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Dark Angel

Chapter 1

her smell. it was the only thing i could think of all day. the smell of strawberry and lavender, mixed with some other fragrance that not even i could decipher. apricot? or was it lemon? i don't know! i walked around campus from what seemed like hours before i had gotten into my car and drove. trying to clear my head from the though of her smell...the though of my mouth on her neck, her taste. STOP! i mustn't think of that now i said to myself as i drove down the serpentine like highway that lead to where? i hadn't a clue. all i knew was i couldn't ever come back. i couldn't ever be around this girl who's name i didn't know.

it happened in English class, sitting in my usual seat farthest away from everyone. my feet on the seat beside me that i new wouldn't ever be occupied. People felt the need, or rather new better, then to converse with me. pondering over trivial everyday things, i saw her, or rather smelled her. a sweet fragrance that had taken a toll on me like no other. like someone had punched me full force in the stomach. before i even saw that she had taken the seat next to me, i had smelled her. i had never smelled anything so...delicious before in my life. i had to have her. i thought about all the ways it could be done. then she did something that others would have though suicidal. she SPOKE to me.

"hello"

i didn't know what to say, how to act. i stood silent for fear of breathing, tasting her sweet intoxicating essance, and exposing myself for what i was.

i could taste the venom that was leaking from my fangs in my mouth.

i stared at her, she had beautiful hazel eyes, eyes i had never seen in all the years I'd lived. olive colored skin, she was very slim, muscular. her hair almost as black as the night sky.

i continued to stair at her, in awe.

she blushed, beautiful Scarlett. i wanted to touch her, to feel the warmth of her skin on mine.

i came out of my day dream to reality and to the fact that i was still driving down the highway, AWAY from the girl i so longed to take, to covet. i turned around so fast that the tires screamed. who is this girl, to drive me from the place i call home? i could kill her if i wanted to. my throat began to burn from the thought as i wound up the familiar road to my house. getting out of the car, i shut the door and began towards the front of my house. i opened the door, flopped down on the couch, and though. thought more then i ever had before. I'm not a fan of thinking to much, or patience. to me actions speak loader then words. i got up from the couch and decided to prowl around the neighborhood seeing as it was night fall, and id be less conspicuous.

i could feel the wind in my hair, the familiar unevenness of the ground, as i ran through the forest i knew only too well. then i smelled it, or rather i smelled HER. i stopped. i sniffed around trying to find out where the smell had come from. too much moisture in the air, not good for sniffing out prey, but i was determined. i began walking around, sniffing at trees and grass like a common dog(how degrading). I've never been one for tracking. then i caught the faintest hint of it, i whirled around. and saw where it came from. A big old Victorian house, painted some kind of off white color, with blue shutters, The font door was made of oak. to the right of it was a huge glass window, with some kind of fancy white curtains, and attic window could be seen at the very top. below, a balcony that over looked the rest of the street. why hadn't i ever noticed it before? i circled the house, looking for an opening (and like all buglers bent on finding a way into things), i found one. an open window, how convenient. i climbed up the window like a mongoose chasing a snake. i poked my head through the window. their she was, sleeping. i felt that same familiar urge to take life, i felt that feeling in my stomach, my throat. the sent was so powerful, it was as if some kind of unseen force went and shoved me back. i fell from the window seal with a loud thud. i stood, or rather laid their, dumbfounded. some vampire i was. i considered climbing back up...no, not considered, i ARGUED with myself. In the end my curiosity got the better of me, and i went back.

for the second time i poked my head into her room, and then i saw her. staring at me with those green eyes. then it dawned on me, why hadn't i heard her wake up, or even move? i could hear any particular human move or walk from miles away if i focused hard enough. yet, i didn't hear her... curious. i leaped up into the window seal sitting in a cat like crouch. staring intently at her.

"hello" she said (for the second time today, might i add) and again, i said nothing.

"cant you speak?" she asked. i could her a hint of curiosity in her voice, or was she taunting me?

I contemplated on weather or not i should answer her.

she cocked her head to the side, like a dog does when it sees you have food, and its wondering when your going to give it some. i had no food.

then i though id out held the silence long enough and said "yes, i can speak" funny, my voice didn't sound like my own.

"oh" she giggled.

"yes..." it was the only thing i could manage to say.

"is their something you need? seeing as you seemed so intent on entering my room tonight"

how did she know that?

what should i say? i stood silent.

"hmmmm..." she looked pensive.

"aren't you in my English class 4th hour?"she asked

"yes, what of it?" i asked sarcastically, folding my arms across my chest.

I've never been the gentlemen in all the years I've lived, and i wasn't about to start anytime soon.

"just asking" she didn't seem the least bit insulted.

"whats your name?"she asked.

"Alexander" I guess id owed her that much, seeing as i broke into her house.

"whats yours?" i retorted. i sounded like a five year old who couldn't have his way.

she looked at me, as if she were considering weather or not to answer my question.

"Cassandra"

before i could stop myself i said " that's a real pretty name"

she blushed. "thank you"

she smiled at me, for the first time. it was beautiful, angelic. kinda like those smiles you see on the commercials about teeth whitening, only 100 times better.

id never forget that smile, and i knew it.

i back smiled at her.

"come" she beckoned me with her hand at patted the bed, motioning me to sit beside her. i went.

"your a vampire, are you not?"

my reaction to the word vampire hasn't always been a good one, i bared my teeth at her and felt that familiar growl come from deep inside my chest.

she looked at me, horrified, like if i was some kind of monster.(who would blame here)

Awww SHIT. i thought to myself.

my fangs receded and i stood up from my crouch from the window seal that id jumped to at the sound of the word.

i sighed, and walked over to her. she looked at me, with that same expression as before. i touched her face. though when i spoke, it was not to answer her question, but to state a fact.

"you don't need to be afraid. i just don't take a liking to the word...vampire" i found the word even after all these years, hard to say.

i sat on the bed next to her. she laid close to me...too close. i felt that burning sensation in my throat again, it took me awhile to regain control. she felt me tense beside her, and looked up at me. i sighed and relaxed a little, she moved closer.i looked at her. sunlight didn't do her justice. she was much more then beautiful in the moonlight, like a cereus flower. she finally looked up at me.

"why did you not want to talk to me today? in school i mean."

seeing as i was thinking about how beautiful she was, i was taken aback by hear question.

"for many reasons...i didn't want to hurt you"

"why would you hurt me?"

" your smell appeals to me, like many other humans. its nothing really, i just wasn't used to your sent"

she looked at me. confusion clean on her face. i kinda liked the fact that her emotions were always so clear to me.

"tell me" she said "about you and where you've been, your life"

and i did just that. we talked for what seemed like many nights in one. i had never felt the way i felt that night.

honestly, i had never talked about my past to ANYONE, so much a mere stranger.

i was telling her about my days traveling as scholar in Hungary, back in the 1700's, when i noticed she was asleep. I climbed back out the window, and was home before the sun had even risen.

Chapter 2

I rushed through the ever familiar side streets i took everyday to school, already almost late for fourth hour. I didn't bother to go in the morning seeing as i hadn't fed since the day before last, and new that the black circles under my eyes would draw to much attention to me, seeing as the school year had just started. i mean, how weird would that be? already losing sleep on the first day of school? at least that's what i kept telling my self. i new the real reason was because i want to see her. i wanted desperately to know that last night was NOT a dream, but a reality. which is ironic because vampires don't sleep. so i KNEW it must have been real, but i wasn't to sure of myself. it took me what seemed like hours to get their and sprint in the class room just as the bell rang. i've never been one for tardiness. either i go or i don't, it's as simple and absolute as that, why make it complicated? i took my normal set at the back of the room, trying not to look as fidgety as possible. Controlling anxiety isn't one of my many talents. to my surprise, she didn't come...strange. i felt a sudden wave of depression come over me, disappointment. which is a new emotion for me. Hmmmm. i sighed. English would be as boring as ever, learning things i learned a hundred times over again. An today on the boring agenda, was interpreting Shakespeare's hamlet. which was one of my favorites, but over the years has grown old. have me interpret Heathcliff from weathering heights, now THAT'S something worth listening intently on.

I day dreamed through most of the class, catching a few words here and their. I wondered were Cassandra might be. actually, to be honest, that's ALL i was thinking about. Her. her touch, her smell, the way her hair felt like silk in between my fingers. The bell rang. Ah, saved by the bell(i always hated that show). i walked through the school towards the parking lot, messenger bag over one shoulder, all the while staring at my old and battered blue and white converse. i didn't notice it at first, actually i didn't even feel it; I'd hit something-no, not something, SOMEONE. i looked up from my meaningless thoughts to see who (or what) had it me. to my utter astonishment i looked up just in the nick of time to see her flop backwards onto the floor, papers fly around her.

It hadn't even taken me a moment to notice it was Cassandra.

"oh my god, I'm sorry! are you okay?" i asked. you could hear the concern in my voice. a new first. usually, i'd just have kept walking.

i picked her up from the floor(and i could tell she was blushing when i did), and placed her on her feet. she smelled so GOOD! i tried to resist the urge to make myself look like the worlds biggest retard and sniff her, so i started picking up the papers.

"I'm sorry" i said again. my GOD could i sound any less like an idiot?

"its okay" she said

"are you sure your not hurt? i know I'm pretty hard to run in to" this i knew for a fact, i could smash my body through a brick wall if need be.

if she didn't feel it now, she would tomorrow.

" no I'm fine"

"do you need a lift home" it was then that i noticed that people began to stair. like nosy people with no life ALWAYS do.

i mean, whats so unusual about a guy talking to a girl? even though THIS particular guy happened to be a vampire?

i rolled my eyes.

" come on lets go" i grabbed her arm and and started walking toward the car. though she didn't seem reluctant to follow..Actually, something told me she WOULD follow. i opened the car door for her so she could sit in the passengers seat. where the hell was all this chivalry coming from? keep in mind that i haven t been chivalrous in all my life. i walked to the drivers side, was in the car, and down the road before you could have said bobs your uncle. i stared intently at the road, in an attempt not to stair at her. however, she stared at ME the whole time (which i had found EXTREMELY unfair)

"what was that about?" she asked finally, breaking the silence. she seemed...astonished, for lack of a better word.

"what was what? i retorted.

she looked at me...with those eyes. i wanted to...to...KISS her. Really, Really badly. i looked away, trying to distract myself from my desires.

I sighed. "it wasn't anything, really" i smiled earnestly. since i really DIDNT know what go into me, i wasn't lying.

"do you want to go somewhere with me? i want to show you a secret."

her expression held worry in it.

"don't worry. it's no where bad" before i could stop myself i blurted out "id never let anything happen to you..even if their WAS something bad"

for once, i didn't regret saying it, it was true. more true then anything I'd ever said to another person, which wasn't often. then she said something i didn't think she'd say; " ill follow you where ever you'll go." i looked at her intently, suddenly feeling self conscious i ruffled my already messy black hair. she took my hand, and held it in hers. it was better then id ever imagined, the warmth of her skin. i felt it spread through out my whole body, and ever cell in my being ached to hold her. to feel her body in my arms, to touch her smooth lips.

this has to be unhealthy.

i pulled up to a steep incline just a top an enormous hill. it was a little before the sun was to set when we got their. i got out of the car and opened the door for her, and closed it while i reached in my back pocket for my lucky bandanna. yes i have a lucky bandanna.

"okay" i said "it's a surprise so...your gonna have to be blind for a couple of seconds"

she looked at me like she was about to run

"unless you'd rather walk their" i added hastily "but that would take all the fun out of what I'm gonna show you"

I smiled encouragingly

"besides" i added " my legs are faster then yours and it's a lengthy walk"

"you promise your not going to do anything?" she asked

"i promise. besides i gotta keep SOME of my dignity. i already broke into your house"

she laughed.

i smiled.

"come On" i extended my hand toward her. she took it, and smiled. i squeezed her hand tight. she looked at me unsure.

"just making sure your their, i don't want you to disappear"

she laughed again. i loved the sound.

i blind folded her and placed her on my back, piggyback style.

"are you ready?" i asked her

i felt her head nod in the form of a yes. i ran. joy spread through out my entire body, ever muscle in it ached for more. to go faster. the feel of my muscle contracting and retracting as i jumped from tree to tree was euphoric. Then, just as quickly as i had begun, it was over. i placed her on the grass feet first, and told her to sit, and took the bandanna off of her. she must have liked what she saw. her eyes became really big as she took in the magnificent green grass, and the swarm of tropical flowers that circled us.

"okay" i said "are you ready?"

she nodded frantically. probably more anxious then i was.

i moved the big palm tree leaf out of the way, and showed her something that i had never shown anyone before: a view of the city. it was about twilight, when the sun hit the city at such an angle that it's beauty is beyond words. i don't even think a painting would have captured it's correctly. it was a mass of never ending colors, like a rainbow with out the hassle of waiting till AFTER it rains. You could see the palm trees sway in perfect harmony, to the song of the wind. Buildings and cars each had their own distinct color, and you could see that their were not separate, but whole. at that moment, when you looked down at it, their was no war, no poverty, everything had a place, and their was peace. it was as if WE were the gods sitting atop mount Olympus, looking down at the world below us, OUR world.

"it's beautiful"

"that's not the best part" i said " watch"

the light began to fade in the sky, and slowly all the colors that the twilight had brought with it had faded. and i whole NEW set of colors came on as the city light began to go one by one. Soon the whole town was lit, their were so many light, it look like a field of fireworks you knew would never go out. the sky had tuned an almost perfect dark blue, and all at once the stars came out.

"it's a perfect night..." i whispered.

"I never thought a place like this could exists"

"neither did i, until i found it. its my secret spot. i don't think anyone knows about this place, just you and me" i said as i turned to look at her. i stopped, a half smile on my face.

"what?" she asked

"you...Your, beautiful..."

It was true, the moonlight combined with the city lights, and the color of her skin in a way that i couldn't describe...she was glowing. kinda like a firefly. she got up, and walked towards me, with a grace that was almost like a dance. i took both her hands, and touched her head with mine as i looked into her hazel eyes that i knew i could stair at a millions life times over, and never get tired of it..

i touched her face. as i did so she closed her eyes, almost as if she were enjoying it half as much as i was. before i knew it, her face came closer to mine. or rather, i was pulling it closer to mine. an right their, in the midst of that magnificent view, i kissed her. a passionate kiss, I'd remember the rest of my life. it was then that i knew, through out all the centuries i had ever lived, nothing compared to this. it was in that moment, that i felt at home.

Chapter 3

Every night after that i stayed with her, we were inseparable. even at school. though everyone who was anyone would stop and gawk at her hand in mine. some girls even envied her, who wouldn't? I loved her. SHE was mine, and I was hers. months past in that peaceful bliss. so perfect that id had to be fairy tail.

i was on my way to pick her up from her house, and i noticed that lights where off...strange. i go out of the car, thinking that she might have fallen asleep, seeing as finals were around the corner. if that was the case, we'd have a night in. no biggie. i walked to the door, and knocked three times,as i usually did. no answer. i decided to climb in through the window, it was my only choice. my fear began to take control of me, she ALWAYS answered the door. Especially when she knew i was coming. i leaped on the window seal, in the same cat like stance as the first time i was here. normally i wouldn't, but something was out of place here. this would make it much easier to leap back out if need be. i couldn't hear anything around the house...at least anything that was human. this made me tense. i walked around looking for a sent that was out of place, nothing. that meant, they knew that i knew hers only too well, and they made good to hide theirs. i walked down stairs, and switched on the light. the room was completely ransacked. now i was pissed off. my face went into hunter mode (hey, i said i was bad at tracking, not hunting), my senses began to be come acute to its surroundings, and my body became more tense. tenser then it already was. it was obvious that i was dealing with no armature. i proceeded into the kitchen, and that's when i saw it. i giant cross with angel wings around it, drawn on the wall with paint (RED paint, how cliche, they need to be more creative). i sat on the dinning room chair, the only on that hadn't been over thrown. obviously, someone had used it. i thought. i needed a plan. usually i just went with instinct,but that symbol...knew it, knew what it meant. it was from a group of vampire hunters called Angel, and these weren't no armature vampire hunters, they were elite. They were trained to kill, with out hesitation. in the most brutal way, almost cruel. I didn't want to think of what they might do to her. the worst part; they knew where i was, and now they have the one thing i hold dear in their possession. i punched the wall in frustration. it crack so far in i thought the house would cave. the only way to get her back was to confront them, confront my past. that wasn't going to be easy, and i knew they wouldn't let her go with out a fight, and I knew i wasn't going down that easily.

Chapter 4

walk up the stairs, and through the double doors, i told my self. my feet wouldn't budge, MOVE!

"hello sister Cassandra"

i new the voice before i had to even turn around.

"hello Dimitri" i said. my voice cold as ice.

"how lovely to see you again. have you brought what we asked of you"

his inquiry made me tense. how did he expect me to bag the bate in such short time? 4 months to be exact.

"no Dimitri, not yet"

"hmmmmm..."

i hate when he does that, it's never good.

"but i know where it is" i added

"really?" he sounded over joyed.

i looked at him, my face hard as ice. i could tell it diminished any suspicion he might have had.

"very well then. good work" with nothing else to say, he left.

i sighed a very long sigh. i've always hated Dimitri, ever since i was a child, and the feeling seems to be mutual.I'd wish on more then one occasion to slit his throat, and would not hesitate to do so, if his father wasn't somewhat my own.i proceeded to walk up the steps to Fiducia Aeternus, and into the huge double doors. i would have stood in awe of the inside of the huge cathedral, had it have been ten years ago. now, the mirrals, and delicate architecture and paintings of angels casting down demons, of the holy mother holding the baby she miraculously conceived in her arms, the giant statue of Michael the arch angel to the right hand side on a platform, just below the stairs to the alter. lastly, the letters carved above the crucified Jesus that read: Non tiemblo mala. which ruffly translated meant, i fear no evil.

as i proceeded down the hall of the great cathedral, people stared at me, as they always did. i noticed new faces, so they were recruiting? i knew where i had do go, i had to speak to Dantes to hand the half breed over to him. this was not going to be an easy task. Dantes expected results when he sent you on the mission, especially from a first ranking elite officer. which i happen to be. however, i was prepared for whatever Dantes could through at me. having learned to take it over the last 19 years i've lived here. not only was Dantes head of Angel, he also happens to be that somewhat father i told you about. after my real patents had die(they were also from the organization and the best of the best vampire hunters), Dantes felt Obligated to take me and raise me for his own.

i walked into his office as nonchalant as i could, seeing has now every little thing was bothering me on account of how exhausted i was. surprisingly, he was not in here. i walked around his office, which hadn't change since i first started living here, almost more then a decade ago. his walls were wooden, no paint had ever touched his office walls. their was a large mahogany wooden desk to the right of the room. which was, and always has been cluttered with papers, no matter how many times anyone had cleaned it. the office had a medieval theme to it, literally. on the walls hung swords of all most every and any kind you could think of. dating back to, like the them of this office, medieval ages. how he came across them, ill never know. i walked around the rather large office, over to the only window in it. i looked out it expecting to see the lushes green grass of the monastery, but instead (having forgotten what time time it was when i had left) was welcomed by the starlight on the night sky. i sighed and went to sit on the only couch in the room, to wait for Dantes.

forty five minuets had passed. their must have been another elite coming back from a mission, who actually HAD their prey. which was probably why Dantes wasn't their. so i got up and walked back towards the door. before i had stepped foot of of the office...

"YOU!!" it was Dantes.

he aimed to close his hand around my throat, but i jumped back and landed crouched on the floor, ready to strike.

i knew i couldn't beat Dantes, but if its a fight he wanted, i didn't have a choice. if i ran i knew i wouldn't make it out alive.

Though the reason as to WHY we wanted to fight me, was beyond me.

"where is he!! i know you've found him!!" he bellowed at me.

i stood up, and looked at him. i knew who HE was, but i wasn't about to tell him. I'd lie through my teeth first, even if it meant costing me my life when and IF they found out.

"he's up in Seattle" i said "staying in the city, which will make him very hard to find and eliminate"

it wasn't necessarily i lie, but it wasn't the truth.

Dantes looked at me, i could see the fire in his eyes. Mine were ice, ice dominates over fire. he relaxed his stance a bit, but i held mine. years of experience taught me to never lower my defenses; my eyes followed his every move.

"hmmmm...this is news to me"

his eyes met mine.

"alright" he seemed to believe my bluff "we'll send someone to find him"

i looked at him disbelief in my eyes.

"No." he looked at me. i was not one to defy a direct order.

his eye brow raised

"I'LL go. it's against code to send another to do an elites job" this was true, but hardly the reason WHY i wanted to go.

he seemed amused

"very well." he said "your dedication astonishes me, black snake"

black snake was the highest ranking for the elites, and is what lower ranking officials where to call you as such(no matter how much i hated it)

however, i got the feeling he knew more then he let slip.

i bowed to show (or at least what he though was) my most sincere gratitude. he bowed back, though not as low as me. here the lower you bow, the more appreciation you show, so was pretending to be real appreciative.

"You are to go back" he said as he rose from his ever so slight bow. "one week from today. eat, sleep, tend to your wounds if need be" then he turned and left

Chapter 5

i did as i was told, like i normally do. it felt good to be home(if you could call it that). however, when i would allow it, my mind would wonder. wonder back to those glorious months I'd spent with Alexander. I missed him more then i've ever missed anything. i often though about what he would think when he realized that i wasn't at home. would he forgive me? i hopped so, but part of me thought he shouldn't...he couldn't...because of what i was. i was a vampire hunter and nothing could Change that, not even me. i was blood bound to this filthy hell hole! not only that, though he was only a half breed, Alexander WAS a vampire, and THAT was a taboo. one of the only ones here, actually, i WAS the only taboo here. i sighed. I'd been doing that a lot, the fact that i was away from him depressed me. i hadn't spent a day with out him, even at night. How i missed those night, when i could feel his cool body pressed against mine...

"Cassandra!!" it was my little brother Caius. well, okay, he wasn't exactly my "brother", but he might as well have been.

"come in"

"hey Cass, Dantes said your leaving tomorrow at dawn. if the Vamps got friends, he doesn't want you running into them"

"consider it done" and i closed my eyes again to finish where i had left off with my day dream.

however, i still could feel Caius's eyes on me, and knew he was about to ask me something.

"Cass...?"

sure enough.

"whats up?" i said, and smiled to show him that i was perfectly fine, though i wasent.

he looked at me troubled.

"whats the matter with you Cass?"

leave it to Caius to figure out something was wrong with me before everyone else did.

i tried to play the stupid card "what do you mean? whats wrong with me?"

"well, its just that..."

uh-oh

"your not acting like you...your...different"

BIG uh-oh i hope his worry wouldn't lead him to get other people to notice it. i thought of a quick lie.

"it's nothing Cai, I'm just tired. the mission was long, and tracking isnt exactly fun, little bro" i ruffled his hair. A normal reaction to a silly, little worrying brothers question. it seemed to lighten his mood

"will you knock it off!" he said. "you treat me like im still 5"

"that's Because you ACT like your still five" i laughed, though he didn't think it very amusing.

"look I'm okay, don't worry about me. just go have fun while you still can. you know Dantes is thinking of training you soon."

"yeah, yeah. i know!" he yelled as he walked out the door.

normally, i don't like lying to him, but this is something no one can no, not even my almost little brother.

knowing i couldn't sleep OR day dream anymore, i got up and packed my things. i was leaving earlier then expected, but that didn't bother me in the least bit, since id see Alexander again. despite the joy it would bring me to see him again, to hold him...their was only one thing that worried me, how i was going to tell him i was a vampire hunter, and I'd come to kill him.

I left at dawn as instructed. it was still kinda dark, but i was doing 100 down the high way so a little dark wouldn't be a problem. beside, i had pack all my necessary vampire hunting equipment. My Casull(which Used to be just a regular 454, that i had customized over the ears) it has a 390mm long barrel(for a 1km range), with 12mm explosive steel rounds, alloyed with silver melted from a Lancaster cathedral silver cross, stakes, and my dragons fire(which is kind like a blow torch, but way cooler). As i drove down the highway, i could think of nothing but Alexander, our sweet reunion. but first i needed to think of a story to explain my disappearance, and torn up apartment. this would take some time to think about. i could say my sister was in the hospital, and i had asked my uncle who lived in Washington to come and get my thing, which was why my apartment looked the way it did. yeah, that could work.

a few hours had passed by(or four...i counted) when i drove up the familiar road to the little town of bayview. i went straight to Alexanders house, to see if he was home. i drove up the hill to his house like a bat outta hell, and knock on the front door. No answer.
i called his name "Alexander!"

"Alexander is me Cassandra! where are you?"

still no answer. okay, like, what the hell? where could he have been?

"if you'a lookin fo alexanda he be gone"

i turned around to here the source of the voice came from.

"who are you? and how do you know Alexander?"

whoever it was hand a strong Jamaican accent, and had the harshness to his voice only a tracker could have.

"well, i knowa mo dan you tink i do. i knowa yous cassanda"

whatever air has left in my lungs was officially gone now.

i looked at him, felt my body tense. he knew i was ready to fight.

"you dun needta be worring 'bout me fighten ya. i didnt com here for dat"

the moved from out of the bushes, to expose a colored man, with a white tight fitting shirt, and jeans with back slip on vans. he looked young, maybe 25.

"alexanda told me to tell you were to find 'im if you should drop bye."

"were is he?" i felt my frustration rising inside me. i usually beat information out of people if it didnt come fast enough, but that would give me away here, so I'd have to be patient.

"he wen lookin' fo you when he saw da house like it was. said he knew were yous was at, and dat you were in trouble. doh it doesn't look like-a you in any trouble"

he eyes me suspiciously. i knew i had to come up with i story, so i used to the one i had, which was the only one i had come up with.

"my aunt was very sick. so i had asked my uncle to pic up my clothes for me, grab whatever he could. i didnt know he'd left my house in such a state"

i new he didn't buy it, but it was worth a shot.

"alexanda's not in da town. like i said, he wenta look for you. when i saw 'im he said he was headed to some place he called Elysium"

fear began to sweep through by body, and i stood their frozen, as if time it's self has stopped.