Chapter One

Being the only normal person in a family of freaks had never been easy.

That fateful Friday night was no exception.

"For the last time Theresa, it is not a birth defect!"

"Well it's not exactly normal, is it?" I yelled right back. The plate and adorning food smashed into the nearest wall. I watched with the usual detachment as the mashed potato started to slowly peel back from the pretty flowery wallpaper. It suddenly flopped with a decided thud to the equally pretty carpet. It was amazing how clean the household surfaces were with the amount of food or drink that had been spilled on them in the past. My mother even managed to get those red wine stains out in a matter of minutes.

But that was the point, wasn't it? Them being generally freaky.

Mum sighed at the new mess my father had caused. One of my younger brothers gave me a pointed look. Another rolled his eyes before continuing to read the magazine in front of him. My father stood dramatically and glowered down at me. I didn't even flinch anymore. I knew he would never actually use violence against me, in my entire twenty four years on this planet he hadn't raised his fist to me one single time. He mostly just stormed off and began muttering to himself about this or that. Mainly about me.

And that was exactly what happened this time. My baby sister jumped as the door to my father's workroom slammed shut across the hall.

This was why I didn't usually eat at my parent's house.

"Rae, you gotta start being a bit more tactful." Josh said, flicking another page with some jazzy rock star sprawled across it over. Mum brushed his feet off the table while stepping over some crayons to the spewed up bangers and mash on the floor. Josh just plonked them back up there again as Mum started picking up the pieces of broken porcelain.

"It aint my fault he takes everything the wrong way." I grumbled. Adam scoffed.

"I should go do some homework." Molly quickly excused herself. If there was two things that twelve year old could do well, it was sensing when conversations were about to get uncomfortable, and getting out of there fast – even if that did mean doing math problems on a Friday night.

"Rae," Claire started up. She was giving me that look again. That ever so annoying 'I-know-you're-five-years-older-than-me-but-you're-still-an-idiot' look. I hated that look. She was always right when she got that look. "Have you ever once taken the time to imagine how Dad must feel? You're always taking snaps at him – and us, for that matter – and it's not even in a joking way. It's just plain mean."

"Yep." Josh nodded, still not taking the time to actually look at me.

"Solid argument, Sis." Adam agreed.

I just leered at them. Mum was trying not to be noticed as she dabbed her super secret recipe carpet cleaner on the fresh stain. I kicked the chair back and got to my feet.

"Whatever." I said quietly before walking quickly out of the room and to the front door. It opened before I could reach the handle. "Hey, Chris."

"Hey, Rea, watsup?"

I barely made out my brother's question from my position already halfway down the garden path. I just waved a dismissive hand over my shoulder in reply. That was the problem with growing up the oldest of eight kids in a family that lived in a four-bedroom house; you couldn't go anywhere without someone butting into your life. And it was me the others were apparently meant to look up to. I was supposed to be setting the bar for the rest of them. Well, I'd certainly set it low.

Not academically, of course. Academically I was above average, receiving a second from the University of Manchester only three years before. And careers-wise I'd managed to grab a fairly secure place in the advertising world with a half-decent salary for my age. But that wasn't the kind of bar they wanted to be raised. Oh no. What my parents had really hoped for me was that I would join them on their lovely freaky side.

Well, not me mister. This was definitely a no freak zone.

I sighed as I leant against the door of my car.

If only the rest of my family were the same.

I shook my head, tossing some of the light brown bangs out of my eyes. There was nothing I could do about them. I knew that. I just had to get on with my life as if I didn't come from a family of weirdoes. It was a challenge I was willing to accept.

I yanked open the door and climbed inside the battered old Ford. A car was something practical. As long as it still worked then I didn't see any point buying something overpriced and way too fancy. It got me from A to B. That was all I needed.

My cell rang just as I was putting the key in the ignition. I glanced at the screen, not recognising the number in the slightest.

"Theresa Jackson." I spoke down the receiver in my most professional voice. There was silence at the other end. "Hello?"

Still nothing. Either the person was deaf or just had a crap sense of humour. I was guessing the last one.

"Hello?" I said much louder just in case. No response. I pulled the cell away from my ear and flipped it shut in frustration. People these days had seriously too much time on their hands.

The other reason why I didn't visit my parents that often was simply the time it took to get there. I had left their Sussex country house around eight, and yet it was at least nine forty when I pulled into the basement car park where I had a spot reserved. I admit that some of that was due to Brighton Friday night traffic, but even on a day when the roads were clear it took a good hour.

I pulled my jacket tighter around me as I trod briskly over to the stairwell. Nobody felt completely safe in these dark isolated areas anymore. Ever since the vampires had come out of the coffin people tended to stay in groups or well-lit spaces at night. My brothers had told me it was different where they lived, that the countryside was somehow secure whereas the cities were simply permanent blood banks. It made no sense to me. Night was night wherever you were. I hadn't been worried before the vamps had surfaced and I wasn't worried now. If anything I was less likely to be attacked by a undead fiend now than I was back then. Vampires just didn't want to give the media anymore ammunition.

But still, a girl had a right to check the stairwell before marching on up.

I reached the third floor where my apartment was located and stepped into the brightly lit hallway. I could have heard the overpowering bass guitar echoing out of flat 304 from the floor below and I was positive the Jenkins would be shortly knocking on Paul's door complaining about the racket. But this was Friday night. People had a right to let loose and make some noise.

My feet were brought to a halt as I rounded the corner before my apartment.

There was something very different about my front door.

Mainly the huddled figure leaning against it on the ground.

The collar of their black bomber jacket was pulled up tight under their nose, the straggly dark hair keeping the rest of their face in shadow. I pondered what I should do. On the one hand this might just be some poor drunk sap that had collapsed outside my flat. On the other… Well, the other side wasn't nearly so pretty.

I was still debating when I accidently shifted my weight onto one of the many creaky floorboards in the building. The man heard and looked up.

I felt my eyes widen as I realised who it was.

"Rae?"

Yeah short, but it's only an intro really. Reviews are nice, yes?