Warning!-

I wrote this when I was much younger, so beware.

Please no heavy flames.

Dark moon

1

It was a dark night. It's the perfect night for me I thought. I climbed down nimbly from my position on top of the royal tower.

I am an Appian. (Pronounced a-pee-in) No-human could know about my race, because if they did I would have to kill them. I don't like it when humans find out, it's not an easy (or clean) job. I'm a guard for the royal family. The queen and princess rule over all Appians. The king was attacked by a rabid werewolf a few hundred years back and sadly died of the werewolf's saliva, which is poisonous to Appians. That doesn't stop us from having them in our ranks though.

Anyway, as I said, it was a dark night. I was running through the palace grounds, invisible in the dark shadows, except from my red glowing eyes and the gleam of my knives and swords in the pale, ghostly moonlight. In the corridor I bumped into Black Lily, she used to be mentor. She's my boss now. Well, she's in charge of my squad. She has a red ring on her tail, representing her high status among the guard. I don't have a ring yet, you have to earn one by doing something courageous. I don't know what black lily did, but I've heard rumors the she took a poisonous arrow for the queen, but, that was a long time ago.

"What are you doing?" Black lily asked sternly her blazing eyes boring into mine. Her black skin seemed darker in the shadows. I was taller than her by at least a foot, but she has more authority than me so I've got to respect her.

"I'm ending my shift. It's 2 o'clock. I've got to go home before my human wakes up" I answered.

"Humph" was all she said, but she let me go and I ran back towards the city. I live in the city, please don't ask where, I don't want people snooping around, looking for us.

I silently jumped in the window of my room on the 13th floor of the block of flats that I and my human lived in. I arrived just in time for dawn to change me into my human form. My human form was named Jessica, or Jess to my friends. I have long wavy brown hair with bright, clear blue eyes. Unlike my totally black skin, I have dark tanned olive skin. And unlike my fangs and claws, I have perfect teeth and manicured nails. My room was painted deep purple and it was covered in pictures of animals, (which was weird for me since animal didn't like me.) The window was on the south wall of the room, and the curtains were white lace. Holly was sleeping in the next room, not that I was worried that I would wake her. Holly was a very deep sleeper, and very hard to wake. Holly was my roommate. She doesn't know that I am a creature of the night, because if she did she would die. I crept quietly in to bed and waited for morning.

When I woke up I heard the radio booming loudly in the kitchen. It was playing old country songs. (Holly was mad about country things and music. You should see her room. It has cowboy wall paper and a lamp shaped like a cowboy hat.)Holly must be up thenI thought. I climbed out of bed and put on a bright red jumper and some black jeans. I'm never tired. Not even if I was up all night (which I usually am). I came down the stairs quickly, because somehow Holly would always know when I'm up and she would yell at me till I got out of bed. Down in the kitchen, Holly was cooking breakfast. It was Saturday morning so I had no work. I worked in a clothes store. (So I have two bosses and a giant secret I had to keep from my best friend. And you thought you had troubles). I shoveled down some scrambled eggs and bacon.

"So what are you doing today Jess?" holly asked as she sat down opposite me.

"Don't know, I was thinking about a lazy day, you know, watching some TV movies play some games. Want to join me?" I stood up to wash my plate.

"Oh sorry, I'm going out to the park with Paul." Paul was the human Holly was going out with. He was shorter than holly, which is saying something. (Holly's only 5ft 3.) He had long, black hair which he kept in a ponytail. His face was stern, even with holly, and it scrunched up into a horrid gargoyle mask when he saw me. I don't know what holly saw in him.

"Want to come? It must be better than staying in the house all day"

"Fine I'll come. But no making lovey dovey eyes at him in front of me all right?" I rush upstairs to find my sun glasses. When it's sunny outside my eyes show their true colour. That would be pretty weird to the humans.

We took the 422 bus and found some seats at the back. I looked around to see who was riding on the bus today. A couple of old ladies, a spot-ridden teen and a middle-aged guy that kept on running his hand through his hair. Paul was waiting right outside the bus stop, which was annoying, since I didn't get to even say goodbye to holly before Paul took her by the arm and ushered her away. Left alone, I headed towards the park. I was sitting down on one of the many benches in the park while Holly was with Paul. There was a boy coming towards me.

"May I sit here?" he asked. He didn't wait for an answer, he just seated himself down. The boy had short brown hair and green eyes. He seemed tanned, but I think that was just the sun.

"Hi" he said brightly.

"Hi. You are?" I shot him a dirty look. He seemed overly bright and happy, and I was not in the mood today to be dealing with happy go lucky humans.

"I'm Paul's friend. He dragged me here" the boy, who looked about 19, turned to face me.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Sarren. Yours?" he asked.

"Jessica." I said.

"We should meet up sometime"

"Yeah, you would like that wouldn't you?"

"Actually, I would."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Ok. Bye" Sarren got up and walked away. Just like that.

"Ok, weird" I muttered.

Holly and Paul were coming towards me. I got up and started walking away. I didn't stop till I got on the bus that took me back home. I couldn't stand being so close to Paul. I think he suspects what I am. Which was crazy, since no human couldn't have the slightest idea, could they?

When Holly got home it was 6 o'clock.

"Why'd you leave so soon Jess? We could have had so much fun!" while Holly babbled on about her day, I felt another voice in my head.

Come to the castle immediately. I recognized the voice. It was Black Lily.

"Sorry Holly I've got to dash!" I ran outside ignoring Holly's protests.