Chapter 5: part 1 - UPDATED

(I decided to post the first part of chapter 5, because I´m a bit stuck. Dont worry, I know where the story line´s going... but you know, one thing flowing to the next. Working on it tho!)


He found her intriguing. he had no idea why - she wasn´t that special. A thin, waif-like creature, she looked like she ould barely hold herself up. Obviously she could, though, as her fluid movements broguht her crouch to a stand. The glint in her eye as her eyes bored into his was almost disconcerting, which was a mite disturbing. Nothing a human could do should bother him, buch less one as seemingly harmeless as this one.
He´d caught Emily´s eye as she´d left the room. He was almost surprised at the naked jealousy he´d seen there - almost. He´d expected it, though.. It was meant to happen like this. Her attraction was needed if his goal was to be fulfilled. Yet, this female before him, he felt that, somehow, this couldnt be good.

She ran her tongue over her top lip, slowly, lustfully, her eyes raking him from top to bottom. Simon repossessed the girls arm and yanked her back when she took a step forward, advancing on Jarol. Her head hung for half a second before she dared to look up again.
"What is it that you want?" Jarol said, quietly. the scent from the girl was overpowering him, and it was all he could do to control his thirst. It shouldnt be like this. He´d had centuries to learn the iron control he´d usually been able to boast of. The fire in the girl´s eyes jumped, for a split second, to a cresendo as she said breathily, "You."

"Im sorry...?"
"You, Jarol Scaryn. I want you."
Jarol was taken aback. "Me? But why the...?"
"You know the prophecy..." the glint in her eye was unmistakeable. She was waiting for his reaciton.

A dead cold shiver, colder than his immortal, dead flesh, ran through his body as he tried to pull his composure back together. It only lasted a split second, but she caught it. The sly smile grew a fraction, and her eyes bored deeper into his. Jarol shook his head, trying to regain reason. This was madness, surely. The assuraty grew in him till he fully believed it, and then the laughter came. Slowly at first, bur it rose till it rumbled and he wiped his eyes or the corner of his shirt sleeve. Anger flashed in the girl´s eyes.

"What, you think I´m JOKING?" She snapped.
"Honestly, yes, my dear. You have serious gut waltzing into the center of a Vampire Crypt, and expect to leave with your life intact, unless, of course, you are, as I am beginning to believe, entirely deluded, and are actually serious with your desire to become, a Vampire?"

Her eyes smouldered as they bored into his. "I know the prophecy." She spat. "I´ve known it since I was a child. I dare say I know it better than you."
"Simon took a warning step forward and she shot a withering glare at him,d aring him to take another step. Jarol shook his head, and motioned for Simon to take her away. He couldn´t stand the scent anymore. It was far too inviting. He needed to feed as is, and he thanked sweet immortality that Simon had just returned from a hunt. HE wouldnt have any trouble with the girl.

**********************************************************

(UPDATE:)

Simon hauled the frail girl along the hall and up a spiral staircase, down another hall, and through a solid oak door into a dark, bare room. She started up threataningly, and Simon let out a sharp laugh, his red eyes flashing dangerously in her direction. Reason seemed to overtake her for a second and she fell back, sitting on the edge of the large bed in the center of the room. Simon, seeing that she was contained, left and locked the door.

The early evening moonlight was the only thing that lit the room now, the gentle rays splashed across the bed and the single armchair sitting in the corner.  She sat herself, lotis positioned, in the center of the bed, her head hung down almost to her lap, her arms splayed out before her as if prostrate before someone. A low chanted mumble dribbled from her lips as her body started to shake. A gust of wind picked up through the window whipping the curtains and pulling at her hair. Her body began to shake as the shaddows infront of her darkened and began to take a misty shape. Smoky wings unfolded behind the immages shoulders and an icy breath brushed against her cheek. 

"Master..." she breathed, and sucked in her breath as a razorblade thin line of pain slid down her jaw and she felt the warm slick feel of blood trickling down her chin.

"My pet," the mirage breathed, its dark, whispy hand outstretched, smoky finger trailing down the line of blood on her chin. The mirage shivvered for a moment, before the immage grew stronger and more tangible. 

"Your very essence strengthens me yet." the thin, chalky white lips sighed.

"Thank you, my master," she replied, all the while keeping her head lowered. She refused to ever look in his eyes. He wanted her to. He wanted her soul. He could see it so clearly, through those liquid green eyes, so tangible, so reachable... She did not want him to have it. She wanted it for herself. She wanted the power he could give her...

"Obedient, yes, you have been very obedient..." she dared a glance up at the "master". He was gazing distantly out the moon-lit window. She raised her head , more boldly, to look at him straight on. His head suddenly whiped about and in a millisecond his eyes locked with hers. A panicked gasp fluttered off her lips and he chuckled. 

"I am not going to steal your soul my pet. Not just yet;" a sigh of relief  from the girl, "but," it was cut short. Her eyes flashed with worry and his smile became slightly softer. "No need to worry my pet, no need to worry." he raised his hand towards her, slowly, and her posture softened as she visibly relaxed.

"Why so jumpy? I only wish to reward you." He reached his hand further, touching her jaw line where he had parted the skin, again running his finger down the length of the wound. It closed, healing itself, but leaving a thin raised scar, shining blue-white in the moonlight. 

"A rememberance..." he breathed. Again, the distant look. He was silent for a moment. And she reached a hand up to the scar, gingerly testing for pain. There was none. He came back to the present and continued.

"I wish to reward you my pet. You have done well, so far. Might I give you a gift to further your advantage?" His arched eyebrows raised in question. She mutely nodded and he smiled. 

"I see your hesitation in your eyes, my dear.You need not worry. You can only be better. Yet, this IS irriversable. Unless you wish to remain as you are...?"

She shook her head swiftly back and forth, finally finding her tongue. "Master, reward me. I wish it."

"Very good then. Now..." The hand that had rested on her cheek till now slipped up to her forehead, the pressure of his cold hand on her head increased and she felt a heat begin to flow through her mind, down her neck and through each part of her. Her eyes unfocused and everything became a tingling, hot blur. She felt his other arm grab her around her waist as he stood forward and pushed her down onto the bed, his weight pressing down on top of her. Her eyes closed as lights flashed behind her lids. She gave into his passion willingly, as the searing heat overtook her. She had waited a long time for this...

Chapter 4

*I APOLOGIZE FOR THE SPELLING AND OTHER ERRORS IN THIS CHAPTER - I WAS TIRED AND SICKLY WHEN TYPING IT.*

I woke up about an hour later, back in bed, with a very concerned Jarol sitting watch. Everything was blurry though and my head was pounding as if I had a king size hangover. To to it off my arms and face stucg like the devil, and when I touched my cheek, I felt huge blisters give way and burst beneath my fingers. Puss ran down my chin and Jarol gently wiped it off wtih a handkercheif.
"What happened?" I asked him, already half expecting the answer.
"You went out in the sun. You cant do that, remember?"
"You didnt actually expect me to believe your whole vampire story, did you? I mean, come on. You said it to someone who believed it was all just a fairy tale til..." I trailed off. I wasnt quite ready to accept the thought just yet.
"Till now...?" He finished gently.
"Yeah.." I replied. "I´m still not so sure if I believe it yet..."
"Oh, you believe. You´re just not letting yourself admit it."

Maybe he was right. How else could I explain the third-degree burns all over me? No one gets sun burnt that fast.
He handed me a silver wineglass and I took an absent minded sip, and gagged as the liquid hit my tongue. Blood! It would figure, but, yuck! I didnt think I could do it. I tore my eyes away from the crimson fluid to look at Jarol. He just raised his eyebrows and glanced down at the cup and then back at me. It was then that I realized that my headache had lost some of its intensity.
"Two and two - put it together." I thought. I guiltily downed the rest of the liquid, trying to hold back my disgust at the thought of drinking someones lifeblood.
I placed the cup slowly back down on the coffee table, wiping a bit that had dripped down the side of my mouth. I felt horible and Jarol could tell.

"I´m really sorry it has to be this way." He started. "I dont really know waht to say, except, you´ll get used to it evnetually. We all have."
I couldnt find anything to say so I just nodded agian. I supposed he was right, but I still really really didnt like it. Then i noticed my hands. The skin on the tips of my fingers wasn´t blistered anymore. It looked completely new. I watched, awestruck, as the healing crept up my fingers and hands, and then up my arms. I felt the sting on my face on my face slowly dull till it was just a memory.
"No way!" I said, almost afraid to believe my skin ws healed just like that. My head didnt hurt anymore either.
"Yes way." Jarol said. "There ARE good points to being a vampire you know."
"Gosh, yeah, I see." I gasped. Still not quite believing my eyes. Jarol laughed. "Okay, get some moe rest. Your skin may be healed but theres a bit more to it than that. You ant be up while the suns out anyways so you might as well get a bit more sleep. You can meet some of the others tonight."
"Alright." I replied over my shoulder, while examining my face in the miror. It seemed too good to be true, yet it was. Gosh. A vampire. What crazy turn could my life possibly take next?
I puttered around the room for a few more mintes, not wanting to climb back into bed just yet. I stood in front of hte mirror combing my fingers through my hair, not realying tinking about anything when suddenly a ray of sunshine sliced through a crack in the curtain and trailed down the side of my body. I gasped in a breath as it sapped what little strength I had. I quickly clamored into bed, exhausted, and dutifully covered myself up. I eyed the ray tha still shone through the crack and onto the opposite wall. It stayed there, reminding me of what it could do to me.

I woke in the early evening - the sun had just set. There was a note by my bed from Jarol telling me to meet him in his study. As if i knew where THAT was. I got up and realized that I had slept in my clothes. None worse fo the wear though. I straightened my toussled hair and made my way towards the hall. Again, it seemed silent and completely deserted.
I lookd up and down the hall, looking for clues as to where the study could possibly be. Only scores of closed doors greeted me. Duh! I smacked my head. The study is always on the ground floor. So downstairs I went. I ended up in the enterance, by the huge front doors. I gulped and shyed away, backing towards the dining hall.
Suddenly I froze. A muffled laugh floated from the silence. That laugh was for me, I knew it. Why, I had no idea. My eyes darted about searching for the owner of the laugh,when somebody tapped my shoulder. I spun around.
"Not there!" The someone said. No one was behind me. Again, my shoulder was tapped from behind and I span around yet again.
"Not there either!" The voice giggled from behind me: I heard another snigger off to the side of the room. "No way." I thought. "Not in my time." I slowly began backing up. I heard movement behind me but I kept going. Finally my back touched the wall - no, wait, it touched a body BETWEEN me and the wall.
I spun around - "Aha!!" But there was no one there. I saw out of the corner of my eye something moving along the top of the wall. I sighed. Leaning back against hte wall, and sliding down till I sat on the floor. ·"Fine, I give up!" I said. I tilted my head back until i could see the ceiling and then closed my eyes. I heard giggles and scuffling along the walls for a few seconds, then it went silent. I could feel someone approaching from the wall above me but I kept my eyes shut and tried to suress a smirk. What did they think? I was a vampire too after all. I could sense them.
A second before I anticiated it, I opened my eyes. An upside-down face hovered inches from mine, mouth poised in an un-spoken "boo".
"HA! I got you!!" I yelped as I jumped up, and then laughed as he lost his grip and tumbled to the floor, a tangle of arms and legs. He scrambled to pick himself up and straighten his clothes. I heard laughing behind me and another vampire, a female, zipped to the others side, still laughing, at him this time, i realized. She grabbed his arm and yanked him up and they both turned to face me.
"I apologize for Marvis" the female said. "He tends to do silly foolish things, but, what to do. Thats just how these brainless things are." She yelped as Marvis smacked her upside the head.
"Dont listen to Jade. Shes as brainless as they come."
Jade´s green eyes flashed from behind her snow-white hair. "Excuse us for a moment." she quipped as she pounced on Marvis´ back, returning him to the floor, and pumeling him repeatedly with her fists.
"I am NOT brainless! Say it Marvis! Admit I´m not brainless!" Marvis yelped, trying to throw her off his back. I just stood there and laughed as they both started tickling eachother. "You guys are such kids you know..." At that they both stopped and stared at me. "Shall we get her?" said Marvis. "She called us kids."
"Nah, shes the new girl. We gotta be nice." Jade replied.
"Awwww, come on. She´ll like it, I´m sure." His grin couldnt have gotten bigger.
"Nope."
"COME ON"
"I´m gona tell Jarol..."
"Ooooh fine." Marvis spat out and rolled his eyes. He threw me a look that said "I´m gona get you later" I laughed again as he turned to walk down the hall, his head thrown back in moch defiance. Jade started after him, then suddenly turned back, as if remembering something. "Ohhh yeah, Jarol said to bring you to his study, so come on."
I uttered afte them down the hall, still trying to take the whole place in. I was amazed that I hadnt gotten lost in this place. I mean, I´d oly been coherently "here" for the last 12 or 13 hours, and I hadnt even been around yet so scratch that. I could barely keep up in my mind all the twists and turns we were taking, but at the same time, somehow, it all seemed strangely familiar to me.
Suddenly, I collided with Marvis´ back. They´d stopped walking. He turned and stuck out his tongue at me and I giggled. "Wait here." Jade said. She quietly opened the door and slipped in. I could hear talking on the other side and strained to see in, but Jade closed the door.
"Tsk tsk, Emily. Peeking isnt good you know." Marivs retorted. I was about to smack him one when i saw the mischeivous grin. "Oh gosh, you´re too much, you know?" I said.
"Yup." he replied with a grin. I rolled my eyes and fell silent, choosing instead to study the specimine before me Pale skinned with short, red siked hair, he stood a head taller than me, which was close to alarming, seeing as I stood almost at six feet. He had a cocky face and high, arched eyebrows over midnight blue eyes. he also seemed to have piercings everywhere, and a tattoo, on teh back of his neck. I carefully leaned in closer to get a better look. It was writing of some sort, but in a script i couldnt understand.
"Hey Marvis...?"
"Yeah?"
"What´s that tattoo say? I cant figure it out."
His hand snapped up to the back of his neck, covering the tattoo protectively. I could sware he blushed.
"...what tattoo?" he said, almost innocently.
"It´s there! I saw it!"
"Oh fine. So I have a tattoo. Doesnt mean I´m telling YOU what it means."
"Oh come on!" I huffed "You cant just have a tattoo like that and keep it a secret! You´ll drive me loony!"
Jade came back out the door just then, and looked back and forth between Marvis and I. Marvis had his head hung, his feet scuffing the floor. He looked like a bashful child. I just looked exhasperated. A grin slowly stretched on her face and she shot it at Marvis.
"...So... she asked you about the tattoo?" She said, quite enjoying his embarrassment.
"It´s nothing."
"No, its no.."
"It´s NOTHING Jade!"
"Oh gosh, okay." She said, the smile never leaving he lips. Then she looked at me. "We can go in now."
"Great" I said, pushing past Marvis. Oddly enough, I had begun missing Jarol. He was sitting behind his desk. He stood when he saw us enter. There wasnt anyone else in the room. Odd, because I was sure I had heard another voice. My eyes met with Jarols. Had I acutally missed him that much? He gave me a smile, an almost secretive smile. My heart skipped a beat before I hastily commanded it to calm itslef. I´d just met the man for one, and now he seemed to be some sort of "big cheese" item. Not for the likes of you, Emily dear. I reminded myself. Plus, he probably had scores of other ravishing vampire females just waiting on him, lusting after his every move. Oh gosh.. Now I was being obsessive.
I broke eye contact ans I sat down in a deep sea-green arm chair. I kept my eyes focused on my hands and concentrated on thinking about absolutely nothing.
"Emily..." My head shot up. Jarol was looking at me with an xpectant face. "Come sit over here" he patted the desk in front of him. I looked at Jade with hesitancy in my eyes, but she just noded and motioned towards the table. I hoisted myself up on the table, and sat, legs dangling off the side and, one again, eyes dutifully examining my hands. Everyone was silent, as if we were waiting for something, or someone. I glanced up at Marvis, I was surprised he was able to keep quiet at all. He caught my eye for a moment, then looked at Jarol and then back at me with a knowing grin. He opened his mouth like he was about to say something. I threw him the meanest glare I could muster and his hand flew up to his mouth, desperately trying to stifle a massive guffaw.
I rolled my eyes hoping to show him that whatever he was insinuating was utter bollucks, but he just shook a finger at me and I knew that I wasnt going to hear the end of it. I craned my neck instead to look at Jarol He was sitting with his elbows on the table, his forehead resting on his hands. I looked questioning at Jade yet again "we´re waiting for s..." she mouthed to me. Someone? "Who?" I mouthed back. "Simon..." Jarol said from behindme. My head spun around. I thought I´d been stone silent, but Jarol was looking towards the door.
The other vampire from the night Jarol brought me here stood in the doorway.
"You returned."
"Yes, master." Master?
"The hunt, did it go well?"
"Yes master, but..."
Jarols eyebrows raised the tinyest bit as Simon continued.
"We have a problem." He reached back and pulled someone into the room. The figure stumbled forward and stay, huddled on teh floor for a moment. She was tiny, short and waif like with short scragly black hair. She was shaking - scared? But then she looked up, at each of us in turn, a desperate eagerness shining in her eyes. They finally landed on Jarol and I shuddered. Naked lust oozed from her eyes. Forget eager. Her pale lips parted, shattering the silence
"Real vampires - COOL!!"
All our eyebrows shot up at one.

Chapter 3 Emily (POV)

By the time I awoke it must have been days. I was in an unfamiliar room - it looked like I had stepped into the past. The only thing that kept me from believing it was the presence of electric appliances and light switches around the room. The drapes were drawn but from what I could tell it was near dawn. There wasnt a sound to be heard.

I climbed out of bed and padded quietly to the window to look out. Drawing hte heavy drape asside, I stifled a gasp. It was an estate - THE estate, that I drove past almost every other day. I wondered how many people actually knew this place existed.

A large gravel drive lined by flowerbeds filled the front cortyard and led up to an enormous gate. The whole estate awas surrounded by high thick walls. They obviously valued their privacy. I pulled away from teh view, and decided to instead eplore the room. The cream colored panneled walls held numerous paintings - all equisit, and, I´m sure, costly. But I couldnt recognize any of them.

The room itself held antique wooden furniture: A large cupboard, a dresser topped by a huge mirror framed with delicately carved mahogany, a breathtaking couchset and coffee table (yes im a sucker for furniture) and, of course the bed. It was amazing. Four poster, down quilts, feather pillows, black silk sheets, everything! One look at it and I understood why I´d slept for so long.

I wandered over to the mirror. I was a bit hesitant to see te state I was in after sleeping so long, but curiosity overcame me and I stepped infront of the mirror. It took a few moments for the differences in me to sink in. I looked pale - deathly pale, but for some reason I wasnt worried. And it seemed, oddly enough, that my wavy perm had suddenly decided to undo itself. My eyes seem to have become a more icy, piercing blue and my lips had become strangely fuller and redder. Even my hair seemd to have taken on a deeper red hue, and to my delight, looked a lifetime healthier. I scruitinzed my hair with not too little glee; "Just like the Garnier adverts..." I thought to myself with a slightly conceited giggle.

I flounced joyfully over to the couch set where I´d seen a set of clothes laid out (had I been half naked all this time?) I was quite hapy with how my life was behaving just now so I wasnt incredibly surprised when the clothes fit me perfectly, and, on further mirror inspection, complimented me insanely well.

"Gosh, but I look a thousand dollars!" I said to my reflection.

"Yes, in fact, you do."

I spun around, caught off guard, not having noticed the man who entered my room. It was the same olive skined man from last night - or, which ever night it was.
"I see you´ve made yourself at home. Wonderful! My name is Jarol, and this is my estate. I hope you find it to your liking, and come to embrace it as home, as we too have done."

Whoa whoa, hold a sec - HOME? He must have seen the confusion in my face and the fact that I couldnt process a coherent word made him stifle a laugh for a moment, till suddenly a troubled look slid onto his face.

"You know why you are here, do you not?"
I just managed a slight shake of my head. What did he think? He freaks the bajebuses out of me, abducts me, and ten sneaks up on me and tells me I´ve got a new home.. two plus two just wouldnt make four in this scenario, hard as i tried to decypher it.
"So, you mean, you werent trying to find us?" Again, I had to shake my head.
"And all this time, we thought you knew..."

Whoooooo-okay, now he was really running me in circles, not to mention getting more cryptic with every word.
"What do you mean..?" I cautiously replied, though my gut instinct told me I probably would not like the answer.
"Well, how about we sit down?" Oh gosh, that´s never good. Nonetheless, I followed him over to the couch set and we sat, facing eachother. He sighed, and rested his forehead on his folded hands for a moment. Suddenly i felt like a child again, about to be told that, once again, my life would be completely uprooted and spun wildly about.

"Emily," He yanked me out of my reverie, "You must take what I´m about to tell you very objectively. I know that mindsets have been imgrained in you, in all humans, but," he rose from his couch and came to mine, "you must try to override them. Do you think you can do that?" I nodded again, gulping back aprehension. He crouched down infront of me, his hand resting on my knee. "Remember also," he continued, "that what you have always been taught is bad isn´t neccessarily so, when looked at from a different perspective." I nodded once more, holding my breath. But I could have never anticipated in a million years what he said next.

"We are vampires."

I almost laughed out loud, relief flooding my body. Vampires!They didnt exist! What were they, some kind of wierd cult sprung from a fairy tale? I looked into his eyes, searching for a mischeivous glint, a hint of myrth, SOMETHING, to show me that he was joking. A firm, dead-serious gaze locked with mine and the grin was instantly wiped from my face.

"Wait. You´re serious? Your a vampire?" I had to know.
"Yes." was all he said before he got up and strode to the door. He turned back a second before exiting. "And so are you."

The door closed with a thud so final it turned my heart to ice.
I´m a vampire? Not a chance.

I had to get out. This Jarol fellow had gone loony and I didnt know how many others there were like him. He´d said "us" though, which meant that he definatly wasnt alone. "No more!" I said to myself wtih finality. "No more foolish wierd rituals on me. They can find someone else. I´ve had enough of this in my life."

I glances around the room and noticed a black leather jacked hanging in the bathroom. I grabbed it and threw it on. perfect fit - again. Now ironic. Well it seemed these loons were clever enough, they´d done their research. Too bad it was all going to end up for nothing.

I cautiously cracked the door open and peered out with one eye. the hall was dark and deserted. I crept out quietly, testing the floor boards for creaking. Satisfied wtih teh result I sprinted down teh hall and down the huge flight of stairs, and made a dash for the enormous front doors.

Curious that there was no one around. I gave it no thought as I heaved, all my weight against the solid oak door. It suddenly gave way and I went stumbling onto the top step. As I looked up, the sun rose over the distant mountains and a terrible piercing pain shot through my eyes and began crawling over me, like a million hornets stinging every inch of my exposed flesh.

I screamed out in agony, barely able to push myself to my knees before colapsing back onto the step. I was growing weaker by the second. I was seeing stars, blacking out... A pair of leather gloved hands grabbed me and I was hauled back inside, the solid door slammed sturidly shut. The cool darkness soothed my skin and I weakly looked up into Jarol´s piercing eyes.

"Emily! Emily, are you alright??" His words echoed, again, as I lost conciousness.

Chapter 2

The clouds were gathering, darkening. Looked like rain. Rain would turn the already precarious back hill roads deadly; That wouldnt be good, nobody ever came back on these roads - few people even knew they existed. She couldnt even remember how she´d found them. they were useful though. They cut miles off of any route. Come to think of it, she´d never even seen another car on the road since she´d started using them. Bah. She jumped as a large drop splattered on the windsreen. "Oh noooo..." she groaned inwardly. Now it would be dark AND wet.

She tried to manuver along the fastly slicking roads, but the more she tried to gain control the more her small ford spun wildly out of it. She started to freak. Could this be her worst fear, materializing right before her eyes?

The ford raced along the road at an unearthly speed, fishtailing, it seemed, every other second. She couldnt see a thing as the rain flooded her windsreen. She sucked in her breath sharply and bit her lip as she slammed her foot down on the breaks again and again. Finally the ford seemed to respond and began straining against the slick asphalt. The car fishtailed even more wildly and began to spin in circles before skidding to a halt in silence.

The rain was pouring down and she could barely make out anything more than a few feet away in the flood of her headlights.
She slowly calmed her breathing and she debated what to do. She was so emerssed in her thoughts, she didnt notice the two figures that had stepped silently into the beam of her headlight.
She looked up and gasped, cathing sight of the two male figures. Her eyes locked with those of the taller male. She felt a strange pull deep in the pit of her stomach and she fumbled to open the side door. As she stepped out, the rain suddenly began to dwindle till it resembled a fine mist. Standing by the door of her car, she took them both in. Dark, wavy hair hung damply around the taller male´s shoulders and framed his high cheekbones and chissled jaw that sported a slight shaddow of stubble. His full lips were slightly pursed in quiet cautiousness, yet his eyes were calm. His eyes - an elecrtic green sprinkled wtih golden brown flecks - burned into her own sky blue eyes. She had to look away. His skin was a flawless olive tint.

He wore a ruffled loose white shirt over blak jeans, overed by a stiff high collared black leather trench that rustled against the asphalt when he moved. Black leather gloves covered his hands, his highly polished sliver-buckled boots scuffed against pebbles as he took a step closer to her. Emily instinctivly stepped back a pace, but he didnt advance any further. She looked back up to his face; he was beautiful, and he had a strange glow about him.

She turned her attentions to the other silent figure. He was dressd similar to the other except that the leather trench was replaced by a loth one. The skin on his face was a waxy white - almost transparent, she thought to herself. He had a pointed chin and a slim, almost delicate face, slightly thin pale pinkish lips, a thin nose and high cheekbones. His eyes, to the contrary, were enormous. His features made him look like an innocent child. those large, round, wondering eyes. Violet eyes. Eyes filled with hunger and greed, and, lust. Lust for her!

A slow, leering grin stretched over his lips, revealing what seemed to be razor sharp, pointed teeth. He began to step forward, but the other put a hand out to stop him. Dissapointment flashed in his eyes for a split second, then dissapeared. He flicked a strand of straight black hair behind his ear, and turned as if to go, looking to the otehr for a moment, as if for some sign of approval. Then he dissapeared into the darkness.

Emily stood, rooted to the spot, her breath coming in short gasps, her heart hammering against her ribs as the tall dark figure approahed her. Stopping a few inches away, he slowly bit his right forefinger, piercing the skin. A bead of blood formed and began to trickle down teh side of his finger. Emily followed the crimson rivulette, riveted, hypnotized. He lifted his finger then, and pressed it against her temple.

"Welome home, sister.." the words echoed in her mind as she lost conciousness.

The figure stooped, gently lifting her, and carried her toward a deep violet porche. he placed her in teh passangers seet, and then reclined it. he motioned to the other figure, who stood silently next to the porche, who proceeded to climb into Emily´s small ford. The engines roared and they dissapeared into the night.

Chapter 1

"I´m a faggot and my ass is torn." Emily muttered just over the radio- The new summer hit pumped out of the Ford´s speakers and Emily rolled her eyes. It always seemed to be the queer people who became hits. this year it was a homosexual couple- two wierd guys - but everyone seemed to love them.

"Gosh whatever!" She blurted out to nothing. Not like she cared. There were so many better things to care about besides fruity feminine men. Like, for example, how she was about to loose her job, which meant she´d loose her appartment - that came, and went, with the job.

She rolled her eyes and sighed again. Twenty two years old, homeless, and jobless. AND with nowhere to go to top it off. "Yeah, I´m officially screwed. No wait, I WISH I was screwed. God! And I dont even have a boyfriend. Add that to the list."

Then, of course, tehre was what she affetionately termed her halucinations. Those were creepy. They werent really halucinations at all. More like dreams. Strange dreams. She never quite remembered them. More like an aftertaste of disgust and fear... and lust. And then there was the physical aftertastes. Those were even more disturbing.

Emily gripped the steeering wheel tighter. The sun was setting and she hated driving in the dark. She hated the dark in general. She felt ashaimed and embarrassed to admit it, but she was scared of hte dark- terrified in fact - since she had been very young..


*******************************


She could only vaguely recal her lifeat the orphanage. iIt seemed like another world now. The soft voiced, firm handed nuns, the scores of other little girls who never wanted to play with her. the lumpy beds where she´d cry herself to sleep at night, alone. And the nightmares. They never quite left her, but they never quite stayed either. She recalled waking, running out, terrified, into the night, finding comfort in the silent warm darkness.

Till "That" day. the day she went away from the orphanage. They had said things about spirits. Evil ones. About needing to be rid of them. She heartily agreed. Evil should not be allowed entrance into their godly homes. But she had missed one vital element in the equasion. HER. Where were they going? To the monestary. Why? Only silence thought to answer. And, weary from wondering, sheep overcame her.

She woke to find herself being gently sat into a chair. Something slipped around her arms and she found she could not move. White silk ropes bound her arms and legs to the chair and she began to panic. Gentle hadns soothed her, wiping the cold sweat from her brow. Clouds of incence floated in the still air as a priest proceeded to splash holy water on and around her.

Another came, chanting stranged words under his breath, and marking a cross on her forehead with oil, and then, with, something else. It dripped down her face and onto her lip. A heavy odor filled her nostrils and she gagged. Blood! Lambs blood. The "blood of the Lamb" they said. To symbolise Christ´s blood to wash away her sins. From a dying lamb, found up in the hills, and bled almost dry - two strange puncture wounds on its neck. They said it was a sign.

A tingling warmth spread through her body and up two her neck, where it turned an icy cold. Like a hand, squeezing, crushing her throat. She screamed- she couldnt help it - just before blessed blackness overcame her.

She had been out for days afterward. By the time she awoke she was informed that she was being sent far away to foster homes. The monestary didnt want her anymore.

As she walked down the hall to leave, suspiious supersticious eyes quickly turned away and the hum of hushed whispers filled the air. Eyes that used to look kindly, and voices that used to soothe her to sleep. The same voices. A fat tear splashed down her cheek. This was all she´d known. Now the only family she´d ever had held out crusifixes and shrunk away, a deathly fear in their eyes.

Now she couldnt even remember where she came from.