Solartyr

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The Awakening

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~FallingBreathless~

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Book One: Discovering Danger

Chapter 1: My Stupid Jock Best Friend

No one said life was easy. Everyday, I see things, terrible things that no one else sees.

I am by myself, alone. I see the truth…and such a terrible truth it is:

Light does not necessarily symbolize good as dark does no necessarily encompass evil.

"Hey, can you lend me a hand here?"

Jared's head jerked out of his book as his thoughts were suddenly scattered by the unexpected voice. Looking about the room in a daze, he spotted his friend Cole balancing a pile of books on his knee. "Dude, you coming to help or what?"

Jared nodded and quickly weaved his way over.

"Yeah. Sorry, I was kind of out of it at the moment."

To tell the truth, Jared had been out of it since the start of summer. No, scratch that, since he had started working at The Corner. Cole, the tall blonde standing next to him was the one who had suggested that they work there in the first place. He had suddenly ran up to Jared during passing period with a yellowed piece of paper on the last day of school raving about something random, once again. It turned out to be a job opening at a local store.

Jared sighed for the millionth time when he thought of how his summer was going to be confined to the small, dusty bookshop. It wasn't that The Corner was uncomfortable –it was just creepy. Yes, Jared, the school's self-professed nerd, found this bookshop creepy.

"You're doing it again," said Cole with a bit of annoyance in his voice.

Cole knew that sigh. He'd known Jared for years, and they were best friends. The rest of Lakeshore's football team never understood how he got along with Jared. Looking at Jared, Cole wondered too.

"What?"

Jared was confused for only a brief second until he got it. "Oh. Okay, right. No sighing in front of the great Cole."

Cole rolled his eyes in response and handed his friend half the stack he'd been holding.

"Yea, yea. Just get to work. I can't be doing everything around here." Cole grinned and added, "Even though I obliviously could though."

This time Jared rolled his eyes. Cole was their school's star quarterback. Blonde, blue-eyed, tall, and muscled, he could've auditioned for Captain America.

Jared himself was above average looking: brown hair, brown eyes, and a slight build of 5'8 ½." He never really bothered about how he looked, and he certainly didn't play them up to his advantage. Right now, Jared was wearing a ratty, Pink Floyd shirt and faded jeans. Cole always teased Jared for not even having girlfriend yet, or laid for that matter. Probably, the lack of Abercrombie in Jared's wardrobe was responsible. Cole had already had gone through so many girlfriends that they'd lost count.

A sudden tinkling of bells caused Cole to dump his half of the stack into Jared's arms and bolt out of the storage room hollering a "coming!" towards the front room.

Jared watched the athletic blonde bounce around the corner and out of sight. He had been left with the sorting…again. Grumbling, he started organizing the books by author. The room was really silent and the temperature even seemed to drop without his friend's constant chatter. Unconsciously, Jared found himself sorting the books as fast as he humanly could. 30…20…15…10…there only a few more left and Jared would be out of there. Working faster than ever, Jared grabbed a black leather-bound book. However, in his haste, his hands slipped and the next thing he knew was a pain the size of Russia radiating from his foot.

In the other room, Cole heard the commotion. He didn't know what exactly happened, but it was obvious that something had to have been bad. It wasn't so much as telepathy or a sixth sense, but the ringing of "Shit! Damn, fucking…argh!" from the other room. Embarrassed and worried, Cole excused himself from the cash counter and ran over to where he had left Jared.

"What the heck are you doing, Jared? I heard you all the way from…" The rest of his sentence died on his lips as he saw the situation. Jared was on the ground grabbing at his left foot, face angry and upset, surrounded by and army of dusty books. Cole cracked up. "W-what the heck? Ha-happened here?"

"I hurt my foot," said Jared glumly.

It wasn't that funny. Plus, Cole didn't have to crack up about it. "I dropped that fat tome on it."

By now, Cole was holding his sides in pain.

"Oh. God, stop this now! Crime and Punishment, really?"

He mock-ranted as he gasped for air. Jared by then was feeling embarrassed.

"Ok, ok. I get the irony of it. I'm fine and all. So are we done now?"

Cole looked at Jared who had stood up and nodded.

"Yep. Ok, yep. All done."

The football player took deep breath and turned around to leave. Right before they left the room, Jared heard "He dropped Crime and Punishment on his foot." And the room was once again washed in laughter.

Later, Jared was at the counter and was counting change when Cole finally apologized.

"Geez, dude. It was funny. I laughed, big deal."

"…"

"Ok, I shouldn't have. But, it was funny. You've got to admit that. Of all the books you could've dropped. I mean, what are the chances…" He trailed off, noticing Jared's lack of response. "Sorry, ok?"

By then, Jared was the one about to crack up. He had wanted to see how long Cole would keep on apologizing, but it was too much. Plus, Cole sucked at apologizing in the first place.

"It's ok, no need to keep apologizing. I'm over it. Plus, it was funny…in a way."

To this, Jared watched the blonde's grin grow stretch. He sighed. Maybe he did have a problem with sighing. He did sigh often…but that was because his life was boring. Dead boring. He had a normal family –a teacher for a mom, an engineer for a father, and a brat for a sister. The only remotely interesting thing that had happened to him this whole year was reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy. However, he had finished that three months ago. He wished everyday that something would happen something, anything, because anything would be better than nothing.

At that moment, the bells at the door jingled and two girls walking in. The first to enter was an Asian girl, and she was beautiful. The second was another girl taller and a redhead, who was also undeniably pretty, but in a different way. While the Asian girl was pale, slim, with flowing, straight black hair that ended midback, the redhead was cuvy and had wild, curly tresses. Untamed.

Had they gotten lost on their way to the mall and had to ask for directions? Did they have a flat tire? No matter the cause, Jared was a bit shocked as the two walked up to him. Cole on the other hand was already making the moves.

"Hello, ladies. How can we help you? You looking to check one out?"

The redhead giggled with lip-glossed lips as the other just rolled her eyes at him. She spoke up but instead of talking to Cole, she directed her attention towards Jared.

"Hey. Can you help us? We're on our way to a party tonight and we were wondering how to get to this one club."

She offered an address scrawled onto the back of a business card; Jared was stunned. He took the card, and his reply came a bit late.

"Uh, um, sure. I'll see if I can help you." He replied, glancing at the address.

He knew the street, but the address wasn't so familiar that he'd know which building it was. He wished that the filing computer for the place had Internet access. His phone would have also worked, but the owner of the shop was peculiar about electronics at the work place. He didn't know what to do.

Head screaming 'Argh I'm such a lame ass,' Jared watched as Cole started flirting like crazy with the redhead. He was a bit jealous. On the bright side though, apparently there were girls immune to his friend's charms: case in point, the girl right in front of him, getting a bit impatient. "So, do you know the name of the club you guys are headed to?" Jared asked.

Standing next to the girl, Jared felt nervous and tense. He wasn't used to being next to such a pretty girl. The pretty crowd at school tended to avoid him. When she replied, Jared saw that she had golden-brown eyes. Gold. The unusualness of the girl's eyes had caught his attention; so much so, that he had missed the girl's reply.

"Did you hear what I just said?"

"Uh, Sorry. Could you repeat that?" Jared asked, breaking his stare.

However, what he really wanted to ask was if she was wearing colored contacts. The girl looked at him a bit funny, and repeated herself.

"I said we're looking for the Blue Moon Club."

For once, Jared didn't think before he replied.

"It's two blocks down. Then, take a right. You can't miss it."

Jared was telling the truth. It was impossible to miss. Situated on a street full of uniformly brown, brick buildings, it was midnight black with "Blue Moon" scrawled across in electric blue neon lighting. Its walls were covered with framed movie posters, graffiti and chains. Chains literally hung down from random points of the building, encased in the black, concrete blocks.

However, that wasn't the only reason why it was impossible to miss. Everyone. Yes, everyone knew the place. Preps stuck their noses up at it, jocks joke about it, goths worship it, but everyone knew it as it truly was. The Blue Moon was a place where dark and unexplainable things happened: drugs, alcohol, sex, prostitution, rape, fights, and even murder a few years ago. However, that wasn't the most unsettling. Those kind of things happened all the time in big cities, bars, and clubs…sure they were in suburbia and that happened less, but it was the tendency for people to go missing that gave the place a taboo feeling and reputation. Mostly girls disappeared, a few guys now and then, but none of them ever showed up and no one knew what happened. After some time with now leads the case would be closed, gone cold.

Jared looked down at the Asian girl, contemplating on whether he should tell her about that. However, with one look, he felt compelled to at least warn her. If he didn't and if something were to happen to her, he would never forgive himself. "Um….ah-"

"Arae."

"What?"

"My name's Arae," Arae replied, smiling a bit, "so what were you going to say?" Jared blushed slightly, and wished his bangs were longer.

"Uh, well you see…it's not the safest place…things happen there. People disappear and stuff."

Silence followed his statement, only to be broken by Arae's sudden laughter. Jared stared, stunned. It was really more of a chuckle. The sound of Arae's laughter had caught the attention of the other two in the room. It sounded melodic like a music box. All too soon, it stopped and Arae was grinning at Jared.

"Oh, god. You are seriously funny" she started. "Why in the world would we be heading to Blue Moon if not for the danger?"

Jared stared at her and she stared right back. It was a serious question. Jared had never even set foot in the place, but he needed to say something. "…Because you like their terrific burgers?" Arae's smile got bigger at this.

"You've never been there, have you?"

Jared shook his head sheepishly. Arae nodded at this in acceptance.

"Well, you got drunks, prostitutes, gays, strippers, and hunks. You've got to love it. The music there is fantastic; it makes your blood rush and you feel alive. Plus, people don't disappear unless they want to. They don't serve burgers there, only alcoholic beverges."

Although he consumed a lot of literature and in AP English, Jared didn't know what to say. Luckily, he didn't have to. Cause, that was the moment Cole decided to return to the counter with the redhead.

"Did I hear someone mention stripping? If one of you ladies is offering then I'm all up for it." He joked.

Cole beamed a dazzling grin at Arae and her friend. The redhead giggled again, much to Arae's apparent dismay and surprise and replied.

"Then I guess I'll see you hunks down at the club tonight, then. If you're really curious, then I might be doing a little something there during the night. Nine o' clock. See ya boys."

She winked at Cole and then sashayed toward the door. Arae rolled her eyes and followed, waving back at them halfheartedly. Jared waved back. The door closed behind the two girls.

"Man, did you see that redhead? Man, I'm feeling so lucky today!"

Jared rolled his eyes as Cole sunk into the old, beat up La-Z-Boy near by. Dust flew, but Cole was too buzzed with excitement to notice.

"Did ya see that? She was totally making the moves on me."

"Yup. Just like you were doing to her."

"Yeah, I know. Hey, she also meant a little something with the 'doing a little something,' right?"

"No, really?" Jared replied sarcastically. "But, I hope not."

Cole cast a disapproving look at Jared. Jared was totally a joy killer. Cole swore that his best friend seriously needed to tone it down a little sometimes.

"Jeez, dude, don't need to act like you have a stick shoved up your ass all the time. You need to live a little."

Jared felt attacked by this comment and felt compelled to defend his honor.

"Well, this is how I am. Get used to it. Plus, you're not really going to go meet her tonight are you?"

"Yeah."

"See- What?"

Jared stared at the blonde sprawled on the couch. He wasn't really even asking a question. But Cole's reaction was what bugged him. "What? Why, you're not serious are you? What about Amanda, you know, you're girlfriend…who you adore?"

"I'm going to go."

Cole's expression was distant and dreamy. It looked like he was high. Jared walked over and plopped down next to him.

"You're crazy. There are drugs there and people go missing."

"You're crazy. There are hot girls and a night of fun."

"You don't even know her."

"Her name's Nicole, and she's beautiful."

"That doesn't say you know her."

Cole didn't reply and Jared knew he had him stumped. Cole, unable to find the right words, groaned in protest.

"Ok, you know what? We're in fucking high school! You have got to, I dunno …do some girls…drink some booze…you know have fun."

Jared just shook his head in disbelief. That was not his definition of fun. It was also out of character with Cole. Okay, it was a bit in character, but it was more like someone had magnified his friend's partying habits. Amanda was going to be crushed.

"Look, do you even know what club that Nicole girl was talking about?"

Cole looked back at him blankly. Jared felt a beginning of a smile, when Cole broke out in a devilish smile that made Jared's stomach drop.

"I may not know, but you do, don't you. That one Asian chick asked you for directions right?"

By then, Jared's stomach was probably resting near his coccyx. Suddenly, he had a very bad feeling. That feeling when there's nothing you can do against something but to just sit and watch. Swallowing nervously, Jared nodded. Cole grinned at his companion and rubbed his hands with anticipation and felt a smile stretch his face further. "Jared, I think we'll be having a hell of a night."

Time: 8:53 P.M.

Location: Standing outside of the Blue Moon Club

Status: Cold and Miserable

Jared checked his watch for the millionth time as his stood in line. As much as he was attracted to the girl, Arae, he didn't want to wait outside a minute longer. It was dark and it was barely 40 degrees out. Scanning the length of the line, he blew on his hands to keep them warm.

"Cole, let's go. We've been out here for some 20-30 minutes already. Let's just call it a night."

Cole looked at him like he had grown another head.

"'Call it a night?' Are you stupid? The night's just about to begin."

Jared took one look at the football player standing beside him and mentally smacked himself in the head. He never knew Cole could be that persistent to get with a girl. From what he knew, Cole basically got whatever girl he wanted at school. Also he was more of a player and would definitely not obsess over one girl.

Amanda had been his longest girlfriend of roughly half a year. She was surprisingly not Cole's usual type, and Jared genuinely liked her. He even thought Cole was going to settle down: school jock and the quiet, shy, studious girl. Now Cole was standing outside in a line, in the cold, waiting to meet up with a girl he had just met only hours ago. What happened? Whatever it was, Jared felt guilty of being an enabler. Poor Amanda. She'd be crushed.

While Cole returned to waiting patiently in line, Jared studied his features intensely. Cole didn't really look any different. Well, ok, he was a bit paler but that was probably due to the cold. Jared came up with only one logical conclusion…

"You're suffering from a severe case of TRDTUACWB."

Now, they were only some five people away from getting into the club. Half distracted, Cole looked at Jared.

"What are you mumbling about now?"

" I deducted that you are suffering from Testosteronial-Relapse due to Unusual Amounts of Contact with Books. This explains your girl craze."

Jared waited for Cole to respond knowing full well that this would take a few seconds before it would sink in. Finally Cole got his head around it and replied with a:

"Oh funny, really funny. Are you planning on becoming a comedian soon? Anyways, come on we're here."

In front of them, was a gaping hole leading into darkness with loud music pouring out. Jared, senses a bit overloaded, just stopped in his tracks and stared. He didn't even notice the people in line hissing at him, until Cole elbowed him in the side. "Hey, Earth to Jared. You read me."

"Yeah, yeah" said Jared coming to.

He glanced quickly at the line where group of goths shot him the finger. Turning around, Jared forked over his $10 and without a word followed Cole into the Blue Moon. It was only until after they entered the main room did Jared find his tongue. "Hey, Cole, we should seriously leave this place. What about Amanda?"

Cole glanced around the room.

"Why, we just got here? Amanda, shamanda. Who's that?"

Jared wasn't even sure if Cole was joking or not. It was at this very moment that Jared gave up all sense of hope that he once had about his best friend growing a brain. Cole looked so transfixed.

"Hey, also how'd the heck did we get in here? Aren't we too young to be-"

Jared trailed off as Cole thumped him in the back.

"Don't be an idiot. This is America. I slipped the guy forty to let us in."

"Oh…" said Jared, dumbfounded. "Right."

The room was basic black. Black matte walls, black lightings and tile flooring, just black. There was a bar in the back with what appeared to be 30 some different brands of vodka; there were scantily clad girls dancing on pink poles; there were people making out, plastered against each other, and who knew what else all far as Jared could tell. Giving one last glance at his friend, Jared's reply was just a disapproving shake of his head. Cole, oblivious, just barreled right into the chaos. He had spotted Nicole at the bar.

Cole weaved his way through the crowd naturally and soon was chatting at the bar. However, Jared, who didn't have a way with crowds, was caught in a mass of hot and sweaty dancers.

People were pressed up against him on every side and he found himself in a kind of human soup. To his left a girl was grinding her butt against a guy with dreadlocks who was visibly getting excited; to his right, two shirtless teenagers who looked younger than him were making out as one rubbed his crotch against the other's butt. Jared's head just spun. Under the moving colored lights, it was just a tangle of body parts, arms and hair and movement.

He had to get out of there. He pushed his way roughly through the mass; he rested against a wall. Wiping sweat from his forehead, Jared scanned the room. Crap, he couldn't even see any sign of Cole anymore. Jared stood there because frankly, he was fed up with Cole. What the heck had gotten into that guy today? It was like he was under some sort of spell ever since he'd talking with Nicole. Feeling a sudden chill, Jared stopped that certain train of thought.

"Hey, you ok?"

Jared snapped into attention to realize that someone was also leaning against the wall right alongside him.

"Uh, yea. Why do you ask?"

Jared seriously wondered why the guy had asked. It was weird. The guy didn't look like someone who belonged in the Blue Moon. But then again, neither did he. Jared really didn't belong there.

"Well, you were getting trampled on the dance floor."

The other guy replied indifferently. Jared gave the guy a quick up and down. The guy looked like a college student probably from around the area. Impeccably dressed af if he were attending a wedding party instead of a mosh pit club, he was tall, roughly around 6' with long, blonde hair that ended at his shoulders. Jared only hoped that the guy didn't mean to cause him any trouble.

"Yeah, it was pretty jammed down there."

The other guy grinned.

"So, you don't come here often?"

"First time."

The guy was seriously putting Jared on edge. Apparently, he had no sense of personal space. He had turned to talk to Jared and now was hovering over, and into Jared's personal space.

"Really? Well, how about I show you to the bar. They had a new shipment of vodka today."

"Sure." Jared agreed hastily.

It wasn't that he liked vodka or anything, he was still underage. But he knew that Cole would be there with the girls. He'd simply follow the guy over, grab Cole, and get the heck out the place.

Following the guy, Jared had a strange sense that everyone was parting for them. That everyone was strangely aware of the guy, the guy that he was following. Rubbing his clammy hands together, Jared prayed that it was just his imagination.

His morbid imagination was already picturing tomorrow's news. It would read. Jared Reed, age 17, found dead outside of Blue Moon club. Jared could almost swear that he had a caught an image of his parents when they read the news. His mom would start crying, his dad would be shaking his head sadly, and his sister would laugh, thinking that it was a joke. But he would be dead.

"Hey, we're here."

The bar was pretty top-notch, at least from what Jared could tell (not that he had anything to compare it to). The counter was polished black granite and behind the bar were bottles of every shape and color illuminated by lights and mirrors. Jared plopped down next to the guy on one of the leather bar stools. He hadn't caught sight of Cole.

When he got his hands on Cole, Cole would wish he were dead. Jared was tired and wanted to leave. He glanced at the guy next to him. Would the guy notice it if he just left? Probably not, he was leaning across the counter and chatting with a pretty, pixie-looking bartender.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, but I have to go."

Jared turned and started leaving, but the guy had caught a hold of his arm.

"Wait, what are you talking about? I just ordered us some of the new pineapple vodka. You can't just leave now, what am I going to do with the vodka?"

By then, the guy was seriously irritating Jared. Turning around, Jared just stared at the guy.

"Look, I'm not having the best day. I am going to leave, and you can just drink the vodka. Isn't it what it's for?"

Ok, on any regular day Jared would have felt a bit bad about sounding so harsh…but today was different. Today was just a mess. He must have caught the guy by surprise because the guy didn't answer. But, he hadn't let go of Jared. Nope, Jared just stood there with his arm captive, waiting for the guy to respond.

"So…I'm guessing you don't like vodka?"

Jared sighed –it was going to be a long night. The guy seeing Jared's sign of defeat let go his arm and Jared sat back down. After he sat down, Jared sighed.

"Ok, I'll stay, but let me lay down the rules."

The other guy was practically bouncing on his bar seat with happiness.

"Yeah, that's fine. Rules are fine with me."

Jared stared at the guy to make sure that he was being serious.

"First off, I don't drink, can't drink, and won't drink."

The guy looked peevishly at the cups of vodka he was holding. "Second, I'm not just here for fun, ok?"

The guy nodded. "Lastly, I don't want to be hauling you somewhere if you decide to get drunk."

Jared waited a moment to let what he said sink in.

"Well, I guess that explains why my vodka offer was declined. Yeah, I'm fine with the rest. I don't get drunk very often."

Then laughing he added: "Also I never introduced myself. Pardon my manners. The name's Laurence. Laurence Cloverfields." Laurence extended his hand and Jared shook it.

"Jared."

He gave Jared a look. "No last name?"

Jared flushed a bit embarrassed when he replied.

"Sorry, I'm not even supposed to be in here. My friend bribed the guy at the door. bar." Laurence nodded in understanding, but then suddenly Jared was grabbed and hauled out of his seat.

"L-Laurence, what the fuck are you doing? Let me go!" He demanded.

Laurence looked down at Jared happily as if all was dandy.

"N~othing!" He replied in a tauntingly singsong voice.

It was definitely not 'nothing.' People were staring and Jared felt like crawling under a rock and disappearing. The stupid guy had hauled him out of his seat and plopped him onto his lap. Jared physically bit his tongue to keep from going into hysterics and breaking Laurence's jaw and nose.

"Laurence. Please let go. I do not want to be on your lap."

This just made Laurence grin harder. More people were stopping to stare and Laurence didn't even bat and eye. Jared was just about to punch the guy, when someone else did.

"Jared, are you ok? Laurence! No, oh gosh, don't just harass every person you see!"

Arae stood towering of the two of them who had both tumbled off of the seat. Behind her stood Cole and Nicole. Cole stood looking at Jared, mouth open and shocked until Nicole whispered something into his ear. Then suddenly Cole's face when slack jawed. Jared didn't get to see any more because Arae stepping forward blocked his view.

"Jared, are you ok? I'm so sorry about that. He's my cousin."

She said jabbing a finger towards Laurence. It was shocking. Arae looked at him and then at Jared and just shook her head. "I know hard to believe. Yeah I know, how is 'it' related to me?"

By then, Laurence had gotten up.

"Hey, hey, little cousin, watch your temper and treat your elders with respect."

Arae just shot him the finger, which brought about a smile from Jared.

"Ok, whatever old creeper, find someone else to harass. This one's with me."

To Jared's shock Arae slung an arm around his waist. Laurence was also shocked. He just stared from Jared to Arae, from Arae to Jared and left. Seeing that Laurence was out of sight, Arae moved her arm away and groaned. Then she turned on me. "Are you an idiot?"

She was seething. Jared had no idea what to say in the face of something so fierce.

"Um, no…I've got a 3.8 GPA."

"Seriously? That's not bad at all. Of course, I have a-" She suddenly cut herself off. "Wait a sec, that's not the point here."

Weirdly, Jared felt like Arae had met his mom as she continued her assault. "The point is how the heck did you get lost? Cole came over and looked back and asked us where you were. Weren't you the one telling me to be careful? Also how the heck did you end up in Laurence's lap? You, you're not bent that way are you…cause if you are then let me tell you, you do not want to be with Lau-"

Irked even more, Jared cut her off.

"Let, me clarify. I'm. Not. Gay. But the rest just kind of just happened."

Arae rolled her eyes.

"Cause everyone knows that things 'just happened' for no reason."

She shook her head and then helped to pull Jared off his butt. Standing then in close proximity made Jared realize how short she really was. She was a few inches shorter then his shoulder. No taller than 5'5'' max. Glancing around, she whispered into Jared's ear.

"Did he try to kiss you?"

Jared jerked up. Arae was seriously asking. She also looked nervous...no…troubled. Scratching his head, Jared followed suit –looking around before replying.

"No. Does he usually kiss people?"

Arae chose not to reply the question. She seemed more distracted, more out of it. "Um, hey. You ok? You look a little pale."

Arae looked a little more than just a 'little pale' she had almost a gray skin color and her eyes weren't golden anymore. However, it probably was just the blue lighting. She had apparently been zoning because instantly went: "huh?"

Blinking a few times, she became more aware of herself. She had just rescued Jared…now she just had to get the other one out.

"Hey. Where's Cole?"

This time Jared was the one who went "huh." Arae's head swung wildly from one side to another searching through the throng of people, scanning. "Omg, omg, omg, omg, Nicole. Gone. Cole."

She was totally freaking out and hyperventilating. He felt compelled to calm her down even though he, himself, was worried. However, his worry was more for Nicole. Cole was a big, football player. He could take care of himself.

"Hey, calm down. They're probably just dancing in a corner or something. Plus Cole's a big guy he can take care of himself. Nicole was with him. He's a quarterback on a football team. I've seen him literally mow down someone."

What Jared kept to himself was that Cole could definitely take care of more than just himself. He was probably taking care of Nicole too, in a different sense.

Arae appreciated Jared trying to calm her down, but he had no idea what was really happening. He wasn't even really worried, while she was about to crawl up a wall and sail the seven seas.

"Jared, look, this is serious. I can't really explain it to you now. But Cole is in danger. Serious danger."

Arae grabbed Jared and started dragging the confused teen back toward the bar. Jared didn't even protest. He was really getting worried. Was Arae talking about drugs? Mafia? Maybe it was a gang -it was probably it. And Cole had somehow gotten into the middle of it. Jared felt bile rise up his throat but he forced it down. It could also be some sort of a sick joke.

"What kind of danger are we talking about?" He asked.

She didn't even turn around when she responded.

"Life threatening danger."

Jared felt himself go a little cold. They made their way around the main dance floor heading quickly for the back. "Wait, Arae. Is it a gang? If it's a gang thing then I think we need to get the authorities. We can't just march into gang activity by ourselves. Hey…"

Arae paid Jared no attention. Instead she caught the bartender's eye and gave an almost imperceptible nod of her head. The bartender nodded back. Jared had stopped asking questions and watched as the pixie girl discreetly pulled down a shot lever. Soon the bartender girl was getting out from behind the bar to meet them followed by the other bartender. Arae was apparently well acquainted with both.

"Nicole. Level 4."

Someway or another, the two understood, and Jared followed them without a second's pause into the staff lounge room. The room that they went into looked bland and studious with its watered-downed orange walls. Loud music from the dance floor could still be heard as Jared sat down into one of the worn beige chairs. Arae sat down across from him. The other two stood awkwardly to the side. The guy was pacing while the girl leaned against the wall, chewing gum.

"I knew it! Nicole really did it this time. I warned you guys that no one from the area was to be harmed. No one. We've already overused this area as is, and the cops are really going have a field day with this one! What part of 'low-key' does Nicole not seem to understand!" The glasses wearing guy seethed.

"Shut, up Damian. We know that already. Nicole's always overdone things, breaks the rules. This isn't like it's the first time," snapped the pixie-girl. "What's important right now is that we find them before it's too late, right? No crime, no problem."

Glancing at the clock on the wall, she added, "I think we'll have about 72 hours."

"Wait, why can't we just call the cops? What's going to happen in after the 72 hours?"

Everyone turned to look at Jared.

"Why'd you bring him?" Damian asked jabbing a thumb at Jared.

Arae sighed.

"You guys, I think we should tell him."

"No."

"Why not?" She countered, raising an eyebrow at Damian.

Apparently he was the guy in charge in the group.

"Because, it's too dangerous, and it doesn't need involve him. We have enough members to take care of it without any outside interference."

"We're talking about his friend, Damian."

Damian closed his mouth and glared at Jared. Then he turned back to Arae and the other girl. The other girl looked at Arae and then nodded slowly towards Damian. Finally after a tense moment, Damian nodded.

"Friends first and utmost," the pixie girl whispered.

Seeing this, Arae turned her full attention to Jared.

"Look, Jared. I know that you don't know us and we only just met today, but you have got to take me seriously. Your friend Cole is in danger, and he probably hasn't even noticed yet. We're guessing that he'll be dead after 72 hours. And no, his body won't show up…he'll just remain missing. He's going to be murdered by his own will." Jared shook his head in disbelief. These people seriously were taking a joke too far.

"You're lying."

"We're not," said the pixie-girl gravely.

"Well, why would Cole want to get murdered? And who's planning to kill him?"

"…"

"…"

Biting her lip, Arae was the one who replied. "Nicole is planning to murder Cole. She's going to eat him, Jared. We aren't normal."

"What do you mean?" Jared asked.

Things were becoming more and more incomprehensible to his already reeling mind. Now cannibalism was getting involved. Nothing was making sense.

"We're not human," said the pixie girl.

And with an unhuman speed, she whipped out a small knife and slit her wrist before Jared even had the time to protest. Jared gawked, and his eyes nearly popped out in the next second. The girl's blood ran an emerald green against her tan skin. Blood was not green. Also by the next second, her wound had healed, leaving only a thin scab that ran along her skin. Jared nodded in shock, reeling back a little.

"Yeah, that's definitely not normal."

Jared felt as if ice was spreading its way through his bloodstream. Even the loud music was silent. "What are you guys…? I mean, this isn't some huge joke that Cole got you guys to do, is it? Cause if it is, then you can tell him to go fuck himself. He's being a real jerk today."

"This isn't a joke, Jared," Arae cut in. "I know we just met, but I'm going to have to ask you do believe us. Your friend may die."

This time, Jared felt like he had hit 'rock bottom.' If it had been a joke, he'd be hearing Cole's laughter by now. Then, supposing that this wasn't a joke, then the situation was bad. If it was enough to get these people who could slit their wrists at will, then it would be way over the heads of the cops. Damian cut in before Arae could grab Jared and shake him by the shoulders to get him to snap out of his shock.

"Arae, it may take a while to explain. We've got to start heading out, with or without him. Katie call up the others," he instructed.

The pixie girl quickly dialed some numbers in rapid succession. Jared continued to stand, frozen. The paralysis was only skin deep, Jared's mind was racing. Arae grimaced and yanked at his sleeve.

"Jared. Jared! Snap out of it. Are you going to come with us or not?" She demanded.

Blinking, Jared nodded, slowly as if he had just been awakened from a very deep sleep. Everyone had started moving. Damian hadn't said much but nodded at Jared. Everyone understood that the clock was ticking, and that time was running out. Time was running out for Jared's best friend.

First post on FictionPress! Whoot, whoot!

Thanks for reading this. I've always wanted to write my own fiction piece. This is sort of supposed to be a branch off of the recent vampire hype. I kept thinking...if there is a yin there is a yang and so if there are nocturnal-loving vamps, then what loves the sun. BAM. EUREKA! Also, I've always wanted to write from the point of view as a guy. I tend to have female main characters. Anyways, I don't want to spoil too much, so I'll end with the information that loads of action is in stock for you guys. Things are going to get crazy, CRAZIER, real quick.

As always, authors love reviews,

FallingBreathless

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