• The bright blue eyes haunted my thoughts as I laid dying in my lovers arms. I awoke looking at my stomach to see if I had truely been stabbed and was bleeding to death. I sighed with relief as I found myself unharmed unlike in my dream. The dream faded from my mind as I got up to get ready for work. My clock read ten o'clock in the afternoon as I put on a black t-shirt, a black skirt, a pair of black sockes, and a pair of black high heels. I went to my apartment bathroom and brush my treeth and long, curly brown hair. I placed my hair in a ponytail before I braided it, so it would not get in my way. I grabbed my wallet and keys before I locked my apartment door and headed over to my neighbor's apartment.
    "Sarah," I called as I knocked on her door, "Come on Sarah, we've got to go to work." The door swung open as Sarah hurried to put her shoes on. She has long blond hair, blue eyes, and wore the same outfit as me. "Sarah, you need an alarm clock," I giggled looking at her bed head.
    "Leave me be Shay. Not everyone can wake up in time for work everyday, " she exclaimed brushing her hair as she head for her car. She cranked her car as I hopped into the passenger seat. We headed to work, singing to her CDs, and got there in about ten minutes. We worked at the Cochran convenience store and had just arrived in time for our shifts.
    "Next time you're driving, I'll wake you up twenty minutes before we need to leave, " I mocked.
    "Yeah well, this week is your week to carpool, " Sarah said.
    "Yeah, but if your not up and ready in time, I'm leaving without you, " I told her as I clocked in.
    Sarah stocked drinks and beer up in the freezer while I handled the cash register. Like usual everything ran smoothly. Mr.Jones came in at four to buy himself some lottory tickets, Mikey bought his daily gas and pack of cigarette at four thirty, and Mrs.Shaw got her weekly carton and an A&W root beer at around seven. Sarah handed the register from four to seven while I cleaned and stocked the store. Suddenly at about seven fifteen the store phone rang, and I answered it to hear Sarah's mother on the other line.
    "Oh hold on Mrs.Smith. Hey Sarah, it's your mom, " I hollared and handed her the phone. I watched as she listen to her mom and saw her face become horror struck.
    "Oh... Ok... I'll be right there, " She uttered before she hung up, "Shay, I have to go. My... My father's been in a wreak and is."
    "Say no more, just go. I'll cover for you. " I interrupted her. She grabbed her stuff before she headed out to her car and drove off. It was only after she had left that I remember that I had no other way home. [Oh well, ] I thought to myself, [Looks like I have to walk home.] I walked out from behind the counter and accidently scratched my arm on a metal shelf. A customer came in at around eight thirty and grabbed himself a case of beer and a case of wine coolers. He had short, dark brown hair, green eyes and was wearing a long black trenchcoat. "I'll need to see your ID sir, " I declared as he sat his purchase on the counter. He handed me his licence which said he was twenty-two years of age and named Alexander Argeid. " Well Alex, if you don't mind me calling you that, your total is thirteen sixty-three, " I chirped as I handed back his ID and took fifteen dollars.
    "You're bleeding, " he whispered as I handed him back his change.
    "Huh, " I asked seeing him looking at my arm which was bleeding, " Oh, I must have got cut when I hit that shelf silly me." He grabbed his bag and headed out the door.
    "Be careful who you get cut around, " he laughed.
    [What a strange man,] I thought. I clocked Sarah and myself out as third shift clocked in.
    I started walking through town to the small inn that Sarah and I stayed at. I walked quickly as I came to the "alcohol corner", named for the numerous bars and alcohol stores. Many of the guys and a few girls whistled at me as I passed by. After I got to the end off the street I slowed down and continued to the inn. I became nervous as I heard footsteps behind me, and started to walk faster. The footsteps quickened behind me and I knew that it was some drunks following me. I turned a corner and began to run because I knew that if they attacked me I won't be able to defend myself. My boss told me that if I brought another weapon to work that I would be fired. I heard the men behind me shout to each other as they raced after me. I turned into an alley and founded myself staring at a dead end, but I knew that I still had a chance to get away. I hid in a pile of boxes as the men turned into the alleyway.
    "I saw her go this way, " a rough vioce spoke.
    "Start looking around and find her Frank, she couldn't have went anywhere, " another voice stated. I slowed my breathing and stayed hidden as the men looked around. One got close to me and threw some of the boxes out of his way. After a few minutes, the men left the alleyway. I waited five more minutes before I left my hiding place and headed out of the alley.
    As soon as I stepped out of the alleyway, I was pushed back into it as one of the two men pushed me.
    "Hey sexy, wanna have some fun? " Frank exclaimed. The smell of beer from his breath over powered the smell of everything else around me. I kicked him in the shin and tried to run as he released me, but was jumped by the other man, who threw me to the ground. He placed his hand over my mouth as his buddy grabbed my legs and held them down. "Don't wory baby, you're goiong to enjoy this, " Frank said, "Allen is a professional." Suddenly he released my legs as I heard a him get hit by someone. I struggled with Allen who let me go as he went to help his buddy fight off the attacker. I stood up and watched the man dodge both Frank and Allen's attacks as he landed hit after hit. Soon both men laid out cold from the attacks of the strange man.
    "Are you alright, " he whispered and I realized that he was the same man from earlier at work.
    "Alexander, is it, " I choked before tears began to stream down my face and I fell to my knees.
    " Come on, it's dangerous around here, " Alex stated as he helped me up. I fell into him because my legs wouldn't hold me up and felt a wet sticky subtance on the side of his arm. As we came under a streetlight, I looked at his arm and gasped.
    "Your arm, it's bleeding, " I cried in horror, "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I didn't think... I."
    "Don't worry about it. You should head home, " he told me. After making sure that I could stand on my own, he disappeared into the shadows of the night.
    I started to head to my home as I heard another pair of footsteps behind me. I stopped and looked behind me but saw no one around. I walked again and the footsteps followed after me. I halted under a streetlight and tried to stop my racing heart. [It's probability just Alexander following me to make sure I get home ok,] I told myself. After I continued to walk home the footsteps behind me stopped and I was only a block away from my apartment. Under an upcoming streetlight a man stood against the pole.He had short blond hair, blue eyes, and was wearing a pair of black leather jeans and a black t-shirt. It seemed almost as if he was waiting on someone to come.
    As I began to pass him, he grabbed hold of my arm. I jerked my arm for his grip as he asked, "Don't you know how dangerous the night can be to a lovely young lady like yourself? Hmm, especially with all that blood all over you." I looked to see my right arm and front of my shirt covered in Alexander's blood. "That scent... That must be Alexander's blood. I see... Fool can't even take care of his meal, let alone himself, " the mysterious man continued, "Let me see your neck." The man quickly grabbed my chin and moved my head from left to right inspecting my neck.
    "Let go of me, " I shouted awaking a dog close by that began to bark, awaking many people around us. He growled as he grabbed me around the waist, and I felt a sharp pain at the back of my neck. Then everything went black as I fainted.
    I opened my eyes to find myself looking down a the ground from the top of someone's shoulder. Suddenly, I was slung upon a bed by my captor, who I found to be the same man that had knocked me out.
    "Ok sexy, tell me what went down between you and Alexander, " he demanded.
    "He... He protected me from a pair of men and...He was hurt, stabbed I think, " I cried wondering if I was going to be okay. He grabbed my chin and brushed my hair from my face.
    "No... It can't be...Marie, is it you, " he exclaimed surprised.
    "N...No. My name is Shalena, not Marie, " I piped almost crying.
    "Samael, " another voice spoke, "Von Raven has invited us to his reawaking party, my lord." Samael moved so I could see the other man that had entered the room.
    "Ah Damien, come tell me who this young lady looks like, " Samael commanded.
    Damien looked at my face in disbelief as he replied, "That can't be Marie can it?"
    "No it's not. Ah, anyhow tell Larry we accept his invitation, and take our new guest to her room beside Xavier, " Samael proclaimed. Damien grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet before he drug me down halls and some stairs to a furnished dungon where he placed me into my own cell. My cell had a lovely bed, a small fridge, and a small plasma T.V., and beside me there stay a little boy with only a bed in his cell.
    I could here the little boy crying as I sat down on my cell bed, and went over to see what was wrong.
    "Hello. What's your name, sweetheart, " I asked him.
    "Stay away from me," he screamed from a corner he sat in, farthest from my cell.
    "Oh please don't be scared. I won't hurt you, " I proclaimed.
    "No! I... I might... I don't, " he sobbed before he just broke down crying.
    "Please, please don't cry. It'll be okay. I promise, " I assured him as I put my hands through the cell bars for him to come into. He saw and ran over to me bawling and I held him in my arm until he stopped. He looked to be about eight years old. He had spicky black hair, dark green eyes and was dress in an all black suit.
    "Xavier, " he whispered as I held him close.
    "Hmm, " I mumbled.
    "My name, it's Xavier, " he uttered.
    "Oh, what a lovely name. Mine's Shay, " I responded. I began to hum as I cradled Xavier. He began to snore as he fell asleep in my arms. I too find my eyes dropping as I sat there until I found myself asleep.

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    To be continued...