HELLO THERE! With Light In Your Nightmare finished, NEW STORY TIMEEEEEE. Hope you like and reviews much loved. Enjoy 3

8 years ago.

Daphne Hightower yawned as she stretched, running a hand through her pale blonde hair. It was very nearly white. She watched her friend smooth her own hair down, whining out "come on! The club will be shut by the time you're done preening yourself."

"Oh hush you," Fiona laughed, spinning around on her stilettos. Daphne wondered just how she could achieve such a thing. If she tried, she'd break her neck. Still, her own heels were high but chunky.

What else could you wear on a night out in New York?

When at last Fiona was ready, Daphne giggled and yanked her shimmering silver dress down. It came to her knees, clinging to her hips. Fiona was jealous of those hips. They were the kind that drew a boy in like a moth to flame.

Daphne whooped as they shot across the Brooklyn Bridge in the car, her hand out the open window and riding the current of air as it whooshed past. It made the hairs on her bare arms stick up from the chill.

It didn't take them long to get to downtown New York, the sun setting and streets becoming alive with partygoers. They were dressed in bright colors, short tight dresses and bare arms. The atmosphere was electric and Daphne couldn't wait to get into the thick of it.

Their destination was a large club named Infernus. Daphne found the name funny. Hell. It meant Hell in Latin. She was sure of it. The line was always long, but Fiona knew the bouncer and he instantly let them past, the rest of the line whining about it. He ignored them, grinning at Fiona who had flashed him a sly wink and a little leg from her dress. Daphne looked away- she didn't need to see her best friends' underwear… if she even had any on. She doubted it. Fiona came out to party with the intention of scoring. Daphne didn't bother drinking purely because she knew she'd be the one to get them home when her friend was hammered to the point of passing out in the middle of the street. Maybe that did make her boring, but she was also tough and brave.

Inside the club, it was hot and heavy with the bodies pressed together, music pounding. Almost claustrophobic. Fiona grabbed her friends hand and dragged her over to the dark red leather sofa's in the corner. They sat down and Fiona asked, "what do you want to drink?"

"Just a Coke."

"Sweet Jesus Daphne. Loosen up!" Fiona scowled, getting to her feet. She was gone, heading towards the bar. Daphne just sat there feeling awkward with the music all around her. It was reverberating in her chest. Rumbling like a storm. She wondered just how her heart hadn't stopped by now.

Daphne was staring at the DJ when Fiona came back, thrusting a vodka and coke into the girls hand, saying briskly, "you're so blind."

"I'm going to slap you in a moment Fee" Daphne snapped, narrowing her eyes as she looked to her friend. Fiona leaned forwards and whispered into the girls ear with a giggle, "near the left speaker. His eyes haven't left you alone since you walked in."

With her cheeks slightly red, Daphne's eyes flickered to the speakers, gazing at the young man stood there. All in black leather with a dark grey t-shirt underneath the jacket. His hair was so pale that the lights in the room reflected off it. Dark eyes gazed at her unfalteringly. Daphne came to the conclusion that he was about her own age. Definitely young twenties. His face was lean and handsome. The young man cocked a brow as they made eye contact and Daphne looked away, her cheeks burning now.

Fiona was smirking now, tipping her drink to her lips with a giggle of "he likes you."

"Stop looking-!" Daphne hissed, taking a gulp of her drink. The vodka burned her throat. Fiona was just about to look away when her eyes widened. Daphne didn't even have to look to know he was walking over. Bloody Fiona and her staring-!

"Good evening ladies." He had a pleasant voice, Daphne concluded. Unlike those disgusting men with their raspy voices and lusty glares, this man was different. She shoved her embarrassment aside as she glanced up, meeting his eyes once more. They were blacker than the depths of hell.

Hell. She found that ironic because of the clubs name.

As he raised his drink to his lips, she saw a tattoo on the back of his hand. Black and resembling an open eye. Daphne wondered what it meant, for there was another one similar at the side of his neck. And there was a hint of silver too that flickered like scars in the light.

"Hello," Fiona chirped, a wide smile spreading across her face. Daphne wondered if she was wondering about the tattoos as well. No, she wouldn't be… she'd be fawning over how good looking he was. Up close, he was even better.

But he wasn't looking at Fiona, Daphne realized a moment later. He was looking at her. Fiona took the hint and left for the bar to grab another drink.

Daphne flashed the young man a small smile, reaching for her drink.

As the drink flowed, Daphne found herself taking more and more, even laughing with the bold young man next to her. His name was Valentine she found out. She found his name amusing. Daphne felt so sorry for him; the ridicule he must have endured for years at High School.

Before long, she was standing with her back pressed to the cold stone wall outside the club, locked at the lips with him, winding a hand into his hair and drawing him closer with heated kisses.

Daphne never drove Fiona home that night, choosing instead to spend it in the young mans bed in his hotel room.

She woke up the next morning with her head pounding, pillows on the floor. With a soft groan, she sat up in the bed, raising a hand and running it through her tangled hair. Daphne almost didn't want to look to her right where he was still asleep, lying there half under the screwed up dark red covers. He had more tattoos though, and the more she looked, the more she saw. They were dark and tribal-like. Something niggled at the back of her mind, almost like she should have known what they meant. But she couldn't remember.

Daphne bit her bottom lip and sneaked out of the bed, pulling on her crumpled dress that was hanging on the back of a chair. She made her escape before he could wake up, glad that she never had to see him again. The embarrassment alone… she just wanted to move on.

It was two weeks later that she realized the night with her dashing young hook-up wasn't to be forgotten so soon. Her stomach hurt and she felt sick so very often. Fiona suggested jokingly that she was pregnant. Daphne tried to laugh it off, but couldn't.

Because she was pregnant.

And no one else could be the father than him.