

### Fire Burns

### Published by Trista Day at Smashwords

### Copyright 2013 Trista Day

### http://www.tristaday.blogspot.com

### Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people for commercial or non-commercial purposes as it remains the copyrighted property of the author. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

###

### Acknowledgments

First and foremost, I would like to thank Dawn and Connie for taking the time to read my book and give me feedback. Without your help, I might have just scrapped the whole project and sulked in front of the TV watching chick flicks. Thanks also go out to my mom for birthing the coolest kid on the planet, love you! To my little sister Melissa, you are an inspiration and I love you more than words can express. To the rest of my friends and family that supported me, thank you! Your enthusiasm was the only thing that helped me whenever I got writer's block.

I also have to thank my husband, who has been by my side since the day we met and given me the strength and love I needed to push through. Even though you were never able to read the whole thing on your own...(just sayin'). Last, but certainly not least, to my two wonderful daughters, Phoenix and Emma, for giving me the motivation and courage to pursue my dreams. Mommy loves you! You're too young right now to know what I'm talking about, but in the future when you're reading this, just remember that you are amazing and can accomplish anything you set your mind to! XOXO!

###

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1-A Dream

Chapter 2-Attack

Chapter 3-Halloween Dance

Chapter 4-The New Guy

Chapter 5-Masquerade

Chapter 6-Ghost

Chapter 7-Rumor

Chapter 8-Revelations

Chapter 9-Secrets

Chapter 10-Garbage

Chapter 11-The Diary Page

Chapter 12-Bonfire

Chapter 13-Betrayal

Chapter 14-Confrontation

Chapter 15-Mom

Chapter 16-Funeral

Chapter 17-Kidnapped

Chapter 18-The Journey

Chapter 19-Circe's Battle

Chapter 20-The Return

Chapter 21-Answers

Chapter 22-A Promise

Epilogue

About the Author

###

Prologue

Sweat beaded on Draven's forehead and trickled down to the ground with a heavy thump as he paced restlessly in front of a pair of massive wrought-iron doors. They were the color of red clay, dirty and swirled with rust. An odd metallic tang permeated his nose and tongue as he scooted closer. Years of humidity and dampness have been unkind to this place, he thought to himself.

He had been working grueling hours as a digger the past few weeks down in the catacombs. It was the same old routine as he mindlessly shoveled mounds of dirt from one pile to the next while his legs and arms begged for him to stop. As he was getting ready to leave his shift, he overheard whispers that Thanatos had summoned Circe to his castle and that she had arrived early this morning. Or was it morning? He didn't know anymore, it was always black as night here in this forsaken place. Draven knew first-hand what cruel things Circe was capable of. You see, Circe was a witch; the kind that buzzed with such enormous power she almost surpassed Thanatos-almost being the key word. She had a reputation for being the purest form of evil and after what she had done to him; there was no doubt in his mind about her true nature. He shivered just thinking about her. Thanatos was much worse. He's the devil incarnate, literally, and has ruled the Kingdom of Sheol with an iron fist for many decades. So frightfully powerful that even Circe knew when to bow down to him.

Draven shook all of the thoughts and doubt from his mind as he stepped up to the doors. He carefully cracked them open and placed his ear near the hole. Whatever the two of them were planning, it wasn't good.

"What is it you're going to ask of me this time?" he heard Circe cackle.

"Do you remember my most prized pupil?" Thanatos inquired.

"Yes, I remember her quite well," Circe replied.

"Then you'll also recall how she ripped open my heart the day she fled my land and her home."

"Of course I do. How could anyone forget that terrible day." she replied with more than a hint of sarcasm.

"I have news," he said. "Would it surprise you to know that I've finally found her? That she's settled for a lowly human? Or that she has a child?"

"It does not surprise me," she replied with distaste. "She always longed to be one of them. What I don't quite understand is how exactly this involves me?"

"How does it ever involve you?" he said frustrated. "I need you to turn her."

"Turn her into what? A vampire? You know that won't work, she's already one of their kind."

"No, you fool," he boomed, "I'm talking about the child of hers."

Draven couldn't see what was going on in that room, but he knew Circe would be smiling. This kind of task was right up her alley.

Circe began to laugh as she said, "Of course! It would be my pleasure, anything for you my dear friend."

Draven stepped back and processed everything he'd overheard. He knew plenty about vampires from living in this rat hole. They were disgusting creatures that fed off of humans for sport. If they were going to condemn an innocent to that fate, he had to stop them. It was then that he knew what he must do; he had to leave immediately and find this child. Nobody would miss him anyway, it's not like he had any friends here and his dad had gone missing months ago. Searching for his father would just have to be pushed to the side while he helped this child.

As Draven gathered his things to leave he thought about all of the other times he'd overheard conversations similar to this one but never acted on them. Why was this one different? He didn't know, but there was a part of him deep down that urged him forward and that was good enough for him.

###

Chapter 1-A Dream

It started with a dream, or rather a nightmare; I'm still uncertain which category it fits better in.

I'm suspended in air, floating through what seems like never-ending darkness. A deep boundless black forest of nothing, not sure where I'm going or what I'm doing there and fear is beginning to take over. I'm edging closer to something, I know, because I can feel a weird tingly sensation move through my body. It's almost like there is a snake in my veins dying to get free and it's wiggling around so much it's actually starting to become painful. I know it can't be real, yet the burning sensation keeps getting stronger and more intense. That's when I hear it, a whisper at first, but then gradually growing into something louder and more thunderous. I flinch when I realize it's the sound of someone calling my name.

"Callie."

The female voice was sweet and familiar with a just a hint of frustration radiating from it. My body went numb and my eyes darted around squinting to see something, anything at all, through the dimness. All of a sudden, a wave of nausea rolled through my stomach and I doubled over in pain. It felt like every part of me had been engulfed in fire. My body wrenched mercilessly and then as quick as it had come, it was gone. Still clutching my abdomen, I glanced up and in the distance I could barely discern the tiniest hint of a tall castle, its gray peaks looming before me.

I stumbled around, legs and arms flailing, trying to pull myself towards this mysterious place as my name reverberated through the darkness, becoming even more insistent. Then abruptly there was silence and the castle began to fade in and out of focus, until I was left with nothing but darkness again. I closed my eyes and listened intently for some sort of noise, but nothing came. I felt my body relax and then tense again as hands slid down my arms, gripping my wrists. I took a deep breath and slowly opened my eyes.

Before me stood a beautiful woman, her confident blue eyes met mine as she took hold of my hand and pulled it up toward her face studying my family crest with a determined expression. My heart skipped a beat: Zilla. How did I not recognize her? She was unmistakable. Thick golden locks clung to her sweaty face. Her gaze intensified when she realized I had identified her and just as she was about to open her mouth, she froze. Her eyes bulged, her mouth set into a wicked grin and her grip tightened so hard on me that I wanted to pass out or cry, maybe even both. Panicking, I tried to wriggle free, but I was trapped. I wanted to scream for someone to rescue me, but I knew it was futile. Nobody was here but us. I went slack and just as I was about to succumb to the darkness I felt swirling all around me, Zilla dissolved and I was jolted awake to the sound of my dreaded alarm clock.

After hitting the snooze button several times, I unclench my clammy fists from my favorite purple Egyptian cotton sheets, still reeling from the dream, and roll out of bed mumbling under my breath how much I hate Mondays. I glance upwards, rubbing sleep from my eyes and I can swear there is a weird silvery-blue orb glowing near the top of my head, but then it disappears. I must still be dreaming. I've really got to get a handle on these nightmares, they're taking a toll on me, I thought yawning.

I reluctantly drag myself toward my closet, but not before tripping over Garbage on the way. Garbage is a fat orange tabby cat I found lurking in my backyard one day. I had gone outside to finish up some yard work and there he was, just sitting in the middle of the cool grass staring up at me. He didn't run or get scared, which is not the norm for cats. In fact, he looked almost annoyed that I had taken so long to find him. Until I met Garbage, I never really liked cats. Don't get me wrong, they're cute and cuddly. But they shed like crazy and meow at all hours of the night, especially Garbage. Sometimes he'll keep me up all night with the howling. Nonetheless, we were drawn to each other right away and while the name sounds harsh, it's truly fitting. He yowls in pain until I reach down and pet him behind the ears to soothe him while cooing, "Its okay, mama's sorry."

That's when I notice the purple-bluish rings around my wrists. I blanched and groaned, "Not again!" Nearly every day now I wake up to find similar marks. Sometimes it's the wrists, or the ankles or even the neck. Try covering that up and see how it goes. Nobody believes you when you say you didn't do it on purpose or that it wasn't your parents.

After I'm done scolding myself for the bruises, I make my way back towards the closet. I'm literally inches away when a huge gust of wind sails through my room whipping my curtains against the wall and practically knocking me over. I stand taller, bracing myself for the next round when a gentle breeze brushes across my face instead. I inhale, basking in the heady scent of ocean and sand. It's not like I haven't experienced it before, the rush of wind and tang of saltwater, but it's astounding how much it still manages to make my breath catch in my throat.

When I was eight, my parents decided to move us from our small town back in the country to a city on the west coast called Crystalport. I had a hard time adjusting at first because I missed my friends, but as soon as I heard the sound of waves crashing against the shore I knew it was destiny.

Crystalport is probably just like every other city along the coast except it's a lot more laid back and funky. It has great beaches, beautiful houses and tons of culture, but it's known mostly for it's carnival-like mall of shops near Mallowbeach. A vast array of stores and eateries clutter the sandy strip as you wander through. You can find so many things to satisfy your curiosity, such as: artists, musicians, singers, jugglers, acrobats, mimes, comics, magicians, prophets, fortune tellers, and other colorful entertainers. You name it, and you'll almost certainly find it there.

We live in a quaint upscale neighborhood in between Crystalport and Mallowbeach, the best of both worlds. The only access to the houses is from pedestrian-only streets that have numbers on the footpaths. Our house is an old Victorian style one in the same vicinity, number 316. It's two-stories, made out of rocks and stones, the smooth kind you find in a creek bed after the waters slightly recede. It has steep roof pitches, turrets and dormers, a large enclosed porch with turned posts, decorative railings and to top it all off, a widow's walk. Inexplicably, my favorite part of the house and generally where I spend most of my time so I can gaze out on the horizon.

I head towards the closet again, this time hoping not to get sidetracked for a third time. I look at my small selection of clothes and pout. If my best friend Zilla were here she would pass out with frustration after telling me that I was seriously fashion deprived, and I was, not that I'd admit it to her. Ever since we were kids, she's been nit-picking me about dressing more trendy. While her version of the definition is Coach bags and Juicy Couture clothes, mine is more a bikini (you never know when you might need it to surf), jean capri's, tank tops, and flip flops. In her eyes though, that's a fashion don't and since Zilla is one of the most popular girls at Crystalport High I'm sure she's well aware of all the faux pas.

As I fumble through the long rows to pick something more Zilla-approval-worthy, I catch a glimpse of myself in the hand-carved wood floor length mirror and stop. Frustrated by my appearance, I part my lips slightly, frowning. My bloodshot dark green eyes narrowed in on my curly tangled hair, which of course signals another sleepless night. Stupid nightmares, it's going to take forever to get that knot out, I thought flicking a rogue strand out of the way. I turned around, dismissing the ugly shell of myself staring back at me and trying to pull my favorite shirt off its hanger when I felt something that made my skin prick up. I immediately freeze in place.

"Could this day get any weirder?" I groaned.

My head whipped back around facing the direction of the mirror. What I see has clearly got to be a figment of my imagination. A transparent male figure is staring at me with the oddest expression on his face. He looked like a fuzzy TV screen, the kind you want to adjust the antenna on or smack the side of the box of to get to come into focus better. The short blips I caught of him flickering in and out were having a bizarre effect on me. Instead of being scared, like I knew I should be, I was utterly mesmerized. He was just too gorgeous for me to feel any fear at all. As if sensing my thoughts, he grinned at me.

I quickly averted my gaze. It's not real, I thought trying to gather my wits. I reached into the closet and grabbed my faded denim jeans and long sleeve black tee to cover up the bruising, despite the remarks I'd receive from Zilla. I must be loopy after that weird dream, I thought. I glance up again just to make sure, and he's gone.

"See, nothing to worry about," I sighed with relief.

I raced down the stairs bumping into my dad on the way, who's still groggy and fumbling through the hall. My dad is almost an exact replica of me, except he's male. He reminds me of Ron Weasley from Harry Potter, but an older version with sparkling red hair, an assortment of discolored freckles, and the most enchanting green eyes. As he steadied himself, his family crest tattoo began peeking through underneath the ends of his thermal. An hourglass with ivy entwined around it. That was our families mark. My dad's had faded over time, but mine was still as vibrant as the day as I was born.

"Sorry," I said remorsefully.

"No worries," he replied pulling me into a hug. "We're both still tired, it happens."

The love he felt for me wrapped around me like a blanket keeping me warm and content in his arms.

Why was his personality and appearance so different from my mother's? She's extremely tall with long curly black hair, brown eyes, and a very pale complexion. But it's not how different she looks, it's how cold she is that's the issue. Like her heart froze over the day she gave birth to me. I felt as though she thought if she got too close to me something bad might happen. I guess that's why I've always been daddy's little girl.

"Any interesting cases today?" I questioned him playfully. He's a big-wig lawyer for celebrities, but he refuses to discuss his cases with us since it's attorney-client privileged information. One of his current cases has him working later than normal lately, so we don't get to see each other as often. I miss flopping down on the couch next to him and watching Man vs. Wild.

"Nothing on my end Pooh Bear, and besides, even if I wanted to I wouldn't be able to divulge that information. Top secret stuff," he said with a wink and a laugh.

"Oh well, it was worth a shot," I said nudging him with my shoulder.

"Very good try though. Maybe one of these days you'll convince me," he said smirking.

He gave me a giant kiss on the forehead and I bolted to the kitchen to grab a breakfast bar. While I'm trying to scarf it down, I hear a horn honking which means my carpool has officially arrived.

It's late August, the first day of senior year for us all at Crystalport High, Home of the Mighty Seals. Woohoo. (Insert sarcasm here). CHS is like most typical schools. I know that sounds cliché, but the only difference is that there are more upper-class families and therefore more luxury cars, plastic surgery, and fake tans. I dread coming back here every year because I feel like I should be doing something far more important with my life. There had to be more than what was in front of me, I could feel it almost within reach. Similar to the dream I keep having. I can visualize it and I struggle desperately to get there, but I make no progress. So close, yet so far away. Not to mention Luke, he was just about the last person I wanted to see. I've been avoiding him all summer, and I hope he's taken the hint.

Another honk and I'm headed out, Alyssa's shiny apple red convertible is waiting for me in the driveway. Her car has gotten us through some of the best and worst of times. I mean it, if you ever need a boost of morale, try riding in it with the top down and you'll see what I mean.

"Good morning," I called from the front door.

"Morning," they replied.

Once Jett sees I'm racing towards the car, he switches to the backseat and I slide in, feeling the warmth his body heat left on the black leather interior. I settle in, buckling my seatbelt and turn slightly, noticing the way Alyssa's normally creamy complexion has gone slightly tan.

"Nice," I said pointing to her skin.

Alyssa glanced in my direction, her cool and confident brown eyes meeting mine. "Seriously! I mean, I have been waiting forever for this day to come. I was really starting to get tired of sitting out in the sun and coming back burnt like a cherry tomato." She smiles, flicks her shoulder-length, purple streaked dark brown hair back over her shoulder and hits the gas. I smile in return, more to myself than anyone else, and crane my neck to take peek at Jett.

He seems distracted today, staring out the window and soberly quiet. "What's wrong?" I asked, my eyes critiquing his new short black hair with eccentric blonde highlights. It goes surprisingly well with his skin tone.

"Nothing," he replied, pulling his zip-up hoodie a little tighter. Not this again, I thought, mentally shaking my head disapprovingly. Sometime during every year of school, Jett gets into this funk where he thinks that he's too fat and gay and that nobody loves him. You know, all that poor pitiful me stuff. In reality, nobody cares that he likes guys. Plus, he's only slightly overweight, and his olive complexion and mesmerizing hazel eyes really counteract it anyway.

"Again?" I ask, tsk-ing him.

He groaned, "It's not like that, I promise. It's just that I met someone and you know, he said he'd call me and never did."

Yikes! This was not a territory I was familiar with. In fact, guys weren't in my area of expertise at all. "Oh," I said instantly feeling remorseful that I had assumed it was his obsession with his appearance again. "I'm sorry," I said reaching back and taking his hand which he held out to me without giving it a second thought.

"Thanks," he said squeezing mine in return.

"What's his name?" I asked. "I'll go over there and give him a piece of my mind or a piece of my fist, whichever you prefer."

"Me too," Alyssa chimed in.

Jett smiled, "Thanks guys, that does make me feel loads better, but it's probably best if we just let it be. The sooner I move on, the better, right?" We both gave him a meaningful look of sympathy, and I changed the subject.

After that, the drive to school was the usual. Talk of how our summers were, plans for the weekend, and where to go shopping next filled the car. Personal vehicles and school buses alike clogged the roadways along the way. As we approached school grounds, the rising sun with its glorious red, orange, and yellow hues cast its breathtaking light over us. We pulled into the parking lot and gazed at all the students piled onto the yard for breakfast, most of them sprawled on the sidewalk outside conversing with their friends.

We took the vacant spot near Zilla's Thunderbird and piled out of the car. I scanned the crowd for her. It's been a few days since we saw each other last and I missed her. Being away from my best friend for longer than I had to be was torture. I felt like a piece of my soul had been ripped away, leaving me weak. I notice her head bobbing around and grimaced when I realized she was talking with Joanne, my arch enemy. I hung back a bit hoping she'd notice us first so I didn't have to go over there. Luckily she does. She waves enthusiastically and starts to head over, her shiny blonde hair blowing in the breeze. The unmistakable glare I receive from Joanne sends shivers down my spine. When she reaches us, she gives me a giant hug and whispers, "Missed you."

"Missed you too," I murmur back. Just then, a black Jeep pulls into the space near ours and Locke jumps out. Zilla's face lights up as he rushes over, picking her up into the air and twirling her around. Locke is Zilla's long-time captain of the football team boyfriend and probably one of the nicest guys anyone would ever meet. I couldn't be happier for her. He gives me a huge smile and a pat on the back. We talked for a few more minutes until the bell finally rang and we scurried our separate ways to class.

I opened the main entrance door to the school and immediately get hit with the toxic scent of cleaning supplies and sweaty teens. It made my nose crinkle and nausea threatened to overtake me. I took a deep cleansing breath. Somebody bumped into me, muttering about me standing in the doorway, so I tentatively stepped further inside. I blinked as my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting and glanced down the hallway.

Red and white banners emblazoned with the school motto clung to every surface imaginable. They were made to have a welcoming effect, but to me it was just overkill. Plus, ever since I stepped through the door, I just felt icky and I could swear the way my skin crawled that someone was watching me. I shivered and sidled away from the wall I'd been clinging to, making a beeline for homeroom.

I hate this school, I thought pressing onward. The only exception being that all of my friends are here. I thought about it longer, yep that's about it. I wasn't watching where I was going, just babbling along to myself in my head, when I ran smack dab into someone. I shivered again, feeling like I had just stepped into a meat locker. The other person didn't say a word, just kept on going right down the hall. "Sorry," I called after his tall figure, but he didn't respond and he didn't turn back.

Halfway through the first day of school and I'm already dragging myself to my next class. I perk up a little when I glance over my schedule again because even though I know it sounds lame, I love cooking, and fourth period just so happens to be Home Economics. Plus, it's genuinely easy and that means there's no way I could mess it up. I'm almost to the door, my hand practically touching the knob, when I hear Luke calling my name. I groaned and tried to hide my disappointment. He finally spotted me. I've done my best to avoid him, but I knew it was inevitable.

Okay, I guess he might be considered my boyfriend for all intents and purposes, but in no way does he act like it. I always see him flirting with other girls and just being a two-timing jerk in general. And the way he looks at me sometimes is the way he looks at a piece of meat, or Joanne as I like to call her. She loathes me for dating Luke, and I really don't know what anyone sees in him anyway. The whole situation just makes my skin crawl.

"Hey beautiful," Luke said snapping me out of reverie.

His sandy brown hair and blue eyes attract everyone's attention. Well, almost everyone anyway. I seem to be the only one in school unimpressed by it. But he was that sort, the kind of guy who refused to believe that a woman might not find him attractive, might not be flattered by his attentions. He sauntered my direction in his blue and white striped button-up, baby blue muscle shirt underneath, and dark blue denim jeans. His hands were strategically placed in his pockets. He looked a little bit taller and more built now, his muscles rippled beneath the surface of his layers of clothing. I hated to admit that, for at least today, he looked rather gorgeous. But I know his game so I pretend not to notice.

"Oh hey," I replied nonchalantly while picking at the hem of my shirt.

He caught me off guard by wrapping one arm around my waist, the other around my back, and pulling me in closer to him. The scent of SoCal cologne mixed with ocean water wafting from his skin. His voice came out almost a whisper, "What are you doing tonight? You want to come over to my place and study?"

I grimaced internally, not wanting him to catch on to just how absolutely repulsed I am by him. If I had a nickel for every time he used this same line on me, I'd be rich. You'd think he'd have come up with something cleverer by now, especially since it's the first day of school and there isn't even anything to study yet. I wiggled free of his hold, which is hard to do when he smells so good that your body refuses to move, but your brain is telling you to get the heck out of dodge.

"Ugh, nope sorry, I've already got plans. But thanks for the invite," I said trying to push past him.

He reached out and snagged my arm gently, pulling me close to him again. While rubbing his temples with his other hand he said calmly, "You can't keep blowing me off Callie, were supposed to be dating."

"I'm not blowing you off, it's just that I already made plans," I said defiantly. "Definitely next time though."

A smirk crossed his face and if testing the validity of my statement he said, "How about the movies Friday night then?"

My mind went reeling in a thousand different directions. Giving him a yes will lead him on, but if I say no he's only going to get more persistent and I guess I can't necessarily blame him. I don't think we've ever gone on a date and we've supposedly been going steady for almost a year. Our tragically fake relationship was just to keep guys off of me so I could focus on school. I wish I had the guts to just dump him in some dramatic way right here to embarrass him. I'm too nice though, I guess. Hesitating slightly I give in. "Alright fine, but nothing gruesome alright?"

His eyes lit up like fireworks on the Fourth of July. "You got it babe."

I had to fight the urge to smack him upside the head. I hate it when he calls me that. I knew what was coming next as he slid his hand up my back and into my hair, pulling my face towards his. I tried to relax when I felt his hot breath on my skin. I closed my eyes and prepared myself for the worst, and when I say worst, I really mean it. Kissing Luke is like kissing a wet warty frog that won't stop trying to eat your tongue. Disgusting! When he's done attacking my face he releases his grip and smiles. "Catch you on the flip side."

Where does he even get these cheesy lines from? I tried to return his enthusiasm and replied, "See ya."

###

Chapter 2-Attack

Last night I didn't dream at all or at least nothing that I could remember anyway, but I woke up just as sweaty and clammy as I've done every night for the past few weeks. My heart hammering in my chest and my fuzzy brain trying to dredge up whatever it thought I needed to remember. My hands were on fire this morning. Like tiny red ants had attacked them in my sleep. I started shaking them furiously, hoping the breeze it would create could somehow cool them off. I glanced around the room looking for ghosts or weird orbs but found nothing, so I relaxed. It was Monday, again, and I was exhausted both from lack of sleep and from having the weekend from hell.

I had texted Luke the Friday before our date and rescheduled for the next weekend. I thought about changing it again, but I knew he wouldn't budge so I gave in. It was just as terrible as I had imagined and my stomach became queasy at the mere thought of it. Even though I had declined, he insisted on taking me to eat before the movies. When we pulled into McDonald's, my infuriated expression didn't even faze him. I reluctantly ordered small fries and a cheeseburger with no onions, nibbling on them and moving them around to make it look like I was eating. He made awkward conversation and perverted gestures the whole time, it was completely uncomfortable. I made a mental note to be more careful this week and avoid him. It was that, or be destined for a second date where he would probably insist on taking me to Burger King instead.

On Saturday I had decided to take a hiatus from everything and go to a secluded spot on the beach that I knew of. This would have been great if I hadn't fallen asleep and woken up sunburned from head to toe. I looked like a cross between a strawberry and a red bell pepper. It was horrific and thus I spent the rest of the weekend soaking in aloe vera gel and watching TV.

A light knocking on my bedroom door caught my attention and broke through my slightly incoherent thoughts.

"Come in," I said sleepily.

My mother's slender dark figure peered around the corner. Her hair was in a tight bun with little ringlets spilling out in various sections. She was dressed to impress in a tailored suit some rare shade of brown with satin beige lining. It reminded me of how the leaves on the trees would look in the coming weeks as the season changed over to fall. Most days I can feel coldness from her the shade of ice blue, but today was different. Her aura indicated power and it radiated off of her like billowing black smoke.

She must have noticed my sizing her up. "Do you like it?" she asked smoothing her hands along the sides of her pants.

I raised my eyebrows and smiled as big as I could muster that early in the morning. "Stylish and couture," I said enjoying our little moment. "So what's up?"

She frowned, walked silently over to where I was, and eased herself onto the bed. She may be slacking in the nurturing department, but she would never cease to amaze me. Even sitting on my bed was graceful and delicate. As if reading my mind she smiled and then eyed my hands which I had tried to keep securely hidden underneath my blankets. I struggled to keep them still, but it was impossible when they stung as badly as they did.

"I have a meeting today with one of the counselors at school to discuss graduating early. If I can that means I will be able to get a part time job and spend more time here at home with you and your father. Would you like that?"

I leaned over and gently placed my head on the hollow space where her neck connects to the shoulder. This is one of those rare moments, I thought, where she's actually letting me get close enough to touch her. I breathed in heavily. She smelled like earth and not in a disgusting way. It was more like a lush, beautiful blend of dew moistened greens, fresh-cut flowers and warm, tender woods. Intoxicating. "I would love that." But would I really? I didn't know anymore. Yes, I wanted my mother to spend more time with me, but would she be a different person or the same cold-hearted woman sitting before me?

"Good," she said wiggling herself free. She stood up again, turned back towards the door and started to walk out. So much for bonding, I thought to myself. Every time we make any progress at this mother daughter thing she takes five giant steps back. Like a terrible game of Simon Says that keeps going awry. Tears were stinging at the back of my eyes, but I refused to indulge them until she was nowhere in sight. She had almost made it out when she paused, spun around, and asked, "What's wrong with you hands?"

When our eyes met I could see concern, worry and even fear in them. Fear? Why would she be so afraid of my hands feeling like they were on fire?

I shrugged my shoulders. "It's nothing. I just woke up and they were sort of stinging. I'm probably just having an allergic reaction to the new lotion I bought or something."

It wasn't far from the truth seeing as how I went a little overboard shopping at Bath and Body Works a few days ago. What can I say; I'm a sucker for a sale. She didn't look very convinced, and if anything she looked more distraught than she had before. Her eyes grew dark, but when she spoke this time it sounded sincere. "You should run some cold water over them, if that doesn't work, let me know. Oh, and finish getting ready for school before you're late. I'll see you tonight." With that she went out and shut the door.

Love you too I whispered to myself and suddenly I felt like crying, so I did. After forcing myself to get it together I went to the bathroom and applied plenty of makeup to my red-rimmed eyes in hopes that nobody would ask questions. I slipped on some random assortment of clothes, gathered up my school belongings, and headed downstairs to wait for my ride.

Surprisingly enough, nobody even so much as mentioned my puffiness and everything was going fairly normal so far. The stinging in my hands had dwindled down to a low tickle, I didn't run into Luke, and I was on my way to my favorite class. Why couldn't everyday be this good?

I stepped into the room, which is packed like usual, and head over to my assigned group table to start prepping for whatever dish we'll be making today. Onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic cloves, sugar, a box of angel hair spaghetti noodles and some other various spices were lying on the counter. I shoved my book bag under the table, wrapped the apron around my waist, and headed over to the sink to wash my hands. "Cleanliness is next to godliness," Mr. Rogan had said. Oh geez, I was already quoting one of my teachers. If only Jett could hear me now, he'd be on the floor rolling around and laughing hysterically.

I giggled inside and proceeded to head back to the table. The rest of my group had shown up finally and were starting to do other remedial tasks, so I let my thoughts wander. Why was my mom acting so weird today? It seemed as though she was really trying to make an effort, but then she went right back to being frigid again. And what about that ghost guy who I can't stop daydreaming about? Who or what was he anyway? It was then that I heard a faint buzzing sound. Some fluorescent bulb in the room must be getting ready to go out because it was flickering. Each burst of light after the small flash of dark was like blinding rays of sun.

I squinted and looked around the room trying to pinpoint the location of the rogue bulb and that's precisely when I noticed the orb. It resembled the one from the morning I woke up from my nightmare, but I couldn't be positive. The only thing I was absolutely sure of was that it was here now, and in the middle of the room. Vaguely familiar light radiated off of it in surges of brilliance so stunning that I became entranced by its energy. I just wanted to touch it and feel the light bathe on my skin. I tore my eyes from it and looked around the room. Great, nobody else seemed to notice it but me, go figure. I'm just about to make my way over to it when it vanishes and instantaneously a sinking feeling settles into the pit of my stomach.

"This has got to just be my imagination running wild again," I mumbled under my breathe trying to shake off the goose bumps.

Images of the orb danced through my mind. It was like a perfect oval glowing in the most wonderful shades of blue and silver. Like a warm wave washing over me and trying to pull me under. Why did I feel so captivated by it, but afraid of it at the same time? And what made me want to touch it so badly? I had literally felt compelled to jump up and run my fingers across its bright surface.

"Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to Home Economics," a sweet familiar voice said interrupting my brooding.

I looked up from the table and gasped. "Ms. Rosana."

Her dark as night wavy hair settled in thick layers across her back. Faded black slacks and a maroon knit sweater with matching clogs completed the ensemble. Classic, I thought suppressing a laugh. She grinned at me from across the room and then came over to give me a hug. "Well fancy meeting you here. Shouldn't you be in some advanced English class? It's down the hall on the left if you needed directions."

Ms. Rosana was my English teacher for the past three years of school. She was also one of the main reasons I even bothered to show up every day. Don't get me wrong, I did well in school, but it was never any fun. She just had this way of teaching that was more focused on learning while creating and that was the environment I worked best in. Then last year, during the final week before school let out for the summer, she broke the news that she was leaving. She had decided to move back to Washington, something about the pay being better. I was devastated. She was such a constant in my life, someone I looked up to and cherished dearly that the thought of her leaving had left me heartbroken.

I smiled wider than a Cheshire cat. "Well, you and I both know that the only teacher I could possibly stand was you. Why would I bother with you gone?"

After smirking she gave me the one over and said, "Uh huh, I know you better than you know yourself sometimes. Anyway, you and I should talk after class."

"Sounds magnificent," I said excited.

"Alright everyone, please get back to your tables and we can begin. Today we are making spaghetti so turn to page five of your textbooks for directions. Although if you can't make a simple pasta dish, you shouldn't even be in the kitchen," she said giggling.

After our brief interaction I tried to stay focused on cutting the rest of the veggies, but for some reason my thoughts kept drifting back to the orb. I couldn't stop thinking about it and as if it had heard my desperate plea to see it again rising up inside, it materialized in front of me. So close that I could stick my arm out and half of it would be swallowed in light. The longer I stared at it the more it seemed to look like something else. Some sort of creature that was shaped like Golem from the Lord of Rings except it was taller with dark brown skin, a huge set of wings and purple eyes. Purple eyes that were staring right back at me. The onions must be affecting my vision, I thought. I bent over the table to put the knife I was holding down and when I looked back the orb was gone again.

What is going on with me? Weird things keep happening. Like seeing ghosts and bizarre orbs, not to mention my mom acting strange and then there are the crazy nightmares. All of the emotions from the past few weeks came bubbling up to the surface and I felt dizzy and frustrated. I wanted to cry and scream at the same time, but instead I decided to just take a break.

I slumped down in the chair and rested my head on the table trying to shut out all of the noisy chatter filtering through the room. I looked for the clock on the wall. Twenty minutes of class left, plenty of time. I nestled my head against my arm again and slowly shut my eyes.

It came swift and relentless. A searing pain that shot down my right thigh like someone had just ripped it open with a machete. I tried to muffle the high-pitched scream that threatened to escape from my lips. Instinctively I looked underneath the table and whimpered as my eyes connected with the same creature from the orb licking blood off my leg. He was squished perfectly under there. Wings folded delicately against his body like a cocoon. How come nobody warned me? Couldn't they see it?

The creature smiled a nasty wicked grin up at me and growled. The kind of rumble that shook the whole table knocking pots, supplies, and other items off onto the floor. A glass bowl landed with a crack and shattered into thousands of pieces. I let out a full-fledged scream as it slowly cocked its head to one side and disappeared. I wanted to run and get out of this place, but I couldn't move. I was in shock. My whole body trembled. And not just because I was scared to death, but because blood was flooding out of my thigh like the Hoover Dam had sprung a leak. Some part of me knew this was probably going to need stitches and fast. I looked up, about to ask for a nurse pass, and realized the whole class was staring at me. Mouths gaped open. Oh great, just what I need, more people thinking I'm a freak.

Ms. Rosanna rushed over to the table and pulled the chair out quickly, practically dumping me out of it and onto the floor. She drew in a deep breath and gasped. "What happened?"

I knew I couldn't tell her the truth. No one would believe me anyway. So I did what I had to do, lie. I looked up into her amber eyes, shrugged my shoulders, and said, "I'm not sure exactly, I dropped my knife under the table and I guess it cut me." I only hoped that she wouldn't go looking for the weapon because she wouldn't find one.

She eyed me wearily. Guess she does know me better than I thought. After several moments of silence I said, "Hey, girl bleeding all over the floor here!" That got her attention.

"Somebody please get me some paper towels," she said exasperated. A tall boy with blonde hair whom I didn't recognize came out of nowhere, reached around, and handed her a huge wad. She took it quickly and immediately began applying pressure as she said, "Alright let's get you to the nurse's station and fix it up. I'll be right back class, continue working on the assignment."

I swallowed down a huge knot in my throat. As much as I wanted her to go with me for moral support and comfort, I knew I should do this on my own. Just in case it came back or something. The last thing I wanted to do was drag more people into this mess. "Listen, not that I don't appreciate the offer and all, trust me, I do, but you have a class to teach and it's not going to teach itself," I whispered insistently.

"Well, my class is going to have to do fine without me because I'm not letting you take off by yourself."

"What happens if someone accidentally catches the school on fire and you're not here to supervise?" I asked.

She pondered my words as if trying to find a loophole, but gave in. "You're so stubborn. Are you sure you can't be persuaded?" I shook my head and she acknowledged her defeat. "Very well, but I'm sending someone down there with you and I'm not taking no for an answer. You," she said pointing to the guy who had brought the paper towels, "accompany her to the nurse, please."

"Yes ma'am," he said acknowledging her request.

"Now hurry up and go before I change my mind," she said flustered.

I moaned internally. How was I going to get out of this mess? "Okay and I'll make sure to send a janitor back to clean."

"That's the least of my worries," she said giving me a hug. "Just be careful."

"I will," I said blinking back tears. She was about as close to a real mother as I was ever going to get and for that I was more than elated.

I limped out of the classroom with the support of the blonde guy and once out of earshot stopped. I turned to face him and said firmly, "I will give you twenty dollars if you stand out here for five minutes and then pretend you walked me down there."

He raised an eyebrow and I thought for sure he would decline my offer, but then he shook his head yes and I handed off the cash. "Thanks," I said trying not to make anymore eye contact. I turned on my heel and continued to hobble down the hall towards the nurse's station wincing along the way. I could feel the blood seeping through the paper towel, trickling down my leg and onto the floor. The sight of the hot, sticky goo made my stomach turn and a faint memory tugged at the back of my mind. I pushed it aside and hurried on, I had to get to safety as soon as possible. I kept looking over my shoulder just to make sure that crazy creature thing wasn't following me with its tongue hanging out. I had almost made it to the nurse's station when the sound of heavy breathing stopped me dead in my tracks.

I inched forward carefully and peeked around the corner expecting the worst, but instead finding the funniest. In the situation I was in, I definitely needed something hilarious. Luke had Joanne pushed up against his locker, their lips tightly locked together. I had to hold down the bile that immediately rose to my throat as his hand slipped down from her chin to caress her breast, down her thigh, and then up until it was uncomfortable for me to even watch. I wasn't exactly hidden, so I couldn't believe they were so into sucking face and feeling each other up that they hadn't even noticed I was staring at them yet. I knew he flirted and the possibility was there that he actually cheated, but this was the best confirmation I could have hoped for. No more fast food dates for me.

I giggled internally, ignoring the continual throbbing pain in my thigh and crossed my arms as quietly as possible. I let the paper towel fall to the floor since it was kaput anyway, it can only hold some much before it falls apart, and put on my best disappointed angry facade. What a perfect way to end this charade of a relationship. "So is it because I didn't put out, or do you always treat your girlfriends like this?" I asked sarcastically.

He slowly released his tangled hand from her platinum blonde hair and looked in my direction. The shock clearly written on his face indicated that he never expected to get caught. Perfect. "Callie, it's not what you think," he said holding his hands up in surrender.

I studied him through narrowed eyes my voice clear and calm. "Wow, that's a new line. Not what I think? You mean you practically having sex with her right here, in the hallway is just my imagination?"

Ignoring my best impression of a dirty look, Joanne leaned up to kiss him on the cheek and whispered, "Call me later." The next thing I know she's walking off down the hall with a smug smile on her face. I honestly couldn't care less, because this is exactly the excuse I needed to get rid of him once and for all.

He cleared his throat, his gaze darted away from mine and he said, "Callie, I can explain."

"Oh, I have no doubt that you can come up with a good excuse. Like her boob had a cramp or maybe her thigh needed scratching, right? Only problem is that I don't care. You wanted someone easy and you got her."

We stood there silent for several seconds, gazes locked, until I realized the ever so slight shift in weight to the cut leg. After the initial high of adrenaline rush started to wear off, dizziness pulsed through my body. I wavered, falling to my knees on the hard cold tile floor.

He hurried over to where I was kneeling, the red hued liquid starting to pool around my feet. "What's going on? Are you okay?" he asked reaching out to inspect the stream trickling down my leg. "Is that blood?"

I pushed him away as best I could, trying to stand on my own. My body felt drained and distant. "Yep, sure is." How much blood was I losing? I felt like I was going to pass out as a foggy feeling began to penetrate my brain.

"Here, let me help you," he said throwing one of my arms over his shoulder.

Only if he was lying on the floor and I was kicking him in the kidneys would I let him help me, I thought shaking the fuzziness off. "It's a long story, one which I refuse to share with you, so stop pretending you care Luke. Just go back to class and leave me alone. In fact, why don't you go find Joanne and finish what I so clearly interrupted?"

His suave attitude faltered for a moment and I glimpsed what looked like worry in eyes. "Please, at least let me help you get to the nurse's station."

I brushed his arm from my shoulder. "No, were through. Finite. Over. I think you should just go now."

I figured that he would just walk away and cut his losses, but instead he did the stupidest thing ever. He pulled me forward into his arms and tried to kiss me. I had hit my breaking point with him. My hand started tingling, and before I knew what was happening I had slapped him so hard across the face that he actually stumbled backwards landing with a hard thud on his butt. After the events of the day it felt good to release a little of my own steam.

I leaned back, almost unable to breathe from both the shock and pain radiating through me. My hand felt like it was on fire, but I tried to remain calm. "I never want to see you again," I said through gritted teeth. Maybe he'd take the not so subtle hint now and vamoose.

His eyes met mine as his face turned from a deep shade of purple to a pale white. He tentatively patted the place where I hit him and I watched as it transformed into what looked like a dark red burn mark. He stood unsteadily, turned around, and stormed off down the hall towards where Joanne had left, looking about as stunned as I felt. I didn't have any time to think about how weird it was that I had somehow managed to scar his face. I knew I needed to get the nurse and fast.

I continued along the path, still leaving a trail of metallic smelling fluid behind me. As soon as I stepped inside, a tall leggy brunette with almost gothic like makeup on bombarded me with "are you okay's" and "does it hurt's". I could barely feel it when she looped her arm through mine and scooped me up like I was a rag doll, carrying me into another room. She laid me down on the doctor chair with that horrible crinkly white paper so she could attend to the wound. I felt the sting of whatever antiseptic she was dabbing the cut with, but I couldn't make out a word she was saying. My head was filled with buzzing and my eyes felt heavy. Maybe it was the loss of blood that caused me to doze off, but when I woke up the nurse was gone and Zilla was sitting next to the bed.

I reached up to run my fingers through my newly knotted hair. Hoping to break the tension growing in the room I tried to make a joke. "This better not be a repeat of the red wagon incident," I giggled hoarsely.

Zilla smiled at me and squeezed my arm. "Nope, I've outgrown that stage. Just making sure a familiar face was here when you woke up. Besides, that was a huge turning point in our friendship, no need to go through something like that again."

"You mean because we are blood sisters now?" I asked curiously, remembering that day more vividly than I should. It was such a long time ago when I was only nine. I had cut my hand on my rusty red wagon trying to pull her around the block. I was panicked, clutching my arm to my chest as I tried to control my rapid breathing. She stayed completely calm and reached out for me. I'd never forget the look on her face as she stooped down slashing her hand against the jagged metal. The way her blood started drip, drip, dripping onto the warm concrete. She beamed, clasped hands with me and said something about me not being afraid and how we are one in the same. Best friends forever and now blood sisters for life. It made me feel safe and content just thinking about it. To know that I have someone who cares about me so much they were, and still are, willing to do anything to keep me from feeling the way I did that day. I smiled.

"Of course," she said placing her hand in mine.

My neck felt stiff, which made me wonder how long I'd been sleeping. I pushed myself up into a sitting position while trying to rub out the kinks in my neck and surveyed the room. The nurse was now standing in a corner prepping what looked like a fresh bandage. When she turned around I noticed her name tag read Ivy. It was such a pretty name that I found it odd and ill-suited for her personality.

"Your friend here is very lucky. If the cut had been any deeper she would have needed surgery. Luckily I was able to stitch you up and staunch the bleeding. I'm going to discharge you as soon as your parents get here. No running or stretching, anything that would cause you to pop a stitch. Make sure you change the bandage often, and keep plenty of Neosporin on it. Oh, and be more careful," she said before turning the corner, leaving me and Zilla alone in the room.

"How long have I been here?" I asked groggily. For some reason it felt like weeks, but it couldn't have been that long could it?

"For awhile I'm afraid. Not like days or anything, but last period has been over for a few hours now." She fumbled with the pockets of her hoodie. "I'm not going to ask what happened because the nurse gave me a brief rundown. I don't want to pester you with questions, but that doesn't sound anything like the Callie I know. When you decide to talk about it you'll come to me." I gave her a very weak smile. Changing the subject she proceeded to ask, "Can I get you anything?"

My mouth felt really dry, Grand Canyon style. "I could go for some water."

"Okie dokie, I'll be right back," she said leaving me alone in the room.

The silence that followed was almost deafening. I wished I'd had my iPod or something to drown it out. I folded my hands in my lap, but then decided to trace my family crest tattoo with the tip of my finger instead. I do it so often I don't even have to look at it to know I'm tracing it perfectly. It's made up of two curvy triangles for the golden hourglass, and a figure eight for the jade colored ivy entwined on it. I was so focused that I barely heard the faint rustling noise coming from near the foot of the doctor's chair. This time I heard him before I saw him.

"I've come here to warn you Callie." The way he said my name sent chills down my spine. I stared at him blankly waiting for him to continue. "You must be careful, you're being hunted by an asema," he said matter-of-fact like. His image still blipped in and out of existence, only at a less rapid pace making it easier to get a better look at him.

His voice was so spellbinding that I almost didn't realize what he'd just said to me. It's weird talking business to an invisible thing, well partially invisible anyway. I felt like if I could maybe get a clear view of him I might be able to grasp what he was saying. After all, I did get attacked by some weird orb creature that was beyond any explanation I could muster. I tried to think of a good response, anything really, but by the time I thought to ask him what an asema was, it was too late. He had already vanished again.

He was really starting to get on my nerves just disappearing whenever and wherever he felt like it. At least he said something to me this time instead of just grinning at me eerily. I guess that's a start.

###

Chapter 3-Halloween Dance

My mom was furious when she came to pick me up from school, she kept going on and on about how clumsy I was and how I needed to get it together. "Kids as old as you are shouldn't be doing careless things like dropping a knife in their lap. What were you thinking?" she scolded.

"Lillith," my dad interjected, "let's talk about this later, okay? Give her some time to recover."

"Fine," she said still seething with anger.

If they knew the truth about the creature, what would they do? They'd never be able to protect me from something like that. Nor would I want to drag them into my mess, whatever that was. I stared out the car window the whole ride home, taking in the lovely faded orange and brown leaves with hints of gold floating as gently as feathers to the ground. I imagined raking up a huge pile, jumping in, and repeating those steps over and over, blocking out everyone and everything as long as I could.

For the next few weeks while my leg healed I remained like that. Quiet, contemplative, and reserved. I responded to texts and completed all of the take-home work that Zilla brought me, but for the most part I was just thinking, always thinking. Nobody bothered me, not even the ghost, and my parents didn't prod me to give them more details or explanations. For that I was thankful.

The day finally came when I was given the all clear to return to school. I had passed all my parents at home physical therapy techniques with flying colors and could walk normally again. I roamed the halls, keeping to myself and trying to be as discreet as possible. The less amount of attention I could attract, the better. I always felt like I was being watched and I knew part of it was because Luke couldn't take his eyes off of me, the girl who got away, and part of it was probably that weird creature. I hoped that if I kept a low profile, they would both leave me alone.

This morning when I got dressed I felt a chill sweep across my room and decided to wear jeans and a scarf instead of my usual beachwear. Winter was on its way. Not close enough to start snowing or wear a parka, but just enough to reach out and caress us with its fingertips. I checked the calendar and gasped. It was late October, approximately one week away from Halloween. I hadn't been asked to the school's Halloween dance, nor had I even shopped for a costume to go solo in.

I pondered on it for most of the day. Do I make my own costume, find one, or just skip the whole thing altogether? I stopped at the water fountain between classes and leaned in to sip the cold flowing stream. I overheard two people talking in hushed whispers behind me, so I pretended to drink more and listened closely over the sound of rushing water and footfalls. One voice I didn't recognize, but the other made my skin crawl. "Well, I heard that she turned emo after Luke broke up with her and started slicing herself open for fun. Isn't that creepy?" Joanne asked giggling.

"Very," the other girl said enthusiastically. I knew when I looked behind me what I would find there, a skanky blonde and a wannabe eagerly awaiting her approval. I was tired of letting people talk down to me. I didn't deserve it, and I wouldn't stand for it anymore.

"You know what I heard?" I said turning around, wiping my mouth on my sleeve and glaring at them with such intensity I saw Joanne's eye twitch. Looks like I just blew my low profile cover. "I heard that she has a list of people she plans to cut open next in a black book on her nightstand. You want to know who's in it?" I took a step forward, motioning her closer with my index finger. "Come closer and I'll tell you." Both girls instantly took a step backward, their eyes showing the fear I could have only hoped to elicit from them.

"No thanks," the unknown girl said as she turned to go, "I have to get to class before I'm late."

"What about you, Joanne?" I asked licking my lips, my eyes darting around like someone who just escaped from a mental institution. She broke eye contact and instead of responding, fled down the hall never once looking back.

I was probably going to pay dearly for it later, but as of right now, all I could do was cackle so high and loud that almost everyone bustling through the hall's stopped to stare at me. For a brief moment I let myself go, not caring what people might think of me. I just hoped I'd never have to see her face again.

The rest of the week flew by. I felt rejuvenated. Back to the old me who believed in miracles and true love. All that sappy stuff you think about when you're a kid with nothing better to do. Joanne stayed out of dodge after that, but I heard some rumors spread about what happened. I didn't let it bother me though. I decided to go to the dance; partly because I wanted to see the look on Joanne's face and partly because my friend's would be disappointed if I didn't.

I spent the rest of the week looking up party supply stores and checking out their inventory on-line before finally giving up on going that route. With it being so close to Halloween, everyone had taken all of the good costumes. I set my mind to making one instead and searched for images from all different kinds of ideas I had. When I finally settled on one, I was both happy and relieved. I only had two days to make it, but the pattern was relatively easy. I printed it out, along with a list of fabrics and accessories that I would need and set off on my newest adventure.

As it turned out, without a sewing machine it is very difficult to put two pieces of fabric together. I ended up hand-stitching everything from what little I had learned at school. I worked on it up until an hour or so before I was supposed to get ready and then started to drag everything out, admiring my work as I went along. For someone who had so little experience, my masterpiece was quite impressive.

I slipped on the dress, which was a sparkling blood red orange color with a laced up corset in the back. It stopped above the knees with a hem line of autumn leaves, and was adorned with as much glitter and beads as I could stand. The underside had some tulle to give it a bit of a bell shape and it was sleeveless. I coated myself in glitter dust and applied matching makeup, leaving my hair loose, but braiding two front strands to the back with more of the leaves. The only thing left to put on were my wings and they were, I think, the best part of my outfit. I spent hours hot gluing red, orange and brown leaves to both the front and back of a pair of cheap off-white wings I found on-line. I had to make them look like they were real, so I cut the straps off and made a part of the dress where I could slide them in and latch them up so they wouldn't come off. The end result was breathtaking.

I glanced at myself in the mirror, twirling around and smiling at the finished product. I looked like a real autumn fairy with sparkling wings that hovered out behind me like two tall trees. I heard the doorbell and knew Zilla and Locke were here to pick me up. My parents weren't home since my dad's office was having a party too. I grabbed my burgundy wedge sandals, a matching clutch, and my disposable camera and headed out. I wrenched open the door to Locke's Jeep and slid into the back. Zilla swiveled around to look at my costume and I got a good shot of hers, but I couldn't figure out who she was supposed to be.

"You look amazing," Zilla said smiling.

I blushed. "Thanks, you too. You look like Marilyn Monroe, but without the vent to blow your dress up around you."

She laughed and smiled. "That's because I'm not her and also because I'm not near a vent." She pulled out a feather duster and tickled me with it. "I'm Mrs. White from Clue."

"Didn't she used to wear a maid's outfit?" I asked teasing her.

"Yeah, but this is the modern day version."

"And just who is this handsome young fellow supposed to be?" I asked gesturing to Locke. Luckily we were at a red light so he leaned towards me tipping his monocle and twirling a finger in his fake handlebar moustache. "Right," I said giggling, "you're supposed to be Colonel Mustard."

"Correct," he confirmed with an accent. "Well then, I'd like to make an accusation good sir. I think Mrs. Peacock did it in the observatory with a rope, am I right?" We all laughed and continued to make jokes about Clue the rest of the ride. I started to get nervous the closer we got. I was dateless and headed to a school function where both Joanne and Luke were sure to be. I knew it was too late to back out now and besides, I wanted to show off my awesome costume.

We drove through a tall gate and headed toward one of the spookiest mansion's I've ever laid eyes on. It was about three stories tall and the outside looked like a run-down shack with crusty dried-up siding covering almost every inch. The windows were dirty and the paint was faded and chipping off in places. There were overgrown weeds and vines coating every inch of the landscape and the trees looked as though they should have been trimmed years ago. We pulled around to the front entrance which was made of two tall grimy marble columns that supported a dark overhang of stone. A man dressed as a butler with fangs stepped out and took our car keys. We walked up the steps to the double-doors and handed our tickets to the doorman who was wearing a pair of bunny ears, a pink nose, and some drawn on whiskers. "How original," I mumbled under my breath, stepping through.

Music blasted us the minute we walked in and I stood off to the side a little so I could take in the place. The first floor was completely open, except for some furniture up against the walls there was nothing but a spiral staircase in the middle, roped off, and bodies swaying to the rhythm. The place was about as shabby inside as it was on the outside. Someone had tried to sweep and dust, but there were still cobwebs hanging from the rafters and the furniture looked old and musty. Zilla grabbed my hand and pulled me forward, "Come on twinkle toes, time to rock out." I did a little twirl as she guided us off to the left near the DJ and began dancing. I'm not very good at it, but I tried to mimic her and simultaneously scan the room.

There were so many faces in masks that it was disorienting. I'd never be able to tell who was who. I accidentally bumped into someone behind me and turned around to apologize, just about poking my eye out on a big bad wolf nose. The person laughed and scooted away. I continued to look around and finally caught sight of Joanne dancing in a group of four people. She was dressed as a go-go girl with a super short shimmery silver dress, white boots that went up to the knee and a pair of triangle earrings that started off small and went down to a big size. Hopefully she got the hint and would stay away from me now.

A guy dressed as cookie monster came up and extended his hand for a dance as the music slowed, I happily obliged. When he pulled me in closer I smelled alcohol on his breath and knew he'd probably hurl on me, but I didn't want to be rude so I stayed put. Several more people cut in, but it was the last guy dressed as a vampire, his face caked in layer upon layer of white makeup with black hair slicked back that really caught my attention. He didn't talk or look directly into my eyes, but there was a flutter in my stomach as he shuffled me around the dance floor. His hands were freezing and it made me shiver. Someone tapped me from behind and when I turned to look, a piece of some sort of dessert was shoved in my face. I tried to find my attacker, but all I caught was the tail end of what looked like a devil costume stalking away. That was odd. I had expected something like that from Joanne, but not anyone else.

The guy in the vampire costume laughed and I suddenly no longer found him attractive. "Very funny," I said kicking him in the shin. He howled in pain as I searched for Zilla, who somehow managed to drift far away from me. I didn't want to ruin their night so I was on my own. I stopped a girl in a bumblebee dress as she scooted passed and asked her where the bathroom was. She shrugged her shoulders and kept moving. I remembered seeing the roped off staircase when we came in, but I didn't know if that was where to go. I guess there was only one way to find out.

I stepped over the rope and wound my way up to the top, I thought there would be other people up here besides me, but I was the only one. It let me out into a hallway and I had to hold onto the wall for a minute to adjust to the weak lighting. I'm glad I wasn't severely allergic to dust because the air was stagnant, making it hard for me to breathe. I continued to let my hand trail the length of the faded wallpaper as I poked my head through several doors, finally finding the one I was looking for. I slipped in, latched the knob, flipped the switch, and checked myself out in the mirror. Tiramisu, I thought licking the espresso soaked treat off my lips. I grabbed a few paper towels and wiped myself down. Luckily I packed touch-up makeup.

I was applying eyeliner when I heard a scratching on the bathroom door. My hand instinctively jerked and the line curved up and away from my lid. Great, I was going to have to start over again. Another scratching noise and my heart started to beat erratically. This couldn't just be a coincidence and I was fairly certain that I knew what was waiting on the other side of that door. I searched around for an escape route, but there wasn't even a window in this place. I opened the cupboards and scrambled around to find a weapon until I remembered the mace my father insisted I take with me. "You never know what kind of crazies you'll run into tonight," he had said. I pulled the top off the leather case it was in and put my finger in place, gently creeping towards the door and unlocking it.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and opened it wide, pressing down hard and shooting off the spray. I didn't hear screaming so I looked to the left and right, but there was nothing to be found. It had to be my imagination again. I went back in, shutting the door, and locking it a second time. My phone went off and I rushed over to grab it. It was Zilla. "Where are you?" she asked.

"Someone shoved cake in my face so I had to find a bathroom to wash up in."

"Are you serious?" she asked concerned. "Are you alright?"

"Besides a kick to my pride, all's well."

"Do you know who did it? I'll go find them and return the favor," she said a little too enthusiastically.

"I'm not sure exactly. I saw a girl in a devil costume, but she didn't look familiar. Don't worry about it though. If I see her again, it's on."

"Okay. Well hurry up, we're waiting for you."

"Okay, be there in just a second." I put the phone down and picked up the eyeliner again, getting ready to go for round two when I noticed a movement out of the corner of my eye near the toilet. I stepped closer to get a better look, but in that same minute I know I'm in trouble. A giant gnarly wing unfurls before me and the creature snarls at me in a way that makes my heart stop beating. I'm trapped in here and I can tell by the way it looks at me that it can smell the fear wafting off of me.

I take a step backward and it immediately swoops after me. I barely have time to fall to the ground before it zooms past and smacks into the door. A blazing pain erupts down my back. It somehow managed to swipe me with its razor sharp claws. A warm liquid begins to seep through my dress and along my spine. It stood up, still slightly dazed, so I decided to attack first this time. I lunged forward and kicked it as hard as I could in the face with my knee causing it to fall backwards. I snatched my bag off the counter, swung the door open, and raced down the hall. I was almost to the steps when it grabbed my ankle and knocked me to the ground. I started kicking wildly in hopes that I'd break free, but its claws just keep tearing at my flesh.

I panicked. I'm going to die. There is nobody here to save me and no amount of running is going to get me out of this mess. I won't go quietly, I thought. I looked up and down the hall for something to use as a weapon and that's when I spot it, my purse. It flew out of my hand when I face-planted so it's just barely out of reach. If I could get this creature off of me for a second I might be able to sprint for it and grab the mace. It's a long shot, but it was better than nothing.

I relax, knowing that the only way to get this thing off of me is to make the creature think that it has won. Sure enough, it releases its grip and comes closer, settling its disfigured face near mine. Our noses practically touching. I sat up slowly. "What do you want from me?" I asked the creature hoping to keep it distracted while I readied myself.

It cocked its head to the side, but didn't respond. I stood up. "I said, what do you want from me?" I darted forward and reached out for the bag, but it was faster and blocked my path with its giant wings. Survival mode kicked in and I dove off to the left rolling forward and snatching the purse up at the same time. I heard the pounding footsteps of the beast as it came after me. Reaching into the bag, I pulled out the mace and just as it reached out for me, I pushed down on the nozzle and doused it with pepper spray. It let out an ear-piercing cry as it folded in on itself and began swatting at its face. I took that as my cue and bolted down the stairs, nearly tripping over the rope and running with head smacking force into Alyssa.

I didn't recognize her at first in the Little Bo Peep outfit, but then someone dressed as a sheep came rushing over and I just knew who it was. "Are you okay?" she asked me startled. She could tell there was something wrong so she reached around to put a hand on my back, ushering me forward and I cried out in pain.

She pulled her hand away and gasped when she saw the icky blood stains left behind. I couldn't tell them what happened, so I ran. I rushed past the front door, down to the street, and then to the nearest bus stop, hoping that the creature wouldn't follow me. I didn't answer my phone when it rang or beeped with texts. As soon as I got home, I rushed upstairs and started stripping down. I checked myself out in the mirror and whimpered at the three very long and semi-deep slashes running the length of my back. My ankle looked like it had gotten into a fight with a lion. I soaked a towel in peroxide and took care of my injuries the best I could, crying harder as the stinging sensation washed over me. I wrapped myself in bandages, put on the least revealing pajamas I could find, grabbed two Tylenol from the cabinet, and then threw myself in bed, burrowing deep under the covers.

If I didn't wake up in the morning, it would be a welcome relief.

###

Chapter 4-The New Guy

I pushed all thoughts of last Friday from my mind as I stepped into the big round-a-bout door and through the narrow hallway that emptied out into Destiny's. My café, well not really mine, but we come here so often and know everyone that works here that it's like a second home to us. Paul, the manager, is a short stumpy man with a balding head and wickedly funny sense of humor. He's probably one of the main reasons we keep coming back, and why we designated Thursday's as our dessert study group extravaganza night.

Large polka dots of fuchsia and orange envelop the walls. Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks" is playing on the jukebox and since it's one of my favorites I bob my head to the rhythm. A group of kids are clustered beneath the disco ball in the central room, dancing and chatting. There are candles just about everywhere you look and the light they exude casts an angelic gleam on the white booths that line the walls. The scent of strawberry incense mixed with fresh flowers lingers in the air. I glide over and sit down at our usual area, my back toward the kitchen waiting for Mona to come out and take our order. She's tall with broad shoulders and a mouse nose, but more striking than anything else is her confidence. It's that part of her that always has me wondering why she still bothers to write down anything for us at all. I know she has it memorized. Maybe it's because of the time I ordered a chocolate shake instead, throwing off her groove.

"What can I get for you today?" an unfamiliar voice asked shaking me from my thoughts.

I jumped and turned around slowly to peer directly into the speaker's face. Where did this guy come from? "Where's Mona?" I asked confused.

I could feel his gaze linger excitedly on me as he replied, "She's off today and I'm covering for her. So what can I get you?"

He stood there, all five-eight and 150-pounds of him, running a hand over his oily black hair, clearly waiting for me to give him an answer to his previous question. He licked his lips in a slow clockwise motion. Something about him seemed so familiar and scary that it made it made my heart race and my mouth clamp shut, rendering me speechless. I just kept staring at him like some obsessed school girl. My brain felt clogged up and as he continued to glare at me I got more and more tongue-tied.

"Well?" he snapped, instantly clearing my jumbled thoughts.

"If you work here long enough you'll learn our orders," I said, hating the way it sounded outside of my head. Almost like whatever anger I felt radiating from him took control of my body. But it was also something more. He wasn't exactly the hottest guy I had ever laid eyes on, but when he looked at me with that intensity I just wanted him badly. Was it possible to lust after and hate someone at the same time? "A banana split, lemon meringue pie, two hot fudge sundaes and a root beer float," I said rushing the words so he would leave me alone with my muddled thoughts.

A smile crossed his face and his untamed dark eyebrows arched slightly.

"Did I say something funny?" I asked becoming agitated.

"No, just wondering where you're going to put all that dessert."

I scowled. "I'm waiting for my friends, I always order for them. If you weren't new here, you would know that," I said not returning his smile. I should go talk to the manager. This guy shouldn't be working here if he can't be courteous to his customers. Plus, he was starting to give me the creeps.

"Yeah we'll see," he retorted.

"Do you want me to go talk to Paul and report your behavior? He's a very good friend of mine and I don't think he'd appreciate you talking to us that way," I said snarkily.

"You mean talk to you that way, as I don't see anyone else sitting here. Don't get your panties all in a bunch, I'll go put in your order."

My face grew hot with embarrassment. Just as I was about to fire off something sarcastic and follow him back behind the counter I saw Zilla walk in with the rest of my friends in tow. Man was I relieved to see them. Now that jerk would have to apologize to me, I thought while waving the group over.

"Mona's not here today." I sighed and then added, "There's a new guy whose name I didn't catch because he is a super jerk."

"Is he cute?" Alyssa asked twirling her finger through a strand of her purple highlighted hair.

"I dunno," I replied not willing to tell her the truth. I mean sure he was kind of attractive in that bad guy sort of way. But I don't really like guys like that, they're obnoxious. "I didn't really get a good look at him since his ego was in the way."

"Did you ever think maybe that was his way of hitting on you?" Jett chimed in.

"Highly doubtful considering we are not in Kindergarten anymore, but if it is then he has a funny way of showing it."

He was cleaning a booth near ours when our eyes met. Maybe he did like me, it's not like I'm horrible looking or anything. After the incident with Luke I remained skeptical about bothering with the whole dating thing and besides, who knows what rumors would be flying around if I did.

"That's him," I said pointing in his direction trying to keep my voice down.

I could tell he was straining to hear what I would say next even though his face showed no emotion.

"Oh," Zilla said nudging me. "That's Cole. His family just moved here. I met him last weekend when they came over for the fall gala, very handsome."

"You're already spoken for," Locke said enveloping her in his arms.

"I meant for Callie," she said reassuringly.

"He is cute in a dark mysterious way," Jett said waggling his eyebrows.

"He's got big ears," I said a little loudly, trying to hide my smirk, "just your type Jett."

He feigned being appalled. "Sorry hun, I think he's got his eyes set on you. Besides, you need a rebound after what Luke did to you. You should go for it."

"A rebound?" I asked disgusted. "That is so typical. No thanks."

Oh no, I hope he wasn't looking at me as I said that, I thought, my face turning a deep shade of crimson. When I glanced over to see if he had witnessed my slip of the tongue or skin's misbehavior I was relieved to find that he was gone.

"Wow, someone does think he's cute," Zilla said flipping her golden hair over her shoulder, misreading my embarrassment. "You want me to get his digits for you?"

"I think I'll pass. For as rude as he was, his cuteness doesn't even begin to make up for it. Let's talk about something else."

"How about what happened to you at the dance?" Locke asked mockingly. Ugh, another subject I hated just as much as the previous one. Alyssa and Jett both looked uncomfortable. We hadn't spoken much about what had really gone down that night and I wasn't about to tell them the truth now.

"Like I said before, someone was trying to play a trick on me and managed to dump fake blood all down my back," I said trying to keep my frustration to a minimum.

"I think what Locke meant to say is that we really want to hear about what happened with Luke," Alyssa said sliding her chair closer to mine and trying to change the subject. "Pretty please," she pouted.

How were they still on this subject? It had been over a month and half now since that incident. She gave me her sad puppy dog eyes and I felt all guilty, like I was being a bad friend or something, so I decided to humor her.

"Well, I was walking towards the nurse's station and I saw Luke and Joanne in the hallway. They were completely latched on to each other. I honestly don't think that even an earthquake splitting open the ground beneath them could have interrupted those two. Anyway, I called him out, we got into a fight, I slapped him, and we broke up."

"You slapped him?" Zilla asked fascinated.

"Yeah," I stammered. "I didn't mean to, it just sort of happened and I feel terrible, but I'm not about to tell him that. Especially after I saw them holding hands the day after. That jerk doesn't deserve any sympathy from me. I'm just glad to be rid of him."

"Wow," Jett said captivated.

I was about to change the subject for a second time when of all things that could ruin the rest of my day, Luke walked in with Joanne. I think my jaw dropped expression was exactly the reaction he was looking for. Why doesn't this surprise me? He's been trying to get a rise out of me ever since that day. Watching me in the hall and following me around. He knows my schedule. I should have prepared myself for this. His arm was casually draped around her waist and he was guiding her towards the booth next to ours. Joanne looked nervous, but with the bitchy edge she never could quite get rid of. Luke winked my direction at the precise moment Locke had turned around in his seat to see what all the commotion was.

"I'm going to kill him," Locke said through gritted teeth, pushing his chair back, and starting to get up.

I didn't respond immediately because I was trying to come up with a way to get rid of him. Then it dawned on me. Maybe I could use this newbie to push Luke away for good. I mean, if they all thought he might have the hots for me, I could definitely use it to my advantage.

"No, don't worry about it," I replied. "I have an idea."

Zilla pulled Locke back down next to her as I got up from the table and made my way toward the kitchen. Cole was standing behind the register watching me approach with intense fascination. He must not have been expecting me to come over here. The closer I got the more nervous I felt. I wanted to turn around and run back to the table, but I pressed on. It's for the greater good, I thought reassuring myself.

"Listen, I think we got off on the wrong foot," I said tucking a strand of rogue hair behind my ear and biting my bottom lip. "My name is Callie. Zilla told me she knew you through her family and as the saying goes, any friend of hers is a friend of mine," I said reaching my hand out to shake his. He in turn took mine, but instead of shaking it, he placed it on his cheek and took a step closer to me. His face felt cold and chilly like I was touching an ice cube and my body shivered in response.

"Go out with me," he said putting a finger under my chin and pulling my face up towards his.

He must be kidding. The look on his face said otherwise. This had sorta been my plan all along. Although I didn't expect it to work so quickly. Make Luke jealous using the jerk that made fun of me to do it and then dump him killing two birds with one stone. Yet, I couldn't shake the nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach. Butterflies maybe? Besides stupid Luke, I had never been this close to a guy and everything I'd learned had been through watching Zilla. I glanced over my shoulder at our table. Every eye was on me, including Luke's. I could tell, even from a distance, the rage that was bubbling up inside him.

Good, now what? Oh, right. I turned my head back around and kissed him. It was better than I had anticipated. Luke had been the first guy I sort of kissed and I thought he'd be the last at the rate my love life was going. But this was exhilarating and new, and once I felt his soft lips urgently kissing me back, I couldn't bring myself to stop. His arms wrapped around me pulling me even closer to him as my heart fluttered rapidly in the heat of the moment. I didn't know why, but I wanted him right here and right now. I knew people were staring, but I didn't care. My hands were fumbling with the buttons on his shirt when he pulled away from me.

"What are you doing?" I asked trying to work my way back into his arms and feel that tingly warmth again. "It's a yes. I will go out with you."

"No," he said firmly. "I'm stopping you from making a big mistake. You accomplished what you needed to, your boyfriend is jealous so there's no need to take it any further. See for yourself."

I turned around just in time to see Luke dragging Joanne behind him out the door. He might as well of clubbed her like a caveman and pulled her out by her hair. It was that harsh. I immediately glanced at my friends and felt my cheeks flush, they were all giving me the "you go girl" face. Embarrassment was an understatement at this point.

I hung my head, but didn't turn around to face him. I felt guilty and I had no idea why. I barely knew him, if at all. "He's not my boyfriend," I said timidly. "Well, I mean he was, but I've been trying to ditch the baggage for awhile now. He just isn't getting the hint." I felt humiliated, but I hurried on. "I truly am sorry."

"Don't be. I knew what you were doing and I wanted to. Plus, the kissing was an extra bonus. Who knew you'd be so into it," he said sarcastically.

I didn't even bother to respond, just turned on my heel and walked back to our table, trying to keep my emotions together. So he didn't want to go out with me then? I could have sworn there was some sort of connection between us just a minute ago. Well I guess that's for the better anyway since I hadn't originally intended for it to go as far as it did. I tentatively reached up and brushed my fingertips across my lips. Either he was a good kisser or I had completely lost my mind.

"How was it?" Alyssa asked with a smile so big you'd think she got a real pony for her birthday.

"It was alright," I replied not wanting to spill all the details. "I just wanted to make sure Luke got the picture and I think it's clear now."

Zilla locked eyes with me long enough for her to be able to tell that something was wrong. "Callie, time to hit the ladies room," she said pulling me from the table.

I could feel Cole's eyes on me as she guided me down the hallway, but I was too horrified to look. When we got to the safety of the restroom, she turned me around to face her and said, "What's wrong?"

I didn't know how to describe it in a way that would make sense to her. Several weird things had happened to me so far. Besides, I was probably just imagining all of it. Well most of it anyway. I don't think I could make up the whole gushing cut leg incident up on my own or the creature attacking me at the Halloween dance either.

I laughed, trying to play it off. "It's nothing. It's just that time of the month and I'm moody."

"Are you sure that's all it is?" She asked sizing me up and trying carefully to find a crack in my story.

"Yeah, its fine. I'm fine. No need to worry," I said taking my vanilla cupcake lip-gloss out of my pocket and smoothing it on my lips, now red and tender from my little make-out session.

"You promise you would tell me if something were wrong right? That's what friends are for. I'm here for you if you need anything, even if it's just to talk."

"Of course," I said reassuringly. "You're my best friend and one of the most amazing people I know. I couldn't think of a better person to come to with my problems. You would definitely be the first to know." Although I meant every word, I knew that no matter how close we were, she wouldn't believe me. Nobody would. This was something I would have to bear the burden of on my own.

"Okay then, let's get back to the group," she said hugging me, but still eyeing me carefully.

"Let's go," I replied cheerily.

The rest of the night seemed like a blur. I avoided eye contact with Cole the whole time. Though I could feel his presence when he came to ask about refills and such, I kept my game face on pretending he didn't exist. The only time I faltered slightly was when they brought up my birthday party.

In three weeks it will be my eighteenth birthday and while I seriously hate parties we are having a huge masquerade ball to celebrate. Zilla, Alyssa and Jett have joined forces with my parents to create what they deem will be "a night to remember." What that really means is there will be a ton of people I barely know hiding behind masks that I will have to make polite conversation with. I'm not so great in that department if you couldn't tell.

"It's going to be awesome," Jett said animatedly.

"Better then awesome," Alyssa said mimicking Jett's tone.

"Can't wait," I replied sarcastically.

###

Chapter 5-Masquerade

It took several weeks of meticulously researching famous medieval couples before I decided on Tristan and Iseult. I absolutely adore the story-line because it's tragic, just like my non-existent love life. With that being said, I obviously don't have the other half of my couple. Jett volunteered several times, insistent upon being Iseult, but I declined. I'd rather go stag than have to dress up like a guy at my own birthday party.

I chose a form fitting, navy blue, short sleeve velvet dress with silver lace trim on the hem and a v-neck line in the back. There was a luxurious satin lining on the underside that felt smooth against my skin. The mask, which my mom had handmade, consists of a silver and white base with glittery stars all over it and two white feathers near the top left corner. I chose the long stick to hold it up instead of that gaudy stretchy material since it will indefinitely ruin my hair.

I looked over at the clock, 5:00 p.m., time to put the finishing touches on my outfit and make my grand entrance. I dabbed on some of my favorite perfume, Heavenly by Victoria Secret, and headed to the mirror to give myself one last look before I made my debut. Several curls had come loose so I clipped them back into place, adjusted the entwined silver and white ribbon, and then sprayed them with glitter. I felt like a princess, something straight out of Cinderella. I was focused on myself so intensely that I had almost failed to notice the pale figure staring back at me in my reflection.

It was that some guy from before, except this time he looked more like a ghost and less like a fuzzy TV screen. He didn't fade in and out anymore making his image constant, yet eerily hollow. I took in his appearance as best I could. Short hair that was smoothed back and spiked, jeans, a pocket t-shirt and a pair of shoes that resembled vans, I couldn't tell what color anything was because he was all grayish-white. He noticed me sizing him up and smiled. He bowed low to the ground and I could feel my face burning with mortification. I hoped he couldn't tell. I wonder how long he'd been standing there. Maybe while I was getting dressed? How embarrassing. I turned around, deciding the best course of action would be to confront him, just to see the tail end of his figure heading out the door.

"Wait," I called after him disappointed. But it was too late. He was gone, again. I can't fathom why I seem to find him so fascinating and frustrating at the same time.

I stumbled towards the bedroom door and down the long flight of stairs to where the party was starting, just trying to find a trace of him. As soon as I touched the bottom step everything else that had just occupied my thoughts disappeared. I'm awestruck by the glamorous decorations surrounding me. The theme seemed to be deep elegance and was adorned in black, silver, and white colors. There were more than two dozen circular tables draped in black gossamer, each one containing a centerpiece made up of a crystal vase with freshly cut white lilies and a silver bow. The tables were meticulously scattered with silver confetti stars and vanilla tea lights. Dozens upon dozens of sparkling star cut-outs dangled from the ceiling.

Off to the side there was a long buffet table overflowing with finger foods and another one that was covered in gifts. The room had been completely draped off with black velvet curtains to make it dark and a disco ball placed in the middle to give off some light. If I had wanted a party, which I didn't, this is exactly how I would've imagined it. I'm so engrossed in thought that I fail to notice Zilla sneaking up behind me.

"Well, what do you think?" she asked reaching around and giving me a bear hug.

"I love it," I said squeezing her hand. I had been skeptical at first, but this was so magnificent that it was beyond words.

"The colors were Alyssa and Jett's idea. You know I would have gone with something brighter." By brighter she means pink, the kind that has you reminiscing about a newly opened pack of Bubbalicious bubble gum.

"Well, I love it either way."

"Listen, I want to give you your birthday present before the party starts," she said pulling me over towards a chair. "Sit down."

"You didn't have to get me anything Zilla, just being friends with you is enough."

She ignored my comment and handed me a cedar box with delicate butterflies whittled on it. I opened it carefully, the hinges making a small creaking sound, to reveal two matching anklets. Garnet and mystic fire gemstones interlocked on a white gold chain with a seahorse shaped charm delicately hanging in the middle. They were mesmerizing. I smoothed the charm through my fingers, turning it over gently to see that it was engraved on the front "Our bond can never be broken" and on the back "Sister's forever friends for life Z&C."

"They're beautiful," I said struggling through tears, throwing my arms around her and hugging tightly. "Thank you."

"I know that you don't usually sport jewelry, but I just thought you needed something to match that ring you always wear. Plus, we've been best friends for somewhere near eight years now and we should show that off somehow. This seemed like the best idea."

I twisted my ring instinctively. She was right; I never did take it off. It was something my mother had given to me when I was a little girl that she said came from my grandmother. Apparently, both of my grandparents had passed away before I had a chance to get to know them. Having an item that they used to own somehow granted me the strength and serenity I needed to overcome the problems plaguing my life. Or at least try anyway. This thoughtful gift was something I knew I would now treasure with equal intensity. "One for you and one for me," I said taking them out.

I decided to put mine on first. I slipped it around my ankle, clasped it together and almost immediately felt some sort of powerful energy surge through my body, then fade. I think Zilla knew something was up by the cock-eyed expression I wore, but she didn't bother to ask. I wondered if the same thing would happen to her, or if this was just another piece to add to the collection of oddities that had been my life these past few weeks. I handed her the other one and watched carefully for any similar reaction. As soon as I caught her sudden intake of breath, I wanted to rip the anklet back off. Anything that could cause us both to experience something like that could only be bad, right?

"Did you feel that?" I asked eyeing her cautiously.

"That weird adrenaline rush?" she said avoiding my gaze. Either she was guilty of who knows what or as creeped out as me. It was too soon to tell.

"Exactly," I said reaching down and rubbing the bauble between my thumb and index finger.

She pondered for a moment and then giggled, "I felt something, but I'm sure it's just the punch. I spiked it."

Classic Zilla, I thought shaking my head. If I hadn't been so excited to start the party and find my mystery ghost, I would have remembered that I had yet to have any punch.

"So, where did you get them?" I asked curiously. The mystic fire ensnared some light reflecting from the disco ball and bounced it back up to me. It caught my gaze and held it.

"Well, the other day Locke and I were walking around the shops by the beach and I happened across a new store called Gypsy Cravings. They had tons of really interesting items on display so I went in to get a closer look at what all they had for sale. When I couldn't find anything we decided to leave and just as we reached the door, a woman popped up from behind the counter. I practically peed myself she scared me so bad." We both laughed and I urged her to continue.

"Anyway, she stopped us and told me she had something special to show me. I got nervous at first, but then she pulled out this exquisite box with both anklets in it and I knew they were perfect for us. So I had her engrave them to make sure they were extra special for your birthday."

Something about this situation felt off to me, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. "Did she mention her name by chance?"

"I think she said it was Alise, but I can't be certain. She mumbled under her breath most of the time."

I had expected the name to ring some sort of bell for me, but it didn't. "I'll have to check that place out. It sounds interesting. Regardless, thank you so much for the gift. I'll cherish it forever." I hugged her tightly and got up to go make my rounds.

During the course of my interaction with Zilla, about a hundred people had appeared out of nowhere. How did I not notice? And for that matter, how come nobody had interrupted us yet? I scanned the crowd looking for familiar faces in a sea of strangers when I noticed Alyssa and Jett standing off to one side of the room, whispering intensely. I made my way over there, politely pushing people out of my way as I progressed.

Alyssa was decked out as Juliet in a stunning white and silver flowing gown, a golden blonde wig that hung just past her neck, and a sparkling pair of stilettos. As she held a pale cerulean and gold mask discreetly up to her face I had to do a double-take. She looked like a completely different person. I tore my gaze away to check out Jett who was equally as amazing dressed as Romeo. They both looked marvelous, but the appalled expression on their faces worried me.

"What's wrong?" I asked glancing back and forth between the two of them.

"Well look at you," Alyssa said changing the subject and twirling me around. "You look exquisite."

"Sure do," Jett chimed in.

I knew they had my best interest at heart, but they were clearly trying to hide something from me. "Thanks. But seriously, what's the deal? Is everything alright?"

"I hate to burst your birthday bubble girlfriend, but did you know Luke was here?" Jett asked breaking the silence.

"Nope, sure didn't," I said nonchalantly. I wasn't going to let the likes of him ruin my party. If he wanted to show up uninvited, so be it.

"Well, I think you better go find him and take a look," Alyssa said grimacing.

"Why? What's the big deal? So he crashed my party. It's not like I care, just as long as he keeps his distance anyway."

"It's a little more complicated than that," Jett said turning me around.

"Look," Alyssa said pointing off to the right.

I glanced over in that general direction, skipping over a bunch of unrecognizable faces and landing on one in particular that made my eyes about bulge out of my head. Luke was speaking animatedly amidst a crowd of about ten or so people, but that wasn't what caught my attention. It was the fact that he was a little too conveniently dressed as Tristan, my match. He had on a white undershirt, a tunic made of crushed blue velvet, trimmed white satin sleeves, and brown fur. He had an accompanying black velvet cape with navy satin lining, light-weight pants, a matching velvet hat with a feather accent and boots.

He did look handsome, but he wasn't someone I could stomach anymore. I wouldn't put myself through that again. As if sensing my visual inspection of him, he made eye contact and smiled. I frowned and internally stamped my feet, wishing I could scream obscenities at him.

"Oh for the love, what does he think he's doing? I told him it was over and I meant it. And just who told him what I was going to be wearing anyway?" I asked beginning to pace back and forth.

They both tried to look away, but Alyssa said, "I think Zilla may have slipped before the breakup."

I nodded and my face instantly turned red. "This majorly sucks. People are going to think we are still dating. Guess I'll just have to go put a stop to his nonsense and send him packing."

"Looks like you won't have to wait long, he's already on his way over here," Jett said trying to sound calm.

"Scatter. No wait, I might need you for back-up."

Jett gasped and caught my attention. "Callie, I think we may have some even bigger problems." Jett spun me around to face the front door just in time to see Cole sauntering in dressed as Tristan.

"Tristan must be a very popular guy," Alyssa said snickering. "Seeing as how you have two now, maybe I should go and get me one."

"Not funny," I said nudging Alyssa. "What am I going to do guys? Where is Zilla? She would know where to go from here." I looked around for her, but she was lost in the massive throng of people. I was going to have to do this on my own. "I got it! What if I just pretend that I'm dating Cole again to get Luke to go away? I mean, he is dressed as Tristan after all, so it would seem like we planned it," I said trying not to have a mini panic attack.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Alyssa replied with more than a hint of skepticism. "Cole might not like that you're using him for a second time."

"Unless you can think of something quickly, I don't have any other options," I said frustrated. "I'm going for it."

I sprinted towards Cole, narrowly avoiding Luke, and embraced him. Leaning up towards his ear I whispered desperately, "Play along, please."

He enveloped me in his arms and murmured back, "You owe me. Big time." He released me gently, a cocky smile on his face as he slid his hand into mine. A second later Luke slithered past a group of people who had unintentionally barred his way and came to stand before us.

"Callie," Luke said grimacing at Cole, "you look stunning."

"What are you doing here, Luke?" I asked keeping my voice down in hopes nobody would overhear us.

"You know why I'm here. Although, I see you're trying to replace me," he replied hotly. "If you remember correctly, I'm your boyfriend and your date. Plus, I have no intention of giving up so you might as well appease me. Dance with me?" he asked extending his hand out towards mine, palm up.

Cole pulled me in closer to him with a menacing expression on his face. This, however, did not seem to affect Luke in the slightest. If anything it only made him more persistent.

While the two of them were having a staring match, I glanced briefly at the spot where I had smacked Luke and noticed that it was still a slight pink color. I couldn't believe it was still there. I felt so guilty. Snap out of it, I thought. This is the guy who has done nothing but torture you since he tricked you into dating him. Standing tall, I stared straight into his eyes and said, "No. I don't want to dance with you. And what I remember clearly is you playing tonsil hockey with Joanne at school. Oh, and then there was me slapping you and telling you it was over, for good."

Cole stepped in front of me when people started to stare and said calmly, "The lady has spoken, so I think it's time for you to leave."

"I don't know who you think you are buddy, but I don't take orders from you," Luke shouted while pushing Cole aside. "Listen, babe; just let me explain."

Before Cole had a chance to retaliate, I stepped forward and began repeatedly poking him in the chest. "Don't you dare call me babe. You lost that right when I broke up with you. You need to leave my party immediately, or I will have you thrown out."

"I'm not leaving," he replied fiercely, his gaze intensifying.

"I think you better listen to Callie," Alyssa said coming up from behind.

"No, I'm not going to do it," he said defiantly. "We have a conversation to finish and I'm not leaving until it happens."

"The only conversation were going to have is the one where you talk to the back of my hand again," I yelled not caring who overheard us now.

"What's going on?" Zilla asked appearing out of nowhere and sliding in between us. I never heard her approach, but I suppose that's because I was so engrossed in my current problem. She gave me the most approving look when she saw Cole holding my hand and I hoped nobody else had noticed.

"Luke here thinks it's funny to crash my birthday party," I replied trying to stay calm.

"I'm not trying to...," but he was cut off by Zilla. "Would you like him to exit the premises?"

"Absolutely, nothing would make me happier."

"Well then, it would be my pleasure," she replied. "Luke, may I have a word with you privately," she said her hand gesturing for him to follow her. He looked back at me as he trailed behind Zilla and disappeared out of sight. I knew he was heartbroken that I had rejected him, but he had just attempted to humiliate me at my own party. Something I wouldn't stand for.

Relieved, I turned to Alyssa and Jett, "Guys, can I have a few with Cole?"

"Yep, no problem," they replied. Alyssa gave me a not so innocent wink as they made their way to the dance floor.

"Thank you," I said trying not to make eye contact. "I know I don't deserve it after what happened the other day, but I really do appreciate your help."

"My pleasure," he replied.

"What are you doing here anyway?" I said fumbling for words. "Not that I mind, I'm actually kind of glad you're here. Oh, and nice outfit by the way, how did you come to pick that out of the hat?"

He cocked an eyebrow as if he was trying to figure me out and smirked. "Well, after you left Destiny's, Zilla came to talk to me and handed me an invitation. She said that you needed a distraction and that since there was an obvious connection between us, I should definitely go for it. After that lusty kiss we shared, I was only too happy to oblige."

I blushed. I didn't have time to question him anymore because I caught a glimpse of Luke storming out of the house as Zilla padded her way back over to us with a triumphant smile on her face.

"How did you get him to leave cooperatively?" I asked stunned.

"It was easy since I just have a way with words you know. I threatened to have Locke and all of his football friends go after him. Easy peasy," she giggled. I found myself following her lead. "Now, how about we go blow out some candles and open gifts?" she asked guiding us towards the head of the cake table.

"Sounds like fun," I said trying to tone down the sarcasm. The last thing I wanted was to become the center of attention again and panic when people started singing to me. If I had it my way I'd rather not have had a party at all and just let people post Mitchell Davis' Happy Birthday YouTube video on my Facebook wall. Not only is it hilarious, but it's definitely not awkward.

As Zilla dragged me along, I tried to tune out everyone around me and focus on Cole who was staying attentively at my side. What was this thing going on between us? One minute he was driving me insane with his insulting remarks and the next he was doing subtly sweet things. Like showing up at my party and defending my honor. The look on his face when he interacted with Luke was more than just acting. The only thing I knew for sure was that I enjoyed the way his fingers were currently entwined with mine.

I heard my mother call out for me and quickened my pace. This might be my party, but that didn't mean I wouldn't come running when she wanted me. Cole let go of my hand and stood off to the side. I don't know what I had expected from her, a pat on the back or a small smile, just something to acknowledge me without actually touching me. Much to my surprise, she reached out her hand, pulled me in close, and whispered, "You look beautiful." I fought back the urge to cry. A compliment from my mother was a gesture I would not take lightly. "Are you ready?" she asked.

"Absolutely," I said beaming.

The room quieted down as my mom counted to three and starting singing the "Happy Birthday" song. More and more people chimed in as my dad appeared out of nowhere carrying the loveliest cake. It was decorated in several shades of black and white, a topsy turvy shape with three decadent layers of marble cake and custard filling. It was accented with silver stars and a mask identical to the one I held in my right hand sat delicately on the top layer. There was only one candle emitting thousands of twinkling sparks. It captivated my gaze and held it until the last line of the song had been sung.

"Make a wish," my mom said squeezing my shoulders. I closed my eyes and blew it out, taking a few extra seconds to bask in the love of my friends and family before opening my eyes again. Everyone started clapping and the DJ began to play a slow song. People drifted away, one by one until I was left alone with Cole to cut the cake. I grabbed the knife and started doling out slices, but hadn't gotten very far when he interrupted.

"Do you want to dance?" he asked, kissing the top of my hand delicately.

His touch sent shivers down my spine as butterflies fluttered through my stomach. I couldn't help but feel nauseous. "Sure," I replied shyly, "but I'm warning you ahead of time, I kind of suck. I'll probably just step all over you."

He laughed and guided us out onto the dance floor, pulling me in close to him. I was nervous at first, but he seemed to be a pro so I followed his lead. He put one of my hands around his neck, the other on his chest, and then he placed both of his near my waist. I relaxed into him and rested my head on his shoulder as he began to turn us around in a circular motion. His fingers trailed down the length of my arm to my wrist as he lifted it off to the side where his fingertips brushed sensually across my tattoo, causing me to shudder involuntarily.

He leaned in, his lips lightly making contact with my cheek then slipping lower and lower until he reached the hollow of my neck. "It's beautiful," he said between warm, soft kisses.

"Thanks," I replied, unsure what exactly he was referring to. I could only guess he meant the tattoo, but in my opinion it wasn't all that glamorous. Sure it was pretty, but it was just a symbol of where I came from, a coat of arms so to speak.

He nuzzled his head farther in, dropping a hand to the small of my back and closing the gap between us. My body to respond with equal intensity. As we enjoyed the feel of each other I lost sense of where one of us ended and the other began. It was if we'd become one. It was new and welcoming so I reveled in it, not caring who might be watching. I was so caught up in the moment that when I felt a cool stinging sensation on my neck, it startled me and caused me to jerk backwards. I reached up to touch the sore spot still looking at him when I noticed he had tensed up. His eyes darted around the room and he seemed to fold in on himself.

"What the hell was that?" I asked staring him down.

"What was what?" he replied his tone changing to one of disinterest.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. One minute you're kissing me and the next my neck feels like fire ants swarmed me." I wanted to run away from him, find a nice corner to hide in with a cold compress to ease some of the pain.

"I don't know what you mean," he said trying to sound innocent.

"Did you bite me or something?"

He looked flabbergasted. "Are you serious? Why would I do something like that?" He brushed some stray strands of hair from my shoulder. "Do you have a mirror?" he asked. Come to think of it, I did. I managed to stow away a compact in my bra right before the party. I reached in, pulled it out and held it up. I gently stroked the spot where the pain originated, but there was nothing there. I felt like such a fool standing here accusing him of something so insane. This was just another check I could add to the list of weird things happening to me.

"I'm sorry," I said trying to get close to him again. But for every inch I gained, two more took its place as he backed away. "Is everything okay?" I asked trying not to sound upset, but the farther away he got the more distraught I became. I had acted like such a child and now he probably wouldn't want to deal with me anymore.

"It's fine," he replied sharply. "I have to go now." He leaned forward and placed a light peck on my forehead. "I will see you again soon."

Without another word he turned and retreated out the front door leaving me standing there in shock. His last words spun around in my head, "I will see you again soon." But would I really? I didn't think so. I had probably chased him away for good and now I was alone again. Distraught, I headed back over to the cake table and started stuffing my face. Whoever said the only way to cure a broken heart is through junk food was a genius. I felt a dull throbbing in my head and sat down for a minute to rest. It was probably from all the dancing and stress of the night. I decided to run upstairs and grab some Tylenol before things got too dicey.

I took another big bite of cake, the custard bursting in my mouth and sending my taste buds into overdrive as I dragged myself away from the table and slipped upstairs as quietly as I could so as not to be seen. I didn't want anyone to miss me while I was gone. At the top step I heard a loud smack and my pulse quickened. The noises grew thunderous and more distinct as I inched closer. Heavy breathing, fists colliding and almost assuredly stuff getting broken. I checked each room as I crawled at a snail's pace down the hallway and a sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. It had to be my room; it was the only one left.

I tiptoed to the door and peeked around the corner just in time to see the crystal vase my father left on my desk this morning with fresh pink tulips hit the wall nearest the bathroom, shattering into a million pieces. I wanted to shout at whoever it was, but when I finally recognized their faces all I could do was stand frozen in place.

The mysterious ghost from before was dodging a swipe from the grotesque creature that cut my leg. I reached down instinctively to that spot, as if that would protect me, and continued to watch in fear as the battle ensued. The creature's claws were long and sharp, reminding me a bit of Wolverine, except that they seemed to be made of gold. The ghost ducked and rolled up to the left, narrowly avoiding a blow to the head. I wondered if it would even touch him or would it just go right through him?

They were circling each other now, the ghost gaining ground on the creature and cornering him. He reached into the folds of his shirt and pulled out something that gleamed in the dim light. I leaned in a little farther to try and get a better look at what it might be, when I lost my balance. I landed forward on my hands and knees with a crash, my dress billowing out around me. I looked up just in time to catch both of their eyes. The creature jumped up, beating its wings rapidly to raise it into the air and then like at the Halloween dance, dive-bombed me.

Instead of doing the smart thing and rolling out of the way, I tried to cover my face with one arm as it hit me square in the chest. The full force of its impact sent me to flying backwards into the wall behind me. I whacked my head along the way and something warm began to trickle down the side of my face. The creature inched closer licking its lips and the last thing I remember before blacking out were two purple eyes and a set of teeth that made me wish I'd never wake up again.

###

Chapter 6-Ghost

I'm not sure how long I had been out, but I could feel my body coming around again and I wished I couldn't. My head was throbbing worse than it had at the party and my muscles ached as I gently opened my eyes.

"How are you feeling?" someone asked.

I searched for the source and landed on a ghostly apparition sitting neatly in the chair across from my bed. A pale yellow light fluttered through the window and illuminated my room causing him to glow a shimmery silver instead of the flat dull gray color he normally was. If I had to guess I would say it was around noon on Sunday. I snuck a glance at the clock and sure enough it says 12:00 p.m. I never slept this late, so I was feeling a little overwhelmed. I pondered a few minutes before responding. At this point, I didn't know whether to run and hide or thank him unconditionally. He was there when the creature attacked and was fighting it, so I could only imagine that would mean he was trying to help. Other than randomly appearing wherever he felt like it, he'd given me no clear reason to doubt him. Well, besides all of his cryptic messages, but deep down I knew he was just trying to warn me of something. I went with my gut and decided to trust him.

"I have a migraine," I said rubbing my temples.

He grabbed some pills that were lying on my side table and brought them over. "Here take these," he said handing me two white oblong shaped objects. As if sensing my hesitation he chuckled. "It's just Tylenol."

"Ugh, I think I might need four," I groaned and cupped my head in my hands.

We let the silence linger as I desperately searched for what I wanted to say. There were so many questions popping up that I just couldn't find the words to actually speak them. Our eyes finally locked and we continually stared at each other, neither of us making a sound or move. I'm not sure why I felt it so strongly, but right at this moment, I knew I could probably stare into those eyes for thousands of years and never get bored. My cheeks flushed at my internal revelation, but I still couldn't bring myself to break eye contact.

Finally, to ease the tension I said, "So, weird stuff is happening to me and I'm beginning to think it's not just my imagination. Care to expand on that?"

He smirked and replied regally. "I would love to. My name is Draven and I came from the Kingdom of Sheol where an immortal named Thanatos rules."

A nervous tingle ran through me. I felt as though he was speaking in riddles. I must still be dreaming, right? If I wake up now, will all of this just be a nightmare I can forget later? "Okay," I trailed off, "so, why are you in my house, or more specifically my room?"

"I came to warn you about the Asema, among other things," he said as if I should have already known.

"Right," I said blankly, "I vaguely remember that conversation. So, that's what that thing is called that keeps attacking me." Garbage meowed loudly interrupting our conversation as he hopped up onto the bed and snuggled in beside me. Draven gave me an odd look, but continued on.

"Let me guess," he said settling down in the chair again, "you already don't believe a single word I'm saying."

That was a hard question to answer. I mean, he clearly knew what he was talking about, but in general this all just seemed so crazy. It couldn't be real, right? "I'm just a little out of it. I did bonk my head pretty hard last night, in fact, wasn't I bleeding at some point?"

He paused for a moment and then nodded as if accepting that answer. "Yes, you did, but I cleaned you up before your parents came in to check on you."

My parents, oh no! How did I manage to forget all about them and the party I was supposed to go back down to? I wonder if they were concerned when I didn't return. "Thank you," I said shyly. "Did my parents say anything when they came in? I'm worried they might think I snuck off on purpose."

"Nope, when they saw you asleep under the covers they assumed that you were just exhausted from the whole ordeal and left you alone."

I sighed in relief. "Good." I rubbed Garbage behind the ears and he purred loudly. I stole a peek at Draven out of the corner of my eye and caught him staring again. What did he find so fascinating about me and a stinky ole' cat? "Why do you keep staring at my cat like that?"

"No reason," he said avoiding the subject and turning away.

I decided to move on to the more important questions instead. "Okay, so, what's an Asema?"

He scooted closer and folded his arms across his chest. I wished I could reach out and take his hand in mine. There was something about his presence that was comforting. Even though I didn't know him at all and some of the things he said were unnerving, he still made me feel safe somehow. "As hard as this may be to believe," he said shaking me from my thoughts, "Asema's are a rare strand of vampire that can take on the form of balls of light and attack humans to change them. In most cases, they are contracted assassins. This means that its employer is either supplying it blood or has promised it something valuable as payment for its services, whatever that may be. But more than that, and what makes them a problematic foe, is that they have the ability to alter dreams and in a sense, lock you in them. If that happens, you'd be like Sleeping Beauty until someone ultimately killed you. That's the only way I've ever heard of someone getting out of their trap."

How very reassuring, I thought as my skin pricked up and I shuddered. "So, this ball of light is an Asema and that's what has been attacking me?" He nodded. "Wow," I said shaking my head in disbelief, "that is epic. I just can't understand why it's picked me. It's dead now, isn't it?" I stammered, my mind recalling the way its jagged teeth reached out for me.

"No, I'm afraid not. I got a good stab in thanks to your distraction, so it should be seriously wounded, but it was able to get away before I could finish it."

I winced. "Yeah, sorry about that, I was just trying to get a closer look at the weapon you took out and I tripped. I'm very clumsy if you haven't already noticed. Are you okay? Did it manage to nick you with those razor sharp claws or teeth? The Asema took a chunk off my back at a dance a couple weeks ago so I know first hand how painful it can be."

"I'm fine, unscathed, for now."

"Okay," I said relieved. "I hope I'm not being too forward, but what are you? I know you're not a ghost, but you're not really alive and whatnot either."

"You're correct, I am not a ghost. Where I come from there is a name for my kind and that would be Unforgiven." I frowned at his vague answer to which he responded with similar frustration. "It's a long story. I will tell you everything I know tomorrow, but for now you need to get up and start moving around before your parents get suspicious." He had turned to go until I said "Wait."

"Yes?" he asked grinning. It's almost like he knew what was coming next, but I was too exhausted to care.

"I know this may sound weird because I don't really know you and all, but do you think you could stay here tonight in case it comes back?" I asked shyly.

"It would be my pleasure," he said starting to walk away. "Can I ask you one last question before I go?"

"Sure," I replied curiously.

"Why aren't you scared by any of this? I mean you seem pretty calm for someone who's being attacked and everything."

I tried to process that information. He was dead on, I was way calmer than I ought to be, but what was the reason for it? I searched through my heart and head trying to come up with an answer to this more than puzzling question, but got nothing. So I said casually, "I'm not sure exactly, I guess some part of me feels like I knew this was coming." I smiled at him as he disappeared. Was he always going to leave me feeling this giddy?

I don't remember much after that, just falling out of bed, puttering around the house and making myself look useful, all the while day-dreaming about Cole and Draven. Two very different guys, but both had somehow managed to awaken something inside me that I never knew existed

###

When I woke up the next morning, Draven was gone. I had missed a golden opportunity last night to get some more questions out of him. He came in right when I was falling asleep and instead of me fighting it off to talk to him, I gave in to the exhaustion and was instantly snoring. I didn't even know if he would be back tonight, but I assumed that he would and I could hit him up then.

The sound of my phone ringing "Barracuda" threw me back into reality. I needed to get ready for school and get myself into the first distraction I could. I checked the caller id as a number I was unfamiliar with popped up on the screen. I decided to answer though I normally would just let it go to voicemail.

"This is Callie," I said as perky as I could manage.

"Hey it's Cole," he said nervously.

"Oh, hey," I said wishing I hadn't answered after all. "How did you get my number?" I reached up to touch the spot where the coldness had been on my neck, but everything still felt normal.

When he spoke next, he sounded completely remorseful. "Zilla gave it to me. I hope that didn't cross any boundaries, but I really just wanted to apologize for the other night."

"No need for apologies," I said getting upset. "I completely understand it's my fault for acting all crazy."

"That's ridiculous," he said frustrated. "Listen Callie, it wasn't you at all, it was me. I hadn't realized that it was almost past my curfew and didn't want to be late."

"Really?" I asked hopeful.

"Really," he said confirming it. "Anyway, how would you feel about going on a date with me this weekend to make up for it? Saturday maybe?"

Even though he had ditched me at my own party, there was some remote part of me that still wanted to go out on the date with him, badly. But I also couldn't deny the small voice telling me to decline. Not only was I planning on cornering Draven to get more information, but I felt like if I were alone with Cole I might do something reckless. I think the silence gave away my uncertainty.

"Oh I see," he said sounding miserable. "I thought we had a connection or something, but I understand. It's no problem. I should let you go now. See you around."

"No, wait," I replied desperately, "I was just thinking of a way to rearrange my schedule, but I can't. That doesn't mean no, it just means I'm unavailable this weekend. How about next weekend?" With Thanksgiving this week, I knew I wouldn't be able to get away. Plus it seemed like a logical solution so I could have time to think. "In the meantime you'll see us at Destiny's Café on Wednesday this week and Thursday next week and I can set aside some time both days for us to chat."

"I really wanted to see you this weekend, but I'm flexible. If that's the only time you have available, I'll take it. I'm just going to throw this out there though, your house is as good a place as any, so if you wanted me to come over there instead, I could."

"While that's very flattering, since this would technically be our first real date, I doubt my parents would consent to that."

"I love parents and I already met yours, what could be the harm in it?"

"I know," I said scrambling for words, "but coming to my house for a one on one dinner with them is different than you being at my birthday party."

"Is there a real reason you won't you invite me over or do you just not want to see me?"

"To be completely honest it's because I'm not even sure how to define us, if we are anything at all."

"You mean you'd rather bring your boyfriend," he replied sarcastically.

"Yes, except I don't have one," I said dryly. Why was I antagonizing this situation? I liked him yes, and felt some sort of connection, but when the rest of my gut is telling me to back off, why is my brain doing the opposite?

"I think we should talk about that when I see you again then."

"It's a date," I said smiling. "I will see you at Destiny's. Have a good day, bye."

"Until next we shall meet." I put the phone back down on the bed and laughed at his corny line. What a dork.

Now what? I had almost a full day still until Draven returned and nothing to do but go to school. I went through the motions, pulling on a Juliette Lewis t-shirt, faded pair of jeans and matching flip-flops. I struggled to get into the bathroom and caught my reflection in the mirror. My face was pale and there were dark circles under my eyes. I looked like I got hit by a mac truck and then backed over again. I smoothed some concealer near the bruise-colored knots under my bottom lashes and dusted it with some powder. It wasn't my finest work, but it definitely lightened it up.

I flung my hair up into a loose ponytail and added a matching hair band, a pair of silver hoop earrings and stretchy bracelets. Now all I had to do was head downstairs, grab breakfast, and wait for my ride. That left a lot of time for contemplation. The first thought that came to mind was, why me? I've been attacked multiple times now by some weird creature with haunting purple eyes and razor sharp teeth. Not to mention the ghost who appeared out of thin air with no explanation and is now helping me. Oh, and don't even get me started on guy troubles. I wished I could run away and never look back. Maybe find some nice place out of the country to hide. Wishful thinking.

The next few days went by the same, Draven never showed and I didn't run into any Asemas. To pass the time I tried to make a list of things I wanted to ask Draven the next time he came around. Where was he anyway? And why hadn't anything else happened yet? Were things going to go back to normal now? I hoped so, but with my luck who knows what was in store for me.

###

Chapter 7-Rumor

Thanksgiving was a bit awkward for me this year as both of my parents were home and they decided to spoil me. My mom went all out and made everything from scratch. Normally she would just order the whole feast in and it never quite tasted the same. The weirdest part about the whole thing was that she spent the entire time making polite conversation with me, even though her eyes remained cold. Was she actually putting forth an effort? Could the wall that had built up between us ever really come down? I had no idea.

It was the day after I gorged myself on pumpkin pie and now I was tired, bloated, and lost in thought. All of a sudden, my bedroom door opened and Zilla walked in. She had her long blonde hair in a high ponytail, a Hawaiian print sundress with black leggings, and a pair of ballet flats. I must have looked completely guilty of something because she started frowning at me. "Hey girl, what are you doing still in bed?"

"I didn't get very much sleep last night."

She smiled. "Well rise and shine cupcake! You look like you could use some serious sunlight and fresh air. We're going down to the "You're Crazy It's Winter Beach Volleyball Tournament". I know Luke plays on the team, but we are going to support the players in general. You don't even have to look at the d-bagel if you don't want to. What do you say?"

I didn't want to get out of bed, but I needed badly to kill some time. Otherwise, I was going to be pondering what fate had in store for me for the rest of the day anyway. "Sure," I said giving in.

"That's it bestie. Get dressed and meet me downstairs," she said squeezing my arm.

I glanced over at the clock which said 11:30 a.m., no wonder she seemed a little worried that I was still in bed. I wasn't actually sleeping though. I just wanted to stay in my pajamas all day. I hurried to the closet and threw on an outfit similar to the one Zilla was wearing.

The point of today's tourney was to play volleyball while pretending it was still summer weather outside, even though it was freezing. The results were always the same. Some people couldn't last more than five minutes and left with their blue lips and teeth chattering, while our group always stayed until the end. It was our rule.

I curled my hair a bit more and took the two strands of my bangs in the front, fluffed them a little, and clipped them in the back. No reason I couldn't look girly today, I thought. So I threw on some makeup too and headed downstairs.

"Well, well, well, what have we here," Zilla said snickering. "Somebody is all dressed up. Plan on running into Cole today, do we?"

"Not funny Zilla. Besides, we aren't even dating. We're just at the talking right now."

"Talking huh? Call it what you want, but there was definitely more then talking going on at your birthday party. So tell me, how was it?"

I was still figuring out how to respond to Zilla's question when I heard my mom. "How was what?" she asked inquisitively.

"The party," I replied a little too hastily. "It was fantastic by the way. I guess we should be off though," I said pulling Zilla by the arm. "We are going down to the tournament today, be back for dinner."

"Don't be late," I heard her yell back.

"Geez Zilla. That was a close one. Next time you want me to spill the beans let's try to make sure that none of my family members are within ear shot of the conversation," I suggested hopping into her car.

"Sorry," she replied guiltily.

Our drive to the event didn't seem to drift any further from the Cole topic then I hoped it would. To make matters worse, when we picked up Alyssa and Jett, it was all they had to talk about too. I humored them and answered as best I could, carefully leaving out the part about my neck since even I still didn't know what was up with that. When we got to the beach it was just as crowded as I thought it would be. The game had already begun and our team had scored several points so far. Luke locked eyes with me as soon as we took our seats and at first he gave me the wannabe sexy smile I'm normally used too cringing at. Then, as if he remembered something funny, a very unsympathetic smirk crossed his lips.

As I looked around I noticed Joanne and her group of cheer dorks staring at us. They all huddled together in a circle and when they broke apart, they began laughing and pointing my direction.

"Wonder what they're so giggly about," I said sarcastically. "They're retarded, they're they're retarded," I said doing my best cheerleader impression.

The whole group burst into laughter.

"Geez, Callie, are you planning on joining their squad? You could ya know because you sound just like them," Alyssa said before blowing a big bubble from the wad of gum in her mouth.

"You better watch it or I'll personally sign you up, and Jett too," I said reaching out and popping the sticky orb with my finger. "I'm sure they're just dying to have two more goobers on their team."

Jett looked utterly offended that I had called him a goober, but then he smiled and pumped his fist in the air. I noticed Zilla out of the corner of my eye and she seemed distracted. "I'll be right back," she said standing up, "I'm going to find out what the deal is."

I tilted my head back and enjoyed the warmth of the sun as it wrapped around me like a blanket. A chilly breeze from the ocean lapped at my skin. I wish I were still at home in bed or maybe just lying on the beach, I thought. I leaned back into the bleachers and closed my eyes breathing in the fragrant air. A surge of energy pulsed through my body and when I opened my eyes, I was standing on a deserted beach. I immediately sat down and wiggled my toes in the sand, just how I like it. I looked out across the horizon at the endless abundance of water. I didn't recognize this place. Which make it odd that I could have dreamed it up so vividly. The pristine white beach, the aquamarine water rolling tiny waves against the shore, the tall coconut trees swaying to and fro, and it was all part of my imagination. It felt so real. I got up and walked to the water to dip my toe in. This can't be a dream. I spun around looking everywhere for a way out when I caught sight of a tall gray figure lurching my way. It took long strides though one of its legs seemed broken as it dragged the appendage through the sand. I panicked and took off the opposite direction. There had to be an exit.

All of sudden it felt like the world was tilting. I dropped to my knees and gripped my head in my hands as everything shifted to darkness. I awoke to Zilla shaking me furiously and it took me a minute to register what she was saying.

"Callie, wake up. Are you okay? Callie, wake up, NOW."

"I'm okay. Just dozed off is all." I noticed a bluish light zoom away into the distance and my stomach started twisting and turning. The creature was back.

"You're not okay. You've been passed out for about fifteen minutes. You didn't look like you were breathing and you were limp."

"So I sleep like a crazy person, no biggie."

A very unhealthy grimace was all I received in response to that. She stared at me for awhile probably trying to decide which conflicting emotion to go with and then she said, "I found out what everyone was laughing about. You're not going to like it though."

"Give me your best shot. I'm sure it can't get any worse than it already is, right?"

She looked down avoiding eye contact. "Yeah it can. Take a deep breath and don't freak out here in public okay? If you want to do some permanent damage we'll come up with something good like put a snickers bar in his gas tank or whatever could be equally appalling."

"What do you mean his?" I asked scrambling to my feet.

She pulled me back down to a sitting position. "Let me finish before you try to go postal. It seems that your scumbag ex told everyone that you two did the horizontal mambo, for lack of a less gruesome term."

"WHAT? He told everyone that we had sex?" Talk about the lowest thing anyone could do to another person. I felt like collapsing right there and crying. How could anyone be so cruel? After the initial humiliation receded I said, "That son of a bitch. When I get my hands on him he's going to wish he was never born." Just as I said it he glanced over his shoulder and saw the expression on my face. He knew the jig was up. Maybe he thought it wouldn't get back to me or maybe at the time he was too mad to care much, but at that moment with the murderous look I was giving him, he paled. Heat began bubbling up inside my body, my face felt like I had just stuck it in boiling water and my hands starting stinging

"Callie, what's up with your skin?" Jett asked a little frightened.

"What do you mean?" I replied through gritted teeth.

"You're turning all red. Did you forget to put suntan lotion on before we came out here?"

I lifted my hands to my face and gasped. They were red. I'm not talking sunburn red I'm talking flaming orange red. Like a magician who just lit their hand on fire for an act. I shuddered and wiped my hands on my dress. It was like an invisible calm washed over me after that and the redness disappeared. When I looked around all my friends were staring at me horrorstruck. "What?" I asked. "Sometimes I have an allergic reaction to the sun, but it's never been this strong before," I said hoping I sounded convincing.

Fortunately it worked because moments later everyone was indulging themselves in whatever conversation they were immersed in before the whole incident. My issue with Luke and weird skin tone no longer a topic for discussion. I locked eyes with Zilla. Her face was scrunched up like she was trying to figure something out, but I couldn't process that now. I had bigger fish to fry. She must have known what I was going to do before I did it and she didn't bother protesting. In fact, she turned her head to purposely avoid my gaze. Maybe she knew it wouldn't do any good or maybe she just knew it needed to be done. I got up and cat-walked my way toward the volleyball court. Making sure to swing my hips a little and catch as much attention as possible. I guess it wasn't that hard to do with everyone already talking about me behind my back. It was halftime and Luke was trying to pretend not to notice me. Even while his back was turned he knew I was standing there.

"What do you want Callie?" He asked in a shaky voice. His being a little afraid of what's to come was good. I could work with that.

"Oh, poor Luke, you're not afraid of little ole' me are you?" I asked grinning. "Don't be such a wussy. I just want to talk to you alone, after the game. Come by my house at about three and no is not an option or I'll tell everyone here, right now, that you have a tiny penis. Which, I guess I can do now since we supposedly had sex, not that you would probably even know where to put it." His eyes turned a dark stormy color and he shivered.

"I don't have to do anything you say, especially after you blew me off several times, but since you asked so nicely I guess it's the least I can do." We were both angry and neither one of us was backing down.

"See ya soon," I said blowing him a kiss, turning around, and walking away.

The drive home was excruciatingly quiet. There were only a few failed attempts from Zilla at trying to figure out what I was going to do with Luke when he showed up and several volunteers to help kill him and do away with the body. All of which I declined regretfully. I knew my parents weren't going to be home since they said they were going to grocery shop and I also knew I had to take care of this problem by myself. Now I just had to come up with a plan and a good one, because I needed to make it abundantly clear this time that I didn't want to ever see his face again.

I paced the house. There was 15 minutes left before he showed and I still no idea what I was going to do. I've always been the type to shy away from confrontation so this was way out of my league. I've been pretty feisty with him so far, but maybe we could just talk it out and I could tell him politely that I don't have any type of feelings for him. That might work, but what if it doesn't? What if he starts spreading more rumors about us? I would be too embarrassed to go back to school. Maybe I could quit and have my mom home-school me instead? I would still be able to hang out with my friends, but not have to be humiliated. I wish Zilla were here to back me up. What a stupid idea it was to do this at my house with nobody else around. I was about to call and cancel when the doorbell rang.

I checked out my reflection in the antique gilded mirror in the hallway and went to open the front door. He had on a pair of tight fitting jeans with a black striped collared shirt and he was holding a single white rose in his hand. He smiled at me and handed me the heavily perfumed flower. "I picked this just for you." Considering this was the nicest thing any guy had ever done for me, even if he had lied about us having sex, I tried to return his politeness. "Thanks, why don't you come inside and sit down so we can talk?" He nodded in agreement and followed me into the kitchen plopping down at one of the bar stools. I kept my back to him as I put the flower in a crystal vase my mom had stored underneath the sink. Once finished I turned around to face the music. He was watching me with intense fascination, probably trying to figure out how this was going to go down.

At first I had planned to continue being nice, but then I remembered how Joanne and her groupies made fun of me and decided against it. "You're an asshole," I said hotly. From the look on his face I don't think he expected this type of reaction from me. "You have been cheating on me since we first got together and when I finally dump you, this is what I get. You could have done or said anything else, but this was crossing the line Luke. Did you expect me to just run back to you with open arms after this stunt?"

"I did it because I had too," he yelled. "I wanted you to be with me and only me. I was going to break it off with Joanne just to prove how serious I was, but then you starting swapping spit with that dude from Destiny's." He got up from the chair, came over to where I was standing, and put his hand on my arm. I tried to brush him off, but couldn't.

"Look Luke, you and I aren't going to work out. In fact, I think we both knew it was doomed from the start. I don't have feelings for you that way and never have. Can you please let go of my arm it's starting to hurt." He tightened his grip a little. I was definitely going to have a bruise after this. He reached around with his other hand and forcefully grabbed a chunk of my hair while pulling me closer. I winced and he smiled. He backed me up against the kitchen counter and tried to kiss me. I wriggled underneath him hoping he wouldn't be able to make contact with my lips, but the hair tugging grew more forceful and I went sort of limp. He leaned close to my ear and whispered with fierce intensity, "This is how you like it huh? Don't try to play dumb, I saw the way you and that guy were making out. You'll never be free of me Callie. You're mine, end of story." I felt tears stinging at my eyes and wished I could just slump down on the floor and cry. He grabbed my hands and held them behind my back while simultaneously using his free one to venture the length of my body, stopping to grope various spots. I cringed from his touch and began to panic when I realized just how trapped I really was. A flush of anger went through me when his hand slipped underneath my shirt. A familiar stinging sensation coursed through my body and he let go of me suddenly, stumbling back. I eyed him carefully, trying to figure out what might have just happened, but I think I already knew.

He looked up from staring at his palms, utterly terrified. They were red and looked like they had been third degree burned, the skin peeling and wilting in certain places. I lifted my hands in confusion and saw that they were on fire. Fire? I freaked out, tripping over my own feet as I ran to the sink trying to put out the flames, but they only felt like they were getting stronger. After his initial shock wore off, Luke came after me with a vengeance. He tried to grab me again, but cried out when his flesh make contact with mine. The more aggressive he got, the more parts of my body became engulfed in flames. When he tried to back hand me I ducked out of his reach, kicking him hard in the shin and making him cry out. I didn't know what was causing the flare up, but it felt like every part of my body was alive as I reached out and shoved him with both hands as hard as I could. He started screaming as his body hit the floor like a sack of potatoes and slid across the cold tile. His shirt was ablaze and he rolled around trying to put it out.

When he finally went still I couldn't tell if he was breathing or not so I inspected his body. His shirt was covered in burn holes and parts of his hair were singed. Smoke wafted off him in thin wisps and I could see the open flesh wounds underneath where the flames had licked his skin. His eyes were open, but unresponsive when I bent over to check his pulse. Still alive. I sat down next to him on the floor and waited. The burning sensation that engulfed my body had faded by the time he finally spoke.

"What happened?" He asked hoarsely. I could tell it was a struggle for him to even talk, like he just swallowed a frog or something.

"I don't know exactly," I said trying not to stutter. I had to be strong and not show any weakness even though my hands were trembling and I felt close to passing out. "But I think it's best if you leave and consider this over, because if you so much as whisper a word of this to anyone or even speak my name, I will come after you. And next time you might not be so lucky."

He looked utterly stricken and sick. He was afraid of me now and for good reason. This wasn't the first time this weird power had taken over causing him harm, but I hoped it would be the last. I thought he was going to hurl on the kitchen floor when I helped him to his feet, but he didn't and instead took off at a high speed to the front door. I watched him get in his car and peel off. As soon as he was completely out of sight I slammed the front door, raced upstairs, and threw myself onto the bed. I sobbed silently until I fell asleep.

When I woke up it was staring to get dark outside. The orange pink light from the fading sun filtered through my window. It was almost time for dinner and yet my parents still weren't home. I wanted to call Zilla and tell her everything that was happening to me. I needed a friend badly, but I knew she wouldn't believe me and I couldn't think of a good way to prove it to her anyway. I tried unsuccessfully while sitting on my bed to summon the fire again. I focused with all my might, conjuring up an image of the bright red orange flames lapping my fingers. I even went so far as to try all of the magic words I could think of growing up from movies. Like abra kadabra, open sesame and pretty much about anything else that sounded lame, to no avail.

I got up and paced the length of my bedroom several times. Nothing was helping calm my shoddy nerves and I desperately needed something to soothe me. Maybe some of that mandarin orange tea my mom keeps in the cupboard above the sink would help. I started off down the hall towards the kitchen when I heard a rustling sound behind the door to the basement. My parents always kept this room locked and I wasn't allowed to go in there. They said it was because snakes found their way in and they didn't want me to get bit. When I was younger this had scared the wits out of me, now it didn't seem all that bad.

I hesitated for a minute and then rested my ear up against the door. All was quiet again. My parents still weren't home, but that noise sounded like something or someone was down there. I waited another long moment and when I heard movement again I decided I'd better investigate. I pulled two bobby pins out of my hair and began tinkering with the lock. It didn't take long before I heard the sound of a click as I undid the padlock and opened the door. I leaned my head in a little and called down, "Anybody home?" I received no reply.

I descended the creaking wooden steps carefully and when I was halfway down reached up to pull the string that turned on the light. I gasped as the room was illuminated and had to grab the railing before I tumbled the rest of the way down. The room was circular and painted black with weird symbols written on the walls in white paint. The floor was mostly black carpet except for in the very center of the room, which had a small cement circle with tile flooring and a drain of some sort. A chair was mounted to the cement. It looked like one of the kinds that they put people in when they're going to be put to death, leather restraints and everything.

There was a fridge in the very back of the room and a desk on the far right with a computer. Papers were scattered over the top and a fan was blowing them around. That must have been the noise I heard. There was a tall floor to ceiling shelf lined with books that looked older than dirt. The binding on each one were still in tact, although a little rusty and most of them I could tell were in a different language. Along another side of the wall was a long rectangular table filled with candles of various colors, a lighter and several other oddities.

I stood frozen to the last step of the stairs for such a long time that I finally decided I better hurry up and exit. I walked over to the desk and briefly glanced at the papers trying not to shuffle them around too much. There was a very tall thick book titled "Fuoco Perenne" wedged off to the side. It didn't look at all familiar, but seemed to be in Italian and definitely unreadable to these untrained eyes. Foreign language was not my forte. I ran my finger gingerly along the cover and spine of the blue leather which was pretty in an antique sort of way. I pilfered through the rest of the documents until one in particular caught my attention. It was handwritten on very old cream colored paper and torn in half, as if someone wrote it and then decided they'd rather trash it. I picked it up and before I could even start reading it I heard, "Callie we're home."

Panic threatened to overwhelm me as I folded the piece of paper carefully, tucking it into my bra or "boob pouch" as I like to call it. I eyed the book too, wishing I could take it with me, but realized I'd most definitely get caught. I'd have come back for it. I whipped around and silently tiptoed my way back up the stairs noiselessly flipping the light switch back off and after shutting the door, I slipped the padlock back on. I raced to my room and shoved the folded paper underneath my pillow, just as my mom walked in. She wore that impatient expression she gets when she has to repeat herself. "Didn't you hear us call? We're home now so come down and have some dinner."

I tried to make eye contact and not show how guilty I felt. "Okay, be there in just a sec." She turned around and left the room.

###

Chapter 8-Revelations

Dinner seemed to last forever. Maybe it was because I wanted to read that stolen piece of paper so bad or maybe it was because I was still reeling from my revelation. I spent the whole time contemplating everything I saw down in that basement. There was a very good reason they didn't want me down there and that was because they were hiding things. What was that chair for? It looked like something you'd put someone in if you were going to torture them. I scrutinized my parents out of the corner of my eye. They didn't look like the type of people to do that kind of stuff. I shuddered at the thought.

Either way, I was upstairs and pacing before 7:30 p.m. even rolled around. I knew I had plenty of time to read the letter, but I wanted to do it somewhere with fresh air and away from prying eyes. I slipped my hand underneath the pillow and gently pulled out the paper. Tucking it safely into my shirt, I headed out to the patio that led up to the widow's walk. I climbed the steps up to the top and sat down on the wicker couch, pulling the musty gray blanket around me for warmth as a breeze started to pick up. I let myself relax for a moment before pulling the note out again. It felt thick and crinkly to the touch so I unfolded it tenderly and began to read.

Dear Diary,

This entry shall constitute my confession. For some time I have kept my transgressions quiet, but certain recent events have forced me to disclose them. Long ago I met and married my first love Kaine. After his tragic death I lashed out at anyone and everyone who got in my way. A man named Thanatos found me shortly after and recruited me into his group. Thanatos became obsessed with me and after I had proven my loyalty to him. He branded me with a triple spiral tattoo, granting me the power of projection so that I might visit him in his Kingdom. I lived with him for years doing his bidding and I could feel his advances becoming stronger yet I continuously denied him.

I stared at the paper with my mouth hanging open. What does that even mean? Where could the rest of this mysterious diary page be? I have to get back down into that room and see if I can find the other half. A light bulb in my brain clicked on. Thanatos, that's the name that Draven had given me before. That's the name of the immortal Lord who had sent people after me. There were so many questions spinning around in my head and none of them would be able to be answered because I didn't have the other half of this paper and there wasn't anyone I could ask about it. Draven was the only likely person to grill because he at least knew who Thanatos was, but he had pretty much disappeared for good, giving me the cold shoulder. This piece of paper wouldn't make a bit of difference to him. Or would it? I was so lost in thought that I didn't even realize when he appeared next to me on the couch. He scared me so bad I actually tried to smack him and when my hand connected knocking him sideways, we both froze. He cocked his eyebrows and said, "How did you do that?"

"Do what?" I asked confused.

"You know what," he said shakily.

I squirmed under his scrutiny. "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't even know what was supposed to happen just now. All I know is that you scared me and I swung at you. Pretty good reflexes if you ask me." He remained silent which made me increasingly uncomfortable. "What was supposed to happen anyway?" I asked on the off chance he would have a good explanation.

"You know what was supposed to happen," he said eyeing me carefully.

"You mean that because you're a ghost or whatever that I shouldn't have been able to actually touch you, right?" I said trying to sound casual when in actuality this conversation was starting to freak me out.

"Unforgiven, not ghost, but that's exactly what should have happened," he said smirking. "So, how did you do it?"

"I really don't know," I said frustrated. "And just where have you been anyway? You said you were going to come back and you've been gone for a really long time." I covered my eyes and sat quietly for a little while hoping he'd let me change the subject.

"Touch me again," he said much to my dismay. I took a peek at him between my fingers and saw so much longing and hope etched on his face that it made my heart flutter.

"Why?" I tried asking nonchalantly. I had an idea, but I wanted to hear him say it.

"You don't know how long it's been," he said shaking his head.

"I don't," I said quietly, "but I want to." For reasons beyond my imagination I wanted to know more about him. Anything I could get my hands on. It might have just been that he was different and unknown to me or it might have been something else, I couldn't say.

He groaned, "If I tell you will you promise to touch me again?"

I wanted so badly to say yes, but I didn't want to disappoint him. What if I tried and nothing happened? I shook my head no. Regardless of how much I wanted to know more about him, I couldn't let him down when his eyes were regarding me with so much anticipation. He scooted closer. "Please Callie," he begged. "Just one little touch and I promise I won't ask you again."

"I can't," I said trying to sound resigned. "I don't want to upset you if it doesn't work the second time around."

"I can handle it," he said sounding sure of himself, "I won't be disappointed, I swear it."

I thought about it for a minute longer. I guess if he was willing to risk it the least I could do was try. "Alright, but you have to tell me everything I need to know and not just about Thanatos, I want to hear about you too."

"Okay," he said smiling.

He sat for a moment staring off into nothing, his eyes taking on a glossy grey color before he said, "I was born and mostly raised on a planet called Moonweald."

"What do you mean planet?" I blurted out. "So you're like an alien or something?"

"Something like that," he said laughing, although it didn't quite reach his eyes.

You see that kind of stuff on T.V. and they talk about the possibility of life on other planets, but it just never registered with me. The idea that a life force other than our own existing was more than a little bit frightening. "What was it like?" I asked curiously.

He pondered for a moment and said, "More exquisite and magical than anything you've probably ever laid eyes on."

"Tell me more," I said relaxing into the soft cushiness of the couch.

"Well, I lived on the outskirts of our capital city called Ligunaie."

"Li-goo-ni," I said turning the words over in my mouth. My pronunciation felt sloppy and rought. "What's it mean?"

"In the language of Asclepia, the definition simply means stars."

"It sounds pretty," I said enraptured. "What's Asclepia?"

"Asclepia is a who, not a what," he said laughing. "She's a legend where I'm from. Growing up, I heard all sorts of stories about her. Everything from her being a mermaid who enslaved anyone she met to her being a witch that tricked people into thinking she had powers. But the most prominent consensus is that she is an Angel who fell from the heavens. When she found she could not return home, her parents gave her the gift of healing as a token of their sorrow and undying love. She wandered our land spreading her knowledge and gift. She even taught us her ways, including the language she spoke. In the end, only bits and pieces of her language remain. I think there is a dictionary with everything in it somewhere in Moonweald. But besides that, the translation of Ligunaie is literal, not figurative."

"Meaning what?" I asked not sure where he was headed with his vague answers.

"As in the city is made up of stars. They illuminate every inch of Ligunaie, from the worn down shacks to the very tip of the castle peaks. You could literally reach out and touch them. They're that close."

"So it's like living in space?"

"Mostly, except without the planets. My favorite part though is the entrance to the cities. Just to get in, you have to pass through a veil of nebula. It resembles luminous mist, but is actually a cloud of interstellar dust and gas. When it catches the light, it looks like an aurora. And when you step through it absorbs into your body, easing your troubles and making your skin glow."

I stifled a laugh and he gave me a weird look. "Sorry, it's just that anything able to magically erase someone's problems and make their skin sparkly usually comes with a warning label. Like avoid direct sunlight or take with a full glass of water."

"Are you implying that the barrier contains a narcotic?" he asked incredulous.

"How could I? I've never been there before," I said hoping to ease the tension growing between us. "You would know better than I would. Enough of that though, tell me more."

His brows stayed knitted together as he continued. "The biggest part of the city is on the top of a massive hill we call Crimsonmyst. An enormous castle made of genuine stone sits up there. Next to it is a waterfall that cascades all the way down to the outskirts of the city and empties out into an enormous lake. I'm probably not doing it justice," he said frowning. "Maybe one day I can take you there to show you what I mean."

"Take me there?" I asked puzzled. There's no way that was possible and if it was, how many other planets were there like this one.

"Yes, it's possible for you to visit, as long as someone who has been there before goes with you, but I can't go back yet," he sighed.

"Why not?"

"When I was 8 years old, Thanatos and his army invaded my homeland. They didn't destroy the city, but he gathered everyone up and separated us into two groups, women/girls on one side and men/boys on the other. My father and I fought desperately to get back to my mother and sister, but there were just too many guards, and we knew it was impossible. Thanatos told everyone that he would be taking us to his Kingdom so he could use us as new recruits for his army, something about conquering the rest of Moonweald. He said that if we tried to escape, he would come after the ones we hold dearest. We both wanted to protect our family so we cooperated and left our homes, though it's not like we had a choice in the matter. Late into the night, after everyone was weak and weary from the long day, we had stopped to camp out in Iceveil Forest."

"Is it cold there?" I asked curiously.

He laughed, "No, it's just a name. It's not really cold there."

I blushed and he continued. "My father and I had a plan to make a break for it so I could rush home and look after my family until he could return to us. He tried to create a diversion by letting some of the horses loose. I took off as fast I could through the undergrowth, ducking as much as possible behind trees and bushes. I didn't get very far though before Thanatos himself grabbed me by the neck and dragged me back. Instead of going after our families, my father was tortured in front of me until he was barely conscious. I thought that he would stop there, but Thanatos decided to make an example out of me as well. So he chained me to a Tigressa and declared that after we returned to the Kingdom he would decide the rest of my punishment."

"What's a Tigressa?" I interjected.

"It's sort of like a tiger, but with massive wings, a long spikey tail and a dragon's head. It can breathe fire and swim underwater, among other things. They are very rare in Moonweald and dreadfully poisonous, just one scratch could kill you within seconds."

"I see," I said trying to sound like I understood when I really couldn't even picture it.

"I was chained to the Tigressa for three days and by the end, so much poison had seeped into my body that I was one or two heartbeats away from ceasing to exist. I don't even know how I had managed to survive as long as I did, but at that point I would have welcomed death. If I had known just how ruthless Thanatos was, I probably would have tried to end myself right then and there. But I had no clue and assumed he would let me die with the poison."

"What happened next?" I asked urging him to continue.

"When we reached the Kingdom of Sheol he had a witch heal me. I thought that would be the end of my punishment, but then she began chanting something in a strange language. When she pointed my direction, I felt the wrongness settle deep within my bones. The next thing I knew, I was like this. Hexed, one of the Unforgiven, destined to a restless life in the between. Until I can find some way to break the spell, I can't return home and I will remain like this forever. Cursed to watch as my family and friends grow old and die while I stay the same, barred from the touch and comfort of the ones I love. That's why when you touched me it came as such a shock. Only people who belong to the Kingdom of Sheol have permission to do that."

Then how was my hand able to make contact with his skin? I couldn't possibly belong to this Kingdom he spoke of. I decided not to broach this subject yet and proceeded with another that had me equally as curious. "How do you watch everyone, if you can't actually go there?" I asked.

"A saphreal orb," he said sounding distant.

"What's that?"

"Have you ever been to a fortuneteller?" he asked.

I looked at him cock-eyed. "You're joking right?"

"No, I'm serious."

"I don't believe in that stuff, so to answer your question, no."

He laughed. "You accept all the other strange things going on around you and yet you refuse to believe in something as insignificant as a fortuneteller?"

"Well, I suppose I never looked at it that way," I stammered. "Regardless, how is that relevant to the saphreal orb?"

"The saphreal orb has the same qualities as the ones the fortuneteller's here use, except that we can control where it goes with our minds and they can't. It also has the ability to show us current stuff, not the future. The only problem is that you need to have a very clear image of the who, what or where you want to view. Other than that, it's pretty basic."

"Interesting," I said nodding my head. If I could get my hands on one of these balls then maybe I could find out what was up with my parents lately. "Definitely something I would like to see for myself. If you don't mind my asking, just what exactly led you here to me anyway?" I asked hesitantly.

"Oh, right, forgot about that part. Well, I was gathering water for Thanatos when I overheard him talking about you to someone. The things he said made my blood curdle and I knew deep down that I had to get here and help in any way I possibly could, even if it was just to warn you. So I Google searched your name and found out where you lived. It wasn't as difficult as I originally imagined it would be."

"Well that's reassuring," I said trying to contain my fear.

"Listen Callie, I don't know why he has chosen you to go after, but he means to change you," he said weakly.

"What do you mean change me?" That did not sound like something I ever wanted to get involved in.

"The Asema he sent after you was not to kill you as I originally thought, but to turn you into a vampire, an immortal of the darkness. I believe his ultimate goal might be to have you reign by his side in Sheol."

This revelation was more than a tad alarming as I literally felt warning bells going off in my head and screaming at me to hit the deck. I wondered if going into hiding, like say being confined to my basement would deter them. Maybe I could go into the witness protection program and high-tail it out of here? Would my parents go with me? Would they even believe the severity of the situation if I told them? Probably not. I felt hopeless and tried to hold back the tears I knew were sure to follow. I would never marry someone as cruel as this Thanatos, I'd rather die first. "I don't get it. Why me? I don't want to be a vampire or the wife of someone evil."

"I don't know," he sighed. "But I'm going to be here every step of the way to keep you safe."

I looked up into his eyes, trying to decipher the many sets of emotions swirling around him. Vulnerability, that's what I saw when I reached out and slowly took his hand in mine. We both shuddered in response. I hadn't actually thought it would work and I could tell he felt the same. "Thank you," I said, "for helping me with all of this, with everything, even though it never should have been your responsibility."

He smiled. "And thank you for this," he said gesturing to our entwined hands. "You never know how much you miss something until it's gone." I squeezed tighter in response. Our eyes stayed locked on each other and I fought the sudden urge to kiss him. "You should probably get some sleep," he said interrupting my thoughts.

"You're right," I said nodding and getting up to head back down to my room. "I'm exhausted, but don't leave okay? I feel safer knowing you're here."

"As you wish," he replied.

###

Chapter 9-Secrets

Last night hit me again like a ton of bricks and knocking the air out of my lungs. How could this all be happening to me? I must have said it out loud to myself at least a thousand times before I made it to Alyssa's house. I knew it wouldn't change anything or make my life any less complicated. Two guys I liked, powers that have seriously wounded someone, a family secret and the knowledge that sometime soon I might become the vampire bride of an evil ruler. The thought turned my stomach, making me want to run home and curl up under the covers again. But I didn't, I knocked on the door and waited. Destiny's was going through some remodeling so we had to switch our study session location and Alyssa was the first to volunteer. She greeted me dressed in jeans and a brown hoodie that had Woodstock on the front. As she waved me in, she pulled her striped hair up into a ponytail.

"What took so long?" Zilla asked pulling out her book, pen and spiral-bound notepad.

"I walked today. The weather was really nice so I decided to take the long way," I replied. That wasn't a lie for the most part, since the sky had been a light blue with puffy wisps of white clouds scattered everywhere.

Zilla frowned at me, but didn't press the issue. "Okay, let's get started with the math assignment."

I pulled out my supplies including several pencils and a calculator then began working. I tapped my finger restlessly on the page opened before me, I couldn't concentrate. Shapes and numbers floated around my head, but all I kept thinking about was what Draven had said the night before. Jett nudged me with his elbow and whispered, "Is everything okay?"

I gulped. "Yeah. Why, what's up?"

He scanned the room making sure nobody was paying attention and said, "You look pale and tired like you haven't slept in weeks. I heard about what happened to Luke and just wanted to make sure everything was all right." A long pause ensued while he searched my facial expressions trying to discern something that I clearly wasn't giving away. As if on cue, everyone looked up at the same time with accusations written on their faces. They must have heard what he said and pretended not to notice until now. I couldn't believe it, the people I trusted more than anyone in the world were regarding me as if I had a scarlet letter tattooed on my forehead. Granted, I did hurt Luke, albeit on accident in self-defense, but I didn't want to explain myself here and now.

"So," I said, keeping my voice as neutral as possible, "what makes any of you think I had something to do with what happened to Luke?"

Alyssa eyed me nervously and moistened her lips, "Were not saying you had anything to do with it directly, only that it's a little suspicious. I mean, he went over to your house to talk and now he's in ICU. We're your friends and we are here for you no matter what. If there was something you wanted to tell us, your secret would be safe. There is a no judgment zone with all of us, you know that."

I nodded and glanced back at my book, not saying anything. What would be the harm in telling them everything that happened to me so far? Maybe they could help me figure out a way to deal with it? What if they just outcast me even more for it? Wielding fire isn't an exactly everyday occurrence and magick in general is just unheard of, except in storybooks. It's a large possibility that I could wind up with no friends and having to cope on my own, not that I don't feel like that already. But I should probably wait until I absolutely have to tell them.

"Nothing serious happened, he just came over and I told him to get lost for good. End of story."

"So you don't know anything about the third-degree burns then?" She questioned trying to call my bluff.

"What are you trying to accuse me of?" I asked outraged. "Do you think I doused him in gasoline and lit a match? Not that I wouldn't have considered that as an option, but really, I thought you guys knew me better than that."

"Callie, that's not what she meant," Zilla said trying to calm me down.

"Its fine," I said gathering my belongings, "I'm going to head home, not feeling very honor roll student right now. Anyone have more interrogating to do before I go?"

Nobody said anything else as I shoved everything into my backpack, headed downstairs and out the front door. I may not have been innocent, far from it in fact, but for people who call themselves my friends, they might as well have been strangers to me. I tromped down the barren sidewalk, kicking a medium sized rock along when I heard a horn blare. I tried to ignore it, but Zilla honked again, zoomed forward and pulled her lavender colored Ford Thunderbird up next the curb.

"Get in," she said. I hesitated. She rolled her eyes, "Just get in the car."

I climbed in and let my bag fall to the floor. She reached forward, twisted the knob for the radio to off, put the car in drive and hit the gas. "I know what you're thinking," she said finally.

I leaned my head on my hand and stared out the window. "Do you now?" I replied sarcastically.

She took her eyes off the road long enough to flick me on the shoulder. "I do, and I know that you're hiding something and it's upsetting you. I also know you didn't want to talk about it in room full of people you thought would judge you. Oh, and that you love to eat those canned baby corns with ranch."

I smiled. "The baby corn's thing isn't really a secret anymore, that cat was thrown out of the bag a long time ago." I paused to consider all of my options and decided that if I tell her everything and she thinks I'm crazy then I could probably live with that. Besides, if I had to keep it all inside any longer I was going to drive myself bananas.

"There's a lot that I have to tell you. Some of it I don't even understand yet myself, but I will tell you as much as I can." She nodded and I spilled everything, well almost everything anyway. The dreams, the fire power, the weird attraction to Cole, the creature attacking me in class, the beach, the burning sensations, the fights with Luke and finally my basement findings. I left out the whole part about Draven. Since she probably couldn't see him anyway, it didn't make much sense to tell her. Even revealing as much as I had was huge weight off of my shoulders. She didn't interrupt me and by the time I was done talking we had arrived at my house. She switched off the engine and turned to face me, her expression unreadable. "Show me."

I frowned. "Show you what?"

"Your powers of course," she said as if I should have been able to discern that small tidbit from everything else I had just told her.

"I don't think I can. It's not like a light switch that you can flip on and off Zilla."

She nodded. "Just give it a try for me, please. Outside the car of course, wouldn't want to catch my baby on fire," she said grinning and patting the dashboard.

For someone who had just been told something completely incomprehensible she seemed to be in great humor and now I was becoming more and more confused. "Am I to understand that you find this whole situation to your amusement?" I questioned.

She nudged me, "Of course not. If it makes you feel better you can consider this like a test."

"Why would I need to take a test? Don't you believe me?" I gaped. How could she convince me to tell her everything if she was just going to turn around and distrust me? What kind of friend would do that?

"I do, it's just that it's a little hard to believe is all." I opened the door and started walking away from her towards the house. She stumbled after me. "Where are you going?" she asked reaching for my arm.

"Inside of course, can't very well go showing off my new "talent" to the whole neighborhood," I replied mockingly.

"Right," she said following me inside skipping. I wish I could be as joyous about all of this as she could. Maybe her positive attitude would rub off on me? Doubtful. Good thing no one was home again, I thought as I wound my way around the dining room table and into the kitchen. I spun around to face her as she sidled onto a bar stool, folded her hands neatly in her lap and gazed at me levelly. I groaned. "Is this really necessary? I mean what if I can't control it or something?" I asked.

"Well wouldn't it be better if you practiced enough to be able to control it then?" she replied logically. "Besides, it's an added bonus that I'm here too in case anything should go wrong. Right?"

She had a point, but I wasn't certain she knew the extent of this craziness I was about to unleash here. I sighed resignedly, put my arms out in front of me and closed my eyes. I concentrated on everything I possibly could involving fire--the smell of brimstone, lava and the various colors of red, orange, white and even blue flames. I imagined a house ablaze and the heat that would emanate from it, trying to draw as much of its essence into me as I could. I opened my eyes slowly and found nothing. Exactly what I thought would happen. I stamped my foot exasperated. "I told you it wouldn't work."

"Stop being so dramatic, maybe you didn't try hard enough. Wait, I know, tell me what you were thinking or feeling during the times you got that burning sensation."

I thought back on it. The first time I was dreaming and I couldn't really remember anything from it. The second time was at school when Luke tried to kiss me, then the volleyball tournament when I found out about Luke's lie and then when he came over and tried to hurt me. There was probably more, but those were the basics. "Uhm, I think it might happen when I'm angry or scared, something like that."

"Okay good, I have an idea. Take three deep cleansing breathes and close your eyes." I did as she said, inhaling and exhaling as deeply as possible to relax my muscles and mind. Then I gently closed my eyelids, waiting for her next instruction. "Now think back on the night with Luke, try to remember whatever it was he was doing or saying that set you off."

My mind tried repeatedly to block out that unpleasant incident, but I knew if I was going to perform for her I'd have to dredge it up. I remained focused and instantly went back to when Luke had me pinned against the counter, pulling as much of that fear into me now. That's when it hit me. It started in my hands and gradually culminated my whole body so that when I opened my eyes everything had an orange tint to it. I glanced around trying to absorb my surroundings through this weird veil of color when I noticed that Zilla had gotten up from the table and was moving closer to me. She didn't exactly look frightened as I originally thought she'd be, more like stunned as she reached into her purse and pulled out her compact. She titled it at just the right angle and I gasped as my heart skipped a beat. Every last inch of my body, from the top of my head to the tip of my toes, was literally on fire. I looked like a flaming angel, absolutely terrifying if you ask me. I lifted my hands up towards my face, inspecting both sides, and then dropped my head to the floor to check out my feet. I got a wild idea and tried clasping my palms together which caused the flames to rise higher.

I stood there completely mortified until I staggered forward almost falling flat on my face, feeling excessively weak and panicked. Okay now how to make it stop? If getting myself all worked up caused it to ignite, then maybe if I think of something calming it would fade? I pictured ocean waves lapping at my ankles under pale moonlight, surrounded by stars and felt the heat glowing through me subside. I took a gander at my clothes and everything was still in tact. No trace of burn marks which I found odd considering what happened with Luke. I wouldn't even have believed what just happened if it hadn't been for the look on Zilla's face. Her jaw was practically dragging on the floor. When we locked eyes I expected her to throw her arms up above her head and dip out, but she just smiled as if this was the most normal thing in the world.

"That was off the chains," she said clapping.

"What? You've got to be kidding me. I thought you'd be like freaked out or something and run screaming from my house."

"Nah, I dig it. The supernatural stuff tickles my fancy," she said through giggles. I must have had the craziest expression on my face because she added, "Don't look at me like that I'm not going to sell you to the circus or anything."

I broke out in laughter and then began sobbing at the same time. It was such a relief knowing that I had someone else I could talk to about this kind of stuff now, weird as it was. She grinned suspiciously and I knew whatever it was couldn't be good. "I have something to tell you too. I would have mentioned it sooner, but I guess I felt the same as you." She hugged me, walked back over to the counter and sat down again. I had no idea what she was talking about and my earlier relief now turned into despair. "Okay, brace yourself."

"For what?" I asked completely dumbfounded.

"You'll see," she said cryptically. She shut her eyes and went very still as her body slumped forward onto the top of the cool marble countertop. I gasped and ran toward her nearly knocking over a bowl of fruit in the process. I gripped her shoulders and began to shake her forcefully, but got no response. What was going on? Had I done something in my little escapade to harm her that neither of us noticed until it was too late? I was reaching for the phone, a lump welling up in my throat, when I felt a light tapping near the base of my neck. I jumped up and spun around. Zilla was standing behind me. Well, I think it was her anyway. All her same features: golden blonde hair, small curved nose and pouty lips, but in a glowing ghostly type silhouette. Instinctively, I reached my hand out towards her and it went right through. How could my hand make contact with Draven, but go right through Zilla? I looked at her drooped body and then back to her again, stunned.

She did a little twirl, stopped directly in front of me and started talking. It sounded far away and whispery so it was hard to understand, but I got the gist of it. "It happened a few days ago. I freaked originally, but then I decided it might come in handy so I've been practicing. I can do it from pretty far distances now too," she said proud of herself.

An eerie rendition of the Twilight Zone theme song starting playing in my head and I decided I needed a little break from all of the revelations that had surfaced today. "Okay, time to come back now. I think we've had enough fun for one day. Plus, we need to talk about all of this because it's really starting to worry me." She nodded her approval and winked. I watched her fade until there was nothing left but air. I reached out for a second time and brushed the space where she had been standing, but still felt nothing so I turned around to find her sitting upright again.

Her lips curled up into a grin. "Now that was awesome," she said.

I ignored her momentarily and reached into the fridge to grab two bottles of water. I handed one off to her and proceeded towards my bedroom. I didn't bother looking back because I knew she would follow. I plopped down on the bed and closed my eyes hoping to erase the epic admissions of the past few days. The bed rippled in response to Zilla's weight as she lay down beside me. Her hand found mine and squeezed. "It's going to be okay," she said reassuringly.

I didn't want to sound skeptical so I just didn't respond. Every part of me wanted to believe what she said, but couldn't. You don't get attacked by weird creatures, discover you have crazy powers and live to tell about it, right? I sniffled a little. "I'm scared Zilla. This is all so new and odd. I just can't seem to figure out what the heck is going on, especially now that I found out you have powers as well."

We rolled to face each other and she said, "I don't know what the deal is either, but I do know that if we stick together now we can hopefully, fingers crossed, accomplish anything."

I unconsciously started tracing the tattoo on my arm again. I do it so often when I'm lost in thought or worried that it's like second nature to me. Zilla caught me in mid swipe and pulled my arm up next to hers. She has one too, but it's a lavender heart with rings around it and a unicorn horn near the top. She touched mine with her index finger and I did the same in return. I wondered if she was recalling the day with the red wagon again, I know I was. Who could forget such a monumental change in our friendship? I didn't know anyone else in this world who would sacrifice their own life for me, except her. And maybe Draven now, but who knows. We stayed like that for quite some time before anyone spoke up.

"We need to make a promise to tell each other everything," she said raising an eyebrow. "It was really upsetting to discover that we were both keeping secrets and if we had just been honest with each other from the beginning we could have gone through it together. So, with that being said, hold out your hand." I nodded in agreement and lifted my hand up in the air. I wanted to come clean about Draven right then, but I knew I couldn't. She thought I had already spilled everything and if I told her there was more she might be upset, it just wasn't good timing. She lifted her palm and placed it against mine. "Repeat after me," she said. "I do solemnly swear to keep our friendship as strong as the love in my heart. I will, at all times, be honest, trustworthy and loyal. This I swear." I followed her direction carefully and when we were done we both sighed and relaxed back into the bed.

"You said your mom has a locked room that leads to the basement?" she asked out of the blue.

"Yeah, but the keyword there is locked. I had a hard time getting into it before and that was when I knew where my parents were. Why?"

"Just curious. I mean if you found something good in there the first time, maybe on a second visit you'd find something even better. What say you?" she asked waggling her eyebrows.

I smacked her with a pillow. "I say you're crazy."

"Really Callie, come on, what would your parents do if they caught you anyway? Ground you?"My phone buzzed and I was glad for the distraction. I reached over and pulled it off the side table. Cole. I smiled and opened up the text message that read, "Hey, I just wanted to tell you that I can't wait for tonight."

I had completely forgotten about our date and immediately felt guilty. I had been eagerly awaiting tonight. So how did I manage to lose track of the days? Zilla giggled and made kissing noises as I fumbled with the keypad, finally tapping in, "Me too, any hints on where you're taking me?"

"Nope, sorry. I can tell you that you may dress up if you want though it's not necessary. Oh, and be ready by 6:00 p.m."

I looked over at the clock and panicked a little when I realized I only had about an hour to get ready. "See you soon," I replied scrambling out of bed. Zilla grabbed my arm and held me in place. "Don't worry, I will make sure you look bellissimo," she said kissing her fingers for emphasis. I groaned at the idea of another makeover session with Zilla. Things usually did not go well for me on those occasions. Last time she put me in a burgundy jumper with black knee highs and Mary Jane's. I looked like a naughty school girl. I hated it, but I couldn't deny the fact that it had been well received from guys around town. Well, at least I was able to avoid the basement subject for now.

"Fine," I said relenting, "but nothing too extreme."

###

I came out of the bathroom from showering and made my way back into...a nightmare. Not literally, but it looked like a Tasmanian devil had whipped around my room scattering my clothes everywhere. Zilla had a couple lined up on the bed, but most of the rest were lying on the floor in massive heaps. She came out of the closet with several pairs of shoes to match the outfits she deemed worthy and dumped them onto the bed. She urged me forward and I reluctantly began trying things on. I went through about fifteen different items, ten dresses and the rest blouses and jean skirt combinations. Some of them I wore with heels, some with wedges and a few with boots. No sneakers, regular jeans or even one of my favorite band shirts were allowed for consideration.

She finally settled on a satin emerald green blouse that matched my eyes perfectly. It tied on the side and had a plunging neckline which exposed a little cleavage and was mostly backless. It was trimmed at the hems with black velvet. She paired it with a mid-thigh length jean skirt and a pair of matching black satin heels. I tried to protest about how cold it might be outside, but she nixed my worries and handed me a double stranded black choker with matching earrings.

She gave me the one over, clearly pleased with her work thus far and started pulling me toward my desk chair. She grabbed my makeup and began poking and prodding at me for another ten minutes, finally shoving a mirror at me. I pulled it up level to my chin, unsure what I might find staring back at me and gasped. I didn't even recognize myself. My features were meticulously and discreetly hidden beneath the face of a glittery porcelain doll. There was dark eyeliner, a spatter of green-hued shadow, long flowing lashes, powdery white foundation and a light pink blush. She grabbed my glitter puff and tapped me a few times with it for good measure. This was the first time that I had ever been absolutely mesmerized by her efforts. I threw my arms around her and squeezed. "You are so awesome."

She hugged me back. "I know. All part of the best friend thing, ya know. You don't look half bad if I do say so myself."

I smacked her on the arm. "You really like it?" She nodded her approval. "Good, because it just comes natural. You can't buy this," I said snickering and waving my hands over the length of my body for emphasis.

She stifled a yawn. "Sorry it's been a very long day. Also, not to burst your bubble, but Prince Charming should be here soon." I must have looked like I was about to pass out because she added, "Oh geez, don't look so horrified. It's going to be fine. You'll go out, have a great time, come back and we'll talk tomorrow. We'll get everything figured out, trust me."

"Thanks Zilla," I said spritzing on some last minute perfume. "I'll walk you downstairs and call you first thing tomorrow to give you all the juicy details, if there are any." She winked and I blushed a horrific shade of crimson.

I made sure she was fully out of sight before I shut the door and locked it. I ran into the kitchen and scarfed down a few snacks before Cole arrived. It's just a rule that when you're out on a date you eat beforehand so you don't seem like a heifer. I heard the doorbell ding so I chugged some water and went to snatch my satin green clutch off the kitchen counter. I noticed it was still open, so before I shut it I peeked inside and saw the items Zilla added. I laughed out loud when I got a gander at what was in there. A condom, some breath mints, an extra pair of panties, my money clip with credit cards and ID, and some other various items.

I sighed. Did she really think I was going to sleep with this guy on our first official date? I'm still a "v" and not really interested in giving it away this early in the game. Besides, I had contemplated holding out until marriage anyway. The doorbell chimed again and I snapped back into panic mode. I came to a skidding stop at the front door, took a deep breath and opened it wide. Cole was standing there staring back at me and when he saw what I was wearing he grinned so wide it made his face light up. I'd have to remember to thank Zilla again tomorrow.

I was so caught up in the way he was looking at me that it took me a minute to do the same for him. He had on a pair of tight-fitting stonewashed jeans, a beige and white striped button-up and matching brown flip-flops. He held up a bouquet of multi-colored roses he'd had hiding behind his back. "Are those for me?" I asked astonished. He nodded and handed them too me.

I breathed in their heady scent and said, "Thanks, they're very pretty." He reached out to take my other hand and kissed it. "I thought they looked beautiful, but that was before I saw you tonight." He broke off one of the roses which he carefully tucked behind my ear and smiled.

I flushed and said, "I'll be right back, just going to put these in some water." I assumed he would have followed me in, but he didn't. When I came back he was still standing at the front door waiting. I gave him a sly look and he said, "Shall we?" Then he took my hand to lead me to the car.

I began having heart palpitations when I got a look at what he was driving. A 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS in a cherry red color with black racing stripes. "This is your car?" I asked bewildered.

"Yes," he responded amused. "You like it?"

Not only did I like it, I loved it. It was the kind of dream car I had been begging my parents to buy me for years. "Absolutely," I said not hiding my excitement. "This is the car I've been picturing myself in since I was twelve years old. I'm so jealous right now it's not every funny."

He laughed and led me around to the passenger side where he opened the door for me and after I was settled in, shut it gently. It smelled like leather and new car. Either he just bought this puppy or he was really good at keeping it clean. Before he buckled himself in he grabbed something out of his pocket and handed it to me.

It was a piece of black fabric. I began to unfold it expecting some sort of jewelry to fall out when I realized what it was really intended for, a blindfold. "What's this?" I asked uneasily. The idea of not being able to see on a first date made my stomach clench. Not to mention my makeup would probably get smeared.

"I told you I wanted it to be a surprise and that means waiting until the very last minute, which in turn means you have to wear the blindfold," he replied entertained. I hesitated. "You'll ruin the surprise if you don't," he chastised. With a little reluctance I let him tie it and after several attempts at making sure I couldn't see him I felt the car start and lurch forward. He flipped the radio on to an oldies station. "What kind of music do you like?"

"I'm really into indie bands right now, but I pretty much like anything except hard core metal stuff. The screaming makes my head hurt. What about you?"

"Same here. Are you comfortable?"

"For the most part yes, it's just a little weird having my eyes covered like this while trying to make conversation." I didn't want to say it directly, but I felt as if he had been staring at me the whole time and it was making me more nervous. "Are we close?"

"Yep almost there, just a little farther."

It felt like hours to me, but was actually only around five minutes later when we pulled to a stop and he shut off the engine. I heard him get out then nothing but silence until he opened the door. He grabbed for my hand and helped me slide out so I wouldn't lose my balance. I could hear waves crashing against the shore all around me and knew we were at the beach. I reached up to take the blind fold off and he caught my wrist. "Tsk tsk," he said guiding me forward, "were almost there."

We wadded through the sand, me carefully trying not to fall in heels. I wished I had brought flip-flops instead. When we finally came to a stop he told me to stay put while he finished up something. A moment later I felt his fingers tugging at the knot on the blindfold. When it fell away I was captivated by what I saw. We were partially hidden in a small cave near the beach. Close enough that I could reach out and dip my toes in the water. There was a giant beach blanket spread out with a picnic basket and several small purple candle holders with lit votives in them. Exquisite silver and lavender china was carefully arranged near the edge and a matching napkin folded into a giraffe rested on each plate. "You like it?" he asked pulling some wine glasses out.

"I love it. It's very beautiful," I replied shyly. He sat down and patted the spot beside him as he pulled out a bottle of something that looked very similar to apple cider and poured us each a glass. He handed one to me and said, "To new beginnings."

"To new beginnings," I replied tapping his glass against mine. He reached back into the basket and pulled out an amazing spread of food. There were dozens of little finger sized desserts like chocolate covered strawberries, cherry cheesecake bites and cannoli's. There was fresh bread with honey butter and for the main course some savory chicken fettuccini alfredo with broccoli. I nibbled a little of everything and sighed back onto the blanket. He scooted in closer to me smiling and brushed away a strand of fallen hair. The gesture made my face flush so I averted my eyes, trying to find something else equally compelling to look at.

"Don't do that," he said resting his hand under my chin and tilting it back towards him. "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable, but I love looking into your eyes."

"You do?" I asked slightly taken aback. My eyes were usually not the feature guys liked the most.

"Yes," he assured me, "I imagine the color of them is like a pool under the shade of a forest of ancient trees. They remind me of somewhere I grew up."

I wanted to ask him more about that, but instead I interrupted his kind words by blurting out, "Why did you want to go out with me?" Way to ruin the moment, I thought to myself. He frowned. "Sorry," I said embarrassed. "It's just that I haven't really dated before and usually the guys are into one of my friends, not me." I sighed and closed my eyes. "I probably just ruined my chance at a second date didn't I?"

He shook his head and laughed. "Well, let's see here, when we first met you were rude, obnoxious, and a bit on the arrogant side." I scowled. "Then you came stalking over to me to apologize, which, if you ask me, was pretty ballsy. Then you hauled off and kissed me, amazing by the way, even if it was to make another guy jealous. I just couldn't help myself after that. You're enchanting and sassy, everything I want in a woman."

"That sounds like a fair assessment," I said feeling giddy. "Now, tell me all about yourself. You know, the usual, where you live, school or just whatever you can think of."

"Well let's see, I'm 19, I work at Destiny's part time, and I'm home-schooled during the day. I enjoy video games, reading and pizza, but I hate onions. I think that about sums it up. What about you?" His phone started ringing and he sighed, picked it up and looked at the screen. He tensed and said, "I gotta take this one, but I promise I'll be right back."

He stood up and went a little farther down the beach. I scooted forward to put my toes in the water and let the cool surf lap at my ankles. When my feet started getting cold I wiggled them into the sand and leaned back onto my hands so I could get a better view of everything around me. I glanced over to where Cole was standing with his back to me. The moonlight danced on his skin like tiny little sugar plum fairies, the sight of his handsomeness making my head spin.

His hands began moving around frantically in front of him like he was trying to make a point to whoever was on the phone. His voice rose a little higher at the same time a light breeze picked up making me wish I had brought a jacket. I listened attentively and overheard him say, "...I said I'd take care of it...she's covered...you're ruining it....it's almost done...," and then he hung up.

I started to panic. Was he talking about me and if so to whom? It's almost done, what does that mean? I'm all alone out here with a guy I barely know and he's talking about having me covered. Adrenaline began coursing through my body as I mentally examined all the scenarios that could play out tonight. Could I escape now before he saw me? The odds were definitely not in my favor out here on a deserted portion of the beach with no car.

"Are you okay?" he asked noticing my hysteria.

I gulped. "Yeah, just a little tired is all. Maybe we should head home now?"

He smiled. "Why would we want to do that? Aren't you having fun?"

"Of course," I said trying to look as coy as possible. If something was going to go down I might as well tip the scale in my favor. I took a deep breath and ventured further. "Who were you talking to about me on the phone just now?" He looked on the verge of anger, like I had intentionally eavesdropped on his conversation.

I shook my head. "I know what you're thinking, but I didn't. The wind carried bits and pieces down here and that's how I heard it."

His earlier demeanor waned as he said, "It was just my mom. She wanted to see how things were going and what time I would be home." He sidled up next to me and draped his arm around my neck causing goose bumps to break out all over my skin.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

I was a little, but I didn't want him to take that as an invitation to get even closer. "No, I'm okay." I stared out at the ocean and knew he was watching me, which made warm blood brush each of my cheeks until they were a bright red hue. I snuck a glance his direction and noticed he was intently staring at my neck. His eyes seemed to be a weird color, but I couldn't be certain if it was just the bad lighting or not. Either way, he was making me uncomfortable so I started to get up. He snatched my wrist and pulled me back down until our eyes locked. His pupils seemed to dilate and I instantly felt a release of all the panic and fear that had been welling up inside of me. Some part of me knew that this was wrong, I shouldn't be so calm. He reached out and cupped my cheek in his hand.

At the angle we were sitting I was able scope out his body, every curve and bulge of muscle, the shape of his face and lips, the way his hair glistened like a black river in the moonlight. I noticed him giving me the same look and my stomach began doing flips. I'd never felt this way about anyone before. Especially someone I hadn't known for very long, even if there were weird intense moments between us. I decided that I wanted him to kiss me and hoped that he would take a hint.

I lay down on my back and he leaned over me, sliding his hand underneath my neck and winding his fingers in my hair. He brought his mouth down onto mine slow and steady, each of us letting our tongues and lips explore the contours of each other's mouths. Every so often he would venture to the side of my neck, just below my ear, and nibble or bite which caused me to moan in response. Things grew more insistent, the kind of kiss that said, "I need you right here, right now." He let his fingertips trail the length of my inner thigh. I exhaled deeply and whimpered.

He rolled onto his back and pulled me up on top of him, but as he grabbed my hips and ground me into him I pulled back. Some distant part of my brain was registering the fact that I could let this go too far and I wasn't as ready for that yet. I needed to get to know him, I needed time. I rested my hands on his chest and gently pushed us up into a sitting position. I leaned forward and nuzzled my face against his neck. His breathing became more regular as he combed his fingers through my hair and said, "What's wrong?"

I hesitated, not wanting to tell him all about my private life, but if I didn't he'd never know there were boundaries I wasn't willing to cross. Not yet anyway. "Nothing. It's just that...I...I don't think I'm ready yet." I buried my head in my hands and continued. "I'm really sorry for leading you on and everything, but there's something I should tell you."

He eyed me curiously and said "Go on."

"This is so embarrassing," I said sighing and trying to avoid his gaze, "but I'm a virgin,"

He laughed high and loud, the kind that could shake the very ground you're standing on. I pushed him, "What's so funny?" He stopped chuckling, scooted closer and took my hand. "Nothing is funny about that. I would never do anything you don't want to and that's a promise. The reason I was laughing is because I'm a virgin too."

That was difficult to believe, especially with how hot he was and the fact that he seemed to know what he was doing. "Really?"

"Yep. I haven't exactly found the right one so I've been I guess you could say, saving myself. Look Callie, I understand that you feel like we need more time to get to know each other and I for one agree. There's absolutely no rush or pressure here. I like you and I want to make this work." He tilted my chin upwards and kissed me on the cheek.

It was almost like he knew what I was thinking or feeling and that made me even more nervous. He smiled reassuringly, which showcased all his pearly white teeth and then started packing everything back up into the picnic basket. I stared out into the distance letting my thoughts wander for so long that I hadn't even noticed Cole taking things back to the car. I only snapped out of it when I glimpsed Draven floating up towards me from the water. I jolted up and quickly scanned the perimeter for signs of Cole. I didn't want to get him mixed up in the other part of my life that was a mess. Luckily for me he was nowhere to be seen. He didn't look happy and I'm sure he could tell I felt the same. "What are you doing?" I asked furiously. "You know I'm on a date right now."

"I know," he replied gruffly, "but I need to speak with you privately. It's important." There was an underlying tone to his words that I couldn't place. I made a mental note to analyze it later.

"Okay, well as you can see now is not the time or place. It's not like I can continue talking to your ghostly figure when Cole comes back, he'll think I've gone off the deep end. I guess meet me back at my house in an hour and we can talk then." I heard a car door shut and knew Cole was on his way back. "One hour and don't be late," I said waving him off. He looked super angry and upset that I had dismissed him, but turned around and faded away.

Cole came up behind me, took my hand and pulled me into his arms. "Hey space cadet, ready to go?" he asked looking around with a weird expression. He sniffed the air curiously and then as if realizing what he has just done, focused his attention back to me.

"Not really, but yeah."

"Don't worry," he said pulling me closer, "this is just the first of what I hope will be many more wonderful adventures."

I couldn't help but smile. In this moment I felt happy and I didn't think anything could break my mood. That was until I got home, of course.

###

Chapter 10-Garbage

After a few very long kisses goodnight, I headed straight for the shower and then put on the comfiest pajamas I could find. I plopped down on the bed and turned on the TiVo to distract myself. I scrolled down, landing on an old rerun of South Park and hit play. Garbage jumped up onto the bed and sprawled out next to me purring like a jet engine. I ruffled his fur and scratched behind his ears attentively while I waited for Draven to show. At the hour mark there was still no sign of him or my parents for that matter. They've been consistently missing these past couple weeks.

I tried to watch the show, even laughing at Cartman in his coon suit, but kept getting distracted. My life was so complex now and I didn't know what I was going to do about it, if anything. A scratching sound at my window interrupted my thoughts. I walked over slowly, gently peeled back the curtains and gasped. A bird the size of what I imagine Tinkerbell looked like sat on the ledge. It was white, but shimmered and shined with such radiance that it rendered me speechless. I just knew I had to open the window and let this beautiful creature in, so I did. It eyed me carefully and when I put my hand down for it to sit on me, it hopped right up.

The instant its soft wedged toes made contact with my skin, I felt a rush of energy and a tingly sensation seep into my brain. I realized it was trying to speak at the same time that a light and airy female voice began whispering to me. "Draven sends his regrets that he will not be able to meet you until a later time. He wishes you to stay inside and be careful. That is all."

It was like her message went right through me, I couldn't focus on anything but the fact that this inhuman being spoke to me without moving a muscle. "What are you?" I asked it, curiosity getting the better of me. "Can you even hear me?"

I suppose on some level I hadn't exactly expected it to respond and so I wasn't surprised when it cocked its head to the side, jumped in the air, spread its miniature gossamer wings and disappeared.

I closed and latched the window, my mind still reeling from the encounter and barely making it back to the bed, when I heard a noise down the hall. Garbage jumped up from his comfortable position and arched his spine. His ears went back and his tail began lashing from side to side. When he started hissing, a chill ran through me and I reached down to pat him on the head. "It's okay fatty, it's probably just mom and dad," I said making my way to the window again. I pulled the curtain's aside and stuck my nose to the glass scoping out the driveway for vehicles. Nothing. "Okay well maybe its Draven then, just a bit sooner than our feathered friend indicated."

I tiptoed to the door and opened it just far enough for me to able to stick my head out and listen. Silence. I was about to shut the door again when a loud crash echoed through the house. I jumped back and sprinted for my phone, hoping that I would be able to get ahold of someone before I was attacked again. Garbage took the open door as his cue, leaping off the bed and bolting out in the direction of the racket.

I was calling Zilla when I heard fighting break out downstairs. There was hissing, meowing and even a roar that set my nerves on edge. What if a wild animal had made its way into the house? I knew my cat could definitely hold his own, but would he be able to take on something like that? I doubted it. And then I heard it, the sickening crunch of bones along with the terrifying cry of a wounded animal. It was torturous and cruel, and I will never forget how it made my stomach roil.

My still ringing phone hit the floor with a loud crack as I bolted down to rescue my feline companion. Nothing out there could stop the anger welling up inside of me and with my newly discovered power I hoped I'd be able to chase away whatever it was. I was going so fast that my feet got tangled up in one of Garbage's cat toys near the top stair and I went tumbling down. A searing pain shot through my left ankle and another through my chest, but with all of the adrenaline I was able to push through and round the corner into the living room.

The sight of what lay before me had me instantaneously hunched over and dry heaving. Spatters of blood coated the walls and furniture making it look like the set of a slasher movie. I knew I had to find my cat anyway, so I forced myself upright and ventured a step further into the disaster zone. At the sight of Garbage lying in the middle of the room on his side I froze up. One paw was twisted at a gruesome angle and blood was seeping from him in several different places.

I raced to his side and checked for a pulse, which I wasn't even sure how to do on a cat. After that failed I pressed my head to his tummy to check for breathing, but still got nothing. I shook him a few times in disbelief, but I knew it was too late. He was gone and so was whatever had attacked him. I collapsed hopelessly next to him on the floor and cried hysterically.

Somewhere in the blur of everything I managed to call my parents and while I was waiting for them to arrive, Zilla showed up. When I opened the door covered in blood she let out a strangled cry. "What happened?"

I beckoned her forward feeling numb, but managed to mumble between ragged breaths, "Garbage is dead." She scooped my hand into hers and followed me into the next room, proceeding to sit down cross legged with me on the floor next to him. When tears started spilling out again, she reached over and gathered me into her arms.

"How'd it happen?" she asked hoarsely, which I knew indicated she was on the verge of breaking down as well.

I felt a wave of emotion roll through me, making me want to run from this place and curl up somewhere quiet to wallow in my grief. It was my fault this all happened. If I had just come down here instead of chickening out, he would still be alive. I could have saved him.

"Callie?" she asked uncertainly.

"I'm not sure exactly. I heard noises coming from down the hall and that's when I noticed he had gotten agitated. I was calling you when he took off and before you could answer I heard him wailing. I rushed in here to rescue him, but found him like this instead. It all happened so fast." I sobbed louder than I had intended and buried my head in my hands.

We sat there silent for a long time before she said, "What's this?" I looked up to where she was pointing at one of the wounds on Garbage. "It looks like two puncture holes," she said. "Do you know of anything that could have caused it?"

"No. I mean it could have been another animal or something."

I thought about it a little longer, running through a mental list of animals that are wild in our area of town, but there weren't many. And then the realization of what it probably was hit me like a baseball bat to the gut. These markings looked identical to the teeth of that asema who tried to hurt me. I shuddered at the memory of his sharp fangs and piercing eyes bearing down on me. "Wait. You don't think it could be that creature do you?" I asked feeling as though I already knew the answer in my heart.

"That's definitely a plausible possibility," she said sadly, "but why would it go after your cat when it could have just come for you?"

"I don't know." I said glancing around the room uneasily. I cringed at the sight of blood all over my mother's favorite white wool shag rug. She got it as a gift from one of her friends back when I was just a kid and she's cherished it ever since. We aren't allowed to walk on it let alone spill something. We would never be able to get the blood out and my dad would probably have to buy her a new one.

I noticed something out of the corner of my eye that grabbed my attention. Near the edge of the rug and leading out towards the back door were slightly large somewhat human footprints. "Look," I said pointing the trail out and getting up to my feet. I held out my hand to Zilla and said, "Come on."

We followed the tracks to the back door, which was ajar. There were bloody hand prints on the sliding glass doors and it looked like the lock had been broken open.

"It had to have been the creature," I said softly.

"Sure seems like it," she replied. "Shall we?" she asked nudging me forward.

"I guess so," I said unsure. I wanted to stay focused, but I also knew I might start crying again if I didn't change the subject. "I still need to tell you the juicy details from my date."

"I didn't forget," she said laughing, "I just didn't want to start in on you when you were clearly still upset."

"Well, thanks for that. I think," I said smirking.

We continued on in silence down the wooden steps and out onto the deck. The path wound its way around the pool, continued on through the cobblestone steps in my mother's garden, and then into green grass until it disappeared into a thicket of bushes. We pried open the thorny branches trying to peek around various sections, but it was useless. Whatever had been in the house was gone now. "Don't worry," she said reassuringly, "we will figure this out."

I shook my head. "I appreciate the sentiment, but I doubt it's going to be that easy." She was about to protest my negativity when we heard my mom calling from the back door. "Callie?"

"Coming," we replied in unison. We ran back the way we came, but something told me to look one last time and as I glanced over my shoulder I saw a pair of purple eyes watching us. I shuddered and ran faster, pulling Zilla along behind me. I was still looking back when we collided with my dad who was standing in the doorway. He enfolded me in his arms and kissed my forehead. "I'm so sorry sweetheart."

In the comfort of my father's arms I started crying again. When he proceeded to ask me what happened I told him the whole story through sniffles. Eventually he led me up to my bed and had me lie down. He sat down in a chair next to me and Zilla laid down beside me, snuggling in close. I decided to just let myself go. The sooner I began the healing process the better, so I continued to cry until I feel asleep.

When I woke up the next day, Zilla was snoring and my dad had already left the room. I rolled onto my back and stared up at the ceiling, the horrible loss I felt settling deep within me. There was blood all over my hands and clothes making my chest tighten with remorse. I slid off the bed carefully and hurried to the shower. I peeled off my pajamas quickly which left me in nothing but my sea foam green lace panties. I brushed my teeth and splashed water on my face to try and wake me from the stupor I was in. I looked in the mirror and admired myself. I had red puffy bags from crying and my curly red hair bright as the sun was wound into a messy bun. I pulled it out and brushed a comb through it tugging gently at the knots I found.

I was about to take off the underwear when Draven appeared out of nowhere. I stifled a cry and ran to drape a robe around my exposed body. "I'm sorry," he said turning around to give me some privacy. "What's your problem? You can't just pop up whenever and wherever you want like you own the place." I whimpered on the verge of crying again.

He whirled around and started to walk towards me stopping midstride and dropping his arms to his sides. "I'm sorry for your loss." I flopped down on the toilet seat and buried my face in my hands. "Thanks."

I heard a knock on the bathroom door. It was Zilla. "Is everything okay in there? You didn't get your foot stuck in the toilet again did you?" I shook my head and laughed. Leave it to her to be able to make me laugh at a time like this. "Nope, I just got a good look at myself in the mirror again. Everything else is all right though. Sorry if I woke you up."

"Alright, I'm going to go downstairs and get us some breakfast. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Okay sounds good." We waited in silence until I heard the bedroom door open and shut. I leaned carefully into the shower and turned the water on to drown out our conversation. "What happened to you last night? I got the message from that weird bird, but you never showed up. And make your answer fast because I am in dire need of a shower."

"Did you like it?" he asked smiling.

"Who wouldn't? It was beautiful. The fact that it can communicate with you through telepathy is beyond extraordinary." This was a subject I could stomach right now. Everything else would have to wait. "Tell me more about it."

He nodded. "First, let me just apologize for not being here. I had something I had to take care of. Second, that bird I sent to you is actually called a Moonbird. On my planet they are very common amongst the cities. They are used to carry messages, sort of like carrier pigeons from back in the human days, except these are better because they can speak to you through your mind and they're very loyal."

"Can they hear you if you talk to them?"

"Not out loud of course, but if you talk to them using your mind they can hear you."

That explains why it wouldn't answer me. I should've thought of that. "How were you able to come across one if you aren't allowed to go back to Moonweald?"

"I called in a favor from someone in Sheol," he said cryptically. "Listen, I have something I should probably tell you. After I overheard about the basement I snuck down there and found some things out. First, you should know that there is something very fishy about everything down there. If it were me, I would question your parents about it as soon as possible. Second, I got you this," he said handing me a tall thick blue leather bound book that was titled "Fuoco Perenne". "It's Italian," he said opening it up. "It means "Everlasting Fire". I think this may be the key to some of the answers you've been looking for."

I brushed my fingertips along the worn cover. "This is the same book I was drawn to before when I was down there. How'd you manage to snag it?"

"Well seeing as how I can pretty much turn invisible that should give you an idea."

I rolled my eyes. "So why do you think this would contain answers for me? Considering I don't know much Italian it probably won't be that useful. Besides, I can catch myself on fire without using silly incantations," I said handing it back to him.

He shook his head and pushed it back my direction. "Nope, I don't want it. This book was made for you, not me. You're just being stubborn. How do you know that these "silly incantations" won't make you more powerful?"

He was right. I didn't know whether this book would help or hinder my newly discovered talent. I wasn't about to tell him that and I wasn't sure I was ready for it anyway. "What do you mean by made for me?"

"I mean that this book was handmade and the writing is also original, carefully handwritten with a calligraphy pen. If I had to guess I would say that one of your parents made it. Which in turn means you'll inherit it and therefore means it's yours."

"No way," I said shaking my head, "my parents can barely even make spaghetti, there is no way either of them knows how to write using calligraphy, let alone Italian."

"That part is debatable. However, this book could mean better protection for you and your family or friends."

"Why? I can already control my fire," I said rudely. To be fair, this wasn't entirely true. Sometimes it just came to me and others I could conjure it on my own. It really just depended on the mood I was in.

"Because it is actually a spell book," he said annoyed. "And I guarantee it has other ways to use fire that you never thought of before." I frowned and fumbled with the belt of my robe. "You don't believe me?" he asked outraged.

After a short pause I said "Of course I believe you. You haven't been wrong about anything else, so why would I have reason to doubt you now?" I averted my gaze as the silence between us grew. "It's just that so much is happening so fast that it's hard for me not to wish I could just wake up from this nightmare that has become my life."

"I know," he said crossing his arms over his chest, "and I understand that things are a bit confusing for you right now. I feel for you, I really do, but doesn't that make you want to learn to harness your gift that much more?"

He definitely had a point. If I could learn stronger versions of wielding fire then it might be possible to take on this asema that has been after me. And what about Thanatos, would I be able to defeat him as well?

"I think you should try out one of the spells," he said hurriedly and breaking my thought process.

"You really think that's a good idea? I've never done it before. What if something goes wrong or I mispronounce the words or something? Or what if I accidentally turn myself into a giant three-eyed toad?"

He smiled. "Don't worry. I promise to kiss you and turn you back into a princess if it makes you feel better," he said awkwardly aware of how intimate that had sounded.

I blushed. "Uhm, okay I'll give it a try. But how am I going to translate all of this?"

He winked. "That's where I come in. Let's start with the first page and go from there. I can help you decode everything. It might take some time, but eventually we can get it all down."

"And what about my parents whenever one of them go looking for the book again?"

"Also taken care of, I put a fake one that looks identical to it in its place. The only way they'll even know is by opening it up to read what's inside and I doubt that will happen considering how much dust is on this one," he said blowing on it for emphasis.

"Alright, I get the idea," I said flopping open the book in my lap. A hint of mold permeated the air as I scrutinized the thick, crisp pages that were faded to a deep golden cream color and rustled to the touch. There was line after line of curly q's and spirals that all came together to form words. The first section I came across was titled "un vero volcano."

"What's it mean?" I asked pointing to the particular section I was on.

He read it carefully back to himself, his brows creasing together as he mentally translated it. "That one means ball of fire."

My hands started shaking as my stomach tightened. "I'm nervous."

"It will be worth it, trust me," he nodded encouragingly. "Okay, so here's the chant or spell we need to decipher for that one."

"Fuoco e luce combinare come uno, invito thy energia, mi portano forza nelle tenebre vicino," he said with a hypnotizing accent. "Write this down. It means, "fire and light combine as one, I call upon thy energy, bring me strength in darkness near."

I scribbled as fast as I could and reviewed the words I had written, but frowned in response.

"Why do you look so disappointed?" he asked.

"Not disappointed per se. I guess I just expected something more magical like bibbitty bobbity boo or open sesame." He laughed and I blushed again. "Uh, where were we? Oh right, now I have to actually say the words out loud." My hands felt slick with tension as I twiddled my thumbs. "I really should take a shower first. Come back tonight and we can work on it."

"Stop being a chicken. Do you want to be vulnerable the next time that asema attacks you or do you want to be able to fight back?"

I shuddered. "Okay just this one and the rest will have to wait until later." He drifted over and sat next to me.

He smiled encouragingly. "You can do this."

I tried to return the enthusiasm. "Sure." I stood up and braced myself. "Here goes nothing."

I held out my hands afraid they would burst into flames any second and began the chant. Slow at first and then faster until the words melded together and I didn't even have to say it anymore, I just closed my eyes and imagined a ball of fire in my hands. I squinted out through my thick crimson lashes and gasped. A wad of flames the size of a softball was levitating an inch or so above my palm. The orange and yellow flickers of color were swirling in and around each other as if trapped in a tiny glass bubble. I lifted my hand and the ball followed like it was on an invisible string controlled by a master puppeteer. I looked over at Draven in awe and appreciation. It was because of his help that I was standing here now, dangling this radiant thing out in front of me. He wore a cocky expression as he said, "See, I told you."

"Don't make me hurl it at you," I said elated.

He winked. "Is that a threat or a promise?"

I felt rejuvenated and whole again, like a candle whose wick had just been lit after years of gathering dust. Maybe it was feistiness or maybe it was my being magick drunk but I said, "Both," and tossed it to him. It landed with a hard thud in the center of his chest making his clothes instantly catching fire. I teetered backwards on the balls of my heels taken aback. What had I just done? I could have seriously hurt someone. "I'm so sorry," I said biting the inside of my cheek. "I really didn't think it would touch you since, you know, you're a ghost and all. Get in the shower. The water should put it out," I said grabbing him by the arm and shoving him in.

The weight of the push caused me to lose my balance and fall forward straight into his arms. We both stood there afraid to meet the other's eyes with water drenching us, but neither of us saying a word or daring to move. He pulled me in a little closer and just held me, content with being able to touch something real. I leaned my head on his chest and closed my eyes. It felt amazing and right, like the whole world was a puzzle and he was the last piece missing. We stayed like that for some time before I remembered Cole and pulled away. He tried to hide the confusion on his face, but I could tell I had upset him.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I'm dating someone and..."

"It's not a problem," he said cutting me off. "I told you before that once I finish helping you I have to leave and I won't be able to come back."

The bitterness in his tone made me wince and sigh. No matter how frustrated he seemed right now I knew that after the moment we just shared, he didn't want to leave. Nor did I want him to, which had me a little more than confused. "I know."

I turned around to face the water full on, letting it crash over my head and drown out any room for talking. He must have taken that as a sign and stepped out of the tub to dry off. "Stay," I said closing the shower door and pulling the curtain back. "We need to decipher some more of the book and I can't do it alone."

I slowly untied my now heavily saturated robe and rung it out as best I could, then I tossed it, along with my panties over the edge of the shower. I wondered if he might be picturing me in my birthday suit from the other side, but I locked those thoughts up tight and pushed on.

The next 20 minutes were a blur of soap and rough Italian words. When I finished I didn't turn the water off for fear that Zilla might return and I needed to buy myself some more time. The shower thankfully had washed away large traces of the sadness I felt for being Garbage-less. I knew I'd miss the little guy, but it was time to start kicking ass and taking names. With my newfound power thrumming inside me, I was sure that I could fight back now and I liked that feeling.

I stepped out of the shower soaking wet and was met with Draven's jaw practically touching the floor. He whipped around faster than I would have thought possible to stare at the wall. I smiled even though he couldn't see it. "Towel please?" He handed me one without once glancing back my direction again so I spared him further embarrassment and got dressed.

"What did we figure out so far?" I asked.

"Well, we uncovered roughly five more new spells. There are plenty more, but we'll need more time to get them all figured out."

"Let's go over them again, starting with the name and then what they are supposed to do."

He nodded and glanced down at his notes. "There is one called barrieradi fuoco which means fire barrier. Basically if you wanted to stop someone or something from coming at you then you could put up something similar to a wall of fire. There is also anello di fuoco which means fire ring. Sort of the same scenario, except you are protected by a ring of fire. Fuoco bomba or fire bomb, a weapon of bombs you can throw. Stella brillante or blazing star, my guess is that this one is closely related to a meteor shower. The one that's most interesting though is this one," he said pointing to his notes. "Fuoco fenice or fire phoenix, I think it calls upon the great fire bird to help you in battle."

Those all seemed so dramatic that I couldn't picture a time when I would ever need to use them, or at least I hoped I never would anyway. I paced the room as I looked over his notes and practiced the incantations in my head. They were all simple enough. Another knock on the door grabbed our attention.

"Be there in a sec," I called. I sat down next to Draven, leaned in and whispered, "Thanks for all of your help. I don't know where I'd be without you." I suddenly realized how close we were to each other and got nervous all over again, but I gently kissed him on the cheek anyway and averted his gaze. "Meet me back here tonight and we will go over the rest of the book."

I got up and turned the water off. When I glanced back he was gone, but the book was sitting on the counter. I placed it securely in one of the drawers underneath a stack of hand towels and checked myself out in the mirror, making sure to take extra time to pretend I was dressing. Then I opened up the door and ran with head jolting force directly into Cole.

###

Chapter 11-The Diary Page

After a few minutes of stammering I managed, "You scared the crap out of me, I thought you were Zilla. How did you get in here, anyway?"

He smiled politely and replied, "I picked the locks and broke in." He must have noticed my uneasiness because he followed with, "I'm just kidding. Zilla called me and told me everything that happened." He enveloped me in his arms. "I am so sorry. I hope you don't mind that I came over, but I wanted to be here for you," he said sniffing the air and giving me a weird look.

I nuzzled my head on his chest as he ran his fingers through my hair. He cupped my chin up towards him and kissed me on the lips. It tasted a bit weird this time so I pulled back frowning. It was like a cross between something tinted with iron and metal. It was vaguely familiar, but I was having trouble placing it.

"What's wrong?" He asked confused.

I blinked. "Uh, nothing it's just your lips taste funny."

He stared at me like a deer caught in the headlights and it was as if a light bulb switched on in my brain. I knew the taste because I had experienced it before and recently too. Blood. It's blood. "I'm sure it's probably just from brushing your teeth or something."

The relief that washed over him was almost unnerving, but I had no idea why. "Yeah, I just brushed them a little while ago, it must be from that. Listen Callie, there is something I need to tell you." Before he could finish his sentence Zilla came into the room carrying a tray of assorted breakfast items.

There were croissant rolls, eggs, bacon, toast, cereal, orange juice, chocolate milk, hash browns, French toast, pancakes and some mini donut holes. I grinned taking in the amazing assortment before me. Someone definitely went out of her way for me. "Wow," I said excited. I was starving and hadn't even realized it up until my stomach growled at me.

"What was that?" she asked. "Oh, that's right you're in awe at how amazing your best friend is. I know, I know, save the applause for later and come dig in," she said waving us over.

I tried to eat as daintily as possible so as not to look like a cow in front of the boyfriend, but I hate to admit that I ate quite a bit anyway. I was famished after everything that happened last night. We all made polite conversation until Zilla finally decided to give us some privacy. I thought she was out of the room until she poked her head back in. "I need to go get some supplies from my house for tonight. Before you say anything; yes I'm staying over again and no I'm not taking no for an answer, so just get over it."

I shook my head resignedly. "Once you put your mind to something you really follow it through. I'm not even going to bother arguing, just hurry back." I smiled and dismissed her.

It was then that I realized I was alone in the house with Cole. It was scary and exhilarating at the same time. I remembered that he mentioned there was something he wanted to talk about and before I could even bring it up he was speaking. "About earlier, there is something I wanted to tell you." He looked panicky so I nodded encouragingly.

"I know that we haven't known each other long and that you're still grieving, but I have just been feeling really connected to you somehow." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I know this all sounds weird right?"

"No, it's not. Go ahead." We hadn't even known each other that long, but after just one real date I was sure that I was probably in love with him. I hoped he felt the same way. I blushed, suddenly aware of the goofy grin plastered on my face.

He returned my smile. "It's really difficult for someone like me to find a girlfriend and considering it's you that makes it an even more complicated situation."

I frowned. This wasn't going where I thought it would. "What do you mean considering it's me? Is there something wrong with me?"

He shook his head. "That's not exactly what I meant. I'm sorry this seems to be coming out all wrong. There are a lot of things I need to explain to you, things that I have been trying repeatedly to tell you, but haven't been able to." He buried his head in his hands.

I was still feeling a little wounded from his words and managed to hold myself back from comforting him. "I think you better explain yourself." I hadn't meant it to come out so harsh, but it didn't seem to faze him. He met my gaze unwavering and reached over immediately lacing his hand through mine. He opened his mouth to speak and at the same time his phone rang.

He looked distraught when he read the caller id. "I'm sorry, but I need to take this." "Okay," I said as reassuringly as I could.

He stepped out into the hall and I waited for a few minutes before curiosity won out. I crept over and rested me head on the door pressing my ear snuggly against it. Most of what I heard was muffled, but I caught bits and pieces. He sounded angry and whoever was on the other end must have been trying to push him around. "No. I've already told you I can't do this anymore....I think I love her.....I don't care about that....I don't want any part of it.....I've made my decision and I will stand by it.....I'll deal with that when we get there."

When it seemed like he was nearing the end of the conversation I tiptoed back to the bed. He does love me. Or at least I hope it was me he was talking about. I just wonder who he was arguing with. Hopefully not his parents. I haven't met them yet so I don't understand why they wouldn't like me. Maybe they preferred one of his ex-girlfriend's? I felt dizzy and nervous. He stepped back into the room and I noticed that his pupils were dilated and his face looked strained, pale and chalky.

"Are you okay?" I asked stroking his cheek when he came over to sit beside me. He felt shiveringly cold to the touch again.

"Yeah, why?" he asked flinching slightly. I sat with my legs dangling off the edge of the bed and my hands daintily folded in my lap. Careful not to meet his face I said, "Just wondering. I mean you seem really stressed out or something and sometimes your eyes change colors when that happens."

I could feel his body tense up. "They do?" It must have taken him by surprise that I noticed.

"Yes." His lips curled up into a half smile. "And that doesn't frighten you?"

"No, why would it? Eyes change all sorts of colors." He sighed long and deep like I had just said the most swoon worthy thing to him. "So, who was on the phone?"

"No one of importance," he said wrapping his arms around my waist and laying his head in my lap. I was running my fingers through his hair when I heard the front door open and shut. He twitched.

"Zilla is probably back," I said trying to calm his uneasiness.

He stood up and kissed me on the forehead, then the cheek and lightly on the lips. "I need to go."

My eyes pleaded with him to stay though I tried to act nonchalant. I didn't want it to seem like my world revolved around him, yet at this moment it did. "Okay. When will I see you again?"

"There are so many things that I have yet to tell you. For now I have some stuff I need to take care of, but I will be back as soon as I can." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small square box wrapped in pink paper with yellow curls and matching ribbon. "I got this for you," he said handing it to me. "Go on, open it."

I got a giddy feeling in my stomach as I tore open the paper and popped off the lid to the box. Inside was a small rabbit skin drawstring bag. I undid the knot clumsily, my nerves getting the better of me, opened it wide and dumped the contents into my hand.

A rock as big as the length of two of my fingers tumbled out into my palm. The stone was smooth to the touch with a few pockmarks here and there that contained little pebbles grayish in color. The rock itself was a milky off-white tint swirled with something clear. It shined in the light as I moved it back and forth through my fingertips.

"What is it?"

"It's a protection stone," he said as if I should have already known. "I got it for you before I came over this morning. I just figured after everything that happened last night it might bring you some comfort."

It's not like I had expected a diamond ring or something, but a rock? That was definitely not on my list of romantic gifts I'd like to receive from the guy I'm dating.

"You don't like it?"

"I love it, thank you," I said reaching up and hugging him tightly. "Come back soon okay?" I kissed him longingly on the lips and broke away from him reluctantly. Tears were stinging at the back of my eyes.

"I promise I'll be back," he said turning to go.

I watched him leave and sunk back down on the bed. What just happened? When I first met him he was this spunky arrogant guy and today he seemed distraught and utterly defeated. Something was definitely going on and I just didn't understand. There were so many questions I had wanted to ask him, but didn't get the chance. I moped around for a better part of the rest of the day wallowing in my thoughts until Zilla came back. I explained to her everything that happened and we took turns analyzing the situation as best we could. She chalked it up to just a guy being a guy in general, but I couldn't help feeling there was a lot more to it than that.

"Don't worry about it. He'll come around. I'm sure he's just got a few things to take care of first. He seems to really like you," she said trying to placate me.

"I know. I mean I feel the same way it's just I know he's keeping secrets and in the end so am I so I can sort of sympathize, but that's not a really good way to start a relationship."

"Sit up," she said grabbing a hair brush off my nightstand. I did as she said and let her unravel the tangled mess my hair had become. Each smooth stroke of the brush caused my muscles to relax and instantly put me in a better mood. I decided I should tell her about the book Draven found, but embellish the part about who actually found it. She sat there riveted and waited patiently until I finished telling her about the ball of fire I conjured up. "Wow," she said stunned.

"I know. It was amazing and scary at the same time, but definitely worth a try."

"Can I see it?"

"Yeah." I walked into the bathroom and pulled it out, admiring once again the beautiful cover as I brushed my fingers across it. I scrambled back to the bed and plopped the book open on my lap. I flipped open the first few pages and noticed something strange. "That's weird."

"What?" Zilla asked curiously.

"I didn't notice this before when I was going through the book. Look," I said pointing to an object on the page.

"What is it?" she asked scooting in closer.

"I held my wrist up to the image. I think it's my family crest."

She nodded her agreement. "Definitely. It matches perfectly, like it was made for you." She held up her wrist next to mine and we silently compared the two. "I wonder if there is a book for everyone who has powers and if so, how many more people are like us."

I shrugged. "I don't know. Probably not very many I would assume. If there were I would think we would have met someone by now. Or maybe we have and just don't know it. It's hard to tell. You should check around your house though. Maybe you could find something useful like this to help you with your powers."

"Yeah I'll have to do a bit of investigating," she said putting the hair brush down. "Now how about you show me one of those spells you have in there. Like this one," she said pointing to one I recalled as anello di fuoco which meant fire ring. I felt uncomfortable trying a new one without Draven there to help me so I convinced her to let me do the ball of fire again. I stood a good distance away and repeated the same process as before only this time it seemed to be much easier. It immediately sprang to life in the palm of my hands. Her eyes widened and she smiled exuberantly. "That was way better than sitting at home watching Lifetime movies."

"Yeah, all in a days work," I said laughing. I concentrated on extinguishing the flames and when I opened my eyes it was gone.

"You'll have to teach me some of this stuff. Of course, my powers will never be as impressive as yours, but if you helped me I could probably get better."

"I would love to, but I don't think it works like that. I have a feeling this book is meant to be used by only me." She frowned and turned away.

I knew how upset she must be so I reached around and hugged her. She reveled in her powers while I dismissed mine every chance I could. In fact, I wished I'd never had them to begin with. That was probably bordering on something more than just taking them for granted. "Don't worry. We will get your magick figured out and I'm sure you'll be able to do all kinds of amazing things."

She tried to cheer up, but I could tell she was disappointed. Then she got all animated again. "Don't get mad okay?"

Oh no, I knew I was in for something. "Okay."

"Promise?"

Darn she got me there. Never tell me not to get mad at something without also making me promise. "I promise to try not to get mad."

She squirmed. "Okay, fair enough. Before I went to get breakfast this morning I sorta snuck down into the basement."

My jaw hit the floor. "You did what? Were my parent's home? Are you insane? If they had caught you who knows what they would have done."

"Don't go getting your granny panties in a twist, they had already left and I even double checked before I ventured down there. I must say that the spookiness level of that place is off the charts. You better hire yourself a ghost buster to check it out."

I remembered what I felt and saw when I was down there and cringed. "I know. It may sound lame, but I'd rather be ignorant than try to find out what the deal is with it."

She sighed. "Okay then I won't tell you what I found. Or show you for that matter." Found? She had me right where she wanted me and she knew it.

"Oh no you don't, you better spill it, now."

"You win," she said handing me a torn piece of paper.

As soon as I saw it my chest began to tighten and I had to gulp air to get it to stop. "No way," I said unfolding it delicately. "This is the other half of the diary page I couldn't find last time I was in there."

"Other half?" she asked her eyebrows knitted together.

That's right! I had completely forgotten to mention it to her before and with everything else going on I thought it was probably the least important item on my agenda so I never bothered. "Yeah, I found a torn page the first time I went down there and I was so disappointed I couldn't find the rest. I'd almost forgotten about it."

"I wouldn't go getting all thrilled about it if I were you. Once you read it you're probably going to be even more confused. I know I was."

"But you didn't read the first half," I said defensively. "Maybe putting them together will make more sense." I slipped the other portion out from underneath my pillowcase and held the two halves up together. "Get me some tape."

She got up, fumbled around in my desk drawer knocking a few things over and came back with a roll of clear scotch tape. I carefully held the pieces together while she applied strips to both the back and front so they were whole again. When we were finished she read the top half while I read the bottom.

-Second Half of the torn page-

One Spring I was given a new target and set off on my mission in search of this mysterious person. After I found him, I spent several weeks cautiously studying him. When I decided it was time to make my move I swiftly attacked. I had him in a backwards hug ready to sink my teeth into his flesh, but to my surprise he had been expecting me. He whirled around to bare his neck causing me to stumble back in confusion. After several seconds of silence he asked me what I was waiting for and then he rushed forward and kissed me. It was the most passionate and amazing thing I'd ever felt since Kane. When he pulled away we stared into each others eyes. I knew he had stolen my heart though I didn't fully understand it and because of this I rejected Thanatos formally. Infuriated by jealousy, he vowed to exact revenge on me.

I married that man and nine months later we had a child. We've been in hiding ever since. I will forever wear the mark of a murderer, but it will never be who I truly am.

~Anonymous~

"You're right," I said letting the paper slip from my hands and float down to the bedspread. "I'm even more confused than ever. I thought there would be other names in it so I could try to figure out who wrote this. Anonymous," I said snorting with disgust.

She put her arm around my shoulder. "I told you that you might not like it." I nodded and continued to stew in silence. "It has to be your mom since it was written by a woman and it was in your basement, right?" she asked contemplating. "Maybe you should confront your parents,"

"That's ludicrous. And besides, I don't know if I can do that. You know how they are. I don't think they'd be very receptive to my accusations."

"What about your dad? He's pretty mellow. Maybe you could corner him while your mom is out drinking blood and stuff." I gave her a dirty look. The thought of my mom biting someone made my teeth grind. "I'm just kidding," she said wearily.

I shrugged off her comment and said, "I don't know, maybe I could talk to him about it instead. It's worth a shot. Although I doubt he'd know more than me. But since it is a locked room in our house, one of them has got to know something."

"What do you think about the part about the brand or tattoo? Does that sound like something she has?"

I pondered on that while drumming my finger along my upper thigh. In most cases, every inch of her body was covered in fabric. There were only brief moments when she wore something revealing like a swimsuit, but even then she sported a sarong with her hair down. "I don't think so. It could be somewhere she doesn't show very often I guess." The doorbell rang and I bolted up.

Zilla put a hand on my shoulder and said, "Chill out, I have a surprise for you."

I folded the pages up and place the newly pieced together document underneath my pillow then hid the book back carefully in the bathroom. She ran to the front door and I heard voices come back up the hallway. I recognized them as soon as all four of their head's poked in.

"Don't look so terrified," Alyssa said with a laugh.

"Yeah, I know Locke's ugly, but sheesh girl," Jett chimed in, which earned him a little shove from Locke and a sour face from Zilla.

"Tough crowd," I replied winking at Jett. "What's up ladies, oh, and gentlemen?" I said acknowledging Locke.

"Oh sweetie, you're so adorable," Jett replied batting his lashes. I smiled. His bubbly personality was infectious.

It felt good to have a little normalcy today. I watched Alyssa's purple locks sway back and forth as she made her way to the bed. She grabbed my arm and pulled me up. "Were going out so get dressed," she said.

"Where are we headed?" I asked excited at the prospect of doing something other than lying around in bed.

"We are going to the beach for a bonfire," Locke said clapping his hands together in anticipation.

"A big group of kids from school are going to be there and I think you could use some fresh air," Zilla said pulling some clothes out of the closet. She picked out a pair of dark-wash jeans, a pink tank top and matching hoodie.

"Thanks," I said taking them reluctantly.

"Isn't a little too cold to be playing on the beach? It's December after all." They all shook their heads no in unison and I sighed. "Fine, you win. Let me get dressed and we can go."

"That's my girl," Jett said giving me a hand up.

As we were headed out I paused briefly next to the living room and my eyes slid to the spot where there was still blood stained into the carpet. I had managed to avoid coming down here until now so it wasn't a surprise when I got choked up and received a giant group hug from all my friends. I felt so peaceful and loved that I couldn't cry anymore. "Thanks guys," I said through sniffles. "I'm ready."

###

Chapter 12-Bonfire

The ride to the beach was everything I could have wished for and more. The sun was going down and as I glanced casually every so often out the window of the car to take in my surroundings, I couldn't help but smile. There were no gaps in conversation or time for me to reflect on everything that had been nagging at the corners of my mind. I was preoccupied with Jett's story about some new guy he met on-line when we finally arrived.

"Well have you met up with him yet? What does he look like?" I asked unbuckling my seatbelt.

"Last Friday we met at that Starbuck's around the corner and all I have to say is tall, dark and handsome."

Alyssa shook her head and said, "Oh honey, I have a fake laugh with your name written all over it." That caused us all to burst into side splitting laughter.

"Hey, I thought you said you liked him?" Jett said a little offended.

"Yeah I said I like him, for you of course, he's nowhere near hot enough to meet my high standards."

Jett jabbed her with his elbow. "Quit trying to cock-block me." She snickered in response. "Don't let her fool you. She thinks he's as delicious as me." We all laughed again and got out of the jeep.

I took off my flip-flops and let the sand squish between my toes. It was cool and moist to the touch. I ventured my gaze farther down the beach and noticed the bonfire. It was just getting dark enough that you could see the flames burning and crackling in the night. Each licking flame was like long skinny arms trying to touch the sky rising higher and higher. It was enchanting and I could feel the fire calling to me, warming every part of my body.

I noticed something out of the corner of my eye that made me get defensive, Luke. He was sitting next to the fire by himself. We made eye contact and he smiled, but I didn't return it. I turned to Zilla. "You didn't tell me Luke was going to be here."

"I didn't know he was going to be here. What do you want to do? Do you want to go home? Do you want me to kick him where it counts?"

I giggled and thought about it for a minute. I wasn't in the mood to let one guy ruin this beautiful night for me. "No, I think I can manage."

She squeezed my shoulder reassuringly. "One false move and I'll handle him," she said tying an invisible noose around her neck and pretend hanging herself.

I laughed out loud as she slid her hand in mine and our group proceeded toward the bonfire slowly, chatting and giggling the whole way. I stole glances at Luke the closer we got and wondered briefly if there would be any recognizable scars from that day. The only hint that anything had ever happened was a few burn marks across his chest in the faintest shape of hand prints. My eyes froze on it and as if sensing me staring he looked up. Instead of sneering at me like I'd expected, he just smiled again. This guy was unbelievable. I didn't smile back.

We settled on a spot close enough to the shore that we were all able to put toes in the water. Locke ran back to the jeep and began dragging surfboards down to us. I suddenly realized just how bad I needed to use the ladies room. I recalled seeing a port-a-potty a little further down the shoreline.

"Hey guys I'll be right back. Nature calls and all that good stuff," I said. They all nodded in agreement except Zilla. "Do you want me to go with you?"

"No I'm okay, really. You stay here and watch Locke. He'll be sad if there isn't anybody here to cheer him on." Locke was an amazing surfer and he glided over the crystalline waves like each perfectly sculpted crest was made for him.

"Okay, but if you're gone for more than ten minutes I'm coming after you," she said only half-joking.

I set off slowly, making sure to completely ignore Luke and keep my back towards him. I hoped and prayed that he wouldn't follow me. It was a long hike, but I made it there without any hiccups. A few people near the area all spread out on beach towels and soaking up the moonlight nodded their heads at me as I passed by. I found the restroom and stepped inside. It smelled gross like most port-a-potties do so I plugged my nose and hurried about my business. I was only in there for maybe two seconds. When I stumbled out, Luke was standing in front of me with his hands in his pockets looking around nervously. My stomach dropped. I tried to pass by without acknowledging him, but he put his arm out to bar my way. My face flushed as anger rose up inside me.

"You know what happened last time you cornered me," I said venom seeping out of every word. "I don't think it would be wise to go for round two." He held up his hands in surrender so I started to walk away, but then he bolted ahead and got in front of me.

"Just listen to me Callie. I think you owe me at least a few minutes of your time after everything that's happened."

I paused. "What would possibly make you think that you deserve anything from me? You tried to hurt me and I defended myself. I would and will do it again if I have to."

"Would you just listen to me? I realize that I hurt you more than I could probably even imagine, but I am trying to apologize here. I never should have put you in the position I did or treated you like I have in the past. I am so sorry for everything, I swear Callie. I love you!"

I felt numb. My insides wanted to be outside as queasiness hit me. "You're kidding right? This is just some joke you're playing on me. Like I'm being punked or something?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm serious. Just give me a chance to make it up to you. I promise I can make it right again."

I wavered in shock long enough for him to misinterpret that as an opening. He reached out and cupped my chin in his hand. "Don't," I said forcefully.

He looked hurt and upset, but he let go. His eyes pleaded with me to understand. "You have to believe me. I never meant to hurt you."

"No." It came out as more of a whisper and with less force than I had intended, but I knew it would hit home just the same. He looked on the verge of tears, which is something I never imagined he would ever do. "I can't do this again, I just can't. It was a joke of a relationship to begin with and you know that we weren't meant to be together. Why can't you just leave it at that? Please stop pursuing me. I'm not a prize you're going to be able to put on your shelf."

"I never thought that about you Callie, ever. I just wanted you to like me and I guess I thought that if I did the things I did that you would give me more attention. It worked for other girls in the past so I tried it with you. I know it sounds stupid, but I wasn't thinking straight. I promise if you give me another chance I can fix it. I can fix us."

"There is no us. Don't you get it? It would never work. I don't have feelings for you at all and I never have," I said only half lying. I knew that I felt something for him at one time or another, but it wasn't anything near what he must be feeling for me. Maybe it was more sympathy than anything else. He sunk down into the sand and buried his head in his hands. I bent down and put my arm on his shoulder, but he didn't move. "I know this sounds lame, but I'd still like to be your friend if you're okay with that," I said sincerely. While I'd rather have nothing to do with him ever again, the way he was sitting there so distraught tugged at my heartstrings. The least I could do was remain his friend, right? He nodded.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed something moving off to my left. But when I looked over where it was, it disappeared. Weird.

"Well I should be getting back or Zilla is going to send out a search party for me."

He sighed reluctantly. "Do you think it would be okay if I joined you guys?"

"Uhm sure, I don't see why not. Just let me talk to them before you come over. They might try to crucify you if I don't get to them first."

We started walking back and I kept checking over my shoulder every so often. I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that someone was watching me. All of a sudden I tripped over Luke whose pants were halfway to his ankles, bare butt exposed to the wind. I cringed internally as bile threatened to overtake me. Turns out it was the front of me I needed to watch instead.

"What the hell?" I stammered, standing up and shaking off sand.

"I don't know," he said pulling his board shorts back up.

"What do you mean you don't know? I'd say it's pretty difficult to pants yourself without knowing how it happened." He chuckled a little at that.

"Why are you laughing? This is so not funny," I said looking around. That's when I noticed Draven standing next to me and I practically fell back on the ground. Luckily Luke caught me in mid-fall.

"Maybe it's your fault, clumsy," he said snickering.

I looked from Draven to Luke with the most mortified expression on my face.

"What are you looking at?" Luke asked. He doesn't know. Luke can't see him. Draven shook his head in agreement. I frowned still jerking my head back and forth between the two of them making sure. "You're acting strange," he said letting go of me.

I laughed. "Sorry it's just that I forgot something in the restroom. You go ahead and meet up with the group. Make sure to tell them it's all good otherwise they'll clobber you and that I'll be back in a second."

"Okay. Are you sure you don't want me to walk back with you?" he asked.

"No it's okay. I'll be fine on my own. I'm like Phoenix reincarnate. Sorry, that probably wasn't funny," I said immediately feeling guilty for my poor choice of words.

"Its fine, I get it. Just try to be careful."

"I'll be right back," I said turning and walking away. Draven caught up next to me and matched my stride. I checked back over my shoulder and when it was clear I punched him in the shoulder. "Ouch," he said flinching. "You pack a mean punch."

I laughed despite my current frustration with him. "What were you thinking? You could have gotten us both caught. I told you Zilla doesn't know about you yet."

"I can be invisible if I want, remember?" he said sarcastically.

"Oh yeah, now you tell me. That would have come in handy plenty of other times. Or has it already?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

He rolled his eyes. "Of course it hasn't. I'm a perfect gentleman."

"Right," I said placating him and moving on to the topic at hand. "Okay so what's up? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything is fine."

"Then what are you doing here?" It's not that I wasn't happy to see him, but when he was around my emotions were too conflicted to focus on anything else.

"I overheard you were going to be here and decided it was a nice night for a stroll."

"So you're stalking me then?"

He chuckled. "No not stalking, just making sure your bodyguard is here to protect you. When I saw him following you to the bathroom I trailed you both."

I smiled at his use of the word bodyguard then remembered something. "Did you do that to Luke?"

"Do what?" he asked innocently.

"Don't play coy with me," I said poking him in the arm. "You know what I'm talking about."

"I might have. Why, did you enjoy the view?" he said laughing.

I gagged. "Absolutely not! The memory of his bare rump is making me want to upchuck again. I did relish the fact that he ate some dirt, serves him right. You could have warned me sooner though you know. That way I wouldn't have fallen too."

"But then it would have been too obvious that it was done on purpose. Plus, he would have thought you had a hand in it."

"I guess you're right. Thanks for keeping an eye on me," I said hip-bumping him. "I should probably get back now though. Will you stay close just in case?"

He stared at me in such a way that it had me gulping for air. "You betcha."

"Just make sure you stay invisible, we wouldn't want to give anybody a heart attack if you just magically appeared out of thin air."

We walked back to my huddle of friends in silence. I got back just in time to see everyone breaking out the items to make s'mores, one of my favorite snacks. I wiggled my way in between Zilla and Alyssa. Luke was seated on the other side of her next to Jett. He seemed to fit right in and he didn't have a black eye either so that was a good sign. "Here," Zilla said handing me a s'more.

"Thanks." I nibbled on it slowly.

"What took so long?" she asked curiously.

"Not much, I just wanted to be alone for a few. Everything okay while I was missing in action?"

"Of course. You know the mice will play, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle." "Good." I thrust my legs out in front of me, skimming my anklet across Zilla's and felt that electrifying wave of energy sweep over me again. We both smiled. It felt great to have a best friend like her here with me going through somewhat of the same thing. I don't know what I would do without her. I lay down and snuck a peek behind me. Draven was staring at me oddly. I mouthed "what?" and he motioned towards the anklets. I shrugged my shoulders, unsure where he was going with this. He mouthed "later" and I nodded. Wonder what that was all about. I remembered Zilla told me she had bought it from some psychic shop or something downtown. Maybe he wanted one for himself? The thought made a giggle squeak out, but luckily nobody noticed.

I closed my eyes and relaxed into the sand. I tried to block out the conversations that floated around me, but my mind locked on one. Luke's. He was nonchalantly hitting on Alyssa. I opened one eye and caught his gaze. He gave me an apologetic look, but I didn't want him doing to anyone else what he had done to me. To make my point clear I flung my hand across my neck in a cutting motion. He flinched. Alyssa turned to look at me irritated. Could she really be enjoying his attention?

I whispered loud enough for them both to hear. "Sorry for rudely interrupting. You do know that we just "officially" broke up like 10 minutes or so ago when you professed your undying affection for me. Hitting on one of my good friends isn't going to score you any bonus point." I gave him a look that said I wasn't playing around and he nodded in surrender.

"I wasn't, promise," he said trying to calm me down. Alyssa looked slightly disappointed, but I told myself it was for the best.

I nodded, closed my eyes and sunk my body back into the sand. Minutes ticked by, probably even an hour, but I let everything drift past me noiselessly. I was vaguely aware of the fact that Luke and Locke had entered the water to do some surfing. Zilla and Alyssa sprawled out next to me and Jett was texting someone, probably his new boy toy. When I finally opened my eyes it was because someone had glued their lips to mine in what I like to call the "Spiderman kiss". The upside down contour of their cool lips felt good against mine and I fought the urge to kiss back with full force until I knew who it was. When everything came into focus I realized it was Cole.

I smiled and sat up. He wrapped his arms around me and I leaned into him. I noticed Draven watching us. He wore a disdainful expression, but when I tried to push away from Cole a little he just disappeared. I would never understand what's going on in that head of his. He sat down and I laid my head in his lap. "Everything okay?" I asked reaching up to pull him down for another kiss.

"Yep, I took care of what I needed to. We are going to be just fine." For whatever reason I didn't feel reassured by his tone. If I didn't know any better I would think he almost sounded frightened.

"Was it your parents?" I asked concerned. "They don't approve of me for some reason? Maybe if they met me they would like me." I tried to sound confident, but I knew I wasn't pulling it off.

He tried to dodge the question. "So Zilla, why aren't you surfing? Not a fan?"

I frowned, but let him change the subject. It's probably better to discuss it in private, I thought.

"No, I'm not very good at it. I prefer to keep my feet firmly on the ground. What about you?" she asked him while giving me a weird sidelong glance.

"Same here," he responded.

I knew Zilla was watching our conversation intently. It's always good to have a friend listening in to let you know what you might have missed later. I usually do the same thing for Zilla when she and Locke are having an argument. You can always tell if there are hidden meanings based on a person's body language. For instance, if I asked him something particularly uncomfortable and his hands started shaking, it probably meant he was hiding something. I glanced Zilla's direction and she nodded at me which indicated that it was time for some girl talk. I kissed him one more time and told him I'd be back in a few.

We started walking back towards the bathroom and hadn't gotten very far when she began talking. "You saw that didn't you?"

"No. What did I miss?" I said trying to sound clueless.

"The way that he deflected when you asked about what happened."

"I did, but I figured it was probably just something he didn't want to discuss around other people."

She frowned. "I don't think so."

"I know you're worried because you're my best friend, but if there is something he's not telling me right now it has to be for a good reason. I don't think he would intentionally pretend that everything is alright unless he couldn't talk to me about it yet. I don't want to push him away so I'll give him all the time he needs."

She smiled. "You're way too trusting. If it were me I would be on it like a pack of dogs on a three-legged cat. I wouldn't rest until I uncovered the secret."

I nudged her. "I know you would, and normally I would too, but I really like him and I don't want to screw it up."

"I see your point and I'll leave it alone for now, but if he doesn't come clean soon I'll be the one doing the digging for you. Understand?"

"Yes," I said thankful this conversation was over.

We walked to the edge of the breakwater and sat down facing the ocean. It's not the most comfortable place to sit as it consists of an extending sand bar, piping and large rocks at its end, but the view is amazing. We watched as Locke and Luke one by one glided over the waves like they were walking on water. The ease with which they performed tricks made me tremendously jealous.

"How about these powers, huh?" Zilla asked breaking the silence.

"Yeah, how about them," I said disinterested. So far, they had caused me nothing but trouble.

"They're amazing," Zilla said dreamily.

"If that's what you want to call it. I would say that it's more of a curse. Having this thing comes with a huge weight on my shoulders. You can't feel it?" It sometimes felt as if an elephant were sitting on my chest and squeezing all of the air out of my lungs.

"No. I sort of like it. I mean, I'm special now."

"You were special before," I said slightly annoyed. "But I get it, I'm just worried. Have you ever stopped to consider all the things that could happen to us or all the people who could accidentally get hurt? Take Luke for example."

"I saw the scars on him," she said with what I thought was a mixture of awe and sadness. "I say you're reading too much into it. You should relax a little."

I tried to calm my nerves by closing my eyes. We sat there like that, the surf hitting the shore and a tiny breeze tickling our faces. It was relaxing. I leaned back on my hands and sucked in a deep breath.

Just as I was about to melt into the rocks I heard shouting and a blood curdling scream. I pulled myself out of the trance I was in and opened my eyes. It took a minute to focus, but when I did I realized it was Zilla wailing. "Did you see that?" she asked fear replacing her usually calm features.

"See what? Why are you panicking?"

"Look," she said pointing to a spot not too far in the distance. Two surfboards floated to the surface, bobbing and weaving with the on-coming crest of waves as Locke and Luke struggled to swim to shore. All of a sudden both of their heads went under and didn't come back up.

I scrambled up. "We have to help them."

We took off running towards the water and were just about to jump in and start swimming when we saw them surface again. Only this time they weren't alone, a bunch of creatures with contorted faces were grabbing at their bodies and trying to pull them back under. The creatures were an odd shade of brown and covered in slime. They looked like walking mud puddles, but their features were more pronounced though twisted and misplaced. Their movements were clumsy, like puppets with a master who had no idea how to control them. Locke and Luke were fighting back pretty resiliently for being at such a disadvantage in the water. Locke was punching one of them with all his might and Luke was kicking some of the others. Zilla and I gave each other a knowing look.

"They're after you aren't they?" she said recognition dawning on her.

"I can't be sure, but that's my guess."

More shouts erupted and I whipped my head it's direction. There were at least four more of those creatures attacking the group Alyssa and Jett were in.

A sense of dread began snaking its way through me. "We have to do something now and we can't get in the water. I don't think my fire would work in there, not to mention I'm a terrible swimmer."

"I know," she replied trying to think through the mass hysteria.

"Maybe we can distract them. But we can't do it with everyone watching, otherwise they will know our secret," I said grasping at straws.

"What if we just call them over? Then we can run farther down the shoreline so nobody will be able to see us using our gifts."

"Not that I really want to, but I think we have a better chance at fighting them than our friends do." She grabbed my hand and we started sprinting back towards the shore.

"Let's do it at the same time."

"Definitely. It might make it loud enough for them to actually hear us over all the noise."

"What should we say?"

"How about something like come over here and get a roundhouse kick to the face?"

"How very Chuck Norris of you," she said sarcastically, "and at a time when you don't have the chops to back it up."

"Can we just pick something already? Our friends are in serious trouble here," I said frustrated.

"Okay how about, "Callie's over here come and get her".

"Hmmm...that sounds doable. Okay, get ready. On the count of three, one...two...three..." We yelled louder than I could have possibly imagined and inevitably it only gained the attention of a handful of the now dozens of creatures swirling among the shore and waves. They starting coming at us and with each step a few more joined the group until all but three were chasing us down the shoreline. They managed to stay on our heels the whole way and we only stopped when everyone looked like little tiny ants in the distance.

We turned around to face our pursuers. It only took a few seconds before we were completely surrounded and definitely outnumbered. Nine to two weren't very good odds. Zilla and I put our backs together and faced the outer ring of creatures. Nobody moved. I felt like we were in a pistol duel, walking our set amount of paces and waiting for someone to pull the trigger first.

They stood their ground, as if they were unsure whether to attack or try to capture us. From out of nowhere Draven appeared next to me and I almost jumped out of my skin again. Zilla's hand shot out and would have landed a nasty blow if I hadn't thrown myself in the middle. "It's okay Zilla, he's a friend."

She looked shocked, but drew back. "You know him?"

"Yes. It's something else I've wanted to talk to you about, but haven't been able to yet." She looked upset, but didn't say anything. "I know I have a lot of explaining to do, but can we focus on the bigger problem at hand right now?" I said gesturing to the mob of creatures around us. She nodded.

"Okay good." We turned our backs to each other again and scooted in closer. "Anybody got an idea of how to handle this? Do we just kick some butt or wait for them to attack or what?"

No one got a chance to respond because they started coming at us in full force. I remembered at the last second that there was a spell for putting up a fire barrier. I think it was called barrieradi fuoco, but what was the chant? I tried to whisper to Draven, but there wasn't enough time so I closed my eyes and imagined a giant wall of flames around us. I used the way fire had called to me earlier to draw upon for inspiration. A wave of heat rushed up around us, practically singeing my eyebrows off. With one stagger forward, a creature tried to step through the barrier and instantly shattered into a million pieces of ash. The blaze intensified the closer any of them got and after what happened with the first one, they were staying as far away from it as possible. "Any idea what these things are?" I asked blowing a rogue piece of ash away as it floated near my face.

"Yeah, they're Polong's," Draven replied. "They're like a witch's familiar. They'll do the bidding of a witch in exchange for small amounts of blood."

"Fantastic," I said throwing my arms up in the air. "Is there any chance you might have an idea how to kill or immobilize them?"

"Go for the back of the neck," he said confidently.

"How are we supposed to do that? We don't even have any weapons?" I retorted.

"Here, you can use these," he said handing us each something that looked like a dagger. "They're athames I found in your parents basement."

"They look similar to the one you used the night of my birthday party when I clumsily tripped and then blacked out. Wait; hold on, you were in my parent's basement again?"

"No, I found them the first time."

"Let me get this straight," Zilla said aggravated, "You were allowed into the basement, but I wasn't?"

"Come on Zilla, don't start this now. I know you're hurt, but you can have all the time you need after this to shun me. Which I hope you won't do, but I'll respect your decision."

"What's an athame anyway?" Zilla asked looking at the thing with disdain.

"They're used in magick rituals, mostly for sacrifices."

"Are you joking?" I asked completely dumbfounded. If these were in my parents basement then there was definitely something going on down there I should know about. The thought made my stomach turn.

"Serious as a heart attack," he said looking me squarely in the eye.

The knives were made of some type of silver metal encrusted with various gemstones of red, blue and light green. The one Draven gave me had wavy designs carved into the hilt. It felt awkward knowing what it was potentially used for, yet suspiciously light and a perfect fit for my hand. I gripped the handle and nodded to Draven. "Thanks, I think."

"No problem."

"You good over there Zilla?"

"Yeah it feels a little weird and I'm not exactly sure I can disappear with it."

"You can disappear?" Draven asked confused.

"Yes. Why, you've never heard of that before? Looks like the same thing you did earlier, except I'm a girl," she said scornfully.

"No, it's just....complicated. We can talk about it more once this is over. I have a lot to tell you both."

"So looking forward to it," Zilla snapped.

"Let's get this done then. I'm going to lower the barrier so they can come at Draven and me. Zilla, you teleport behind them and make the kill. Hopefully this works or we are all toast. Well at least I am, since I can't just disappear whenever I want."

Zilla gave me a pointed look then nodded in agreement as I released the pressure of the spell. When the barrier disintegrated I realized how weak using the magick had made me. I felt drained and wobbled on my feet a bit, but braced myself through the fogginess. Zilla transported herself to the outside ring of the group while they were distracted. A puff of ash erupted to my right and then another on the left, only nine of them remained. The creatures must have realized our plan and started scattering.

I teetered again allowing one brief moment of vulnerability, just enough for one of the Polong's to catch me off guard and shove me to the ground. He grabbed me by the ankle and started dragging me down the beach, my head bumping along over rocks and shells. I thrashed wildly in hopes that it would accidentally drop me, but its grip was so tight it was causing my leg to go numb. I knew that in order to break free I was going to have to use magick again, but I was so weak that I didn't know if I could pull it off. I tried to look back to alert Draven or Zilla, but they were so immersed in their own battles to notice that I had been captured.

I hope this works or I'm toast, I thought to myself. I focused as hard as I could and managed to summon a fire ball which I immediately threw at the Polong with every thing I had left. The force of the hurl caused it to stagger and gave me just enough room to jump to my feet and sprint around behind it. I plunged the athame deep into its neck and collapsed to my knees as it burst into tiny singed pieces of powder.

I inhaled deeply through the waves of dizziness washing over me, then struggled upright and jogged back to the battle. I helped Draven take down three more which left us three, one for each of us. Draven and Zilla dispatched theirs easily while I geared up for a fight with mine, loopy or not. When it realized it was outnumbered the creature turned tail and tried to bolt, but I was quicker and lunged at its knees, knocking it to the ground. It wriggled underneath me, but I used every inch of my body to hold him down. The horrible smell of seaweed and sewer wafted off its slimy hide. The thought of our skin on skin contact made my stomach roil, but I pushed that aside for the sake of my friends. I pulled the knife high above my head with two hands and swung it down mercilessly. Another spray of cinders in the face and I dumped over into the sand, closing my eyes.

At some point I had managed to slip into unconsciousness and woke up to someone dousing cold salt water on my face. Zilla was standing over me with a worried expression and Draven was holding a water bottle. I gagged and sputtered through the briny liquid trying to catch my breath. "What happened?" I asked not daring to move.

They looked back and forth at each other and shrugged. "One minute you were kicking total butt and the next you were out of it. We tried everything we could think of and couldn't wake you back up. This is the third bottle we've used," Zilla said relief flooding her voice.

I tried to sit up and a rush of blood shot through my head, making me reach up to rub my temples. "I don't know what's wrong with me. It must be the spells making me pathetic or something."

"They are pretty powerful," Draven replied.

"You scared me to death," she said swatting at me. "On a side note, that fire barrier you put up around us was spectacular! However," she said frowning, "don't think that this makes up for you lying to me about Draven."

I recognized that tone in her voice and knew she wasn't playing around. Her feelings were seriously hurt and I was the culprit. I lowered my head. "I know, but the bonus is we are all still alive, right?" She gave me a look that said this conversation was far from over.

I managed to get up on two feet with a little help and then we trekked back to the bonfire. Draven disappeared when we got close enough to witness the nightmare that lay before us. People were huddled in a circle around someone lying motionless on the ground. We pushed our way through and almost stumbled over Alyssa in the process. She was leaning over someone sobbing uncontrollably, their olive complexion paler than moonlight. My heart dropped and my hands began to tremble with grief. It was Jett. Just when Zilla and I had turned to look at each other horrorstruck, Alyssa looked up and cried, "He's dead."

###

Chapter 13-Betrayal

It's hard to erase the memories of what transpired over the next few hours. Teary eyed and heartbroken, Zilla and I searched for Luke, Locke and Cole in the throng of people, finally finding two of them near the edge of the crowd. Locke was lying as motionless on the ground as Jett had been, his face a pale white with beads of sweat slipping down his forehead. Luke was sitting beside him with his head in his hands when Zilla rushed over and threw herself on Locke. She proceeded to shake him while tears poured down her face. Luke finally rested his hand on her shoulder and said, "He's not dead Zilla, he's just unconscious. But if you continue to shake him like that you may kill him."

Zilla took a swing at him which I intercepted and turned into a hug. "Don't worry Zilla, we'll get him to the hospital and he'll be alright." She hugged me fiercely as if I was all she had left in the world and buried her head on my chest. "Has anybody seen Cole?" I asked starting to worry.

All I got were no's. Cole was missing and there were no traces of him anywhere. I pulled out my cell phone and tried calling him, but it just kept going to voicemail. An ambulance wailed in the distance and flashing lights of police cars came into view. They wheeled Jett and a few other seriously injured people, including Locke, away on stretchers while the cops interrogated the rest of us. No one believed our story about the creatures, not even when all of them matched up. They thought we were drunk or on drugs and insisted on having us take tests. When we passed those, they still thought we were lying. There were just some thing's adult's could never understand. In the end we made up a somewhat plausible story so we could leave.

"I'm going to go see Locke now," Zilla said after some of the madness had died down. I was buried in the sand arms wrapped firmly around my knees and tears pouring out when she spoke.

"I don't think that's a great idea. We probably shouldn't split up until we figure out what's going on," I said trying to stay calm when all I really wanted to do was throw something.

"Yeah, well tough luck. You made a promise that we wouldn't keep secrets from each other and you did by not telling me about Draven. I may have seemed unaffected by it before, but I am and right now I just need some space and that space includes me going to make sure my boyfriend is okay. Now you can come with me if you want so you can keep an eye on me, but I would prefer that you just leave me alone for awhile."

It was hard not to pretend that I wasn't hurt by her words and tone, but I was. "I'm so sorry Zilla. I would have told you if I could, but I wasn't sure that it would be safe."

"Yeah you're sure right about that, it wasn't safe at all. Look what happened to all these people and to Jett. Our best friend is dead and another is unconscious in the hospital, you should have told me sooner."

I could feel anger burning in my cheeks. I was just as upset as her and yet I was taking all the blame for this. I didn't even know if my current situation and this attack were related. Besides, she had powers too and was just as much to blame for this as I was. To make it all my fault and act like I didn't care that one of my best friend's had passed on was ridiculous. "I realize you're angry and so I'm going to respect your wish to be alone right now, but only for tonight. After that we need to talk so that I can tell you everything and just for the record I do care about what happened tonight and I don't appreciate you acting as if I didn't."

She didn't even respond, just turned on her heel and sprinted towards her car. I sniffled a little too loudly and felt Draven sit down next to me, wrapping his firm body around me like a blanket. I relaxed into the welcoming comfort of his arms and let it all go. All the bottled up emotion's I had been building flowed freely, the loss of Jett, my best friend being angry with me and Cole disappearing on me when I needed him the most. When I finally stopped crying I looked up into his eyes and froze. Why was it that I always felt so safe and right in his arms? I don't know what came over me, but I reached over and pulled his lips onto mine. The kiss was long and passionate, the kind that makes your heart beat fast and your toes tingle. I was thoroughly enjoying myself and didn't want to stop, but he gently pushed me away.

"We can't do this," he said firmly.

"Why not? Am I not good enough for you?" I said getting more irrational as the minutes ticked by. Why couldn't my life just be normal? Finish school, find a nice guy and settle down. What was so complicated about that?

"Oh please Callie, you know that's not the reason. It's because you're with Cole and because after we figure this whole thing out I still have to go back home."

I lowered my head. I knew he didn't want to go home and I didn't want him to leave so that wasn't an issue yet, but his mention of Cole had left a guilty feeling inside of me. "I'm sorry," I whispered.

He sighed. "You have nothing to be sorry for. You're upset and things happen. If it's any consolation, I liked it."

I smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah really, now let's get out of here and get you back home because you look exhausted." He grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet practically dragging me through the sand.

We had only taken a few steps when something smacked us both face first into the ground, instantly knocking me out. I don't remember much after that because it was like a horrible carnival ride. When I finally shook the stars out of my eyes I saw Draven leaning over a Polong with his knife. "Who sent you?" he spat.

"I don't have to answer any of your questions," it replied in a raspy voice. Draven dug his knife farther into the back of his neck enough to make the Polong squeal.

"What was that you said?" he asked vehemently.

The creature groaned. "I was sent by my master."

"And just who would that master be?"

He remained silent. A little more poking and whimpering convinced him to continue. "My master is a great witch known to all from the Kingdom of Sheol. She is called the bringer of despair, but you may call her Circe and she will not rest until she has accomplished her task."

"Right, we already know this part. Tell me where we can locate her."

"I will never reveal her location," he said trying to wriggle free, "it would mean certain death for all of my kind and I would rather risk my life than sacrifice theirs."

"Okay, then consider your life forfeit."

"Wait," I yelled loud enough to stop Draven from taking the final blow. "What's your name?" I asked the creature.

"Viale," he replied reluctantly, gaze flicking from side to side.

"Listen Viale, isn't there a way we can help each other out? You can tell us the location and we can help save your people?"

"Why would I trust your kind? You offer nothing of value to us."

"You mean having freedom isn't valuable to you?"

"We desire blood, feed on it, live on it and she provides it to us at a cost. We do her bidding and she sustains us. Unless you're willing to offer yours or someone else's blood to us in exchange I cannot make a deal with you."

"That's kind of gross if you ask me," Draven said disgusted. "I say we just off him and try to find out where she hibernates on our own."

Viale chuckled. "The path is shielded, heavily guarded and full of dangerous traps. You would do well to take someone along who knows the lay of the land."

"We don't need a guide," Draven responded. "We will find another way, but thanks for nothing."

We couldn't do this alone. Draven knew that, he just didn't want to cater to the abomination before him. It looked like there was only one way I could get it to cooperate with us. "What if I offer you my blood instead?" I asked hesitantly.

"No," Draven gasped, "you cannot offer yourself up in exchange. You don't understand what kind of bargain you would be making." His face looked tormented and I reminded myself to question him about that later, but I ignored his warning and waited for Viale's reply.

"Deal," he said joyously.

"No," Draven tried again "you can't do this. Once he has a taste of your blood the deal is sealed, you can't go back or undo it."

"I have to do this," I pleaded. "I need to get this all figured out and as soon as possible before more of my friends or family get hurt."

He just shook his head defeated. "I can't stop you, but you have no idea what kind of mess you've just entangled yourself in. Do as you will."

"Sorry to ruin the lovers quarrel," Viale hissed, "but I require sustenance. If you wouldn't mind," he said nodding to me, "I promise to only take a drop or two."

"Right now?" I asked nervously. "You can't wait until we get somewhere more inconspicuous?"

"It has been hours since my last feeding so unless you would rather kill me...," he trailed off.

"Alright," I said biting my tongue. "Let him up," I told Draven. He complied, but stayed at arms length from wherever Viale went.

"What do I need to do?" I asked queasiness overwhelming my already raw emotions.

"Just give me your hand," he said salivating. The hungry look in his eyes made my stomach churn even more. He made me self-consciously aware of the life force flowing through my veins. I was just a piece of meat to this creature and I had agreed to do it, whatever the costs to come. I held out my hand reluctantly and he took it with lightening quick speed biting down deeply into my wrist before I could even bat an eyelash. I squealed out in pain and Draven rushed to my side within seconds trying to comfort me.

"Only a few more drops," he gurgled over my blood. I nodded as lights danced in front of my eyes and just when I thought I couldn't stand it anymore, the pain was gone. Viale let go and trickles of blood spattered the ground around us.

"Fantastic," he said licking his lips with a smug smile. "You sure are one of a kind."

I swayed on my feet, but managed the best retort I could come up with. "Well if it hadn't been for you I would never had known." Draven chuckled and Viale looked furious. "I guess we should head back to my house for now. I need to gather some things before we head out and I also want to check-in on my friends at the hospital."

"I think that's a great idea," Draven said avoiding eye contact. He must be really angry with me, but what's one more to add to the list of people severely disappointed with my behavior?

"I better call my parents. You guys meet me back at the house. Make sure to keep him quiet and out of my things."

Draven nodded, "Done deal."

I was sitting in the parking lot by the beach waiting for my ride and trying to cover up the two tiny puncture wounds on my wrist when I saw their headlights. I knew it was them from the squeal of the breaks as the car glided up next to me and skidded to a stop. Both of them jumped out and came barreling towards me. Dad scooped me up in his arms and smoothed the hair back from my face. I caught a glimpse of mom scowling at me over his shoulder. I could tell she was not happy. I thought I was all cried out, but tears started spilling over my cheeks again. This had been the saddest week ever. I lost my cat and one of my friends, my boyfriend disappeared when I needed him the most and my best friend was angry with me. I looked up again and noticed my mom sniffing the air with an odd expression. My parents exchanged a look that they thought I couldn't see, but it was a "we need to talk about something when the kids aren't around" glare.

"Ready to go home?" dad asked squeezing me tight.

"Yeah." I stumbled into the car and buckled myself in. My eyes had swollen to the size of golf balls and my head was thrumming.

As soon as we pulled out of the parking lot the questioning began. "What happened?" mom asked quizzically.

"I told you on the phone already, a bunch of kids were drinking and tried to surf. They fell off their boards when a giant wave came, the end."

She grimaced at me in the rear-view mirror. "I want the truth Callie and I want it now." Dad reached across the car and rested his hand on moms lap causing her anger to dissipate.

"I told you the truth, why won't you believe me? You want me to make something up? Like a group of ugly creatures attacked us on the beach?" Her eyes grew wide with horror and dads jaw dropped open.

Well that was not the reaction I was expecting to come from either of them. They have to know something otherwise they would have shrugged it off just like the cops did, right? I thought it best to play coy until I figured out what the real deal was.

"They were grotesque and smelled like hamburger meat that had been left out for months," I continued on. Mom raised an eyebrow, but remained silent. "You can't possibly believe me," I said exasperated, "nobody else did."

She looked frustrated when she said, "You're right, I was just entertaining you. When you want to tell me the truth you can come find me, but until then you're grounded."

"That's not fair," I whined. I looked over at dad who just shrugged his shoulders. I wanted to scream at them, yet knew it wouldn't make a difference anyway. What I had to do next was going to happen, punishment or not. I nodded in defeat.

I took the steps two at a time up to my room and slammed the door behind me. Much to my surprise Zilla was sitting on the end of my bed. I rushed over to her and hugged her tightly. "How's Locke?" I asked concerned.

"He's still in the ICU," she responded dully.

"What are you doing here then?" I asked confused.

"Your friend came to find me. He told me that he really needed to speak to the both of us together urgently and to meet here. I let myself in with the key you made me," she said holding up the purple colored chotchkie for emphasis.

"I'm so sorry about everything Zilla. I really am and I promise from now on I won't keep anything else from you, ever!"

"It's okay," she said remorsefully.

"Really?" I asked somewhat shocked that she would forgive me so quickly.

"Yeah. I may have overreacted quite a bit about the whole situation so I'm sorry too."

I smiled. "You're my best friend and always will be so we need to stick together."

"Agreed," she said returning my smile. "So where is this other friend of yours?"

"I'm not sure actually. I thought he would have been here by now."

Draven cleared his throat from somewhere behind us. "I'm here."

"Eavesdropping," Zilla said frowning.

"Not eavesdropping," he said curtly, "giving you space and time to talk is all."

Before an argument could ensue I said "Focus people. First off, where is the uhm baggage we procured from earlier and second, what did you need to talk to us about?"

"Baggage?" Zilla asked suspiciously.

"Well its not real baggage," I said fumbling for words. "Listen, if I tell you then you have to promise not to freak out, okay?"

"I promise not to pummel you into tomorrow," she said weakly. I grimaced. "Okay fine, you win." she said defeated.

I turned to Draven "Is he here in this room?"

He eyed me steadily. "Yeah, in the closet," he replied.

"Bring him out," I said beckoning towards the door.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked skeptically. I wasn't, but what else could I do if I wanted our friendship to last?

"Yes, I'm sure. I told Zilla there would be no more secrets and so there will be no more secrets."

Draven disappeared into my closet and came out trailing Viale who gazed at me longingly. I squirmed internally at the thought of having to give him my blood again soon. I glanced at Zilla whose eyes were as big as they could possibly get and then she looked at me confused. At least she didn't try to bail, that's good, I thought. Her confusion hardened into anger as she said, "Explain."

So I told her the whole thing, about Draven and what I suspected and how we intended to track down this Circe and get information from her and to do that I would need Viale's help. I didn't, however, mention the price in which I would pay in exchange for his services and surprisingly enough she didn't ask. After I finished she nodded in agreement. She understood what I had said, but that didn't mean she had to like it and she didn't.

"You realize how insane that sounds right?" she asked.

"I know, but trust me, it was the only way."

"It's the only way to what? To get yourself killed?" she said frustrated.

"What else would you suggest that we do? We need to get this resolved. I can't live my life with this much turmoil all the time. It's complicated enough just having these cursed abilities and now I'm being targeted."

Nobody said anything for a long time until I thought the silence would deafen me. Then she said defiantly, "I'm going with you."

I shuddered at the thought. "No way, absolutely not." There were numerous dangers ahead of us and the last thing I wanted to do was put her life on the line for mine.

"You can't stop me. You know that I will just follow you."

When she set her mind to something she didn't give up until she had accomplished it. Fighting her was a lost cause. I looked to Draven for guidance and he nodded in approval. I sighed and shook my head, "Fine, you win, but let me just state for the record that I don't think it's a good idea. I'm already putting myself at risk and don't want to add you into the mix."

"I'm a big girl and can decide these things for myself. Plus, you're my best friend and I need to have your back. You'd do the same for me."

I smiled. "You're right. I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"I know," she said sincerely, "but I understand the potential consequences and I'm willing to chance it."

"Alright then, I guess we should devise a plan. Like when should we leave, what should we pack and where we are going, that sort of thing."

"I've already got that all taken care of with the help of our escort Viale here," Draven said patting him roughly on the back. "The only thing you need to get ready is yourselves."

I must have looked startled at the idea that everything was already all set to go because he said hurtfully, "Unless of course you wanted to do it yourself?"

"Oh no, of course not," I replied apologetically. "I trust that everything is in order if you're the one who has prepared it." We exchanged a look, one that I'm sure Zilla could read between the lines of, but right now I didn't care. Honestly I wasn't even sure what he was thinking when he looked at me that way, but I could guess and I liked the ideas that flitted through my mind. Instinctively I remembered Cole and drew back from his intensifying gaze.

Draven proceeded to look back and forth between the both of us and it clicked in my brain that he had been the one to get us here together for something. I didn't want to know what for after everything that had happened so far so I didn't bother to bring it up. If he wanted to give us bad news then he needed to remember it on his own. "Well I'm off," Zilla said jumping up and rushing out the door.

"Wait, what do you mean you're off?" I said confused. She couldn't leave now, we were about to embark on our journey.

"I can't very well go on this adventure without checking on Locke first and besides I need to get a few things ready."

"Right, well don't pack any stiletto's okay?" The funny quip reminded me of something Jett would say and tears threatened to leak out again. "What about Jett's funeral?"

She pondered for a minute. "You're right. We should wait until after that before we leave. Plus, it will give you a chance to confront your parents about what's going on so far to see what you can get out of them. Any little bit of information helps us."

I nodded in agreement. "Okay, go and I will see you tomorrow. We will figure out the funeral stuff when we get more information." With that, she bolted down the stairs and out the front door.

That just left the three of us, talk about awkward. "Callie, I need to talk to you about something privately," Draven said.

I nodded, "Viale, would you excuse us for a moment?" He licked his lips, eyes regarding me with something similar to lust and retreated back into the closet.

"Creeper," I whispered. Draven snickered and I nudged him making it clear that I didn't want to be overheard.

"I got some more information out of Viale for you," Draven said. I didn't even want to know how he came to squeeze that from him, but I'd take it.

I beckoned him forward. "Spill it."

He cocked his eyebrows and proceeded. "According to Viale, during one of their "rituals", Circe mentioned a blood debt that must be repaid. She didn't go into details, but something about Thanatos being angry about an incident that happened a long time ago and needing to even the playing field."

I crinkled my nose. "What does that have to do with me?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not entirely sure, but it definitely had to do with you being the blood debt."

I had a hard time processing the information once it was out there. I knew that I was being hunted by Circe through Thanatos, but I had no idea why. Why me? Why not my parents or my aunts, uncles, grandparents, nieces or nephews? There were so many unanswered questions and only one person who knew the real answer, Thanatos. "I will need to talk to my parents, they're the only ones who...." Draven looked up at the window alarmed. He stood slowly, tiptoed to the curtain and peeked out.

I closed my eyes and concentrated to see if I could hear what had him on high alert. Finally I heard a light tapping on the glass. I opened my eyes and Draven was looking at me his expression unreadable. Then he whispered, "Its Cole."

My eyes lit up at first and then I got angry when I remembered that he had disappeared on me when the going got tough only hours earlier. He left me and my friends out there on the beach to be devoured by those hungry creatures, one who now I was indebted to and for that I held him partially responsible. Draven sensed the change in my mood and reached for my hand. I tried to smile back at him to let him know everything was alright, but when he asked if he should stay I nodded and had him hide out in the closet with Viale until I could get rid of Cole. I took several deep cleansing breathes and marched to the window, pulling up the curtains and pushing it open wide so I could peer down. The sight of him made my heart race, but I scowled anyway to show my disproval.

"Can I at least come up there and talk to you. Let me get my side of the story out before you judge me?" he asked. I wanted to toss a rock out and let it thunk him on the head instead, but I couldn't bring myself to do it so I sighed and motioned him up.

I walked away from the window, my mind racing and trying to analyze all the things I wanted to say to him and some I didn't. It felt like I was pacing forever and when I finally looked up to see what was taking so long I realized he had been there all along. He was sitting on the ledge of the window just watching me. Our eyes locked as butterflies swam around in my stomach. How did he get up there? My room is on the second floor. Before I could even open my mouth he started talking. "I'm so sorry," he said. I just stared at him with a blank expression. "You have no idea what this has been like for me." That's odd considering all he did so far was run away when thing's got sticky.

"There is something I need to tell you and for quite some time, but couldn't." A little more than worried, I moped over to the bed and sat down. He followed me and took my hand. "What's that smell?" he asked sniffing near my arm.

I pulled the sleeve of my sweater down more and said, "Nothing."

He gave me a weird look, but continued on. "Promise me that no matter what I say now, you will remember this one thing..." I nodded. "I love you." I struggled to get a proper intake of breath. "I'm not sure how it happened or why, but I can't change it or make it go away."

Did I just hear him right? He loved me? I blushed. We haven't even been dating that long and I'm not even sure I could say the same back to him no matter how much I had originally wanted him to say it to me. I was at a loss for words so I said the first thing I could think of, "I promise not to forget."

He hesitated, but dove right in. The rest of the conversation seemed like a blur. He told me he was an Asema. The same creature Draven told me about before and coincidentally the one that had been attacking me. He continued on about how he was hired by Circe to turn me into a vampire in my sleep. His tale included how he followed me to school, the first day bumping into me and the next day attacking me during class. He told me that he tried to get to me by meeting me at the restaurant and how he fell in love with me along the way, he was pretty sure it may have been at the Halloween dance when that girl shoved cake in my face. Regardless, he couldn't complete the task and that's why he had been so weird lately and why he left when he saw the Polong's on the beach.

Was he the hot vampire I danced with who laughed at me? I was stunned. I couldn't say anything, couldn't move or react and then it hit me, what about Garbage? I felt the anger well up inside me as I dropped his hand and got up. Everything else I might have been able to process on some twisted level, but not that. Through gritted teeth I said, "The other stuff really pisses me off, but this I have to know even more, did you kill my cat?"

I knew the answer before he even spoke. His body language and facial expression said it all and my temperature accelerated to cosmic levels. I was a white hot star about to burst into a trillion tiny specks. Before I could blink a blast of heat shot out, lashing him across the face. I raised my hands and flicked my wrist increasing the consistency. He squirmed under the waves of pressure I was shoving his direction, but didn't try to move. He looked up at me, his eyes sad and pleading, beads of sweat rolling down the folds of charred skin on his cheeks. Pieces of it were turning black and drifting to the floor like flaky ashes. In an almost whisper I said, "You'll pay for everything you've done."

I wanted to kill him. To be rid of every part of this evil being that had ever touched me no matter how badly my heart was telling me to stop. I was about to give him the last bit of everything I had in me when Draven appeared beside me and caught my gaze. A calming sense of peace rushed over me and I relaxed into it, letting everything else cease to exist and melting the white hot lava that was my power from me. I smiled at Draven and dropped my hands. When I turned to look back at Cole I gaped. The pieces of burnt skin were reanimating themselves and putting itself back together, like a jigsaw puzzle.

I was thankful for Draven's intervention. I still hated Cole just as much, but I knew I couldn't end his life. That just wasn't the kind of person I was. Draven floated a few feet away and remained at my side though still invisible to Cole who looked stricken. He stood up like he was going to approach me.

"Stop right where you are," I said with an air of power. His eyes regarded me cautiously as I continued. "I want you to leave my house, turn into that orb thing you're so fond of and get out, now. Don't ever look back. What you feel for me is pointless because I don't feel the same, it was all a lie. I just want you to answer me this one thing before you go. Why?"

He looked really pale and his hands were shaking as he said, "It's more complicated than it seems."

"Explain it to me then."

"Well, your cat really isn't a cat," he said trying to avert his gaze.

"What do you mean my cat wasn't a cat? He was fluffy, had four paws and meowed. Ya know, the kind of stuff that cat's do," I said making a face.

He shook his head. "Right, they do seem like cats to humans, but he was actually a tricon."

I blanched. This had to be another whale of a tale from the master spinner of lies. "What the hell is a tricon?"

"They're creatures that can take the form of a cat, but when they are threatened or attacked they morph into the likes of a giant bearcat. Usually tricon's are given as gifts to someone with immense power in the Underworld as a protector."

"That can't be possible. I found Garbage just dinking around in my backyard. He was a cat, plain and simple."

He frowned trying to push the issue. "He wasn't a cat, he was a tricon. Whether you choose to believe me or not, I was in your backyard because I smelled something weird and wanted to make sure you were okay. When I got close to the back door I accidentally bumped into it. It made a loud noise so I decided I should come in so I could let you know it was just me in case I scared you and that's when your tricon attacked me. I tried to fight it off, but there was nothing I could think of to do to keep him alive and at the same time save myself. I did what I had to do. I am so very sorry that I have caused you such terrible pain." He reached out to take my hand and I yanked it back. He looked hurt, but at this point I didn't care.

"I don't want to see you again, ever."

"Don't do this," he said his eyes pleading with mine. I was walking over to the window to show him the way out of my room when a noise coming from the closet demanded our attention. Up until this point Draven had remained invisible and somehow had made his way back into the shadows without me noticing. Cole sniffed the air and came at me lightening quick, pressing his body against mine in a protective stance.

"What are you doing?" I asked shoving him off of me. I couldn't get this close to him without feeling faint. My heart beat faster and my pulse raced. I knew it was just because he was a vampire and not because I had feelings for him. Or was it? I didn't know anymore. There was too much going on in my life already that I didn't have time to really analyze it. He still stood close to me and sniffed the air again. When he started towards the closet I jumped in to intercept him. His eyes grazed over me then turned purple and his fangs popped out. How did I not notice those before?

"What are you hiding in there?" he asked deadly serious.

"I'm not hiding anything," I said trying not to sound guilty.

"That smell," he said trying to take a step closer, "That's the scent I picked up on before in your house and that day on the beach. What is it?"

So he did know something was up that day on the beach. A faint memory was tugging at the back of my mind, but it wouldn't break through. It was as if someone had blocked it from me. "It's a friend of mine," I said tartly. I didn't need to explain myself to anyone, especially not him.

"And what about the scent on your clothing? It doesn't match the other."

"That's because they're not the same," I said taken aback. I hadn't realized how accurate his sense of smell was, but then again I just recently discovered what he was. "Can you put your fangs back now?"

"Not until you show me what's in there."

"Fine" I said resignedly, "I'm going to show you what's in there, but not because I have to and then you need to leave, for good."

"As you wish," he replied giving me a look that I assume indicated he would comply with my request.

I walked over to the closet and pulled open the door. Both Draven and Viale came out reluctantly after I nudged them along. Draven stepped protectively in front of me and Cole's eyes widened. "So, this is why you're rejecting me?" he asked smirking. "You're smitten with an Unforgiven? How's life treating you there buddy? I bet you must love being invisible to just about everyone in the free world and well, pretty much everywhere else."

Draven took a step forward like he was going to attack and I stepped in the middle. Guys were so frustrating. "Enough," I said loudly. "I don't want to be with you anymore because you lied, killed my cat, tried to turn me into a vampire and who knows what else, but it has nothing to do with Draven."

"So, it has a name does it?"

Draven tried to step around me to get at him, but I blocked his path again. That's when Viale spoke up. "Good to see you again my friend," he said eyeing him with a wicked grin.

Cole looked like he wanted to disappear after ripping him to shreds. "We are not friends."

I glanced from one vampire to the other and couldn't believe how different they both seemed. One was handsome and the other resembled a shriveled up piece of beef jerky. As if sensing my thoughts, Viale looked at me and started salivating again. I didn't think it was possible for anyone to look as disgusted or sickened as Cole did at that moment. "That's the smell I found on your clothes isn't it?" he asked rushing over. He yanked the sleeve of my sweater up and perused the bite marks. His hold on my wrist tensed when he looked into my eyes, his voice tight and clipped when he said, "What have you done?"

"What I had to do," I said trying to wriggle my hand free.

"Let her go," Draven said stepping forward to intercept. He let go of my hand and said, "You have no idea what you've just done, do you?"

"I made a promise so he can take us where we need to go."

He shook his head laughing. "Oh, its way more than that or didn't that piece of slime tell you?"

"What do you mean?" I asked hesitating.

"I'm sure you'll find out soon enough," he said sighing. I didn't like the sound of that at all and I made a mental note to grill the crap out of Viale once I dealt with the current problem at hand.

"Its time for you to go now," I said pushing him towards the window. Even with all of the anger and frustration boiling between us I knew he wanted to stay and plead his case, beg me to stick with him. It wouldn't help. At least not right now anyway, but that didn't stop him from pulling me to him and wrapping his arms around me. Draven gave me a meaningful look, like he wanted to rush over, but I put my hand up signaling him to stop right where he was. Cole's dazzling eyes bore deep into mine as he leaned over and kissed me on the lips. I tried my hardest not to return it though I failed slightly and just barely managed to pry him away. How could he still make me feel this way even after everything I knew? He started to climb out the window and just before he was going to leap he looked back at me and said, "We belong together and if I can't have you, I will make sure nobody does."

###

Chapter 14-Confrontation

I don't think it was more than a second after he disappeared that a deep, dark sadness washed over me and started to pull me under. Everything he said seemed so impossible, even after what I saw. He said he loved me. How could he say that and at the same time be trying to do unspeakable things to me? I thought about his warm kisses and then remembered the time he tasted like blood. I ran into the bathroom and hurled. His purple eyes and cold skin had me wondering why I'd never pieced it all together before. I heard the rumors, I read "Twilight". It had all been a lie from the very beginning and a colossal waste of my time. Draven came into the bathroom to check on me and by then I had gotten rid of everything possibly left in my body. I motioned for him to sit down on the edge of the tub while I clung to the toilet bowl.

"I'm sorry," he said remorsefully.

"I know. It's just really difficult to take in, but it all makes sense. His eyes change color you know, when he gets angry or frustrated or excited." Draven nodded urging me to continue. "When I got attacked at school that creature looked directly into my eyes and they were purple. The same color as Cole's sometimes. How could I have been so blindingly stupid?" I sobbed.

"That's crazy," he said comforting me. "It's not your fault that he tricked you. That's just what they do, its part of their job."

I hated that I had just been a meal ticket for him, that he roped me into falling for him and then broke the news to me. I got up and stumbled back over to the bed, threw myself down and shoved a pillow over my head. "I just want this all to be over," I shouted to no one in particular.

The bed rippled underneath his weight when he came over to sit next to me. "I know you do and hopefully we can get this all worked out."

"I still want him you know." Silence. "I don't know what it is about him that makes me feel like that, but I do. And yet, no matter how I feel about him I still want to kill him. I won't let him hurt anybody else because he can't have me and I don't want him to move on to his next victim. I know it sounds strange and it's probably going to take everything I have in me to do it, but I will get him back for this-one way or another."

Draven sighed. "I promise to be by your side for as long as I can."

He's already done so much for me, I thought. I have to find a way to make it up to him somehow.

"Thanks." He lay down next to me and stared up at the ceiling. I thought about ways I could help him in the silence that followed. What did he want more than anything? I'm pretty sure it was to get back home. And that's when I decided to make it my mission. After all was said and done, I would find a way to get him back to his family.

"I'm going to help you," I said smiling.

"What do you mean?" he asked rolling over to face me.

"I mean, I solemnly swear to find a way to get you back to your home. So you can see your family and friends again."

"I can't ask that of you," he said looking away. "Besides, you know less about all this stuff than I do. I don't think you could be of any help. I've tried just about everything."

I reached out to take his hand and felt him shudder. I smiled to myself. I'll never be able to get over how exciting it is for him when I just touch his hand. "I probably don't know very much and the chances are high that I will be of no use to you, but, I have to try. I want to try. After everything you've done for me, I want to do something for you in return." I leaned forward and pressed my forehead to his. His eyes went wide and he looked on the verge of tears, but he nodded and said, "I'd like that."

A knock on the door brought us back to the present and before I could even blink, Zilla was in the room holding a large pink leopard print duffle bag. I couldn't help but laugh. That's so Zilla. No matter what we are doing, she has to still be fashionable.

"What's going on here?" she asked flopping down next to me.

"Nothing much now, we were just talking."

"What do you mean nothing much now?" Tears welled up again at the thought of Cole and she wrapped her arms around me.

"What happened? Tell me," she said concerned.

So I told her everything that Cole had revealed to me, even the part about me offering my blood to Viale in exchange for his guidance which I had left out earlier. When I was finished she said, "I'll kill him." She got up and paced the room. Her face was red and she looked angrier than I've ever seen her before. "I swear on everything, I will make him pay for this. He tricked me into thinking he liked you and he actually just wanted to hurt you."

"It's not your fault."

"How could it not be? I encouraged him to pursue you and now look what's happened."

"Stop," I said holding up a hand, "this really isn't your fault and its not mine either, so quit talking like that."

She lay back on the bed and cuddled up next to me. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"It's okay, really. I think I've cried just about all the tears I have left in me."

Our anklets touched briefly as she snuggled up closer and we both felt that familiar surge of power. Immersed in our own conversation we had completely forgotten Draven was in the room until he cleared his throat and said, "Speaking of those anklets."

We both eyed him wearily. "What about them?"

"Where did you get them?"

"They were a present from Zilla for my birthday, why?"

He nodded and continued, "Zilla, where exactly did you find them?"

"A shop called Gypsy Cravings. I went in to see what all they had for sale and just as we were leaving the woman behind the counter, I think her name was Alise, stopped us and told me she had something special to show me. She pulled out a box with both anklets in it."

"Hmmm," he said tapping his chin with his index finger.

"Hmmm, what?" I asked confused about where this was headed.

"I meant to tell you before when I first noticed that change in you both after your anklets touched, but so much has been going on."

"Spill it already," I said sitting up flustered.

"Well, those anklets you're wearing are called dolgam in my world. A dolgam is a trinket such as a piece of jewelry or a stone that is infused with a witch's power. The powers within the dolgam will be equally matched to the level of the witch who crafted them. For instance, if the witch is the strongest you've ever met then the dolgam's protection will be equal to that strength. If the witch is weak the dolgam will be also. They are mostly used for protection, but some are crafted for evil while others hold random miscellaneous powers. You really never know what you're going to get unless you seek out someone to design one for you. Even then they are extremely hard to come by."

"So, what do you think our dolgam's do and why do you think she chose us to give them to?"

"I don't know for sure. Whatever powers are within those anklets are meant to help you and not harm you. I can tell from the way they affect your personalities, but I can't really put my finger on what they specifically do. We would probably need to go back to this Alise and find out."

"Well that's a relief," I said sarcastically, "wouldn't want to add something else into the mix of craziness we are involved in."

Zilla nudged me. "Quit being so dramatic."

"Have you heard anything about Jett's funeral?" I asked changing the subject.

Zilla smacked her forehead. "Duh, I totally forgot to tell you about that. I spoke to Mrs. Alastair at the hospital when I was checking in on Locke. She said that all the arrangements have been made and the funeral is set for tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. She wants all of his friends to be there and requested us to say a few words about him."

Thinking about Jett made tears sting the back of my eyes, but I forced them back down. "Okay. I think that's the least we can do after everything that's happened. He was a great friend and I want to tell everyone."

Zilla nodded in agreement. "Definitely. So, are we going to set out on this adventure sometime shortly after or should we take a few days before we head out?"

"I think it's probably best if we leave after the funeral. The sooner we can get back at the people who killed one of our best friends, the better."

"Agreed," Zilla and Draven said in unison.

"Well then, I am going to leave my bag here and go take care of a few more things. I want to be able to see Locke again before we go."

"How is he by the way? Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, that's okay. You need to get some rest after the long day you've had. He's actually doing fairly well right now. His vitals are back to normal and he's starting to get up and move around. I think he has a cracked rib, but other than that he should be fine."

"Good," I said with a sigh of relief. "Glad to hear it. Give him my best when you see him. I guess while you're gone I should probably confront my parents, well my dad anyway."

"Yes," Zilla said reassuringly. "If anything they'll just tell you you're crazy and since we both know you're not there isn't anything to worry about. We will end up going on this quest whether we have their information or not so no matter what they say just remember that."

"Thanks bestie, I will," I said hugging her.

"I'll see you soon," she said grabbing her purse and heading out the door.

"So what do you think is the best way to approach my dad?" I asked Draven after she disappeared down the hall. "Should I go in there all lit up or should I just corner him when he's alone?"

He laughed. "It probably isn't the best idea to rush in there all fired up, no pun intended. I think you should just pull him aside and grill him as much as you can. The more you can get out of him the better."

"True," I said yawning. I was tired and emotionally raw. "Can I just sleep first? It's been such a long day."

"No," he replied firmly. "If I have to kick you off the bed to get you going, I'll do it."

I groaned. "Fine, have it your way. Just keep an eye on the creeper in the closet."

He smiled. "Very funny. Now get going and don't come back until you have some answers."

I got up off the bed and made my way out of the room. I was just about to go down the stairs and find him when I noticed that the lock on the basement was undone and the door was slightly ajar. I looked up and down the hall checking to make sure it was clear then I slid it open just enough to stick my head in. For a minute all I could make out was deafening silence, but then I heard a voice I recognized. Dad. He was talking to someone, but his voice too low for me to decipher. I took a step forward and leaned further in hoping he wouldn't hear anything out of the ordinary. So far so good. Nobody was in the room with him as he paced back and forth looking nervous. That meant he was on the phone.

"Yes, this is Orlando at 316 Nautical Wisp Street. Passcode 123456. We need to move our protection level up to tier 4. Yes, I said tier 4. The reason? Extenuating circumstances. We don't pay you to think, we pay you to do." My first thought was, who makes their passcode 123456? Lame. And protection tier to level 4? What does that mean? "Yes, that's all," he said finishing the call.

I snuck back out and raced onto the patio leading up to the widow's walk making sure to leave the door somewhat open so I could hear when he came out. I inhaled the cool crisp night air and waited. A few minutes later a clanking noise signaled his latching the door again so I proceeded to head back inside.

"Hey dad," I said nudging him with my elbow.

He looked from the door to me, but didn't say anything. "Everything okay?" I asked concerned.

"Yeah, everything's fine sweetheart," he said, his mood changing. "How are you doing?"

"The usual," I said shrugging my shoulders. "I was wondering if you had a few minutes to talk."

He frowned but said, "Sure, is now a good time?"

"As good a time as any I suppose."

He looped his arm through mine and started to lead me downstairs where I knew my mom would be within earshot. That would not turn out well. I needed to get him alone. Plus, Draven might be able to decipher some of the cryptic answers I was bound to receive.

"Can we talk in my room?" I asked slowing to a halt. He looked at me cock-eyed, but nodded his head.

"Good," I said pulling him back.

Once we were inside I shut the door firmly and gestured for him to sit down, which he did without hesitation even though I could tell he was getting nervous. It didn't help that I was pacing the room and I hadn't said anything yet.

"What's going on PB? Whatever it is, you can tell me," he said reassuringly.

"Sorry dad, it's just a lot of things and I want to make sure that I get everything right before I throw it all at you."

His eyebrow quirked up, but he didn't speak anymore, just waited for me to proceed.

"Okay," I sighed. "You're not going to like any of this, but I need answers and I know I'm not going to get anything out of mom. She hasn't exactly earned her mother of the year award."

He opened his mouth to defend her and I waved him off. "Don't. I know what you're going to say and I understand your point of view, but let's just agree to disagree on it because that isn't what I wanted to talk to you about."

He looked like he wanted to still broach the subject then thought better of it. "Okay, then shoot."

Where should I start? How about the fact that I can light myself on fire? Or that I'm being chased down by some crazy vampires, that I have a ghost friend, that I found some diary entry I can't decipher, the spell book meant for me or how about that for some unknown reason I feel like it all somehow relates to my mom and maybe even the family crest tattoo I have on my wrist? I can't reveal too much because I know whatever I say here won't be confidential. He's bound to tell my mom. So, I start with the easiest of all the subjects and the one least likely to cause irreversible damage.

"What do you know about our family crest?"

"To be honest, I don't know very much about it. We got them a very long time ago from a friend of the family. Why, is there something wrong with it?"

"No, for the most part I was just curious and since it sort of relates to the next question I'm about to ask I figured it was safer to start with that."

"I don't understand," he said shaking his head quizzically.

"I know. Be patient, it will all come full circle. How much do you know about our family having powers?"

His jaw dropped open, "What do you mean powers?"

Maybe it's better if I show him what I mean, there isn't really a good way to describe it otherwise and the chances of him believing me are higher. "I mean like this," I said reciting an incantation and igniting a ball of fire in the palm of my hand.

He jumped in the air about as high as a cat would if you tied a balloon to their tail and then popped it. I immediately put it out, not wanting him to try rushing out of the room and grabbing mom. Although he looked like at any second that would probably be his next move. Neither of us said anything for a bit and I swear I heard him mumble under his breath that this wasn't supposed to happen yet, but when I asked him what he had just said he denied ever saying anything at all. He stared at me eerily as if trying to decide what to say. The weirdest part about the whole situation was his acceptance of the impossible. If anyone else had just shown their parents what I did, they would be shipped to a loony bin and written off. Dad, however, seemed to take it in stride. "I don't know anything about it," he said steadily.

He was lying. He had to be. There was no way he could still be sitting here in the same room with me after that little trick and not know something. "You're not telling the truth," I said calling him out. "We have an honesty policy and you're breaking it."

"How dare you accuse me of something like that," he said raising his voice. I flinched at the sound as it was a tone I'd never heard before.

"I'm sorry," I pleaded remorsefully. "I didn't mean for it to come out like that."

He pretended not to hear me as he said, "I'll send your mom up."

"I don't want to hear anything from her," I said throwing a mini fit. "She doesn't like me and nothing I ever can or do will change that."

"How can you even say that with a straight face?" he asked offended. "Your mother loves you more than you'll ever know."

"Please," I said as calmly as I could muster, "don't go there yet. There are a couple more things I need to ask you about this whole situation and if you still can't answer them I will gladly welcome mom up here."

I thought he would refuse, but he said, "Go on."

I swallowed the lump forming in the back of my throat and continued. "Does mom keep a diary?"

"I don't think so, why do you ask?"

He sounded sincere, but after his earlier lie I had to be sure. "I'm going to show you something and I need to tell me if it is mom's handwriting."

"Okay," he said eyeing me wearily.

I reached underneath my pillow and pulled out the torn diary page Zilla and I had taped together. I handed it to him carefully and watched as he struggled to keep his emotions under wraps. "Where did you get this?" he asked eyes blazing. "Did you go down into the basement?"

"I have a right to know," I said crossing my arms over my chest defiantly.

"It's not," he said looking away and standing up. "Are we done here?"

He was lying, again. I knew he wasn't going to let me push him any further with the questioning. If I wanted more answers, I would have to talk to my mom.

"Yeah," I said sitting down on the bed defeated.

"Stay out of the basement," he said as he turned and stormed out.

###

Chapter 15-Mom

Well that was a disaster, I thought collapsing back onto the bed. I waited on pins and needles for my door to burst open and my mom to storm in grounding me for life, but she never showed. I was a terrible daughter for assuming that was the first place dad would go after our conversation, but I couldn't help it. Draven came out and kept me company while I jotted down my portion of the eulogy for Jett. Nothing I had written so far summed up the wonderful person Jett was. His bubbly personality, willingness to help and the loyalty that he showed us on a daily basis was something I felt could not be put into words. I kept wading up my chicken scratch and tossing them into the trash bin until things began to blur together making it difficult to write even one word. It was nearly midnight when I finally finished.

I got ready for bed and hunkered down underneath the covers waiting for sleep to overtake me. I had just drifted off when a loud ding shocked me back awake, my phone. I picked it up, checked my newest messages and my stomach turned. It was Cole. I had managed to shove him out of my thoughts and now, here he was again, making me think about him. "Do you have time to talk?" he asked. "No," I replied. "Not for you." His response came quick. He must have been using his high-speed vampire fingers, if that was even true. "Come on Callie, we need to talk about this. I can't lose you." I took a few minutes to respond, the longer I made him wait and suffer the better. "You already did and there is nothing you can do about. Please just lose my number. Haven't you caused me enough pain?" I got no response, but I hadn't expected to and it wouldn't have mattered anyway, I had made up my mind.

"Who was that?" Draven asked sensing my mood change.

"You don't even want to know," I groaned. He didn't push the issue, probably because he already knew who it was.

"Are you okay?" he asked putting an arm around me.

"Yeah, I think so. It still just sort of stings ya know?"

He laughed. "No, I don't know, but I will sympathize with you anyway."

"Sorry," I said hanging my head low, "I didn't mean to imply anything."

"No, its okay," he said lifting my chin. "I dated a few people in my world, but I never found anyone that I was very interested in. It just never felt right."

"So you haven't found anyone you have strong feelings for?" I asked hesitantly, hoping and praying that maybe he might just say yes, for me. He opened his mouth to speak when a rustling noise from the closet drew our attention. "Viale must be hungry again," he said grimacing.

"Guess I better feed the beast," I said with a forced laugh. My stomach knotted up at the sight of him as he slipped out from behind the door and slithered my direction. I held out my wrist before he was even halfway across the room and shut my eyes. Draven squeezed my shoulder reassuringly and I was enormously grateful to have someone here with me during this awful situation. I whimpered as Viale bit deeply into the veins, the sucking noise making bile rise up in the back of my throat. When he released my arm I sighed in relief and Draven helped adjust me on the bed, wrapping me securely in a blanket.

"You should get some sleep," he whispered, "tomorrow is going to be a long day." Whatever he had said after that was fuzzy as I drifted off.

When I woke up I immediately became aware of two things. First, I had slept through the night without having my usual reoccurring nightmare and second, there was someone in my room. I looked around cautiously. Mom. Sitting next to the bed, the spell book Draven brought me propped open in her lap as she silently flipped through the pages. I scooted up to a sitting position and our eyes met. She looked angry and closed off so I knew this conversation wasn't going to go very well. "Where did you get this?" she asked slamming the book shut. I couldn't tell her the truth otherwise she'd know about Draven, but I also didn't want to get myself in even more trouble by telling her I had gone into the basement. Considering dad already knew I'd gone in there because of the diary, I figured I might as well just get it over with.

"The basement," I said pulling at a frayed strand of comforter.

Her eyes narrowed as she said, "There are a million ways I could punish you right now. Do you know that? Why, after we specifically told you not to go down there and even put a lock on the door would you disobey us like that?"

I couldn't take it anymore. How could she be mad at me when they were the ones lying? "Because you guys are hiding things from me," I said defending myself. "I might be just some lowly teenager to you, but stuff is happening to me and now I can't even turn to my parents for support because you're never here."

"Don't you dare take that tone with me young lady," she said standing up and tossing the book onto the bed. "You're grounded for a month and if I ever, and I mean ever, catch you in the basement again, I will make sure the punishment is ten times worse than anything you've ever dreamed of."

"Don't you even care about me?" I practically screamed at her, my body getting warm and fired up. "You haven't yet asked me what's wrong. Instead, you just scold me for going into the basement."

"I don't need to ask you anything," she said, her tone low and warning. "Your father already told me everything."

"Did he? While I'm sure you got all the extraordinary details, there's nothing like seeing it up close and personal. Let me show you," I said jumping off the bed and bursting into flames. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped opened. She took a step backward like she was going to make a break for it, but instead straightened up and stood her ground. "Enough," she said putting her hands on her hip.

The flames flickered about my skin and then disappeared like someone had just doused me with water. I threw myself on the bed and starting sobbing uncontrollably, burying my face deeper into the bedspread when I felt her sit down beside me. "I'm a freak," I said through raspy breaths.

She reached out tentatively and started lightly running her fingers through my hair. I rolled sideways my back towards her as she said sincerely, "I'm sorry sweetie. I know I'm not the best mother in the world, but I really do try."

"I know," I said sniffling. We sat there like that quiet for some time before I said, "Did you know this was going to happen to me?"

"No," she said clasping her hands together in her lap. "I mean, yes and no. I knew there was a possibility, but I didn't know for sure."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked hysterically.

"Why would I tell you? What would be the point if nothing was ever going to happen? If I had a choice in the matter I'd rather you not have to be a part of everything having these powers entails."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that for now I can't tell you everything, but I will tell you as much as I can. First, you should know that your father and I love you so much that just trying to put it into terms wouldn't do it justice. You're our miracle and we would do anything to protect you." I nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"The diary entry that you found was in fact written by me," she said confirming my suspicions. I gasped and spun around to face her. She looked solemn and sincere. For the first time since I was a baby I could feel the warmth and love she felt for me radiating through and around me. I instinctively remembered the description of the tattoo from the diary entry and pointed to her saying, "Show me."

"Show you what?" she asked cautiously.

"The tattoo," I said nervously. "I need to see it." She looked reluctant at first, but then tilted slightly, draping her hair over one shoulder and tugging her shirt down. On the delicate curve of her back where the neck connects to the spine lay three intricate spirals. They started small in the middle and got larger going outwards making a circle. It reminded me of tiny tornadoes ready to take off and rip apart anything in its path. I brushed it lightly with the tips of my fingers. "Wow. So it's true then?"

"Yes, everything you read is true."

"So you're a vampire?" This is so out of this world unbelievable. She doesn't look anything like Viale. I mean, I know from Draven's brief report that there are several different types of vampire, but this was just weird. I briefly thought of Cole and a small pang hit me in my chest.

"Sort of, in the sense that I'm immortal and I have to drink blood to survive, yes."

"You drink blood?" I asked crinkling my nose. "How come you can walk around in the daylight, reproduce and even eat normal food?"

"Drinking blood is the only way I can survive, the rest is all a myth to distract people from finding out just how close to being human we really are. Can you imagine if it was out in the open? How much pandemonium and chaos it would start?"

"That makes sense I suppose. How come I've never seen your fangs?" I asked pointedly.

She laughed and smiled "That's because I haven't wanted you to see them and you probably never will. That's not something we show off. It's more of a very intimately private thing."

"So you just take someone down there and have your way with them?" I asked slightly repulsed.

"No, it's nothing like that at all. But that's not a subject I'm willing to broach with you just yet."

"Okay, well is that what the chair in the basement is used for?"

"Also something I can't talk to you about."

"Fine," I said huffing. "What about my powers? Are yours similar?

She stood up and started pacing the room. "No, they're not similar. In fact, I haven't heard of anyone having powers like yours for hundreds of years."

"Hundreds of years?" I asked in shock. I must have misheard her.

"Yes Callie, hundreds of years. I'm a lot older than you'd think."

"So it's true that you can live forever?"

"Yes and no. I can live for a very long time, but that doesn't mean forever. There are plenty of obstacles I would need to overcome to become untouchably immortal."

"Huh," I said contemplating. "Will these powers make me immortal too? Would it have something to do with my family crest tattoo?"

"I don't think so," she said pacing again, "but I don't know for sure. That tattoo was given to all of us by a dear friend after we assimilated into society with you. He would probably be the best one to speak to about that, but I haven't heard from him in years. I guess I'll have to get back to you on that."

"What about others like me? Powers in general I mean. Are there any?"

She looked at me questioningly, but I couldn't tell her about Zilla. That wasn't my secret to spill. "I have heard of a few others, but nothing like yours. Do you know of someone else?"

I feigned disinterest "No, I was just curious. I figured that if you knew of someone that I might be able to get some good information from them." She seemed to accept that answer and waited for me to continue with the questioning. I had so many things I wanted to ask her and for that matter tell her. If she knew about Thanatos and that he wanted revenge then it was obviously the reason he was coming after me. I wondered if she knew that he had found me and had sent people after me. I wanted to curl up in her arms and tell her everything that had been going on, but I couldn't. If the look on her face was any indication, she'd taken just about as much of this conversation as she could already. I was pushing the limits and I knew I would be on my own from here. Something had to be done and after all my parents sacrificed for our family there was no way I would get them involved in all of this craziness. This was just something I would have to deal with on my own.

I got up and walked carefully towards her, then embraced her in the biggest hug I'd ever given her before. She clung back to me and whispered, "It's going to be alright, I promise."

"Thank you," I said tears threatening to leak out the corner of my eyes.

She glanced at the clock and said, "Jett's funeral is in a few hours so you should get ready. When you come back we can sit down and talk some more. Does that sound good?"

"Yes," I said hugging her tighter, "it sounds perfect." I let go and watched as she left the room. I hoped things would stay like this forever.

I jumped into the shower and started washing up. The warmth and heat of the water felt refreshing on my skin, like it was cleansing my soul. I got out and wrapped the towel tightly around myself while a million questions were zooming around in my head. There were so many things left that I still needed to know and some of them I wasn't even sure would be beneficial to our trip. They were just things I was desperate to find out about myself. I was so lost in my thoughts that I had completely forgotten about Viale when I stepped into the closet to grab an outfit. I jumped a little, almost tripping over him. He was curled up in a tight little ball his eyes shut breathing deep and heavy. I tiptoed in farther, pulled the black cotton stretch dress from its hanger and snatched a pair of matching black sandals. I had almost made it back out when I heard his low raspy voice say, "You smell delicious."

My stomach lurched and I shivered involuntarily. I tried to stay calm and pretend he didn't frighten me. "Thanks, I think." He chuckled, which sounded more like a hoarse cough.

"Nervous are we?" he asked licking his lips.

Come to think of it, I was nervous. Just picturing him biting into my wrist again made my skin crawl, but how did he know? "How did you know that?"

He smiled wickedly and clicked his tongue. "Oh you poor thing. You really have no idea, do you?"

"No idea about what? What aren't you telling me?"

Draven appeared by my side out of thin air and stood next to me our arms practically touching. Viale snorted with disgust and closed his eyes again, pretending not to hear me. I prodded him with my foot, "Tell me what I need to know." He tried not to respond, but I pushed him a little harder. His eyes flew open looking at me intensely, but then focused on Draven and stayed there. I was about to kick him and force him to tell me when Draven stepped in front of me placing his hand on my shoulders and pushing me backwards, shutting the closet door behind him. "Hey," I said trying to wiggle free. "What do you think you're doing?"

He looked solemn when he said, "That conversation can wait. The funeral is in forty-five minutes and you don't want to be late." I hated when he was right. I needed to hustle if I was going to make it on time.

"You'll tell me tonight, right? I mean, it's obvious that you know too and aren't telling me."

He nodded and just before vanishing looked at me sadly as he said, "I told you there would be consequences and that you didn't know what you were getting yourself into." I called out to him, but he didn't come back. I got ready in silence, pondering just what he could have meant, but I came up empty. There was some piece of another puzzle that I hadn't locked into place yet.

###

Chapter 16-Funeral

I thought I was going to be late for the funeral, but as I we pulled up to the front of the cemetery I realized that we were actually early. Pale yellow light filtered down through the grey clouds that filled up the sky casting an eerie glow on everything. Alyssa grabbed my hand and we started walking across the crisp green grass. I slowed down a few times to read the inscriptions on some of the headstones, but mostly we just hurried along trying to outrun the overwhelming sense of dread we felt coming here.

Jett's mother forewarned us that it would be an open casket for the first half of the funeral, but seeing his lifeless body was nothing short of heartbreaking. The casket was made of sturdy mahogany in a shade of bubblegum pink with an ivory satin lining. I didn't want to look at him like he was now. I wanted to keep my memories of him chiseled down to the way he was before, but I couldn't help it. I inched closer and leaned in to examine him. His body seemed to stretch almost the entire length of the casket. He was dressed in a gorgeous black Giorgio Armani suit that showed off his now lifeless features, slender nose, trimmed eyebrows and pouty lips. His arms were gently folded near the waste, his eyes were closed and his mouth had been turned into a half smile.

I fought back tears as a sudden urge swept over me and I leaned close to him, my hand hovering near his mouth checking for any signs of breath. Nope, he wasn't breathing. This wasn't just some tasteless joke my friends were playing on me. I heard Alyssa and Zilla sobbing beside me and I joined along with them. I scooted over in between them and grabbed their hands guiding them towards the chairs. We'd all had about as much of this as we could take and it had barely started.

After we sat down my eyes started wandering through the crowd of people that had appeared out of thin air. There was somewhere near two hundred of them, most of whom we were unfamiliar with. I saw Luke standing off to the side near some trees and we made eye contact. I waived him over and he smiled gratefully. I couldn't imagine just leaving him off by himself at a time like this. "How are you doing?" he asked plopping down next to me. His eyes looked red-rimmed like he had been crying. He pulled out a black embroidered handkerchief, reached up and dabbed at a stray tear that had slipped down the side of my cheek.

"Thank you," I said trying not to full on cry in front of him. "It's been a really tough few weeks so I'm holding up fairly well, but losing Jett was like the last straw, you know?" He nodded and held out his hand which I took it without hesitation, glad for the comfort he was willing to offer after everything we'd been through. A sad wailing erupted from near the coffin and I realized it was Jett's mother. It made me want to jump up and run right out of here. I still couldn't shake the guilty feeling in the pit of my stomach that screamed "this is all your fault!" If those creatures hadn't come after me on the beach, Jett would still be alive. Jett's father led his mother away and helped her sit down then wrapped his arms around her.

I felt my face getting flush, that sensation you get that makes you think someone is watching you. I scanned the rest of the crowd and about came unglued when I spotted Cole. He zeroed in on me and I hoped he could feel the outrage and repulsion I was trying so hard to display. And then he was staring at me with such a vulnerable unguarded intensity that it was making me want to run over there and let him comfort me. I remembered the way it felt to be in his arms when he was holding me on the beach.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked breaking our staring contest.

"Nothing," I said trying to sound calm, "just trying to hold it together."

"Right," he said squeezing my hand. I looked back up trying to find Cole again, but he was gone. I wanted to get up and go search for him, but then the violin's started playing and everyone took their seats. A man near his mid-forties in a black silk robe with a medium sized silver cross around his neck stepped up to the podium. He was tall with a perfectly sculpted face, fair hair and milky grey eyes. When he started speaking his voice was clear and loud and it carried through the crowd with ease. "We have come here today in great sorrow to bury a loved one, Jettier "Jett" Mason Alastair." Zilla, Alyssa and I all looked at each other. I mouthed "Jettier?" They both shrugged their shoulders and turned their attention back to the priest. How did we never know that about him? He had always just been Jett.

I cast my eyes downward and listened to the rest of the service. After the priest was done talking he started calling people up to say their few final words. When it was my turn, Zilla grabbed my hand and walked up with me giving me the encouragement I needed to address all the people who loved Jett so much. The same people who would never get to see his face again, because of me. I took a deep breath looking around at his family and friends who had tears running down their faces and almost fainted. Luckily Zilla was behind me or I would have taken a tumble. She scooted closer and wrapped her arm around my waist. I felt my face get hot and noticed Cole had mysteriously appeared again, standing underneath a tall oak tree near the back. He nodded and smiled. I was so angry with him about everything, but at this moment he was exactly what I needed. The combination of Zilla and Cole's love surrounding me helped me push through.

"Jett was unlike anyone you have ever met before," I said smiling. "He had a very infectious, wild and carefree personality. He could make you laugh through even the worst of times. If you were lucky enough to have him in your life then you were truly blessed. His presence will be sorely missed." Tears started to pour down my face and Zilla hugged me. "I'll leave you with these words and hope that he is listening up there in heaven. Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, but love leaves a memory no one can steal. We love you Jett." I placed a yellow tulip on top of his coffin and let Zilla help me back to my seat. I looked for Cole, but he was gone again and that familiar pang of deep sorrow my heart felt for him crashed over me.

The rest of the service was a blur of deepest sympathies and tearful goodbyes. I didn't even realize it was over until someone cleared their throat and I looked up. Only Alyssa, Luke, Zilla and I were still sitting there lost in thought with Luke holding onto my hand like I was his lifeline. If only he knew I was the cause of all of this. Someone cleared their throat again and this time I found the source. Cole was beckoning me towards an outcropping of trees. "I'll be right back," I said standing up. Zilla glanced in Cole's direction and tried to catch up to me.

"Stop," she said grabbing my wrist and pulling me to a halt. I couldn't look into her eyes. If I did she wouldn't let me go, but I had to finish things. My heart couldn't take all of this anymore.

"I'm just going to talk to him," I said trying to wriggle free.

"Are you sure that's such a great idea?" she asked pointedly.

"I don't know. Probably not, but I have to."

She narrowed her eyes. "I can't let you go. I won't let anything happen to you."

I took her hand in mine. "Imagine that you and Locke broke up. What would you do?"

She looked puzzled for a moment. "I don't know," she said honestly.

"That's what it's like for me. I'm torn here. My heart says yes while my brain says no, but if I speak to him then maybe I can get things figured out."

She was reluctant to let me go, but she gently dropped my hand and hugged me tightly. "Be careful. I'll see you tonight, right?"

"Of course. We aren't getting out of this trip that easily," I said scornfully.

"Okay," she said turning around and heading back to the group.

I walked as slow as I could manage to Cole being careful to avoid the urge to rush at him full speed and jump into his arms. "What are you doing here?" I asked marching ahead of him. I was going to lead this conversation, not him.

"I found out from a friend when the funeral was. I wanted to be here for you," he said taking giant steps and trying to get ahead of me. I pushed on, farther into the forest of evergreens and redwoods.

"You shouldn't have come," I said trying to sound angry. In a flash he stood before me and scooped me up into an embrace. He wove his fingers into my hair and cupped my cheek.

"I love you," he said his full lips searching for mine. He started out slow and gentle, but then a hunger took over and his kisses deepened. My body responded in turn with the two of us twining together. Some part of my brain took over and I tried to fight it, finally getting a good shove in and knocking him backwards. I had to battle the yearning to rush back over to the comfort of his arms.

"You don't love me," I said touching my raw swollen lips. "You tried to kill me."

"I told you," he said coming back for me, "that it was before I knew you. Besides, I wasn't actually tasked with killing you, just turning you into one of my kind and I couldn't have known that I would fall in love with you." I tried to jog away from him, but he was immensely faster than me. He shoved a hand behind my head and tipped me backwards onto the grass. He pinned me down gently. All of this happened before I could even count to one.

I started to cry. "Why are you doing this to me?"

He looked hurt. "I promise I'm not doing this on purpose, I just can't get you out of my head," he said grabbing a fistful of his hair and tugging on it. "I think about you everyday and night. Sometimes I can't sleep or eat. I miss you Callie, I need you. I love you. I could never be with anyone else now. You're the only one for me."

"I can't," I said struggling underneath him. "I just can't do this right now."

"Is this because of the Unforgiven?" he asked snarkily. "You got some kind of feelings for him or something?"

Maybe, but that wasn't something I wasn't willing to discuss with him and I definitely didn't want to draw more attention to Draven than there needed to be. "No," I said shaking my head, "it's not because of Draven."

"So you're on a first name basis with the transparent dweeb now huh?"

"Stop it," I said putting my hand on his chest. I shivered at the coldness beneath his shirt.

"You're lying," he said his eyes turning purple. "I can tell. I'll kill him," he said through gritted teeth.

How could I put this into words he would understand? "You are a murderer," I said trying to emphasize each word. "You killed my cat and you tried to turn me into a monster. That's why I don't want to be with you, not because of some other guy." He looked like I had just jabbed him through the heart, but he released me and sat down Indian style on the cool grass. I stood up and shook the debris off of my dress turning my back to him, but not moving. I didn't want to walk away leaving him here like this, but I didn't know what to say that would make the situation any better. I was torn and regardless of what I told him, it was partially because of Draven and partially because of the fact that he tried to do me harm.

"I would do anything for you," he said painfully, "you name it and it's yours. Please give me another chance though, I'm begging you. I can make everything right. I promise."

"You can't undo what you've already done," I said through sobs. "I don't think we can go back now. I wouldn't ever be able to trust you again." I thought I heard him sniffle, but then it was gone.

"I can't just stand back and watch you live your life loving someone else."

"What do you mean?" I asked whirling on him. Was he trying to say he was going to come after me again? If he can't have me, nobody can? I would hurt him beyond his wildest imagination if he tried.

"Calm down. I mean that it would be torture to watch someone I love continue on with their life like I didn't exist. If you don't want me then I've got to go home."

What was with these guys? Both Draven and Cole were insistent upon "returning home", whatever that meant. "If that's what you must do, then I won't hold you back."

"Wow," he said standing up, "I really thought you'd put up more of a fight to at least keep me here. I know you feel the same way about me that I do about you Callie, there's no use trying to hide it."

I flinched. "I've never tried to hide my feelings for you. If you hadn't tried to do to me what you did you would have heard those words you're so longing to hear now, I love you too."

His eyes grew wide. "I knew it."

"Don't," I said holding up my hand. "Just because I loved you in some way doesn't mean that I still do. I'm just not sure anymore and with everything else going on I don't have time to stop and think about it."

He frowned. "So what would you have me do? Do you want me to wait for you or do you want me to go?"

"I don't know," I said shaking my head. "I don't have enough time to make a decision." I thought about the task that lay ahead of me and pictured him waiting for me. What if something happened to me and I couldn't come back? He would be heartbroken. And what if I did come back and I still hadn't made a decision? I had to let him go, it was better to end things here and now. "I think you should just go," I said finally.

He took a step closer "You can't mean that."

"Trust me, its better this way," I said starting to walk away. "I'm sorry, I really am."

I expected him to follow me, but he didn't. Should I feel relieved or upset? I walked back to the group slower than I would have liked so I could wipe away most of the wet tears that had trickled down my face. Only Zilla would know that these fresh ones were because of Cole. Everyone else would think it was because of the funeral. Now I mourned for both Jett and Cole. How could this day get any worse?

We rode back to my house in silence. We opted out of going over to Jett's house for the reception in lieu of a small remembrance ceremony at my place. Locke was getting released from the hospital in a few hours so Zilla wouldn't be able to stay through the whole ordeal. I hoped I'd be able to have a little time to myself before it was time to leave. I knew I would have to say goodbye to my parents without actually saying goodbye. I couldn't tip them off to what I was planning to do.

When we got to the house I noticed that my mom had decorated it black with neon pink and everything coordinated just the way Jett would have wanted. My parents smiled at me and came over to give me a hug. "You're so brave," my dad whispered.

"Thanks dad," I said kissing his cheek.

My mom took my hand and pulled me in close. "I love you so much."

I wanted to cry again. This new side of my mom was everything I could have hoped for and more. "I love you too."

Zilla found me an hour into the party and said she had to go help Locke. Alyssa and Luke followed suit shortly after. I had a sneaking suspicion that they were going somewhere together, but I couldn't call them out on it because I had no proof. Plus, Luke still looked at me the way he did that day on the beach when he told me he loved me. Such a terrible love triangle I had managed to get myself into. I walked them all to the door and once everyone had left I sat down on the couch resting my head in my mother's lap. "Do you think I'll ever get used to this?" I asked her cautiously.

"Death is a part of life sweetheart, it's just the way the world works."

"I know, but that's not what I mean. I mean, do you think I'll ever get used to the people around me dying while I stay like this," I said pointing to myself, "forever."

She frowned. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We don't know if you will be immortal or not. But, if you must know, it definitely doesn't get any easier watching your loved ones age and disappear while you're left behind."

I thought about that for awhile. "When dad and I die will you find a new family? Start over again?"

"No," she said firmly. "You're both so special to me that nobody else on this entire planet could replace you."

"Thanks," I said beaming and snuggling in closer. My dad came over and sat at the opposite end of the couch plunking my legs down on his lap. We sat there like that with me basking in the love from parents as long as I could, knowing that in just a few hours I might never come home or see them again. The thought made me dizzy. "I have to get some things packed for my sleepover at Zilla's," I said reluctantly getting up.

They both smiled and nodded so I turned around quickly and started to walk away before tears slipped down my face. I was almost to the stairs when a jolting shock shot through my body. It felt like someone had stuck my wet finger into an electrical socket and my body writhed and jerked about until I abruptly fell backwards, my head smacking hard against the wood floor. I could feel my parents both rush over, but it was foggy like I was slipping in and out of consciousness and then I closed my eyes and let the darkness take me.

###

Chapter 17-Kidnapped

I had the dream again. The one that I prayed everyday would never come back. I'm surrounded by darkness, only this time I'm touching something solid. It doesn't exactly look like ground because everything is a dull grey and close to pitch black, but not. I know my feet are touching something which means I can walk. I break off into a jog headed forward which is about the only way I can go. I pushed on for what felt like hours and then started to slow down thinking maybe I should just sit and wait. I plopped down and closed my eyes concentrating on breathing in and out, listening carefully to what was going on around me. Nothing but silence and then a whisper causing my eyes to fly open.

Zilla was in front of me with her hands tied behind her back. Her face was swollen and bruised. Blood was seeping out of a gash on her forehead. I stood up, trying to take her arms so I could undo the rope, but my hand went right through her. I tried to make eye contact, but couldn't because her pupils were glazed over. Instinctively I tried to grab at her again, but my hand zipped through once more. I panicked, trying desperately to reach her. I jumped up and down, waving my hand in front of her face, but nothing seemed to register.

I walked around behind her finally noticing a grayish light glowing near her wrists. A bracelet was clasped firmly there, digging into her skin with droplets of blood running down and spattering into the blackness. The bracelet looked similar to a spider, but made out of metal. It had 6 long leg-like things that wrapped around and bit into her flesh. In the very center, where a spider's body would be, was a small and shimmery, oval-shaped, turquoise colored smooth stone. It glowed so brightly that it made my eyes water just looking at it. I closed my eyes and reached out to touch it, but my hand met dead air again. When I opened my eyes, Zilla had disappeared. A knot of anxiety formed in the pit of my stomach. I wanted to scream out for her and call her back. I flopped down on the ground with my head in my hands and sobbed. What was happening? This was just a dream that I couldn't wake up from and yet it felt so real.

I was so immersed in my own thoughts that I flinched when I felt a hand on my shoulder and sprang into action. I rolled forward, whipped around and kicked out with my right foot as hard as I could. Someone grabbed me at the ankle and yanked me forward causing me to stumble into their awaiting arms. I tried to squirm loose, but a voice said, "Settle down. I usually like it when you're feisty, but if you want me to help you then you're going to have to take a chill pill."

The voice that spoke was all too familiar and I didn't know whether to run or to sigh in relief. "How did you get in my dream?" I asked Cole trying not to look as agitated as I felt. Had these dreams been because of him? They had to be. That morning I woke up from a terrible nightmare I saw him as an orb hovering near my bed.

"It's not what you think," he said defensively. "This time I'm only here to help and I don't actually make the dreams, Thanatos does."

I blanched. "How?"

"It's not something I can talk about now. If we don't move quickly he will realize I'm here helping you and who knows what he might do."

I stood my ground as he tried to pull me along, "I don't want your help."

He sighed in frustration. "Yes you do, or you might not get out of here alive."

"I'll just wake up," I said proudly. "No matter what he does in here it won't matter because my body will just wake me up."

He snorted. "You're so naïve. You won't wake up Callie, trust me. If he kills you in here that's it, end of story. Your brain controls your body and if he destroys that then it's over." His explanation was logical, but part of me still wanted to be stubborn and stand my ground.

The sane part that thought about not being able to see my family again won over. "Okay," I said reluctantly, "what do we do now?"

"Follow me," he said taking my hand and pulling me along. I tried to keep up with him, but I kept stumbling and dragging us down. "Over here," he said swerving to the right. A little ways down light filtered through a set of double doors and I immediately felt reassured. Everything was going to be okay. All of a sudden, the doors blinked out of existence and a man's loud bellowing laughter erupted all around us.

"You didn't think I'd let you get away that easy did you?" he asked venom seeping through every word.

Cole turned to me suddenly afraid. "If he can't turn you, he will kill you instead. You have to wake up now."

"I don't know how," I said fear pummeling me.

He began shaking me. "Wake up Callie! Wake up!" I felt like someone threw me in a dryer on tumble.

"Stop," I said pushing him back, "I can't just wake up like that, it won't work."

"Yes you can," he said frustrated, "just concentrate."

"Fine," I said standing still and closing my eyes. I tried to imagine myself at home waking up and getting ready for school. I had to wake up, I needed to wake up or something terrible might happen. I'd never be able to see my family or friends again. The next thing I know my feet are wet and water is rapidly snaking around our legs. Cole looked terrified as he pulled me close and clung to me, the water rushing in all around us. It was murky black and smelled terribly foul as it lapped at our skin. I tried desperately to wake up again, but it just wouldn't happen. The water reached our chests and we had to start swimming. It was gaining ground on us as we tried to stay afloat and hold on to each other. When our heads bumped something near the top we both panicked. I reached up trying to feel around, but all I came up with was wall. We were abysmally trapped, like fish in a tank.

Cole looked at me with such longing that I wished I'd never known what he'd tried to do to me. Regardless, I knew this might be my last chance to ever do this so I pulled him close my lips searching for his in the dimness. His intensity matched my own and when he let go he said, "I love you."

What harm could it do me now? "I love you too."

He eyes widened a coy smile playing on his lips and then he yelled, "Wake up!" When nothing happened he yanked me under the water, my arms and legs flailing around trying to kick back up to the surface. I gulped in a giant breath of the putrid liquid and my lungs burning with an icy chill. I stopped struggling. I closed my eyes focused on getting home while simultaneously sinking to who knows where and I immediately woke up gasping for air and choking.

My parents rushed over to the bed and started checking me out. "Are you okay?" my father asked. I was struggled to breathe, feeling like I still had a lung full of water. "I am now," I sputtered. Cole had been trying to save my life, but he also could have killed me. What was he thinking? "What happened?" I asked trying to remember where I was before all of this.

"You were going upstairs to get some clothes and you just started shaking like you were having a seizure and then fell on the ground," she said.

"We didn't think you were going to wake up," he said through tears. I let them pull me close as my thoughts wandered. I remembered the terrible pain my body felt before I passed out. What was that? Had Thanatos done that to get me into that vivid dream? Was it a dream? It had felt so real I couldn't tell the difference. What about Zilla, I thought slightly freaking out. That thing on her wrist had something to do with her acting so out of it, but I wonder what it was and how did she end up in my dream too? She wasn't real like Cole. I could taste, touch and feel him, but not Zilla. I glanced at the clock and realized it was late, really late. Zilla should have been here by now to pick me up. Maybe she got stuck helping Locke? I needed to call her and make sure everything was okay, but first I had to assure the parental unit that I was fine. I gave them both a kiss on the cheek and tried to sit up.

My mother pushed me back gently onto the bed. "Not yet," she said sternly, "you need to rest. If this has something to do with your powers then we will get this figured out." I couldn't tell her that this had more to do with her arch enemy and less to do with my unusual talents or she'd get suspicious and we wouldn't be able to set out on our mission. I wondered if Draven was here somewhere, I needed to talk to him as soon as I checked on Zilla.

"Don't worry," I said trying to sit up again, "I feel fine now."

Both of my parents eyed me carefully, but didn't say anything. "Really," I said trying to break the tension, "it was probably just an allergic reaction to something I ate at the party. Or maybe it was all of the stress from today sinking in. I promise it will be fine."

"You're not leaving this bed," my mother said, her tone edgy.

"I won't," I said putting my hands in the air faking surrender. "I will stay in bed if you two give me a minute to breathe."

They looked at each other and seemed to come to a silent agreement. "Okay," they both said in unison. "We are just down the hall if you need anything," dad confirmed.

"Thanks," I said taking their hands and squeezing. "I'm just going to rest." With that they both got up and unenthusiastically left the room.

Draven appeared by the bed almost instantly scooting close and touching my cheek lightly with his hand. "You're okay?" he asked questioningly.

"As okay as I'll ever be," I said trying to lighten the mood. He didn't laugh. "Sorry, probably not a great joke."

He smiled a little though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm just glad you're fine, but tell me what happened."

I relayed as much of the nightmare as I could visualize, including the part about Zilla and the weird bracelet on her wrist. He listened intently his eyes widening a few times, but never interrupting me.

"What do you think it means?" I asked him trying to sound casual. All of it really bothered me, but I didn't want to feel like such a wimp anymore.

"Well, I think we might have a problem," he said scooting close and placing his hand on the small of my back. I leaned in take a deep breath, his heady fresh scent easing the tension coiling up inside of me. He noticed how close I had gotten and tried to pull away. I grabbed his hand and held him there.

"Don't. I need some comfort right now, please," I said giving him my sad puppy face. I knew he was longing to do more than just put his arm around me, but he was holding back. If this was as close to him as I was ever going to get, I'd take it. He didn't say anything, just nodded and readjusted himself edging a little closer and taking me into his arms.

"What kind of problem would you say we have?"

"If Cole was in your dream then that means Zilla was more than just an image. Either you were seeing something from the future or you were seeing something from the past."

"Like a vision?" I asked confused.

"Sort of," he said fumbling for words "it's more like a connection to someone. If you're that strongly entwined with anyone you'll be able to get glimpses of things about that person, good or bad."

"Do you think something is happening to her or maybe already happened?" I glanced at the clock. "Something's definitely wrong, look at the time! Zilla should have been here hours ago and there's still no sign of her."

"You're right," he said contemplating, "you need to give her a call."

I was reluctant to move from the comfort of his arms, but I said, "Can you grab my cell for me?"

He strode across the room and plucked it of the desk just as it went off. He glanced at the screen then back up at me trying to play it off like he didn't snoop, but the way he briefly looked angry I knew it had to be Cole. Not that he should have a reason to be angry, if he wasn't going to make a move he couldn't blame someone else for taking an interest. He plopped back down next to me and handed me the phone. I checked my messages and sure enough, it was him. The message read: If you're reading this it's because you're alive and I'm glad you're safe. I love you! I'll never forget you telling me you love me too so there's no use trying to deny it. When can I see you?"

I hesitated before responding. I was torn. Yes I loved him, but it felt like we barely knew each other and it didn't help that I still resented him for everything he had done to me so far. Then there was Draven who was watching me with such admiration that it made my breath catch in my throat. He was too proud to admit it or say anything to me, but there was something between us and we both knew it. I just couldn't make a decision right now and the last thing I wanted to do was keep leading him on so I replied: I can't right now. I wish that I could, but I have some important things to take care of first. Don't call me, I'll call you.

I checked my caller id and messages for anything from Zilla, but found nothing. I punched in her number and put the receiver up to my ear. It rang a few times before her voicemail picked up. "No answer," I told him ending the call. "Maybe she's still with Locke, I should try him too." He nodded in agreement. He picked up on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Locke, thank gosh, I was worried you weren't going to answer either. Is Zilla with you?"

He paused for a moment. "No, I thought she was with you? She left my house a couple hours ago on her way to yours." A creeping feeling niggled its way throughout my body, this was not good.

"She's not here," I said shaking my head, goose bumps spreading along my arms. Maybe she went back to her house for more supplies? Doubtful, but it was the last option I could think of. "I'm sure she's just at her house picking up a few things," I said trying to sound reassuring "I'll give her a call over there, no worries. Thanks Locke."

He didn't sound convinced, but said, "Okay, call me once you find her. Bye."

"Bye," I said hanging up. I tried Zilla's house, but her mother said she was at Locke's and hadn't seen her. I knew something was wrong, even if she had decided to detour somewhere else, she would have called to let me know.

"What now?" I asked Draven, unease settling in the pit of my stomach. If anything happened to her I might as well just let Thanatos have me, I couldn't go on without her.

"I have an idea," he said searching around my room.

"What are you looking for?"

"The book," he said flustered. "There might be something in there we can use to find her."

"Like a locating spell?" That would be wild to see, but definitely worth a shot. "I think my mom shoved it under the bed," I said pointing.

Viale came out of the closet as Draven was rustling around, his hungry eyes made my head spin. Was it that time again already? It couldn't be. He gave me a knowing smile and beckoned me forward. I grudgingly slipped off the bed and dragged a chair over to where he was standing. I slumped down and extended my wrist, cringing in anticipation of the excruciating pain I was about to feel. This time he came at me with a vengeance and I stifled a scream knowing my parents would walk in at the most inopportune time. It felt like someone was ripping and clawing the flesh away from my skin, bleeding me dry. Tears started falling down my cheek and when I whimpered softly Draven finally realized what was happening. He looked severely pissed off and came over to stand next to me protectively, the book dangling from his slender fingers. My eyes started to flutter and Draven tapped Viale a little roughly on the shoulder. "Enough."

They exchanged glares, but Viale smirked and let go remaining by my side to lick his lips and fingers in front of me just trying to savor every drop. I felt like I was going to be sick. He reached out and brushed his gnarly finger down my arm. "You have no idea how wonderful you taste."

"You better savor it," I said trying to stay awake, "because after this is over you'll be getting no more."

He grinned wickedly. "He didn't tell you yet, did he?"

All the color drained from my face, "Tell me what?" I had completely forgotten about the previous incident where Draven told me he would tell me about the "consequences" later. Draven looked like he wanted to reach out and slice Viale's head off, but stood his ground.

His tone turned serious. "I haven't had a chance to tell her yet with everything else going on."

"Tell me now," I said feeling frustrated and scared. Draven lifted me up and carried me over to the bed, gently sitting me down and covering me up. He lay down next to me and started flipping through the book. Viale went back into the closet his knowing smirk the last thing I saw before he shut the door.

"Tell me," I said poking him in the chest. He tried to avoid the question, but I persisted.

"I told you there were consequences," he said solemnly.

"I know, but you didn't tell me what."

"That's because you didn't give me a chance before you just went ahead and volunteered yourself."

"Well, I'm listening now."

"It's already past the point of no return."

"I realize that, but I still need to know."

He sighed. "When Viale had that first taste of blood it bound your oath. You may have thought it would only last until we were done figuring this mess out, but in reality you're bound forever."

My head started spinning. "As in I'll have to give him blood for the rest of my life?"

"Yes."

"Isn't there some way to get out of it?"

"There are only two ways to break the bond. One is by death and the other is by making a blood bond with someone else which would cancel out the first one."

"No biggie," I said shrugging my shoulders. "As soon as we find Zilla I'll figure out a way for it to be her instead."

He sighed. "You're not getting my meaning, let me try this again. The only way to break the bond is by having another vampire break the first one. Keyword here is vampire and unfortunately, Zilla is not one."

My heart beat faster as the weight of his words sank in. I would have to be bound to Viale forever or kill him. Killing him seemed a likely option, but I couldn't yet, I still needed him to help us get to Circe. Not to mention, I wasn't a cold blooded killer, it would be difficult for me to pull off the task, but maybe I could have someone else do it for me.

Draven gave me a knowing glance and shook his head. "You'd have to be the one to do it. If Viale get's killed by anyone else but you, then you're bound to his next of kin and so on until you yourself have left this world."

I sunk farther in the bed trying to fight the tears welling up and pulled the covers over my head, this day was getting worse by the minute. When would this madness end? I just wanted a normal life, but something told me that was never going to happen.

"So, what else comes along with this "bond"?" I asked.

"Not much, except that Viale can feel what you're feeling at all times. Although directly after a feeding the sensation is more intense."

"Great," I said ashamed, "It was bad enough for him to take my blood, but now for him to have my feelings too, that's almost unbearable."

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely.

I sat there wallowing in my own pity trying desperately to think of a way out of the horrible mess I was in while Draven flipped through the book. He stopped abruptly and shifted over so I could see what he was pointing to. "This looks like it might be the one," he said tapping the page. The title read "Per individuare un amato."

"What's it mean?" I asked curiously.

"It means "To Locate a Loved One". It's about as close to what we need as I could find. Fuoco brucia e inizia nuovamente, aiutarmi a trovare il mio amato uno vero. It means "fire burns and starts anew, help me find my loved one true"."

"Sounds sorta cheesy, but easy enough," I said getting out of bed, "let's give it a go." I still felt a little dizzy from the blood loss, but centered myself in the middle of the room, carefully avoiding anything I could set on fire if something were to go awry and memorized the chant. I closed my eyes and concentrated on fire. The way it danced in, around and on my skin like a second layer of protection on a body that sometimes felt like it wasn't my own. I knew when it was time to start chanting because a deep calming heat washed over me. It started out slow and then as it intensified, so did my words.

My head flew back and my eyes flashed open, but I wasn't in my room, I was somewhere else entirely. Smack dab in the middle of a place that was completely unfamiliar to me. The walls were stained brown with streaks of red; almost like someone had taken a paint can filled with blood and splashed it everywhere. I looked around trying to move, but realized I was sitting in a chair, my hands tied behind my back and my feet chained to the legs. I glanced down trying to figure out a way to break free and noticed that they weren't my feet at all, they were Zilla's.

A terrifying realization dawned on me, I was seeing Zilla and wherever she was, she was in deep trouble. I didn't know how long the spell would last so I tried to take in every detail I could. All along the walls were a bunch of tables with some sort of cloth-like material. There were wooden bowls and vials full of weird items. One of the vials looked like it had eyeballs in it. This must be Circe's. Just as I thought it she appeared before me out of thin air. I panicked, my pulse raced and I felt like I couldn't breathe. My heart wanted to stop beating at the sight of her. She was short and scraggly with wiry salt and pepper speckled hair. She had a crooked nose and broken yellow teeth that had seen better days. She wore a silver robe that was clasped in the front with some sort of stone. I froze. It looked similar to the one I saw in my dream of Zilla. I tried to move my, or rather Zilla's wrists and felt something dig farther into the skin, the bracelet. I gasped. She folded her hands together and walked towards me/Zilla taking her time and gazing at us intently. She leaned forward and looked directly into my/Zilla's eyes.

When she spoke her voice sent shivers up and down my spine. "If you ever want to see your precious friend alive again then you better get here as fast as you can." She threw her head back and cackled the most earth-shattering high pitched laugh, then extended a long wrinkled hand out and touched my/Zilla's forehead pushing so hard I felt like my/her head would fall off.

I was immediately jolted backwards, out of Zilla's body and back into my room, landing with a thunderous boom on the floor. It felt like someone had blasted a cannonball at me. I shivered. She knew I was there, her words were directed at me. The pieces started to fit together and nausea threatened to overtake me. She took Zilla because of me. I wanted to cry and run to Circe throwing up my hands up in surrender if she'd only let her go. This was my entire fault, just like everything else.

My head felt fuzzy and I just wanted to drift off to sleep, but Draven was shaking me, trying to get me to snap out of it. "Stop," I said gently placing a hand on his chest. He bunched me up in his arms and clung to me.

"What happened?" he asked brushing a strand of hair off my cheek. Silent tears started falling and he pulled me in closer trying to comfort me, but there would be no comfort today. I was about to embark on the most dangerous mission to not only save my best friend, but to kill the witch who was trying to do me in first. After a few minutes of silence I relayed the story, everything from me being inside Zilla's body to the fact that Circe knew I was there and the warning she gave me. Draven looked serenely calm through all the details and didn't and waited until I was done before he started grilling me. Once he seemed satisfied with my answers he said, "What now?"

I reached up and put my hand to his face. "We leave. We can't procrastinate any longer, not with Zilla's life on the line." I wished I could have stayed in his arms forever, but I had to get up and get started. Who knew how long it would take to get there and we couldn't waste anymore time.

"Right," he said helping me up. I started towards the closet to grab my bags when Draven grabbed my wrist and spun me around to face him. He looked at me with such longing that I scarcely knew how to breathe.

His hand snaked around my neck as he stepped in closer, his soft lips urgently seeking mine. I felt my body melting with his and I wrapped my arms around him, loving the feel of him this close to me. He was like a breath of fresh air in my excessively stuffy life. Eventually he pulled back and smiled. I blushed, wondering what he was thinking. It took him a minute to realize what just transpired, but then he got a faraway look and said, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

I felt hurt that he could even say that after how passionate our kiss was. Couldn't he feel what I did when we were that close? It was as if our two souls clicked into place and we became one. We were a whole of two halves. I wouldn't let him get off that easy. "I'm not," I said standing my ground. "I liked it and I won't apologize for that, you shouldn't either."

He eyed me warily. "I never said I disliked it. I said I shouldn't have done it."

"Sounds the same to me, tomato, tamato."

He tried not to crack a smile, but failed. "Very funny. I'm serious though, I shouldn't be leading you on. We can't be together. I've told you that before. I have to leave after this."

"Not without me you're not."

His eyes widened. "No way."

"Yes way. I said it before and I'll say it again, I'm going to help you. A promise is a promise."

He shook his head. "Absolutely not, it's too dangerous."

"Too bad. Either I go with you or I go on my own, but regardless, I'm still going."

"Well just have to see about that."

"Yeah, we will. Now, if you don't mind, we need to get going. Viale, it's time."

He came slithering out of the closet his familiar wicked grin set in place. I shivered. "Grab your bags, it's time to hit the old bunny trail."

###

Chapter 18-The Journey

"How much longer" I asked, smacking my hand down on top of the map. Draven looked like he wanted to ring Viale's neck for wasting our time so far and I can't say that I blamed him. We had taken a bus to Syn-Wood Forest, which was just about the longest hour and ten minutes of my life. He traipsed us through the lush vegetation, out into the quietest part of the forest and then insisted on taking a break to check the map. Our patience was wearing thin. "Only a few more moments," he said slimily.

I cocked my eyebrows and slumped down into the tall coastal redwood next to me. "Fine," I said exasperated, "but can we hurry up? My friend's life is on the line and if anything happens to her you'll be the one to pay."

I surveyed the area taking in the faded green and yellow undergrowth. I briefly remembered coming here with my parents before. It was during an unseasonably wet summer, but it was time for the arrival of the ladybugs and my parents didn't want to miss it. We walked down a trail and stopped in front of a large redwood tree that looked like it had a huge carrot orange spot growing out of one of the fallen limbs. All of a sudden, a swarm of little ginger dots started whirling around in rays of sunlight between the trunks of the trees. It was one of the most breathtaking and magical things I'd ever witnessed. I knew it was past the season, but I looked around for signs of them anyway. If I make it out of this in one piece I'll have to come back, I thought.

A rustling noise coming from behind Viale made the hair on the back of my neck prick up. We all jumped and scooted close together into defensive mode, ready to strike at whatever appeared through the thicket. We listened intently as another faint crackle sounded and a reddish-brown head poked out from between two trees. "It's just a black-tailed deer," I said sighing with relief. "They're common in this place." As if sensing us, it fleetingly looked our direction, sniffing the air cautiously and then took off running. "It's now or never," I said catching Viale's gaze. He nodded apprehensively, but bundled up the map and beckoned us forward.

We continued walking silently through the earthy woods with me occasionally breathing in deeply to take in the heady aroma swirling all around us. If it's going to be my last time, I might as well get as much of it as I can. We slowed to a stop, almost bumping head first into the back of Draven. "What's going on?" I asked trying to peer around him.

"Look," he said in awe. I stepped to the side and my jaw practically hit the floor. There, in the middle of a vibrant meadow was a swirling mass of colors. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple were whirling around each other faster than my eyes could take in. It looked like a mini rainbow caught up in a whirlpool, the lights captivating us.

"What is it," I whispered not wanting to break the enchantment it held over us.

"It's a spintoral, or for lack of a better human term, a portal. Where I come from they are only rumored to exist."

"Really? What's it do," I asked taking a step forward.

"They can take you from one realm to another. Whoever steps through first sets the location and others that follow will go to the same place. It is said that many a man trying to transport large armies have tried to recreate a spintoral, but failed. Only someone who wields the greatest magicks is able to craft one."

"So how did this one get here? Did Circe make it? If so, I hate to say it, but we may be biting off more than we can chew." We both stared at Viale waiting for a response, but he just shook his head.

"Not Circe," he rasped.

"Well that's a bit of a relief in some ways, but troubling in others. If it wasn't Circe that made it, then who?"

"We don't have time to think about it right now," Draven said snapping me back into to the task at hand.

"You're right, lead the way," I said gesturing Viale forward. "This place that we are going, what's it called again?"

Draven shrugged his shoulders. "Not sure. I've only heard of a few different planets, but that doesn't mean there aren't others."

Viale had reached the spintoral and gently stuck his gangly hand in. He pulled it out and said, "Ladies first." I was hesitant initially, not wanting to walk right into a trap, but I remembered the way Zilla looked and knew I couldn't wait. I tentatively stuck my arm and leg through and when everything felt normal enough I stepped all the way in. I wasn't quite sure what to expect on the other side of the swirling vortex, a ratty swamp with a beat up shack maybe, but this was unlike anything I imagined.

We were in a rainforest. I looked up towards the sky and could only see bits and pieces of light filter through the top of the canopy, the leaves soft, droopy and brightly colored. Underneath that were layers of smaller trees and shrubs with large climbing plants clambering through the vegetation, using them as support and linking the different levels of the forest. Dew drops illuminated the details of the moss slowly hiking the trees as wraiths of mist wandered and twisted along the base of the forest floor which was covered in a thick layer of rapidly decaying plant material. This place was dripping with humidity and I suddenly felt as if I were drowning in my own sweat. It reminded me of my old home before we moved and the night's spent swinging on the porch swing drinking lemonade with my dad, the condensation from the glass dripping all over us as we gazed out at the horizon. A light cool rain began falling as I looked back to make sure Draven and Viale had arrived safely. Draven look as shell-shocked as I did, but remained silent. Viale trudged forward, a brief glance over his shoulder the only sign that he expected us to follow.

After walking for what seemed like hours I finally broke the silence. "What is this place?" I asked Viale.

"It's one of the lost places," he answered vaguely. "It is called Nephoxi."

"Wait," Draven said contemplating. "I thought the lost places were just a myth?"

"Such is the way we like to keep things," Viale said with a sneer. "If anyone knew about it they would try to take it from us and thus far it is uninhabited, besides Circe of course." I still didn't understand the importance of what was going on, I just knew we were somewhere neither of us had ventured before and we were running out of time.

"Do you know of the location of any of the other lost places?" he asked excitement building.

"Yes, only two more of the five."

"Which ones?" he asked the air heavy with his anticipation. He was eager for a certain response, but I couldn't tell what. I was definitely missing some part of this story.

"Limchae and Eylaik, but I shouldn't even be telling you that much." Draven's face slumped, all the hope rushing out of him.

"What is it?" I asked putting my hand on his shoulder.

"There is a rumor that one of the lost cities called Karlyst would hold the answers I seek."

"What answers?" I asked confused.

"The key to breaking my curse and getting back into my home planet," he said sadly. I reached down and slipped my hand through his. I hoped he wasn't as eager to leave me as it sounded, I would be as lost without him as I would be if I couldn't save Zilla.

"Don't worry, we will get it all figured out." He just stared at me as we continued on the path. He seemed weird after that, but I just couldn't put my finger on it.

I opened my mouth to say something when Viale shushed me. I wanted to knock him around a bit, but I stayed calm and gazed the direction he was pointing.

An immaculate one story house was looming in front of us, nestled in between two enormous trees. It was made completely of wood, similar to a log cabin, but completely covered in vines with its flowers in full bloom. A tall archway served as the entrance and it had only one window plus a large makeshift chimney that weaved in and out of the trees. There was a garden near the left of the house and on the right was a fenced in area that held animals. I didn't bother to look, who knew what weird species of things I would find there.

"This is where we part ways," Viale said grinning.

"What do you mean? You're leaving?" I asked flabbergasted.

"This was your journey, not mine. I only promised to lead you where you wished to go."

"This is as much your journey as it is ours, if you don't stay and help fight you won't be getting another drop of blood from me."

He chuckled. "A deal is a deal. I brought you here and you're bound to me now. If you don't willing give me your blood, I can just take it myself. I do like it when my food plays hard to get, its much more fun."

A chill ran down my spine and I looked to Draven for confirmation. He nodded and my stomach clenched. "Fine, coward," I said shooing him away. If I made it through this I had to think of a way to get rid of him that didn't involve getting my own hands dirty.

As Viale scampered away my heart beat erratically in my chest. It was getting down to the wire and I wanted so badly to run, to just take Draven's hand and dash right out of this place going somewhere no one would find us. But then I remembered Zilla and the terrible way her usually vivacious eyes were glazed over and knew I had to fight, if not for her then for myself. I wouldn't let these people hurt the ones I loved anymore, it had to stop.

"What now?" I asked Draven sighing. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer. I reveled in the comfort of his nearness, it didn't happen often, but when it did I tried to make the most of it. "We go in."

"It looks so quiet in there. Do you think it's a trap?"

"Most likely," he said unhappily, "but I'd rather bring the fight to her in hopes of catching her off guard versus waiting until we are completely surrounded. Plus, there's nothing to guarantee Viale didn't just go alert her to our presence anyway."

"True, although I don't think he would do that. If something were to happen to me he'd lose his meal ticket," I said trying to sound hopeful.

"But there's always another one around the corner. His loyalties lie with himself and nobody else," Draven said his expression unreadable. He was right, there was no guarantee he would keep his trap shut, we just had to try to be stealth-like and hopefully beat Viale to the punch.

"I believe she's in the basement," I said standing up. "Or at least I think it was the basement anyway, it was dark and creepy."

"Are you sure?" he asked skeptically.

"To be honest, no, I'm not sure. It's possible that it was just a room somewhere in there, but she is definitely here." I shuddered at the memory of being inside her head and hoped I never had to go through that again.

I looped my arms through his as we tip-toed out of hidden cover and trekked towards the entrance.

I scanned the house again for other signs of exits, but there was still only one window and one door. This was going to be epic. We scaled along the walls trying to avoid being spotted and ducked into the doorway. I reached out to turn the knob, but there wasn't one, it was just a swinging door. I hoped and prayed it wasn't rickety so that it didn't squeal when we pushed it. I eased it open gently and tentatively stepped inside. It was almost completely pitch black in here and eerily quiet. Something dank and tangy permeated the air making it hurt to breathe in.

"What is that smell?" I whispered behind me.

"I don't know," he said urging me forward, "but something definitely doesn't feel right."

I knew what he meant. It was as if everyone was waiting for us to reach a certain point of no return before they jumped out as us. Kind of like a surprise birthday party where you're surrounded the second you walk into a room. There was no turning back now. We continued on through a long hallway only a few flickering candles to guide us along the way. We peeked into a few rooms, but they were all empty, completely devoid of furniture or people.

At the end of the hall it forked in two different directions. The left one seemed like it led to more rooms and was equally as dark, but the right one seemed to go in a little and down some steps. The window we saw from the outside was a few feet away and light was streaming through it. This had to be the basement. At the foot of the stairs we stopped to listen for any signs of life, but it was still harshly quiet. I stood frozen, scared at the prospect of what I might find down there until Draven put his hand reassuringly at the small of my back. I smiled up at him and started forward, careful not to make any of the wood steps creak under my weight. If it wasn't for him I don't think I would have made it this far. I would probably still be able home in my room trying to come up with a plan involving police or something.

I reached the bottom step and stopped. The basement was dark and windowless. The only light in the room was coming off of more flickering candles. The walls were just like I remembered from the vision, except more of a chocolate color and crusted with smudges of crimson, which I could only imagine had to be blood. I squinted trying to adjust to the dim lighting again and gasped when I found what I was looking for. In the middle of the room was Zilla, her hands and feet tightly bound to a chair.

I wanted to rush over to her, but before I could, I needed to make sure to check out the room. I had to search for anything I might be able to use as a weapon, just in case. There were tables along every inch of the wall covered with some shimmery cloth-like material that you could barely see through. Each one was completely jam-packed full of wooden bowls, vials and other knick-knacks. I padded forward and started sifting through the items on the table nearest to me, there had to be something here I could use. The labels were old and yellow, slightly peeling off and making them hard to read. There were things I picked up and immediately put back down in hopes that it had just been mislabeled. Something called crippled man's hand made me gag.

Draven and I rifled through several more tables before giving up and deciding to just go for it. Zilla hadn't noticed us, but it was probably because she was so out of it. Her head was lolled back, but her eyes were open, she just wasn't registering anything. The first thing we needed to do was get that bracelet off of her so she would snap out of it. I tapped Draven on the shoulder as he was lifting up a small box that read tongue of tricon. He put it back down gently, his face set into a hard line. He was as disturbed as I was by the vast array of items in this dingy room, but we needed to focus.

I pointed to Zilla and whispered, "I'm going for the bracelet. If anything happens, get out of here." I knew he didn't like it, but I didn't care, he needed to save himself if nothing else. He was about to respond when I held up my hand and said, "Don't." I brushed my palm across his cheek and watched as his whole body lit up in response.

"Fine," he said stepping away and moving back towards the stairs. I was hurt that he could go from hot to cold in such short amount of time, but now wasn't the moment to wallow in my self-pity, I had to save her. I marched over behind the weathered crusty chair and leaned down, grabbing hold of the bracelet and trying to yank it off. It wouldn't budge. Rivulets of blood splashed against the dirt caked floor as I tried to pry it off of her red and swollen arm. Finally I decided to take drastic measures. I grabbed it with both hands bracing myself and heaved as hard as I could. It broke off with such force that I fell backwards and landed on my butt. Zilla moaned and I immediately jumped up and rushed around to face her. Her eyes returned to their normal color and she blinked back tears.

"I'm so glad you're here," she said breathlessly. "I just want to go home."

"I know," I said wrapping my arms around her, "let's get these stupid chains off of you." As I bent down again to try to wriggle her free, a familiar high pitched cackling laughter erupted behind me and my heart dropped.

###

Chapter 19-Circe's Battle

I turned around just in time to see Draven disappearing, his expression unreadable. Good, the last thing I wanted was for him to witness what was sure to come. The sight of Circe made me unbearably jittery, I wanted to crawl right out of my skin and slither away as fast as I could. Her coarse salt and pepper hair was braided off to one side of her head in a pony tail, some of the strands sticking out in odd directions. She was still wearing the same shimmery outfit from before with the turquoise blue broach clasped firmly in the middle. I could feel the power radiating off Circe and knew I could do little to stop her. No matter what powers I had, hers were far more advanced.

She smiled a wicked grin, her brittle yellow teeth and broken looking nose making my stomach clench. "You're every bit as stupid as I assumed you would be," she said pacing, but keeping her eyes focused solely on me. I hoped she hadn't noticed Draven in the room before he had managed to vanish. "You were really willing to risk your life for this puny human friend of yours?" I mustered up every ounce of strength I had and tried to stand tall, my feet firmly planted on the ground.

"I was and still am," I responded defiantly.

She spun her hand around in the air and pointed straight at me. A spark of light shot out and blasted me in the chest. I felt my body falling and thought that this was going to be the end. I wondered what it would be like on the other side, if there was one. Were there pearly white gates like I had always heard of growing up? After the initial shock wore off I realized she hadn't killed me yet and that the impact of the rugged dirt floor I expected never came. Instead, I had landed with a hard thud into a chair identical to the one Zilla was in. I tried to get up and move, but a thick cord of chains suddenly whipped around my ankles and wrists binding me in.

I was trapped with no way out, at the mercy of someone so evil you could drown in her black aura. Maybe there was a way I could soften her up? I tried to look as innocent as possible. "Please don't," I said begging.

She snorted. "So young and yet so naïve. Tell me dear, how did you expect this to end? You would waltz in here, rescue your friend and make it home all in one piece?"

This was not the direction I wanted things to go in, but I had to do something and fast. "Actually," I said trying to sound sure of myself, "I came to bargain with you."

"What?" Zilla said incredulously, "you can't be serious."

Circe's eyebrows raised in what I could only hope was interest. "Silence you insolent human." Zilla did as she was told and clamped her lips shut tightly, although she gave me the angriest stare.

"Me for her," I said nodding to us both since I couldn't use my hands. "And I won't even put up a fight as long as she goes free and unharmed."

"You do realize that I already have you right where I want you and that there is no good reason to comply with your request."

I did realize that, but it was worth a try. "There's no reason to harm her. She's got nothing to do with this, it's me that you want and now you've got me. I'll do whatever you ask as long as you let her go. Please." She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at me. I could see that the wheels were turning in her head, but would it be in my favor or hers? Ultimately she chose hers.

"While your offer was favorable, I'd rather keep the other human around to feed my very hungry friends. I do get somewhat bored of giving them my own blood, I'm sure they'll be delighted at the prospect of fresh meat." I pictured several Viale like creatures draining the life out of Zilla and felt nauseous.

"What's she talking about?" Zilla asked frightened. I had forgotten how little she knew about all of this, the different kinds of vampires there were, some good and others bad, like Viale.

"Please," I said trying to reason with her, "you don't have to do this."

"You're right," she said grinning from ear to ear, "I don't have to, I want to."

Before she could call in her minions I screamed, "Just kill me already!" If we had to die, I wanted it to be swift and relentless.

She clucked her tongue and gave me a knowing stare. "Calm down child. Where did you get the crazy idea that I was going to kill you?"

"I don't know. It couldn't possibly be that you've got me tied to a chair in the middle of nowhere," I said sarcastically.

She tried to hide the smile I had elicited from her through my response, but I caught it. "I like your cynicism," she said walking forward and brushing a strand of hair from my face. I tried to pull away, but she squished my cheeks between her hands and pulled me in closer. The stench coming off of her was next to horrendous and I was eager to get free. "You are a feisty one," she said letting go. "Just like your mother."

What did she mean just like my mother? Did she know her? I had to find out more information. Before I could ask she snapped her fingers and an intense searing pain shot through my body. I felt like someone grabbed me by the arms and legs and started pulling me in different directions. I cried out and Zilla started whimpering. "This is going to be fun," she said giggling. After a few more times of that same shooting pain I could tell she was going to switch tactics. I was exhausted and wanted to pass out right there, but I had to be strong. I wouldn't make it out alive if I didn't.

She placed two fingers in her mouth and whistled as loud as possible. I flinched and her smile widened. It took me a minute to hear the footsteps bounding down the halls above us, it sounded like a herd of elephants were headed our direction. The creaking of wood signaled their arrival. Zilla looked terrified as four slimy, mangy and seriously deformed Polong's came slithering into the room. I knew why she had called them and my heart beat louder in my chest. "The one on the left," she said pointing, "that's your meal for today."

Zilla began to sob as they licked their lips and came at her. The sickening crunch of their teeth in her flesh as she screamed had me clamoring against my chair.

"There's no use fighting it," Circe said her voice cutting through the noise, "it's in your blood." I had to distract her so I could think of a way to get us both out of this mess.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked trying to pique her interest. She pondered for a moment and said, "I guess it won't hurt anything if I tell you, it's not like it's going to change what's to come." I nodded in agreement hoping she wouldn't see through my eagerness. The more she talked the more I could concentrate on a plan or try to anyway. The slurping noises going on next to me set my whole body on edge, making my stomach rumble. I tried not to look her direction for fear that I might lose my cool and vomit. I had to save Zilla.

"Your mother thought she was so clever, leading Thanatos on like she did." I couldn't let her know how much I really knew about all of this, otherwise she might just get it over with and I needed time to think.

"What do you mean? Who's Thanatos?" I asked trying to sound curious.

"Only the greatest ruler on any planet," she said enthusiastically.

"What does he want with me?"

"Revenge of course," she said arrogantly, as if this was something I should have already known.

"But why?"

"Isn't it obvious? Because of your mother's actions, you are going to be the one punished."

"But I didn't do anything wrong."

"Doesn't matter," she said dismissing what I had just said.

"What could my mother have done to warrant such treatment?"

"You really don't know do you?" she asked cautiously.

I tried to look innocent as I said, "I don't. Please, tell me."

She laughed and my skin crawled. I knew bits and pieces, but if I could get some more information out of Circe then I was willing to risk what might happen to me.

"Your mother was a murderer and a good one at that." Of everything I expected her to say, this was not what I pictured.

"You're lying," I spat at her.

"Oh, I wish I was. Sadly, I'm not. She murdered relentlessly and with such reckless abandon that she inevitably drew the attention of Thanatos. When he saw how much pleasure she gleaned from killing so many innocent people he gladly took her under his wing. In my opinion it was the worst mistake he ever made."

I felt sick to my stomach, she had to be lying. My mother may seem distant and cold sometimes, but I couldn't imagine her killing anyone, let alone enjoying it. I recalled the diary entry and how she said she lashed out at anyone and everyone. Surely she only meant yelling or something right? Not actually causing physical harm to people? "I don't believe you," I said holding back tears. She had to be toying with my emotions and I didn't want to do anything to make me look weak.

She smiled as if sensing my thoughts. "Do you know how she got to be such an amazing assassin for Thanatos?"

My lips quivered. I knew I wasn't going to like what she would say next. "No."

"She killed her husband, in cold blood." I struggled to keep my emotions in check as I recalled the diary entry once again. She never admitted to killing Kaine, only saying that his death was tragic. Was this really possible?

"How?" I asked, the words coming out before I could even think them.

"Passion," she said pacing in front of me, "is such a finicky thing. If you get too wrapped up in it, you never know what could happen. In this case, your mother took his life into her own hands. It's probably something you can ask her after Thanatos agrees to send you back, but not until you've made the change of course." That statement brought me back to reality. It didn't matter what happened before and if I made it out of this alive I would hopefully be able to ask her about it later.

I glanced over at Zilla feeling terrible that this conversation had me so wrapped up I completely forgot she was there. Her head was lulled to the side, eyes shut and skin pale, but the Polong's were still gnawing at her. Circe stepped forward as if sensing the change in my mood and grabbed my cheek squeezing hard enough to elicit tears.

I squirmed out of her harsh grip trying to think of a way to break free. Suddenly it hits me and I feel like a complete idiot that it has taken me this long to figure it out. I bet Circe doesn't even realize that Zilla and I have powers, how could I work that to our advantage?

Without that awful life-zapping bracelet on, Zilla can perform magick. She could easily reappear as her ghostly form and cause a distraction and I could hopefully get these chains off and fight back. But then I look at her again and I see that she's barely alive, her body slumped to the right and I feel despair welling up inside me. Maybe this is the end for us because as of right now, I am completely out of options. "Just get it over with," I shouted at Circe in frustration.

It's then that I notice Draven's transparent figure creeping up behind Circe. He nods almost as if he is encouraging me to antagonize her. I raise my eyebrow, but he just nods again, pointing towards Zilla and I take that as a sign. The polong's are done with their meal and come to stand tentatively beside Circe, none of them noticing Draven who turns invisible. "If I get out of this," I say in my most threatening voice, "I am going to kill you."

Her lip quirks up into a half smile as she spins around and head's over to a table against the wall. She scoots a wooden bowl forward and starts pouring different colored liquids and items into it. As she begins mixing her concoction, I pretend to just glance around the room, but out of the corner of my eye I can see Draven loosening the chains around Zilla's hands. He pulls out a syringe filled with an icky pink liquid in it, reminding me of Pepto Bismol, and gently slides it underneath the skin on her wrist, pushing until it's empty. I made a mental note to ask him what that was later. As she begins to stir, he leans forward and whispers something into her ear, after which she remains perfectly still. I can feel the tension growing in the room as I wait for their next move. He holds up three fingers and puts each one down slowly as if counting backwards.

The next thing I know, the bowl that Circe is attending to goes crashing to the floor as Zilla's ghostly form appears next to her. Almost instantly I can feel Draven at my side trying to get my set of restraints off. Circe takes a swing at Zilla, but her hand immediately goes through her reminding me of the first time Zilla showed me her powers in my kitchen. Circe shouts to the polong's to make sure I don't escape, but she needn't worry, my chains may have been loosened, but I'm still trapped in the chair. Just a little bit more and I would have been home free. Draven backs away so he doesn't give his position up as the polong's surround me. My skin crawls at the sight of the drips of blood tinted saliva rolling off their faces and hitting the floor. They lick their lips and stare at me.

I focus my attention back to Zilla who is continuously knocking vials, bowls and other items off onto the floor. At first Circe continued to swat at her, even going so far as to try blasting her with spells, but to no avail. Then, out of nowhere, Circe stopped dead in her tracks and laughed viciously, making the hair on my arm stand up. She turned on her heel and strode over to Zilla's slack body, grabbing her wrist and flipping it over to study the tattoo on her arm. "Well, what do we have here?" she asks tossing Zilla's hand back down like a rag doll. "Maybe I will keep you around after all, daughter of the angel."

We all exchange a look of utter confusion as she rests two hands on Zilla's chest. She recites something under her breath and a burst of light erupts through her fingertips into Zilla's body. I let out a scream as Zilla's ghostly form drops to the floor and starts to dissolve. Then I feel Draven at my back again working at the chains, somehow he managed to slip through the ring of polong's around me. Zilla's limp body begins to stir and she sits up straight as Circe comes forward and smacks her hard across the face. Zilla whimpers for a minute, but remains defiant. Now that I know she is alive, I needed to get us out of here and fast. Thanks to Draven I am now loose enough to wedge free, but first I have to get rid of these polong's.

I'm pondering this when Zilla spits on Circe and she wheels back and smacks Zilla again. I can feel my entire face get hot and enflamed. I wouldn't let her do this anymore. That's it! I could feel the anger coming off of me in waves now as my body began to glow a pale orange and then igniting into something far scarier. I caught Circe's eye as the flames started lapping my skin. She looked torn, like she wasn't sure how strong I really was and whether or not I was an equal match for her.

I broke through the chains and stood up as the polong's rushed at me. I centered myself and gently pushed both arms outward causing a wall of flames to shoot out around me in a circular motion. The polong's tried to run, but as the flames touched their skin they burst causing ashes to float down to the floor.

Draven appeared beside me for back-up and Circe gasped. "Draven," she said cackling. "It's been a long time." She smirked and continued on. "You two brats and an Unforgiven think you can take me on?"

"Yes," Zilla said as she broke free of her chains and stepped away from her. Now we were three against one, I just hoped Circe wouldn't put up too much of a fight.

We all stepped forward and I launched a fireball directly at her chest, but it rebounded off of some sort of protective barrier and came whizzing right back at us. Draven braved the flames grabbing my wrist and yanking me down. The fireball blasted a whole through the wall behind us catching a few miscellaneous items on fire. When I looked back at him he had torn a piece of his shirt off and was wrapping it around his hand tightly. The smell of burnt flesh permeated the air and I immediately felt terrible, but this fight was far from over.

I sneered at Circe who was laughing hysterically. "You didn't think it would be that easy did you?" She pointed to me and with a flick of her wrist I immediately flew across the room smacking with a thud into the wall and slumping to the floor. Zilla and Draven tried to rush over, but she whispered something under her breath drawing an imaginary square into the air and they smacked headfirst into an invisible barrier. Both of them looked horrified as they rushed from side to side, back to front, even reaching up to the top, but hitting nothing except clear glass wall. They were completely trapped.

Circe walked over and tapped the box lightly with her knuckles then looked straight at Zilla when she said, "Don't bother trying to use your other form, I've already put a spell on here preventing you." Zilla looked outraged, but remained calm. They sulked over to the side closest to me defeated and put their hands against the glass. The look on both of their faces made me want to burst into tears.

I was in an excruciatingly enormous amount of pain as Circe marched over to me. I should have feared for my life, but all I could think about is how knowledgeable she seems about Unforgiven's. I briefly recalled Draven's story about when he was changed and how she was the one who did it, so it all made sense. There was a burning question that's been eating away at me since I promised to help him after everything he's done for me. I work around the fuzziness in my head and make my lips move. "You know about Unforgiven's?"

I feel something warm start to trickle down the side of my head and knew that I was definitely going to need medical attention after this, but I waited patiently for her answer as she smirked and said, "What an odd question for someone who might possibly not make it through the next five minutes of their life."

"Please," I said begging, "I just need to know how you can change an Unforgiven back and then I will do whatever you ask without complaint." She eyed me wearily. I'm sure it's because she knows if she doesn't cooperate I'm going to put up a huge fight, but she's weighing the options as to whether I'm injured enough to rebel or not, so I stand up and put my hands on my hips in defiance.

"Such a firecracker," she said amused. "I can't see what it would hurt considering that none of you are going to make it out of here alive. You would need to seek out someone named Odwalla Bodeip and that is the only information I can spare, time restraints and all. Now," she said taking a step forward, "hold your hands out and be a good girl."

I do as she says, but then think better of it and step back again. I'd rather die putting up a fight than go with her, besides, she was the one stupid enough to answer my question before restraining me. She reached out to grab me, but I instantly cast a fire barrier that burns her on contact. I dodged to the right, rolling forward and sprinting off toward Draven and Zilla hoping I can figure out a way to free them. I hear a few things shoot past me, but none of them touch me.

I reach the box and decide to try crashing right into it hoping it might shatter, but it doesn't and I smack into it hard. The impact makes me dizzy, but I whip around frantically trying to think of another option before she descends on me and then a thought occurs to me, it's a long shot, but it just might work. I stand up tall and brace myself for her next attack. As a bolt of lightning spirals towards me I duck to the ground and let it crash right into the box behind me.

I'm still lying there panting when a shattering noise erupts and shards of glass rain down around me. Draven and Zilla step up beside me and I sighed with relief, it worked. I immediately cast a fire barrier around all three of us and make sure to keep it up so she can't break through us. Draven reaches into the pack on his shoulder and hands us each an athame. We take a step forward in unison and begin to attack. Zilla and Draven step off to the sides of me and I stay in the middle as we try to surround her. I manipulate the fire so it casts a separate barrier around all three of us.

Circe raises her hands and continuously shoots off different types of magic at us, but each one misses its target. The barriers are working despite the overwhelming weakness willing my body to stop. I have to keep it up or we all will die in here.

We have inched forward in on her enough to where we can reach out and touch her. I'm just about to strike out and land a blow when she drops to her knees, whips her hand around in the air and three giant tornados take off after us. My heart drops. I know my magic won't be able to keep these massive things from sweeping us up and throwing us around. We try to retreat as she shoves her hands out in front of her and they take off. Zilla is the first to get swept up and I watch in horror out of the corner of my eye as it spins her around mercilessly and tosses her against the stairs near the exit. She doesn't stir so she is either unconscious or dead. I hoped it was the first one for the sake of my sanity.

Draven and I manage to dodge them a few times, but the room is so small that ultimately there is nowhere to hide. As I'm rolling to the side and lunging forward I see Draven get picked up as well. His body smacks against the wall across from me as I continue on, he also doesn't move. This is so not good. I'm the last man standing and I'm up against three whirling vortex's, there is no way I can win. I make a break for Circe, if I can reach her I might be able to knock her down and make the tornados vanish.

I reach her just as I start to feel my clothes being pulled backwards and I know that I'm about to get caught up too. I swipe at her with my athame and manage a huge gash across her left cheek. She cries out in pain, but the tornadoes don't falter, they are still coming after me. She swings around to grab me, but I duck and jump out of the way narrowly avoiding another tornado.

As I come up, I realize the serious error I've made. I should have just let the tornado take me. Circe had enough time to calculate where I would land and stepped forward, catching me off guard and overpowering me, twisting the knife from my grasp.

Before I could blink she plunged it deep into the pit of my stomach, the pain exploding through every nerve ending. Our eyes locked as I crashed to the floor. This was becoming a routine for me. The pain is so overwhelming I scrunch my eyes closed and say a silent prayer that I die quickly. The last thing I remember before I succumbed to the oblivion was Circe's scream and a familiar voice.

###

Chapter 20-The Return

When I woke up there was a soft yellow light trickling down over me and surging through my body making me feel warm and fuzzy again. A gentle snore erupts beside me and I realize that I am nestled next to someone in a patch of soft undergrowth. There are insects and birds making noise all around me, but I have no idea where I am. As I prop myself up onto my elbows, a dull throbbing pain springs forth near my belly button. I try to remember what happened before I woke up here and I can't. What's my name? Where am I from? I don't know and the thought makes me want to cry.

I reach down and gingerly remove the greenish purple tinted leaf pressed against my feverish skin. It reminds me of red cabbage, except more flowery and with lots of color. A bubblegum pink scar the size of my index finger lies beneath and I cringe at the sight. A memory tugs at the back of my mind and I focus on it with all my might. An image flashes before me of a gray haired old woman with a terrifying glare. Circe. As the name pops into my head, so does the muddled memories from before. Circe stabbing me, my friends being knocked unconscious and the brief words whispered to me before I passed out.

I look over at the person beside me and gasp. Cole. His dark hair unruly from what I assume was a restless sleep. I watch his chest rise and fall with the rhythm of the Jungle, the words he said to me back there playing over and over again in my head as if on a never-ending movie reel. "I'll protect you, my love." My heart skips a beat when the butterflies begin to rage through me. As if sensing my alertness Cole opens his eyes and pushes himself up next to me. I don't know whether to run, kill him where he sits or relax; after all, he did save my life. The way he looks at me makes him seem so vulnerable, I want him to scoop me up and hold me close, but then I remember everything he's done and keep my distance.

"Where are Draven and Zilla?"

He points toward an outcropping of bushes near where we are. "Are we playing Where's Waldo now? How did you know that was my favorite game?" I ask allowing myself a little giggle.

He smiles and I turn to scan the area. It takes me a full two minutes to find them. They are curled up next to each other, a large leaf covering most of their bodies. I try to stand up, but the pain is still too raw so Cole offers me a hand and I oblige. I make my way over to them and shake Zilla gently so as not to startle her too much. After everything that's happened I can only imagine how nervous and twitchy she'll be now. But she just opens her eyes, feisty as ever and throws herself into my arms. I can't help but smile, knowing that my friends are safe now. We have won a battle, but not the war, and most of it was thanks to Cole.

Draven was the next to wake up and as he enveloped me in his arms I felt Cole stiffen beside me. As if sensing him for the first time, Draven grabs me by the waist and pushes me behind him. "You shouldn't be here," Draven said, anger seeping through every word.

"Well if I wasn't, then Callie would be dead right now," Cole replied icily.

The tension in the air was palpable as Draven reaches for the athame I know is tucked underneath his shirt. "Cole's right," I said resting my hand on his shoulder. "If it wasn't for him I never would have made it out alive, nor would Circe be dead. She was too powerful."

They continued to stare at each other eventually coming to an impasse, but I knew deep down they both want to strike out at the other. I was grateful when a rustling noise caught our attention. We all hunched together and circled around the area finding nothing. We had chalked it up to a wild animal when we heard the snapping of a branch close to the place where I had woken up. Our little group huddled closer as we listened intently for another noise or signal so we could attack. Just when we were giving up for a second time, Viale steps out from behind a tree and starts forward, the look in his eyes telling me he's more than a little hungry.

I break away from the group willingly, knowing that there is no way to get out of this mess I committed to, when Cole jumps in front of me and snarls menacingly at Viale. Oh great, another macho man competition. Viale smiled wickedly and glared at Cole, as if beckoning him to take his best shot. Cole, acknowledging his cue, leaps forward tackling Viale and smacking him to the ground. Viale rears back and retaliates by slashing Cole across the face with his long mangled claws. Blood streamed down his cheek as Cole's features began to morph into the creature I hoped I'd never have to see again so he could attack.

"Stop," I yelled as loud as my voice could go. Cole reluctantly rolled off of him and looked straight at me, his eyes purple strained. "Viale," I said trying to control my emotions, "just give me a minute and I'll be right over."

I grabbed Cole's arm and dragged him off to the side away from prying ears. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Protecting you," he said condescendingly, as if this was something I should have already known.

"From what? I already made a blood promise with Viale and I can't break it."

"That's what you don't understand," he said frustrated, "you can break it. I can break it for you."

I paused to consider his offer. "No," I said firmly.

"Why not? Don't you want to be free of Viale?"

"Of course I do, but not with you."

He tried to mask his hurt, but it was still clearly written all over his face. "That's a mistake Callie and you know it. I only want the best for you. I love you, why can't you just see that?"

"I do see that," I said sympathetically, "but I also see someone that I can't trust because not only did you try to hurt me, but you killed my cat, among other things." He took my hands in his and I didn't struggle, no use getting him even more upset. When I looked into his eyes I just wanted to wrap my arms around him and kiss him passionately. There was probably some part of me that was always going to feel like that and the last thing I wanted to do was add fuel to that fire. By allowing him to break Viale's bond and creating one with me, it would.

"Please," he said pulling me in close to him.

I resisted slightly and said, "I can't. You just don't understand."

"I won't let Viale continue hurting you like this," he said sounding resigned. I tried to pry my hands from his, but he was much stronger than me.

"You don't get to decide that for me."

He looked sad as he said, "I have to." Then he pulled my wrist up to his lips and bit down. Surprisingly enough it didn't hurt, in fact it was pleasurable and I found myself moaning in response. My nerve endings were buzzing with life and my head began swaying to the joyous music pulsing around me. I heard someone's high pitched scream as it broke through my muddled thoughts. When I realized what was happening I squirmed underneath Cole. I glanced to my right just in time to see Viale's eyes widen as he took off back into the jungle. There was one thing I was sure of, that this wouldn't be the last I've seen of him. Then Draven and Zilla came barreling towards us and in unison knocked Cole backwards onto the ground. He lay very still, refusing to fight as Draven landed a good punch across his left cheek. Zilla wrapped me up in her arms and started to pull me away.

"Stop," I said as Draven reeled back to land another blow. Everyone turned to look at me. "You know the rules," I said looking at Draven. "If you kill him and not me then I am bound to someone else in his family. While I would rather not be bound to Cole, it's a better alternative than someone I don't know at all." He knew I was right, but I could tell he wanted to end Cole right here. "Please," I said taking a step forward and resting my hand on his cheek. He nodded and got up grabbing my hand. When he started to walk away and realized I wasn't following, he stopped confused. "I just need a minute," I said hoping he'd understand.

He shook his head. "No way, not after what he's done to you."

"What more could he possibly do to me? Besides, you can stand right there and you'll be close enough in case anything should happen."

"Although it won't," Cole added.

"Fine," he said turning his back on us.

Cole got up and gingerly touched his cheek where a blue-purple welt was forming beneath the skin. "He's got a good arm, that one," he said watching Draven walk away. I suppressed a laugh since this situation was a serious one and I didn't want him thinking he had gained any ground. The reality of what Cole had done set in and a stray tear ran down my cheek.

"Don't cry," he said reaching up to brush it off.

"How can I not?" I asked through sniffles. "You've broken my heart for a second time." He looked stricken as he tried to reach out to me. "Don't," I said pushing him away.

"Callie, please," he said begging me to look at him, "I didn't mean to hurt you again. I only wanted the best for you and me. Being your bond partner was the only solution I could think of to protect you."

"That sounds pretty selfish if you ask me." He cocked his eyebrow incredulously. "Are you serious? All I've done since I fell in love with you was put myself at risk to keep you safe, how could that possibly be considered selfish?"

"I don't want to argue about this anymore," I said feeling slightly woozy. "I need to get home and get some rest." I could feel the tears welling up, but I pushed them aside and continued on. "I don't want to see you anymore. I know you have to feed so I'll only allow you those few times and you have to text me beforehand to let me know you're coming, but nothing more than that."

He looked like he wanted to protest, but didn't try to fight it. "I guess I should go then," he said calmly.

"Yes, I think you should," I said trying to keep my composure. I had the sudden urge to recant what I said and let him smother me with kisses like on our first date. A wave of longing hit me full in the chest as I remembered the picnic on the beach, the way our two bodies seemed to fit so perfectly together. I brushed that from my mind and turned around to walk back to Zilla and Draven. Before he left I heard him say, "No matter what, I will always know where you are and follow. To the end of the earth and beyond, I will be there."

I broke down and started crying in front of them. Why did he have to go and say something like that? It took every ounce of the strength I had in me not to run after him. Draven wore a pained expression as Zilla enveloped me in her arms. After a few minutes of sobbing on her shoulder, I let her guide me to a place where I could rest for awhile.

I heard Zilla and Draven talking as I sat there wallowing in my own self-pity, but I couldn't register any of the words. I knew it was equally selfish of me considering Draven was here and I didn't know where that road would lead, but I couldn't help myself. I fell asleep to the humming of the Jungle.

When I woke up the sun was slinking out of the sky, casting an eerie glow on the plants surrounding me. I sat up slowly, the ache in my heart heavy, but the cut Circe inflicted withered down to less than a dull throb. Draven caught my eye and smiled, but somehow it didn't quite reach his eyes. I realize now that Zilla is curled up next to me snoring louder than I could have possibly imagined. I giggle and it wakes her up. "Sorry," I said taking her hand "I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay, it's probably about time we get up and get moving anyway."

"Right," I said confirming her thoughts. This all still just seems like a dream and the more I think about it, the more it bothers me that I haven't gotten a glimpse of Circe's body. I don't think I can leave without seeing it with my own eyes. "I want to see Circe's corpse first. I need to make sure she's dead." They both look at me appalled by my request, but this really shouldn't come as a surprise to them. "Save your breath," I said giving them a sturdy look, "you won't convince me otherwise. I won't be able to feel even remotely safe unless I know there is one less person after me." A look passes between the two of them that makes me twinge with discomfort, but then I quickly brush it off knowing that nothing could ever go on between them. Zilla has Locke and Draven, well, he can't be touched by anyone but me, let's just leave it at that.

It seems like forever before they both nod in agreement and come to stand beside me. Zilla is on the left and Draven is on the right. I take both of their hands and we head in the direction of the still standing house of wood. All is quiet as we push open the doors, through the hall and down the flight of stairs into the basement. The same brown floors with its ever present streaks of red rise up to greet us. In the middle of the room are the two chairs, both are singed from the flames that erupted off of me when the polong's attacked. A ring of ashes graces the concrete floor in front of my chair and I know that it's all the remains of the polong's that lived here with her. Tables are tipped over, glass shards are spread out and puddles of liquid decorate the floor along with an occasional foreign object.

I search for the hunched form of Circe and head that direction. The closer I get the stronger her decaying odor is. We step so close I could reach out and tap her with my foot. Her back is to us and I know to be completely satisfied I need to see her face, so I bend over, grab her by the shoulder and pull. I immediately jump back afraid she's going to reach out and grab me, but her head thumps to the side and I sigh in relief. Her skin is pale white and wilted, her eyes rolled up into the back of her head and her graying hair is strewn about on the floor. That's confirmation enough for me.

"Let's go," I said turning to leave, "I want to go home."

###

Chapter 21-Answers

Three months. That's how long we had been gone from home, but in Circe's realm it was only a matter of days. My parents had been hysterical when Zilla and I showed up bloody and bruised on the doorstep. They asked us where we had been, but we were both so exhausted from the trip that we couldn't answer. We were sent to my room, our wounds attended too and then we both slept for at least another week.

When I finally woke up with Zilla curled next to me, the moon was casting shadows all around my room. My parents were both snoring away in chairs next to us so I slid out of bed as quiet as a mouse and tiptoed to the bathroom. I had just finished brushing my teeth when there was a light knock on the door and my mother stepped in. She looked uncertain as if she were debating whether or not to hug me so I walked over and embraced her. The comfort of her arms made the past few days, or months in her case, feel practically non-existent.

She cupped my cheeks in her hands and tilted my chin up. "I am so glad you're home safe and sound. Your father and I expected the worst when you didn't come home right away. If you're not feeling up to it you don't have to tell me yet, but I really want to know what happened to you." There were tears in her eyes and I felt mine well up in response. I told her as much as I could remember about the dreams, the magick, Circe's realm, the polong's, Thanatos and even Cole, though I left out his name and just called him an asema. I also was very careful to leave out the parts about Draven. I wasn't ready to say goodbye again and I had made a promise I intended to keep. I told her about what Circe accused her of, at which point she seemed to stare off into space.

"Is it true?" I asked taking her silence for guilt.

"It is," she said carefully.

"I don't understand," I said fear building up inside me. I felt like I didn't know her again. How could she ever do such a thing to innocent people?

"It was a very long time ago, sweetheart."

"I need to know," I said urging her to continue.

"I met Kaine when I was a young girl, about your age in fact. He was handsome with sparkling green eyes and wispy blonde hair. He was a catch and everyone knew that, but for some reason he chose me. We moved in together and planned to start a family. Then one day, we were doing adult things in the bedroom..." I interrupted her. "Mom, I know about sex, you don't have to sugarcoat it."

She grimaced. "I'm sure you do, but that doesn't make it any less awkward."

I sighed and she continued. "Anyway, we were having sex, as you so bluntly put it, and he asked me if I wanted to try something new. At that point I was madly in love and would have done anything for him so I consented. He pulled a knife out of a drawer and cut a slash across the palm of my hand, then he had me do the same. It continued on until we realized how out of hand it had gotten. At some point I had managed to cut him so deeply that before I could get him to a hospital, he died." The mental picture was enough to make me shudder. I put an arm around her shoulder for comfort.

"I was devastated and I spent months lying around in bed hoping and praying that I would share the same fate. I finally got out of bed to get something from the store and a bunch of guys attacked me. I fought back with everything I had and managed to kill or maim every last one of them. Afterwards I just felt so relieved and that's when I started doing it on a regular basis. I choose carefully though, making sure it was only people who had karma coming their way. A few months later someone from Thanatos' realm came and scooped me up. I had no reason to live so I figured I might as well join his team. He made me an immortal and every few days I would be given an envelope with a picture and a location of someone he wanted taken down and I would do it. It kept me busy enough to distract my thoughts from Kaine, who I missed dearly."

Hearing of her talk of Kaine made me think of Cole and my heart felt like someone stomped on it. I reached for my wrist, the one he bit without my permission and saw the marks were gone. I hoped my parents never caught a glimpse of them because that's something I could live without having to explain.

"Then one day I met your father, he was one of my assignments, and we fell in love. I knew I couldn't be with him and continue on with what I was doing so I went back, denounced my position and ran away. Then we had you and I knew that he would come after us, he was never happy with my choosing someone else when he had made his intentions clear."

"Is it true that you enjoyed killing people?"

"Yes. There was a brief time where it was the highlight of my day, but now I think back on it and I am so ashamed at what I've done. It's something I'm going to have to live with long after you and your father have passed."

"Are you going to go back to Thanatos after we are gone?"

"No," she said firmly, "I have already done that and I know in my heart it was the wrong path. I won't choose that life again."

"I love you," I said hugging her again.

"I love you too. Now, I have some questions for you if you don't mind," she said changing the subject.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Sure."

"Circe's realm, Nephoxi, how did you say you got there again?"

This was another thing I was sort of vague about, I didn't want to tell her about Viale, but I suppose it couldn't do any harm now could it? "We recruited a polong named Viale to escort us. He took us to the Syn-Wood Forest and from there we entered a portal to Nephoxi."

"How were you able to recruit Viale? Polong's are known to only do bidding in exchange for blood."

My hands started shaking as she eyed me suspiciously. I could tell that she knew there was something I wasn't telling her. "My good looks of course."

She tried not to smile, but couldn't help herself. She may know I'm lying, but she didn't seem to press the issue. "Is he the one who also led you back home then?"

"No, he wasn't. After we got to Circe's, he took off and we never saw him again."

"Then how did you manage to get back?" she asked curiously.

"Actually, to be honest, we were lost for awhile." I remembered our trip home, how we sloshed through the heavy undergrowth just trying to stay alive. Every path we took seemed to lead us in a different direction than the one we needed to get back to the portal. It felt like at every turn we were either going in circles or being attacked by some wild animals.

"So how did you find your way out?"

"A moonbird," I said recalling its snowy white form swooping down and speaking to me.

"You saw a moonbird?" she asked in awe. "How did you know about them?"

"Yes. I didn't, but when it got close and landed on my hand I felt it talking in my mind and so I asked what it was." I couldn't tell her about Draven and the moonbird he sent me the night Garbage was killed.

"What else did it say?"

"It said that to find the way out I only needed to follow it to the portal. I tried to ask who sent it, but it didn't respond."

She nodded as if accepting my answer and sat quietly. She hadn't asked me anymore questions so I figured she was done. I wondered briefly if she knew any information about the lost cities or this Odwalla Bodeip that Circe mentioned.

"Hey mom," I said pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Yes?"

"How much do you know about the lost cities? Viale said that Nephoxi was only one of five and that they knew of two others Limchae and Eylaik."

She pondered for a moment. "I have heard of the lost cities, but not much else. From what I understand, they are a myth that was created to keep the populace from feeling hopeless. Keep the moral up, that sort of thing. Although, now that you've been to one the others must be out there somewhere."

"What about someone named Odwalla Bodeip? Does that ring a bell?"

"Why are you asking me this? Is there something you're not telling me?"

"No," I said trying to sound convincing, "it's just a name that Circe mentioned while we were there and I wondered if you had heard of it before."

She paused for a moment, but said, "Yes, I have heard that name before. It was back when I lingered in Thanatos' realm. I only ever heard that name in passing though, so I'm not sure who that person is or where they reside."

"Okay," I said defeated. Draven and I were going to have a lot of work ahead of us to figure out what to do now.

"I'm going to keep you safe now," she said pulling me closer. "I promise that your father and I are going to do everything in our power to make sure you're well protected. We won't let Thanatos or anyone else take you away from us again."

"Thanks mom," I said snuggling closer to her.

She kissed me on the forehead and led me back to the room where my dad was waiting with open arms. I clung to him as tightly as I could, making sure to mentally imprint this moment into my brain. Zilla rustled awake and I went to lie down beside her, our faces pressed closely together. I heard the door open and shut and knew that my parents had left the room to give us some privacy.

"How are you holding up?" I asked brushing a strand of hair back from her face.

"I'm alive," she said fighting tears, "but I feel like I should be dead. You saved my life Callie, I don't think I could ever forget that."

"I'm just glad that it's over and you're safe now."

"I wish it were that easy," Draven said appearing out of nowhere and startling us. I felt my pulse quicken and managed to take some deep breaths to calm me back down.

"Don't do that," I said scolding him. After everything that happened, what made him think it was okay to just pop in like that and scare the crap out of us?

"Sorry," he said remorsefully, "I'll try to make my presence known better next time."

"Good," Zilla said sitting up, "now what is this business about it not being easy? I thought it was over now."

I know killing Circe was only part of the problem, but I couldn't help thinking this might be something separate from that. As if confirming my thoughts Draven looked at me sadly.

"What is it? Just spill already," I said getting frustrated.

"Don't panic yet," he said trying to calm our nerves, "but when a person is fed on by more than one polong, the chances of a change occurring is significantly higher."

"What do you mean a change?" I asked jumping off the bed.

"I mean that after what happened to Zilla, there is a chance she could turn into one of them."

"You're kidding right?" Zilla said flippantly. "There's no way, I would be able to feel something like that by now."

"Actually, it takes a few months for the vampirism to set in and there is no telling which form it will take since there are several different types out there."

"You're lying," she shouted angrily. Zilla burst into tears and I tried to comfort her as best I could, but ultimately she pulled away. "I need to go see Locke. He must be very worried about me by now."

I didn't want to hold her back, but I didn't know if she was well enough to leave. "Are you sure you're up to it? Do you feel okay?"

"I'm fine, I just need some time to think and stuff," she said gathering up her things.

"Well get this all figured out," I said hugging her. "Don't worry, I promise we will be here with you every step of the way, whether you change or stay the same I will love you regardless." I hoped my words lifted her spirits in some way, because I meant each and every syllable. She was my life line, my best friend and confidante. There was nothing in this world that could take that away.

"Thanks," she said reaching for the doorknob, "I'll text you when I get over there."

"Okay," I said as she took off. I prayed everything would be alright, but I knew it was going to be a long few months of nail biting until we knew whether she was infected or not.

###

Chapter 22-A Promise

"I'm ready," I said flipping through the clothes in my closet, pulling items down and shoving it into a duffel bag.

Draven paced awkwardly beside me like he wanted to say something, but the words just weren't coming out. He knew that after I was well enough I was bound and determined to go on this mission. There were only a few more months of school left, but I could just get my GED later. My parents wouldn't understand, but I had to do something to repay Draven for all of his kindness. Then there was Zilla who barely texted me these past few weeks except to say that she didn't have fangs yet. I was taking that as a good sign even though Draven remained unsure. I didn't mind leaving Cole behind either, he had shown up only twice to feed, but I had the sneaking suspicion that he actually just wanted to see me and didn't' really need the blood. Plus, he would follow me anyway so I wasn't worried.

"Will you cut that out," I said grabbing him by the arm and holding him still. "If you've got something to say just spit it out already."

"I won't let you do this," he said eyeing me warily.

Not again I groaned internally. "Stop," I said waving him off, "I already told you that there is no convincing me otherwise."

He pulled me towards him resting one hand carefully at the small of my back and brushing my cheek with the other. We hadn't been this close in so long that I had forgotten how amazing it felt. My heart beat in time with his as he pressed his lips to mine. We kissed slowly and kept the pace up until he grudgingly pulled away. Why did he always play this cat and mouse game, either he liked me and wanted to be with me or he didn't. He was so confusing.

"I hope you don't think that's going to detour my decision," I said with an edge of cockiness I hoped he could read between the lines of.

He scoffed and stepped away. "Please don't underestimate me, that's not what I was trying to do." Another cryptic message and I blushed as he continued. "It's just that I have been doing a lot of thinking and you only have a few months of school left, not to mention Zilla might need you and I don't want to take you away from that."

"You're not taking me away, I am going willingly," I said trying not to sound offended. Was he really acting like this decision came from him forcing me into something?

"That's not what I mean," he said looking flustered.

"Well then you better try again," I said frustrated. I turned my back to him and began rifling through the closet once more.

"I want you to finish school and graduate. It can wait a few months until then, but your education is important to me."

"And you think your life isn't important to me? More important than say I dunno, lousy school?"

"I didn't say that," he said defensively "I know you consider my life valuable and I would love to go back home, but I've been this way for such a long time now that a few more months isn't going to hurt anything."

I could see the logic in his response, but I knew he would want to leave until then and that left no guarantee he would come back. In fact, I am fairly certain he wouldn't. Why would he since he already doesn't want me to do this to begin with? He must have taken my silence as acceptance because he said, "Good, I'm glad you agree. Now, I'll be back as soon as school is finished and we can head out."

"Hold it," I said putting my hand up. "You're not going anywhere, nor are you getting off that easy. If you think for one second I am stupid enough to believe you will come back at the end of the semester after you've so blatantly confessed your opposition to me going in the first place, than you're dead wrong." I thought about this predicament a bit longer, there had to be a solution he would be willing to agree to.

"I have an idea," I said grabbing his hand and leading him over to my bed. I pushed him back gently straddled him and held his wrists with my hands to hold him down. I didn't want him to try to escape and he didn't resist so I took this as a good sign. "I promise to finish school and wait to go on the quest if you promise to stay here with me until then."

He wore an unreadable expression as we stared into each other's eyes for a long time. I was afraid he wasn't going to say anything, but then he said, "I can't."

All the hope I had that this would work out deflated and I felt my cheeks flush with anger. "Fine," I said squeezing his wrists, "then I will just pack up and go without you. You can't stop me and if you don't want to go with me then I can do it alone." I didn't let up on my grip and held my ground.

He shook his head defeated. "While this doesn't make me happy, I consent, but only on one condition."

My face lit up. "What's that?"

"You let me get some feeling back in my hands," he said laughing.

"Oh sorry," I said embarrassed as I released my hold. I didn't make a move to get off of him and he didn't push me away so I leaned in again and kissed him. In between breaths he mumbled, "You're going to be the death of me."

"Tell me how you really feel," I said giggling.

He pushed me back gently and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "As much as I try to fight it, there is just something about you that I can't get out of my head."

My pulse quickened and heart beat faster. "Finally," I said playfully, "I wondered how much longer it was going to take you to figure it out." He rolled me onto my back and pressed his lips to mine again. We kissed for a bit longer and then he stood and pulled me up. "Come on," he said. "Let's unpack your stuff."

I nodded as we headed back to the barely filled duffle bag. I didn't know what the next few months were going to hold, but I knew one thing for certain; I had Draven here with me and at this moment, nothing else mattered.

###

Epilogue

Viale's hands were sweaty as he paced back and forth in Thanatos' chambers. Eerie candlelight cast its gloom around the room, similar to the night he had fled through the Jungle and taken the hidden portal to Thanatos' realm. He was so angry after that slimy asema swooped in and broke the bond he had with the girl. Callie. Just the sound of her name made his mouth water. He remembered biting into her flesh and drinking deeply, the blood flowing freely through his veins and making his skin practically glow. It was probably the only time he had ever felt so alive before in all of his dreary existence. He knew he had to get her back again, he didn't think he would be able to live without her blood now that he had tasted it.

Screams erupted down the hall and Viale knew Thanatos would soon be approaching as he just had that way of scaring the wits out of everyone. Even if you weren't afraid of him he was somehow able to elicit a shriek. Viale hobbled over to a chair and sat down, he tried to calm his nerves, but he just felt so restless. He placed his hands in his lap and stared at his gnarled fingers, thinking of ways he could work this situation to his advantage. Information in exchange for Callie was the only thing he could come to. Thanatos would be very interested to hear that the Unforgiven Draven rushed off to her rescue. Not to mention the powers that both Callie and that other friend of hers posses. I bet he never even knew about it.

The sound of the heavy metal door creaking open caught his attention. Thanatos stepped through and Viale's heart dropped, the terror his mere presence caused was worse than he had been expecting. Thanatos marched forward, his purple velvet robe trailing meticulously behind him, his pale skin and dark hair all that was visible beneath the folds of fabric. Viale felt like a mouse caught in a trap, he had gone for the cheese only to realize his fatal error. Thanatos would want Callie, I bet he would kill me right where I sit for her. Too late to turn back now, he thought remorsefully.

Thanatos' thunderous voice made his deteriorating skin shiver. "You have summoned me?"

"Yes," Viale squeaked out. "I bring you news of Callie and other things you might find interesting."

A hint of a smile played at the corners of his mouth. "Well," he said practically growling "spill it then."

His decrepit palms began to sweat. "First," Viale said trying not to bolt from the room, "I would like to discuss compensation."

Thanatos smiled as if expecting this and said, "Name your price."

"The girl's blood," he said practically drooling at the thought. "I want the girl's blood, nothing more and nothing less."

Thanatos laughed so loud the walls shook and Viale wasn't sure whether he should try to run or hold his ground. He lowered his head out of respect and waited for a response.

His cold lifeless heart skipped a beat as Thanatos stepped up before him and extended his hand which Viale took without hesitation. "It is done," Thanatos said chuckling.

"Really?" Viale asked quizzically. He never dreamed in a million years that Thanatos would give her up so easily. If Thanatos intended to make Callie a vampire, how could he offer her blood to Viale? That would be impossible. Viale could only feed on human blood and not vampire blood. Did this mean that Thanatos had changed his mind?

"Yes," Thanatos confirmed. "I no longer desire to change her."

Viale's curiosity got the better of him as he said, "What will you do with her then?"

Thanatos took a step back and looked at Viale with such disgust that Viale cowered down before him. "My apologies, I did not mean to offend you."

"It is not your question that offends, it is your insubordination. If we are going to work together, you will need to know your place."

"I understand," Viale said bowing lower. "I will not make that mistake again."

"Good," Thanatos said satisfied with his apology. "Now, the terms are as follows: you can have her blood, but the rest of her; including her first born child, are mine. That is all the information I'm allowing you to have at this time. Is that clear?"

"Yes," Viale replied a little more than confused. Viale wondered what Thanatos could possibly want with Callie's first born child. Then he thought better of it. What did he care? As long as Thanatos had agreed to give him her blood, it didn't matter.

"Well?" Thanatos shouted shaking Viale from his thoughts. "Get started. Tell me everything you know."

### THE END!

About the Author

Trista Day is a married 29 year old mother of two with an obsession for collecting anything Alice in Wonderland and The Labyrinth. In between eating too much chocolate and watching The Fifth Element, she loves to read and write young adult/teen science fiction, fantasy and paranormal romance.

This is the first book in The Unforgiven Series. The second book, which has yet to be titled, is currently in the process of being written. As well as a brand new trilogy that is still in the brainstorming phase.

Connect with me online:

My Blog: http://www.tristaday.blogspot.com

Facebook: <http://www.facebook.com/tristadaybooks>

Smashwords: <https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/tristini>

###

