Prolog

I pushed through the bushes and watched as she ran past my view. I watched as she trembled and tripped over tree branches. Her eyes were bloody red from running through the forest all night, as for I had energy to go through all week. But sadly for her, I didn’t have patience.
I ran with her and watched as she settled down. I decided to wait it out though, because I want to see her face. When she wakes up in the morning and I would already have chewed a piece of her leg off, rendering her useless. I wanted to feel her heart slowly flutter as I gnawed away her stomach, and I wanted to taste the blood running through my fingers as I rip her to shreds.
For an hour I watched as she watched her surrounding, pausing on me for a while, but I knew she didn’t see me. I could have been a shadow if I wanted too.
“You don’t have to hurt her,” Bella placed her hand on my shoulder. I shook her off and glared at her. Her light blonde hair shone bright in the moon light, as she gave me the ‘you know the right thing to do’ look.
I looked back at Taylor as she paced back and forth. Her clothes were ripped and there were at least two wounds that would need stiches. “You don’t understand though. She drives me crazy and I just can’t help, but want to grab her and throw her off a cliff,” I snapped back. I grabbed a stick and threw it over my shoulder. “At least let me stab her in the hand, and I will heal her.”
All Bella could do was, shake her head as she knew, that I would not change my mind.
I could feel the demon inside me take over and I need to feel blood in my system. My senses heightened and I easily picked up a branch that normally would make a teen girl struggle. I crunched on some leaves to let Taylor know of my presence. I like the fear in her eyes, almost as much as I like to kill.
“Who is there?” she grabbed a rock and held it up near her head. Oh how easy it would be to smash that rock in her head before she realizes it. I pushed some branches out of the way and walked into the moonlight.
I watched as her expression turned terrified to confusion back to terrified. I knew I looked like a mess. Leaves stuck in my hair and my clothes were ripped. Also my eyes turned a golden yellow hue that shown in the darkest corner of the world. “Do you remember me?”
Taylor decided it was a good time to throw the rock, but I easily dodged it and slowly walked up to her. “I wish you weren’t such a bitch. We could have been great friends, or a fun play toy.” I broke the branch in half and drove one in her hand. “I mean we could have done so many good things together.” I wiped the tears that slid down her face with the back of my hand.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Like I said before,” I kicked her in the side of the head and watched her body go limp, “You’re a bitch.” I spit on her and forced my demon to hide again.
“That was entertaining,” Bella walked out of the bushes and stood next to me. “Could you have done it without stabbing her in the hand? That one could leave a scar.”
I cut a slit in my arm with the other half of the branch and pulled the first half out of her hand, “That is what she gets. It is my way of reminding her that we are out there.” I knelt down next to her and watched my blood mix with hers. In the matter of no time it closed up. I did the same with her other wounds and threw her over my shoulder.
“Who is we?”
“You know, we. The demons and stuff, I don’t know.”
“What did she even do to you?”
“Nothing. Only something to my friend.”
“You made a friend?” Bella pushed branches out of my way and we made our way to Taylor’s house.
“I guess. He is more like a puppy that I picked up and decided to take home with me.”
“That is an improvement I guess.”
“Then I am going to watch that puppy grow up and teach it to rip the throats of other dogs around.” I smirked and walked past Bella as she gaped at me. I opened up a window and shoved Taylor through the window and onto her couch. “I think she will be OK, right?”
“You are planning to turn a boy in your school a pit bull?”
“Well now that I think of it, that sounds weird,” I grabbed her arm and we ran down the street until we paused at the corner, “I think maybe a German Shepard instead. They are cuter.” I turned right and walked down the street till we reached our house.
I unlocked the door and threw my keys into the little basket next to the door. “What are you doing home so late?” Justin turned around and closed the door behind Bella.
“I had to clear something up with someone and this chic decided to follow me.” I grabbed a coke from the fridge and climbed the stairs. “Now if you don’t mind, I got sleep that has decided to avoid me.”
I kicked open my door and chugged down my soda. I hurried up and changed and flopped down onto my bed. Just as I was about to fall asleep somebody knocked on the door. “What!”
“Can I come in?” When I didn’t answer Justin walked in anyways and sat down on my bed. “Bella told me you made a friend.”
“He is not a friend!” I turned over to look at him, “he is just a puppet.”
“Anyways, I think you should try to get comfortable. Unpack and make friends, instead of puppets.” He stood and walked towards the door. “Please?”
“I’ll try,” I grabbed a pillow and threw it against him. “I need to sleep now.”
“Oh yeah,” He picked up the soda can and crushed it against his head, “no more soda past ten.”
“Yes, sir.”

Chapter One

“I know,” I shoved past my brother. He had the knack of treating me like the baby of the house.
He grabbed an apple from the fringe and handed it to me, “and eat this on the way. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” He took the camera out of his fiancé’s hands and started clicking pictures out me.
“Honey,” Trina put her hand on Justin’s shoulder and lightly tugged. “If you keep her waiting, she will be late for school.” She winked at me and waved me goodbye.
I silently thank her and made my way to school. It was only a couple of blocks from here and this neighborhood isn’t so bad. But I still didn’t care much for it. Nice two story homes and sweet little kids running around the lawns. These are the towns that had skeletons in their closets and it won’t be any fun with them buried.
Cars were already parked in the lot and most kids have already formed their groups. Sadly I stuck out like a dead flower and a pile of white roses.
Mostly everyone here was wearing one type of brand. I have never heard the name, but from the way my present peers dress, I don’t like it. I don’t like the school either. Our school colors are bright orange, so everywhere you look, all you want to do is puke.
I pushed my way through people and walked into the office. A mid-forties lady sat at the desk. She had a kind smile and a look in her eyes that said, ‘screw with me and I’ll slap you right now.’ I instantly liked her. “Alex Woods.”
“Alex Woods?” she started typing on her computer before I little ding came from it. “Oh, it says you moved here from…. Alaska? Well that is certainly far from Delaware. What brought you here?”
“Mostly the weather,” I shifted from foot to foot. “Could I have my schedule please?”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry sweetie,” she stood up and went into another office for a while, before coming back in. “Coach Dodd’s first period. Tough luck. It is just down this hall, to the very end and that will be the gyms area. Take a left and you should find her somewhere in there.”
“Thanks,” I grabbed my sheet and started for the gyms. Everyone around me stopped to look, at my hair, clothes, or face? I had no idea, but I kept my head down and moved forward. I didn’t mind if attention was on me, but I knew from experience that this much attention on my first day was not good.
I took quicker and longer steps and in no time I was walking into the nice, polish gym. “Are you my new student?” A short woman boomed from across the gym, attracting attention to me.
I jogged toward her and gave her my schedule, “I am Alex Woods.” She quickly looked over me before, handing back my schedule. She lifted my arms and circled around me. She stood very close that I could smell the blood pumping through her veins.
“You look like you are a medium, come with me,” She sauntered off and took a sharp left. She pointed to her right, “Those are the boy’s locker room, if I some much as find a hair in there from you, a detention.” She took another left. I followed her and came into what has to be the girl’s locker room.
She walked into her office and came back out with a pair of clothes, “Meet me in the gym in ten minutes. We always start off with a lap around the track in rain or shine.” She looked over me again, “good luck.”
I waited until she was out of sight before flipping her off.
The locker room was quite big, and plenty of room to move around. I stepped out of my pants and into the baggy shorts. Then did the same with my shirt. I put my hair in a quick bun and walked back out and had six minutes to spare. I decided to make use of the time and to check out the boy’s gym. I only looked through the little window on the door and I could still tell that they bad a bigger and nicer things in their gym. Not fair.
I sat at the very top of the bleachers in a corner and waited for Coach Dodd to let us leave to the track. But from here I could tell that she was having a very heated conversation on the phone and it would be awhile.
“It is always like this,” a girl walked up the bleachers to sit next to me. “I have only ever seen her once not on the phone and that was when she was crying.”
I nodded and looked around at the other girls. I could tell that they were watching us and very confused on why this girl was talking to me. I was thinking the same thing. “I’m Jenna by the way.”
“Alex.”
“Are you new or am I very blind?”
“New.”
“Cool. Where did you move from?”
“Alaska.”
“Do you always answer with one word, or something?”
“Mostly.” Coach Dodd blew her whistle and I ran down the bleachers. I was one of the last people to get on the track, but the first person to leave. I waited on the grass for the other girls to file in and for us to hear the directions on what we plan to do today.
I walked into my third period late. The teacher, Mr. Bounty, stopped what he was doing and took my schedule. Most of the students were in whisper frenzy, it is like they have never seen a new person. “It is nice having you in our class.”
“Likewise,” I folded my schedule and walked to the back of the class. Only two other people sat back here with me, a girl who was a wannabe Goth and a plain boy. I decided to sit next to the lateral. Mr. Bounty went back to his lesson and everyone turned back around in their seats. Each student was writing down notes in their notebook and that is when I realized…. “Pss.”
I poked the boy next to me and he looked up, “Can I borrow a pencil and a piece of paper?”
“How have you gone through two classes without some?”
“PE and Tech,” I motion a give it here sign and he happily gave over some. I could smell the blood in him and the sweat that was forming at his forehead. “What about you?”
“Reading and Math.”
“Boring,” I flipped my hair over my shoulders. This kid isn’t so bad, I thought. I wrote down a couple of notes, but after a while I realized, I wrote the same line over and over.
Instead I started drawling. I pictured a dragon with fire spitting fire out of its mouth and wings. Very large wings. I was just starting to shade when the bell rung. “Please turn in your paper.” I looked down at mine and walked up to the teacher to give it to him.
“Ms. Woods, a moment please?”
I shrugged and sat down at one of the front desks. He waited for everyone to walk out before he stood from behind his desk, “I know you are new here, but I will not let one of my students slack. I am not a teacher to be messed with Woods and I think I deserve your full respect.”
I sat my chin on my palm and stared into his eyes. I could feel the demon in me rise slightly and I pushed its power into my now yellow eyes, “Why would you say that?” I could feel his fear from the desk, so thick that I could touch it. So vulnerable that it would be so easy to fry his brain cells. “I think I deserve respect to, Mr. Bounty. I also believe that you will give me that respect.” I tilted my head and watched as he did as well.
“Also that paper, I gave you, the art was very good that you decided to give me an A on it. Understood?” Mr. Bounty slowly nodded his head.
The extent of my power is very dangerous. I could tell the whole American army to jump off a bridge and they would do it with a smile. Either out of fear or the pleasure they get from my eyes. “Nice having this convocation with you.” I got up and walked out of the classroom.
In the cafeteria, it was small and packed corner to corner with tables. I watched the football team wrestle over a muffin when a girl walked up to me. Two girls followed behind her and together they had more plastic then a bubble wrap factory. “I am Taylor and this is Diana and Katy.”
“Alex,” I tried walking past them, but they formed a triangle around me before I could really move.
“No need to rush, I just wanted to know if you wanted to sit with us.” She stared her icy blue eyes at me.
“Thanks, but no thanks. I would like to sit by myself.”
“Great, our table is the one… Wait what?” I walked past them and stood in the lunch line. All three of them walked behind me, “What do you mean, no?”
“No. I don’t want to sit with you. How can I explain it any further?” I grabbed a salad and a fruit bowl and paid. I walked across the cafeteria and outside.
It was fall and you could tell winter was coming quickly. The trees were already turning different colors and a cool breeze was in the air. I looked around the tables outside and found the boy in my science class.
I put my stuff down and sat in the seat across from him. He looked up and smirked, “Couldn’t stay away from me?”
“Yes, it was hard to breathe without you by my side,” I propped my feet on the table and stabbed a piece of watermelon with my fork. I looked up to see him staring at me, “What?”
“You are really sitting by me?”
“Well I was planning to, but if you want me gone?”
“No, it is fine, it is just I haven’t had anyone sit by me for a long time.”
“Why? You seem cool.”
He laughed and shook his head, “I think I am too. I am just at the bottom of the list.”
“What list?”
“Taylor, you probably already heard about her or met her, but she made a school website. Everyone can vote on who is most popular person in school and of course her and her pose is at the top.” I took a bite of my salad and ran my hand through my hair.
“What is it called?”
“Most Popular,” he dipped his French fry into ketchup and popped it into his mouth.
“Original.” I finished my food as the bell rung. I stood from the table and watched…. “What is your name?”
“My manners,” he held out his hand, “ James.”
“Alex,” I shook his hand and looked up at him. “You are very tall.” I am average height and this dude had at least a head on me.

Chapter Two

I placed my backpack in my closet and hoped onto my computer. I logged in to my account and searched Most Popular. The first thing you saw was our high school, but it was designed in a way that made it seem like you are high.
Nothing was really on it only fashion tips, what is coming up now to a month away, and the list. It wasn’t all that special. Obviously Taylor and her pose is at the top, but also some guy. I read the name underneath, Casey Barns. I went through my memory of today and couldn’t remember hearing his name or seeing his face. Strange.
I logged off and went down stairs. Just as I entered the kitchen I heard the front door open and Bella walked in. She had a stupid grin on her face. ”Guess how my day was,” she boosted herself on to the counter and crossed her legs.
“Horrible,” I grabbed a banana and sat down at the table.
“No, silly,” she twirled a lock of her hair between her fingers, “I had a very good day. I was immediately befriended by this group of kids. They were awesome; they liked the same clothes, music, and topics.” She giggled. She looked down at me and her face grew expressionless, “Sorry, how was the first day at your school?”
“I made no friends, I think a group of girls will soon be my enemy, and I sweat in my first period. I think I had a pretty awesome day as well,” I shoved the whole banana in my mouth and shrugged. “It has good teachers, but the school isn’t really accepting me.”
“Well no offense, but you don’t really have the style that screams I’m friendly.”
I looked down at my combat boots and leather jacket, “I think my outfit isn’t the problem. It is the stupid humans and there way of things. I mean what the fuck do we need Facebook? I don’t really care what you’re doing every day, every second.”
“I like Facebook,” Bella scoffed.
“Of course you do, you get three hundred friends every school we go to.” I waved her off and decided to move into the living room. But instead of avoiding the fight, Bella wanted it to grow into something.
“I am sorry you don’t make friends easily. Maybe you should change your attitude.”
“I wasn’t saying that having four thousand friends is wrong. I was just saying I prefer to live my life in the shadows.” I flopped onto the sofa and clicked the remote. Justin walked in the house and sat down next to me.
“You have a package in the front room,” he grabbed the remote from my hand and changed the channel.
“Really from who?” Bella skipped away.
“Not you, Alex.”
“Really?” I got up and grabbed the package out of Bella’s hands. I climbed the stairs and went into my room. I closed the door and set the package on my bed. I went back down stairs and into the kitchen.
“Oh did you forget something?” Justin walked into the kitchen.
“Yeah scissors,” I grabbed some from the drawer and climbed the stairs again.
“I was thinking, you didn’t say Hi to me!” Justin called after me.
“Well now it is too late to say hi to you,” I pushed open my door and went straight to the package. I sliced open the package and pulled out a note.
Dear Alex,
I didn’t plan to move us around so often and I know you didn’t get the child’s experience. But I promise it was for a good reason.
If you are getting this letter than me and you’re farther is dead.
This letter is for your eyes only and no one else. After reading please burn or dump this letter.
You are our third child and that should mean you should be the weakest out of the three of all of us. But from the beginning there was something different about you. You always had the hypnotizing eyes and got me and your father to get you things.
The reason I am writing you this letter is because we learned that you got a disease inside you. It doesn’t affect you in anyway, but infuse it with someone else’s blood can cause them to burn inside out.
Me and your father has been trying to find a way to get it out of you since you been born, but instead we found many different way to kill people.
We have been moving you from town to town because there is people out there that would kill for your blood. Please be careful.
Love. Mother.
I pushed away from the bed and dug into my desk drawer and pulled out a lighter. Most nights I pull this lighter out and hold my hand over it. My skin would melt or turn a crispy black, but by the next morning it was like nothing has ever happened. I am a walking disease?
The paper was over the flame for a while before the fire crawled over the words. Tears rolled down my face as I watched love mother burn into a black smudge. I waited till the paper was ashes before stomping out the flames.
I sat back down on the bed and pulled out a small box. I timidly opened it to find a row of bottles, all full of my blood. I picked one up and read the little label. “Rots.” I picked another one up, “Black plague.” I slowly put each bottle back and closed the lid.
A loose floor board came up with a couple of tugs and I laid the box in there. There has to be a reason they would send this to me. I went back to the box and pulled out my mother’s old bracelet. I slid it onto my wrist and pushed the little charm. Two little needles pinched my skin and drew blood.
A knock at the door signaled Trina before she walked in. “Sorry for disturbing you, but I need your help.”
“Sure. I will be down in a minute.” I wait till she closed the door before picking up the last thing. A picture of my mother holding Bella and Justin on top of my father’s shoulders. I was in the background playing with a rock. I wanted to laugh, but tears brimmed my eyes instead. I was a loner even as a child.
Later that night I was in the forest looking for dinner. I ate regular people food, but my demon, I decided to call her Zila meaning a shadow, cried out in hunger. I could feel Zila crawl out her home inside me and took over my body. It felt like you were being pushed into water at first and you couldn’t breathe, but after a while you realize you could still breathe.
Zila didn’t spend much time looking at flowers or reading books. She was a monster from hell and the only reason she needed me was to get some blood. I was her puppet at night, her middle man, the only thing that lets her get what she was made for.
When you are young you learn to accept it or be destroyed. You learn that not every demon has a human, but every human has a demon. Most demons don’t bother their humans because most humans are too weak to stand the power of demons. That is also the reason why every person had a guardian angel. To watch out for demons.
Sadly when you are have a bloodline of half demons like my family, most angels give up or too scared to come near us.
In the forest there is a lot of blood to drink and shadows to hide. A perfect place for demons to run around and grab their next meal. Most demons prefer the blood of humans, but when humans start dying in a small town, everyone points their fingers at the newbies. Even demons know logic when it pokes them in the eye, so instead we chase after deer or bears.
I watched inside my body like a movie. It was strange watching you move or pick up things, but not commanding yourself to do so.
I watched as Zila hid behind a rock and listen for deer to drink from the puddles. She slowly crept around, keeping her head low. Then in one quick flash she snapped the neck of the closest deer and rip out its stomach. I wanted to close my eyes, but couldn’t. I watch as she pulled away the skin, enjoying the sound of skin ripping and slowly sucked the blood out of the poor deer.
After hours of hunting and the sun slowly peeking out over the trees, I demanded to have control over my body again. I was pulled out of the water and had control to do as I wanted. So I decided to head back to the house and scrub the blood from my hair. Zila needs to start wearing bibs or something because I couldn’t keep getting new clothes every week.

Chapter Three

I closed my locker and walked into my second period class. It was the easiest class, in the history of the world. The teacher didn’t give a crap what we did, so we got to play online or watch movies. The only test we had to do was show we knew how to turn on the computer.
I sat down in the computer I sat in yesterday and logged in. I went to this one website where you could do computer imaging. You could create people or things you see in video games or in commercials and upload them to the website. Sometimes there are contests or people could like your stuff. I often go on and have gotten better over the years.
“You’re in my seat,” a voice came from behind me. It was low and dark.
“I don’t see your name on it,” I snapped and kept working on the shading on my dragon. Yesterday I took a picture of the dragon I drew in my third period class and I went online last night before hunting. Now I am uploading the picture and putting details on.
“Well, just because you didn’t see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t there.” I turned around and nearly started trembling with desire. I was met with the greenest eyes I have ever seen and they were shadowed by brown locks of beautiful hair. He pointed to the back of the chair and I looked down to see CB scratched in the seat.
“I am sorry, here let me move,” I got up and picked up the chair. I shoved the chair in his chest and pulled the chair next to me closer. “There that solves that problem.” I sat back down and started working on George, the dragon.
I heard a deep chuckle and CB placed the chair next to me. “I haven’t seen you before, are you new?”
“I was new yesterday.”
“Damn, I decided to skip school and miss the arrival of a beauty.” I look over to him and smiled. “I’m Casey.”
I shook my head and turned back to the computer screen. I tried getting back to work, but my eyes drifted towards Casey. He was staring at me with the smirk on his face. “Will you stop staring at me?”
“Sorry, it is too hard to stop.” He smile grew by the slightest and he flipped the hair out of his face.
“You really should stop that.”
“Why?”
I turned my whole body towards him, “Don’t you have a girlfriend?”
“Why would you say that?”
I rolled my eyes, “By the build of your body and how many girls have been staring at you since you walked in, you are in football. You are not wearing one scrape of that aero and finch crap, so you don’t like being a part of the crowd. You are a linebacker or whatever you call it.” I smirked at how his mouth is agape. “Did I miss anything?”
The bell rung over my head and I quickly logged off and grabbed my backpack off the floor.
I quickly shoved my way through the crowds to get away from Casey who pushed against the crowd to get to me. I wanted him to get close to me, to grab me in his arms and walk out of the school together. I wanted him. That is the reason I am running from him. I haven’t felt this way about a human for so long, and the last time it happened nothing good came out of it, but the poor boy’s blood.
Casey grabbed my arm and turned me around, “I didn’t catch your name.”
“That is because I didn’t give it to you,” I shook the warmth of his touch away and ran to my third period class. I didn’t stop until I was in my desk next to James. “How is it going sexy,” I pulled out the pencil he gave me and a notebook.
“I see you brought your supplies.”
“Sadly, I was really hoping to steal all of you supplies by the end of the month.”
“I am not surprised,” he let a smile slip out and he turned to the front of the classroom. His hair was tousled everywhere and his shirt was tucked and not tucked.
I turned to the front of the class when the bell rung and stared at Mr. Bounty when he walked in. He only glanced at me and I could see the sweat prickle down his forehead. I forced some power into my eyes and stared through his forehead. I drilled my eyes into his and waited till he turned around before I smiled.
I started to draw a black rose in the midst of a forest. It stood proud, but very lonely. Behind it a white light glowed. It looked like it was forming a face, but not there yet.
When the bell rung I gave Mr. Bounty my drawing after a took a picture of it, “Is there something wrong?”
“N-N-Not at all. It is v-very lovely,” he snatched it out of my hands. “Um A plus.” He turned away and swiped at his brow.
I walked out of the classroom with James by my side, “Are you blackmailing the teacher?”
“What kind of question is that?” I shoved a girl out of my way.
“Well, I see the papers you turned in, you have a gift by the way.”
“Oh thank you.”
“But you should have detention by now and the way Mr. Bounty looks at you. It is like he is afraid.”
“Do you think I am capable of blackmailing a teacher?”
“Yes, that is why I ask.”
“Well I promise I am not blackmailing Mr. Bounty. Maybe I am just so irresistible that he can’t help, but to give me good grades.” I stopped at my next class, “Anyways if I had some scoop on the teacher, I would have already spilt the beans.”


I grabbed my food and started to walk towards the door, when Casey stepped in front of my way. “I think we got off on the wrong foot. Could we start over?”
“I have already forgotten about you,” I winked at him and walked around him. I stepped outside and headed towards James. He was sitting at the table with a sad puppy dog expression on his face. My lips lifted into a smile until Casey walked in front of me again.
“Hi I am Casey,” he held out his hand.
I balanced my food on one of my arms and shook his hand, “I’m Alex.”
“Do you have somewhere to sit Alex?” He grabbed my food and looked around.
“Actually, yes I do.”
Casey raised an eyebrow, “Really?”
“Yeah,” I pointed at James and Casey’s face scrunched into disgust for a second before he covered it up. “What? What is wrong?”
“Nothing,” he started to walk away from me.
I ran towards him and this time I was the one to stop him. “Why did you have that disgusted face?”
“You’re sitting with the bottom of the list.”
“Really?” I snatched my food away from him. “You are like everyone else you know that right? The list. The list!” I wanted to punch him in the face then stomp on his foot. “I can’t believe I was actually starting to…” I trailed off and looked past Casey. Taylor had her arms crossed, staring at us. She gave me a small smirk and sauntered away. Zila started to push against me, wanting to rip her throat out.
“You were starting to what?” Casey shook my shoulder, but I shook him off.
“Nothing,” I walked away and sat down at the table. I shoved away my food, not having an appetite anymore.
“What happened? Things looked like they were getting heated.”
“Not really. Do you want my food?” I pushed the plate towards him. I was starting to have a killed headache from Zila wanting to escape. She is usually asleep right now and doesn’t want to come out in till night. But the desire towards Casey and anger towards Taylor shook things up inside.
“Not really,” he twiddled with his thumbs a bit before speaking, “Do you mind if someone comes and sit with us?”
“This was your table before I sat here, do what you please.” I banged my head against the table until I couldn’t take it anymore. I went deep inside my soul. This is where I found Zila. She had red long hair like me and our faces looked the same delicateness, with minor differences.
Were her eyes are a shocking yellow, mine were a pale blue. Her face had freckles and black rings around her eyes, where I had a nose stub and no black rings.
We stood in nothing, surrounded by black, standing on air. “I don’t know what is wrong, but I am at school. You cannot come out.”
Zila tilted he head and barred her teeth at me.
“I know she pisses you off, but I can’t have you killing my classmates. Not again.” She nodded her head and I felt her pull back.
When I opened my eyes Jenna, the girl in my gym class, was sitting next to James and they seemed to be in deep convocation. I coughed to get their attention.
“Oh my gosh Alex,” Jenna turned her full attention towards me. “I didn’t realize you were sitting here, but I don’t know how I missed your red hair.” She laughed, but trailed off when I didn’t give a reaction.
“You know each other?” James looked between us and let out a nervous laugh.
“Yeah we are in each other’s first period,” I sighed. I got out of my chair, “I will see you guys later. Major headache.” I walked away before anything was said and walked into the cafeteria. Taylor walked up to me the moment I stepped in.
“I saw you talking with Casey.”
“Is there a problem?”
“I just wanted you to know that I am his girlfriend. If you knew what was best then you would stay away.”
“Trust me. I was planning to.”
“Good so we have an understanding,” she looked me over. “You would look so much better with some make up on.” Taylor walked away, as I gave her the middle finger. Just as I was walking up to my locker, the bell rung.

I ran up to James after eighth period, “Can I get a ride home?”
“Why?”
“Because I just ran over to your locker and I am exhausted,” we started to walk towards the parking lot.
“Yeah sure.” We were walking in silence when we say a huge crowd standing around a car. It was dented and the windows were smashed. The seating looked like a cat wanted revenge and I didn’t even want to read what was written on the back of the car. “I feel sorry for the person of that car.”
“It is mine,” he looked at me in utter shock and started to push people out of the way. When we were standing in front of the car, it looked even worst.
I looked around the car and found a note on the wind shield. I picked it up, “Just a warning, next time it will be worst.” I ripped the paper in front of me. I was pissed, no beyond pissed. Zila scratch my insides and I was so close to letting her free. I could smell the blood in the air, and my skin was slowly starting to burn. “Leave it be,” Cool hands wrapped around my stomach and I was dragged away.
“Did you see what she did?”
“Yes, and that is why if you do anything she will strike again. I just want to get home without any trouble. OK?”
“I’m Ok.” I pulled away from him and opened my door. I could feel Zila bubble up inside me, she knew what buttons to push.
“You can take her,” Zila whispered inside me. “Let me free. I promise prices will be paid where they need to be.” I shut the door and stomped towards the crowd. They all parted, waiting for the fight that is about to start.
I was so close when arms wrapped around my waist, dragging me back. “Let me go!” I pushed against James struggling to get free. “Taylor, I will pull the weaves out of that plastic head of yours!”
James dragged me into the bushes. I struggled against him, planting my feet into the ground. “Alex calm down.”
“I will not,” I turned around. I pushed him again, but I was the one falling back instead. I grabbed at James shirt and we fell in some mud. James struggled to get up, but slipped and fell on top of me again. “Dude, you way a ton.”
James stopped struggling and looked at me, “You have mud on your nose.” He wiped it off and smirked at me. “I kind of like it here.”
I stopped struggling as well. “So do I.” I ran my hands down James’ chest and up his back, pulling his shirt with me. I grabbed some mud and splashed it on his back. I shoved his off and ran.
“You bitch,” James and forced himself up too. I grabbed some mud and slung it at him. I ran toward the car, but before I made it, James slammed his body into me and we fell again. This time I was on top, “I think I like this better.”
“Shut up,” I grabbed some mud and ran it through his hair. James brown hair was slicked to his head with mud.
James grabbed a hand full of mud and ran it down my face. A huge blob slid down my cheek and fell into my shirt. We looked at each other and fell in the mud laughing. “You owe me a shirt,” I told his as we walked to his car.
“Well you messed up my hair,” he pulled some dry mud out of his hair and flicked it at me. I pushed him away and climbed into his car. I stared out of the car with a smile at my face. I haven’t felt this in a long time, just plain old pleasure.
“Your hair looks good that way,” I picked out another dry piece of mud. “You should keep it that.” I watched as the neighborhood flied by. It looked like a streak of color and life, something that has never been in my life. Most days it was dreary, black and white. A smile slowly crept onto my face; I could learn to love this place.
“Well, your face looks better with mud on it,” James turned towards me and stuck his tongue out at me.
“I liked you better with mud all over your hair. That James was nicer to me,” I pouted and pushed the door open. I stepped out and walked up the stairs. I turned around to James walking up the stairs as well. “Well this is it.”
“Are you going to let me in?”
I looked over at the living room window and notice two sets of eyes watching us, “I prefer not to. My family has issues.” I shuffled my feet a bit.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you later, Woods.”
“Until tomorrow, Landenberg,” I unlocked the door, but turned around when I heard James call my name.
“Will you keep my car here for the night?”
“Sure,” he tossed me the keys. “What are you going to tell your parents?”
“That I forgot I drove my car and decided to walk home, wish me luck.” He waved me goodbye and started down the street.
The second I stepped in, I was bombarded with questions:
Who was he?
What is his name?
Why are you dirty?
When do we get to meet him?
I shoved past Trina and Bella and headed for my door. “I won’t start answering questions, when mud is on my chest. Please wait an hour.” I closed my door and fell back onto it. “My gosh.”
I jumped into the shower and came out thirty minutes later as refreshed as you could be. I sat on my bed and started to brush out my hair. Today was an emotional wreck. I laid back against my headboard and slowly closed my eyes.
Casey. Casey. Casey. That was all that was on my mind. I tried think of other things like homework…. Ha! But I did try getting my mind off of him, but green invaded my head. Swirling and crawling into the shadows of my mind. In matter of moments, I could only replay the moments in my mind. Wishing I did something else, or did something more.
“Alex? Can I please come in?” Justin knocked on the door. I called for him to come in and he was sitting on my bed. “After a moment of shrieking I finally got the girls to settle down enough to tell me what happened today.”
I rolled my eyes, “gosh they are such girls. He is only a friend!”
“Good. That is what I was thinking, but I needed to hear that from you.” He patted my leg, “I don’t need to tell you the bird and the bees story again?”
“No, I already heard it one to many times.”
“I know you are eighty three years old, but you still have to mind and the hormones of a seventeen year old.”
“Thanks, really brother.”
“Anytime,” He got up from my bed and opened my door.
“Hey Justin?”
“Yes?”
“Can you do something for me?”

Chapter Four

“Hey beautiful,” James smiled up at me when I walked toward his desk.
“How much do you love me?” I playfully asked as I sat on top of his desk and swung my feet back and forth.
A trickle of sweat ran down his face and he nervously looked between me and his hands, “What are you talking about? Why would you ask that question?”
“Because now you are going to love me double of that,” I grabbed his hand and placed a set of keys on his palm. I smiled as his face showed confusion then shock.
“Did you just…. You bought…. Why?”
“Because I have a huge load of money and I didn’t really have a place to spend it,” I smiled and hoped off his desk. James gave me a bear hug and swung me around.
“Thank you.”
“Really it was no problem,” I felt the blood running under his arm. I grabbed it and ran my fingers over his veins. Last night, running after Taylor wasted my energy. I should have fed before going after her, but I thought I would at least get some blood from her. Right now Zila begged to get out. I shook my head and smiled up at James.
I dropped his arm and walked back to my desk. When the bell rung , everyone was already in their desk and we waited for Mr. Bounty. But instead a skinny, tall women came in She had blonde hair cropped just below her ears.
She tried meeting everyone’s eyes, but she looked my way, she cowered in fear. I gave her a slight smile and a nod, telling her I don’t mean to scare her. She visibility relaxed and started the lesson.
Half way through a knock came from the door and Casey walked in. He held a pink slip and started to talk to the sub. “Ms. Woods? You are needed at the front office.”
“Why?”
“It doesn’t say; just take your stuff with you.” I stuffed my notebook into my bag and snatched the pink slip from Casey. I marched outside the room.
“Why am I needed in the office?”
“You aren’t, I need to explain something to you.”
“I don’t want to hear anything from you,” I snapped and pluck the slip from his grasp. “This could come in good use.”
I walked down the hallway; everything felt all hot and sticky. I could hear Casey behind me, I could feel him there. The air around me slowly incased its self around my throat or at least it felt like that. Green spots were coming into my vision until everything was a green tint.
Not visibility showing I was weak; I walked outside and sucked in the fresh air. The scent of pine and… mint? I turned around and Casey has followed me outside. “Please let me explain.”
I sucked in some more fresh air, “Sure, but from way over there.” I sat on a bench and let my head fall into my hands. I couldn’t get a hold of myself. My hands were clammy and I couldn’t stop touching the ends of my hair.
Casey took a seat over there, “Well I guess I should start with lunch.” He nervously laughed, “I don’t care about the list at all. I hang out with the people I do because everyone else is afraid.”
“Then try not to be scary. If I was a normal person, I would coward in fear from you guys, just because everyone else,” I pushed back my hair to sit up straight. “This whole school follows everyone, if you just take your time to talk to a couple of people, then no one would be so afraid.”
I laughed at the thought of Casey going to the mall with a bunch of gamers. I looked up to him and smiled. “You’re really smart.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ve been told,” I let the silence wrap around use like a thin blanket, slowly getting thick. I pierced my eyes into his, urging them to hold. I let my eyes become a shade darker to frighten the poor boy. I haven’t liked how I feel around him.
I stared at the green around his eyes; the color was surreal. It absorbed you, letting it believe you could stay with it. Stay safe in the glints of his eyes. But then you realize that they are just eyes. I felt that away at least. I didn’t want to jump into the emerald liquid, I need too. I could feel it in my gut.
I shook my head, gave him a small smile and turned my head. I never turned my head away; I really didn’t like how weak I am. “The car?”
“I didn’t help them destroy his car,” he ran his hand through his hair. “I didn’t even know they were doing that.” He let his head fall forward; hiding behind his hair. “I was with you when it happened.”
“Really?” Warmth bubbled up in my stomach. I could feel the warmth crawl up my spine and into my chest. It felt like I was struck by a warm knife, slowly getting harder to breathe. I started to gag on my air. I laid down on the bench and let my head dangle off.
Casey crouched next to me with a pained expression on his face, “What is wrong?” He placed his hand on my back. The burn started to cool, but it wasn’t like I could grab his hand and hold it to my chest.
“It burns,” I croaked. A shiver ran down my back and Zila started to cry to be let out. She begged, she scratched, she growled. I would have, but the pain went to my head and I forgot how. I could feel the pain mashing around in my brain.
“Let me go get the nurse,” I grabbed his hand and pulled him back.
“You can’t,” I whispered. I looked up and our eyes locked. I could feel my soul jumping into his eyes, swimming around. The liquid washed over and cooled me. It took away the burn and replaced it with its own warmth. But this was nothing like the painful burn. It tickled my skin and let my skin buzz. “I should get going,” I pushed myself off the bench.
“Wait,” he grabbed my hand and spun me around. His hand sent little flecks of warmth up my arm. His cheeks turned a bright color as he looked at our hands clasped. He slowly let my hand go and I let it drop to my side. It didn’t feel right just dangling there. I wanted to reach out and grab his hand, but I decided against it. “I was thinking we could have lunch here.”
I looked around and noticed it was a garden. I was to light headed before to notice the sheer beauty of what was a foot in front of my eyes. Tulips and daisies. Roses and tiger lilies. I pushed past Casey and picked a lily. It was white and had a great fragrance. “Why are these here?”
“The school built it a year ago, for the students to come here in between classes, but no one ever does. It is too far away from the classes and no one cares for flowers when they could be fantasying about their crush.”
“But you still come over here?”
“I think I am the only one who does,” he walked to my side and touched the flower’s petal. “I am the only one who waters this place anymore.”
I stared at the side of his face; he was so in focus almost completely lost in thought. “I’ll stay,” I broke off the stem of the flower and placed it in my hair. “It could be fun.” I sat down on the bench and wrapped my arms around my knees.
“Really? I didn’t think you would,” he walked behind out a bush and pulled out a picnic basket, “but I was hopeful.”
“You planned this?” I smiled and shook my head. I think my cheeks were as red as the tomatoes and my pulse couldn’t get any faster. I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear and untucked it.
“Well I was planning that you were going to say no and I have to get on my knees and beg. I didn’t think you were going to cave in so easily. It was probably my looks that did the trick.”
I shoved him, “Or I felt sorry for you.”
“That is not a possibility, I have nothing to be sad about,” he leaned back and placed his arms behind his neck. He looked at me in the way that I felt like I was being examined. He saw my past and future. Knew exactly the sins I pull every day and the hell I raise inside people. He dissected me like a frog and threw away the scraps.
“You can honestly say that your life is heaven,” I pushed back my bangs. I turned away from him.
“Why, you can’t?”
“You could say that again,” I nervously laughed. “I’ve seen a lot and done some as well. If heaven does exist, you can see me on the other side of the gate.” I turned to him and smiled, “so what did you pack for lunch.”
“I was told that I am a horrible cook, by my mother, so I made us peanut butter and jelly. If you do not like that, I also made turkey with mayo,” He flashed shiny white teeth and I thought I saw a dimple.
Butterflies flutter around in my stomach; I grabbed the peanut butter and jelly and unwrapped the plastic wrappings. I could feel his eyes on me as I took a bite from my sandwich. “Wow, how do you mess up a sandwich?”
“I did not mess up,” he snatched it away from me and took a bite. His face changed from all smiling to almost puking. “How is it salty, I didn’t put any salt?” He threw away the sandwich and came back to sit next to me.
“You just suck at cooking,” I leaned my head back, “some people have it and other times they don’t. You just got to accept it.”
“Are you saying I don’t have it?”
“No, I am saying you never had the chance to get it,” I laughed when he punched me in the arm.
“I’ll have you know that I can get a girl by just looking at her.”
“Then you lose her when you speak,” I shrugged. “You don’t have it.” I got up from my seat and ran. I could hear Casey behind me. I ducked behind trees and into some bushes. My heart was racing and it took everything inside me not to laugh.
I could hear him walking past me and farther into the garden. When I was certain that he wasn’t near I sprinted for the door, but arms wrapped my arms to my side when I grabbed for the handle. “Did you think you could get away easily,” his hot breathe ticked my ear.
“Yes, I was certain I could at least make it to the door before you caught me.” I looked up at him and smiled. “But I like this better.”
A smirk graced his lips. He slowly unwrapped his arms from around my arms and circled them around my waist instead. I was pressed against his body and lifted from the ground by a few inches. I was reaching up for a lock of his hair when the bell to go to fourth period wrung.
“We probably shouldn’t do this again,” Casey whispered. He had his eyes glued to the ground and his hair fell in front of his face.
I stepped out of his arms and grabbed the door handle. “I had fun,” I opened the door and stepped in. I didn’t look back, but I could feel his eyes strained to my back. I pushed pasted people and met up with James.
“Why did the principal need you?”
I turned my head to see if Casey came back in. He had his arms wrapped around Taylor like he did to me a couple minutes ago, “Nothing important.”

Chapter Five

I turned on my computer and went to the school’s website. Jenna and I got closer in the past few days and she was the one to tell me that I needed to check the list. I scrolled down the list, not really sure what I was supposed to be looking for, but my name caught my eye. There was at least five hundred students in our whole school and there was I, number fifty-six. I have been in the school for about a week and my name has already pasted up four hundred people.
I clicked my name and went to a profile of me. Someone must have token a photo of me, because there was I on top of one of the school tables outside. I was drawling something and there was a faint smile on my face. Honestly it was a great photo, my hair was blowing in the wind and the gloomy skies made me look like I was the only color in the world.
I scrolled down the comments and was surprised on what I found. I read many comments of how I show up Taylor without trying and I’m different. Apparently they don’t get different a lot in my school.
A faint knock came from my door and I closed out of my computer. I opened the door, “It is nine.” Bella was pulling her hair back and pulling on some sneakers.
“Ok, I will be down in a few,” I quickly changed out of my school clothes.
When I got outside Bella already changed and was hunting down her demon’s next dinner. I let the control slip and let Zila take the lead in our body. I watched her for a while, but it was the same thing I see every night.
Instead I slipped even farther back and roamed around her world. Zila lives in Hell, but she also has this little home thing in my chest. If you did surgery on me you couldn’t see it, but I could. I walked around Zila’s room and struck up a match from her bedside table. I’ve been in here before, but it felt darker in here.
I wandered outside; Zila decided she wanted my insides to be a forest. I grabbed a flashlight from where I usually stash stuff and walked into the forest.
It was creepy, but nothing is in the forest that can hurt me. It is literally in my body. I try not to think about that though, because it always confuses me. I shone the light towards the trees and climbed one. I usually came up here when I felt like the world is closing around Alex’s life.
In here I am a strong powerful demon.
I felt new blood flow through my body and knew she was getting ready to finish up. I jumped off the tree and started back to her little shack in the woods.
The door was ajar and a sliver of light came from inside. I panicked and grabbed the first thing that came to mind. I crept into the shack. I sat in the corner and watched as a man and a glow of light fought. It was strange, I wanted to scream, but nothing came out.
The man would attack and the light would shine brighter. They circled each other and that is when I noticed the glow was actually a man as well. They both were equally beautiful. I gasped ever so slightly and both men turned toward me. The darker one sucked up all the Light and the ball of light shone bright. They were different in every way, but had similar features that drawled you in.
Dark slowly came at me, but Light grabbed him and spun him around. Zila walked in and looked at me and the two men. She grabbed me and pulled me outside. She went back inside. She grabbed hold of the Dark and pulled him away from Light. Light shone bright in till he was gone; just vanished into the thin air. But I could still feel him near; he was out in the woods. I turned around and saw a faint glow in the woods.
I will find him soon.


I was picked up and carried. I watched as the person walked out of the woods and into the street light. “James?” I reached up and touched the stubble on his jaw.
“Rest,” he looked down at me and smiled. He had a beautiful smile, but not as well as Casey’s. Gosh I couldn’t stop thinking about Casey. He avoided me since the garden and anytime I try something, he looks away.
The saddest part is I am in the arms of someone who is just as beautiful and I think of him.

I wrapped my arms around him and rested my head on his chest. James walked through the streets until he reached my house. He carried me up the doorsteps and rung the bell. Trina answered the door, “What happened?”
“Can we come in?”
“Oh, sure.” She stepped out of the way to let us in, but followed us into the living room. “Alex are you Ok?”
“I am fine,” I grabbed my head. The room spun, showing three James and Trina’s. “Can I go to my room?”
“Where is it?”
“I’ll show you,” Trina lead us up stairs to my room. She opened the door for us and waited till James settled me on my bed before closing the door and giving us privacy.
The room was quiet, awkward for a while. “How did you find me?”
“I heard a scream from outside of my bedroom window. When I went outside you were on the ground. You didn’t look injured, but you pasted out.” He looked up from his hands, “I took me a while to muster up the courage to pick you up. I didn’t want to hurt you.”
“I’m sorry, I woke you up. I would have woken up by myself eventually.”
James sighed and ran a hand through his hair, “Why were you out so late?”
“I like to go on midnight walks when I have trouble sleeping. I bring a flashlight, but it must have fell out of my hands,” I shrugged. I stared into James’ eyes until he turned his head and sighed.
“You shouldn’t do that, you could get hurt.”
“Nothing out there can hurt me,” I climbed out of my bed. I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around him. “I am sorry I scared you.” I rested my chin on his chest and looked up at him. I saw a faint smile grace his lips.
He wrapped his arms around me and buried his face in my hair, “Just be safe. You are way too important to get hurt in the middle of the night.”
We waked down stairs and I opened the door for him, “Sweet dreams Woods.”
“Good night Landenberg,” I shut the door and turned around. Trina was down the hall, she had a smirk on her face and a glint in her eyes. “What?”
“Oh, nothing,” she turned around and walked into the kitchen. I was going to follow, but I was too tired and I could hear the bed calling for me. I shuffled up stairs and changed. I fell into my bed and stared at the ceiling. Now that I was in bed, sleep wanted to play with my mind. So close you could see it, but not close enough to touch it.
Green danced around my vision and white glows of light as well. I know they were just my mind tricking me, but they felt so real. I could feel the warmth radiating to my body. I shivered in pleasure and peacefully fell into a slumber.

Chapter Six

I stared at Taylor. She was laughing at something that Casey whispered in her ear. It was Friday; the blood I infused in her on Tuesday should have made her dead by now. I grabbed on apple from Jenna’s plate and took a bite out of it. “You are going to burn a hole in her head,” Jenna pointed at Taylor and shook her finger in my face.
“I hope so,” I muttered and took another bite. Taylor had a way of taking a bite of a man’s heart, like what I was doing with this apple. I took another bite. “She should be dead by now.”
“You can say that again,” Taylor laughed. “Once she was hit by a fucking bus.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Last year, she just made fun of someone so everyone was there. Her and her friends were walking off, but she dropped her purse. BAM! The bus hit her,” Taylor shook her head and took a bite of a piece of cake. “The luckiest thing I have ever seen.”
“What happened to her?”
“She didn’t get a scratch on her. But there was a huge dent on the bus.”
“Wicked,” I threw the apple in a trash can. James sat down at our table and slammed his head against the top. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Mid-terms,” he pushed the bangs away from his eyes. “They are next week and I haven’t learned a thing. I been blanking out everything the teachers say.”
I grabbed hold of his shoulder, “Study.” There was little spark in our touch, nothing like what Casey and I have. I turned to look at him, but he was already staring over here. His eyes glimmered in a way that said ‘why is there still space between us’. I dug my nails into the chair to keep myself in the chair. Heat seared my body, finding place to cause my body shake with desire.
“Alex! Are you even listening to me?” Taylor snapped her fingers in front of my face. When I turned back towards him, he already had his arm wrapped around Taylor again, placing sweet kisses on her forehead.
“Not really. Can you say it again?”
“I was saying, I heard there is a party at Greg’s place tonight. All invited. Are you going?”
“Haven’t heard about it until now.”
“Really? Everyone has been talking about it, you can’t bring up something without the party getting mentioned.”
“Well maybe I just haven’t paying attention,” I shrugged and grabbed a bag of chips off of James’ plate. I smiled sweetly at him and plopped a chip in my mouth. “Are you going?”
“Hell, yes. It will be one of the biggest parties ever. Do you need me to pick you up?”
“Yeah, sounds fun,” the bell rung above us and we all parted.

I changed into some blue jean shorts and a white tank. I grabbed my red vest and laced up my boots. I made sure to put on the shocking red lipstick; by the time I was done the bell rung. I ran down the stairs, but Justin beat me to it. “Is Alex here?”
I bumped Justin away with my hips and looked Jenna over. She had raven black hair and hazel eyes. She wore some skin tight jeans and a blouse that showed a lot of cleavage. “You look awesome.”
“Trust me; I am not the one who is going to break hearts tonight.” I turned around and gave Justin a kiss on the cheek, leaving a red lipstick mark on his cheek.
“Don’t stay out past one!”
I waved him goodbye as Jenna pulled out of the drive way. It didn’t take long for us to get to Greg’s house and when we did we had to park a few blocks down to even find a parking spot. There is not many places for teens to hang out here, so when there is a party. It is a huge thing.
We pasted many drunken couples hiding in the shadows and druggies around a makeshift fire. You could hear the music from two blocks down, even with human ears. Walking up to the house could easily make you go deaf, but the music thumped in your ear and rocked your body.
It was difficult to make your way into the house, much less room to move around. “I am going to find something to drink, want anything?”
“No, thanks,” we walked separate ways. I eventually found the patio that was just as packed as the inside. I made my way toward the pool where a couple of kids swam around in the nude. But mostly everyone here is already super drunk and doesn’t notice. I don’t mind the nudity, but turn away anyways.
“You’re not a party kind of person,” Casey walked up to me and handed me a beer. He had a green button up shirt and black loose fitting jeans. His smile was very nervous, but it made my heart flutter still.
I wanted to turn my head or flip him off, but instead, “I like one-on-one kind of parties,” I tucked my hair behind my ear, “these are a little bit out of my comfort zone.”
“You will like it better when half the people here have passed out,” he took a sip of beer. “Do you like to dance?” Without letting me answer, he grabbed my hand and pulled me back inside. We walked in what looked like the living room, with furniture pushed back, to make it a dance floor. I chugged my beer as he pulled me toward the dance floor and placed it on a table.
Casey wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close. I stumbled into him, “I am not a great dancer.” I placed me arms around his neck. He rocked my hips back and forth. I let the music grab and squeeze me in a choke hold. I followed the girls around me and let the music control me.
After a few beers and a couple songs, I got a hang of dancing. “I will be right back,” Casey whispered in my ear. He let me go and pushed through the crowd. I noticed that the beer had no effect on me and I still felt very sober, but I wanted to dance.
I didn’t get out much because I was always moving or in the shadows. I didn’t want to be in the shadows; I kicked the beer bottles off the table and climbed on. I rocked my body and swung my hands in the air. I heard a few cheers and whistles. After a while a couple of students climbed on the table with me, some girls, but mostly boys.
I danced with most of them, but hand wrapped around my waist and pulled me off the table before I could dance with the last one. “I think you had enough dancing,” Casey smiled down at me and carried me outside.
“But I was having fun,” I whined and hit his chest lightly. I tried getting out of his hold on me, but Casey’s arms wrapped around me tighter and pulled me to his chest.
“I know you were having fun, but maybe just a little bit too much.” He let me down, but still had his hands on my waist. The coolness in the air cleared my mind and I looked down at his hands. When I looked up, we were standing inches apart, sharing the same air. The thought excited me, caused goose bumps on my skin. The desire to press my body to his ran through my blood, but Zila blocked that. She growled in protest, but she backed off.
“Where is your girlfriend?” Casey didn’t flinch; he knew this question was coming soon.
“I don’t have a girlfriend,” he took a step closer to me and placed a hand on my cheek, “It is all for show.” His thumb created circles on my cheek and made my skin blush.
“Then why did you say that we should stop talking?” I placed my hand on top of his. I hated how vulnerable he made me feel. I had the strength to uproot a tree, but standing this close to him knocked out the air out of my chest and made my knees go weak.
He let his forehead fall onto mine and sighed, “I will tell you one day.” He wrapped me in his arms; I didn’t complain, instead I cuddled closer to him. I inhaled his scent, minty chocolate.
“Why can’t you…” I was cut off by his lips brushing against mine. They were soft as velvet. I closed my eyes and leaned in for more, which he didn’t object to. Are lips met again, but with more certainty. My toes curled and the hairs on the back of my neck. I reached up and ran my hands through his hair, feeling the soft strands of hair wrap around my finger, kissed the tips, and let go.
I bite his lip and tugged on his hair. I opened my mouth and felt his tongue plunge in. Our tongues dance to together, tasted each other, and repeated the process. A moan escaped his lips, giving me the courage to give more.
I grabbed his shirt and backed up into a tree. He lifted my legs and I wrapped them around him. He pushed me into the tree, rubbing against the insides of my legs. He tugged on my hair, pulling my head back so he can see my neck. He kissed down my neck and up my jawline. My hands ran down his chest and up his back, trying to feel every muscle shiver with pleasure.
I rested my head on his forehead, listening to both of us gasp for breathe. I looked up at Casey and a blush ran up my cheeks. “I don’t know what to say.”
He ran his hand in my hair and down my cheek, “You are very beautiful. To the point that sometimes it feels like I can’t hold myself back.” He chuckled and gave me a light kiss on the lips. I slowly unwrapped my legs from around him and pulled my hand out of his hair.
He grabbed my hand and entwined out fingers. We walked back to the party, coming out of the shadows of the trees above us. I didn’t even remember him taking me to the forest. I stepped over some leaves and back into the light of the house.
The scent of blood hit me; it was so strong I was surprise Zila didn’t notice early. I stopped in my tracks and shook my head. I could feel Zila wanting to come out, needing to come out. She bit my insides and gave me a killer headache. I stumbled into Casey, “I need to go home.”
I stumbled away from him and ran around to the front of the house. “There you are Alex,” Jena came down the steps. She was to close; I smelt the blood pulsing through her veins. I could feel the hunger in my stomach grow.
“I am going home, don’t need a ride, but thanks,” I called over my shoulder while running down the street. Zila took over my body and we fell to the ground. I could hear footsteps run from behind me, but they were muffled from inside my soul.
“Alex are you ok?” No, no, no. Zila turned around and bared her teeth. Her eyes glowed yellow, but he didn’t panic. He tried staring down her down, but Zila wanted blood. She was long overdue for blood. She ran up to him in blinding speed and slashed him down the gut.
I tried to take control, but she tossed me aside like a drag doll. I tried again, but a bright light glowed blinding me and Zila. It took me a moment to blink away the green dots floating around my vision. “Alex I know you are in there,” Casey called out to me. I tried looking again, what I saw shocked me to the core.
Casey’s skin glowed bright golden, he floated a couple of feet off the ground, and wings sprouted from his back. I stared at his beauty. His chest was bared and he wore loose white pants. I couldn’t stop staring at his eye though. Golden swirls swam around in his green eyes, dancing, fading, and then shining bright. “You have a couple of minutes to get control over her.”
I did just that. I could feel Zila in the back of my mind, confused and frightened. I shook my head, “Casey?”
“We don’t have enough time for explanations,” he pulled out a long silver dagger. He plunged it into his hand and twisted.
“Casey! What are you doing?” I ran up to him and tried pulling the dagger out, but he grabbed hold of my hand.
“Drink up while you can,” he lifted his hand to my mouth. I looked back and forth between his hand and his eyes. I grabbed his hand and held it above my mouth. His blood dropped into my mouth and burned at first, but quickly turned into the best thing I have ever tasted. I willed his hand to bleed more so it can fall into my mouth. I almost licked his hand until Casey touched my cheek, pulling me out of my trance.
He pulled the dagger out of his hand and placed it back into his pocket. The silence around us was quiet again, but comfortable. “I guess I have some explaining to do,” he brushed his fingertips across my cheek and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

Chapter Seven

I pulled my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around my legs, “How did you know what I was?” I looked up to Casey who paced back and forth, in front of the park bench. He muttered under his breath and dragged his hand through his hair over and over. I put my hand on his shoulder, instantly calming him.
Casey sat down on the bench next to me and grabbed my hands. “I really like you Alex. Nothing that I say effects the way I feel about you and I hope it is the same with you.” He ran a hand up my arm and back down. Causing sparks to flow through me, heating my body. “Do you feel that?”
I nodded my head and inwardly sighed that I wasn’t the only one out of the two of us. “Everyone has a soul mate. Each person, animal, and super beings. It is a way to insure that every person is loved. Most people have one, but you have two.”
I looked down at our entwined fingers, “Are you my soul mate?”
“Yes I am one of your soul mates.” He smiled at me and played with the ends of my hair. “It was about hundred years ago. My farther abused me, I had no friends, but one. He was very smart for his age. Well one time he came over to help me with homework.” He turned his head away and I saw a tear fall onto his lap.
“You don’t have to tell me the story if you don’t want to.”
He turned his head to me again and gave me a faint smile that showed no happiness. “My dad was drinking again. He was very confused and when he saw my friend, he thought it was me. I was use to his beating, but he was not. My farther beat him to death. I didn’t eat or sleep. I had to bury my best friend in the back of the yard so my dad wasn’t to blame.”
“I walked around school and visited his mother every day. One day the cops came around and found the body. Right before my dad went to jail he made sure to get revenge on me. He tied me to the wall and made slits in my body. Little ones that ran deep until I was bled out.”
He wiped away more tears, “I went to heaven, where I was made into an angel because of my abuse. But there was a problem doing that. You wouldn’t have a soul mate and it was a super natural law that only humans could be soul mated with humans and super beings with super beings.”
“There was no way you could be an angel because you would have to die first and there was no way I was going to watch that. For seventeen years the council argued how to stay within the laws. Then one day someone suggested a demon. No one ever heard of a half demon and an angel soul mated, but it was still within the laws.”
“You were born and assigned a demon, but the problem was now that Zila wouldn’t have a soul mate. So they matched her up with a demon that could never be in a human’s body.”
I shifted slightly and watched the stars glow above me shimmer and fade. “Do you know about my blood?”
“Your blood can kill anything and anyone who is not part angel. You can kill your own kind, animals, trees, just not angels.”
“So when Taylor didn’t burn or get eat inside outside…”
“She is half angel, but she doesn’t know that,” he sighed and started to rub circles into my hand. They calmed me, but not Zila. She didn’t like being touch by any man other than her soul mate. “But why is my blood so…. destructive?”
I watched Casey as his hair fell into his face. The moon was out casting beautiful light to glow against his skin. He still had that faint glow enticing and sickening me. Or sickening Zila. “You have a soul mate of a demon and an angel. Together they can heal or destroy. If the situation was opposite, in this case you being half angel then you would have the blood that can heal.”
I stood up and started to pace back and forth, “This is a lot of information.” I wanted to pull my hair out and stuff it down someone’s mouth. “What does that mean for us?” I stuffed by hand into my pockets. The air dropped about twenty degrees and I was outside in shorts. Smoke curled from my breath, slowly lifting in the air, and disappearing.
Casey pulled me onto his lap; the warmth between Casey and I sparked and flared. I cuddled closer enjoying the heat from his body, my soul mates body. The thought crawled into my mind and left me speechless. My soul belonged to Casey, “It means that I can kiss you,” he kissed my temple; “wrap you in my arms and call you mine.”
He nuzzled my neck, kissed my behind the ear, and spoke calming words to me. “And Monday?”
“I will walk in the school with you by my side,” he stopped and looked into my eyes, “I mean if that is Ok with you?”
“Yeah,” I lightly kissed him and rested my head on his shoulder, “I would like that.”

Casey walked me home about twelve. I was lying in my bedroom, staring at the ceiling. I could hear movement down stairs, but nothing interesting. I was wide awake and pumped with the blood of Casey. It was sweet and made my body shake with energy. Zila was happily in my soul licking the blood off her fingers.
I never had a night where I wasn’t running around, hunting. I felt strange, I need to do something. I changed into some jeans and a sweater. I didn’t risk being caught, so I climbed out my window and hopped onto a tree by my window. That was the reason I picked the smallest room in the house, an easy escape route.
I walked down the street and watched cars go by. In the distance the party was breaking up. A car pulled beside me, “Hey, why did you take off so early?”
I walked up to Jenna, “I wasn’t feeling so well.” I shrugged.
“Well do you want me to take you anywhere?” I shook my head and watched her pull away from me. There wasn’t a car on the road after Jenna left and found it very refreshing. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and started down the streets again. Shadows lurked everywhere you step, casting beautiful creatures.
The park looked abandon since me and Casey been there before. I jogged across the street and sat at on a bench. The night sky glittered. I watched as I made little puff balls of smoke. It curled off my lips and into the air.
The bushes behind me shook and a man stepped out from them, “Casey, I didn’t realize you were here,” I turned around and waved him over. When he didn’t move I slowly walked over to him, “Are you Ok?”
He walked out of the bush, it wasn’t Casey. “Do you know who I am?’
“I am hoping a really friendly person, who rather gives me candy than rape me,” I let my hand drop onto my hips and shrugged.
“No I am SNI, Super Natural Investigator,” he held up a badge and a gun. His hand was steady, but I could see the sweat that trickled down his neck.
“So why are you talking to me?” I bent my knees a little and ready my hands in case he attacked. I could tell he was a human from the scent that rolled off of him, but there was something else. The air around his sizzled.
I wanted to attack, but I didn’t know if anyone else was around, “I am arresting you for interrogation.”
I ran up to him and grabbed him by the neck. I pushed him against a tree, squeezing his neck slowly. Zila pushed against me, desiring blood.
“Why are you arresting me?” He shook his head. I pressed his neck a little more, “Tell me or a snap your head off with my bare hands.”
“You are not going to kill him,” a woman walked out of the shadows. She wore black skinny jeans, black tank, and a black jacket. Her blonde curls bounced every time she took a step and I kind of got jealous.
I swung around and held the man in front of me, “Why not? It would be so easy, all most to easy.” I spat at her. I could feel the man’s sweat on my hands and I almost pushed him away. I could feel the women’s stare, powerful, fearless.
“You are not that kind of person. I have been watching you, I know everything about you. All I want to do is talk with you.” She took a step forward.
“You don’t know me; you don’t know the half of me.”
“I know your parents died a while ago, it hit you hard. I know you use to beg to the heavens to have them back and also the reason you don’t believe in God anymore. I know your fears, what makes you tick, what will make you happy,” a ball of light start to glow in her palm. And right in the center was my parents, they were young and laughing.
“You killed my parents?”
“No, but you could have them back. Come with me and figure out who killed them. I will let out help; even let you put a bullet through their head when the time comes. Don’t you want that?” she closed her palm and the light vanished. She took another step and held out her hand, “Will you come help me?”
I took a step towards her, and another, but a voice echoed through me. It broke me out of the spell I was wrapped in. “Alex, stop moving,” Casey walked out of the bushes. “She is a siren; she can pursue you to jump off a cliff with just her voice.”
“Casey, so nice to see you again,” she flipped her hair behind her shoulder. “Are you coming to rescue your assignment?”
“Been long Danielle, and no. I knew she could save herself without my help,” he looked at me and smiled. His eyes told me not to move or speak, but I couldn’t just stand there. I looked at the Danielle; she was looking me up and down. Her eyebrow was raised and a smirk crossed her face. Her expression told me to snap the guy’s neck.
“How do you to know each other?” I hit the guy in the back of the head and let him drop to the ground. I stepped over him.
“Long story,” Danielle waved me off and turned her attention to Casey again. “I was going to bring her to the compound and do some…. Eh examines on her. I don’t think she would mind now?” She smiled sweetly.
Casey pushed me behind with his arm and stood protectively in front of me. “She isn’t going anywhere with you.” Light glowed from his body to bright that anyone in a thirty foot radius could have seen him. He threw a dagger into her gut before grabbing my hand and sprinting away.
He opened the door for me and started the car. “Where are we going?”
“Away from here,” he pushed on the gas petal and zoomed away. His face was like stone and business; it honestly scared me. “We have to find you a safe house.”
“What about you?”
He turned to look at me and gave me a reassuring smile, “I will be there too.”
“Can my family come?”
“No,” he turned back to the road with the business expression again. “We need to stay low key, five people will draw to much attention.”
“Can’t I at least say goodbye?”
“Too risky.”
I huffed and turned to the window. I watched as the town I grew to love pasted by me. Not even a week here and I am already leaving, but this time without my family. And a completely stranger, “How do I know I can trust you?” I turned fully to him.
His eyes flicked over to me and back to the road, “Because.”
“Because why?”
I watched as his mind worked. He bite his lip and his eyes moved everywhere but my face, “Because I am not just an angel. I am one of your family’s guardian angels.” I worked everything in my mind; my mouth opened and closed trying to find something to say.
“Where were you when my parents died?” I whispered. I didn’t doubt what he said; I knew in my heart he was telling me the truth.
“I was watching you at the time,” he tried grabbing my hand, but I shook him off.
“You were watching me! As I parents died? You could have seen who done this or stopped them!” I shoved on his shoulder. “Let me out! I want to be out!” I grabbed the handle of the door, but green dots blocked my vision. I got really dizzy.
“I am sorry Alex,” Casey whispered. I wanted to ask him what did he do, but my head rolled back. I saw nothing, felt nothing, and heard nothing. I was in nothing, but white. I screamed and stomped but nothing happened.
“Casey you asshole!” I screamed on the top of my lungs. I sat down in the smoke and wrapped my arms around my legs. “You son of a bitch,” I cried into my legs and fell asleep.

Chapter Eight

I woke up in a squeaky bed that smelled like mold. I looked around, but everything was fuzzy and I couldn’t understand what I was seeing. Memories of last night slowly pulsed in my mind, growing bigger and clearer until I remember leaving home. “How are you feeling?”
“Casey?” I blinked away the grogginess, “I feel like shit all thanks to you.” In the back of my mind I knew I should be mad at Casey, but I looked into his liquid emerald eyes and my heart melted. I couldn’t be mad at him.
The room we were in looked like crap. The walls were peeling yellow; the ceiling looked like it could collapse on us any time and the floor were stained with… I don’t even want to think about that. I shuffled out of bed and walked into the bathroom.
Surprisingly it looked pretty nice. I took a quick shower and replaced my clothing. When I looked into the mirror it looked like a drowning cat, my eye liner was smudged under my eyes giving me raccoon eyes and I really hoped I didn’t smell bad. There wasn’t any soap so I just scrubbed myself with my hand trying to get the dirt off. Casey walked in and wrapped his arms around me.
It felt weird. It still felt the spark and arouse, but I never been in relationship. I was asked, trust me, but no one held my attention long enough to say yes.
Casey kissed my shoulder and stared me in the eye through the mirror, “Are you mad at me?” His hands trailed down my sides and onto my hips; he lightly tugged me back and I fell into his chest. I placed my hand on his cheek and looked up to him.
I turned in his arms and pushed him back into the wall. “You’re doing something to be, that causes every logic in my mind to melt,” I let my head fall back and Casey slowly sucked on my sensitive skin. I could feel myself going into shock, but I clung to Casey. I wrapped my arms around his neck and played with his hair.
I pushed Casey’s chin up and to me. I need to feel the fire that reached parts of me that are sensitive and private. I needed to know that in his arms I will be happy. Casey reached down and picked me up in a bridal style. I laughed and kicked my legs. He dropped me onto the bed and crawled onto me.
I instantly started to pull him down on top of me, but I stopped myself. Casey could see my hesitation and laid down next to me. He pulled me into his chest and wrapped his arms around me. I didn’t need to say a thing. “What now?”
“We are on the run, so we run to anywhere we want to go and eventually we could stop,” he rested his forehead onto mine.
I caught the scent of mint, which was now my new favorite smell. I pushed the hair out of his eyes and played with his hair. It was like silk, too soft not to notice.
“Who are we running from?”
“Everyone who wants your blood,” he kissed my fingertips and closed his eyes. Everyone who wants my blood? It was a scary thought that liked to echo in my mind. I watched the smiled that played on his lips before he fell asleep. It made me smile too, but also told me that I don’t know this person. Not completely though.
I don’t know his favorite color, I don’t know if I could trust him. I looked at his peaceful face that shows no worries. I played with the ends of his hair and knew that it was smart getting in the car. I couldn’t be any safer without him. I tried pulling away, but I was pulled even closer to him.
I wanted to cuddle into him, but my stomach growled. I lightly kissed his temple and pried his off of me.
*************************************************************************************
I pulled into the motel with a bag full of burgers and fries next to me from McDonalds and two large drinks. I locked the car door and walked into the room. I barely got to set down the food before Casey was pulling me into a kiss. It felt rushed like we haven’t seen each other in years. It knocked the breath out of me, but I soon melted and relaxed.
Casey pulled away enough to look at me; his breathing was quick and harsh. It made me want another taste of him, but I pulled back and saw his face distraught. I held his face in between my hands and rubbed little circle on the corner of his lips, “What is wrong?”
He lightly kissed me, “You left. I don’t want to sound dramatic or a wuss, but it scared me. I woke up to an empty bed, the door unlocked, and the car missing.”
“Sorry,” I grabbed the food from the table and held it up, “I got hungry.” I grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the bed. Nothing gross, just so we can sit and eat somewhere. “Where are we going next?”
“A better hotel,” he shrugged and took a bite of his cheeseburger. “I haven’t really thought of were to keep you safe. Maybe we could leave the country, get new names, jobs, and a house together.” Casey looked at me with a spark in his eye that I loved so much.
I touched his chin lightly and brought his lips to mine with three fingers. I could feel stubble against my cheek, it was rough, but made me want to laugh. Almost like Casey. “I would go to the South Pole and cuddle with penguins to be with you.” I lightly kissed him and drew back again.
Casey shifted in his spot. I looked at him and smirked. Casey kept moving around and twitching his thumbs. He looked up at me and smacked the cheese burger out of my hand. “What was-“ I got cut off by soft perfect lips touching mine. It was urgent and peaceful, everything I needed to get through the world. I pulled him down onto top of me and ripped his shirt open.
Little tuffs of hairs were on his chest, he had the abs of a model, and everything was smooth and tan. I literally had an angel boyfriend. I played with his chest and let my hand travel down past his waist band. “Alex,” Casey moaned. He pulled his pants off, but stopped midway when someone knocked on the door.
I pulled my hand out of his jeans and shimmied out of Casey’s embrace. A little woman was at the door, she had strawberry blonde hair that was cut short and curled at the ends. She was a plump lady wearing floral print dress and five inch heels. “Yes?”
“Do you have any sugar?” she held up a bowl to my eyes and smiled. Her lips were stained red like she has been chugging down Kool-Aid. Her teeth had a smudge of red lip stick that stood out against her blinding white teeth.
“I am sorry, I don’t have anything,” I politely said. Casey came up behind me with his hair ruffled and no shirt on. The woman looked up at him, literally and a look pasted her.
“Oh,” a little lady blushed, “I didn’t realize-“
“It isn’t like that,” I looked back at Casey and my knees shook a little bit. I hit Casey in the stomach, “Go put a shirt on please.” But Casey stood by the door and stared at the women. His eyes narrowed on her.
“You got red stuff of your teeth,” he bluntly pointed out. I shoved him inside and closed the door in his face.
“I am sorry, he is sweeter than that. He just doesn’t warm up to people he just met quickly,” I tried to give her a sorry look and a shrug, but instead she turned on her heel and wobbled away. I banged my head against the door and walked back inside. “You could have been nicer.”
“What? I was pointing out that she had something on her teeth, she should be thankful that she won’t walk around looking like a clown.” He wrapped his arms around my waist and tugged lightly on my ear.
I could feel the scowl on my face slowly melting, “Still, that was rude.” I pushed him away and flipped him off.
************************************************************************************
I woke up to a knocking on the door again. I smiled at Casey and pulled his meaty arm off of me and shuffled to the door. When I looked in the little peephole it was the plump lady again, but holds a cake instead of a bowl this time.
“Can I help you?”
“This is for you,” she gave me the cake. Her fingers were shaking, “Can I talk to you out here?” I nodded my head and softly closed the door behind me. She motioned me to follow her. I walked behind her down the hallway and what I guess near her door. I picked up the end of my blanket and wrapped it around my body. It was thirty degrees outside and all I had on was shorts, a tank, and a thin blanket.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” I leaned on the door frame, but she grabbed my arm and pulled me into the room. It was dark even with my demon vision. I could only hear the sound of my breathing.
A candle came on and the old lady was standing there, “Are you ready?”
I tried pouncing on her and ripping the eyes out of her sockets, but she just vanished into the air and so did the light. “Why am I here?” I called out to her. I waited, but nothing happened. I started to slam my body into the walls around me, but I didn’t even make a crack. I could split metal in half with my pinky.
A row of lights showed me the way down stairs. I looked around; I was in a supply closet. I tried opening the door, but it was locked, nothing I did could open this door. “The only way out is down the stairs,” a voice echoed off the walls.
I mustered up the courage and started my way down. Water started to drip from the ceiling and I could hear nasty things that were happening above me. I knew I was underneath the motel. At the bottom of the stairway was a hallway that stretched farther than I could see. “What is this?”
“Pick your poison,” the lady’s voice echoed. On both sides were doors that ran all the way down the hall. Some had growls coming from the behind the door, others had things coming through the bottom of the doors. Every door had different designs that gave me some hint what was behind each door.
I stopped in front of a door that it was a deep red on one side that showed a picture of the desert. The other side was green and showed a beautiful field. It was one of the doors that didn’t creep me out, so I turned the golden handle and walked in.
It was completely dark, but at least this time I could see at least ten feet in front of me. My demon inside me screamed at me to take control, but I told it to hush and walked in. The door closed, but I knew that was coming. I heard a low growl and let Zila take control.
Metal like nails grew from my finger tips and my teeth sharpened. Zila quickly hopped onto the wall and clung to one of the beams. She scanned the room, trying to locate the breathing, but it seemed to come from everywhere.
We were knocked out from the beam and landed on the hard concrete. She was quick to get up, but the monster bounced on our shoulder pinning us to the ground. A bull like monster huffed his nasty breath in our face. Zila examined the monster, it had the face and torso of a bull, but the hind legs and tail was of a serpent.
I recognized the creature, it was an Ophiotaurus. A creature from Greek myths, but that was all that they were supposed to be, myths. Zila kicked her legs up and hit the monster in the gut. She bounced onto the monster, but it bucked her off and we went flying it the wall.
The creature came charging at us, but Zila jumped out of the way. Ophiotaurus was stuck in the wall, so Zila pounced on him and started to scratch the skin from the body. I shuddered and looked away. I knew Zila could take the bull/serpent, so I went back to her cabin.
Dark was there again, but he sat in a wooden chair. His black hair flew over his face and I really wanted to brush it away. The need and want was strong for him, but mental flashes of Casey went through my mind and I backed away. Dark looked up and a cocky smile was plastered on his face. “Hello Alex.”
I was stunned into silence, but I quickly shook it away and completely stepped into the cabin. “How do you know my name?”
“I know a lot about you, and you will learn about me soon. Just call me Neal,” he stood from his chair. He lightly grabbed my hand and kissed my palm. I couldn’t say anything; I just stared into two black abysses called his eyes.
Black started to rim my vision and my head got all dizzy again. I sat down on the ground, “Are you Ok?”
“I’m fine,” I held my head.
“You’re bleeding,” he got on his knees and pushed my hair back so I can see. Blood started to flow out of my shoulder and I had a hole through my shoulder. I looked back up and fainted.

Chapter Nine

The lady with her high heels stood above me with a bucket in her hands. “That was a lot of courage you have for doing that. I’ve seen people kill the Ophiotaurus quicker than that, but everyone has their ways.” She threw the bucket on the ground and started to walk towards a corner.
“Wait, where are you going?” I stood up and tried running after her. My shoulder caused me to stop and I almost fell to the ground, but the lady wrapped one of her arms around my waist. She led me to the corner and we both sunk through the floor.
We were in a small room; the only thing in there was a torch light and a table with four different containers. I pushed away the ladies arm and walked to the middle of the room. There was a wooden bowl with green syrup stuff, a golden cup with what looked like wine, a test tube with purple goop, and a shot glass with yellow liquid. “Pick your poison,” she vanished into the thin air.
I walked around the table glaring down at what I am supposed to drink. What is stopping me from drinking all of them? I picked up the first one, the wooden bowl, and downed it. I went to the next one, but before I could take a sip my grip lost the cup and I dropped the golden cup. Tingly feeling shot up my arms, down my legs, and everywhere in between.
I fell to the ground and soon that tingly feeling started to burn. My heart started to race and my tongue swelled. The lady was standing above me with a grin on her face, and then smoke curled around her. She grew and her skin changed color. She had beautiful long black hair that ran down her back and her eyes were the rainbow. “I am the goddess Isis, an Egyptian goddess.”
That was all I heard before I woke up in a warm bed and Casey’s arms wrapped around me. Was that all a dream? I looked down at my arm and it was wrapped in gauge, so it couldn’t have been fake. I lightly pushed on Casey’s shoulder. He slowly opened his eyes and I couldn’t help, but smile. “How long have I been out?”
Casey kissed my shoulder and rest his head on my shoulder, “You have been a sleep for two days, but missing for three.” His eyes started to tear up, but he blinked it away. “You scared the crap out of me.”
“I’m sorry,” I laid my head on his and entwined our fingers. Inside Zila didn’t like it, but I know she was warming up to Casey. “One moment I was talking to the lady and the next I was locked in a supply closet.”
“What?” I retold him what happened; he fell into an eerily silence. “A goddess?”
“Yes, unless I am going crazy. I wouldn’t be surprised. I made little circle patterns with my thumb, “How did you find me?”
“I didn’t. I went crazy when you didn’t come back for three hours. I mean you won’t leave that long right after I freaked out about an hour. Anyways, I came back to the motel around ten on the third day and there you were. You were just sleeping on the bed with a bloody gash in right shoulder.”
“I was just there, no note or anything?”
“Nope.”
I gave him a kiss on the corner of his mouth, “Well thank you for trying.” I cuddled deeper into him. I could feel the power of that juice coursing through my veins. Even now it was hard not to get sucked into the juice, knowing that I could up root five trees, punch through cement walls, it was addictive.
*************************************************************************************
We had to ditch the car because Casey said they could track us through our license plates, also we took out all the money we could before shredding our credit cards. Since my feet hurt and thousands of dollars in our pockets, we sat on the road watching cars pass by.
I entwined my fingers with Casey and laid my head on his shoulder, “Do you regret coming out here?”
“Well actually, you practically dragged me out here, but I don’t regret coming,” Casey grabbed me by the waist and threw me onto the other side of him. Just as I hit the ground, a soda bottle filled with pee splashed where I once laid.
I shuffled away and silently laughed. “Thank you.”
“It was nothing,” Casey looked back to the street. Under his eyes were a deep purple, his skin paled, and there was no spark in his eyes anymore.
“What’s wrong?” I grabbed the side of his face and turned it towards me, but he directed his eyes somewhere else. I sighed, but kept staring into those green beautiful eyes of his. I got that woozy feeling and green spot, but I was so use to it, it didn’t affect me as much as it used to.
“Don’t do that,” Casey snapped and stood up. He started to walk away. I bounced up and ran to him, but he held out his hand for me to stop. “Don’t you know what happens? Why you get all dizzy?”
“You know about that? I thought it was just because I was looking at your eyes.”
“Kind of,” Casey ran his hand through his hair, “I am killing you.”
“What do you mean,” I took a step forward. The green spots started to form over my eyes again, it sent me shiver up and down my back, gave me pleasure, it felt right.
“I am an angel and you are part demon,” Casey turned around. “It is my instinct to kill you; I have this deep need inside me. It’s like if I don’t do it, it will eat me up, but I don’t like hurting you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“When you see those green dots, it means my angelic powers are slowly eating away your demon.” He lowered his head, “Your life source is coming from that demon.”
I shook my head a small smile playing on my lips, “But you haven’t killed me, it actually feels good. It you wanted to kill me you had plenty of chances to. I trust you,” I walked over and laid my hand on his shoulder.
“But I don’t trust myself,” Casey dropped his head on mine and breathed in my smell. He wrapped his arms around me, I could feel tears wetting the top of my head. “You are the best thing that has happened to me, I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want to kill you.”
“You won’t,” I wrapped one of my arms around his waist and directed him to start walking. Tears brimmed the bottom of my eyes, but I wiped them away. I need to be strong right now for us.

Chapter Ten

I woke up in a nice hotel to the sound of banging pots. The bed was soft under my skin, it was a silky texture, but kept me warm all night long. Or maybe that was Casey; I looked over to where he should be.
What he said rung through my mind, but I didn’t want to stay away from him. I loved him. I don’t know how that happened or when, but I knew. I could feel it inside me wanting to tell the world that I found someone, I love someone.
I ran to the kitchen and jumped onto Casey’s back. “Morning,” I laughed. Casey held the bottom of my legs to keep me up.
“Someone is in a happy mood,” Casey turned his head to look at me. The shine was in his eyes again and there were hard bags under his eyes, he was starting to look like the old Casey.
“I got to sleep in a comfortable hotel, without mice. How can I not be happy?”
“I know what you mean,” Casey’s eyes turned dark for a moment, it was like he wasn’t here right now, but soon he came back and smiled.
All day we watched TV or talked, we were walking everywhere for a day, it was good to relax a bit. I got up to get some more popcorn. The Walking Dead was on the TV and we were at the part where a zombie ate someone. Well actually that is in every episode.
As I was making popcorn I could hear murmurs outside our door. They were quiet, but I still heard them. I left the bowl on the table and walked toward the door. They grew completely quiet, but I could feel them there. “Casey move,” I screamed as the door busted open. I ran for the kitchen and found the best thing I could.
Three guys ran into the room and two girls, they all had their eyes focused on me. I held up the knifes in my hand, I was every skilled at aim. “Why are you here?” I looked over each and every one. They all had a beautiful unique color.
“We came for you,” a girl stepped forward. She had beautiful blonde hair that was put up in a tight bun, grey eyes that made you feel like you are in the middle of a storm. She held herself like the respectable women, but still had that way of saying that she was in charge. “We were wondering how to get the most powerful demon ever then we walked into Casey.”
“What are you talking about?” I looked over to Casey. His head hung in shame. My heart stopped for a couple of seconds I didn’t believe them, but I did believe Casey and hid face was nothing but guilt written on it. “Why?” I asked more to Casey than anyone else.
“You have the blood that could kill instantly,” she said. “You know what we could do with that? Bombs, pills, injections. Casey was just a way for us to get close to you,” she walked over to Casey and pinched his cheeks, “and he did such a good job.”
I threw a knife at her, but she caught it. I was upset, heartbroken, I just kept throwing the knifes not actually trying. I threw all my weapons, but I didn’t care at that point. I dropped to the floor and let the men to warp their hands around my arms.
They pulled me up and walked me outside. No one was anywhere, I wasn’t even sure there was anyone in the building at that moment. “You all could go fuck yourselves.”
“Only on Thursdays,” the guy to my right smiled at me. It wasn’t friendly, it torn away my clothes and left my shaking and cold. (Not literally)
They pushed me onto the parking lot, two guards stood on either side of me. “You can take them,” a voice whispered into my mind. It wasn’t mine, I couldn’t place the voice with a face, but it did give me courage.
I sprang at the guard to my left, snapping his neck. Then circled the other one, “You have balls for doing that.”
“I was born to kill,” I shrugged before kicked out his leg and grabbing his neck. I could feel Zila begging to get out, but this was my fight. “You shouldn’t have messed with me,” I kicked in the gut and threw him against a tree.
I turned to the three left. They all were the golden color that I’ve seen on Casey only a week ago. They were beautiful creatures, but I knew their strength. I jumped out of the way before the second girl could strike.
“There is no pointing in fighting them,” Casey mumbled. He looked up at me; his eyes were golden as well. He slowly walked to me, but I stepped back.
“If I don’t fight for myself then who would?” Casey sprang at me and quickly knocking me over. We rolled through the dirt and I ended on top of him. I raised my fist over my head, but it was limp; I couldn’t hit him.
“Do it,” he spat at me. His eyes grew brighter they were almost blinding and his wings started to form on his back. I shook my head and quickly got off of him. He quickly stood up and looked down at me. “How could you think that I could love you, you worthless piece of-“
Neal punched Casey in the face and turned to me. “Are you Ok?” I nodded my head as he pulled me up. His hair was blacker than it was inside me and he was taller as well. I wasn’t expecting him; I stood there reaching up to him.
“Thank you,” I fell into him. I could feel my legs give out on me and my head couldn’t grasp onto thought. Everything seemed to be running around in my mind trying to sort out why I can’t feel my fingers.
Neal picked me up. I looked at Casey; he was standing in the middle of the parking lot, hardly any golden in his eyes and tears running down his cheeks. The words were on my lips, but Neal ran through the woods before I could say them out loud.
He ran fast, dodging trees, jumping over bushes and doing all of this while carrying me. It wasn’t till the sun came back up that he set me down. He grabbed a stick and sliced open his palm, “Drink up.”
I thankfully accepted and took sips from the blood rushing down his arm. It was bitter, but I could feel again, think; all I need was some blood. “Where are we going?”
“To a demon city, it where we can protect you,” his wounds closed up like mine, only evidence left was his blood. He picked up my hand and kissed my palm, “Sorry I have never completely introduced myself. I am Neal, the future king of Julia, the city that will protect you also your second soul mate.”
(If You like this book, I have book TWO! out now. The shadows Within, the blurb: Alex is now in the city of Julia where she will be taught to use both her and Zila in unison. Alex wants to try to forget about Casey, but she knows inside it will never happen. But just because she is still in love with Casey doesn't mean her and Neal can't have a love blooming between them. Alex learns more about her parents death and the blood running through her veins. In the end, who should she trust? Casey her stole her heart and broke it in pieces or Neal the caring friend who wants more?)

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 05.01.2013

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