Boaz ran through his mental list. Thinking of something, he quickly went down the stairs and entered his home office. He shuffled the data files around on his custom kazinoir desk, barely noticing the deep blue patterns of the inlaid kyanite.

“You really are going, then?” Boaz paused and looked up. His cousin leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.

“Of course. She asked for my help.” He resumed searching the data files. “Everything is in order and I’m trusting you to take care of any issues that may arise.” Finding the one he was looking for, he straightened with it in hand. As he moved towards the door, his cousin shifted just enough to block the way.

“Is there something that you needed, Ronan?” Ronan huffed at this.

“You know I’ll take good care of the company, Boaz. It’s just…” He trailed off, gazed up at the ceiling as if searching for divine inspiration.

“Just what?” Ronan shook his head before looking Boaz in the eye.

“It’s just…why her, of all people? You have thousands asking for your time every day cycle and you choose her? What kind of hold does she have over you?!”

“Ruth doesn’t have anything over me, Ronan. She-“

“Then why? I can’t believe you’re going with her! A small time scavenger nobody of all people. Don’t you have people who handle people like her?” True, Boaz did have people he called to take care of unwanted pests, but Ruth wasn’t unwanted. Nor was she a pest.

Ronan continued to rant. “She’s clearly taking advantage of you, using her womanly wiles and sob story. It is clearly suspicious! Why can’t you see-“

“Since when have you known me to be easily swayed by a pretty face.” Boaz interrupted his cousin, a sharpness to his voice. “Of course I investigated her.”

“I investigated her, her mother, her ship, and her claim on that salvage. She is a licensed scrapper, registered with Chaddash Corporation. Not a scavenger as you oh so eloquently stated.” Boaz took a deep breath and let it slowly out.

“She’s the real deal, Ronan, now move. I need to finish packing.” Clearly unhappy, Ronan stepped aside as Boaz pushed past him.

Boaz ascended the stairs two at a time back to his bedroom. He slid the data file into his bag and sealed it shut. Taking one last glance around the room, sure now that he has everything, he headed back down the stairs.

He was not surprised to see Ronan still standing there. His cousin was not one to just let things go after all. Tenacious. Boaz was the same, but he did not have time for another confrontation. He had promised to meet Ruth at three, a quarter hour from now.

“Take care, Ronan. Don’t let Michel bully you too much.” Ronan opened his mouth, closed it, then sighed and shook his head.

“Take care, Boaz. Don’t get into too much trouble.”

Boaz could not help but give his cousin a crooked grin.

“No promises.” And with a lazy salute, he was gone.

"I can't believe you're going with her!" Arabella shrieked, standing in the kitchen in her cotton nightgown with her fists tightly clenched.

She shook so violently, that the idea of her socking me in the face played out in my head.

The thrill of it tickled me to smile, but I composed myself, schooling my face into outright shock and smoothed into understanding with a furrow of my brow. Arousal wasn't something I needed to have in a fight over one of my wife's nemeses.

Who just so happened to be the blood analyst in the new murder investigation I was in charge of.

"Bella," I frowned, setting down the newspaper in my hand and walking my way to her, "You know better than anyone that it's not exactly my decision. Especially traveling to the middle of buttfuck nowhere Texas with Evelyn Harkright."

Arabella started to speak, but her breath caught as tears filled her mint-green eyes. "But, you could always say no-"

My heart clenched at the sight of her despair, filling my head with pounding hot fury that not even the squeeze of her hand or the sound of her laugh could subdue.

Evelyn Harkright was a demon, one so full of herself and her future in life that she so willingly stepped on the wings of the angel in front of me.

She deserved to suffer for what she did to my wife.

"Someone died, Honey," I consoled, my fingers finding their resting place on her cheek and doing their only needed purpose of wiping the tears from her face. "Let Harkright and I serve justice for the poor fuck and I'll get her transferred as soon as I can."

She stared up at me for a few moments before succumbing to my warm embrace and leaning into my touch, burying her face into my shoulder. "You're right, you're right."

The silence that followed was peaceful as I held her tightly in my arms and swayed in the kitchen on the balls of my feet.

I loved this woman with my whole soul. The need to be 'right' was never the issue at hand, but her joy and comfort. I hated every second I breathed, but I doted on every breath she made. She was the rock from which I stand, the being that kept me tethered to this useless existence people decided to deem life.

For anyone to hurt her, was to threaten my entire purpose.

"I'm sorry I got so worked up, I know it's silly to still be mad at her about high school," Arabella drawled on with a slight laugh, her dark hair framing her face in a mess of strands. "I mean she just-

"I'll stop you right there," I tutted, smiling down at her as I brushed the hair away from her tanned face. "For anyone to make my wife cry, they are wicked."

"Grant-"

"I won't hear it!" I continued, firming my hold on her waist and picking her up with ease. "They all deserve death! Torment!"

Her laughter filled my ears as I spun her in the air. The sound peeled like a grand bell, a sound so beautiful it could heal millions in seconds as it healed my rotten soul in the blink of an eye.

"Oh my god, Grant!" She squealed, hitting me weakly with the palms of her hands. "You're such a brute!"

"Your brute," I grinned, hovering her closer and kissing her with the passion that my soul continuously sang whenever she was in my presence.

Laughing, I shake my head and pull my mind from the memory of the morning with my wife and back to the task at hand. "Apologies, Harkright, I lost myself for a moment there,"

Evelyn's brown eyes are wide as she stares at me, tears streaming down her face as her wrists tug at the chains that bind her to the large steel slab table.

"Please, Grant, please, I don't understand," She sobs, her voice scratchy with useless attempts at screaming herself free from the desolate grey room I entrapped her in.

Evelyn would never be heard, not even from a mile away, I made sure of it.

As I always did.

"It doesn't matter what you understand or don't," I hum an off-tune song, placing my gloved hand on the rim of my plastic face shield and pushing it down. "You hurt my wife."

Surveying the space, I search for exactly what is needed next.

"Your wife?" Evelyn shakes, her eyes frantic as she searches for whatever I'm trying to find behind her. "Do you mean, oh god, is this about p-prom?"

She chokes on what I can only deem as disbelief and she begins to cry again, pulling at her restraints in a defiant rage.

Of course, she could not possibly understand this deserved end, I could scoff at how typical her outburst was. They never seemed to understand the gravity of their actions toward my wife.

"We were 18, for fucks sake!" She kicks out her legs, her chest heaving as the sound of metal clangs. "Holy fuck, holy fuck, all I did was win prom queen-"

"Ah, there," I murmur to myself, spotting the chainsaw near the entrance. Sometimes I forgot where I put my things during these little events, the passion seemed to blur it all.

"No! No!" The demon half sob-scream whaled on, her existence angering me every second she stayed breathing, "You're deranged, you sick fuck! Arabella-"

The energy in the room shifted and I turned, flinging a knife at her from across the room.

The blade flew, finding its home in her right hip and, immediately, her screams filled the space.

"You do not speak of her. She cannot save you." I huff, lifting the chainsaw with my hand and holding it firmly.

"Save me? Save me?" Evelyn's voice was shaking as she began hyperventilating, her eyes glued to the blood pooling beneath her hip wound as I made my way over to the table. "Oh, god-"

"He cannot save you either."

The pull of the chainsaw echos around me and its purr hums beneath my fingertips as I serve my only purpose.

Protecting Arabella.

And, the blood sprays.

Brianna paced herself cautiously down the abandoned side street, now looking more like a concrete jungle than a suburban neighborhood. Bri was always intrigued by this side of town, but her mother would probably have a heart attack if she knew she was walking down this particular part of Detroit. “I can’t believe you’re going with her!” Sophia exclaimed in a loud whisper from the sidewalk, prompting Brianna to look behind her shoulder at the quarrel she and Evan seemed to be having. Brianna didn’t care really if Evan came or not, her curiosity trumped her fear, and she wasn’t going to wait around. She turned her head back toward her destination with a slight smirk on her face, _Big tough quarterback _she thought to herself, as him and the head cheerleader, stood leaning on their bikes like two little lost lambs deciding which direction they should go. “I’m going to see whatever this is Sophia, but do you really just want to sit here alone?” She crossed her arms in defiance.. “Yes, I do.” “Whatever, I’ll be back.” “Can you slow down? I didn’t know you could walk that fast.” Evan screeched from behind with a prepubescent voice. Brianna looked back over her shoulder again, now rolling her eyes. “Maybe you should walk faster, Evan.” Brianna was used to the digs about her weight by now, a trait she inherited from her body-building dad, and adults and children alike seemed to remind her of it every chance they got, but she didn’t seem to mind as much as they did. She was extremely artistic-minded and thought of herself like this street; beauty that was hidden just under the surface with a little extra effort, and at the age of thirteen she had plenty of time to get there. Although Evan didn’t talk to Brianna in school, she and him were certainly not strangers, they had grown to this age only two houses down from each other on the other side of town; but with age comes self consciousness and the two were content now with only seeing each other for bike rides with the other kids on the block. “Here it is.” Brianna said, she stopped and looked ahead of her at some overgrown Timothy hay and oak leaves. Evan was now out of breath and speedwalking toward her, “Oh wow Brianna, it’s a tree!” “No, you idiot” she waited for him to fully catch up before peeling back a hedge of leaves and twigs “look..” Evan peered through what he assumed was a chain link fence, or what was left of it, and then squinted ahead to see a few diamond pads covered in grassy dandelions, a large blue snack bar with the painted letters barely hanging on, and an old white and green scoreboard, and it hit him, this was definitely a baseball field. “Noooo way…” “Way.” Brianna said with a victorious grin.

“I can’t believe you are going with her.” It wasn’t a shout. It wasn’t a cry. I was better than to cry over a boy. Especially one as stupid as him. But when you’ve known someone for years, it hit harder because just when you thought you knew them, they turn on you. “Rhea, come on, what did you expect?” He seemed angry about my ease. “What I expected was the boy I grew up with. But I guess that ship has sailed and is now at the bottom of the ocean.”

“Okay, I’ll be ready by five.” He tells Luda, and then walks away. He’s only taken about twenty steps when Anya catches up with him. “Vasil, I can’t believe you’re going with her!” “Anya, we’ve talked about this, you can’t judge her based on a ‘gut feeling’. She’s nice and I want to go with her, plus, she needs help getting there.” Vasil says. Anya shakes her head sadly, and then looks at Vasil’s dark brown eyes. _He’s so naïve, _she thinks. Anya has more than just a ‘_gut feeling’ _about Luda, but she can’t bring herself to tell Vasil. It would break his heart. “You’re making a mistake,” she whispers sadly, and then walks away. Vasil feels a surge of burning hatred in his heart. Anya is so entitled, and she acts like she knows everything about everyone. _Luda is kind and loving and she wants me to come, and Anya is just jealous, He thinks. _And then he is consumed by thoughts of this trip to the city with Luda, and about what a good time they will have. As Anya watches them board the bus at five, she can feel her heart crying from the inside out. Vasil, her best friend, off on a road to get his heart broken by the girl who Anya had once called her sister away from home.

Mia woke up on the morning of the much-anticipated prom proposal with a flutter of excitement in her chest. She couldn't help but imagine the perfect moment when Josh would ask her to be his date. As she got ready, she meticulously chose her outfit, hoping to impress him. She settled on a stunning emerald green dress that accentuated her eyes and made her feel like a princess.

Arriving at school, Mia's anticipation grew with each passing hour. The whispers in the hallways fueled her excitement, confirming the rumors that Josh had something special planned for her. She couldn't wait for lunchtime, when she would finally witness this romantic gesture.

When the lunch bell rang, Mia practically floated towards the school field, her heart pounding with anticipation. As she approached the crowd, her eyes searched for Josh, her smile widening. But as she got closer, her smile faded into confusion and then shattered into a million pieces.

There, in the center of the crowd, stood Josh, holding a bouquet of roses, but he wasn't looking at Mia. Instead, he was down on one knee, asking her best friend, Emma, to be his prom date. Mia's world came crashing down around her, and she felt a mix of disbelief, betrayal, and heartache.

Unable to control her emotions, Mia's anger surged through her veins. She pushed her way through the crowd, her voice trembling with hurt as she confronted Josh. "I can't believe you're going with her!" she exclaimed, her voice cracking with pain.

Josh's response cut through her like a knife. "I was always going to choose her over you," he said, his voice filled with coldness. "She's the reason I even got close to you."

Mia's heart shattered into a million more pieces as she realized that Josh had never truly cared for her. The pain and betrayal she felt were overwhelming, leaving her with a profound sense of loss and emptiness.

In that moment, Mia learned the harsh reality of love and friendship, understanding that sometimes people can be cruel and deceptive. It would take time for her to heal, but she would emerge stronger, knowing her worth and never settling for anything less than genuine love and respect.

Months passed, and Mia focused on rebuilding herself. She surrounded herself with supportive friends and family, who reminded her of her strength and worth. Gradually, the pain began to fade..

As time went on, Mia discovered new passions and interests. She threw herself into her studies, excelling in her classes and earning recognition for her academic achievements. She also joined a local theater group, where she found solace and a creative outlet.

One day, while rehearsing for a play, Mia caught the eye of a fellow actor named Liam. He had a kind smile and a genuine warmth that immediately drew her in. They struck up a conversation, and soon enough, they were spending more and more time together.

Liam was different from anyone Mia had ever met. He listened to her, supported her dreams, and made her feel cherished. With him, she felt safe to be herself, free from the fear of judgment or betrayal. Their connection grew deeper with each passing day, and Mia couldn't help but fall in love.

When prom season rolled around again, Mia found herself in a completely different situation than before. This time, she didn't need a grand gesture or a public display of affection. All she wanted was to spend the night with someone who truly cared about her.

So, on the night of prom, Mia and Liam shared a quiet, intimate dinner together. They laughed, danced, and created memories that would last a lifetime. It wasn't about the fancy dresses or extravagant gestures; it was about being with someone who saw her for who she truly was and loved her unconditionally.

As they slow danced under the starry sky, Mia realized that the heartbreak she had experienced was a necessary stepping stone on her journey to finding true love. It taught her valuable lessons about self-worth, resilience, and the importance of surrounding herself with people who uplifted her.

in the end, she found love, right where she least expected it.

The first bell rang, sending students, me included, clamoring to various rooms along the hallway. All except for Queen Bee Sarah Watson.

She was still inspecting her already perfect manicure, the tips of her nails as flawlessly white as her shorter than the dress code allowed skirt and chunky-heeled sneakers.

The second and final bell rang out. A few stragglers raced to claim their seats, panting with the effort. Not so Sarah, who floated into the room just as the distinctive sound faded, her seat smack in the middle of the room awaiting her like a throne.

I rolled my eyes, watching the male gaze sweep across her, practically drooling. Until I saw that my best friend, Jake, the literal boy next door, was among them. Okay, so he wasnt drooling. Yet. But the way he was staring was making me feel decidedly uncomfortable.

I tried to tell myself that I didn’t care, that it didn’t matter, that almost everyone fell under Sarah’s spell sooner or later.

I was hoping it would be later for Jake. Or never. Never would have been perfect.

Although why it should bother me in the first place, I could not answer.

We were friends, best friends, and nothing more.

“Liar” my mind whispered and my face grew hot, thinking of a few weeks ago when we’d gone swimming out on Lake Michigan. Jake had been gone most of the summer, helping his grandparents on their farm in Door County. Though Ephraim was only about four hours away from our town of Racine, Wisconsin, he might as well have been on the moon.

Texting had been a poor substitute and hit or miss at that.

But seeing him again on that perfect summer afternoon, his shirt gone and showing off the muscles he’d gained bailing hay and my mouth had gone dry.

It felt like cotton now as our teacher partnered us up to work on essays about how we’d spent our summers. The one before we would turn sixteen.

Jake was paired up with her, Sarah, her perfect blond hair shimmering like gold to her tiny waist. His own hair was slightly darker and as I sat there and watched, she brushed a few strands off of his forehead.

I couldn’t bear to look anymore and pulled my unruly mass of strawberry blond waves into a messy topknot, then turned to my partner to focus on the task at hand.

Later, I stood at our lockers, our usual meeting place, trying to spot him in the crowd. But though it had been a good 60 seconds since our first class had let out, he was nowhere to be seen. I sighed, looking up and then over at the archway where the side hallway merged with the main one, noticing the overly-glittered banner for the Back to School dance.

I shrugged to myself, knowing I wouldn’t be going. Jake wouldnt either. It was a matter of principle and, we’d decided, school dances were the worst.

That’s when i saw him, coming towards me. But he wasn’t alone. Sarah was at his side, beaming up at him. She gestured at the banner.

“I can’t wait for Saturday night,” she cooed, with just a bit of flirty giggle.

Her smile faltered for just a fraction of a moment as she saw me standing there, obviously waiting for him.

“See you later, Jake,” she simpered, giving his well-defined bicep a lingering squeeze before sashaying away into the crowd she reigned over.

Jake watched her go, then smiled as he walked over to me.

“Hiya, Becs,” he said, opening his locker and swapping out his English composition book for Chemistry.

“Hiya, Jake,” I replied and I had every intention of ignoring whatever that had been with Sarah but the words came out before I could stop them.

“So what was all that?” I feigned interest in my newly purchased calculator for Trig class.

“All what? Oh. You mean Sarah?” He grinned, dipping his head and shoukder to lean in closer to me and i could detect his cologne. He looked and smelled like an Abercrombie and Fitch ad.

“Um, yeah.” On the outside, I was playing it cool. On the inside, my heart was racing.

“Oh, nothing much. She asked if I had a date to the dance on Saturday.”

My heart stopped, dreading his next words and the answer to: “To which you said…”

“To which I said ‘no,’ and that’s when she asked me.”

“To which you said…” I am turning into a parrot.

He gives me a look then shrugs, “I told her yes.”

I felt the heat in my cheeks, my fair skin always a dead giveaway to my emotions.

“What?!? You’re going to the dance? You hate dances. And we had plans to go to the lake.”

There’s a moment where he remembers we kinda, sorta had plans for a bonfire with some other friends from our neighborhood.

But he wants me to let him off the hook.

He’s my best friend. I want to, so badly, but I’m hurt and blindsided and angry. Mostly angry.

“I can’t believe you’re ditching us. For a dance! And I really can’t believe you’re going with her!”

Before he can react, I’ve slammed my locker shut and am charging down the hall, away from him.

Carter was a little too drunk to have heard the knock on his bedroom door, and way too high to have cared. So there he lay; face down on the engine-block-sized beanbag chair. He’d had the wherewithal to roll himself over in the middle of the night to avoid the whole Hendrix thing.

Anthony knocked once more before just barging in, hoping his brother had also remembered pants. Boxers was enough, he supposed.

“Wake up, wastoid.” Tony hurled a bottle of cold water his way. It connected with his lower back then rolled off, leaving crisp droplets to trickle down to his ass.

He shivered but didn’t look.

“What…?” It was a canine whine.

“You’re leaving with Beth tomorrow? What’s that about.”

“Fleetwood Mac.”

Muffled against the beanbag, Tony wasn’t sure he heard it right.

“Excuse?”

Carter finally rolled himself back turtle’s end style and looked at his brother.

“We sang karaoke the other night; Fleetwood Mac, and it was glorious and we’re in love and she got a job in Chicago and I’m going with her.”

Tony was shocked. All he could do was ask, incredulously, “that’s that? I can’t believe you’re going with her…”

“That…is that.” Then, after a thought, “Hey Google; play Fleetwood Mac.”

“Okay. Playing Return of the Mack.”

“Close enough. He rolled back over.”

Anthony shook his head at the mess in front of him, in all meanings of the word.

“No no no no no, you’re gonna listen to me!” Sharon followed Dave through the archway of his room, making it impossible to close her out.

“Can I help you?” He asked, irked.

“Did you hear what I said?”

“The judgy message you are all but blaring at me with a bullhorn? Nope. Missed it.” He plopped onto his bed, trying to disengage.

“Be serious for two seconds. I just— I can’t believe you’re going with her!”

Dave almost snorted. “Going with?’ What does that even mean?”

“It what mom and dad used to say… I’m trying to…” her words ran aground. She shook her head. “Fine. I can’t believe you’re fucking her!”

“…ew?”

“Am I wrong?”

He thought for a strangely long moment, then, “I like to think of it as…making love-“

“Okay now ew.” She shook her head. “Look… who you… do that with is your business-“

“Aw, thanks sis,” his words rolled their eyes.

“-But— I’m your older sister, and it’s my job to look out for you when you’re being an idiot. And you seem pretty idiot being led into the same dick-bear-trap that so many guys do.”

He mulled over her creative imagery.

“Which is…?”

“She’s crazy. And you never stick-“

“Don’t start. You don’t know her. And besides, you’re talking like you know an awful lot about the male dating experience when you are, as far as anyone’s aware… a lady.”

“And as a ‘lady’ I hear things. Things others ‘ladies’ spread around. Little red flags or warning signs. Just… do me this favor and trust me… it can’t be worth it…”

He seemed to mull it over then waved her off. “Okay, I’ll- I’ll think on it. Now would you please vamoose? Christ.”

She kissed the top of his head and did as he asked.

He held out a full fourteen minutes before texting said crazy girl. It would take him another month to understand why she had warned him. And you’d better believe that she rubbed it in his face.

I sat on my bed in the apartment that I was currently calling my own. The room with it’s plain dull white walls and a pale white light made it feel colder than usual, at least colder than Sal’s cafe or my safe house with a roaring fire in the wood burning stove. I look around the room it was very small and very simple; Serena’s bed sat across from mine and a bed side table that we shared in between with a reading lamp on it. On Serena’s side of the room was a door that led to a closet we also shared and against the wall at the end of my bed was a dresser with six drawers. The top three were mine and the bottom three were Serena’s. Serena was in the hallway on the phone; I could hear Serena’s voice as she spoke to our superior officer but I couldn’t make out exactly what was being said. My heart hammers in my chest. I knew this was going to happen, that I was doomed from the start. I hear Serena hang up the phone and moments later she appeared in the doorway arms crossed over her chest and a hardened expression on her face. I looked at the floor suddenly becoming fascinated with the dark and dull gray pattern of our carpet. “I told them there’s been no sign of the female vampire that we have been hunting or her coven and that we believe that they have gone to ground. They want us to stay here for awhile, at least a year or until further notice, which ever comes first and keep surveillance just incase unless ordered otherwise.” My head snapped up when she finished her sentence. “You didn’t tell them about…” I trailed off. She rolls her eyes at me. “You and your vamp girlfriend?” She finished my sentence “Of course I didn’t, although now if you go down I’ll be going down with you.” she said her tone indifferent almost sounding bored. “Serena I… thank you! You don’t know how much I appreciate this!” Her face softens and she smiles at me. “We’re best friends and we made a pact remember it doesn’t matter what they do to us; nothing really bad can happen as long as we have each other, because I look out for you and you look out for me.” I smile at her “You promise.” I say holding my pinky out. Serena’s smile widens slightly “I promise.” she says walking over and linking her pinky with mine just like she did the day we made the pact as a couple of 10 year old kids. We held each other’s gaze our pinkies still linked when Serena broke the connection and then strode the few steps to her bed and collapsed in the center of it her legs hanging over the edge. “I still can’t believe you’re going with her; I mean she’s a monster Shaylyn; a vampire!” “No, really? She’s a vampire? Thank god I have you Serena without your impeccable perception I would be utterly hopeless!” I said my words dripping with sarcasm. She threw her pillow at me, I caught it and threw it back. Then she sighed “I knew this was going to happen, I just knew it, I had this feeling like deep down in my bones, but I guess I didn’t want to believe that you would be willing to risk everything for a monster.” “You have never been in love so I don’t expect you to understand it; I barely understand it myself and she’s not a monster! I mean yeah she’s a vampire but not a blood thirsty killer like we’ve been taught!” “If you say so.” “I don’t just say so I know so!” “Are you sure?” “I have never been more sure of anything in my life!” “Fine…just don’t expect me to trust her because I am not going to start making a habit of trusting monsters especially vampires.” I nod in understanding. Serena lost a friend to vampires when she was young, long before I ever knew her, and she wanted vengeance. She has harbored a strong hatred for them ever since. That is the reason I felt I had to ask her this question. “Serena do you feel like I’m betraying you?” “No…yes…it’s complicated!” She said sounding a bit frustrated. “Do you still trust me?” I asked hoping she did. “Of course I trust you, sometimes you’re the only person I trust, but now you’re befriending and dating vampires, and I definitely don’t trust vampires and…that’s what I mean when I say it’s complicated.” She said in that same frustrated tone. “This kind of thing was never taught to us in training; the consequences sure but not what to do if it happened.” “The consequences are meant to scare you so you don’t do it!” “And now we see how fabulously that works out don’t we? I knew the possibility of what could happen, what can still happen. I am well aware that I could lose absolutely everything, but I can’t seem to be bothered about that enough to care. Draya is worth it!” “Forgive me but I respectfully disagree.” Serena said sitting up. “You’re forgiven and honestly I never expected you to be 100% ok with this, but the fact that you haven’t ratted me out shows that you at least trust my judgement, even if you don’t trust Draya.” “Yeah, well you’re you and she’s…well she is what she is.” I smiled and nodded at her. “Well if you’ll excuse me I have a call to make.” “To who?” “Draya gave me her number I promised to give her a call after you and I talked; she will probably worry if I don’t.” “Right because of course we can’t have the poor little vampire worried.” she said with plenty of sarcasm. “Not when the thing she would be worried about is me, and she is liable to come over to check on me herself if I don’t call.” “Okay, okay fine, go call her. I don’t need the stress of a vampire literally knocking down our door or explaining to our landlord how that happened.” Serena said getting back into her cross legged position and began to reassemble the revolver still laying in pieces at the foot of her bed. I laughed a little as I went into the hall where the phone was. The phone stood on a small round end table with a big soft plushy arm chair next to it. I pick up the phone and dial the number. It barely rings once when she picks up. “Shayly?” Her worried tone said on the other end. “Yeah it’s me…were you just waiting by the phone this whole time?” I say plopping myself down in the chair. “Yes…you certainly took your time calling.” She said although her to was more teasing than annoyed. “Sorry I called you as soon as I could.” I apologized. I hear her sigh. “Well at least you called.” “Did I worry you?” I asked even though I was pretty sure I knew the answer. “No and yes…I am pretty sure I would worry about you no matter what the situation.” “I think it’s really sweet that you worry for me but you don’t have too.” I said with sincerity, both statements were true. “I can’t help it, you are just going to have to cope with the fact that I will always worry about you little hunter.” she replied affectionately. “Well you can put your mind at ease for now my talk with Serena went better than expected.” I told her. “Really?” She sounded slightly surprised. “Well she doesn’t like it, but she and I are still good and she is covering for us so all is well that ends well I guess.” “I can’t stop thinking about you. I miss you,” she said longingly. “It hasn’t even been 24 hours yet Draya” I said my tone amused “I don’t care and it doesn’t matter I still miss you.” She said in the same longing tone. “I know what you mean; I miss you too.” I said a bit of longing seeping into my tone as well. “I wish you were here with me lying next to me so I could hold you all night again.” The memory of Draya’s ams around me holding me drifting into my mind “God I would love that… do you have any idea what a hard time I am going to have sleeping now that you put that thought in my head.” I said unable to keep the desirefrom my tone. “Probably as hard a time as I am going to have.” She said. "Either way I should probably shower soon and get ready for bed I'm actually really tired." I replied “We should both probably try to get some sleep soon I have a tough conversation tomorrow and if I can’t have you here at least I can dream about you.” she agreed however her voice took a bit of a seductive tone when she said that last part. “I will dream of you too, at least I hope I will.” I say as I curled the cord around my index finger. “I’m actually sure you will.” “Like I said I hope so, in fact that hope will probably be the only thing that will help me sleep tonight and you better be right, because if I fall asleep and don’t have sweet dreams all about you I will be very annoyed in the morning.” The said “I feel bad for Serena, I have a feeling that an annoyed you is unpleasant and regretfully I can’t see you tomorrow. It’s probably going to take all day and most of the night to get everything sorted out with Celeste and David.” She both teased and then explained. “Can you call me and tell how everything turned out at least?” I asked hopeful. Sure what’s your number?” She asked. “529-1011” I can hear the sound of pen scratching on paper. “Okay got it.” She answered “Are you worried?” I asked with concern “Probably not as much as I should be but yeah I am.” She said solemnly “You remember how you said that if things went south for me that I should come to you?” “Yes I do recall that.” “Same thing goes for you if things take a turn for the worse you come to me and we’ll leave go to New Orleans and find that little island in the South Pacific for ourselves just you and me against the world.” I said with conviction “I actually kind of like the sound of that…if I actually have to take on the world there is no one else I rather have standing by my side than you.” she said with affection “Awww thank you. I’m honored, I can’t think of anyone else I would rather have by my side either.” I said then tried and failed to suppress a yawn. ”I will let you go so you can sleep little hunter. I will see you in my dreams.” She said her tone loving “I hope to see you there too. Good night.” I said equally as loving “Good night” she replied softly and I hear her hang up. I hang up the phone with a sigh and return to my bed room. I collapse on my bed with a groan my legs still hanging over the end of the bed and I can feel Serena’s inquisitive stare. I answer the question I knew she wanted to ask. “Stressed, my life right now is just stress and confusion and anxiety and as much as I love Draya and as incredibly wonderful as that is my life sucks right now.” I say throwing an arm over my eyes. I can hear her grabbing her pillow and the springs of her mattress creek. I feel and hear my own mattress creek and dip as she climbs onto it behind me. “Come here.” she said. I take my arm away from my eyes and tilt my head back to look at her. She was sitting at the head of my bed with her legs spread and two pillows propped behind her. I sit up and scotch back until I am sitting between her legs. She pulls my shirt off over my head and begins to massage my shoulders. This was not uncommon for us; even the partially undressing thing, although that was more a Serena thing than me thing but not uncommon for her. “Damn girl, you’re hella tense, I mean your knots have knots.” Serena said as she pressed her thumbs and the heals of her hands into my shoulders attempting to kneed the tension away. “I know, I feel like I’ve taken over for Atlas holding up the sky.” "It doesn't always have to be you, you know? Your shoulders aren't the only ones that can bear the weight of the world." “It’s just, you know how highly respected my parents are I feel like I have a lot of expectations to live up to because of who my parents are, in fact if Amber hadn’t taken over after your parents died one of my parents would have been next in line to take up the position of leader.” I say.

Amber was Serena’s older sister and when their parents were killed during a werewolf hunt the role fell to Amber who was only 13 at the time and had only just sworn in a month ago. Serena was only 9 and a year later she was sworn in along side me. It was unusual for 10 year olds to be sworn in but we were good at what we did and with our parents having such high positions of power they made an exception for us.

“Sometimes I wish they had ever since Amber became leader she’s a lot harder on me. I think she’s trying to show me that I won’t get any special treatment just because we’re sisters.” “Yeah and look where I would be if she didn’t…in a worse place than I am now because not only would I be betraying my parents but my leader too.” “You do know you’re doing that now right?” “I know it just doesn’t carry the same kind of weight though.” “You’re right… now let’s see if I can’t get more of these knots worked out.” she said continuing to massage my back and shoulders. I lean into the comforting touch of my best friend. “Serena, I’m sorry.” “For what? Falling in love?” “Sort of; more so for getting you mixed up in my messy love life.” “You don’t need to be sorry for that. I made my choice and I chose to cover for you and except the consequences that come along with that; end of story.” “I’m so lucky to have you for a friend. I doubt anybody else we know would do for me what you are.” “Yeah well, I like you better than anyone else we know.” “Even your sister?” “Especially my sister!” I laugh before saying “That’s an awful thing to say about your sister!” “Amber and I… we were never close I mean we don’t have fights or argue like most siblings do but we also don’t get along. I love Amber as my sister and I respect her as my leader, but I don’t like her if that makes any sense?” “Yeah I mean I get it, like if she were a stranger you met in the street you wouldn’t associate with her.” I say “Yeah the only thing that ties us together is blood…well blood and hunting.” “She’s the only Family you got left.” I said. “No she’s not. I got you…family don’t end in blood.” “I never had any siblings but I could never ask for a better sister than you.” I said honored that Serena felt so strongly about me. “Well I’ve done all I can do…now go get in the shower, the warm water should help with those tense muscles too.” “Okay and thanks again Serena, for everything.” “You’re welcome.”

When I enter the bathroom I undress and throw my clothes into a old wicker laundry basket we kept in the bathroom. The layout of the bathroom was as fallows: the first thing you when you walk in is the toilet and next to it was a pedestal sink with a big round mirror over it. There is a waste basket under the sink and next to the sink was a small table with things like a hand held mirror, hair brush and toothbrushes in a cup. Next to that that is a linen closet for with extra towels, washcloths etc. A claw foot bathtub sat against the back wall. I turn on the water and hold my hand under it until it is my preferred temperature and then pull up on the little lever to turn the shower head on, I step in and pull the shower curtain closed. A small shiver runs through my body as the warm water makes contact with my skin. I stand under the water and Serena was right, it did help to relax my muscles and I sigh in relief. I only wished my mind would relax. Although things had turned out alright with Serena it didn’t mean Draya and I were out of the woods yet .Draya still had to talk to Celeste and David and even then there were gong to be a lot of challenges for us to face. I stay in the shower a long time taking my time to wash my hair and body and decided to actually take the time to shave my legs. I know that it my seem gross but I don’t usually wear anything where my legs show and in training we were only allowed 5 minute showers. In fact that’s one of the reasons most girls cut their hair short like Serena. I left mine a little longer just to wear the ends could brush against the top of my shoulders. Although I needed to get it cut as my hair currently fell just past my lower shoulder blade. I finish rinsing myself off and turn the water off. I grab my robe off a hook on the wall near the tub, put it on and tied it shut and wrapped my hair up in a towel that was also hanging near the tub before getting out. The bathroom was completely fogged up. I walk over to the mirror and wipe a layer of fog off in order to see myself properly. I looked at my reflection, I didn’t look any different than I had yesterday, same brown eyes and a fair unblemished complexion that I had always had, looking just the same if not a bit tired. It was funny how nothing about me had really changed and yet my life had drastically changed literally over night. I sigh and grab my tooth brush out of the cup, put some toothpaste on it and brushed my teeth. When I am finished with that I take my hair down out of the towel and hang the towel back up before going back to the bedroom. When I entered the room Serena was laying on her stomach with her head at the end of the bed propped up by her hands and her legs bent up at the knees kicking them back and forth in the air. “I was thinking why don’t we have a sleepover?” “Serena we share an apartment and a room isn’t every night kind of a sleepover?” I say walking over to the dresser and taking out a two piece pajama set and throwing it on my bed. I also got out a pair of panties pulling them on right away. “That’s not what I meant. I was thinking I could gather up all the junk food in the apartment, bring it in here and we could just stuff our faces with stuff that is definitely not good for us, stay up all night long talking and telling stupid ghosts stories and maybe have a pillow fight or two and then end up sleeping in the same bed like when we first started being friends even though we were supposed to be full fledged hunters.”

FLASHBACK I remember meeting Serena; we had just received our hunters marks, which are basically tattoos. I chose to get mine on my upper bicep. Serena had gotten hers on her inner forearm. My eyes were all teary from the pain of getting the mark, but not Serena. The girl was like a rock never showing pain. I had never met Serena before and the rest of my squad was still in training at the time. When you begin your training to be a hunter you are separated into squads of five or six, in my squad ther was Lonnie, Kyle, Ryan, Asher, Cassandra, (Cassie for short) and me. We were a team and more importantly we were friends. I was the best in my squad, so good in fact that I was eligible to be sworn in early. Unusual yes, but for someone showing so much promise and with such highly respected parents they made an exception. When I got the news I was honored and excited and I thought my friends would be supportive and happy for me. Instead they seemed to think that I thought I was above and better than them. They all turned on me and gave me the cold shoulder, didn’t even say goodbye or wish me luck nothing. I never felt more alone in my entire life. So there I am, a newly marked hunter and this girl comes practically bounding over to me and says “Hey! Just get marked? Me too hurts like a son of a bitch doesn’t it?” I don’t say anything but the girl is undeterred. “So what room are you in?” I show her the piece of paper with the sector and room number I would be in. “Oh you are in the room right next to mine, cool. I’m Serena by the way. I have a feeling we’ll become fast friends.” I cried the first night. I thought I was being quiet but apparently I was wrong when I heard a knock at the door. “Who is it?” I ask trying to keep my voice from quivering. “It’s Serena, can I come in?” “Yeah…sure.” Serena opened the door and crept inside and came over to sit on the bed beside me. “I was on my way back from the bathroom when I heard you crying. What’s wrong?” “All my friends hate me.” “That’s not true.” “Yes it is. They hate me because they believe that I think I am better than and above them because I was sworn in early.” “I don’t hate you.” “We’re not friends, I don’t even know you.” “Not yet, we just have to get to know each other.” I say nothing. After 20 minutes of silence Serena speaks up. “Wait right here, I’ll be right back.” she left the room returning not long after, her arms filled with candy and chips and all kinds of other junk food. “Swiped this stuff from a room with all kinds of contraband stuff because all the kitchens have here is health food, but I thought we could use a bit of junk food.” I to this day don’t know how Serena got into the contraband room as the door always had a lock on it that could not be picked and could only be opened if you had the key. Serena and I spent the rest of the night talking and eating junk food and getting to know each other. Before we fell asleep Serena said “Let’s make a pact.” “What kind of pact?” “A best friend pact that from now on it doesn’t matter what they do to us nothing really bad can happen as long as we have each other because I look out for you and you look out for me.” I smile at her “You promise?” I say “I promise.” she said holding her pinky finger out to me. I hold mine out too and she linked our pinkys together we,ve been best friends ever since. END FLASHBACK

I smile at the memory. “Okay Serena we’ll have a sleepover.” Serena clapped her hands and let out a squeal of glee as she practically leapt off the bed and exited the room to retrieve the snacks while I changed into my pajamas. It wasn’t long before Serena returned with all the junk food we owned which included two big bowls of ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate syrup complete with cherry on top. “Better eat the ice cream first before it melts.” she said thrusting one of the bowls into my hands. I take a bite and smile at the sweet taste of the frozen treat. We didn’t talk much while we ate our ice cream and when we finished Serena stacked the bowls and set them on the night stand saying something about “taking care of them in the morning.” “So tell me about Draya.” Serena said as she reached into a bag of potato chips. I nearly choked on the gummy bear I had just eaten “What?” I said when I regained the ability to breathe properly. “Tell me about Draya, we have never really talked about her outside of hunter context and I think I would like to know a bit about the beast who has stolen my best friend’s heart…and when I say beast I mean that in the most respectful way possible… like beauty and the beast.” “Okay, well, she’s artistic, in fact the second time we met she drew a picture of me and titled it hearts desire.” “Wow…that actually sounds romantic.” “Yeah, she’s also affectionate and gentle, but respectful too. When we spent the night together in my safe house she wanted to tend to any injuries she caused during our fight, attempted to calm my anxieties I had about all the difficulties we will have to face and then she held me all night.” “She sounds…sweet.” “She is, she’s also very bright and so…charming I guess even by vampire standards.” “What else?” “She loves me; at least I believe she does. It’s like when we’re together, I’m just me, without the pressure and burdens of a hunter. No expectations or anything really, we’re just us. It’s a freeing feeling really, I even felt that way before she knew that I was a hunter. When ever I am with her I’m not Shaylyn the monster hunter, I am just Shaylyn the average American teenager in love. I don’t get to be that version of me very often, even with you.” “Ouch, you wound me girl!” “Oh, don’t get me wrong you’re the greatest Serena. If it weren’t for you I don’t know how I would’ve even gotten through my first week. I felt so alone and you were there and have been ever since and nobody knows me better than you do but with Draya it’s just different.” “I can understand that because you and me never knew each other outside of hunting. I mean yeah sometimes we just do normal teen stuff like now but the hunting stuff is always kind of hanging over us like some kind of ominous cloud or something. With Draya she brought out the girl in side you. The one that secretly wants to leave the world of hunting and the supernatural behind and she gave you these small opportunities be that normal girl, to nurture and cultivate that part of yourself.” “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” “I can’t answer that one for you, it’s something you gotta figure out for yourself.” “Why me? Why do I always have to be the ‘special’ one?” Serena hits me on the top of my head with a pillow .“Don’t be so full of yourself.” she teased. I smile at her “Can’t have me getting an over inflated ego huh?” “Nope especially since I am going to kick your ass in a pillow fight” she said hitting me over the top of my head with her pillow again. “Oh, you wish.” I said grabbing my pillow and hitting her back and then we were laughing and whacking each other with our pillows until Serena’s split open sending feathers flying everywhere and we both fell into a fit of giggles which turned from giggling into full blown laughter and we laughed until we had tears in our eyes and our stomachs hurt. When we had finally calmed down enough to speak again I said “We’ll go out tomorrow and get you a new pillow Serena.” “I needed a new one anyway. This one had lost its fluffiness and that was before all the features came out too.” I laughed a little at what she said “I will help you clean up in the morning before we go out.” “Okay. Speaking of we should probably go to bed it’s hella late.” I nod in agreement and we place all the snack food on the floor by the foot of the bed to be put away in the morning. Serena and I shared my bed for the night, but before falling asleep Serena whispered “Hey Shaylyn?” “Yeah?” I answered. “I don’t know why, but I am rooting for you and your forbidden love.” “Forbidden love?” “Yeah, whatever you and Draya have is like way Forbidden. It doesn’t matter wether she’s good or bad. That doesn’t matter. Our laws against it are very cut and dry, black and white, you guys just aren’t supposed to be. Talk about star crossed lovers.” “We are star crossed lovers, like Romeo and Juliet.” “Romeo and Juliet got dead and I am not about to watch that happen to you Shay. I want things to work out for the both of you but love does not conquer all.” “You could be right, but I don’t know, something about this it feels right like meant to be.” “Okay so true, forbidden love. It’s still forbidden.” “That’s an oxymoron.” “It’s not actually but not the point forbidden or not, true or otherwise, I’m rooting for you two.” “Thanks Serena…I think.” “Let’s go to bed Shaylyn as I said It hella late, just know that no matter what happens I’m on your side, even if it doesn’t seem like it.” “I appreciate that Serena.” “Good night Shay.” “Good night Serena.” And with that we both drifted off to dreamland.

THE END to be continued in Forbidden Love Part 2

It took me longer than I expected to write this but I at least I got it out quicker than last time. Thankfully life is calming down a bit so that’s good and I already have a start on Forbidden Love Part 2 so hopefully I can get that out soon too. Leave me some awesome feedback even just a ‘Good job’ keeps me motivated to continue writing. I am always open to constructive criticism too if you have any as it helps me to improve my writing skills. 33 and still learning lol. Hope you enjoyed and are looking forward to part two!😃💜