PLEASE READ: If you are just now starting to read this, I advise against it. I have been working on revising the entire story and you can find what I have of it so far on my website(the link is onmy bio page). If you do continue to read this, then I don't want to hear in your reviews about something that doesn't make sense, or that there is no plot, etc. Because I KNOW. Why else would I be revising?

Chosen

Summary:

Taken to a world where she is hated by some and loved by others, Nicole fights both to stay alive and to sort out her feelings toward her captors. But it becomes difficult when she is being hunted by a cold blooded killer. Caught between a man she loves and hates, a man who she knows will always be there for her and will never harm her, and a man who is usually very cold though he's sworn to protect her, Nicole has to choose who she loves and who she doesn't before it's too late.

Rating: R for language, violence/gore, and some sexuality

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Chapter One: Party Crashers

Her name was Nicole Jameson. She was twenty-three, single, had a part-time job and lived with her two best friends in a cozy apartment, along with her dog. She was an ordinary female, nothing extreme about her. Sure, she was pretty, but she wasn't some gorgeous rockstar. With her brown hair, blue eyes, and slender face, she was attractive. But her friends Emily and Becca were even more so. While Becca was slim and blonde with green eyes, Emily had red hair with a darker shade of green eyes. Both were considered gorgeous and to die for. But Nicole didn't care, she wasn't alive to please the male species. To her, she was alive for her and herself only. To do what she could to stay alive in the world and to be happy.

The night was cold, Nicole noted as she patiently waited in line with her friends. It was also dark and a chilly wind was blowing through, making her dig her nails in the arms of her coat and hold herself tightly. Her gaze wandered to the front of the line. 'There are so many people here tonight.'

It was almost never this packed at the Palm Nite Club. Sure, there were a lot of people, but this was just absurd. They had already been in line for almost an hour and it had barely moved up.

"You hear about the new DJ they got, Nikki?"

Nicole turned her head and looked to the side of her where her friend, Emily, stood. She nodded in reply and then turned back. The breeze blew a little harder this time, making her brown hair fly over her face. With a sigh of annoyance she brushed it aside.

"Sometime this life would be nice," she muttered.

"I agree," Emily said and stood on her tiptoes to look over the crowd. "This is ridiculous. Why are all these people here?"

Nicole just shrugged. She looked at the people in front of her. Some were facing her, while they talked to their friends. Her blue eyes traveled over the faces amongst her. The men and women looked young, about her age.

"God hear our prayers, get us in!" Becca sighed from behind Emily.

"I'm praying with ya," Emily said with a smirk.

Nicole smiled and looked up at the sky. The clouds were hovering in front of the moon, blocking its silver light. Only the stars shone bright tonight. As she was about to return her gaze to the line, something flew across the sky, making the stars disappear for a moment and then reappear. And judging by how many stars were covered at one time, it was something quite large.

She gasped and looked at her friends. "Emily, did you see that?"

"See what?" Emily innocently asked.

"There was something in-" she stopped and looked at her friend again. Emily was staring curiously at her. "Never mind."

"Tell me then. What did you see?" Becca asked.

"I thought I saw a shooting star," Nicole lied.

"Did you make a wish?"

"Sure, why not?" Nicole replied with a shrug.

"What did you wish for?"

"Becca, if she tells then it won't come true," Emily cut in.

Becca sighed and took a step back. Suddenly the line began to move forward. Lots of people cheered.

"Finally!" Emily yelled.

As they got closer to the entrance, Nicole looked up again. But this time there were only stars and clouds. She shook her head and continued walking. When they reached the front, she cast a glance at the guard who was slowly letting them in. He nodded to her. She began to turn her head, when she saw something behind him. For one moment, she could have sworn that in the dark corner, where the light from the glowing signs did not touch, she saw something standing there. A flash of silver in its eyes twinkled and then it was gone.

"Move, Nicole!" Emily moaned.

Nicole pried her eyes from the corner and picked up her pace. "Sorry."

'What was that?' Nicole thought as she moved into the club. She glanced back one more time, but the corner was empty. 'I know I saw something there.'

But her thoughts were quickly interrupted by the loud music pounding in her ears as she pushed through the curtain and stepped into the mass of moving bodies. With a smile, she reached behind her, grabbed Emily's hand, who then grabbed Becca's hand, and all three of them pushed through the crowd to the center of the dance floor.

When they had found a small spot that was just enough room for their small bodies, they stopped.

"Ready to dance the night away?" Emily yelled.

"Hell yeah!" Nicole replied.

As the girls moved to the music, Nicole's mind seemed to stray off again. Her eyes wandered over the dark room. All she could see were dark figures dancing as she was. A strobe light began to flash over everyone, making it seem as though the room itself was moving. Nicole closed her eyes so that the light would not affect her train of thought anymore than it already was. She felt someone rub against her, but ignored it.

The music filled her ears. She realized that never before had she heard such music. It was very different. Almost dark, old, and entrancing at the same time. Though she had to admit that she really liked it. It made her body move great with the rhythm.

Through her closed eyes, she could still see the white flashes from the strobe light. Deciding to see what her friends were doing, she opened her eyes. There was Becca, right beside her, moving as she was. But where was Emily?

'Oh well,' she thought and then smiled. 'She probably found some guy.' She closed her eyes again and her thoughts trailed. 'What was that in the sky? And what about in the corner? Oh, it was probably some figment of my imagination.'

Something feathery brushed against Nicole's arm and her eyes snapped open. Her blue orbs darted around but all she saw was Becca dancing beside her, and everyone else dancing as well.

'You're letting your imagination get the best of you again, Nikki,' she thought with amusement.

She closed her eyes once more and let the music take her. Then, she felt arms slowly wrap around her body from behind.

'So,' she thought and smiled. 'Someone wants to play?'

Whoever it was, drew her to him, pressing her back against his chest. Her eyes still closed, she moved with him.

"What's your name?" she asked, loud enough for him to hear, but soft enough for no one else to.

He placed his head next to hers. "My master does not permit me to give you my name."

Her eyes opened. "Master?"

She spun around, but no one was there. Frantically she looked all around her, but saw no one that was watching her or running away from her. A chill ran down her spine as she turned back.

'I know for a fact that that was not my imagination,' she thought as goosebumps ran down her arms. 'He was here. I heard him and felt him, whoever "him" is.'

She turned to where Becca had been dancing and opened her mouth to say something to her, when she realized that her friend was no longer there.

"What in the world?" she asked aloud.

They had never left her before. Not just like that without telling her. She was freezing now, even though it was warm inside because of all the dancing bodies. So she ran her hands up and down her arms to keep her warm, then began to push through the crowd to search for her friends. Quickly she glanced behind her and then turned forward. She ran right into somebody.

"Sorry!" she shouted.

She began to walk again. The music was getting louder and her head began to hurt. Then she halted.

'What if that was Becca or Emily?' she thought and spun around.

But it was not either of her friends. In the flashing of the strobe light, Nicole could see a man standing there. His hair was long and lightly colored. He wore nothing but black and he was just standing there, amidst the dancers, unmoving. And he was staring at her. His lips curled into a smile and Nicole began to step back. What he did next made her heart skip a beat.

A pair of dark wings spread out from behind him. They expanded to at least twelve feet. His grin got wider and Nicole gasped.

'Don't be afraid,' a soft voice said inside her head. 'Don't try to run.'

Nicole's eyes widened in fright as she stared at the beautiful man...or whatever it was that stood not more than fifteen feet from her.

'Does nobody else see him?!' her mind shrieked.

Daring a glance away from him, her eyes washed over everyone else. No one's eyes were open. Everyone was dancing with their eyes closed, letting the music take them. Then her eyes shot to where the DJ was and she saw that he too, had wings. But his were folded behind his back. He glanced up and looked at her. His eyes were curious, wondering why she was not dancing as well.

'Not enjoying the music?' he asked in her head.

She took another step back and then looked to where the first creature had been standing. But he was no longer there.

'This is my chance. I have to run now!' she told herself.

The strobe light continued flickering, and Nicole ran, keeping her eyes on the floor. But the floor itself seemed to be moving. She began to get dizzy. After pushing through one more couple, she stopped and leaned against a wall. Her head was spinning.

'Don't try to fight it, you will not win.'

"No!" she yelled. "Get out of my head!"

She pounded on her head and then looked around. The music had stopped and so had the strobe light. The only light now was coming from where the DJ was. Nicole looked at him, he was just some regular guy. No black wings.

The lights came on, and she saw that everyone was staring at her.

"Are you all right?" a man asked and stepped forward.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I thought I saw something. I was just-" but then she stopped.

Her gaze was frozen on the ground. On what lie on the ground, just in front of her. The man followed her gaze and saw a deep red colored feather. The red was so dark, it looked almost black. He bent down and picked it up. Then he held it so Nicole could see.

"It's just a feather, lady. Nothing wrong with that," he said and chuckled.

Slowly her eyes trailed up. Past the man laughing at her, past the curious faces, and up to the beams that held the lights and whatnots. And there, sitting on the beam above her and the man, was the winged creature she had seen on the dance floor.

'Find a pretty feather?' he asked in her head as he spread his wings again.

Her mouth dropped open. He winked at her and then disappeared.

"We have to get out," Nicole whispered, not moving her eyes from the beam. "We have to get out before something awful happens."

"Lady, what's your deal?"

She brought her gaze back down to the man who was still holding the feather. "Trust me, just leave."

But they didn't leave. They laughed at her. The man tossed back his head and laughed, letting the feather drift down to the floor.

"No, please! They took my friends and they'll take us too if we don't leave!"

Suddenly she was roughly grabbed by her arms and hauled off the floor. The two men set her on a chair at the bar and walked back to the dance floor. Then the lights went out and the music and strobe light started again.

"Maybe I am losing it," she muttered.

She slid off the stool and headed for the bathroom. When she got there she was happy to see that it was lit. There were hushed voices coming from one of the stalls and they sounded awfully familiar to Nicole. She went to the last stall and pushed the door open. And there was Emily smoking with Becca. They smiled at Nicole.

"Have you been here this whole time?" Nicole asked. They both nodded as they puffed on their cigarettes. "And you couldn't have told me?"

"Sorry Nikki, but I had to have one fast," Emily replied.

Nicole smiled. At least her friends were not kidnapped by those creatures.

'It was my imagination after all,' she thought with a sigh of relief.

"And I figured since you looked so cozy with that gorgeous man, that you would be okay without me," Becca said with a smile.

Nicole's grin was wiped off her face and replaced by a look of horror. "What did you say?"

"I said that since you were dancing with that guy, you would be okay without me for a bit," Becca repeated.

"What 'guy', Becca? What did he look like?" Nicole practically shrieked.

Becca looked at Emily, who only shrugged. With a confused stare, Becca glanced back at Nicole. "It was kind of hard to see because of the strobe light, but it look as though he had long blondish hair and he was wearing all black."

Nicole stopped breathing. He was real, he had to be if Becca had seen him too.

"We have to get out of here," Nicole said. She snatched the cigarettes from her friends' hands and threw them on the ground. Then she took their hands and pulled them out of the bathroom.

"Nikki, what is up with you?" Emily asked.

"I'll tell you once we get safely home," Nicole replied.

She let go of Becca's hand and yanked open the bathroom door. Once more the music was loud. She took Becca's hand again and rushed out, taking her friends with her. More than anything she wanted to run, to get out of there. But she had to look again, to make sure that she was right.

As her eyes scanned over the crowd, she could see many winged creatures in between everyone. They were walking, their wings folded behind their backs. Nicole pulled Emily and Becca up to her and pointed. "See! See! I told you!"

And for once, her friends were quiet. Their eyes bulged and their mouths hung open.

"What are they?" Becca whispered.

"Some call us angels, though that is far from what we are," a voice replied.

All three girls spun around and Nicole saw that the same one that had been following her, was now right behind them.

"You," she said and began to tremble.

"Well, I'm glad to see that you remember me," he replied with a smile.

"Isn't he the one you were dancing with, Nikki?" Becca whispered.

"Shut up," Emily snapped.

The creature's eyes shot over to Emily. "Now that wasn't a nice thing to say to your friend, was it?"

"Get away," Nicole said and took a step back, her friends following.

"Now, now. There is no need to be frightened of me. After all, it is not I that you should be afraid of, but my master."

"Get ready to run," Nicole said softly.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that."

"On my count. One...two...three!" And they ran. Shoving through the mass of people, breaking them from their trances. "Run!" Nicole screamed at the top of her lungs. But the people made no move. So Nicole halted. "There's a fire!" she yelled.

That got everyone's attention. Shouts of panic and fear ran through the club. The music still played and the strobe light still flashed, but this time no one was paying attention enough for the effects to take toll.

The winged creature that had followed Nicole sighed. "If it is a fire you want, then it is a fire you shall get."

He took a small object out of one of his pockets and held it in his palm. Then he slowly lowered his palm and the item hovered in the air. Everyone began to make for the doors, but they had been blocked by other winged creatures. Some men and women passed out in fear when they saw them. Some clung tightly onto whomever was closest.

The one who had followed Nicole looked at the ball that was floating in front of him. "Find Lucas."

The ball shimmered white and then floated to the ceiling. It disappeared through the wood and out the other side. He stared at the ceiling for a minute and then the screams brought his gaze back to the people. They were backing away from the winged men as they walked forward. As he was about the go join them, his ears picked up the sound of wings beating outside.

'Watch out,' he thought to his companions. 'Lucas is here.'

They all abruptly stopped and turned their gazes to him. They nodded and in a flash they had disappeared. Everyone became silent.

"What happened?"

"Where did they go?"

"Are they going to leave us alone?"

Nicole and her friends were still holding on tight to each other. Slowly Nicole pried herself from them. "I think they've gone."

She looked back to see if the one that seemed to be content on getting her was still there, but he wasn't.

"Hey, you're right, Nikki! I think we're-" but Emily was cut off when there was a loud roaring outside.

Before anyone could move, the ceiling collapsed. Everyone scattered, not wanting to be crushed by the wood. Nicole ran as fast as she could to the farthest wall, taking her friends with her. She looked behind her and all she could see was dust. Slowly the dust settled onto the ground and she heard a rumbling sound, almost like growling but not. Her eyes widened in disbelief when she saw it.

A huge black dragon.

His eyes glinted for a moment as he puffed out his chest. Then fire shot from his
mouth, setting the walls and floor on fire.

"Oh no," Nicole whispered.

'Give up yet?' the voice asked.

Nicole ignored it. "Come on guys."

She took Emily's and Becca's hands and they began to run for the door. There were a few burning bodies, but not many. It looked as though the dragon had not really meant to harm anyone. Those that were not trying to find a way out were huddled in a corner.

The dragon's dark eyes followed Nicole, Becca, and Emily for a few seconds. Then he blew a small stream of fire in their direction.

'I'd duck if I were you,' Nicole heard the voice in her head say.

"What?" she mumbled and turned around just in time to see the bolt of fire heading for her and her friends.

Barely in time they all dodged out of the way, but they were separated. Nicole's hands slipped from Becca's and Emily's. She pounced to her feet and got ready to sprint to her friends, but the dragon reared up and stomped down. The ground shook and Nicole lost her balance as well as did everyone else that was standing up.

Nicole crashed to the ground, landing painfully on her back. She moaned and began to sit up, when the black dragon moved over to her. It stood in front of her and brought its head down right next to her. She became paralyzed with fear.

'Lucas could easily burn you, you know. All I have to do is give the order,' the voice said. 'Give up, before it costs yours and your friends' lives.'

"Where are you, you coward," Nicole sneered, not moving her eyes from the dragon. "You're so brave that you disappear when a dragon comes?"

Suddenly he appeared, right between the dragon's head and her. The dragon moved back a small bit.

"Is this better?" the winged man asked with a smile. Nicole didn't move. "Get up," he ordered.

"Not with that dragon so close by."

He turned and looked at the black creature. "Lucas, wait outside. We will finish getting everyone."

With a nod of his head, the dragon pumped his wings and took off through the ceiling. Nicole could now see that all the other winged men were reappearing and grabbing whatever females they could. The one in front of Nicole took a step toward her. She frightfully scooted back. Quickly she glanced over and saw Becca and Emily being forcefully taken away.

"What do you want with us?" Nicole asked, her voice sounding like a little girl's.

"That is our master's affair. You will find out when we arrive at his castle."

"Castle? Last time I checked, there was no one living in a castle here in California."

"Who said it was here?" he replied with an all knowing smile.

"Where is it then?"

"You shall see."

He then reached down and grabbed Nicole. He picked her off the ground. "Let me go!"

But he ignored her and dragged her out of the burning club. When he got outside, he saw Lucas sitting off to the side. 'Kill the men,' he thought to him. 'Then carry us back home.'

Lucas nodded and went back inside the club. Soon screams of agony could be heard. Nicole tried to push the winged man away, but he was extremely strong. He held the back of her neck and shoved her forward.

"Where are we going?" she asked through gritted teeth.

He made no reply, so she looked to where they were headed and gasped. There were four carriages, rather large and old. The odd thing was, that there were no horses attached to it. Nicole saw more of the winged men pushing women into the carriages.

The one holding Nicole took her there as well and then threw her in one. She went to run out, but he got in after her.

"Sit," he commanded.

She looked around and saw that neither Emily nor Becca were in this particular carriage. Just women that she did not know.

"Where are my friends?" she asked.

"You have all been separated by eye color, now if you will please sit down."

Nicole then realized that every female in the carriage with her that she was close enough to see, had blue eyes. She remembered that Becca and Emily had green eyes. She glanced over at the winged man and saw that he had blue eyes as well. Hesitantly she seated herself on the side, right across from him. Those that were sitting next to him, scooted as far from him as they could.

'What is going on,' she thought sadly to herself. 'I'm being kidnapped by a winged man, whose name I don't even know. That is, if he has one.'

"It's Rowan."

Nicole slowly looked up at him. "What?"

"My name, it's Rowan."

"Did I ask?" she replied with a sneer.

"No, but you pondered."

'He can read my thoughts!' Nicole thought with wide eyes.

"Only if I want to," Rowan replied. Nicole stared at him, trying to decide what to say. But then he shifted and looked out the door window. He smiled. "Ah, it seems that Lucas has finished. We can be off now."

He leaned back. Nicole nervously looked out the window as well at Lucas. He suddenly flapped his wings and hovered in the air. Then he disappeared, but she could still hear him. Nicole felt the carriage being lifted off the ground. She looked out the window again and saw that they were flying.