Soft music danced rhythmically through the air and mixed with the sounds of a few hundred party guests. All the females dressed in smaller than decent sized dresses showing off every assess they thought they might have possessed. A drink in everyone’s hand and in most a cigarette in the other. Ciara stood in the corner with a cigarette in one hand and nothing in the other. Unlike the others in the room her smoking habit wasn’t formed from a need to look hip. It was a dirty habit she picked up years ago when she was living on her own.

She carefully eyed the room for anything or anybody that looked especially odd. To her, everyone looked odd at one of these Hollywood parties. She took a long drag off her cigarette before her eyes landed on her target. A man in his late thirties was talking animatedly to a bunch of ‘inspiring’ actresses. He’s eyes were darting around nervously from one girl to the next looking for something desperately within each one of them but never finding it. This was Ciara’s cue. She fixed her midnight blue evening gown and swung her long brown hair over her shoulder. While walking towards the man she discarded her cigarette in some famous actor’s punch which was still in his hand.

Slowly she walked past the man and dropped her lighter in his line of view. Instantly, almost desperately he turned around and began to look her down before he bent down in a suave manner and picked it up for her with a large grin planted on his nasty lips. In truth he wasn’t ugly. He was in fact a very handsome man with pale blue eyes and dusty blonde hair and very few wrinkles marred his skin.

Ciara shyly extended her hand to retrieve the lighter, smiling softly at the stranger and gently murmuring a thank you. The man stepped closer and looked deep within her eyes. She could feel it, she hated that feeling but she let me look. He took her hand firmly but in a gentle manner and brought it to his lips, placing a small kiss on the back.

“I do not think I have had the pleasure of meeting you this evening,” he said confidently ignoring the other girls as he brought her hand down and stepped an inch closer. “My name is Robert Somivesco. And if you don’t mind me asking, who are you?”

Ciara faked a blush and said timidly, “Rachael, Rachael Conartis.”

“What a beautiful name Rachael.” Ciara resisted the urge to roll her eyes. The name was obviously a fake and this Robert was too dense to realize it. He was too hungry. “Is this your first time at one of Fiona’s parties?” All Ciara did was nod while staring down at her shoes. “Let me guess inspiring actress with a lot of talent?” he asked playfully as he started to lead her away from the party and out through a set of large doors.

“Yes how did you know? My biggest dream is to become a big actress some day.” She said the key word. When she was through with her whole dreamy routine she looked over to him. He was practically drooling over her.

He quietly led her over to a dark corner of the yard where no one could see either of them. A place where they were bathed in darkness but Ciara knew Robert could see clearly and she could see clearly even though she knew enough not to let on she could.

He looked like he was about to pounce. A hungry look came into his eyes as his grip tightened on her arm. “Such lovely dreams you have. Such tasty dreams. Yes oh so tasty.” His voice grew lower and more deadly with each word. This creep’s pale blue eyes started to distort and turn into a murky grey, a color never seen on a human. His short dusty blonde hair began to grow out into a while man and turned grey to make his eyes. His teeth grew longer, not just the canines but all of them as his face stretched out further looking less and less human by the minute. The creature’s spine elongated and twisted so that he could no longer stand up straight. All four limbs lengthened and swelled while long claws broke through his finger tips. Suddenly all the skin of his body turned a deep storm cloud grey.

Ciara did not run nor scream. She just smirked and scratched at the stupid wig she was wearing. She folded her arms and looked the beast in the eye who stared back at her. “What’s the matter Rachael? Not scared yet?” he said in a deep mocking tone. Ciara just opened her bag and pulled out her gun. She pointed it directed at his throat.

“My name’s not Rachael, Dream Eater. It’s Ciara from Fallen Angels Investigations.” Ciara smirked wickedly as the Daemon’s eyes widened in recognition. All the spooks around knew of Fallen Angels.

The Daemon howled in desperation. Hunger had taken over his rational part of the brain. He lunged at her swiping with one large clawed hand at her throat and missing as she gracefully launched into a back hand spring, kicking him before she landed again. Ciara spun around quickly and kicked him hard right in the middle of the beast’s chest causing him to fall back a few steps. The beast looked at her with hunger in his eyes. He stepped closer than stopped.

As much as she wanted to kill him she couldn’t. The job was to take the Dream Eater in alive. For what? It was never her place to ask. As he slowly stalked towards her she held up her gun and aimed for his throat. With only a foot between the two she fired. A single silver needle shot out of the barrel of her gun and lodged it self into the Daemons neck. The beast staggered slightly before charging again. She aimed and fired another one at the other side of his gigantic neck. This time the Dream Eater fell. Ciara turned away and put her gun away. She fixed her evening dress and noticed that the already high slit on the side which was the cause of putting her gun in her bag, as four inches higher. She cursed the world as she noticed just how high it was.

She glared daggers at the Daemon while she took out her small black cell phone and dialed Victor and called in the Pick Up unite. Her part of the mission was done. Victor and probably Arrina would come barreling down the road any minute now turn off the paved driveway and start driving up the grass to where they were.

Five minutes later she caught site of a large black van barreling towards her with the headlights on high. Victor was always so predictable. They weren’t far from the driveway, Victor and herself could have always dragged the Dream Eater over but no this was Victor we were talking about. Victor was a young wild womanizer that loved to impress his new partners with his recklessness especially when they were of the female persuasion. Ciara couldn’t stand him. The black van zoomed towards her and skidded to a halt a few inches from where her body was planted firmly. She knew his tricks by now, she just pitied that poor new girl. Usually his female partners didn’t last. ‘I wonder why,’ Ciara thought dryly.

The backdoors of the van flew open and out came Arrina, a small bronzed colored skin girl with wild brown hair and slanted almond eyes. She was only a few years older than Ciara but no one would have guessed if they stood side to side. While Ciara’s eyes were hardened and cold this youths were bright with innocence. Her Father worked a desk job at Fallen Angels, Archives Handler maybe. Ciara didn’t really know him just that he was nice and had a mother that was a powerful priestess over in Egypt some where. The man had been exposed to magic from an early age. But sadly he never had the talent for it and neither did his daughter. She knew from the start that Arrina wouldn’t last in this job long and she knew Arrina’s father thought the same thing. She wasn’t fit for work like this.

She bounced up to Ciara with a smile and a small wave before she turned to the fallen Daemon and gasped loudly. Clearly this was the first time she had ever seen a Dream Eater before. Ciara moved past her into the back of the van not wanting to see Victor. She climbed in and waited until they loaded the Dream Eater. Unfortunately it took longer since Arrina wouldn’t go near the Daemon. Victor slung him into the back onto one of the stretchers nailed to the floor while breathing heavily. He set the beast down and winked at Ciara in a saucy manner. She rolled her eyes and turned away.

Victor was about 5 years older than Ciara with large blue eyes and messy red hair. He had a little lick of facial hair on the edge of his chin that drew attention to his strong bone structure. He had full lips and a wicked smile. The boy got on her nerves so easily. He strapped down the Dream Eater before asking Arrina if she wanted to sit in front with him so that she was away from the big bad Daemon. Ciara couldn’t help it she rolled her eyes again.

He turned back to Ciara and grinned ear to ear. “Have fun sitting in back here,” he said quickly before slamming the door shut.

“Smart ass,” she called out to him She waited until she knew he was sitting comfortably in the drivers sit and about to move when she punched the wall causing Victor to fly forward in his seat and hit his head on the steering wheel. From the back Ciara could hear Arrina laugh loudly and Victor growl. Yes her work for today was done.