When there’s light all around you, you never think of the darkness. We may not think about it but it’s there. Things happen every night and everything watches you.

I never thought about anything to do with the light and the dark. I should have because when darkness comes for me, I’m unprepared and alone except for my angel of the night.

Love is something that means a lot. It takes devotion and undying loyalty. You think nothing can come in between you and your loved one. There’s always a challenge present and some are too tough.

Chapter 1: New Student


My mom fretted over me as I tried to make a run for the door. She kept straightening my shirt or fixing my hair and I really needed to get outside or I would miss the bus.

“Mom, I have to go.” I protested. My mom threw her hands in the air and signaled for me to shoo. Finally! I ran out the door just as the bus turned the corner.

When the bus pulled up to the school, I groaned in disdain. It was my first day at Evergreen High since I moved to a small town called, Pine. This town really sucked. I yanked my backpack onto my shoulders and got off the bus. I made my way towards the gate of hell, my feet dragging.

As I got up to the door someone opened it for me. I looked to see who it was. It was some pudgy freshman. I thanked him and walked through.

“Are you knew?” The kid asked. I rolled my eyes and turned to face him.

“Yeah.” I answered blandly. The kid nodded and tried to walk beside me.

“Do you mind?” I asked as more of a threat. The kid stopped and walked away from me. Freshmen are so annoying. In my old school, they all made passes at seniors and it always ended in a brutal beating. I made my way to the office which was clearly marked with big bold lettering. Pushing open the door, I made my way in. A senior was at the desk asking to have his Spanish class changed. I waited behind him with impatience. I am going to be late because some kid doesn’t want a class that has to deal with a different language. I felt like punching him.

Almost as if he could sense my irritation, he turned and walked away. The office lady sighed and looked up at me.

“What do you need?” She asked. I could tell she had an attitude. She was probably a former student that needed some quick cash. I immediately hated her.

“I’m new and I need my schedule.” I said in annoyance.

“Name?” She asked while looking at her nails. She’s just a big bowl of sunshine, huh?

“Samantha Haden.” I replied. She handed me a piece of paper with my classes and locker combination. I gratefully left the office and made my way to locker 209.

When I got to my first class, it was a nightmare. I had to walk in front of a whole class and then the teacher couldn’t pronounce my last name. How hard was it. Haden.

After the torture, Mr. Lombardo pointed me to a seat. The seat was next to a prep named Victoria Hitlani. The red headed Victoria gave me a disgusted glance and turned around in her seat to flirt with the boy behind us. This school was terrible.

At least that’s what I thought. My opinion changed entirely when a boy walked in. He had long wispy hair the color of a raven’s feathers, his skin was as pale as the moon, and his eyes. Oh his eyes. One was emerald green and the other was pitch black. He was gorgeous. He turned his eyes on me and it felt as if my skin was melting. I looked away from him and the sensation went away.

I watched the seconds tick by on the clock while the teacher went on about cells. When would this class end? I could feel his burning gaze boring into my back. I wanted to run from the room but I knew I couldn’t.

As soon as the bell rang, I ran for the door. My path was blocked by the gorgeous kid. He looked into my eyes for just a second and then he was out the door. The look in his eyes made me freeze. It was sinister and gentle at the same time. I began to feel scared. Shaking it off, I walked out of the class and tried to find my second class of the day. There was nothing to be afraid of.

The hall began to clear and I still hadn’t found my class.

“Trig is in that room over there.” A musical voice whispered in my ear. I did a full 180 degree turn to face who was the owner of the voice. The gorgeous kid stood there smiling. His smile was dazzling and charming.

“Thanks.” I said. He walked off and I made my way to Trig. I glanced back at his walking form and sighed. He was so odd. I took a seat in the back of the class where no one was sitting. The teacher was a balding man who introduced himself as Mr. Green. What a nice name. Gosh, this day would never end.

It was an excruciatingly long day until lunch. I had no one to sit next to. My eyes combed the lunchroom until I spotted an empty table. I started heading towards it when someone stopped me. It was a girl with blonde hair down to her shoulders and blue eyes.

“You can’t sit there. That’s the Mariachi’s table.” She said.

“Who are the Mariachis?” I asked. She rolled her eyes in disbelief.


“They’re the ones with the weird eyes. There’s the drop dead gorgeous Sasha and his sister Misha. Then there’s Benji and his sister Tink. The last one has a face to die for. His name is Josh.” She explained, with a dazed smile on her face.

“Thanks for telling me.” I said.

“No problem. You can sit here.” She said, smiling. I smiled back and sat down next to her.

“I’m Amanda.” She said.

“I’m Samantha.” I told her. She smiled at me and then turned to her lunch. I did the same but stopped when I saw who was walking through the cafeteria doors. Josh walked in with four others following him. One of the boys was as thin as a twig, his hair was a golden brown, and his eyes were the same as Josh’s. He looked like a person who corrected people all of the time.


A girl stood next to him. She had long ebony hair that went down to the small of her back, her eyes were both green, her skin was as white as snow, and she was dressed like on of those punk rockers. She was really pretty.

The other boy was tall with big muscles, his hair was brown, and his eyes were like Josh’s. You could tell he was entertaining and also could be annoying. My eyes traveled to the girl next to him. She had hair the color of copper that came down to her shoulders, her eyes were both green, and she had the whitest skin ever.

Josh glanced over at me and I looked away from them. I didn’t want the pressure of his gaze on me again.

“He’s staring at you like a piece of meat.” Amanda commented. This is how the rest of lunch proceeded. The whole time was torture.

When school let out, I made my way across the parking lot to my bus. I was stopped in my tracks when a black Porsche pulled in front of me. Josh was sitting in the driver seat.

“Do you want a ride?” He asked in his musical voice. I didn’t really know him but something in his eyes made me trust him. This moment would change my life forever.

“Sure.” I said, mesmerized by his beautiful eyes. He reached across to the passenger side and opened the door. I sat down and closed the door, the leather seats clinging to my skin. He exited the parking lot with high speed.

“I’m Joshua but everyone calls me Josh.” He told me.

“I’m Samantha.” I said.

“Ok. I’ll call you Sam.” He said, a sly smile on his face. I gave him directions to my house and he listened smoothly. The whole time, he was smiling and I couldn’t help but smile back. We arrived at my house and I got out of the car.

“Bye Sam. I’ll be seeing you.” He said with a charming smile. I didn’t have time to say anything back before he took off. I shrugged my shoulders to myself and headed inside. Once inside, I saw my mom sitting in the recliner with her nose in a book. I quickly said hi and made my way up to my room.

Finally in my room, I sat down on the bed to calm down after the first day of school. I let out a deep breath and leaned up against my pillow. Josh leaked into my mind and took it over like poison. Looking into his eyes you could tell he’s seen a lot of dark things. He was mysterious and dark. My mind told me to stay away from him but I was drawn to him. Why did Josh have to torment me?

Chapter 2: Nightmares



My eyes flew open as I realized I had fallen asleep. I rubbed my eyes and sat up out of bed, glancing at the clock. Sighing, I went downstairs for dinner.

My mom was setting the table when I got down there and I helped her finish. I glanced at the empty chair at the head of the table where my dad was supposed to sit. My mom and him haven’t been getting along lately and he hasn’t returned home for over a week now.

Sitting down at the table, my mom brought in the ribs she had just cooked. I served myself some food while my mom did the same. We both ate quickly, eager to get away from each other. Things have always been awkward between us and now that dad didn’t come home, it was worse.

When dinner was done, my mom went upstairs to go to bed while I stayed downstairs and cleaned up the table. After my work was done, I sat in front of the window in the living room just to look outside. I saw something big move and I about fell out of my seat. What was that? What had disrupted the quiet veil of night?

I ran up the stairs and hid in my room. My heart raced as I locked all the doors and windows. I hid under my covers like a little kid. Shutting my eyes, I willed sleep to come so that I could hide in dark oblivion. Sleep finally came.
*******************************************

It’s been a long time since I’ve actually had a nightmare. This was the first time in over eight years that I’ve had one. Standing in a forest, my long red dress blew in the slight breeze. The fabric wrapped itself around my claves and ankles, my hair danced in the wind, the breeze smelled like flowers with a hint of pine. I closed my eyes, savoring the moment.

When I opened my eyes, a little girl stood there. She looked to be about twelve. Her midnight black hair was pulled back into a tight bun, her eyes were the same color as Josh’s, her skin was as white as snow, and her teeth were pearly white. Her teeth! Her canines were elongated and sharp as daggers. Fear overtook my body and I took a step back. She stepped forward, a smile creeping onto her face. Her smile was what I would expect to see on a snake before it snatches up it’s prey.

The little girl lunged at me with inhuman speed. I felt those pearly teeth sink into my skin. I could feel the blood in my veins draining. I cried out in pain and fear. I tried to pull the little girl away from me but she had an iron grip on my neck. I was going to die. I closed my eyes to take this in. When I opened them, Josh stood there. His teeth were the same as the little girls and it frightened me. He walked to me and pulled the little girl off of me. When I looked again, she lay dead at his feet. He was my angel of darkness.
************************************************

I shot out of bed with sweat dripping down my face. Since when did I have nightmares? Did seventeen year olds even have nightmares? I shook it off and stepped out of bed to get ready for school.

When I arrived at school, Josh met me in the parking lot.

“Hi Sam. It’s nice and sunny today, huh?” He greeted me.

“Hi Josh.” I said shyly.

“You don’t talk too much do you?” He asked. I nodded. People stared at us as Josh walked with me to class. I averted my eyes from everyone and watched my feet. When we reached the class, Josh stopped me at the doorway.

“When people stare, smile at them. It gets them confused.” He whispered into my ear.

When we were in class, Josh motioned for me to sit next to him. I listened and walked over to the seat next to him.

“This class is boring. Don’t you agree?” Josh asked, trying to make conversation. I shrugged my shoulders.

“I’m serious. If you don’t start talking, then I’m going to keel over and… die.” He said with a bit of hesitation on the last word.

“Yes this class is boring. I could actually die of boredom.” I told him with a hint of sarcasm. He clapped his hands and I shook my head in annoyance.

“Shut up.” I muttered to him. He smiled at me and I gasped. His smile was so breathtaking. His smile disappeared and he faced the front as the teacher walked in.

The day flew by fast but with a lot of homework. When the final bell rang, Josh met me at my locker. He watched me carefully as I grabbed my books. It was as if I were his specimen and he was the researcher.

“You really don’t have anything to do besides following me, huh?” I asked sarcastically.

“You’re more interesting than other things.” He said simply. I shook my head.

“I am the farthest thing there is from interesting.” I said. He just smiled and shook his head.

“Do you want another ride?” He asked. I nodded and he rolled his eyes. I forgot to answer him with actual words. He walked me out to his car where he opened the door for me.

“Thanks.” I said.

“Wow, you actually said something!” Josh exclaimed, sarcasm flooding his voice. I shoved him lightly but he didn’t budge. His smile vanished and he quietly got in the car.

I didn’t have to give Josh directions to my house again because he already knew the way. He was quiet the whole way there and the air in the car was awkward. When we reached my house, Josh pulled up to the side of the road. I saw that my mom was gone and I remembered she was working late.

My manners hit me like lightning and I leaned in the window.

“Do you want to come in for a drink?” I asked politely.

“You wouldn’t have what I like, trust me.” He said, smiling for the first time since we left the school. He began to laugh but it came out like music.

“Bye Sam.” He said. I was able to wave good-bye before he took off.
When I was inside, I sat down on the couch to relax. My dream melted back into my mind and took over my thoughts. I cringed at the nightmare. The thought of Josh with vampire teeth was frightening and… fitting. Josh with vampire teeth seemed right and natural. This world would be more frightening with vampires but vampires aren’t real. Are they?

Chapter 4: Victoria Hitlani


Sitting at the table, my mom served dinner. Tonight it was meatloaf. Someone, please, kill me now. As this thought crossed my mind, the little girl popped into my minds eye. I pushed the image out of my thoughts and quietly began to eat my meatloaf, which tasted like leather.

When I was finished cleaning up the dinner table, I sat in front of the window again. The same as last night, something moved. I tried to peer through the dark to see what it was and then stopped. Do I want to know what was out there? The little girl flashed in my mind. No, I didn’t want to know.

I repeated my process of last night and crawled into my bed. I willed sleep to come again but it gave me no relief.
*******************************************************

My nightmares recurred. I crumpled to the cold hard ground, holding my throat. Warm blood gushed down my collarbone and my heart pounded frantically. My eyes flickered up to Josh and I tried to reach for him. My arm fell uselessly to the ground and Josh made his way to my side. He said something to me but I didn’t hear anything. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me and I felt nothing. I tried to look for Josh’s face but I only saw blackness. One thing reached my ear before I fainted. “I’ll save you.”
*****************************************************

I fell out of bed in breathless terror as I awoke from my dream. I reached for my throat in a panic and began to breathe normally as I felt nothing there. I sighed and stood up to get ready for school. Why did I have to have another nightmare?

The bus ride to school was quieter than usual, which I was grateful for because my head was splitting. Rubbing my temples to try and relieve some pain, I heard someone sit down in the seat across from me. I looked to see who it was. Victoria sat there with a fake smile on her face.

“HI Samantha.” She said with pure venom. I just gave her quick nod to show that I had heard her and turned back to the front.

“I see that you’ve taken quite a liking to Josh.” She said. I didn’t think of Josh like that. I didn’t dwell on her words.

“I’m sure he doesn’t like being followed.” She said with snobbery.

“He’s my friend and nothing more. Now will you be quiet? My head hurts.” I told her. I closed my eyes to fall asleep. Victoria didn’t bother me again.

Josh met up with me in the parking lot.

“Hi Sam.” He said brightly.

“Hi Josh.” I said in a good mood. He looked at me with genuine shock.

“Don’t say anything smart.” I warned. He gave me his sly smile but he didn’t say anything. People stared as we made our way to class. I smiled at someone and they turned back to their locker. I heard Josh snort with laughter and I gave him a slight shove. This time, he kept smiling. Looking at his eyes, I gasped. They were both green.

“Why are your eyes different?” I asked, curious. Something flickered in his eyes but it was gone before I could tell what it was.

“They do that all the time.” He replied smoothly.

“Why?” I asked.

“Some genetic thing.” He answered. I could tell he was getting annoyed so I changed the subject.

“That Porsche of yours is nice.” I complimented. He smiled.

“A gift from my sister.” He said.

“Which sister?” I asked.

“Misha. She’s the one that dresses funky.” He told me.

“I don‘t think she dresses funky.” I commented.
“That’s your opinion.” He told me, rolling his eyes.

When we were in class I sat down next to Josh in back. He was quiet and Victoria’s words came into my mind. Did I like Josh like that? I didn’t really know so I pushed the thought away. The teacher came in and started talking about nucleus being the most important part of a cell. I didn’t pay attention, I already knew this.

When the school day was over and I was in Josh’s car, he turned to face me.

“I heard about your conversation with Victoria.” He said, breaking into a hysteria of laughs.

“Great.” I muttered. He laughed even harder.

“What? You don’t like me?” He asked with sarcasm. He even winked at me and smiled. This time I was the one laughing.

Chapter 5: The Secret is Out


“Do you want to go somewhere?” Josh asked me before we pulled out of the parking lot.

“Sure.” I answered. He revved the engine and we sped out of the parking lot. He was going way past the speed limit. I could practically feel my skin clinging to my face. We turned onto a deserted road where forests surrounded us and the sun was blocked by the trees.

After about a mile, Josh pulled up at a lake. It was gorgeous here. The lake was sparkling and was an electric blue. Cherry trees were all over on the way towards the waters edge. The cherry blossoms scattered the ground, blowing in the wind. The emerald green grass was springy and light under my feet. I peeled off my shoes so I could walk on the grass and carried them at my side. Josh walked with me towards the waters edge and we sat on a large rock that was placed under a Cherry tree. I looked at Josh’s face, the sun was shining on it which gave it a certain glow. Even under the glow, I could tell Josh’s eyes were full of fear.


“What’s wrong?” I asked lightly. He shook his head.

“I have something to tell you.” He said.


“What is it that you want to tell me?” I asked.

“I really shouldn’t be telling you this. You won’t understand.” He whispered. I looked at him expectantly, my long brown hair blowing in the wind. I heard him sigh and he looked me in the eyes.

“I am a vampire.” He whispered into my ear. I felt a wave of shock go through my body but I controlled it. This was natural. I had pictured him as one and I didn’t mind. Josh looked surprised that I wasn’t running.

“Yeah. You think I’m interesting?” I asked, serious.

“You believe me?” He asked, a hint of hope in his eyes.

“Of course I do. This almost seems natural after my dreams.” I told him. His face changed from calm to anger.

“What dreams? What are you talking about?” He asked hurriedly. I drew back from him a couple of inches.

“For two nights in a row, I’ve had dreams where you are a vampire and that you saved me.” I told him.

“I saved you from what?” He asked. I went with a simpler answer.

“Death.” I said, looking into his eyes. He stroked my cheek.

“I love you. I’ve loved you since the first time I saw you. I would give you my life.” He whispered. His breath caressed my cheek and calmness came over me. He looked into my eyes and leaned towards me. His lips were soft and cold against my own as I kissed him back. The kiss lasted only seconds but it felt like forever.

“I love you too.” I said softly to him. He smiled.

“It’s us verses nature.” He said with a hint of laughter. I smiled as I thought of something.

“I finally get your joke about me inviting you in for a drink.” I said, laughing. He laughed with me.

“So you drink blood.” I stated. He nodded.

“Only animal blood.” He said defensively. I laughed quietly and stroked his perfect face.

We sat and watched the sunset as the wind whipped cherry blossoms around us. Josh had his arm wrapped around my middle and held me to his side. I leaned up against him and rested my head on his shoulder. This was the best moment of my life.


Chapter 6:Visitor in the Night


When the sun had set and the moon took it’s place Josh walked me to the car. He opened my door for me and he was in the other side within seconds. I stared in amazement at him.

“Vampires are given amazing abilities.” He said, smiling. A sudden question struck me.

“Why doesn’t the sun kill you?” I asked, confused.

“My sister came up with a simple idea.” He said, reaching into the backseat of the car. He pulled out a container of sun block. I laughed and he laughed with me.

“For the record, we don’t die in the sunlight. We age. That’s how most vampires die. We can only live up to 100 years if we go in the sun a lot.” He explained to me. I nodded in understanding.

“How long have you been a vampire?” I asked. He clenched his jaw.

“About 3,000 years. I’m the youngest in the family.” He told me with a rock solid voice.

“You’ll always be seventeen to me.” I said. He smiled and looked at me.

“Can I ask you a question?” He asked. I nodded.

“Why don’t you talk about your family.” He asked. I sighed.

“It’s complicated.” I said.

“I know how to listen.” he said, his smile growing.

“My mom and my dad have hit a rough patch in their relationship and now my dad hasn’t come for a week. Now things are even more awkward between my mom and I. I don’t have any siblings to talk about.” I said. Josh nodded in understanding. I began to start worrying about my mom and dad’s relationship. Josh took a hand off of the steering wheel and rubbed my back, trying to comfort me. I leaned on him and rested my head on his shoulder

We arrived at my house shortly after and Josh had my door open quickly. He helped me out and walked me to the door. He held me close to him and brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear.

He put his lips to my ear and whispered, “Good night, little Sam.” After that he was in his car and peeling out of the driveway. I leaned against the door. Looking up at the moon, I sighed.
************************************************

My dream eyes fluttered open and Josh’s face was there. He looked down at me with desperation in his eyes. Ice ran through my veins and I cried out in pain. Pain clouded my mind and my heart began to beat faster and faster. Josh held my face, looking into my eyes. My heart stopped and my cries did the same.
************************************************

Tapping on my window woke me up. Quickly sitting up, I looked to see who was on my roof. Josh looked in on me, smiling. I rolled my eyes and got out of bed to let him in. He jumped in and gave me a quick hug.

“What a surprise.” I said when he sat down on my bed. He laughed quietly.

“I was bored.” He told me. I sat down beside him on the bed with my dream picking at my mind.

“You look distracted.” He said. I nodded.

“Why?” He asked. I sighed as I prepared myself for telling him.

“I had another dream and this time it was scarier than the blood.” I whispered. Josh put his arm around my shoulders.

“There was ice in my veins and no way to stop the pain. I screamed and screamed.” I whispered with pain. I looked up at him and saw fury in his eyes.

“I’ll never do that to you.” He said, voice tight.

“Do what?” I asked.

“Change you.” He answered. My mind whirled. That’s what was happening in my dream? Josh was clenching the bed spread and his eyes showed pure rage.

“I’m not asking you to. Don’t be mad at me.” I told him calmly. He turned to look at me and his face softened.

“I’m not mad at you.” he told me, placing his hand on my cheek. Exhaustion swept over me and I fell asleep in Josh’s arms.

Chapter 7: Enough


I woke up to the smell of bacon coming from down the stairs. When did anyone cook breakfast in this house? Getting out of bed, I noticed that I was wearing the same clothes from yesterday. I went downstairs and entered the kitchen where Josh was putting a plate of bacon on the table.

“I didn’t know you cooked.” I said.

“I do know.” He told me with a small smile. I sat down at the table and picked up a piece of bacon.

“Where in the world is my mom?” I asked.

“She called earlier to say that she would be working.” He informed me. I nodded. He talked to my mom? Crap.

“Did you tell her who you were?” I asked trying to act casual.

“Duh.” He answered. Double crap.

“What’d she say?” I asked.

“First she said good morning and then she said good-bye.” He said, smiling. Stupid vampire. Josh sat across the table, watching me.

“Am I really that interesting?” I asked with sarcasm. He nodded his head. I looked at his face and noticed that his eyes were back to green and black.

“Your eyes are different again.” I stated. He smiled.

“I can tell you the truth now. When my eyes are like this, I’m not thirsty. When they’re both green, that mean I am thirsty.” He explained to me. I nodded in understanding.

“Your eyes change and their still nice.” I told him. His smile vanished and he began to look serious.

“Your blue eyes are gorgeous.” He told me, his smile returning. I smiled at him and tossed a piece of bacon at him. After I was done eating, we left for school.

Josh walked with me to our class and people stared again. I smiled at everyone and they looked away. I loved this trick. When we got to class Josh stopped me in the doorway.

“The school changed my schedule last night. I don’t have this class anymore.” He said. Dismay swept over me and Josh saw it.

“Instead I have Health with you last hour.” He said. I smiled and patted his cheek. Josh left and I went into class. I sat down in my seat and someone sat next to me. I turned to see who it was and saw Victoria.

“Just friends. That was a good one.” She snapped. I flipped her off and her jaw dropped.

“Mr. Lombardo. Samantha is flipping me off.” She said aloud, still glaring at me. Mr. Lombardo pointed in the direction of the office. Anger rose in me and I directed it at Victoria. I aimed and then my fist connected in her face. I quickly grabbed my stuff and stormed out of the room.

When I walked past the Literature class, Josh came out.

“Where are you going?” He asked.

“Office.” I said.

“Why are you going to the office?” He asked, confused.

“Victoria.” I said, my voice full of hate.

“Oh god. What did you do to her?” He asked.

“I punched her in the face.” I told him. He laughed and gave a triumphant jump.

“Good.” he said and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. I leaned against him as we walked to the office. Josh opened the office door for me and I walked in. The secretary I had met last time was here. She looked me up and down with distaste. The name plaque said that her name was, Cindy Smith. My mouth opened to tell her what I did but Josh intervened.

“How are you doing today?” He asked with his eyes burning intensely into hers. She gasped and I knew that her heart had just melted.

“Terrific. What can I help you with?” He replied in a flirtatious voice.

“There’s a student who has been harassing my friend here and no one would do anything so she dealt with it.” He explained, his smile was growing bigger. He was going to charm my way out of this.

“I’ll make sure that she doesn’t get into too much trouble.” She said in a very light voice.

“I’m going to take her home.” Josh said. She nodded. Josh took my hand and led me out of the office.

“Nice trick.” I complimented with a smile.


“Thanks. I learned it from Benji.” He said.

“Which one is Benji?” I asked.

“He’s the big one.” He said. Josh helped me into his car and got in the other side. He looked over at me.

“Want to meet them?” He asked. I nodded my head.

Chapter 8: The Family


The drive to Josh’s house would have been long if he didn’t have the need for speed. The dirt road we were on took us up a mountain side. You could tell no one but Josh’s family came on this road. Forests were on both sides of us.

Eventually, we pulled up to a beautiful Victorian house with light yellow siding, small windows with unique patterns, and a lush garden in front. Josh parked in the garage, next to a red Lamborghini. Apparently they weren’t poor. Not that it would have mattered. Josh helped me out of the car and walked me up to the door.

“Aren’t your brothers and sisters still at school?” I asked.

“Neo and Nina will be here. The others will arrive shortly.” He told me. Opening the door for me, I walked through. Josh closed the door behind him and wrapped and arm around my shoulder. The interior was even better than the exterior.

The walls were the color of honey, the carpet was as red as cherries, old and intricate paintings decorated the walls, and a wooden staircase that was polished to perfection spiraled up to the second floor.

“It’s beautiful.” I said in awe.

“It’s almost 121 years old now.” He told me. Someone tapped my shoulder and I spun around to see who it was. A young woman stood there. She had golden hair that tumbled down to her waist, green eyes, her pale skin was luminous, and her face was kind.

“Hello. It’s nice to finally meet you Samantha.” The woman, who must be Nina, told me with a light and welcome voice.

“Hello. It’s nice to meet you too.” I said kindly. She shook my hand lightly. I could practically feel her raw strength thrumming under her skin.

“Where’s Neo?” Josh asked Nina.

“He went to lay some fake grass down at the football field. You guys are always tearing all that grass up.” Nina exclaimed in a voice as musical as Josh’s. Vampire football? It would be interesting. I wouldn’t play with them because I would end up being the football. Vampires are amazingly strong.

“I’ve never seen vampire football.” I said to them.

Trust me. You will eventually.” Nina said.

“I want to show you something.” Nina said and grabbed my hand. She led me to the backdoor and opened it for me. Walking through, I smiled. A large pond was just a few feet from the stairs to the deck. The blue water was still, lily pads floated on the calm water, apple trees surrounded the pond, and apple blossoms floated on the water.

“Josh did this himself for me. He planted the trees and everything.” Nina said with warmth in her voice.

“Josh did this?” I asked in disbelief. Nina nodded and looked at her son with loving eyes. I looked at Josh too. He was looking down at his feet. If vampires could blush, he would have.

“You’re talented Josh. It’s gorgeous.” I told him. Nina smiled bigger.

“They’re back.” Josh said suddenly. Who was back? Oh. The siblings. In a few seconds, I had four more vampires around me. All of the looked like mysterious super models. Misha, the one dressed like a punk rocker, walked over to me and shook my hand.

“Hi Samantha.” She greeted me.

“Hi Misha.” I said. She went to stand next to Josh. The others greeted me quickly and stood next to Nina.

“You have to come watch us play football tomorrow.” Benji said with a huge grin on his face.

“I’ll come.” I said. Josh smiled.

“You won’t be bored.” Josh promised.

Chapter 9: Football


Josh took me to the football field the next day. The fake grass was dark green and the end zones were black. Green and black. How ironic? That’s where I first saw him.

He stood there with black hair down to his shoulders, his eyes were as black as midnight, and he stood in a stance that reminded me of a tiger. He saw me and smiled. I smiled back at him and he was in front of me in a flash.

“Hello Samantha. I am Neo.” He said in a voice as dark as death.

“Hi Neo.” I said back. He walked away and Josh put his lips on my ear.

“I’m pretty sure you don’t want to play. Just take a seat over there.” He whispered. I smiled and he gave me a kiss on the cheek before he ran onto the field to where they were picking teams.

Josh, Neo, and Sasha were on one team. Benji, Tink, and Misha were on the other. Nina was referee. I could tell that Josh’s team was on offense because Benji’s team was getting ready to kick it off. Misha kicked the ball and it sailed through the air, right to Josh’s hands. Josh ran with the ball tucked careful into his arms. Tink was on him in a second. She lunged for his legs and Josh slid to the side. Benji came at him next. Benji feigned a lunge at him and when Josh moved to the side, Benji tackled him.

Josh had been tackled at on Benji’s 20 yard line. Josh’s team got ready for a throw. The rest of the game was like this. In between each touchdown was about two plays for each team. Josh’s team had won and when the game was over, he ran over to me. He gave me a hug and I was surprised that he didn’t even have one drop of sweat on him. I wrapped my arms around his back and rested my jaw on his shoulder.

Looking up from Josh’s shoulder, I saw Neo. He was staring at me with a type of hunger that was terrifying. The hunger in his eyes was the same one that the little girl had in my dream. A chill crept down my spine as he watched me. He smiled and his teeth flashed. I closed my eyes and held Josh tighter.

“What’s wrong?” He asked. I pulled away from him and looked into his eyes.

“Nothing is wrong.” I told him.


“Are you sure?” He asked, searching my eyes. I nodded. He gave me a small smile and led me to the car.

As we pulled away from the field, I looked for Neo. He was still standing there with the same hunger in his eyes.

Chapter 10: A Gift on the Stairs


When I was at home, I made my way up the stairs. About half way up the stairs, I tripped on something. When I was back on my feet, I looked to see what I had tripped over. To my surprise, there was a little gift wrapped box on the stairs. That was odd. I picked up the box to notice a little tag on it. I looked at it and there was a little note. It read:

Light and dark will cancel each other out.

Only one thing came to mind when I thought of light and dark. Vampire and human. I held onto the banister to keep myself from falling and my heart skipped a beat. Who had come into the house without my mom knowing? My mom had been sitting in the living room. She would have seen anyone come in. When I felt my sanity returning, I opened the little box. Neatly placed on a cushion was a necklace. The chain was silver and a little charm hand from it. The charm was a black rose. I snapped the box shut and ran up the stairs.

When I was in my room, I whipped the box into my closet and I sit on my bed. I rested my head in my hands. I made my way into the bathroom and took a shower to try and relax. It helped but I was still edgy.

Back in my room, I had the feeling of being watched. I hid under my covers, like a little kid afraid of the dark except I was afraid of what was lurking in it.
*****************************************************

Neo watched me from the bushes. He was a deadly hunter in the night. His black eyes followed my every movement as I ran along a dirt road. I ran and ran but there was no escape. My heart beat frantically and my legs burned from running. I heard the crashing of underbrush as Neo pursued me.

I had to stop as Neo stood in front of me. He stared at me with his coal black eyes alight with craziness. He walked towards me, laughing a with death radiating from his voice. I looked up at the full moon. I knew what was coming.

Chapter 11: Another Vampire


Cold hands on my shoulders woke me up. Flinching, I looked up to see who it was. Josh sat there looking very confused.

“I’m sorry. I was just… surprised.” I said, hesitating for and excuse. He looked at me and rolled his eyes.

“I know you’re lying.” He said. Darn. I hesitated and then I got up and went to my closet. I retrieved the gift and handed it to him.

“It was on the stairs last night after I came home.” I told him as he read the tag. His face scrunched in anger. I looked away not wanting to see the look in his eyes.

“Do you have an idea of who could have given this to you.” He asked. I shook my head. I suddenly heard a something rip. I looked up and saw one of my pillows ripped in half. He looked at me.

“Sorry.” He said.

“It’s okay. Just don’t do it again because I only have one pillow left.” I said. He smiled at me and set the box down on the bed.


“It’s almost time for school.” He said. I nodded and he left my room so I could change clothes. When I had finished changing, I went out to Josh’s car where he already had my door open. He helped me in and got in on the other side.

The car purred to life and he backed out of the drive way. Once we were on the road, Josh went 60. He flashed me his sly smile and I rolled my eyes. Revving the engine, he sped up to 90.

“I’m expecting sirens any second now.” I said. He frowned but he slowed down. He looked at the road and was silent for a few minutes.

“Did your mom say anything about a visitor?” He asked calmly.

“No.” I answered him. Josh thought for a second.

“It must have been another vampire.” He concluded. Another vampire? Did I hear him right?

“What?” I asked, disbelieving this news.

“Another vampire. I have the feeling that this one isn’t friendly.” He said. I closed my eyes and my body froze in fear.

Josh held me close to him as he drove and I clutched at him for dear life.

“I’ll protect you.” He whispered.

Chapter 12: Surprise


I still didn’t know what my punishment was from Victoria because I had skipped school for vampire football. Josh walked with me to the office and opened the door for me. Josh waited outside the office as I walked up to Cindy. She smiled at me and handed me an orange slip of paper.

I looked at it and was happy to learn that I would only have two lunch detentions. I thanked her and made my way to class while Josh went to his own.

When I was settled in class, I looked for Victoria. She was sitting on the other side of the room, glaring death at me. I stifled a laugh, as I realized she had a black eye, and turned to face the front as the teacher started class.

School dragged on but I survived. Josh walked me out to his car after school and helped me in. Josh started the car and sped out of the parking lot. He wasn’t heading towards my house.

“What are you up to?” I asked. He gave me a mischievous smile.

“I’m not telling.” He said, laughing. I rolled my eyes and didn’t say anything.

We pulled up to Josh’s house where Misha was waiting in the driveway with Tink. Oh god. What was he up to? Josh parked in the garage and helped me out of the car. Before I could move, Tink and Misha were leading me to the house. I looked back at Josh and saw him laughing so hard that he had to lean against the car for support. Stupid vampire.

They took me upstairs to a large bathroom where they forced me to sit in a chair that was placed in front of a mirror. I looked at the sink and saw make up scattered everywhere. I’m going to kill Josh. Tink left the room but was back in a second with a black dress in her hands.

“I’m not wearing that.” I said defiantly.

“We will use force.” Misha said. I nodded and they left the room so I could change. I immediately ran to the window. Josh was waiting below, knowing that I would try to escape. He’s never been more annoying. My feet dragged as I walked to where the dress hung on the wall. I slipped it on and slipped on the heels that were below it. I looked in the mirror and that made me want to rip the dress off. The v-neck was super low, there were no straps, and it came half way down to my knees. I felt very exposed but I opened the door and let in Misha and Tink.

Mish painted my face with make up while Tink yanked on my hair with a brush. I sat there watching the torture go on in the mirror.

After half an hour of the torture, they were finished. They made me look in the mirror and I gasped. That could not be me. That could not be my reflection staring back at me. I blushed but no one noticed.

“Do you like the dress Josh picked out?” Misha asked. I nodded. I only said yes because Josh had picked it out.

“He had a little bit of help though.” Tink said. Duh. Misha and Tink led me out of the bathroom and down the stairs where Josh was waiting. Josh looked amazing. He wore a light blue shirt with a black leather jacket, black dress pants that had been neatly ironed, and polished dress shoes. He had his hair combed nicely and his eyes shone as his gaze found me.

“You look wonderful.” He commented.

“Thanks. You do too. Now can you tell me where we’re going?” I asked desperately. He nodded.

“We’re going to go down to the lake where I told you my secret. I can’t tell you anymore than that.” He said, smiling his sly smile. Josh grasped my hand and led me out the door.

“Bye Misha.” He said just before the door closed. He led me to the Porsche and opened the door for me. After Josh was in, he started the car and left the house behind us. We flew down the dirt road and Josh went even faster as we got to a paved road. I had expected that but what I didn’t expect was a car coming straight at us. I screamed and Josh yanked on the wheel. The car spun and the other person hit us in the rear end. We went flying into a tree.

Everything was quiet as we sat there waiting for something to happen. Before I knew it, Josh was at my door and helping me out. He sat against the tree with me in his lap. I felt blood trickling down my face from a cut on my head. Josh swept my hair aside from the cut and looked into my eyes. He placed a hand on my cheek.

“Are you alright?” He asked, his voice clouded with worry. I nodded but I knew that I wasn’t. I could tell that my arm was broken and Josh knew it too.

“I’m sorry.” He said quietly.

“It’s okay. It’s just a broken arm. It’ll heal.” I said to him. He smiled down at me. He stood up and bent down to pick me up.

“It’s alright. I can walk.” I said.

“Okay.” He said as he wrapped one of my arms around his neck. We walked back to the road and Josh led me back onto the dirt road. He walked me all the way back to his house.

Opening the door, he helped me inside. I immediately heard someone coming down the steps. I looked up to see Sasha.

“What happened?” He asked, walking towards us to help Josh support me.

“Someone was driving on the wrong side of the road and he hit us.” Josh explained. They helped me over to the couch where they lay me down.

“I’ll need to get some plaster to make her a cast.” Sasha said, heading up the stairs. Josh sat on the floor next to me.


“I’m sorry.” He said again.

“It’s okay. It was the other person’s fault. Not yours.” I assured him. Josh grabbed my hand and held it as Sasha returned with plaster. I lay silently as Sasha made me a cast.

While Sasha waited for the plaster to dry, he cleaned up any cuts I had. When the plaster had dried and I was all cleaned up, I looked at Josh.

“We’re still going to the lake.” I told him. He smiled.

“If you want to.” he said.

Chapter 13: Date



We arrived at the lake in Sasha’s blue Mustang. Josh helped me out of the car and led me towards the lake. We stopped at the rock we had sat on before. Josh made me sit down while he lit a bunch of candles for light. He came and sat next to me and we looked into each others eyes. I wondered what he was thinking right now. His cold skin felt warm to me and I leaned up against him.

The gentle crashing of waves was like music to me. Cherry blossoms still scattered the ground and blew in the wind. Josh reached into the cherry tree above us and his hand came back with a cherry in it. He smiled and handed it to me. I put it in my mouth.

“Delicious.” I told him. He laughed and held me closer.

“I had something planned but I don’t know if you’ll want to.” He said.

“What is it?” I asked. His smile grew.

“Dancing.” He answered me.

“We can still dance.” I said. He smiled and went back to the Mustang. He came back with a large CD player in his hand. He turned it on and I instantly recognized the song. It was, I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith. Josh took one of my hands and helped me stand up. I put my arms lightly around his neck and he placed his around my waist. We swayed to the music as Steven Tyler sang his words of love and comfort. I felt as light as air as Josh held me close to his chest.

We danced until the sun began to rise. I didn’t feel tired and neither did Josh. I could stay here forever just holding him. We danced for one more song and then Josh pulled away from me.

“Your mom is going to start worrying.” He said, turning off the music. I sighed and blew out the candles. Josh packed everything up and helped me into the car.

Chapter 14: A Fight With Dad


As Josh pulled up to my house, I noticed another car in the drive way. It was my dads.

“Who’s that?” Josh asked.

“My dad.” I answered, unbuckling my seat belt. Josh helped me out of the car and said good-bye. After Josh left, I made my way inside to find my mom crying at the kitchen table. What was going on?

“Mom, I’m home.” I said. My mom looked up and wiped her eyes.

“Hi honey.” She said and then she saw my arm.

“What happened?” She asked in mother mode. I thought quickly.

“I fell down the stairs at school. My friend Josh took me to his house where his brother put a cast on it for free.” I lied. My mom nodded.

“Tell your friend that I said thank you.” My mom said. I nodded.

“Where’s dad?” I asked looking around. MY mom started crying again and pointed up the stairs. I looked away from my mom and headed up the stairs. My dad was in his room with a suit case.

“What are you doing?” I asked him. He quickly turned around and looked at me.

“Hi Sammy.” He said with a guilty smile.

“Don’t call me Sammy. Call me Samantha. I’m not five anymore.” I said, my eyes on the suit case.

“Sorry Samantha.” He apologized.

“What’s with the suit case?” I asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

“I’m leaving.” He said. Shock sucker punched me in the gut.

“You can’t leave.” I said in disbelief.

“I’m not going alone. I’m taking you with me.” He said. Anger replaced shock and I glared at him.

“I’m staying. I have a life here.” I said, thinking of Josh.

“You are coming with me even if I have to drag you out of here.” He said with authority.

“You don’t come home for a week and now you expect me to leave with you? No way.” I said defiantly.

“You have a boyfriend. I can tell. He’s probably some devil worshiper. That’s the only type of boys around here. Don’t you have a bible to read?” He yelled at me.

“My friend’s dog ate it. Sorry.” I said with angry sarcasm.

“Fine. You can stay here and then go to Hell. I don’t care anymore.” He bellowed. I nodded and left the room while he finished packing.

When I was downstairs, I stood next to my mom and gently rubbed her back.

“It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere.” I said. She looked up at me and smiled. Her face was completely red from crying.

“I would have killed him before I let you go anywhere with him.” She said. I gave her a hug.

“I like your dress.” My mom said. I forgot that I was still wearing it.

“Thanks.” I said.

“Where were you last night? I know you weren’t just shopping or anything.” My mom asked. Crap, I was cornered.

“I went on a date with my friend Josh.” I said. My mom’s smile grew.

Where’d you go for the date?” She asked.

“He took me down to a lake.” I said. She didn’t ask what we did so I didn’t need to tell her about dancing all night. We both stopped talking as my dad came down the stairs with his suitcase. As if on cue, my mom and I both flipped him off. He glared at us and then he was out the door. We both laughed as he tore out of the drive way. He had already been gone, he had just come to get his clothes. It wasn’t much of a loss.

“I’ve got to go to work.” My mom said, grabbing her purse.

“Bye.” I said.

“Bye honey.” She said as she opened the door and left. The house was silent until someone knocked on the door. Opening it, I saw Josh.

“Nina wanted me to invite you down. She can’t get enough of you.” He said, smiling.

“I’ll come.” I said. Josh opened the door wider for me to walk through but I didn’t go through. Someone was standing in the driveway.

Chapter 15: Taz


The man standing in my driveway was tall with platinum blonde hair, yellow eyes, and his skin almost looked orange. I could tell at once that he was trouble and that he wasn’t human.

“Hello Josh. It’s been a long time.” He said with an Italian accent. His eyes flicked to me.

“You must be Samantha.” He said, stepping towards me. Josh jumped in front of me with his teeth bared like a dog except his canines were longer and sharper than a dogs. Fear trickled into my heart. Who was this man that had made Josh so protective?

“Stay away Taz or I’ll gut you alive.” Josh growled in warning. Taz smiled.

“No. You didn’t keep me away from Valentino and you won’t keep me away from Samantha either.” Taz said smiling. Josh lunged at him. My view of Taz would change forever. Taz’s skin tore from his body and was replaced by orange and black fur. A tail sprouted from Taz and the sound of cracking bones filled the air. It lasted only a second and Taz jumped into the air to meet Josh’s attack. Taz bit into Josh’s arm and, to my surprise, blood poured from the wound. Josh yelled in fury and bit into the back of Taz’s neck. This was not an ordinary brawl. This was a fight to the death. I didn’t know what to do. Josh’s arms were coated in blood as Taz clawed him ferociously. Josh’s nails had grown into razor sharp points and he too was clawing at Taz like a mad man. I did the simplest thing I could think of.

“Both of you stop it!” I yelled at them. Surprisingly, they both stopped and looked at me with dumbfounded expressions.

“Josh, leave him be and Taz, I want you to leave now.” I commanded. They both listened and Josh hit Taz one more time before he came back to me. Taz growled at us before disappearing into the forest across the street.

“Josh, what just happened?” I asked. The picture of Taz changing into a tiger was still fresh in my mind.

“He’s a shape shifter. He has a gang that all have the same ability. They were born to kill vampires.” He said while wiping blood away with his shirt. This made sense.

“Who is Valentino?” I asked. Josh’s face scrunched up in grief and he looked up at me, hi green eyes fresh with anger.

“She was my little sister. She had been my favorite until Taz killed her. She had ventured onto his land and he used this as an excuse to kill her.” He told me, pain radiating in his voice. For the first time in my life, I pictured Josh dead. I wouldn’t be able to live without him.

“What was she like?” I asked, trying to cheer him up. He smiled slightly.

“She had ebony hair that she always kept in a bun, her eyes were always like min even when she was thirsty, and her skin was the whitest I have ever seen. She loved to explore and learn.” He explained her to me. My heart skipped a beat and my vision went black. She was the little girl from my dreams! I collapsed to the ground and Josh hurried to my side. A chill crept down my spine.

“Sam!” Josh exclaimed, holding me in his lap. I couldn’t breathe and my body was screaming with oxygen loss. My throat felt tight. After a few seconds, I began to breathe and my vision cleared to see Josh looking down at me.

“Are you alright?” Josh asked, worried.

“I’m fine. I think it was just a panic attack.” I told him.

“Why would you have a panic attack?” He asked, looking me over.

“Valentino.” I said.

Chapter 16: Vision


I explained everything to Josh and he sat there listening with his head in his hands. I could tell he was upset.

“Are you positive?” He asked, looking up at me. I nodded, looking at his face. His face was full of grief.

“I have to go Sam. I have to tell the others about Taz.” Josh said, standing up. He gave me kiss on the cheek and he was gone. My heart was hammering with the recent events. I made my way up to my room and sat on my bed.

What did Valentino want with me? Was she warning me? I already knew Taz was dangerous. Neo? He had acted pretty dangerous that day on the football field? Was she showing me what was going to happen? Was Neo going to attempt to murder me?

I put a stop to these thoughts. How could I think of Josh’s dad like that? It made sense though. I stood up and headed downstairs for a drink.

The kitchen was dark and quiet as I filled a glass with water. The sound of crickets filled the kitchen from the open window. I stood looking out the window at the full moon with my water in my good hand.

That’s when it happened. I’ve heard of people having visions before but I never experienced one until now.
**************************************************

I gazed into a campfire, the sound of fighting on my right. I looked up, with animal eyes, to see a tiger and a leopard fighting. I recognized the tiger as Taz but I didn’t know who the leopard was. I watched the fight rage on until, with a final cry, the leopard ran into the surrounding forest. Taz growled triumphantly and made his way to me.

“Neo has contacted me. The hunt begins now for Samantha Haden. Don’t tell the others. They still believe in the code. Killing humans is right and they still don’t know it. It’s sad.” Taz said, licking his paw in between words. I played along and nodded my head.
***********************************************

My knees were shaking as I returned to my own body. I clutched at the windowsill and tried to control the tremors. Taz’s gang was going to hunt me? Kill me? Neo contacted them? I cleared my head and tried to think straight. I needed to get to Josh and I needed to get there now. I didn’t have a car so I took off running from the front door.

I kept my eyes peeled for any sign of movement. I listened for any sign of running or other noise. Fear took over my senses and made me more alert. My bare feet hit the pavement and made small thuds. My hair whipped in my face as I ran full speed for Josh’s house. I didn’t dare go into the woods where they could be hiding more effectively. My heart was beating with frenzied thuds.

I began to hear the soft padding of paws on pavement behind me. I ran faster, daring not to glance a look behind me. It would only slow me down. Before I knew it the padding turned into a gentle thrumming like my own feet. Had the big cat changed back into human form? I still didn’t look back.

I began to slow as I reached my physical limits. Suddenly a woman jumped in front of me and landed with feline grace. I stopped dead in my tracks and looked at the woman. Her hair was golden with black streaks, her eyes were pine green, and she had a sense of calm coming from her.

“I mean you no harm. I still stick to the code of our ancestors.” She said in a clear fluid voice.

“I don’t have time for this. What do you want?” I asked hurriedly.

“I can reach Josh’s house faster than you. Give me a message and I can get it to Josh so he can help you.” She said.

“Tell Josh that I will be heading towards his house and that Neo isn’t who he thinks he is.” I said. She nodded. Before any of us could move, a loud roar came from the forest. A lion leaped for me but the lady jumped in front of the attack. She immediately grew her nails and sliced his throat. The lion stopped moving. He was dead.

“Thank you.” I said. She nodded and ran into the forest. I took off also and made my way to Josh’s.


Chapter 17: Dirt Road Brawl


On the dirt road that led to Josh’s house, I stopped when I heard an eerie laugh ring throughout the forest. It had to be Taz. I searched for him with my eyes but I couldn’t find him.

“Don’t hide yourself Taz. Only cowards do that.” I yelled into the forest. The laugh came again but Taz walked out from the trees. He stood a few feet away, his stance was one of a predator.

“I’ve never known a braver mortal. Too bad I have to kill you.” He said, his voice shooting flickers of fear through my body.

“No one but you is dieing tonight.” Josh’s voice came from the forest. A wave of relief washed over me but I was still afraid. Taz could kill him.

“You always ruin all of the fun.” Taz complained. Josh growled at him.

“I have an idea. I could tell you why I really killed Valentino.” He said.

“What do you mean?” Josh asked in a demanding tone. Taz smiled.

“Neo asked me to. I was too overjoyed to ask him why but he told me anyway.” Taz said, taunting him. Josh growled again.

“Why? He asked.

“Neo has a deep belief that dark and light cancel each other out. He found out that Valentino was falling for a boy at school. He was disgusted but he couldn’t kill his own daughter so he contacted me. That’s what he’s doing right now with you two.” Taz explained, his smile was almost too big for his face. I looked at Josh and saw pure rage on his face. Josh was very deadly right now.

“You’ll both die.” Josh said. I knew what would happen before it did and so did Taz. Josh lunged for Taz’s throat and Taz stepped to the side. The mishap gave Taz enough time to phase into a tiger. Battle ready, Taz lunged at Josh and began clawing his back. Josh screamed and, out of pure instinct, I ran over to them. I jumped onto Taz’s back and bit his ear. Taz let out a scream that could break a wine glass. Taz threw me off and I landed in the dirt. My broken arm jerked and I screamed in pain. The sound of fighting began again and I stood up, legs shaky. That’s when I felt cold hands on my shoulders. I turned to see Neo smiling at me, his elongated canines showing.

“Hello Samantha.” He snarled.

Chapter 18: Death on a Platter


I slapped Neo but it didn’t’ do anything but surprise him. He shook his finger from side to side.

“That wasn’t very nice.” He said. He grabbed me by the neck and threw me into a tree. My broken arm hit the tree and I cried out in pain. I slumped to the ground, holding my broken arm. Neo crouched in front of me.

“Are you ready to apologize?” He asked, his voice menacing.

“Go suck a deer dry.” I said, spitting in his face. His face scrunched in anger and he slammed the back of my head into the tree. Blood trickled down my neck and my heart began to beat frantically, trying to pump more blood.

“You smell appetizing.” He said, leaning towards my neck. I tried to push him back with my good arm but I wasn’t strong enough. Neo’s razor sharp teeth pierced my neck and I cried out in fury. The sound of Josh and Taz fighting stopped and was replaced by a silenced cry.

The teeth were gone and I opened my eyes to see Josh and Neo fighting. My heart rate had slowed and I could feel my life ebbing away. I felt for my neck and my hand ended up covered in blood. I was going to die and then I would be a vampire. No matter what, my human life was over.

The sound of fighting stopped and I searched for Josh. He was limping towards me, his skin stained red. He crouched by my side and looked me over, his eyes full of dread.

“I don’t have enough blood to sustain me. I’m going to die.” Josh said, his voice hoarse. I felt my heart melt away.

“I don’t want to live without you.” I whispered to him.

“You have to. You were bitten.” He said.

“You can stop it.” I said. He shook his head. I felt a wave of ice flood my veins and I cried out in pain.

“Kill me Josh!” I yelled at him. He still shook his head. Another wave of ice came on and I screamed again.

“Kill me now! Do it!” I yelled. Josh leaned towards me and put his hands on my face. I no longer felt the ice running through my veins. Images of cherry blossoms and candles danced in my mind. Josh put his lips on my ear.

“I love you.” He whispered. He picked up a sharp stone and put it over my chest. He kissed my lips one last time and screamed as he plunged the stone into my heart. Josh’s face was above me as my vision faded to blackness and everything went cold.