"And just when were you planning to tell me this?" I yelled across my bedroom at my pain in the ass dad.

"We decided not to say anything until it was final." he said in a barely audible, almost whisper. "We didn't want to get you or your brother's hopes up Rachel."

"What do you mean we are moving?" I screamed, my voice never loosing the pissed off edge that came from the pit of my stomach. "I am not leaving! What about my friends, my school? Did you think I would just up and leave my whole life behind so you and mom can go live it up with your stupid dream of living in Rome?" I had never been more upset. My parents wanted to just uproot our lives and they weren't even going to ask us what I wanted to do. Well hell no, that's not going to happen. I'm 17 and I don't need my cookie-cutter parents telling me what's best for me.

"Are you out of your feakin minds?" I yelled as my mom walked in with an ear-to-ear smile that faded faster than you could realize what she was smiling about. "And you guys are dreaming' if you think I am leaving on some spur-of-the-moment trip half-way across the world!"

"Honey, you need to calm dow-" my mom started to say before I cut her off.

"No I will not calm down!" I spat out.

"Are you done?" my mother said in an overly-tired tone.

"Are you?" I said in a mocking voice.

"Are you ready to listen now?" she said as I stood there, my face blank and emotionless, "Your father and I have been lucky enough to have the chance to go to Rome for a year or so. But we also think that you and your brother need a change of scenery."

My parents think my friend are rather "Fourteenth Street" and are a bit impressionable on my brother and myself. So what if they are they don't sing "Oh Happy Day" when they are happy, but they are more of a family to me then my own. Then my thoughts were rudely interrupted by a snapping in my face.

"Rachel," my mom snapped, "Have you heard a word I said? Or are you too busy thinking about nothing but yourself? We are doing this for the best and all you can do is think you are the most important. Well I have a newsflash for you, young lady, you are still my daughter and you still have to obey me!" I was shocked speechless. My mom had never spoken like that to anyone. I sat there, mouth slightly agape. I had nothing to say so I grunted and stomped up the wrap-around staircase to my room. Half-way up the stairs I yelled back, not worried about what trouble I would get in, "You guys can go live your happy fuckin' life in Rome but I'm staying here and there is not a chance in hell that you can make me go!"

I stomped down the hallway, over exaggerating my steps a bit for dramatic effect, and my brother, Mickey, pocked his head out of his bedroom door. Mickey was three years younger than me but he was always just a step above me on the knowledge scale. He isn't one of those pestering little brothers who always bother you; he is somewhat the ideal sibling. Although I can only spend so much time with him.

"What was that?" he asked

"Mom and Dad trying to demolish my life as usual" I grumbled. "You know they are going on a trip to Rome this week, right?" I asked.

"Sure, they told me this morning while you were probably sleeping off the tail end if yesterdays hangover." He smiled and walked back in his room before I could punch him in the arm.

I pushed in the door at the end of the hallway marked with "Keep Out" signs from floor to ceiling.

I was relieved to withdraw to my gloomy, eerily dark cave in the back of the house. No one ever comes to my room. If anyone needs me they call me through the stupid intercom that my mom insisted on getting installed. She says it's because it's faster, but I know it's actually because she is terribly frightened of my room but I like it the way it is and I'm not changing it. My walls are painted a dark maroon and my floors are covered in a rug that looks like a black sea at midnight. I have covered my walls with posters of metal and rock bands on one side and urban bands on the other side. My bed was a mess, as usual, and my clothes strewn about all over my floor, but I didn't care I was in my own world and no one else was allowed in.

I sat down at my desk and turned on my computer and waited for my desktop to appear. When it came up I noticed immediately that I had three instant messages. I looked at the one from my best friend Miller. Miller dropped out of school sophomore year and he has been slummin' it ever since. He had an apartment down on The Strip on the, as some people would say, the wrong side of town. (Long story short, his parents kicked him out last year because he went through the whole "Drugs solve my problems" phase) We have been friends since we were in middle school because he was the only guy who would pay any attention to the outcast girl who always sits in the back of the class and listens to freakish music. Miller has jet black hair and eyes the color of blue crystal and he has a rock hard build, but not obnoxiously so. We tried the whole dating thing but it didn't really work out. It was just too weird and it was mostly experimental.

I opened the message from Miller and read it,

Hey Rachel, we need to get together. Get the guys and Lilly and Rohmma and meet me at the spot at 10:00 'o clock!

Miller and I sort of started a little gang. But it's more like a family. We are all outcasts and we are the people who everyone is scared will do voodoo on them if they are friends with us. So we try to keep to ourselves. I looked at the other two messages. One was from Randy a member of the gang. He wrote,

Hey babe, Miller said meet at the spot at 10. See you then.

Randy was a grade A flirt and he likes to mess with me but I don't mind, I usually ignore him. The third message was from Shanna. I was confused on why I had a message from her until I read it,

Roses are red, Violets are blue, and you freaks should stay in the back, and take your fugly lesbians with too.

Sincerely,

Shanna

That stupid bitch has nothing better to do then make my already miserable life a living hell.

My mom came in later that night and lectured me on behavior and all that junk and said that I was grounded until we leave, which would be a problem since I'm not going, but half-way through her speech she looked away and I stuck my earphone in and blasted Owl City. They left to go to some party a few minutes later. It was 9:40 so I decided to ignore my "punishment" and I climbed out the window and down vine to the road. My mom and dad were gone and Mickey was passed out on his textbooks. So no one would hear my Motorcycle start. I loved riding my Harley; there was a sensational freedom in the sound and the feel of the wind and the slight vibration from the engine. I was almost to The Strip when some idiot's mustang swerved into my lane without putting on his signal. I lost control and slid off the road into a big field. I had control for an instant but I lost it again and that time my bike flipped and so did I rolled faster than I could count and my unwilling gymnastics routine was stopped by a huge boulder and the rush of adrenaline that flowed through me like silk was gone. At first I was seeing spots brighter then the suns core. Then everything went black and I was falling. I was falling into an endless abyss and I was utterly paralyzed.

I woke up and all I saw was stars. Not the stars you see when you are on the brink of unconsciousness, real stars. I looked up and saw a muscular bicep and then I started to freak.

"Who the hell are you?" I said in an almost whisper.

He made a noise that almost sounded like a grunt, "My boss sent me to get you, we have been looking for you for a while now Rachel. You have caused quite a bit of trouble, little miss." He snickered to himself. For a second I was motionless, then reality hit me, I was being carried to who knows where by some stranger and I'm not doing anything about it. I screamed at the top of my lungs and tried to jump out of this creepers arms but it was no use he had an iron grip on my shoulders and under my knees as he carried me like a baby. Then he looked at me with dark, startling, eyes and he dropped my legs for a second and his hand raised and came down on the right side of my face and I was engulfed by the abyss once again.

When I woke up from unconsciousness for the second time I was in a room. It was white all over, the floors, the walls the ceiling and I couldn't really see any furniture but when I turned and ran into a huge white bed I sat down. For an instant I thought I was in heaven but then he came in. He was holding a tray with a feast of a breakfast on it and a rose inside a beautiful crystal vase. Then I noticed the table on the other side of the room. He sat it down on the table and I just sat there and stared at him. He leaned against the table and I finally got a good look at him. He was absolutely drop dead gorgeous. He had sandy brown hair that swept across his forehead like a mop. He was wearing Dark Levis and a black button-down shirt that was almost half-way unbuttoned showing off his chest that was lightly covered by a mist of sweat. His smile reached all the way across his face and had a hint of mischief in it. We stared at each other for a moment, the he spoke,

"Hello Rachel." His smile was gone and for the first time she saw something else in his face. It was a pain and a sort of longing. I felt a jolt when he said my name. Then she could speak,

"Where am I?" My voice cracked. Suddenly she wasn't scared of this mysterious guy anymore. She wanted him to take her in his arms again. She didn't know why but it felt right to be here all of the sudden. He started to walk over to me and I felt a shiver run down my spine. When he reached me he grabbed my hips and pulled me close and slid his hands up to my lower back. I started to breathe harder and I prayed I would stop. His whole face changed and then he pulled me closer and the second his lips touched mine a shock went through my mouth. He apparently felt the same thing because he pulled away for a moment then he pulled me again and he kissed me harder than I expected. I kissed him back and we stood there in each other's arms embracing one another. Then the realization hit me, his name was Sark. Then he pulled away and I made an involuntary whimpering sound. Then he spoke again in his husky voice,

"I have to tell you about something." He said and there was something in his voice that told me I had to listen. "It's called Night World."

I was speechless. What could I say? Oh you're a vampire? That's cool I'm a Capricorn. So he is a vampire, lamia to be exact, he drinks blood, he is practically invincible, except with wood and he wanted to make me his forever. He wanted to turn me into a vampire. I thought about my brother and my parents. Then I thought about Miller.

"Sark, my family." I said and my voice cracked again. "I can't just leave them behind. I can't just disappear." I said

He looked at me with such passion that it almost made me cry. Rachel didn't understand how this one person could change her in such a short time.

"Your parents are leaving in a few months though." He said in a very pleading voice.

"But what about when they come back and what about Miller and Randy or Skyler and Jack or Lilly and Rohmma. They are my family too, you know." I was starting to get overwhelmed and I thought I was going to faint.

Then in an instant Stark was right in front of me and our bodies were pushed together again. He was leaned over me with his head right next to mine. When his lips brushed my ear I got sudden butterflies. My legs gave out but I couldn't fall. I was frozen, unable even to move from his embrace. I was totally paralyzed. He was whispering something in my ear.

"But we are soul mates Rachel; we are destined to be together." When he said it, it was a shock. I knew it was true and I knew it before he said it. But it was still a shock to hear it from her actual soul mate.

We decided that we would wait until my family left for Rome to change me. How exactly I would tell them when they came back, I had no clue. But at the moment I didn't really care. Sark said to tell the gang that I was going with my family to Rome. I didn't want to lie to them; I wanted to tell them everything that has happened to me. But I couldn't and if I did then they would all be in danger.

I got my bike back and I drove to Millers apartment. I felt a sudden wave of nausea. I really didn't want to do this, I couldn't face Miller and tell him a straight lie. But I have to, for Sark, for us.

I pushed the buzzer for his apartment and the door unlocked a moment later. Miller's apartment was two floors above the door so he could always see who was here. I went inside and walked as slow as I could without him noticing. When I finally got to his apartment I knocked on the door and when he came out my mouth dropped. He was shirtless and sweaty, probably just finished working out. The light from the hallway casted an add shadow on his protruding muscles. I swear he was glowing and I could not believe it. I have seen Miller without a shirt before but never like this. When I realized I was just staring I snapped back to my senses and remembered that I had to let him, and the gang, go. I had to get in, tell him I'm leaving and get out. When I could speak again my voice was shaky and low.

"Hey Miller, can I come in." I asked and for a second I thought he was going to slam the door in my face. But he didn't, he stepped into the hallway and wrapped his arms around me. I felt a jolt and I wrapped my arms around him to. I didn't realize how long we were standing there until he pulled away. Them I remembered Sark and I remembered that I had to leave Miller. Just standing here with him made me forget everything. When he spoke it wasn't his normal voice. It had an edge to it and I kind of scared me.

"Where the hell have you been Rachel?" he said. "We all got worried when you didn't show yesterday."

"Yesterday?" I said there is no way I was gone a day. It had only been a couple of hours. "What do you mean yesterday? I've only been gone for like two hours or so." I said in a very confused tone.

"No today is the 15th. And just where exactly did you go?" he asked. I was stunned there was a sound f protectiveness in his voice. What was I going to say, "I was out in the middle of nowhere with my soul mate and I cant tell you what that means or your life will be in danger." No that definitely wouldn't work. Then he spoke in that same unfamiliar voice,

"Your parents are worried sick. They got every fuckin cop in town out looking for you." He said and his voice was louder than before. "Where the hell have you been?" I sat there in his couch silently and waited until he was done.

"That doesn't matter. Listen, my family is moving to Rome and I'm going with them." I said in a barely audible voice. He stared at me, his mouth slightly agape. Then he spoke,

"What are you talking about?" he asked, "Since when do ever do anything with your family? And when were you going to tell me this?" He said. His questions were giving me a headache.

"Listen, the point is I'm leaving." I said flatly. "I just wanted to tell you that and can you give the message to the gang?" I said. Then he came over and sat next to me on the couch. He sighed and looked at me.

"Why?" He asked in a worn out voice.

"Because I want to." I said not looking him in the eye. I knew what I would see, abandonment, confusion, hurt eyes looking back at me.

"I mean why are you doing this to me, Rachel? Why are you lying to me? Your hiding something I can tell." He said and he stared at me. Then he said,

"You can't leave me Rachel, I love you." My jaw hit the floor. Miller never told anyone how he felt, let alone that he loved them. Then he stood up and so did I. we stared at each other for a second and then he reached out and grabbed my shoulders. He kissed me suddenly but it was gentle and I didn't want it to stop. Then I remembered Sark. He was my soul mate and we were supposed to be together. Not me and Miller. I tried to push him back but it was no use he was solid as a rock and he wouldn't budge. When he pulled away I lifted my hand and slapped him as hard as I could in his left cheek

"What the hell was that!" I spat out at him. I didn't want to say it, and I didn't want to stop the feeling of the kiss but I had to. If I gave into it then I would never be able to let him go.

"Rachel, please don't do this." He said through clenched teeth holding back tears.

"I'm leaving, Miller, and there is nothing you can do to change my mind. I have to leave now so…" My voice trailed off and I looked down at the floor. I walked to the door and hesitated before opening it. When I stepped out of the building my legs finally gave way and I fell on the steps in a heap. Then the burning hot tear stained my cheeks and the sobs started. I sat there for what felt like eternity until I remembered what time it was and that I had been missing for a day. I got up still hiccupping on my sobs. I jumped on my bike and rode in the direction of my house. I parked in the driveway and walked to the door. I waited a second then walked in. My mom lay on the couch curled up like a baby and my father was asleep on his chair. I wished I was happy to see them, but I wasn't and now I regretted coming here. My mom looked up and the minute she saw me she jumped up leaving a dent in the cushion.

"Rachel?" she said. "Oh my god! Rachel where have you bee we have been worried sick." She hollered. I was not surprised. She would get mad at me for disappearing wether it was because I just left or because I was kidnapped.

"Hey mom, how's it going?" I said in a menacing tone. Her mouth hit the floor and my dad woke up with a grunt.

"Where the hell have you been? Are you trying to give us a heart attack?" he shouted louder than my mom.

"Well now that doesn't sound like such a bad idea." I said under my breath.

"What did you just say, young lady?" My dad yelled.

"I said I'm tired of this stupid fucking family!" I yelled back at them. They were both speechless. "You guys can go on your little trip but I'm staying here!"

"And just where exactly do you plan on staying?"

"I'm staying with Miller and there is nothing you can do about it." I said it before I could think and then realized it was a mistake. I turned to the door and said over my shoulder,

"I promise you will never see me again." I ran out the door and onto my bike I turned it on and sped away. Where I was going, I had no clue, but I had to go somewhere. I wanted to go back to Miller's and have him hold me again, or to Sark's place and talk to him. But I couldn't go to them. I rode straight towards the valley and stopped at a resturaunt that was empty except for some drunk who was passed out at the bar. The person who was supposed to be working was in the back listening to something so loud I could hear it at the door. Bu I didn't care I just wanted to be alone and I hardly think this guy would be much of a bother. I slid into a booth in the back of the diner, closed my eyes and leaned my head back. I sat like for a minute and sighed and looked forward again. I was startled when I saw the brilliant green eyes staring back at me with a menacing smirk tilted slightly upwards on one side. When he spoke a cold chill ran down my spine,

"Hello Rachel. You know, for a second I thought you were going to go for your little boy toy Miller. That whole sappy 'I love you' bit, that was rather pathetic don't you think? I mean the sad part is, it's all true. You are just too stupid to realize it. I had you wrapped around my little finger." His smirk grew as he spoke, "I greatly overestimated you my dear, I thought you would figure me out sooner or later. I mean really? 'But were soul mates Rachel' I still can't believe you fell for it. I am quite the actor if I may say so myself." That's when it hit me. This was his plan all along. He wanted me to turn against everyone I cared about. It's all a part of his sick, twisted little game. He played me like a deck of cards and I lost by a long shot. Then I went from worn out to really pissed off.

"You sly basterd. You just think you are clever as hell, don't you. Well I've got a newsflash for you, you can play your little games but you will always be a monster and I am not afraid of you." I said in a mocking tone through narrowed eyes. I saw him stir and I knew that he was just slightly effected by what I said. His words were harsh when he spoke,

"You stupid bitch, you still don't get it. This is still my game and I am still winning!" He said obviously irritated

"No Sark the game is over and you lose. I'm done feeding you attention-hungry ego." I said in a sweet voice.

"NO! It's not over!" He stood up as much as he could and flipped the booth table over ripping the bolts out of the floor. I was terrified but I tried not to show any signs of it. He leaned over and placed his hands on the seat next to my legs. His face was two inches from mine when he spoke,

"Are you afraid of me Rachel?" He said with that same smirk slapped on his face.

"No" I said.

"Well you should be, babe." He grabbed my shoulders and threw me toward the bar. I slid all the way to the end and slowed down enough at the end to break my fall a little but it still hurt when I hit the floor and slid to the wall. Before I could recover Sark was kneeling over me and he lifted his hand in a fist and it came down hard on my arm. It snapped and I cried out in agonizing pain. My left arm was broken and my vision was blurry. My senses were a jumbled mess making me totally defenseless.

"You know, I thought you would put up more of a fight then this, but I guess I was wrong." He said in a somewhat surprised tone. I looked up and glared up at him and then I spit in his face. It was the only insult that I could think of at the moment. With that he slapped me in the face. Again I cried out in pain. He grabbed my head and a handful of hair and guided me up to my feet. His words were harsh and cold,

"Do you still want to be like me? Do you still want to be a vampire?" That when he slapped me again hard in the face. It was on the same side so it hurt twice as much.

"You're absolutely crazy!" I yelled "Why are you doing this to me? What the hell did I ever do to you?" I yelled louder.

"Everyone has a hobby." He said with a sneer. I looked around for something to hurt him with but I lost my hope when I came up with nothing."You see, now I have told you everything about Nightworld and it is my duty to keep it a secret so you must die. But why rush thing when it's much more fun to make it agonizing." He smiled and then turned and walked out the door. I was lying there with a broken arm and a damaged spinal cord. Then my good old friend the big black abyss was around me once more.

I woke up in a hospital bed connected to a bunch of cords and I felt like a science experiment because a group of doctors were hovering above my and whispering word I couldn't make out.

"Rachel, how are you feeling honey? Can you see, do you feel any numbness? I'm doctor Dawson. You are at Detriot General Hospital. Do you remember what happened to you?" When I didn't speak I guess they thought I had like post-traumatic stress or something but they gave up trying and left me alone in my room. Or so I thought. I closed my eyes to gather what was going on but all I saw were two bright green eyes and a mischievous smirk. I opened them and there was Miller standing in front of me at the foot of my bed with pain in his face. His eyes were slightly narrowed and his cheeks were stained. He has obviously been crying. Then he spoke with what I could tell as much difficulty.

"Rachel" he whispered and even in the darkness of the room he was glowing.

"You don't have to say anything, Miller." He walked over to the side of the bed and sat in a chair that he had obviously moved closer to the bed. I stared right into his eyes when he grabbed my hand and his them in his.

"Do you remember what happened to you, Rachel?" he asked

I did remember. I remembered the unexplainable pain that shot through my arm when Sark broke it. I remembered the comments he made that hit me to the core. I remembered the guilt that I felt for being so stupid and trusting some loser who said he was my soul mate. And most of all I remember the regret of breaking your heart because he said it was for love. But I couldn't tell him all that I couldn't tell him that I believed some guy was a vampire and he tricked me into thinking I would give up everything for him. No, I definitely couldn't tell him that. So instead I just said,

"No" I tried to keep my face emotionless but I couldn't hold it for much longer.

"Some waitress brought you here from the valley. She found you half dead in the diner and the place was trashed. You telling me none of that rings a bell?" he said clearly skeptical

"No, Miller, it doesn't." he shifted so I knew he knew I was getting kind of irritated. His face softened and he looked down at the floor.

"I'm sorry, Rachel, I was just worried that's all." Then I put my free hand over his hands and he looked up at me. We stared at each other not needing words. We both knew what was going on. He loved me and now I realized that I loved him to. He lifted his hand to my face and moved my hair out of my eyes. His fingertips brushed my relaxed jaw and I had butterflies all the sudden. Then he moved toward my face and put hands on the bed on either side of me and when he spoke he was just an inch away from my face,

"I love you, Rachel, don't ever scare me like that again." He said gently. I suddenly had the urge to laugh but nothing was funny so I stopped myself before it came out. Then he kissed me. It was the most gentle kiss I have ever experienced. He sat down slowly right in front of me and he put his hands on my jaw again and I put mine hand on his shoulder. It was the best feeling ever to be right here with Miller. I felt safe and I felt his protectiveness and love for me.

When I was released I told the hospital that my parents were on a vacation and that I was staying with Miller and I was surprised when they let me go with him. I told him that I had to go to my house to get some stuff if I was going to live with him. We pulled up and I noticed the door was open a little bit. I walked to the door and pushed it open further and my jaw hit the floor when I looked inside. I the living room was trashed and I looked on the wall above the television and in bright red spray paint it read,

How safe do you feel now bitch?

-S