liked best about her. Note to self: Dont fall in love during the vampire apocalypse.

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Katie Nolan