Blood Reign Book One: Jacob

Blood Reign
Book One: Jacob

Preface

Heaven 20 years ago

         Laughter filled the sky as the younglings played tag. Their feathered white wings swooshed against the air as they flew and chased each other. Alex lay on his back and watched from the cloud below them, wings outstretched with his arms behind his head. His long white hair partially covered his blue eyes as a slight breeze flitted through the small group. He stood up and removed his long sleeve white shirt, revealing a hard muscled chest and abs. He was lean and fast. The children stopped and watched as he stepped to the edge of the cloud and looked out over world below them. One of the children landed beside him and took his hand.
         “It’s ok, brother. I’m sure she is ok,” the girl said in a high girly voice. Alex looked down at his sister and smiled.
         “I know she is, but I can’t help but worry. Sometimes her courage can get her in over her head. You know how she gets, don’t you Amber?” he replied in his deep mystical tone.
         Amber smiled and squeezed her brothers hand. Her long brown hair swayed in the wind that had started to pick up. She only came to her brother waist. Her beautiful brown eyes looked intently into his. They both took a deep breath and sighed.
         “Come brother, join our game,” she suggested hopefully. The other children had begun playing again. She tugged at his white jeans, trying to get him to play.
         He smiled and pulled her into a hug. “Not this time,” he whispered into her ear. “I have other things I have to do. I’ll meet you back at the house. Tell Mother we will be home for dinner.”
         Amber smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Bring her back safely,” she whispered back. She jumped out of his arms and flew back to the game.
         Alex smiled to himself and picked up his shirt. He stepped to the edge and spread his wings.
         Air rushed past as he fell forward into a dive. Wings extended, he glided towards an alley in the city of Eilat. He landed safely, retracted his wings, and slid his shirt back on. With a quick glance at the cloud he had just left, he stepped out onto the busy street and headed south, towards the Red Sea. With any luck, he wouldn’t run into his brother.

Meanwhile in Hell

         Razul sat at the top end of the small congregation of four generals and only half listened to the hooded men talk. They were seated at a small, round crimson table. Each sat at a point of the five pointed star etched into the table. All but he wore dark black robes with their faces hidden behind their hoods. Razul leaned forward and rested his chin on his palm. Long black hair framed his face. His scarlet and black cloak rustled noisily with the movement. The other men stopped and looked at him.
         “Are we finished here?” he ask with a bored yawn. “I have better things to do than sit here and listen to you squabble over who should get what land.”
         “Yes, my liege. There is only one more matter to attend to. We have received word that two archangels have decided to visit the ground. They are currently in Eilat. Somewhere near the Red Sea,” the general to his right answered gruffly. This peeked Razul’s interest.
         “What are they looking for?” he inquired, his voice as smooth and sensual as velvet.
         “We don’t know yet,” the left general answered. “One, a female, has been on the ground for a day or two. We’ve been monitoring her movements. The other is a male that landed a few minutes ago. The two are mates.”
         “The female has been going to orphanages. It appears that she is helping decorate rooms for the children,” the right general sneered.
         Razul thought for a second, then ask, “Do you know their names?” The generals exchanged a nervous glance. “Come on, I don’t have all day,” he said, losing patience.
         The right general answered. “We don’t yet know the girls name, but the male is easily identified.” He paused for a second then spoke gravely, “Its Alex sir.”
         Razul laughed slightly. “So Alex wants to come and play then. Well I think I can make time for my little brother,” he said with malevolent grin. “I will take care of this myself. Meeting adjourned.”
One by one the figures disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Razul extended his scarlet feathered wings. “Well brother, ready or not, here I come.” He laughed as he summoned a vortex of smoke around him. His destination, the Red Sea.

A few minutes later

         Alex followed the trail to where he knew Alice would be waiting. The small building was very old and very poor. A sign out front was written in Arabic. Faded gray paint on the outside walls cracked and peeled. The wooden door was chipped and old. Alex gently knocked and stepped back. An old Israeli lady in her late sixty’s or early seventy’s opened the door with a loud creak. Her face was heavily wrinkled with liver spots that dotted her cheeks. Her small frame had a slight hunch in her back. She was heavily clothed in garments of white and silver. Around her neck hung a silver cross, which she grasp and kissed when she saw Alex. She inclined her head and greeted him in Arabic. She turned and invited him in with a sweep of her hand.
         Alex stepped beside the lady and looked around. The orphanage had only three bedrooms; one for the girls, one for the guys, and one for the old lady. Alice stood in the doorway of the guy’s room. Her auburn hair flowed to her shoulders. She wore a white dress that sheathed her voluptuous body down to her ankles. Like Alex, she wore no shoes.
         She smiled, exposing a perfect set of white teeth. “Hello there stranger,” she said playfully. Her voice sounded like a symphony of tinkling bells. “Finally get curious about where I was?”
         Alex laughed. “Well I thought you would have come home by now. I was starting to get worried. May I ask what you are looking for, or should I say who?” He glanced over her shoulder and saw a newborn child asleep in his crib.
         Alice took his hand and led him to the crib. “This child was found in an alley not far from here. No one knows where he came from or who his parents are. I’ve been looking through orphanages trying to find the one he was placed in. The man that found him said that he had heard the baby crying. He took him to the police station and found that the child was only a day old. The Almighty sent me to find the child. He is almost four weeks old now.”
         “Why did He send you to find this child?” Alex looked at the boy with wonder. “What is your purpose here little guy?”
         Suddenly a violent wend blew the door off its hinges. The loud crash woke the baby, who began to wail at the top of its lungs. Alice snatched up the child and turned towards the door.
         A dark figure stood in the entrance. His scarlet and black cloak swished with the wind that still remained. He lowered his hood.
         “Razul. I should have guessed,” Alex said while he positioned himself in front of Alice and the child.
         “Hello, brother. Long time, no see. You’ve gotten married? Now why wasn’t I invited? Oh, and a child. Is he yours?” Before Alex could answer he sniffed and replied, “No. There is a dark taint to his aura. Perhaps a little vampiric. Odd. I’ve never heard of a vampire child.” He sniffed again. “There also seems to be human mixed in. Interesting. Your wife is holding a half breed. Now what would you want with a little vampire hybrid?” Razul’s voice was calm and inviting.
         “Leave here, Alice. Take the child and go,” Alex spoke softly. Alice obeyed. She tucked the child protectively into her arms and ran for the back door. Razul drew a crimson sword from thin air and started after Alice, but Alex cut him off and pulled his pearly white sword out the same way Razul had.
         Razul laughed. “Do you think you can beat me? Now, now little brother, don’t you remember our little sparring sessions?” He shifted into his stance; sword lifted at an angle with the tip pointed at the ground. Alex shifted at the same moment; sword at the same angle but with the tip pointed up.
         The two lunged at each other with swords raised. Sparks scattered and danced as the two battled. Echoes of the clashes rattled the windows. The building rocked and swayed with the force of each hit. The old lady had already gotten the other children out. The walls started to crumble around them. Alex jumped through the roof, and flew up into the sky just as the building came down. Razul was hot on his tail, his scarlet wings outstretched.
         Dark clouds started to roll in. Alex flew higher, but Razul caught up with him. Their swords collided, and the battle continued. Each clash rumbled like thunder. The sparks danced like lightning. With a final clash, the two separated.
         “What do you want with the child?” Razul shouted, breathless.
         Alex panted heavily. “That’s of no concern to you,” he shouted back.
         Suddenly a horn sounded from above the two. More white winged angels flew towards the brothers. The newcomers were dressed in white battle armor with swords raised.
         Razul glared at the wave that approached. “You may escape for now, but I will find out what you want with the child. And I will have him,” he said as he was enveloped into a vortex of clouds and smoke.

Chapter 1
Awakening

         “RUN!” the children screamed. I couldn’t stop from joining in with their laughter as they chased each other, trying to make it to home base before they could get tagged. It was a cool autumn evening in Shadow, Washington. Halloween. Dead leaves crunched under the kids feet as they ran through the playground. I watched as they scrambled about, remembering when I was that age. The players were different, but the game was the same. I was the fastest so I would always made it to safety first. My friends and I would play in this very spot for hours. We even used the same huge oak tree as base. The only difference was that back then it was my parents back yard. My mother had always thought our house was too big, but my father said he liked having the leg room. He was killed in a police shootout. Soon after, Mom became deathly ill. She had always complained there wasn’t a place for children to play in town, so I promised that I would change that. After she passed on I had the house demolished and turned the lawn into this playground. I smiled as the kids proved that I had made a good choice.
         The sun was starting to set, casting long shadows from the surrounding forest across the field. A cool breeze swayed the trees and blew leaves down the sidewalk. Soon the kids would be coming out for trick-or-treating. I took in a deep breath; the smell of the pine and oak trees filled my nose. That was why I loved it here so much. Well, one of the reasons.
         “Jacob?” a female voice ask from behind me. I turned and smiled wider. Amber stood behind me. We had been friends since kindergarten. She smiled pleasantly back.
         “Hey,” I greeted her. “What are you up to?”
         “Just running some errands. I also wanted to invite you to a costume party that I’m throwing tonight,” she replied. “What do you say? Want to go?”
         “Of course I do. What else would I do on a Friday night?” I answered. She smiled again while brushing her long dark hair from her face. The wind was starting to pick up, swaying the trees and blowing our hair around our faces. “Would you like some help on your errands?” I offered. She looked at the darkening sky, then at her watch.
         “Sure, if you don’t mind. I have a few things I need to pick up for the party,” she agreed.

*******

         After we had gathered all the supplies needed for the party, we headed back to her house. The sun had just vanished behind the trees. I helped her get the decorations up and then went back to my house to get ready for the party. I looked at myself in the mirror after I had gotten my costume on. My bright blue eyes stood out against the dark red of my hair, which lay straight down around my face. I whirled around quickly to make my cloak swish. I could defiantly pass as a vampire. My pale skin went perfectly, but it had been that way since birth. My eyes had only recently turned this shade of electric blue. I smiled, satisfied with how I looked. I glanced down at the clock and realized that I needed to hurry up. The party started at nine, and it was eight-fifty. Luckily it wasn’t a long walk to her house. As I was leaving, I wondered how she would be dressed up. She was always gorgeous, no matter what she wore. Her dark brown hair was just a shade or two from being black. She had the most beautiful brown eyes I’d ever seen, and a set of perfectly full lips.
         The sound of little kids laughing interrupted my thoughts. It was dark outside, but the streetlights illuminated the streets. I smiled as the kids stared at my costume; frightened amusement lighting their faces. I opened the gate and stepped on the path that led up to Ambers house. Though I was only a few minutes late, the place was already packed with guests. It was a grand three story house, with a large ballroom right at the entrance. The outside walls were an off shade of white.
         As I walked through the doors the most beautiful piano music wafted through the air. It was relaxing, yet, easy to dance to. Only one person could be playing the grand piano like that. The ball room was filled with people, so I had to be careful as I made my way towards the piano in the back. People greeted me as I went past. There were a lot of familiar faces, but only one I wanted to see. After a few more pleasant greetings from some of the local parents, I finally reached her. Amber sat at the grand piano, just as I knew she would be. She looked up and smiled when she saw me. She forgot about her song and stood to hug me. I just smiled and hugged her with one arm, while continuing her song with my other hand. I knew this song well, for it was one that he had showed her how to play. She blushed and returned to her song. She was adorable when her cheeks turned pink from embarrassment. She was dressed up as a white witch, a good witch. Her sparkling white hat had a blue band around the base and she wore a long white dress flowed down to her ankles. I sat next to her and, as she finished her song, began playing my own. The transition was so smooth that no one could tell the difference. To the guests the song never changed. She just rolled her eyes.
         “Showoff,” she muttered.
         “Then lets both play,” I suggested. She looked at me, confused. I finished the song I was playing early. “Do you remember the song you played at our graduation?”
         “Yes,” she replied, still looking confused.
         “Well, play it.”
         She was still confused but she began anyway. She looked over at me. “This?” she ask. My only reply was to begin playing a part I had made up for this song. She looked in amazement as our hands wove between each other, never touching, but delicately crisscrossing. The part I played didn’t change her song, it just molded around it, flowing perfectly with each note she hit. She stared in wonder as the song began to close. The final note put our hands right next to each other, touching for the only time in the song. The whole time we were playing the song I had forgotten about the other people there with us, so it startled me when I heard them clapping. I looked up to see Amber looking at me with a huge smile. I smiled back as we stood up and took a bow.
         “That was amazing Amber!” shouted a young woman I had never seen before. Amber looked around and gasp at the woman.
         “Tiffany!” she exclaimed, running to embrace her. “I haven’t seen you in a whole year. Where have you been?”
         “Sorry, I’ve been busy. It doesn’t matter though because I’m here now,” Tiffany said with a smile. “Who’s your friend?” she asked as she looked at me suddenly.  Even though I didn’t know this lady, I didn’t like the way she had looked at me. She had long blonde hair, pale skin, and eyes similar to mine. She was very pretty, and seemed nice, but I couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling I had.
         “Oh, this is Jacob. Jacob this is my cousin Tiffany,” Amber introduced us to each other.
         “Hi,” Tiffany said, extending her hand out to me.
         “Hi,” I replied as I shook her hand.
         “You both can play the piano really well. I like it,” she complemented.
         “Thanks,” Amber and I spoke at the same time. We looked at each other and laughed. Tiffany joined in with our laughter, making us laugh harder.
         I couldn’t place it at the time, but there was something about Tiffany that I liked. Something told me that we would become great friends. Unfortunately I still had an uneasy feeling.

*******

As the night wore on, I started feeling different. Things started to seem like they moved in slow motion. I figured that I was just tired, so I said good night to Amber and Tiffany. The look Tiffany gave me as I started to leave worried me a little.  It was as if she was expecting something. I just brushed it off and headed home. It was just after midnight, so everything was dark, yet it all seemed so bright. I could see clearly even though the moon and stars were covered with clouds. The streetlights had already shut off, and all the kids were in their homes asleep. I could hear things clearly too. The wind rustled the trees way to loudly. I jumped and spun around, but was even more frightened by how high I had jumped. It seemed to take a longer time than usual for me to land. I turned and ran home, and was shocked again by the speed at which everything seemed to be moving past me. It was as if everything about me was changing. I made it home and quickly closed the door behind me. I had never noticed the smell my house had. It was a musky odor. It smelled old.
         Suddenly my throat started to burn. It was like someone had shoved a white hot poker down my throat. I was thirsty. I ran to the fridge and yanked the door open. I grabbed the jug of tea and started to drink, but I spit it all back out, the taste making me gag. I noticed a raw slab of meat lying on the bottom shelf. Pain shot threw my mouth. My teeth were growing. Fangs protruded from my mouth. As I looked at the bloody meat, my mouth started to water. I couldn’t control myself. I lunged.

Chapter 2
Farewell

         I wasn’t sure what actually woke me, the bright sunlight, for the fact that it was unusual for there to be sun here, or the feeling of being watched, but I opened my eyes to a giant mess. The fridge had been completely torn apart, the door embedded into the wall across the room. Its contents were scattered around the floor. The smell of rotten milk and busted eggs filled the air, making me choke. There was also an unfamiliar scent in the air. It smelled like lavender, but I didn’t have any thing that could smell like that. That’s when I heard breathing behind me. Before I could actually even think the command, my body was in the air spinning to face the intruder. I was stunned at the feral snarl that rent the air. With an even greater shock I realized that it came from me.
         All this was established by some part in the back of my mind. The main part of my focus was on the figure standing in the shadows. I instantly recognized Tiffany looking back at me. Her blue eyes stood out against the dark corner.
         “Calm down, I mean you no harm,” she stated, putting her hands up as if in surrender. My posture didn’t relax.
         “How did you get in here? Why are you here?” I questioned. I was distracted for a second by how hoarse my voice sounded.
         “I’ll explain everything, just please close the curtains, the sun is killing me.”
         I had wondered why she stood completely concealed in the dark shadows. After a second I decided she was trustworthy, so I complied. I moved swiftly to the curtains and pulled them closed, throwing the kitchen into almost complete darkness. I looked back at her and saw that she hadn’t moved an inch; her hands still raised in surrender. I knew she wouldn’t attack me, so I exhaled and relaxed my rigid posture. She smiled and lowered her hands.
         “Sorry my house is a mess, I don’t know what happened,” I apologized.
         “It’s ok, I know what happened. That’s why I’m here. I saw it at the party last night. I figured it wouldn’t be long before you would need a drink,” she replied, looking at a piece of dry meat on the floor. “By the way, you might want to wipe your mouth; your covered in blood.”
         I whipped my sleeve across my mouth and was again shocked to see dried blood clinging to it. I turned to the sink and turned on the hot water. After the first splash across my face, the sink had turned a shade of reddish pink. I was repulsed to find that my mouth started to water at the sight of the blood. The fire in my throat flared again, though not as bad as last night. I tried my best to ignore it. I finished washing my face and turned back to
Tiffany. She had moved to sit at the table on the far side of the room. I moved to sit across from her. A glance at the clock told me that it was almost noon.
         Tiffany pulled something out of the bag she had placed by the door. She tossed it to me, its dark contents making a sloshing sound as it flipped towards me. Without conscious thought, my hand flew up and caught it right side up.
         “Water bottle full of blood, its a necessity for sudden thirsts. That should calm the fire in your throat,” she smiled at the stunned expression on my face.
         “How did you get this?” I ask as I removed the lid and poured the cool elixir down my throat.
         “A mountain lion attacked me on the way to Amber’s house,” she said simply.
         I drained the bottle faster than it took her to finish her sentence. I put the cap on and tossed it back to her. Without looking at it, she caught it and threw it into her bag. She was right, the burning in my throat had stopped.
         “So let me get this straight, I suddenly became a vampire?” I ask, half sarcastic, half serious.
         “No, you are not a true vampire. You seem to have our speed, strength, and thirst, but sunlight doesn’t affect you. I don’t know how or why,” she replied. “Who turned you?”
         “What are you talking about? I was fine just before the party.”
         “Did you run into anyone on the way there?”
         “No.”
         She looked at me quizzically. She leaned towards me and sniffed. “You have a similar smell as a human. But its mixed with something I’ve never smelled before. I can’t place it.”
         “So what? I’m a half vampire?” I ask, letting the sarcasm in my voice cover the panic I could feel rising inside me.
         “So it would seem.”
         “What do I do now?” I questioned.
         “You have two options. One, you go with me and I show you how to survive as a vampire. Two, you try to figure it out on your own. It’s your choice,” she answered.
         I didn’t know what was going on, but I knew I didn’t want to face this alone. “Okay. I’ll go with you. Do I need to pack?”
         She looked at the bloody mess that was my clothes. “No, but you might want to change before we go.”
         “I can’t just leave. I have to say good bye to Amber.”
         She deliberated for a moment. Then she removed another bottle from her bag and tossed it to me. “Make sure your thirst is quenched, I don’t want you to attack her by accident.”
         I drank some of it as I went up stairs to change. “How will we be traveling?” I yelled down.
         “Wear good running shoes,” was all she shouted back. That worried me.
         After I had changed into some comfortable yet sturdy jeans and a long sleeved shirt, I dug through my closet for the pair of running shoes that I had just gotten. I tied them tightly. I walked back to the stairs and had a sudden idea. I leaned forward and sprinted toward them. Everything moved so fast, yet it all seemed so slow. I knew the things whistling past were moving at a very high speed, but I could see every detail as I passed. Every speck of dust on a table, every hand print on the mirror in the hall, all of it, in crystal clear detail. When I reached the stairs, which only took half a second, I launched myself into the air. I underestimated my strength. I had to flip quickly and land on the wall across the room from the stairs. I stayed on the wall for longer than I thought necessary, so I lightly pushed off and landed softly on the floor, 10 feet below me. Tiffany was at the bottom of the stairs.
         “Having fun?” she ask, smiling.
         I smiled back. “A bit.”
         “Good. Get it out of your system now because you can’t let humans see you doing stunts like that.” She walked to the door. “Ready?”
         I took one final look at the house that was no longer my home. Everything looked the same, but everything was different. This place had meant comfort, but now, standing in the here about to walk out the door for what might be the last time, it felt empty. It seemed oddly dark. I looked out the window and saw that the sun was hidden behind the clouds.
         “Jacob?” Tiffany was standing beside the shelf next to the door. I had some pictures there that had caught her eye. “Are these your parents?” she ask indicating the only picture I had of them.
         “Yes. That picture was taken just before my dad died. I was sixteen,” I spoke softly, remembering that day. Neither of my parents liked photos of them selves, so I got lucky with this one. It was Christmas. We were in the front yard of our house, playing in the snow. Dad had slipped and fell. Mom tried to help him up, but was laughing so hard that she fell beside him. They were using each other to help stand. I snapped the picture quickly, while they were both laughing and covered in snow. They looked so happy.
         The next day, Dad had went to work, and that night we got a phone call. Mom was cooking dinner. It was Dad’s favorite, pot roast. I was putting in our favorite movie. He was suppose to be home in a few minutes. Mom answered the phone in a cheerful mood. Her expression went from smiling, to shock, to tears in a second. She dropped the plates she was holding. Everything seemed to be in slow motion. My heart felt like it shattered as the plates did, the pieces jumbled and scattered. I knew what had happened before she said a word. He wasn’t coming home. Ever.
         A soft hand on my shoulder brought me back to the present. I took in a deep jagged breath to steady myself.
         “I’m sorry about your parents,” Tiffany whispered.
         “It’s ok,” I replied. I took the picture out of the frame and went to put it in my pocked.
         “It will get messed up in your pocket. I’ll put it in my bag. It will be safe in there,” she said softly. I handed it to her and watched her put it in an empty compartment.
         “Ok, lets go,” I said, walking out the door.

Chapter 3
Changing

         The second I closed the door, I knew something wasn’t right. Everything was silent. There was neither laughter from the kids playing at the park, nor rustling from the wind moving the trees, though I could plainly see both. The stench of sulfur saturated the air. Tiffany had froze at the top of the porch steps, her gaze locked on two hooded figures across the street. They wore long black cloaks that swished in the wind, but no sound came with the movement. Their faces were hidden in shadows, but I could clearly see their scarlet eyes shimmering brightly. I knew they weren’t human, but they didn’t resemble what I thought were vampires. Tiffany and I both had blue eyes.
         “What are they?” I ask quietly.
         “Demons. They normally leave us vampires alone, only making appearances when one reveals their self to a human. I don’t know what they are doing here now. Neither of us has,” she whispered back.
         One of the figures stepped forward and lowered his hood. His appearance shocked me. He seemed human, except for the eyes. He had his long black hair parted around his face. His skin was old and dry. Then he smiled, at least I think it was suppose to be a smile. It looked more like a twisted grimace. He exposed a full set of sharpened teeth.
         “Jacob Smith, we’ve come to claim your soul,” the figure informed in a raspy voice.
         I was sure he wasn’t kidding, but for some strange reason I started laughing. The creatures eyes narrowed.
         “If you find that funny then I’m sure you’ll get a kick out of this,” he replied, slipping into a crouch. My laughter stopped, but the smile never left my face.
         I’m not a violent person, so it surprised me that I was eager for him to lunge. It was as if I hungered for it. The other creature let her hood fall back. Her hair was also black. It flowed down to her shoulders. Her skin was wrinkled and cracked in a few places.
         The two entities lunged at the same moment, the male aimed at me while the female targeted Tiffany. Their hands raised from under their cloaks and extended in front of them, fingers curving into vicious talons. I lunged at the male figure, colliding with him in the air. He locked his long tendril like fingers around my neck, choking me. I could feel my teeth change into fangs again. My fingers wound into his cloak, and using the fact that we were still in the air, arched my back and flipped us so that we were head first while we plunged towards the middle of the street. Snarls tore through the air as the four of us combated. He removed one of his hands, pulling it back and aiming a strike at my heart. I seized my opportunity. With blinding speed and a defining crack, my fist connected with his jaw. I could feel the bone shatter underneath my knuckles. His howl of pain was cut short as I flipped myself right side up and placed my foot under his shattered jaw. I could feel his head smash on the ground, as well as hear the sickening squish of his brain tissue.
         His body stayed standing feet first on the pavement for another second before he turned to ash and the wind blew scattered them. I turned and saw Tiffany, her fangs also lowered, barely dodging the females swipes. Suddenly she landed a kick into Tiffany’s chest. I could hear the wind rush out of her lungs as she fell backwards. The demon turned and faced me. Pure fury radiated from her eyes.
         “I’m sorry, was I suppose to come quietly?” I ask in a taunting voice, smiling.
         A ferocious growl emitted from her lips as she lunged for my throat. Tiffany had recovered by then and grabbed the woman’s ankle and pulled her back. She leaped over the woman’s back and placed both feet on the back of her head. The sound of bone hitting pavement reverberated off the trees. The woman also turned to ashes. No trace of them was left behind.
         As soon as the woman disintegrated, the sounds returned to normal. The sound of laughter made me remember the children down the street. Did they see anything? They continued to play as if nothing happened. To them, nothing had happened.
         A mother called the children in to get some lunch. They continued to laugh as they raced each other inside. Soon it was just Tiffany and I standing in the road. We looked at each other and retracted our fangs.
         “Any idea what that was about?” I ask.
         “I don’t have a clue. That was so unusual. We have to get out of here,” she said hurriedly. She looked over my shoulder. Her eyes suddenly widened, her mouth slightly falling open. I turned and gasp as 50 cloaked figures stood in the street, scarlet eyes locked on the two of us.
         “Guess that good bye to Amber will have to wait,” I said as I backed up and stood beside Tiffany.
         “Jacob,” she whispered then shouted, “RUN!” I turned and bolted for the forest, Tiffany right on my heels.
         The trees whistled passed us as we flew through the forest. There really was no other way to describe it. We moved so fast that it felt like our feet never hit the ground. I had no idea if the figures were following us or not, but I wasn’t going to stop and find out. My muscles never tired, and my breathing didn’t even change from the effort.
         I don’t know how far we actually ran but after about an hour of nonstop running at unimaginable speeds, Tiffany finally spoke.
         “I don’t think they are following us.”
          I slowed to match her speed. I listened closely for any signs of pursuit, but heard nothing that sounded like cloaks swishing in the wind or breathing. We looked at each other and slowed to a stop. We listened intently for anything, but all we heard was a bird in the trees about a mile ahead of us, a squirrel squeaking merrily as he stashed his nuts for the winter, and a swarm of flies buzzing around an antelope carcass. Just everyday in the forest.
         “We need to find a place to stay,” I stated.
         “Don’t worry, I have everything we need in my bag,” Tiffany said while she pulled off the azure backpack that contained the picture of my parents.
         We worked in silence for a while. But I had a few questions I wanted to ask.
         “We are vampires, right?” I ask breaking the silence.
         “Well, I am. I’m not entirely sure if you are, but for now we’ll just say you’re one of us,” Tiffany replied.
         “Do we drink human blood?”
         She looked at me, the worry on my face evident. She spoke slowly, and chose each word carefully. “It’s optional. We can survive on animal blood, but human blood is more satisfying.”
         “Have you drank a humans blood before?”
         She turned her face away. “Once. It was before I actually knew what was going on,” she answered in a voice so sad that I knew she deeply regretted it.
         “How did you become a vampire?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking.
         She laughed. It was a sad, bitter laugh. She looked deep into the forest, but I could tell she was seeing an entirely different scene.
         “It was just over a year ago. I was with my boyfriend in Seattle. We were coming back from dinner, the sun had just finished setting. He took me home, but said he couldn’t stay because he had to be at work in the morning. I said good night and went to get a bath. There was a noise outside the bathroom door, I thought it was Jeff playing games,” she laughed another sad laugh, “I opened the door to surprise him. It wasn’t Jeff. All I saw was piercing blue eyes before someone grabbed me and,” she paused and looked at me. She must have saw the anxiousness in my face. “Well, lets just say it wasn’t pleasant. But Jeff must not have left yet and had heard my screams. He ran up the stairs and saw me laying there, half dead and bleeding. I was barely conscious but I heard him gasp, and whoever was on top of me whirled around and attacked him. He didn’t stand a chance. I heard his neck snap just before I lost consciousness.
         “When I awoke, the marks on my neck were gone, and so was Jeff. My eyes were the same blue as I had saw the night before. I wandered into woods near by, following Jeff’s scent. I came across a stray hiker, and the fire in my throat suddenly flared.” She looked at me with sad eyes. “I couldn’t stop myself. Before I knew it, he was dead, and I was covered in his blood. That’s when I met a vampire named Tine. She heard the commotion and smelled the blood. She found me curled up and in shock. She could tell that I was new, so she explained things to me. She had chosen to live off of animal blood a long time ago. I stayed with her till I heard about Amber’s party, then I decided to come visit. Tine decided it would be best if she didn’t go.” She let out a long sigh. “I’m hoping to find her again, she might be able to explain why the demons are after you.”
         By the tone of her voice, I could tell she didn’t want to talk anymore, so I held my other questions for later. We continued to work in silence.
         In no time at all, we had a tent and a fire going. A small ray of sunlight shone through the trees near Tiffany. She hissed and jumped into the tent. “I’m going to sleep for a while. Wake me when its night fall,” she grumbled.
         We both froze when a low crunch in the trees above indicated someone there. There was a sound of clothes swishing in the air as a figure jumped down from the top of the tree and landed lightly between the Tiffany and I. We both hissed as the figure turned towards me. Her eyes looked directly into mine. “We’ve been waiting for you,” she whispered.

Chapter 4
Visitors

         I wasn’t sure how many more surprises I could handle in one day. First I find out that I’m some sort of mutant vampire. Then demons try to kill me. Now some woman falls from a tree top and tells me she’s been waiting for me. All this while trying to adjust to a new body with strengths and abilities I never dreamed possible. What else could happen?
         “That was a bit dramatic, don’t you think?” a male voice came from behind me. I had to ask didn’t I.
         “Tine!” Tiffany exclaimed.
          The girl in front of me turned to Tiffany. Then a smile stretched across her face. “Hey Tiffany. I was wondering if I would see you again.”
         The man who had spoke earlier was leaned against a tree beside me. Another woman was leaned against him in a way that only lovers were capable of.
         I looked back at the one called Tine. She had semi-short dark brown hair, with her bangs parted to one side. She was small, but something told me she could hold her own. She looked very pretty.
         “Thank you,” she said. She looked at me as she said it. Did she hear what I had thought?
         “Yes, I did.” Tine smiled as she spoke, evidently amused by my dumbfounded expression.
         “Tine, is it really necessary to mess with him? He’s been through a lot today,” the male said in a deep clear voice. She stuck her tongue out at him. He just rolled his eyes and looked at me. They all had the blue eyes that I could recognize as a vampires.
         “Not all vampires,” he said suddenly.
         “Oh, now who’s messing with him?” Tine ask in a playful tone.
         “He’s starting to get really worried, you might want to calm him down,” the girl leaned against the man said, speaking for the first time.
         “Forgive me, I think introductions are in order. I am Thackery. This,” he indicated the girl in his arms, “is my wife, Mellody, but you can call her Mell.”
         “Hello,” Mell said with a kind smile.
         “That little monster over there is my sister, Tine. Tine and I can hear people’s thoughts, but I can also make others hear mine if I chose to. Don’t worry, we don’t always listen to people’s thoughts. Just when we meet new people. Mell can sense your feelings. She can also make you feel how she wants you to feel.”
         As if to enforce that fact, I suddenly felt calm. I looked at Mell and she smiled back. She had longer brown hair. It lay strait down past her shoulders. She was taller than Tine, about the same height as Thackery, maybe a millimeter taller. She was very pretty. I suddenly remembered Thackery’s ability. He laughed.
         “It’s ok, I know its true, but keep your eyes to yourself. I’d hate to have to kill you.”
         I knew he could too, easily. He had short curly red hair. He was about my height, maybe an inch taller. The sleeveless shirt he wore, even though it was probably 50 degrees here, revealed very muscular arms. He was slim, but not small. Defiantly a fighter.
         I’ve won more fights than you can count, and I don’t have any intentions of losing. His mouth never moved, but I could hear his voice clearly. This must have been how he made others hear his thoughts.
         Tine and Tiffany were sitting in the tent watching the events, whispering back and forth on occasions. I sat there for a second as I committed their names to memory. I remembered him saying something about vampires eyes.
         “Yes. Not all vampires have blue eyes, just the ones that haven’t tasted human blood in a while. Vampires with violet eyes are the ones you should worry about. They drink human blood a lot. While it is more satisfying than animal blood, its also a poison. The more you drink it, ironically, the less human you become. You become more like a demon, like the ones you faced earlier,” he answered.
         “That is why we only drink animal blood,” Mell said in a strong voice. I had a feeling that she had helped Thackery win some of those fights. You would be right. I glanced over at him. He smiled with a brightness I had never seen before as he kissed her cheek. He was proud of Mell.
         “You said you had been waiting for him?” Tiffany ask.
         “Yes. There is a prophecy from long ago that spoke of a warrior that would lead a vampire army into Hell and defeat the evils that reside there. With the death of Lucifer, we vampires could be human again,” Tine answered in a high, girly voice.
         It was quit as that sunk in. They all looked at me; Tine with an excited gleam, Thackery and Mell with a grim understanding, and Tiffany with a wondering smile. I suddenly realized what they meant.
         “So, what? You think I’m this warrior? You think I’m going to lead an army to storm the gates of Hell and kill Satin himself? No. No. There’s no way I could be this warrior.” I could tell I was starting to panic. But I couldn’t help but feel calm. I looked at Mell. She looked into my eyes. I suddenly felt tired.
         “I think it would be best if you slept. You’ve had a long day,” Mell spoke quietly.
         “Actually, we could all use some rest. We have a long road ahead of us. We leave at dusk. That gives us five hours. Don’t worry, Tine and I will know if anyone tries to sneak up on us,” Thackery stated with authority.
         The more I thought about it, the more sleep sounded nice. Tiffany crawled back into the tent. Tine stood and stretched, then hopped lightly up onto a tree branch that was well shaded. After settling in the crook where the branch separated from the trunk and laying with her feet outstretched on the branch, she closed her eyes and didn’t reopen them. I looked at Thackery and Mell. They had sat against the tree across from Tine’s. Mell had her head against his chest. She looked up and kissed him in such a passionate way that I thought I was intruding by looking. I stretched out on the ground and let Mell’s ability take over, sliding into unconsciousness.