Bronwyn exploded from the water and swam over to the ladder leading to the small dock, hoisting herself up. Saltwater streamed from her ragged clothes and shaggy red hair, flowing back into the gulf. She reached the dock and sat for a moment, then shook her head, flinging water everywhere, and pushed her hair back from her face. Her bright green eyes studied her surroundings, then she rose gracefully to her feet and started walking. She was in Louisiana, not far from New Orleans... she could tell from the smells in the air.<br/>All of Bronwyn's senses were much more sensitive and acute than any human's. She was faster, more agile, and immensely strong.<br/>But she could never see daylight. Bronwyn was confined to the night, forced to hide from the sun's deadly rays, or else she faced death. She sometimes wondered if sunlight was the only thing that could actually kill her. She hadn't physically aged in more than five thousand years, and she was immune to any human disease or cancer. Her body healed in minutes what took humans days or weeks to heal. She wasn't sure, but believed that even a lost limb would grow back eventually. She had never had occasion to test that theory, however.<br/>Her heart beat, her lungs worked (even if they were unnecessary), but she was not truly alive... but neither was she dead. Many myths and legends revolved around her kind, and many terrifying and gruesome "facts" could be found in horror stories innumerable. Stories of the blood thirst were the only common thread throughout all of these tales, the only detail that never changed.<br/>Unfortunately, it was one of the only facts humankind had gotten right.<br/>Bronwyn's enhanced vampire senses searched the night for a beating heart. It had been days since she had fed, and the thirst raged within her, threatening to overwhelm reason. Anything would do, but she hoped to make the city before she lost control completely. Cities were her favorite hunting ground, teeming with the violent and the lawless: her preferred prey whenever possible.<br/>The city wasn't far. Bronwyn broke into a run, fast by human standards, but practically a crawl compared with the speeds she was capable of. She didn't feel like blipping on the radar if some hapless human caught a glimpse of her racing by, outpacing most cars.<br/>Her clothes dried fairly rapidly, though they remained caked with salt from the gulf. Her whole body was sticky with salt. The dark clouds gathering overhead promised a refreshing shower, something she looked forward to with enthusiasm. In all her long years walking the earth, her love for storms and rainfall had never waned.<br/>She reached the city just as the storm broke and found herself drenched all over again. She didn't mind this time though. She only hoped the rain didn't scare her prey inside.<br/>It was time to hunt.