

Summerwend

CONFESSIONS

Vigilantes

By Deni Hulahan

Published by Smashword

Copyright 2016

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Chapter 1: Intro

Out there, in Society, there is a dark undercurrent of a whole different way of life. A subculture that exists just outside of normal peoples' awareness. There are two separate secret societies that operate in that undercurrent, the Summerwend and the Vigilantes.

I first discovered this whole different existence after a chance encounter with a young woman, Hortense. It's taken me years to build up strong enough relationships with these two groups to complete this project.

I have worked more closely with the Summerwend on this project as they have a more structured society. They have a civilization that has lasted thousands of years. However, they have strict rules about how and why they reveal their existence. They have their own set of rules, laws and punishments.

Summerwend can't be found on any conventional map. There is no central country. Its cities fall in a mystical realm, like that of Avalon or Atlantis. Summerwend is comprised of different cities in different locations all over the world. I have been allowed to enter the capital city of Sumerlen, each time I had to be accompanied by a high ranking member of their elite society- assistances to the Council of Elders.

The Summerwend are careful as to who may enter their cities because of the Vigilantes bent on eliminating them. The Vigilantes are their sworn enemies. In a way, the Summerwend created their own enemy since they are made up of ex-Summerwend citizens and victims of encounters with Summerwend politics.

Summerwend policies are very strict. They are presided over by a Council of Elders. The Council's word and laws supersedes rules or laws that the leadership of the individual cities impose. The Council of Elders have the final word on everything.

The Council has representatives from each class. Two groups have one permanent Council Elder each; the Angelical and the Demonic classes. The Animalistic Humanoids, Aquatic, Humanoid and Non-Human classes have two Council Elders, except the Vampires who have three. The 2nd Chancer class doesn't have a representative. They are considered second class citizens; unworthy of representation. There is a total of thirteen Council Elders. Each represented class have different ways of selecting their council nomination. The Council Elders vote as to who they let on the council.

To present this collection of stories I did have to get permission from the Council of Elders. I petitioned the Council for two years to finally be allowed to present my request; and after an additional year of debates they finally consented. Ultimately they knew these stories would be pushed off into the realm of Fantasy writing. That I wouldn't be believed at all; but only by the few whose lives are directly touched by one of them.

Some declined to participate in this project. During the three long years waiting for permission I collected these stories that prove they move amongst us, live around us and even hunt for us. These tales were taken word for word from the individuals who were willing to tell them to me. Some of the individuals did mention some very specific crimes. Some of the information like that was changed to protect victims' families. I also forwarded all information to the investigating agencies where necessary.

I will say that I was laughed ay by more than a few people at several different law enforcement agencies- Mr. Hartline, Mrs. Stein, Mr. Myers, Ms. Carlson, Mrs. Monroe, Mrs. McKown and all of the Harris County Sheriff's Department. I did, however, report everything relating to these crimes; hoping to help resolve some of these unsolved cases to give relief to families. I also approached representatives of the families of the victims.

Upon conducting these interviews; I found some of them to be victims of circumstance and others just reveled in what they are. Some were good and a few were bad; however, there was one who I found to be truly evil; a monster who happens to be supernatural. I am currently working with him writing his life story.

My purpose for this is to make sure people are aware of what's out there. I've been told that forewarned is to be forearmed. Meaning you can't protect yourself from what you don't know about.
Chapter 2: Hortense

By day the city is awash with sounds, of people. People doing people things. They are walking up and down the busy streets; shopping, working or playing. They are in cars; sometimes speeding down the road or locked in traffic. Mothers sitting in doorways, chattering loudly, are waiting for children to come home from school. Fathers hurry to go back and forth to work. And in the afternoons, when the kids have returned from school, you hear laughter and playing. It's the sounds of life being lived, the happiness that comes with daylight and the joy of being alive.

But by night everything changes. Instead of the excitement of an adventure the day will bring, its fear of what's hiding in the dark. The few cars that drive by try to choke you with their fumes. The lone people walking down the street are more like predators searching for prey. And the few innocent people rushing about travel in groups, believing there is safety in numbers. And the sounds you hear can terrify you in the dark; it's the not knowing what's out there that's so disturbing.

Me, I'm a creature of the night. My name is Hortense. It was a popular name at the time. My body is sixteen, but I feel ageless. I'm out on the streets, a predator of sorts. I am a vampire.

Like so many others out there, I thought I was safe in a group. I can't remember how many years ago it happened exactly; but it was before cell phones and televisions, and cars were carriages drawn by horses. Back when it was more common to walk everywhere.

I was walking home with my family, my mother and two younger brothers. We were coming home from a night service of mass. We had gone to pray for help. My father had just passed away; my mother didn't know how to support us.

We were attacked by muggers, two of them. We gave them what money we had, but it wasn't enough. They tried to take my mother's wedding rings. The older of my brothers, Thomas, tried to stop them. That's when they cut us down, stabbing and slashing us with knives glinting in the moonlight.

One cut my throat and tossed me to the side like a used up rag doll. The only thing I could hear was my mother screaming. After what seemed like forever she stopped. The one that didn't cut me leaned over me. He lapped at the blood on my neck and whispered one word, "sweet". I passed out.

When I awoke I was in a dank basement, lying on a cot, covered. I immediately grabbed for my throat, expecting to feel bandages or something. To my surprise nothing was there; no bandages, no cut, no scab just a slight scar to prove what had happened. I looked around and saw the man who had drunk my blood.

He was sitting in a chair. His skin, pale to start with, seemed shockingly white in contrast to his raven black hair and soulless black eyes. His clothes, that had once been some color, were dark dirty gray from age and filth. They just hung on him as if meant for someone twice his size.

"Welcome to the land of the dead," he said.

He tossed my mother's rings to me, and with that simple act I knew they were all dead. I sat up and discovered my dress had been removed. I covered myself with the blanket and looked around. I saw my clothes crumpled in a corner, crusted with blood. At the foot of the cot there were some pants and a shirt. They were the same dirt color of his clothes. Besides those things, there was nothing else in the room. That's when I realized that even though there was no light in the room I could see everything perfectly.

As I pulled on the clothes he explained that I was now a vampire that I could no longer go out in the day I would never age and that I must feed on blood. He told me that when he drank from me that I turned, before I died. That doesn't always happen, so he was surprised when it did. At first he was angry; he had to kill his partner who was human. He didn't want to explain it to him. So in a way I owed him. Then he figured he could lure more people with a young girl. He told me he would kill me if I didn't help, but he wouldn't say how. Besides, he figured I owed him even more for letting me keep my mother's rings.

I buttoned up my boots, and then slipped the rings on a string around my neck. I had no choice but to agree. For years we lived like that. The basement was in an abandoned building, located in a dilapidated part of the city. It was on the outskirts, where the winos, homeless and prostitutes where. They were the dregs of society that no one would look for.

I could run faster, see farther, hear the unimaginable, smell the tiniest particle of scent, and I was strong. But I had a hard time coming to terms with the price of my new found abilities. I couldn't bring myself to feed on people. He would laugh at me, saying only the truly cold-hearted ones could do it right away. It had something to do with still associating yourself with humanity. He assured me that one day I would wake up, realize why I should hunt humans and cross that line. Until that day I could get by on animals or anything with a heartbeat.

I got to know my unwanted companion better, and he was worse than his first impression. I called him Clay, because he always smelled of fresh turned earth and was always filthy. He never told me what his name really was; I always thought he liked the one I gave him better. Later I found out there is power in a name. You can summons certain types of vampires by calling their true name. But I never wanted to be around him anymore then I had to.

What he liked for me to do was act like a whore to attract a john. He liked me to get those middle classed business men. The ones in town for business and a little bit of pleasure. Nobody would miss them right away, and they always had money in their pockets. He would take a ransoms share of whatever we got, but he gave me the jewelry and clothes. I guess he didn't find much value in it. Sometimes he would get in a mood and I would have to find an elderly woman for him. I never asked why, once I got his dinner he would leave me to my own devices.

I would wander around the city, watching all the evil that happened during the night. I'm not totally naïve, I know crimes happened during the day; but at night in the cover of darkness the worst criminals operate. After all, that's when I was out.

I found the graves of my family; some distant relation had paid for my mother and brothers to be buried next to my father. And what kept my humanity was a marker next to the graves. It had my name and that I was missing, but still loved.

As time went on I accumulated a large quantity of rings, watches and gold chains. I decided it was time to be on my own. The city had changed, now there were pawn shops on every other corner, all night markets and 24-hour drive thru. People had cell phones and I-Pods. Women carried mace and stun guns to ward off attackers. And hoodlums carried guns, to make themselves feel more powerful.

I told Clay I was leaving, that I had a plan for myself. He just looked me in the eyes, gauged me for a minute and said I had just crossed the line. I braced myself for a fight, and then realized what he meant. He told me to leave, that I had paid most of my debt to him. But he warned me that he may show up sometime needing something from me, so I had better not refuse him.

I got cleaned up in some nice clothes. Gathered my things and was gone. I took the pocket watches to an antique dealer and sold them for a nice bit of cash. I sold all the jewelry I had, except for my mother's rings. When I wore those people assumed I was older than what my body looked. Since I was much older than that it was easy to fool people.

My money I invested with; stocks, bonds and properties. I was able to buy a brownstone house. My investments pay for my lifestyle. Although my neighbors think I work at night. I would wear a uniform when I would leave the house at dusk. My job was to protect and serve, but not as a cop. I am a Vigilante. I feed on the dark underworld that victimizes those who are what I once was, innocent.

That was the line I crossed, I can feed on those criminals and still keep my humanity. I visit my family ever Saturday evening, right after the night's mass. I still believe; He had a plan for me that took some time to figure out.
Chapter 3: Alex

Prom night, moms and dads all over the world tell their sons and daughters to have fun. I know that they have the safety talk as well. They tell their kids to be careful. They give them helpful warnings like don't drink and drive, don't have sex, bring money for a cab just in case, make sure your cell phone is charged or have money to make a phone call if needed. That's what my mom did.

She sat down with me just hours before it was time for me to go. This was the day she had been dreading most since I was born. She told me that though my body and mind were that of a man, my heart and soul was still just a teenage boy. She warned me that the choices I would make tonight would shape my adult life. She wasn't trying to stop me from experiencing things in my life; she just wanted me to wait until I was at least twenty. She begged me not to have sex with my prom date. She told me that once you have sex, you're never the same; an animal is released within you. Then you are slave to those animalist desires.

I could understand her being worried about that. I had been dating Renee for six months now. We weren't seeing anyone but each other. It was getting serious between us. We had both gotten into the same college, we had similar goals in life and we had talked our parents into letting us get a hotel room with a group of friends for the night.

I wanted to get ready, so I quickly promised her I wouldn't do anything she wouldn't do. I shut the bathroom door on her. Then I remembered that she had slept with her prom date and got knocked-up with me. She told me my dad couldn't handle being a father at a young age, he became reckless. He died in a horrible accident when I was very young. So I cracked open the door and saw her tear streaked face; I apologized to her.

I told her that I was so sorry, and that I knew she was just trying to protect me. I told her that she was just going to have to trust me to make the right choice. I told her that I would make her proud. That made her happy. She tousled my raven black hair, stared into my eyes and said I looked just like my dad. I gave her a kiss on her forehead and shut the door again.

When I emerged from the bathroom my hair was coifed flawlessly, my hazel eyes blended perfectly into my tanned skin, my athletic body was covered in a black tuxedo. I looked perfect. My mom was busy snapping pictures of me. I told her to cool it, that I would be back in about fifteen minutes with Renee.

She was a vision of loveliness, an angel. She was wearing a strapless gown of shimmering bronze. It set off her sparkling emerald eyes perfectly. Her rich chestnut hair was piled high on her head with curls cascading down her back.

Her mother was snapping pictures of us left and right. For a moment I was unable to see from all the flashing. As my eyes were trying to adjust her father came over and whispered in my ear. If I let one bad thing happen to Renee, if her idea of the evening was less than perfect; he was going to make sure that I paid for it the rest of my short life, if I got his meaning. I told him I understood. He was a sergeant with the police force and he kept lots of weapons in the house. I knew he could make my life hell, even if he didn't kill me.

Renee and I left her house shortly after that. We needed to get to my house so my mom could take pictures. Plus, I had arranged for the limo to pick us up there. Our friends who were staying at the hotel with us were supposed to meet us there, also.

Once we were back at my house my mom was outside waiting for me. She snapped pictures of Renee and me getting out of the car. I saw Eric's car and knew he and his date Amy were here. As Amy and Renee grabbed to hug and admire each other. My mother came up to me again.

"I can't warn you enough. Do not have sex tonight. It will ruin your life," she warned again. I figured that she was just trying to scare me, save me from the mistakes she made. Even though I'm not bad, as mistakes go. She had let my dad knock her up during prom, then he ditched her soon after.

The limo pulled up. We were all excited. After all this was prom. I swore to her I would be good.

"I'll make you proud," was the last thing I said to her that night. If only I had taken a little more time to really listen to what she had to say. I realize now that she was only doing her duty as a mother.

We rode through town in the limo, all the way to the luxury hotel where we would be staying and the prom was being held in the large ballroom. I checked us in as Amy and Renee admired the swan sculpture fountain in the middle of the lobby. Eric supervised the luggage. He had a bag of some primo pot in his bag he didn't want getting lost.

I assured Eric everything would be fine, that he and Amy should go in to the prom. Renee and I were going to check out the room. He laughed, then straightened my collar, and reminded me to wear a condom. He patted my cheek then called for Amy to take his arm. They walked off to the ballroom entrance.

Come on stud is what she whispered in my ear as she took my hand. Her hot breath on my neck really sent my pulse racing. We still had time before the prom would really get going, no one would miss us just yet. I took her hand and started up to the room. The bellboy followed with our luggage. That was our official excuse for not going straight in to the prom.

Once we got to the room I quickly handed the bellboy a tip and shut the door fast as he walked out. Renee had thrown herself across the bed in the master bedroom, and then patted the spot next to her. I eased myself next to her. She smiled a foxy little smile at me. Her eyes twinkled with mischief.

"You know I only need to get pictures of us to prove we made it here," she said to me. I told her to just let me know when she wanted to do it. She giggled as I said it. I realized how that sounded and laughed too. She joked after the pictures.

I kissed her. I'm not sure how long we laid there in that passionate embrace, but I could feel myself getting extremely turned on. She sat up abruptly. I gently grabbed her arm and said we needed to go get the pictures taken now, because I couldn't wait much longer.

We made the quick trip down there after she did a quick fix on her make-up. That side trip took about fifteen minutes. By the time we got back to the room Eric and Amy were there. They were working on a joint that he had rolled. We joined them. We were laughing when Renee grabbed my shirt and informed me we had some unfinished business to take care of.

Eric, laughing hard, flipped a condom to me and told Renee to be gentle with me. She's a screamer he warned helpfully. Eric and Renee had a brief fling during the summer before. They had already had sex, but that didn't bother me. Her experience turned me on.

We went into our room. Amy and Eric got up and left, saying they didn't want to impede any fun we were going to have. I fumbled with my pants so I could put on the condom, but Renee stopped me. She said she was on the pill and the condom would only get in the way of what she had planned.

She unzipped her dress and let it fall to the floor. Her prefect breasts stood proudly on her chest. She was wearing a pair of naughty little panties made of pink lace. Her tanned and toned body made me so hot. She stood there in panties and four inch pumps, looking like most men's fantasy. She strutted over to me and grabbed hold of my arm. She pulled me toward the bed.

She started to undress me. I grabbed her by the hair and kissed her passionately. She pulled away; then tore open my shirt, buttons flew everywhere. She kissed me down my chest. As she worked her way down I could feel my excitement growing. When she got down there she took me in her mouth and gave me a through workout. I thought I was going to pass out. She stopped just before I was about to climax. I felt the animal urges rise up within me. I shoved her over on her back.

I fell onto her, biting and sucking her perfect breasts. My hands were all over her; caressing, stroking and even gently slapping. She was moaning loudly. I worked my way down her belly to in between her thighs. She was squirming and wiggling her hips. It only made me more determined to have her. I was in a frenzy. I rammed myself into her, excitedly I kept thrusting. As I climaxed I lost track of what was happening. I felt such a rush of pleasure, but at the same time I felt a searing pain shoot up my back. After that I blacked out.

I awoke the next day naked laying in the shower in my bathroom at home. When I stared to stir my mom came in the room. Before I looked into her face I thought she was going to be so angry that I broke my promise to her. When I finally looked at her face I saw such anguish and sorrow.

I tried to get up, but my legs didn't seem to want to work. In the background I could hear the morning news. It was saying something about a wild dog that had attacked some people at a hotel. It was assumed to be a high school prank gone wrong, since Lunar Bay High School was holding their prom there. Once they said the name of my high school my legs seemed to work. I jumped up.

I caught my reflection in the mirror. Something didn't seem right. My eyes were more yellow, like a wolf's, not the tawny golden green eyes of yesterday. I also had a lot more facial growth then I would normally have in the morning. My hairless chest was coated in thick black hair. I looked at my mom, wanting answers but being too afraid to ask.

"She's dead. I want you to know first of all that you killed her," was the first thing she said to me. She kept looking at me. As if she was trying to find something good within me.

"I don't really blame you, I blame your father. If he had told me about he was a werewolf first, things might have been different. There was a good reason I told you not to have sex before you turned twenty. In the male line of your ancestry there is a werewolf curse. Any young man to have sex before the age of twenty will turn into a werewolf. That's what happened to you." She put her head down and started to cry.
Chapter 4: Angelina

I walk the halls of this hospital to give comfort to those who are sick or dying. I believe that everyone deserves compassion during those times in their lives. I enjoy doing it, and I see it as passing on a good deed. After all, John was there for me.

I can't remember exactly when it started; it was a long time ago. I was in the hospital bed trying to get some sleep. The lights were all off. When John opened the door the hallway lights flooded in behind him. He reminded me of an angel.

At first I thought it was a nurse who had come in to check my vitals; blood pressure, heart rate and temperature. I was in the hospital due to acute abdominal pain. My doctor thought it was caused by appendicitis. The doctor was concerned that it would rupture before surgery, hence my stay in the hospital.

When John fully entered the room I guessed he thought I was sleeping because he sat down quietly at the side of my bed. He bent his head down in prayer for a few minutes. When he lifted his head up our eyes met and he smiled at me.

He explained that God has a special mission for me. That everything would work out according to His plan. John told me not to be afraid, and I should remember that God loves me. Also that through God anything is possible. Those words gave me such comfort. John and I sat together and prayed. In my heart I accepted God's mission for me, which is to comfort the sick and the dying. The pain in my abdomen intensified so much I passed out, but I had peace in my heart knowing God was on my side. I knew I would start my mission as soon as I was able.

It's not an easy job. Most of the time it is very rewarding; bringing joy and salvation to those in need. On rare moments when the suffering is so great it's very difficult not to be touched with sorrow and pain. Thankfully my faith sees me through those times.

One of the best examples of a rewarding experience was when I came across a young woman named Mary. At the time she couldn't have been more than twenty. She was the victim of domestic violence. She had been beaten and stabbed six times in the torso area. Most of the wounds had missed her vital organs by mere millimeters, but one stab wound had caught her in the left lung.

She and her boyfriend had been arguing in their downstairs apartment. When she started screaming the neighbor upstairs called the police. Because of that the ambulance got there before she could bleed to death, but her vitals were very low. Her life was still in extreme danger.

Mary was a lovely girl, and very smart. She was a junior in college, studying for a Liberal Arts degree. She was the type of girl you'd never expect this sort of thing to happen to. She maintained a 4.0 grade point average while working a part time job. In her spare time, she volunteered at a troubled youth center. That was where she had met her boyfriend. His younger brother was receiving services there.

When I came across her, she was in the intensive care unit. She had all kinds of tubes and wires attached to her, her face and neck was covered with dark purple black bruises. She didn't see me, so I silently stepped over to her bedside and sat on the chair that was there.

Her vitals were very weak and I could hear the doctors talking outside the room. They didn't think she was going to make it. When she was found she had lost a lot of blood, her lung had collapsed, she had many broken bones and all those stab wounds. They thought if it had been just either the beating or the stabbings by themselves she would have a better chance at survival. They felt that her body had sustained too much trauma. One of the doctors had even started talking to her family about organ donation, as he thought that Mary wouldn't make it through the night.

As I was sitting next to her praying, her eyes fluttered open. She looked right past me, to the doorway. Her unfocused gaze watched the doctors and nurses in the hallway for a brief moment, then they slide closed again. Her blood pressure dipped very low and her pulse all but stopped. Alarms started blaring and lights pulsed their urgent tempo.

I leaned in next to her ear and told her she was not going to die. She had something very important to do, and now after going through all of this she knew what it was. I also told her that God loved her very much and He wanted her to live.

Once I finished speaking to her, her vitals began to improve. By the time all the doctors and nurses had entered the room with the crash cart they were stunned the alarms were shutting off on their own. Her pulse was growing stronger and her repertory rate was improving. I slipped out of the room quietly to give the doctors time to check on her. They were buzzing around the room murmuring words like "miracle", "amazing" and "unbelievable". All I could think of was I believed in Him.

After that critical night in ICU, intensive care unit, she kept improving at a rate that doctors were amazed and bewildered by. She continued her rapid recovery, and even put her time to good use during her convalescents. She went on to become a prominent community leader and domestic violence victims advocate. She has helped thousands of men, women and children victims. She established a hotline to call; a faith based counseling service and shelter for the abused to go to. She also developed a program to help at risk teens, in order to help prevent future violence.

The worst encounter I had, the one that hurt the most, was when I met this seven-year-old boy, David. He had been a survivor of childhood leukemia. He had been diagnosed with it when he was only two years old. He went through treatment until he was five years old.

He had big dreams; he wanted to be a pediatric oncologist when he grew up. He wanted to help other children survive what he had gone through. He was so smart and sweet I knew he would be successful in all the things he would attempt to do.

He was just starting to catch up on the childhood he had missed out on. The past year had been full of firsts for him. He had completed his first year of public school. He finally got to learn how to ride a bike. He made his first best friend, and he was going to go to his first birthday party. His best friend was having a birthday party, a slumber party to be exact. David had to beg and plead with his parents for weeks to be allowed to go.

David wasn't in the hospital from a reoccurrence of his cancer. His mom was taking him to the slumber party when their car was hit by a drunk driver. The driver of the other car walked away without even a scratch on him. He didn't even go to the hospital. He got checked out by an emergency medical tech from one of the responding ambulances. He then slipped away while everyone was focused on David and his mother.

Ruth, David's mom, lost her left leg due to a severely crushed hip. She cracked ribs on her left side and ruptured her spleen. However even with all that she was in stable, but guarded condition. David was strapped into his booster seat, right behind his mom. Where David was sitting was where the brunt of the force from the accident. Poor David sustained massive internal injuries. Their compact car was caved in by the drunk driver's SUV.

When I came into his room he was sleeping. The tubes and equipment attached to him made him look even smaller than his three-foot-tall, 50-pound frame truly was. His head was bandaged as well as his chest. I walked over to his bed to pray. He moaned, rolled his head over to face me, and then smiled at me. It was a sad smile. He reached his hand out to me. I took his hand then he closed his eyes. We didn't have to speak; he knew what I was there for.

I wasn't surprised at all when the code blue sounded to his room. David got up and stood next to me. The doctors and nurses rushing in didn't even see us. None of them noticed us walk out the door as they worked on what used to be David's little body.

As we walked towards the bright, shining light he skipped as we walked. He was smiling from ear to ear. Sometimes being a Malakhim, an Angel of Mercy, is being an Angel of Death.
Chapter 5: Eric

Not everyone's life starts out the same way. Yes, we are all born into this world. It's not your life until you begin making your own discussions. It can happen as a youngster who has run away from home or through unfortunate circumstances has been left on their own to fend in the world. Or as most people, when they reach the age of adulthood and move out on their own away from their parents. But for me, my life didn't become my own until I met Ivan.

I was twenty, drifting through college. I was doing all the things my parents told me to do. Both my parents were lawyers, and they expected me to be one also. So as long as I got good grades they paid for everything. I knew it wasn't what I wanted, but I didn't know what I wanted for myself.

I met Ivan at the frat house I was living at. We were having a Halloween party. Everyone was dressed up as their favorite actors from their favorite movie role. I was dressed as Tom Cruise from Top Gun. I thought I looked pretty damn cool. It was easy to tell who everyone was supposed to be. Then Ivan walked in.

I'm not gay or anything. I've never had a difficult time with the ladies either, but there was something about him that I couldn't take my eyes off of him. Right when he came through the door I knew I had his attention right away also. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He was too built to be James Dean; he could have come as Sylvester Stallone's Rambo. His strawberry blond hair was slicked back into a pompadour.

Half way into the night he made his way over to me. I was busy nursing a beer talking to a couple of girls. I knew he was coming over; I could feel his golden eyes on me. He waited until the girls left to use the bathroom. He leaned over my shoulder from behind to whisper in my ear. Any other man would have had my fist in his mouth for doing that. He whispered that he preferred Tom Cruise in that vampire movie much better.

I turned to face him. Our eyes met, and there was a connection. It never has or every will be anything sexual between us. We do however have a deep and personal friendship. After that night we started to hang out.

Ivan took night and evening classes there at the college. He was a history major. We would meet after his classes, usually about eleven o'clock. We would go to the local club. We'd pick up girls, drink and sometimes just talk. We could talk for hours at a time.

He was so mysterious and exciting. He would talk about all sorts of stuff. He knew so much about different historical events. When he spoke of them it was like he had actually been there when it happened. In fact, when he'd get going telling these stories he never failed to get an audience gathered all around him. He would use that time to single people out of the crowd. He'd find girls that he would be able to take out into the dark alley for a little of his special fun.

By the time Spring Break came around my life had started to become my own. I had told my parents that I wasn't going to continue school to become a lawyer. They gave me to the end of Spring Break to decide to finish school like they had planned or I was on my own. Of course I told Ivan about it that same night. So he made a private confession to me, he was a vampire. I never doubted him. Just looking in his eyes you could see the truth of what he was saying. After that conversation we both officially dropped out of school and took off.

Never once did he threaten to harm me. He never asked me to do anything that would be wrong, or evil, or even bad. You know nothing that was morally wrong, until one night when we were out at a club. He was quiet and sullen that night, not his normal vivacious self. He was holding a beer bottle in his hands, pretending to drink. He just kept staring at me.

The music was pumping loud out on the dance floor. Bodies were pressed tight against each other as they moved in a pulse force. The smell of the perspiring, hormonal bodies filled even my nostrils. I could even smell the humanity in that dark crowded club. When I came up to Ivan at the bar I could tell the place was getting to him.

He leaned close to my ear and whispered that he needed me. In my heart I knew exactly what he meant. Without knowing it before I knew that I had been waiting for this all my life. I knew that my life was about to become truly my own. He didn't have to say another word to me. I grabbed his hand and led him out to the dark street outside. I was going to be his next back alley trophy.

Standing in the darkest recess of the alley I could find; Ivan leaned in close, his mouth at my ear. Whispering in a tone that only I would be able to hear he said it had to be consensual. I murmured that I understood. Gently rubbing his cheek against mine he then asked if I knew what I was getting into. He said he never felt this way about anyone before and couldn't stand to be without me. My answer was to tell him to be quiet and get on with it.

His lips touch the base of my neck, and there was a brief moment of pain. Then it turned into an intense erotic sensation. Just went I reached the point of an orgasm he guided my head to his neck. His warm salty blood splashed into my mouth. I couldn't help myself; I let my mouth lock on to his neck. He began to moan. At that point I lost all sense of who or where I was.

When I came to I was in my room in the apartment Ivan and I shared. Even though it was pitch black in the room I could tell that the sun was setting. I could feel something was different about me. I could hear everything going on around me. There was the lady upstairs helping her kid with his homework. In the apartment downstairs I could hear the dog's toenails clicking on the floor as he waited for his master to come home from work. I could hear Ivan stirring in the closet that he would sleep the day away in.

I went to the bathroom. I was a little surprised that I didn't have to go. It wasn't until I got out of the shower did I realize that even though I hadn't turned on the light I could see everything clear as day. I toweled off and quickly dressed. I wasn't sure what was next for the night.

When I came out Ivan was dressed and sitting calmly on the sofa. I knew what I had agreed to, but this wasn't quite it. Ivan stood up and told me we didn't have much time together. I didn't question him; I didn't want him to know my mistake. I was even embarrassed and ashamed of myself. He didn't look me in the eyes. I knew our time together was almost at an end.

We went out to the street. He told me as we walked through the local park these parting words; never share my blood with anyone unless I was willing to make them like me, never stay in one place to long or I run the risk of being found out, and the only thing that could truly destroy me would be a stake to the heart while having my head cut off. Everything else would just hurt like hell and put me in a recuperative coma. I would have to feed at least once every three days or so.

Then just before he left me he told me one last thing, he was sorry to have to leave me like this; but once he turned me into what he was he had been able to hear my thoughts. If I had been a normal person still, I know my cheeks would have been bright red. He told me if I ever truly needed him to just think hard about him. He would hear me. With that he disappeared into the dark shadows of the trees.

That was the welcome to my life in the Summerwend.
Chapter 6: Garrick

My story starts near upstate New York, it's not very far from the Summerwend city of Cilverkreek. I live in a very secluded community there in the outskirts. It's very small. There are about 300 of us living up in the mountains. It's a rule that we don't interact with people from outside our community; we don't even like interacting with any of the Summerwend citizens. Even with permission from the Council of Elders I can still be stripped of my rights and expelled from the commune if our community elders ever find out I was the one to write this. I'll call myself Garrick, that's a common name where I live.

There is a rite of passage, which is why I'm writing this. As the boys approach the age of manhood; to us it is 16, he must start to craft a pair of special shoes. They have to be about sixteen inches in length give or take. We crave them from pieces of wood. The toes are attached to the main part of the foot individually with leather straps. Every part of the foot is hand carved and made to look unique, like an actual foot, only they are an unusual size. The foot shoe leaves a track just like an Adam or Eve.

Then we are supposed to travel the forests to gather all the different animal hairs we can find. We have to gather enough to make a long overcoat with it. Most of us start collecting the hairs from childhood. That way a person will have enough to make a thick coat of hair. A lot of the guys get their moms to work on it. My mother is a traditionalist and made me do it myself.

Then on the night before our sixteenth birthday we will don the fur coat and fake feet. The rite of passage is to go into the world of the Adams and leave foot prints and hairs from the coat stuck on branches. We let out screams and knock on trees. My friend even went so far as to bend some trees. It's a real mark of distinction if we get photographed or scare a bunch of hunters or something. We find that very funny. After all you people love that cryptozoology stuff. You call us Big-Foot or Sasquatch.

Big-Foot and Sasquatch don't even do that kind of stuff. About five hundred years ago they lodged a complaint with the Council of Elders over our rite of passage, but they upheld our right to the tradition since we had been doing it long before Adams started paying attention to us.

If you were to actually see us you'd be so surprised. Our feet are actually bigger, and we don't have fur. We are more like giant reptiles. We are Lizard Men!

Chapter 7: Genevieve

I don't understand why you're calling these confessions; I didn't do anything wrong and I'm not ashamed or embarrassed by what or who I am. But I do get what you're asking of me. You want to know what makes me different from everyone else. You want to know about my dirty little secret.

To start with, I was born into the Summerwend society. My father was a powerful witch; and yes males can be witches too. He was the seventh son of a seventh son. It made him able to work more than one kind of magick. There are many forms of magick. It takes a long time of studying and natural inclination to become proficient in more than one type of magick; let alone master one. My father was able to master all. It was no wonder he was an adjutant to a Council Elder representing our class. Council Elder Darnell Fist-Hammer is a dwarf on a power trip, and he uses my father like a tool.

Just as a side note: Darnell was only able to maintain his seat on the council because my father was good at his job. Darnell stayed in the capital of Sumerlen to ensure his position on the council. He left my father to deal with the day to day handling of Gylden Oak; the city that's mainly inhabited with our class of Summerwend citizens- Humanoid.

I too am a witch. I'm also the seventh child, but to my father's disappointment I am a girl. Every child born after was a girl. When my mother died during childbirth my father gave up his dream of having a seventh son to succeed him. High positions in the government were usually passed to successors.

I don't remember much about my mother. She died when I was five. The only thing I know about her is that she was a part of a failed line of Lycanlunathropes. They don't get named until they have their first transformation. So the only name she ever had was her family clan name- Lunis. Her family lives in the United States of America, in Montana, I believe.

I grew up in the shadow of my brother St'Evan. He was my closest sibling, being only nine months older than me. He made sure I was included in lessons. We were inseparable. He and I were the only ones born with natural talent for magick out of all ten of my father's children, thou all of us were trained as witches.

St'Evan and I didn't have to work as hard at learning magick as the rest of our siblings. Everything magickal came easy to us. Our older brothers; especially our oldest ones who were about nine years older than us, Abernathy and Bennett, hated us because we were more advanced than them. It was embarrassing for them. They were jealous so they picked on us, making life outside the classroom hell.

Our father did nothing to stop them. He was always too busy with work to notice. He favored Abernathy, wanting him to be his successor, since there was no seventh son with unimaginable power. After our mother died he lost interest in us kids. It didn't even bother him when our youngest sister died when she was four. She was never healthy and the older brothers blamed her for mother dying. It was almost merciful for her to go, since she was on the bullying list too.

When a witch turns thirteen they can apprentice out, if they are highly skilled, know their chosen field of magick well and are accepted by a master. Most witches don't get apprenticed out until they reach their twenties because it can be so difficult. I'm telling you this because our five older brothers were in their twenties when they finally found masters to accept their skill level.

St'Evan and I planned on apprenticing out to a master when we were thirteen. When St'Evan turned thirteen he started to develop the eyes of a Seer. His eye, which were green to begin with started to develop a ring of brown around the pupil. Like points on a compass the brown would reach for the outer ring of the iris. He could see glimpses of the future. He told me we would be apprenticed together by Master Frodderick Nightingale, of the Order of Terrain. So he would wait for me to turn thirteen in nine months.

We took all the practice exams, made sure we could cast all the advanced level spell in our chosen area of magick. So when I turned thirteen I was so excited that St'Evan and I would be able to apprentice out. We were ready. We had sent an invitation out to Master Nightingale to test us and he had accepted.

We didn't know that Abernathy had the same desire. He wanted to apprentice with Master Nightingale as well. When Master Nightingale arrived to test us he quickly bypassed Abernathy, and accepted us. Abernathy was so angry; he swore we would be sorry.

Master Nightingale gave us a week to sort out our affairs then he would be back to collect us. We wouldn't be allowed to contact anyone from home for at least three years; longer if we weren't doing well.

St'Evan and I were excited. We were looking forward to our new life. No contact with the rest of our family was a dream come true. We could handle anything, as long as we were together. Our bond was so strong we didn't even have to use words; we could just think to each other. When we were twelve we made each other heartstone amulets, with those we were connected. Mine was a pulsing pink and St'Evan's was a pulsing violet. So even if we weren't allowed to speak to one another while apprenticed; we would know each other's thoughts. We could feel each other's presences while wearing them.

The day before we were to leave, all of us siblings were in the classroom working on elemental magick. St'Evan and I were just finishing up a project, working with earth magick. St'Evan and I were able to work with all the elements. Abernathy, Carlson and Lunis could only work with the fire element. Our brother Devlyn was able to work earth magick, but he had a very limited ability. The twins, Holly and Molly, were just learning their element; which was air. They were only nine and had just been allowed to attend magick lessons. Only Bennett worked with the water element. He wasn't much for studying; he was more interested in being Abernathy's lackey. Bennett will forever be only a second rate witch, incapable of any complex spells.

As I was saying, St'Evan and I were working on our last project. Holly and Molly came over to me. They said Abernathy wouldn't help them because he said I needed to help them because I was a girl. They needed to get some supplies from the storage room. I was willing to help them; I knew what it was like to have the older brothers harassing me.

When I got into the room, they slammed the door shut and started crying how sorry they were. The door had somehow locked they cried, and they couldn't get it open. I yelled through the door for them to get the teacher. Sometimes there are containment spells on the storage room to keep some of the supplies from escaping. But that wasn't the case.

The teacher had run off to get help from the headmaster. I heard St'Evan's voice at the door telling me not to worry, this was the last prank our brothers would pull on us. That was when I heard a muffled- burn it open. Then St'Evan started screaming. Into the little room poured a smoky stench. It was the sickly, sweet and putrid smell of burning flesh. I passed out from the smoke with St'Evan's high pitched screams in my ears.

I awoke to my master sitting by my bedside holding one of my hands. His eyes were closed; his lips were moving but no sound was coming out. The only thing I could hear was the residual sounds of St'Evan's screams.

I laid there for a moment or two, trying to think of a way to ask about St'Evan. I was hoping he was still alive but knowing he was gone. I must have fidgeted because Master's eyes flew open. He patted my hand and told me my heart knew the truth. He let go of my hand and left the room.

For the first time in my life I really cried. Yes, I cried when I was five and I was told my mother was dead, but those were confused tears of a child that didn't really understand death or how the world worked. With St'Evan I understood what I had lost and it broke my heart. The only love I had known in my father's house was how St'Evan and I felt for each other. Now it was gone. I felt as if I should have died also. I just laid there in my bed, crying until my eyes were swollen shut and I had no more tears to cry. My body convulsed with each sob until I passed out into a fitful sleep.

When I awoke the second time Master was sitting beside me again and my father was standing at the foot of my bed. He stood there stone faced staring at me. I could feel his annoyance that he had to be in my room.

"There was no funeral, just a small service. There was nothing left to bury," was all my father said. He spoke as if he were speaking about some daily event. It didn't seem to bother him at all. He sure wasn't concerned for my well-being.

I asked what I thought might be possible, I asked if my father could petition the Council of Elders to make St'Evan a ghost. It was the only time I ever remember seeing emotion color my father's face. He was purple red with anger, veins seemed to be ready to bust from under the skin of his neck and forehead.

"Why risk his career just to have a ghost for a son," he shouted at me. If he wasn't willing to do it for his wife, why would he do it for a son? He stormed out of the room, closely followed by Master. In the hallway I heard my father tell Master to take me as soon as I was fit to travel. That was the last thing I ever heard my father say. I heard them walk away. My master's ancient voice was hard to discern within all the ambient noise.

We left two days later. No one came to see me off. I did catch sight of the twins peeking out a parlor window, but they hid when they saw me. Most of my burns had healed while I had laid in bed in a coma. The physical wounds didn't hurt me. What was bothering me was losing St'Evan. The only things I took with me were the clothes on my back and the amulet that St'Evan made for me. It was once pink, but since St'Evan died the stone had turned to a charred black. It was useless as a magickal tool. I was keeping anyway, St'Evan had made it for me.

The years I spent as an apprentice were hard. I studied extra in my free time and learned my craft well. I didn't say a word outside of spell casting. Master had two other apprentices besides me. Peter was there first; he was twenty-one when I got there. Then Meadow joined us two years later, she was twenty-four. I was still the youngest, I was just sixteen.

Master was especially hard on me. He believed in chores and punishments. I thought that maybe he had mastered punishment. He never left any permanent marks. He would punish me for stupid reasons; not studying, being sloppy with my spell work, not doing chores the way he wanted them done and also because I would not speak except when casting a spell. He even punished me for not letting the punishments break my spirit. He would also punish me for him having to punish me.

Puberty had kissed me hard and passionately. I was of medium height with an hourglass figure. My chest and hips were larger than most girls, but it wasn't obscene. I just had sensuous curves. I had long chestnut hair that hung in ringlets to the middle of my back. I had been told that I had my mother's eyes; golden hazel. I had also been told that ran in the Lunis line. Once my body had matured I thought I noticed that Master had taken inappropriate notice of me.

The day I turned eighteen was the day I found out what sort of man my master was, and he didn't deserve my respect or to be called master. He gave a lecture to us apprentices. It was long winded and about how we shouldn't confuse virginity with virtue. That everyone had sexual needs. Sex is a natural act and we should all be unafraid to explore our bodies alone and with each other. He even went so far as to tell us having sex could enhance our magickal abilities. Meadow nodded at me smirking. She made a wand polishing joke with a rude gesture quietly to Peter.

All through out that day Master took special interest in what I was doing. Every opportunity he had he was rubbing, what Meadow had called his wand, on me. Towards the end of the lesson he ordered Peter to prepare the evening meal and Meadow to clean the dining hall. Me, he ordered to his private chambers for a special lesson. Meadow and Peter left the classroom, giggling.

My face flushed bright red. He mistook it for embarrassed innocence, but really I was furious. When I apprenticed with him I had agreed to submit to his teaching methods, not to his wanton lust. So for the first time since arriving there I spoke.

"No," I said.

His eyes almost popped out of his head. He was shocked that I had defied him and that I had spoken. He started to yell at me, threaten me. He pulled out his crop and began to swing it at me. I braced myself, put my hands out in a stopping motion and gave a deep guttural no.

The ground began to shake underneath him. The floor crumbled and broke open beneath him. He screamed that it was his right, that my father had promised him and I belonged to him. He had the contract my father had signed and sealed with his official seal as Elder Darnell's regent.

He pulled a scroll out of the pouch at his side. With a flick of my wrist the scroll appeared in my hand. I kept one hand in front of me and the ground was still crumbling under him. Holding the scroll to my temple I could see everything written on it.

I was horrified, yet not surprised by what it said. I was promised to Master Nightingale for a term of no less than five years and not to exceed forty years. The master was allowed to use me in any manner he saw fit to teach or punish me during my apprenticeship, though nothing of a sexual nature until I reached the age of eighteen. He was permitted to do anything as long as I didn't die as a direct result. I was never to return to my father's home as I had destroyed the harmony of the family. I had pitted brother against brother. One of my brothers had confessed to incinerating St'Evan because he was under my influence; only after St'Evan was gone did he realize what had happened. My time with Master Nightingale was to be filled with the harshest punishments possible, as there was no way to bring the matter before the Council of Elders without it affecting my father's position. The contract would stay valid until either Master Nightingale promoted me from apprentice, the term of forty years expired, I died or upon the death of Master Nightingale.

Meadow and Peter tried to run back into the room. I held them back with just a glance. They were shocked and scared. They were yelling for me to let the master go, how was I doing all of this and a few other things. I'm not sure, but I think they tried to break my magick.

The master was pale and in shock. He was trying to stay levitated since all the ground had fallen away under him. Molten lava was starting to bubble up under him.

"We can end tis one of two ways. You can promote me from apprentice or you can die," I said as I tossed the scroll on the ground.

You're mine was all he would scream. Even as he sank into the lava that filled the gaping hole under him. When he was completely submerged in the lava a bubble formed on the surface. His tomb was marked with the large glassy black sphere. If you look into it you can see Master Nightingale's screaming, horror stricken face.

I released Meadow and Peter, allowing them to enter the room. I went to my room, gathered my few belongings and left. I turned my back on the Summerwend. The only good person I knew of the Summerwend was St'Evan, and he was gone. I didn't want to have anything to do with the Summerwend anymore.

It took me a few years, but I finally found a group who had the same ideas and feelings about the Summerwend that I had. I joined them and found acceptance I needed. I'm not ashamed; I am Genevieve Larkspur a Vigilante.

Chapter 8: Jesse

I am like a zombie, but not the traditional kind you think of. I am what's known as a revenant. When I was three years old I fell into the family swimming pool. I was legally dead for fifteen minutes. (I wonder what illegally dead would be.) My mom says I sustained some minor brain damage, but I can't really tell the difference.

The changes started gradually. They weren't anything that would send up a red-flag. I was thirteen and puberty was hitting; my voice was starting to crack and deepen, and hair was sprouting from various places. I found myself craving more and more rare meat, the rarer the better.

By the time I turned fifteen all I wanted to eat was raw meat. That's when I started eating organ meats as well. I'd get a package of chicken gizzard and hearts to snack on after school.

I was eighteen when I had my first accident. I was sitting on the couch in our basement with my girlfriend, Becky. Becky was pretty enough, black hair with brown eyes; but you had to face it, she wasn't smart. She was hooked on Meth, and she pretty much lived in our basement. I didn't have high standards; after all I was no prize myself. (After years of eating raw meat, and keeping it in my pockets, I had developed an odor similar to decomposing meat.)

I digress. Becky and I were sitting on the couch. She was in a mellow sleepy mode and I was intent on getting into her pants. We were kissing and I started to move down her neck. I felt the pulsing of her neck artery. I started imagining her heart beating in her chest. Then I imagined her brains and what they must taste like.

Before I knew what had happened I had ripped out her throat and torn open her chest. I was chewing on her heart when I heard my mother screaming at the top of the basement stairs. The sound of the scream shocked me to my senses. When I looked down I saw I was covered in blood and Becky was a gruesome mess. My mom kept repeating how could you done this and why.

I dropped the heart I had halfway devoured and started staggering towards the staircase. Mom shrieked and slammed the door shut before I could get part way up the stairs. I guess she thought I was coming to get her too.

You can't imagine my surprise when Becky started to gurgle. Air and bloody bubbles escaped the gash in her neck. Slowly she staggered to her feet. That was the moment of revelation for me. It shocked me to my senses; I was a REVENANT!

I ran up the stairs and pounded on the door, begging my mom to open it. I cried and plead through the door. All the while Becky was stumbling about the room, spilling her gore all over the place.

Finally, mom cracked open the door. She told me she didn't want to talk to me until I was cleaned up. So I squeezed my way through the door and into the house. I headed straight for the bathroom. I heard her close the basement door and then wedged a chair against it.

When I finished cleaning myself up I went to find my mom. She was sitting at the kitchen table. On the table was a half drank bottle of whiskey and a wet glass. Partially hidden by the table leg, was a bloody axe leaned up next to her. She didn't look at me. She just filled the glass all the way up with whiskey; then took a long drink from it. When she was finished drinking the glass was a little over a quarter filled. She slid it over to me.

My mind started to race and I thought what did she do, but I was in no position to demand anything from her. I picked up the glass and swallowed the whiskey. To my surprise I didn't choke; it didn't even burn my throat. I expected my heart to start racing, but nothing happened.

I guess it showed on my face because my mom was watching me like a hawk. She didn't seem surprised by my reaction. She seemed like she had expected it. I became hyper-aware of the axe next to her.

I tried to stay as calm as possible and asked what was the axe for. She got up from her chair and hefts the axe over her shoulder. She then stated that she had taken care of the abomination that I had created in the basement. She turned her back to me and asked if I was planning to attack her.

I gasped; I couldn't believe that she would even suggest such a thing. Then the realization of what I had really done occurred to me. I had lost control of myself. That was something that could have happened at any time. I could have done it to my mom or dad or even worse, my little brother. At that moment I was grateful that my dad and brother were way on a weekend fishing trip.

I wanted to grab my mom, shake her and cry what am I supposed to do, but I was afraid she would think I was attacking her. That was when I caught the scent of the butchered body in the basement. A moan escaped my lips before I could stop myself.

My mom whipped around and glared at me. I slapped my hands over my mouth. She set the axe by the basement door and walked over to me. She grabbed my shoulders and gave me a shake, that's what got us in this mess.

She gave me two choices. The first was I would be confined to the basement if I didn't want to try to control myself. Or if I was willing to try to control myself, I could wear a mask to prevent me from biting if I lose control. I decided to go with the mask.

She then told me to clean up the mess that was left in the basement. While I was down there my mom got on the internet to find a mask for me. She also found an old-fashion straight jacket for me.

I did really well with the mask. I also wore the straight jacket loose and developed my own fashion statement of my own. I also died my hair raven black. My skin had become extremely pale. Everyone just assumed I was gothic or something like that.

In the following years I took up taxidermy. My parents let me convert the basement into my workshop. I had a home business doing it. Thankfully we lived in a community of hunters, so I always had business. But this did lead to my next accident.

It happened four years after the first one; I had just turned twenty-two. I was in the woods behind our house. I was hunting squirrels to practice on. I found one in a trap and I thought it was dead. I started to get it out of the trap when it seemed to spring back to life.

That crazy squirrel bit my hand, so I dropped it. The damn thing ran off a little way, stopped and staggered around a few minutes then disappeared under some bushes. I didn't think much of it. The squirrel was covered in blood, so I figured I was bitten pretty badly.

My blood wasn't gushing, but was more like it had coagulated fast. The bite had caused a rip in the skin between my thumb and first finger on my right hand. I grabbed hold of my hand, more to keep the skin from flapping and to stop the nonexistent blood flow. I went back to my workshop, cleaned up my hand then sewed it up with some of my thread.

As the days past, the injury didn't heal. It just started to turn black. I figured this was when I was going to begin to rotting. To hide it for a little while longer I started to wear a glove on that hand.

A few days later my dad came into my workshop. He wanted me to get rid of any squirrels I might have. He told me about an epidemic of rabies among them. Apparently there had been a rabid squirrel attacking other animals. They were exterminating all the squirrels and burning them. So I gave him every one of them I had.

I thought about it for a while after my dad left. I remembered the white patch of fur the squirrel that bit me had on the left side. I decided to chase my dad down to see if there was a description of the rabid squirrel. I wasn't surprised when he described the squirrel that bit me.

Later that evening I talked to my mom. I showed her my hand and told her about the squirrel. I expressed my concern that my blood had contaminated the creature. I was glad that everyone thought that it was rabid, but we needed to hurry and get it out of nature. There was no telling what it could have killed and reanimated. (I can't help but giggle when I think of a squirrel army.)

My mom thought it would be best if I just stayed in the basement from now on. I realized that at least I wouldn't need to wear the mask anymore. Besides, the rotting on my hand was spreading up my arm. I knew it would be hard to hide soon.

That's where I am now living my so called existence. It has been about six years now. I've used my taxidermy skills to keep myself looking decent enough. My mom picks up and delivers the items I taxidermy.

The only bad thing is I still crave live meat. My mom brings me wild animals sometimes, but I still can't wait to sink my teeth into some human flesh. Someday I will, if the Summerwend Council of Elders don't send an executioner.
Chapter 9: Carle

When I found out that Ms. Hulahan was collecting these quote unquote confessions from those who live outside the realm of normal life I felt compelled to set my story out on paper. I understand that the author is looking for personal stories from those dark beings who are telling horrific secrets, but my story isn't one to repulse or scare.

My name is Carle Duffy, and I was 37 years old when I died. That was about 20 years ago. I'm a restless spirit because I left unfinished business behind. I hope that by telling my story my soul will be set free from this earthly prison.

Alan, my husband, and I had been trying desperately to get pregnant for six years. We didn't think there was anything medically wrong. We just figured it was a lot of bad timing. You see, he was an enlisted man. He spent most of his time living on base, while I lived 150 miles away due to my job. Plus, I had to travel a lot for my job, so any time we spent together was special.

Then one of the most terrible things happened, war. He was given three days off before a long deployment. So I took some time off from work. We holed up in our apartment and spent the time enjoying each other.

Just before he left we found out I was pregnant. We were happy and scared all at the same time. I worried he wouldn't come home to me. He wouldn't be home in time for the birth, and I was desperate for him to be there for the rest of the important milestones of our child. It turned out that he wasn't the one to worry about.

My obstetrician was very concerned about me. She was afraid I would miscarry due to stress. Also she worried about my age. Being in my late 30's, there were so many things that could go wrong with me or the baby. I seemed to be experiencing every bad thing that could happen.

Not even half way through my pregnancy I was put on bed rest. After that I was in and out of the hospital. Finally, my doctor just admitted me. But my doctor did just what I expected. She kept my baby strong, healthy and alive. It was a shame she couldn't do the same for me.

At 2am on April 26th, I started labor. I still had ten weeks to go. I knew there was no stopping the baby this time. I had false labor in the past, and this was more intense. There was so much pain. Lights were glaring everywhere. There were so many people around me. Doctors were shouting at nurses. The last thing I remembered was someone said there is too much blood then everything went black.

When I woke up everything had a dream-like haze. I realized something was wrong because I woke up standing. I was confused, but I knew. Deep down in my heart I knew I had passed away.

As my thoughts cleared I made my way to the maternity ward. I had to make sure that my baby was alive and well. I didn't know how much time had passed, so I wasn't sure what to look for when I got to where the babies were. But I knew him when I saw him, he was the only baby in the intensive care section. He was beautiful, strong and very much alive.

He was still in the incubator, with tubes and wires attached to his little body. He was busy kicking and waving his tiny limbs to entertain himself. His head had a few wisps of strawberry blond hair like his dad's, and he had my hazel eyes.

Many times I had told the nurses I wanted the baby named after my husband if the baby was a boy. So, when I bent down next to him to call him by name I was shocked and horrified to see the name Mitchell on the name card.

A strange man and woman came into the room a few moments later. They came over to him announcing that they were mommy and daddy; that they would be going home soon. They talked about how he had a brother and sisters waiting at home for him. How he wasn't to worry, that they wouldn't leave him.

My first fear was that Alan had been killed in action. Then I worried that he didn't want the baby, but that didn't seem right. I was upset and confused; with no way to vent what I was feeling. I had to try to find out what happened.

I started following the maternity ward nurses around, listening for any gossip. Sometimes I would follow the people who were trying to steal my baby, trying to find out what I could about them.

Finally, the time came for Mitchell to be going home with those people, and I was worried that I would lose touch with him. I happened to find those people in the cafeteria the day Mitchell was going to be released to them. They were having lunch to kill time before they were to pick him up.

I sat in the booth next to the woman, Helen. Then I whispered gently into her hear, asking what happened to Mitchell's real family. It turned out that I had a seizure during labor then slipped into a coma. The hospital informed the military so my husband could be notified. I died three days later. When the hospital administrators contacted my husband's commanding officer to inform them I had died they were told that my husband had been killed in action.

My heart broke even more. I didn't know what to do with myself. It hurt to be around my son. I couldn't hold him, touch him or be with him. I wouldn't be the one to sing him lullabies or tuck him in at night. I couldn't tell him what a good job he was doing or kiss the hurt away when things weren't going good for him.

I figured my place would be in heaven with Alan, but there was no white light or tunnel. In all the time I had wandered the hospital I never saw any other spirits, ghosts or anything. There was no one to lead or guide me. I was lost there in limbo.

I did discover that I wasn't confined to the hospital. I also found that time didn't quite mean the same to me anymore. Days could pass in what would seem to be minutes. I found that during the time I could account for I felt a driving force or impulse from within. I can only describe it as a feeling that I should be doing something, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

Most of the time the feeling would lead me to Mitchell. His parents, Helen and Steve Wallis, were nice enough. He had a brother, Erick; and twin sisters- Molly and Holly. They were typical siblings, but Mitchell knew he was different. Everyone had dark hair and blue eyes. They were all very intellectual; always studying and reading. He wasn't stupid or anything; he was more hands on and active.

Mitchell was definitely his father's son; tall with curly strawberry blond hair, very muscular and athletic. He was always outside playing sports, mainly by himself. He wasn't a loner, just none of his siblings would play with him.

When I would find myself being drawn to him the most was when he was going through a rough time. I would stay right beside him and talk to him. I would always start with I love you, Alan. For in my heart that's what I had named him. I would tell him that I wished I could hold him and make everything better.

One day I found him particularly upset. He was home from college for the weekend. He was asking a lot of questions about his real parents. He was hurting so much I could feel the emotional pain. No matter what was said the pain just grew and grew. Finally, he called them liars as he threw some papers at them. He stormed out of the house, slamming the front door. I followed close behind him. I tried to put my arms around him, but I just passed right through him.

"I know you're there," he said to the evening breeze, "during all those difficult times. I could feel your presence in the breezes around me. I had always hoped that you were at peace, but after today I don't think so."

He was able to answer more of my questions then I would have been able to on my own. I figured out the nature of my tortured existence. All the time I felt pulled towards Mitchell, I was making a mistake. Alan was still alive and in great distress. He lived only two blocks from Mitchell's home. I had thought it was my son who needed me when in reality it was my husband.

As it turned out, the military had made a mistake. Alan had been reported killed in action when actually he was alive and well. By the time the mistake was sorted out, Mitchell had already gone home with the Wallis'. Alan was told by the hospital administrator that the baby died due to premature birth. That same administrator was Helen's cousin, he lied so she could keep the baby.

Alan was discharged from the military shortly after that under a section 8. He had lost his grip on reality. He was a broken man. He had always been able to take care of his family and his duty to his country. Now he had neither. He was living with his sister, the same sister he helped to support and raise. The one who should have been given custody of our son.

Alan lived a tortured existence, having gone mad from sorrow. He ended his life with a self-inflected gunshot wound. His physical suffering was over. It was then that I realized what I had been meant to do. I was supposed to reunite my son to his father, to give my beloved Alan some peace in what remained of his life. I didn't trust my feelings enough. Now I am doomed to be a restless spirit, as I failed the people I loved the most.
Chapter 10: Lunis

During the hot summer days, I like to stand and watch the young girls saunter up and down the boardwalk. The moist ocean air always brings them out. Their high firm breasts; barely contained inside the tops of their swimsuits, taunt flat bellies and creamy thighs really get me hard. If I see one that really gets me hot, I'll take the small brick path from my front door down to the boardwalk. Just like today.

She was walking with a friend, for me that makes her an even easier target. Girls think they're safer in groups. They don't realize that if they've been chosen by someone like me, nothing is going to stop him. But I digress, so back to her.

She was just how I like them, about average height and a little thick. I bet she's used to being called fat, but she just has sensuous curves. Girls like that have self-image problems. Her hair was a deep earthy copper with corkscrew curls. They were just right to lock my fist in to control her head. Her eyes intrigued me, creamy jade with a look of pure innocence. How unaware of what was about to happen to her. She swayed her body as she walked; wiggling her hips as if to invite a man's attention; but it was obvious to someone like me she wouldn't know what to do with that attention. She was wearing a one-piece bathing suit covered with a knee-length mesh dress. Even from where I was standing I could smell the mango sunscreen she was using to protect her porcelain white skin.

Her friend was a little taller than her. She had over-processed blond hair piled high on her head in a tight bun and fake blue eyes. She had an extra small bikini top that just barely covered the indecent part of her fake breasts, and a sarong wrapped around her small waist. Long fake nails gripped a cell phone as she talked a mile a minute into it. Her body moved with experience, too much experience for me. That and she was rail thin, I like a girl with some meat on her bones, if you get what I mean.

I took a moment to formulate my plan as I watched them look at all the little shops and vendors along the boardwalk; soon they would be walking past my building. I had on a pair of deck shorts and shoes. My raven black hair is always styled perfectly; there is never a single hair out of place on my head. I have no facial hair or body hair either, nothing to leave a trace behind. I keep my body well maintained by working out, but not too sculpted or muscular looking. I wouldn't want to scare off any prey over my size. In fact, I'm a little on the thin side, looks can be deceiving.

I went out onto the boardwalk, cruising slowly like a great white shark in seal infested waters. I looked around at the incense vendor's shop that was right next to my place. I could tell by the blonde's ying-yang shoulder tattoo that they would be stopping here to look. I waited a few minutes and wasn't disappointed. I could smell them coming in.

I kept myself busy looking at oils when they walked in. I didn't need to turn to look, I could feel their hungry eyes giving me the once over. From the corner of my eye I could see the blonde encouraging my girl to talk to me. This was going to be even easier than I thought. I was looking for a bit more of a challenge, so I decided to play hard to get, make them think they were pursuing me.

I turned to walk out of the shop, but before I left I made eye contact with her. Then I gave both the girls a sly suggestive smile and a little nod. I stepped out into the bright summer sun and paused in the doorway just for a moment so they could see my body clearly. I heard the nervous giggles of my girl and throaty giggle of the blonde. I cocked my head to the side to look at them once more and raised an eyebrow questioningly. Then I walked across the boardwalk to a palm tree by the sand. Leaning against it I figured I would wait a few minutes before I'd start looking for a new target.

She didn't disappoint. Her friend shoved her out the door, trying to be nonchalant, pointed out where I was standing. She crossed the boardwalk and approached were I was. I decided to make it a bit easier for her.

"The smell in those places always gets to me after a while. How about you," I asked her.

She blushed, and then she smiled. I knew she was grateful I started the conversation. I could smell her innocents, her inexperience with men.

"I know, but my friend Sloan, she just loves that stuff." She spoke with a mid-western accent.

"But not you, you're too sophisticated for that stuff," I said as I leaned close to her and gently inhaled near the nape of her neck, "and you already smell intoxicating."

I exhaled gently on her neck. She blushed even deeper; I could smell the blood pulsing under her skin and the wetness in her loins from me leaning so close. She was very new to this. She had no idea of what to do next.

"Do you come to the beach often," I asked her. I had never seen her here before, but I had seen her friend. I casually dropped down to the sand and patted the ground next to me. She lowered herself down, ignoring the sand sticking to her skin.

"This is my first time here, but Sloan comes here all the time."

"I didn't ask about your friend; I'm interested in you." I was careful not to say Sloan's name to her. I wanted her to forget about her friend. "I'm called Lunis. What can I call you?"

"Oh, my name is Laura," she stammered. I could tell she was surprised I wasn't interested in her friend. She looked around nervously.

"That's a beautiful name for a beautiful woman, but I bet you hear that all the time." I gave her another side glance then leaned close to her ear. "I'd like to get to know you better."

"No, I don't hear that often. My friend usually gets all the attention." I already had her distancing herself from her friend. I smiled at her.

"Your skin is starting to burn," I said as I gently laid my hand on her shoulder. I could feel her tremble under my touch. "I've got some aloe on my deck. I could rub some on your skin so it doesn't get any worse. I grow it on in a planter." I pointed to my house just on the other side of the boardwalk.

I could see the uncertainty in her eyes. She wasn't sure what to do. She hadn't quite reached that level of trust yet, so I solved the problem for her. No doubt she had been warned about going into a stranger's house, but there are always ways around that.

"You wouldn't have to come in the house if that makes you feel uncomfortable. You'll also be able to see the shop your friend is in, so you won't lose her." I gave her enough of an excuse to go and just a little bit of a challenge to prove she didn't need her friend. I got up then extended my hand to help her up.

"Thanks, I'll come." She put her hand in mine and I lead her back to the house. That was all I needed. She was mine.

The first few minutes she stood on the deck admiring the view. She flinched a little when I put my hands on her shoulders. As I rubbed the aloe on her skin she relaxed. I gently kissed her neck, she stiffened ever so slightly. I kissed her a little lower on the neck, by the third kiss she was like a ragdoll in my hands. I saw her friend walking out of the shop, arm in arm with a beefy looking guy I knew from the boardwalk. It was Jack, I'd pay him back later for this little favor.

"Your friend found someone to spend some time with, would you like to come inside for a while?" I pointed to her friend, who was walking in the other direction, away from my house.

"Sloan," she half-heartedly called out.

Sloan just turned her head and waved at Laura. She focused her attention back to the hunk by her side. She quickly disappeared from sight in the pulsing crowd.

Laura tensed under my touch again. Since I didn't want her to go chasing after Sloan I took my hands off of her.

"That's Jack she's with. He lives down at the other end of the boardwalk. I can guarantee you she'll be gone in his house for a couple of hours at least. He's a tattoo artist and he likes to give girls free tattoos as an advertisement for his business. She'll be just fine."

I could see her relax a tiny bit, but not as much as before. I decided if I fill her up with something to drink she'll have to use the bathroom soon. Then she'll have to go in the house. To keep her from getting suspicious I offer her bottled water, sealed. I have a discretely hidden little fridge filled with it on my deck.

She took it without even thinking about it. I saw her relax more when the water bottle's seal audibly cracked open. I drank one too. I got her to start talking about herself. She had just finished her first year of college. That was where she had meet Sloan. She was studying to be an accountant. She grew up in the mid-west, a small town called Pierce Ville, Kansas, so she didn't have any family out here. To keep her talking I related to everything she said, only the differences were slight. I had just finished my second year of school at a different college. I was from the southeast and I didn't have family out here either.

She was relaxing again. It had been a couple of hours since her friend had disappeared into the crowd, and she had drunk five bottles of water. She finally asked about the bathroom. Now I had her, like a fly in a spider's web. I lead her in to the house and pointed out the door she wanted.

It was about five in the evening. So I went into the kitchen. When she came out she looked more comfortable. She walked into the kitchen to see what I was doing. I was fixing a food dish for my puppy that always gets them.

"Oh, can I see him," she simpered.

"He's downstairs, in the garage," I said reluctantly. She insisted on seeing him, so I relented. I love animals; women generally want to see them. They think if a man has a pet and he treats it well, then he can't be all that bad. Carrying the bowl, I opened the door to the staircase. I ever so casually ask her to close the door behind her; I didn't want my puppy to get out. When she hesitated I turned to go back up the stairs. I tell her my puppy isn't entirely trained yet, so I didn't want to risk losing him. Then on cue, he starts to whine; that sweet puppy whine, I'm hungry.

She quickly shuts the door. She doesn't realize the door is now locked; it will take a key to open it. I reached the bottom of the stairs and placed the dish on the floor, then called out to my puppy. I flip on the main light by the time she gets down to the bottom.

My puppy bounds forward, he's a mixed breed. He looks like a mixture of a black German Sheppard and some sort of wolf. The wolf part isn't as obvious except for his intelligent, golden wolf eyes. He's large for a puppy and extremely well trained. Once I give the command she will never be able to escape.

The room isn't that big, ten feet by ten feet. It has a large kennel bolted to the wall on one side and the floor; it's large enough for a person. It's easy to explain; of course it's the dog's kennel. That is where he sleeps. There is a plastic tarp on the floor with puppy training pads on it. In another corner there is a large futon mattress, for him and me to sit on when we spend time together. Just for added comfort, a plasma TV bolted into the wall. It's prefect to watch down here, less noise from the boardwalk. As a bonus, no sound travels up from here either. Built into the walls, where you can't see, is sound reducing materials. No one has ever questioned me about it being an underground garage; I guess they don't want to, until it's too late.

Looking around she notices a lot of chew marks and various claw marks on the stairs and other places. But all in all, the place looks nice. There are plenty of things around to keep a dog happy. When we first get down there I just ignore her and praise my puppy. Then I turn to her and introduce him to her.

"This is my new friend Laura, be nice to her," I tell him.

She approaches him, just cooing over him. He knows his part well. He licks her hands, tasting her smell. He rolls over on his back, showing submission. He wags his tail; how happy he is to see her. She is busy playing with him on the floor. So I lie down on the mattress and turn on the TV, something scary and loud; just in case.

I looked at the time, 5:40 pm. I was even going to have time to fuck this tasty little morsel before dinner. With a sly smile I pat the spot next to me and ask her to sit. She's nervous again, so I call the dog to get on as well. She sits down. I start stroking him, she does too. Our hands connect. Then on cue he jumps off to eat. I just hold her hand.

I tell her that I feel so connected to her, not just physically but emotionally as well. We have such similar backgrounds. She responds, because she's not used to having the attention of an attractive man. I tell her that I don't want to scare her, but I'm so attracted to her and I would like to get to know her better. As long as she's responsive to me I'm sweet and kind. When she starts to resist, that's when I let the animal inside out.

Right now, she's eating up what I'm telling her. So when I lean in to kiss her, she slightly parts her lips eagerly. Hard and passionately I force my tongue into her mouth and lock my fist into her hair. She tenses underneath me. With my free hand I guide one of her hands to my back and roll her on top of me. This way she thinks she has the power of being on top, but really I have her arm trapped under me. I know she can feel me getting hard; her thigh was pressed up against me.

Since she hasn't tried to break free from the kiss I start to caress her thigh and back, nothing perverse yet. I can smell her excitement. I can feel her wetness on my leg. Instincts start to take hold of her; she starts to suck my tongue in her mouth. That's the signal I've been waiting for.

I roll over on her and take control. My mouth on hers keeps her head locked into place and keeps her from screaming. My thighs have her body pinned, but she doesn't realize it yet. With a quick jerk I've ripped the mesh dress open, now she realizes what's about to happen; only she doesn't know the half of it yet. I easily free myself from my pants with one hand, and then I slide the swimsuit to one side.

I enter her with such force she shudders; ah, a virgin. I whisper in her ear that I love her as my hips go to work.

She's unsure of what's happening. She wondering if she sent the right signals, is this rape? Should she try to stop me? Is this her fault?

I ask her if she's alright, because she has tears in her eyes. I see the confusion in her face, but true to her inexperience she says she's alright. I put my mouth on hers again and start thrusting deep. Her body is wet and receptive, but her mind is confused.

I look at the time; it's a little after 8pm. The sun was setting and the moon would be out soon. I decided to take a shower. Laura curled up on the mattress crying. I get up, adjust myself, and then walk up the stairs. Before exiting I blow Laura a kiss. She just glares at me. I love to add insult to injury.

"Protect," I commanded my puppy.

I showered, and then checked myself in the mirror. There are no scratches that can't be explained away. I take a quick look out on the boardwalk. It's mostly deserted now. The shops are all closed and the remaining people have moved down towards the water to watch the sunset. The summer night is almost upon us. I can feel the blood start to boil in my veins. My body starts to burn, I had better hurry now. The time has gotten away from me; moonrise is closer than I calculated. Soon the full moon will be out.

I rush downstairs just in time, naked. The tightening in my chest starts, and I scream in pain. The last human thing I remember before the beast immerges is Laura's terrified face. I howl as my transformation is complete. I know the sight of a werewolf has just rendered her powerless. I taste the hot salty blood that rushes over me as I rip out her throat.
Chapter 11: Max

There is undead walking amongst you; and you wouldn't even have the faintest idea what was going on. A very small percentage of you do get a feeling when we are near. Those lucky few get the feeling of prey being stalked by a predator. Even fewer still get more than a feeling. It's a Knowing deep inside of their soul telling them of our existence. Telling them that we are out there, ready to kill them when necessary.

I am under orders from the Council to hunt down these people and to neutralize any threat. These people, we call them Watchers, are evaluated and classified by threat level. We have three categories; crazy, recruit and kill.

I can find them easily enough. They secrete a pheromone that no human can detect. Any of the Animalistic Humanoids can smell it clearly, like fresh baked bread cooling in the breeze.

I am a Vukodlak, which is the type of werewolf that can change from human form to werewolf form and back again by willpower. I don't need the moon to transform me. In human form I can still use the werewolf powers; like strength, acute eyesight and my sense of smell. I can smell the pheromones in the air a million times better than any Adam or Eve. I hunt down the Watchers in the western United States. For those of you not good at geography that's California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado.

The most common time to find them are when they are five years old or younger. They are easy to deal with at that age. I just switch the child out for a Changeling. The child is then taken to the Summerwend city of Oakhaven. There the child is raised among us as an equal. They become contributing members of our society, when they come of age.

Sometimes we find children older than that. If they are gifted enough, they are kidnapped and sent to live with foster families. Normally, if a child doesn't receive enough training at a young age their gift weakens to the point where they don't understand what those feeling are. They start dismissing the feelings they get as just having the creeps or that they are frightened. A lot of the times the child loses the ability because their parents teach it out of them. Parents use religious beliefs or logic to make the child ashamed of their gift. I can't tell you how many times a child I was studying to recruit had their parents scare it right out of them.

There has been the rare occasion when I've come across some adults whose gifts had grown from childhood to adulthood. In my years of tracking these people I've come across four adults with powers that could be considered unbelievable.

My first track down was a set of identical twins. They were born in a time when anything unusual was evil. Not only were these girls identical, pale white blonde hair and eyes the color of blue ice; but they were albino as well.

I found them living in the woods with their mother. They were twenty years old. Their mother was a village witch, selling potions and spells to the locals. They were learning their mother's art when I showed up.

I offered to take them to the Summerwend. They could live in one of the cities. In Oakhaven they could learn to use their abilities and become members of Summerwend. They declined, worried that their mother would suffer. By coincidence the villagers had a change of heart about the spells of the witch. I think it was a potion that worked in a way that the user wasn't expecting. Their mother was blamed, and burned at the stake. I just happened to still be close by and heard their screams for help. I was in time to save them and take them away to Oakhaven. Their mother, was unfortunate.

The next one came some time later. I found him living near the Vegas strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was making a living performing at a casino as a fortune teller. When I finally confronted him about his gift, he was waiting for me. I walked into his office at the end of his work day. I thought I was the last appointment. He smiled at me as I walked in, and he asked me to sit down. We had a nice little talk about the things he saw without actually seeing them. He broke down crying, tired of all the horrors of his waking dreams. He told me he hadn't wrote me down as an appointment. There was no proof I had been in his office. As he said these things he pulled a revolver out from his coat and ended himself.

Then there was Max. He has been the strongest Watcher I have ever come across. I first noticed him when he was three years old. At that time, he was just a small blip on my radar. He could see ghosts and spirits. Usually at that age parents scare the abilities out of their children or they convince the child it's not real. So I didn't pay much attention when I lost my connection with him.

I found out later that his family had moved to a rural area just outside a main city in Mexico. The area he moved to wasn't very far from another Summerwend city, Azure Plains. So he was having contact with stray spirits and ghosts almost nightly.

His encounters terrified him to the brink of madness. When he would try to sleep at night the evil ones would try to steal his life essences so they could feel alive again, even if was for a short time.

They would call his name in the middle of the night, trying to trick him into going to them. They would pull the covers off of him in bed, hoping he would flee straight into them. When that didn't work, they tried to invade his dreams

At night while he slept they would chase him in his dreams. He would run through the woods behind his house. He would crash through the underbrush, getting scrapped by twigs and broken branches. As he ran his bare feet would get dirty from the damp ground he fled over. He even tried to hide under the fallen leaves or overgrown bushes.

As the sun would begin to rise he would begin to wake from his night of terrors. Instead of being in the woods he would find himself back in bed. Inside of the bed there would be dirt, leaves and the mud he had run through during his nightmare. I know what you're thinking; he must have been sleep walking, right? Well there was no muddy footprints or dropped leaves from the woods to his bed.

This continued until one night while the family was walking home something unusual happened. Unbeknownst to his mother, she had a protection and hiding spell placed upon him.

They were walking, well past midnight, home from a late night sermon at church. Their home was across town, nearly a two hour walk. His mother, devote in her beliefs, insisted they walk. Her mind set was if Jesus Christ walked everywhere, then that's what her and her family were going to do.

A mile down from the church was the cemetery. As they were walking towards the back side of the cemetery Max saw two nuns across the street heading for the back gate. He told his mother about them. He thought it was odd that they would be out near the back gates of the cemetery.

His mother told him, not any of his brothers and sisters, to run after them and get a blessing from them. Being the obedient eight-year-old he was he ran across the street to the nuns.

The nuns were dressed in a long lost order of nuns' uniform; long dark brown nun's habit and stark white veils. The wooden beads of their rosaries clacked gently as they walked their somber pace. The moonlight reflected off their silver crosses when the clouds would reveal it.

He quickly ran up to them, presenting himself for a blessing. Bowing his head, he never thought to look at their faces. A heavy hand was placed on his head and a husky woman's voice whispered, "Yo os Bendigo en el nombre Del Padre, Del Hijo y Del Espiritu Santo."

Humbly he told them thank you and started to hurry back to his mother. Half way back he turned, trying to get one last look at the nuns. To his shock they were gone, disappeared in front of an old grave yard. All the way home he could hear the gently clacking of the rosary beads just few feet behind him.

Unknown to him or his mother, being blessed by the spirit of a nun protects one from whatever evils of Summerwend may come their way. Being blessed by two ghost nuns make that protection even stronger. If anyone from Summerwend, even if they only meant to help, tried to find the blessed they couldn't.

So for years he lived relatively in peace. Only a random drifting Summerwend, who happened to come across him, affecting him. He could hear them calling to him. Sometimes he could see brief glimpses of people long dead.

Just before going into his teens, his mother moved the family to Los Angeles, California. In LA he continued to hear whispers; his name, short conversations or distant screams. He would see the shadows of people walking when nobody was there.

With everything that happened to him, he grew up to be well adjusted. He graduated from high school, joined the Marines, had an honorable discharge from the service, got a good job, got married and had children. All the while he still heard and saw things.

His wife was one of those children I had studied in the past. She had outgrown her talent, but that didn't stop her from passing it on to her children. That coupled with Max's abilities, it was no wonder I picked them up on my radar.

They were in their teens when I went to check out his two sons. I was caught by surprise to find out they were his children. In fact, I didn't even get a good look his kids. Max was that alert to being watched.

Max had used his military training to get a good paying job in the private security sector. He implemented many safety techniques within his home and family. And because he had so many brushes from the Summerwend, he was a firm believer in the paranormal.

Since he lived in an apartment building with his family I moved into the unit just across from his. I had to bring in help so I could watch Max and his family without arising suspicion. It failed miserably.

He noticed us right away and started his own surveillance of us. I even tried blending in with my group. When school started I sent Mark, the youngest looking member of my team to school. Mark was under orders to befriend Max's oldest son. That didn't even come close to working.

Then after months of attempting to discover the existent of Max and his family's abilities, the Council sent new orders. Those orders were to recruit first. If that was not possible then I was to eliminate them all. As harsh as this is going to sound, I decided it would be best to just eliminate them, due to Max's experience.

I arranged for the family to have a fatal car accident on the way to his wife's parents. They lived up in the mountains. The roads were in disrepair. They were steep and at some points so narrow you could easily drive off the side. With the roads blind turns and sometimes one lane roads; it was perfect for a family accident.

When they left for her parents' house I was gone; checking out another pop-up on my radar. My team had already been disbanded. They had started other assignments. So I'm sure you can understand my shock when I saw Max out walking his dog.

I wasn't sure what to do with myself. I had been doing this job for about 150 years, this was the first time a Watcher had ever given me so much trouble. I just waited in my apartment. Then there it was, the call. He must have been told they were missing, because he ran to his car and pushed his dog in. He jumped in himself and took off like a bat out of Hell.

His wife and two sons died that day. She accidently drove off the side of the mountain. She had lost control of the car. The police said the power steering pump had burned out. They thought someone had tampered with the car. They suspected Max, but they couldn't prove anything. That was the fault of my Shape-Shifter, Mark. He was supposed to take Max's shape while he fixed the car. That way if Max didn't go or had survived the crash he could be blamed. It would have covered all possibilities. Max would have either died, been jailed or driven mad from grief.

I was wrong! Max had been at work when the car was tampered with. Somebody had seen Mark; good thing he was disguised as a young woman. Instead of crippling Max with grief, I fired him up for revenge.

Once they had the funerals for Max's family the police turned the case over to the cold files. They had no suspects except for Max, and he had been cleared. Max refused to believe that the case couldn't be solved. He had a suspect, and it was me.

Since the cops were no longer involved, max felt free to confront his family's killer. I was getting ready to leave the area. I had thought he was a broken man. Before the funerals he had be quiet and despondent. That was another mistake I made. He was plotting the whole time.

He came knocking at my door. He was yelling that he knew I was in there. I opened the door, figuring I would just kill him then leave the area. He was ready for that. He pulled a handgun on me and asked why. Why had I done that to his family? I lunged for the gun and we fell to the floor. My strength kept him from hurting me; and his blessings kept me from hurting him. At that time, I didn't know about the blessings he received as a child or I would have just saved my energy instead of fighting a losing battle.

After struggling against each other for a few hours we were totally drained of energy. We laid on the floor next to one another, panting. Between gulping breathes I began to talk. I told him about how the Summerwend find people like him, that he was what we call a Watcher. For some reason I felt compelled to tell him the truth about his wife and sons. I told him how I had spied on him as a child, and how one night he disappeared to me. That I had found him by pure luck, when I was looking for his sons. I told him everything. I don't know when it happened, but at some point in my story I started crying.

He listened to me without a single sound of interruption. I thought he was accepting of what I had to say. When I finished my story he stayed silent for a few minutes. Then he began to tell me what had happened to him. He told me all about the nightmares, the voices, the shadow people and the blessings.

When I heard about the nuns I explained the importance of it. I offered him a chance to become a part of the Summerwend. His brown eyes turned black with rage and swore a vow to destroy any of the Summerwend he could find. At that statement he rolled over on his side to face me. He struggled to his feet and flashed his pistol, then he pulled the trigger three times. All without blinking. I had lost track of the gun while we rolled around. The first two rounds hit my chest and the last shot hit my head. The only thing that kept me alive was the fact I was born Vukodlak and not human at all. If they had been silver bullets I wouldn't be around to write this.

He left me laying there in a pool of my own blood. His homemade silencer was so good that no one was alerted to the gunshots. I was lucky when the Council representative came to check my progress. I couldn't die from the wounds, but I surely could bleed to death. The representative bound my wounds and took me back to the Council to report on my failures.

I am confessing my crime of creating an enemy to the Summerwend. I hope that by acknowledging my crimes and in the light of all my good works for Summerwend I might have my death sentence commuted to life in prison. Or even be allowed to hunt Max down.

Wyle

Chapter 12: Martin

Zombies aren't as unusual or as uncommon as most people think. There are large groups of them living in every large city across the world. You're probably wondering how that many zombies could hide in a major city like that. We hide in plain sight. We zombies, are among the homeless you pretend not to see. Most people are too embarrassed to even look at the homeless.

Let me be clear, before some crazy jerk goes on a killing spree; not all homeless are zombies. There are plenty of homeless people out there in need of your help. So don't think when a homeless person approaches you that they want to attack you. That person could just be looking for some help.

Zombies aren't even what you see in pop culture movies and television shows. Zombies don't crave human flesh and brains all the time until a certain stage of brain decomposition. That is the point when their body starts visibly decomposing. Zombie society does not allow that point to be reached. A zombie is taken care of before it reaches that final stage of disgusting, dangerous decomposition. We don't allow that to happen; because if a zombie outbreak or epidemic were to happen, the results would be disastrous. Nobody wants that to happen, especially the Summerwend.

It's for that reason we live in groups. Those groups are called hordes. A horde contains five to twenty zombies at a time. Depending on how large the city is correlates to how many hordes there are. It ranges from ten to fifty hordes roaming around at any given time. Here in Los Angeles, California in the United States of America; there are seven active Hordes. It's the Hordes' responsibility to destroy any of its members showing signs of the last stage of zombie decomposition.

If they fail to do so, the Council sends a messenger or a Finder to fix the problem. A messenger just delivers a message, a warning really, to take care of the situation. If the horde still will not take care of it, then the Council will send a Finder. The Finder will eliminate everyone who belongs to the offending horde, the sickened and any witnesses. The Summerwend will stop at nothing to keep Summerwenders safe.

On a side note, I am shocked they gave permission to write and publish this. Anyway, I digress. I used to live within a small horde. We had nine members. I am the lone survivor of them. I was left alive, of sorts, as a warning to the Summerwend. He said I was the only speaking warning he was going to leave.

Since zombies don't sleep, at night we would just hang out by the burning trash cans or loiter by the corner liquor store that's near our storm drain. We hide out in the storm drain during the day. Once a month however, we will feed. We usually take a homeless victim as our fleshy feast, as they are least likely to be missed rapidly. The nights we do feed we choose our dinner carefully. We would select someone drunk or who could be lured away by alcohol. Once we found that someone special we would start to prepare for the feast.

The first step was to set-up five of our horde as lookouts. They would hide in various spots along the route we would select, from the spot we would make first contact to the secluded place where we planned to feast upon our meal. One person would make contact; making promises of sex, food, drugs or alcohol to lead the victim to our dinner party. Because this is the hardest part of the job, that member gets to eat the brain and heart. Those are the best pieces for a zombie to eat. That's also way everyone is willing to take the risk of being the bait zombie.

The last three zombies will hide in the secluded area to wait for dinner to arrive. We use an abandoned house in a nearly deserted neighborhood. There are no noisy people watching us because they are too busy getting high or drunk. They help the bait subdue dinner. They get to eat with the bait zombie. The lookouts keep watch for other Hordes, they keep out the party crashers. They will make their way back to eat after the danger has past.

Each kill we rotate jobs and positions so everyone has a fair chance at first servings of dinner. In the ten years we had been operating as a Horde we only had trouble twice. Those two times other Hordes had smelt the blood in the air and had come to investigate. The first time we had to abandon our meal because a larger Horde had shown up. The other time it was just a couple of scouts that we were able to dispatch.

But the last time, I was the one to lure dinner back with drugs and some sex. We had finished eating and were waiting for the lookouts to arrive. I had noticed the smell of blood in the air. It wasn't the earthy, iron rich smell of a fresh kill, but a slightly sweet yet putrid smell of dead blood. My companions picked up on the scent too, and started to look around. We were getting anxious and worked up. I had thought it was another Horde coming to fight over our meal, but I was wrong, so wrong.

That was when HE showed up. A dark figure dressed in dark clothing. Black military boots, black camouflage style pants, black t-shirt and a black overcoat. He looked like any of the representatives that the Council would send. I was confused, we hadn't done anything that the Council would disapprove of.

It was like he appeared out of nowhere. First the hallway leading to our eating sanctuary was empty, then there HE was. Loosely gripped in his right hand was one of those Japanese swords; long and thin. I'm not sure, but I think it's called a Katana, or something like that.

I was at the back of the room. Alan and Rachel were over to a side wall, close to a window. They had been watching for our lookouts. Caleb was the one closest to the mysterious man. Hence he was the first to be eliminated.

The man had barely moved. Just a few flicks of his wrist and Caleb's head was separated from his shoulders, then evenly split up the center like a chicken. He just stood there, blocking the only way out of the room.

Rachel made her way over to hide behind me, Alan ran at the man with his hands extended out in front of him. It was as if he planned on grabbing the man's sword arm or something.

With a left sided upward swipe Alan's hands flew off his body. The returning right sided downward blow of the sword came into contact with Alan's left side. The blade entered at the base of Alan's neck, by his shoulder, and sliced diagonally through his body. His head and handless arm slide onto the floor.

Rachel decided to make a run for the window. I think she was going to throw herself out it. But the man stepped easily over Caleb and Alan's remains and made an easy swipe, taking Rachel's head off cleanly. She crumpled into a heap not too far from me.

I figured that the Council must have sent him to punish us for so imagined crime, so I dropped to my knees and bowed my head. I saw no point fighting if I had a death sentence.

"I surrender," was all I could choke out.

His face and body gave no sign of emotion. He looked down at me with hard brown eyes and a cruel smile. He was acting professional, like this was just a job. Until he spoke, for a brief second he seemed happy. He told me to put my hands forward.

It reminded me of an old war movie from 1957. The Japanese prison camp commander told the prisoners "be happy in your work". Well, this man in black was very happy in his work.

I put my hands forward, and with another easy movement of his wrist his sword loped off my hands. Since I was no longer a human man with feelings I didn't flinch. It didn't hurt, but it was going to severely limit my chances of survival. I wasn't going to be able to feed myself. Unless the Council found me very useful, I would eventually rot away turning into one of those zombies you see in movies. I was going to die.

Again that cruel smile crept onto his face, as if he had just read my mind when I came to that conclusion. He told me he had read my mind. Also, that he was going to make me very useful; at least for a little while. His voice was low, just above a whisper, and it was very clear and unmistakable. He had a plan and I was a key player right now with no choice but to follow his instructions.

He told me I was going to go to the Council of Elders in Sumerlen. I was to tell them that he was coming to destroy all of the Summerwend. He could have help if he wanted from those the Council had messed with. The Council could send all the Trackers or Finders they wanted, but it still wouldn't help them. He is the same innocent that Wyle had been sent to kill all those years ago. If the Council didn't kill Wyle after this, then he himself would. He then told me to get out of there, another Horde was on the way. They had smelt the flesh of my companions and were on the way to feast.

I struggled to my feet and hurried as best I could. I knew I wouldn't be able to talk my way out of being eaten by another Horde that was in a feeding frenzy. In the darkness that remained of the night I heard those other zombies crunching on what was left of my friends. I couldn't smell him, but I knew that the man in black was still around. How could he pass up the trap of that room that held Caleb, Alan and Rachel as delicious bait?

It took me a while to get to Sumerlen. I had a difficult time blending in with the Adams and Eves. I was surprised to be seen almost immediately by the Council. They weren't taken aback by what I told them, in fact they seemed like they were waiting for news like this. I was just led away when I was finished telling them everything. I was taken to a small room and told to lay down on a small cot. I was put into a deep sleep and when I awoke I had a new right hand. Well, it wasn't "new", but it was new to me.

Under Council orders I was assigned to assist Wyle on tracking this man in black. When I met Wyle I found out his name was Max.

Chapter 13: Vukasin

I'm in love with a girl who thinks of me as her brother. Her father and my father are bonded companions. Her father is Grand Prince Vasilije Luka Petar Vukmir 'U' Vladimiric, a Council Elder representative for the Vampires. My father is his head of security and bonded Vukodlak companion.

Her name is Sabina. She is so beautiful and perfect. She's petite, five foot two inches tall. Her skin is so white she looks like a fine marble statue. Her hair is thick and curly, a dark mahogany that looks like fire when the sun hits it just right. She's just as fiery as her hair. Her Seer's eyes are amazing to look at. They are aqua green with a brown starburst pattern radiating from the pupil to the outer ring of the iris. Besides being a Seer, like her mother; she's a Varcolaki vampire like her father.

We were born just a few days apart. If she had been born a male we would have been bonded companions. It's against Varcolaki law for a female to be bonded with a Vukodlak. In fact, the Varcolaki don't allow females to do anything. According to their laws the only thing a female Varcolaki is good for is securing alliances thru unification. Her father as plans for her, since he has no male heirs to pass his titles and Council seat to. She is supposed to produce him a male heir. He needs to unify her with someone with enough status to maintain royalty, yet not so high that his name would be lost.

Sabina does have a sister, Senka. Senka was born six years after Sabina. She wasn't born Varcolaki. She's a Witch like their mother, who's a Witch as well as Seer. Because she wasn't born Varcolaki her child will never be Varcolaki. Varcolaki are born not created. Their type of vampirism can't be transmitted by bite or anything.

The Varcolaki are different from any other vampires. They are living vampires. They live, get sick, heal, have children, grow old and eventually die. They can go out into sunlight, though it affects their ability to heal from injury. They eat and drink like everyone else. They only have to drink about a glassful of blood once or twice a week unless they are sick, injured or damaged. Then they will consume more.

The Varcolaki tend to unify to have children with Summerwenders not of the Varcolaki to have healthier children. When both of the parents are Varcolaki the resulting children are very weak. Most don't survive infancy. The few who do make it to adulthood have limited powers and a compromised immune system. They develop a disease called Hyperghoulism due to a high consumption rate of blood. Sabina's father was unified with another Varcolaki when he was young and very ambitious. They were able to produce two sons. The first one died days after birth, but the other one made it to puberty. He developed Hyperghoulism. He was killed by some Vigilantes one unfortunate night after killing his companion, who happened to be an older brother of mine. That was over a thousand years ago. When Grand Prince Vasilije's unification expired he decided he would rather risk a non-Varcolaki unification to produce offspring.

When the non-Varcolaki parent is female more difficulties arise during pregnancy. A pregnancy with a Varcolaki fetus lasts nine years, not nine months. It is easier for a miscarriage to occur because of this. Female Varcolaki can handle pregnancy better as their bodies are suited for a nine year pregnancy. They tend to miscarry non-Varcolaki pregnancies. But, the Varcolaki babies that are born in crossbred pregnancies are healthy, surviving to adulthood. (I used crossbred for lack of a better term.) It also reduces the chances of Hyperghoulism. The downfall or risks, depending on who you talk to, is about two thirds of the children born are not Varcolaki. A rare few are born not even Summerwend at all.

Since Sabina and I are the same age we have been constant companions. We age the same way. Varcolaki and Vukodlak are close cousins, we have a common ancestor. We shared the same nursery and set of rooms. The nanny took care of us together. We had the same lessons and everything. I didn't have any siblings my own age. Things only changed when Senka was born, but we just included her as much as we could. With her shorter lifespan she was more delicate. It was just the three of us.

Puberty hit Sabina and I at the same time, thirteen. That's when our aging starts to slow down. We were thirteen for three years, fourteen for four years and so on. Our lifespan can last five thousand years, give or take a few hundred years. Senka began to catch up to us in age. She had started learning magic at age eight, but we still had basic lessons together. And then one glorious time during Sabina and I's fifteen year old stage Senka was the same age as us. It was in that time period I fell madly in love with Sabina. Even thought we are forbidden to be bonded together I would give my life for hers in less then a heartbeat. I don't know if she knows that or not.

There was some unusually high Vigilante activity happening in Eden close to Shadowridge. That's where the Grand Prince's estate is. Sabina and I's lessons on proper court etiquette was suspended for a month. Senka just so happened to have a three week break, when the time was up she would be leaving to an apprenticeship within the Order of the Chalice. We were allowed to wander in the far eastern section of the four thousand acre estate.

In that area was a nice sized lake. So once we finished with our morning breakfast we would smuggle some supplies out of the pantry for snacks and shoot out the kitchen door. We would run as if there were wings on our feet. We would stop until we reached the lake. Sabina and I could have easily out run Senka, but we never let her fall behind. Even though we were supposedly safe in that section of the estate we didn't want to take any chances.

Some of the time we would swim in the lake, seeing who could hold their breath the longest or dive the deepest. Senka would win those contests. She would use her water magick to allow her to. Sometimes Senka would freeze a football field size section of the lake so we could ice skate; but that would make the Lake Nymphs and the Kelpies upset since spring had just started. Mostly we would ride the Kelpies around in the lake.

Watching Sabina ride her Kelpie was breathtaking. She rode the stallion of the herd. He was as white as she was, with her hands holding clumps of his mane it was difficult to determine where she started and where he ended. Her wild curls would flow behind her like a fiery banner. He would dive under the water with her holding on. They would stay under for what to me seemed an eternity, but when they would breech the surface her laughter would echo. She would laugh at me, chastising me for worrying so needlessly. I would blush furiously, but not from being chastised.

I would blush because she had filled out in womanly beauty. When she came up from the water her clothing would cling to her form. I could see her shape; every curve, contour and twist of her muscles. It was nearly impossible for me not to stare. She would tease me we would head to shore to eat what snacks we had pilfered from the pantry. Senka would use her magick to fill our cups.

I remember the day I knew I was in love with her. It was the middle of the second week we were free to go to the lake. We had just come ashore and Senka was making us wine to have with the cheese and apples we had brought with us. We were laughing and giggling. We had all gotten tipsy from the wine. Senka started talking about a boy she was apprenticing with. She was telling us about her first kiss and that it was with him. Then she asked us; who was our first kiss and when did it happen. We had never kissed anyone.

Sabina and I's lives were more controlled by the Grand Prince then Senka's. We had never had a holiday from our lessons before. The only other person we saw regularly who was our own age per say was Senka. Senka just laughed at us saying she figured that we were both virgins too. Sabina got a blank look on her face, she did that when she was using her abilities as a Seer. Senka started smacking her saying that was unfair, spoiling the surprise of a first kiss. So I grabbed Sabina's hand and pulled her so we could run away from Senka.

We held hands as we took off to the tree line. All the way we could hear Senka's laughter ringing in our ears. I started to ask her what she saw when she was looking into the future, but she threw herself against me. The next thing I knew her lips were on mine. At first it was her kissing me. Then I was kissing her. I don't know how long we stood there embracing, kissing. I do know we stopped when Senka screamed.

Without revealing ourselves we looked towards the shore where Senka should have been. She was trapped, surrounded by three men dressed in black military styled clothing. I knew they were Vigilantes. I whispered to Sabina to run as fast as she could back to the manor house to get help. I knew they would be far kinder to Senka since she was only a Witch, and not a fully trained one yet. Sabina, would be killed outright since she was a vampire. With the sun still shining she would not be able to heal the damage. She turned and disappeared into the forest.

I burst out of the tree line and ran as fast as I could towards them. I would have turned into a werewolf but I hadn't reached that stage in my development yet. So, I had to rely on my physical strength. I tackled the man closest to me. The two other Vigilantes came at me. I yelled for Senka to go into the lake. I knew she could use her magick to stay underwater until it was safe. I kept throwing punches. I has pummeled the first one into submission, but the other two were tag teaming me. I just had my fists to fight with; they each had a steel baton in each hand. The only sounds echoing around the lake was the cracking of bones, mine and theirs.

Vukodlak have the ability to heal quickly, but I was being injured so fast my body couldn't keep up with the damage they were inflicting. I was not going to give up until help came. As long as Sabina was safe was all I could focus on. To my surprise Sabina showed up on the back of her Kelpie stallion. She wasn't alone. My father and two other house guards were with her. I got a final crack in the head by one of them before they took off running.

The house guards took off after the two fleeing Vigilantes. My father took custody of the Vigilante I had incapacitated. Sabina got Senka out of the lake, then came over to me. I was bleeding and disorientated. They helped me home.

My father was very proud of me. So was the Grand Prince, not only did I keep his Princesses safe but I captured one of the Vigilantes. I had skull fractures, four cracked ribs, a broken clavicle, boxer fractures on both hands, a shattered left thigh bone, countless bruises and abrasions all over, a deep cut above my left eye and a dislocated jaw.

The only downfall was our fathers realized that that Sabina and I were too old for the nursery. I had to convalesce in my own set of rooms. The first day I was in a coma. After that I was laid up for three more days. When I woke up from my coma Sabina's head was resting on my chest. Her eyes were almost swollen shut from crying. She was so reveled that I woke up. Sabina would help feed me while my shoulder was still healing. Sabina and Senka came to visit me as much as the doctor allowed.

They both missed me. After the attack at the lake they were scare to be by themselves. The Grand Prince arranged for Senka to leave early for her apprenticeship and Sabina was going to go to a finishing school in Sumerlen, the capital city. The captured Vigilante revealed the girls were the target of the latest excursions. The Grand Prince decided it was time for me to start training with the house guard. My father was going to prepare me for the rite of passage that would allow me to transform into a werewolf.

By the time I was healed enough to leave my rooms Senka was leaving. I barely got to say goodbye to her. That was the last I saw of Senka. We did write for a while, but her lessons became more complicated and letters to me were a waste of studying time. She joined the ranks of witches after she finished her apprenticeship, moving to Gylden Oak.

Sabina and I were only allowed to go as far as the estate gardens for the few days we had left together. We would sit on a bench next to a fountain that featured a statue of brothers- Gavran and Vukasin, our ancient relatives. Gavran is the ancestral father of the Varcolaki vampire. Vukasin, whom I'm named after, is the ancestral father of the Vukodlak werewolf. We would sit there silently, holding hands. We never spoke of the kiss. I know I felt responsible for Senka being attacked. If we hadn't run off to the forest she would never have been alone.

The last goodbye we had together before she left for school I held her tight. We kissed. It wasn't the same passionate, intense first kiss we had shared. Instead it was sad and bittersweet. We promised to write. She would only be away until she graduated at age eighteen. The problem was with the way we age eighteen regular years will have passed.

We write, but the tone of the letters have changed. I can only hope when we reunite she will still have feelings for me, and not as a brother.
Glossary of Classes

Angelical- They are non-human entities who serve Good in various ways. They also serve in various religions as intermediaries between Heaven and Human. They have two different forms; their true form and a human shape they take to interact with mankind. They are secretive, not wanting their presence seen by humans. I have limited information on the different subclasses of the Angelical for this reason.

Animalistic Humanoid- They are individuals that either change into an animal or have animal attributes. Some of the Animalistic Human classes get their abilities by birth/ genetics. Just because both parents may have the ability does not mean all of the children will inherit the ability. There have been documented cases of identical twins being born and only one inherits the ability. Also, a child born without the ability can pass it on to their children. They all have animal traits, looks and/or mannerisms while in human form. Each group have highly developed sense of smell, taste, sight and hearing.

Aquatic- They are creatures that live in the water. Some are capable of coming on land in a human form; however, they cannot stay a prolonged time out of water without having to return to the it. They spend most of their time in and under the water.

Demonic- They are non-human entities who serve Evil in various ways. They also serve in various religions as intermediaries between Hell and Human. They can take any form that helps them carry out their task. They cannot force their will on anyone without consent.

Humanoid- They are the group that have a human-like shape. They are proportioned like a human only scaled to size of the class they belong to. Brownies are no more than five inches tall, yet sized perfectly in their proportions. This group also contains Adam and Eves that inherit abilities that the Summerwend find exceptional among them.

Non-Human- These are creatures that never lived as human, whether Summerwend or as Adam and/or Eves. They are capable of showing some human characteristics, but not enough to be considered a human. I have an incomplete list, as members of this class are secretive.

Vampire- They are comprised of ten different subclasses. Most of them are supernatural beings that have been transformed from human. There is a collection of traits attributed to Vampires. Each subclass shares one or more of these traits. The traits are: intolerance to sunlight, nocturnal, long life, extraordinary strength, heighten senses, transformation, and/or intolerance to religious items. They all share the trait of feeding on the life force, usually the blood, of living creatures.

2nd Chancers- The 2nd Chancers are those supernatural beings who were once living beings. The manner in which they come back is how they are classed. They are looked down upon by the other Summerwenders. To have a 2nd chancer in the family is a disgrace and can cause a loss in social standing.

Animal/Plant- This is the class for plants and animals that are unique to the Summerwend. The animals/plants are not intelligent, yet possess a level of understanding unlike their Eden counterparts. They have no set representation on the Council of Elders.
Glossary of Terms

Adam- Summerwend term for a human man with no abilities, talents or gifts. Adams also have no knowledge of the existence of the Summerwend or the Vigilantes that hunt them.

Bonded- The relationship between a male Varcolaki and a Vukodlak. They are close companions. They hunt together and live together. The Vukodlak will protect the Varcolaki to the death. The Varcolaki takes care of the Vukodlak; like providing a place to live.

Changeling- A sickly child of the Summerwend that is switched out for a child born to Adam and Eves that has abilities, talents or gifts. A charm is placed on the changeling child to look like the child it is replacing. Changelings usually die within one to five years after being placed.

Eden- The realm in which the Adam and Eves live in. The human world.

Eve- Summerwend term for a human woman with no abilities, talents or gifts. Adams also have no knowledge of the existence of the Summerwend or the Vigilantes that hunt them.

Finder- A representative from the Council of Elders who searches out those born to the Adams and Eves that can be recruited into the Summerwend. On rare occasions they act as executioners for those who violate Summerwend laws.

Heartstone Amulet- An amulet that is created by witches. The heartstone amulet allows the wearer to stay in contact, even over great distances, with the creator. The individuals who create these amulets together have greater connections.

Horde- A group of Zombii, Zombie or Revenant that live, hunt and travel together.

Hyperghoulism- A disease contracted by vampires. It causes an accelerated need for blood. When vampires ingest to much blood their bodies start to deteriorate. Their mental capacity becomes diminished eventually leading to disfigurement, inappropriate behavior, pain and eventually death.

Kelpie- They are classed as animals. An amphibious half horse half fish that lives in bodies of water. They do not come on shore; rather they spend most of their time underwater. They will gallop along the surface of the water. They are shy creatures.

Knowing- The knowledge of the existence of the Summerwend, the people, practices or purpose in whole or in part.

Lycanlunathrope- They are members of the Animalist Humanoid class. A person who transforms into a werewolf during the full moon. This is not a transmittable condition. Lycanlunathropes are born with the ability.

Magick- Magick is the art of using spells, potions, charms, nature and or herbs to bring about changes. It can also be used to manipulate people, objects, plants or animals. This is not to be confused with magic; which is used to perform simple tricks.

Malakhim- They are members of the Angelical class. They belong to the Angel order. They serve as Angels of Mercy. They are most commonly found in hospitals and doctors' offices.

Nymph- They belong to the Aquatic class. A nymph is an entity in the form of a beautiful young woman. Nymphs live inside of nature items; such as rivers, streams, springs ponds, lakes or grottos. They don't age or become ill if they remain living in their body of water. They will die if their body of water becomes too polluted, damaged or drained. They can also be killed if the are caught on shore. They can also spend extended periods of time away from their water source as long as they return for visits yearly. They reproduce by having relations with men. Their male children inherit what the father is, female children are nymphs. All nymphs have ice blue eyes.

Order of Anemoi- They are an order of Witches that focus their training and study on wind related magick.

Order of Terrain- They are an order of Witches that focus their training and study on earth related magick.

Order of the Chalice- They are an order of Witches that focus their training and study on water related magick.

Order of the Eternal Flame- They are an order of witches that focus their training and study on life extending and healing magick.

Order of the Salamander- They are an order of witches that focus their training and study on fire related magick.

Order of Tlaloc- They are an order of witches that focus their training and study on weather related magick.

Revenant- They belong to the 2nd Chancers class. When they were alive they were exposed to the revenant virus. Almost all have had near death experiences or were legally dead for a period of time. Once their body gets damaged they begin the rotting process. Also, after the first sampling of living flesh they become driven to eat flesh. They crave it, once they start eating it they deteriorate even faster. It is transmitted by bite or blood.

Seer- They are members of the Humanoid class. They are male or female who have the ability to see either the past, present or future. The person's ability determines how far in the past or future they can see. Seers are identified by their eyes; which are hazel green with a starburst pattern of brown around the pupil. The brown will reach out in points to the outer rim of the iris.

Shape Shifter- They are members of the Animalist Humanoid class. They are individuals with the ability to change from human form to the shape of an animal or other person. They are limited to shifting into a shape that is of similar size and weight. This is not transmittable, it is hereditary.

Tracker- A representative from the Council of Elders who hunt down and kill Vigilantes, malcontented Summerwenders and enemies of the Summerwend.

Unify- Varcolaki vampires use the term unify as a form of marriage. Since they have a lifespan of five thousand years a unification is for a set amount of time or until certain conditions are met.

Varcolaki- They are members of the Vampire class. They are closely related to the Animalist Humanoid class of Vukodlak. They will hunt with their Vukodlak counterpart. They are living vampires. They are born not created. As children they are partnered with a Vukodlak, who serves as their protector. Sunlight does not affect them. Varcolaki births are very rare when both parents are vampire. When they have children with non-vampire spouses the chance of a vampire child is almost 33%. This form of vampirism is not transmittable. They are considered royalty in the Vampire class because they are living vampires, breed and have Vukodlak bodyguards.

Vukodlak- They are members of the Animalist Humanoid class. They are people who can shift from human form to wolf form at will. They do not need the full moon to change. They are closely related to the Vampire class of Varcolaki. They share a common ancestor. They will hunt for human prey. To this day they have a close relationship with the Varcolaki, serving as bodyguards and protectors to them. The ability is hereditary, but it can be passed on from a bite or scratch as well. They do not recruit others into their clans easily as they have a strong sense of protection over their abilities. They will only do so in order to provide fresh genes into the breeding pool. As children they are paired with a male vampire counterpart. Together they are raised forming a close bond. They have a lifespan equal to the Varcolaki, approximately five thousand years. If no male counterpart is available the parent Vukodlak's bonded Varcolaki can choose to accept the child into his house guard.

Watcher- Adam and Eves that have the ability to see, feel, sense or hear citizens of the Summerwend or Vigilantes. They can possess the Knowing. Most of the time the person is seen as crazy or mentally unstable. They have even been called possessed by evil spirits.

Witch- They are members of the Humanoid class. A male or female that uses magick to effect change in the world around them. A Witch born with the natural inclination towards magick can be identified by a lock of white hair somewhere on their body.

Zombie- They belong to the 2nd Chancers class. They are creatures that were once human, but have returned to life after having been dead for a short period of time. Usually within one to twenty minutes. They are the walking dead. Of all the 2nd Chancer walking dead they are the least dead like. They maintain their human look and behaviors. Only after the first injury will they start to rot. They live as long as it takes their bodies to completely rot. This is transmitted by bite, scratch or fluid transmission. However, a victim of a zombie attack won't become a zombie if the body is devoured or destroyed.

Zombii- They belong to the 2nd Chancers class. These are individuals who became cursed and are forced to return from the dead to serve the person who cursed them. They can only be made. This is not transmittable.

Thank you for reading my book. Watch for more tales of the Summerwend and Vigilantes. If you enjoyed this book, please take a moment to leave a review at your favorite retailer or visit me on Facebook. And, if you didn't enjoy it comment on that as well.

Thank you for your time.

Deni Hulahan

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