Authors note:

Hi! This is a story that I started writing but then fell in love with the characters. Hope you'll love them too! J

Chapter 1

Cailín was excited. She had never been this excited before in her life, it confused her but she took it in her stride. Cailín McCaffery was never one to over think things. In fact, she believed wholeheartedly that things happened because they simply did. Cailín threw on her school uniform and pushed her unruly dark curls into two fat plaits while humming along to the radio playing in the next room. She had never been interested in her looks whatsoever, she knew she was small and chubby but after 16 years she'd gotten used to it.

It was Monday and as usual Cailín was running late. The excitement that had been bubbling away from the moment she had woken was shoved roughly aside by panic. Cailín lived in a little village called Sráidbhaile in Northern Ireland. She hated the quiet and peacefulness that cloaked the surrounding fields. Sometimes she felt as though she was drowning but there was no hunky lifeguard to pull her out.

God, she thought to herself, I'm even depressing myself.

Skipping down the hall she slammed into her younger brother Oisín.

"Do you mind?" he grumbled pulling himself off the floor.

"Not really," Cailín shrugged, "Ha you're late too!" That was surprising, whether rain, hail, sleet or snow Oisín was in school on time. Cailín often joked that he opened the gates every morning.

Oisín strained his neck over the banister to look at the old grandfather clock that stood at the bottom of the stairs. The face read 8:15. He groaned quietly.

"Hey Cally," Oisín said still bending over the banister, "you don't happen to have a spare tie?"

"Huh?" Cailín raised one eyebrow, "Where's your own? By the way it's not very pleasant having to speak to your behind, you know."

Oisín stuck his tongue out at her childishly. Cailín grinned back. She loved when she could just be normal with her brother. Normally he was a grumpy 15 year old boy who refused to say one civil word to her. She pulled off her tie and threw it at Oisín who caught it one handed.

"Thanks;" he said relieved, "You're a life saver."

"Why would you have gotten your very first detention, damn you're really missing out." Cailín laughed as his pale face flushed pink.

"No it's not that," he mumbled looking confused while tightening Cailín's tie, "I think something's going to happen today…" His voice trailed away as he caught the look on his sister's face.

"What?" he said defensively.

"Oh I get it," Cailín laughed, "If something bad happened you wanted to make sure you looked your best did you?"

"Oh shut up Cally," Oisín laughed but the laugh didn't reach his eyes. His chocolate brown eyes, identical to his sisters, glanced at her for a second and then he sighed.

"Shit, we're going to miss the bus," he said throwing his schoolbag over his shoulder and shoving his hands into his pockets. He gave her a wide cheesy grin and said, "See ya later big sis." He pushed past her as he stormed down the stairs and out of the front door. Same old Oisín, Cailín thought. She undid her top button; it felt weird without a tie. She was definitely going to get a detention, probably two for being late as well.

Cailín grabbed her bag, stopped at the front door. "Bye granny Fíona!" She shouted in the direction of the kitchen and with that flew out of the door after her brother.


Skye Redfern glared angrily at the pile of clothes that lay on the bed he shared with Willow. He absolutely refused to wear that heap of rubbish that was called a uniform. Skye gazed at his little sister who was dancing gracefully in the small space of the apartment. She was wearing a baggy shapeless grey jumper, a knee length grey skirt, a stiff white shirt with a green and grey tie and plain flat black shoes. She looked almost human. Skye smirked and pulled on his school uniform half-heartedly.

"Oh wow," Willow bounced up and down excitedly, "We're actually doing this aren't we Skye?"

"We have no other choice," he replied darkly his blue eyes clouding over until they became a misty grey. Willow shrank back and whispered, "I'm so sorry Skye," she sniffed miserably, "I didn't think he'd actually want to kill me."

"Honestly, Willow you're just lucky mom and dad aren't here or they would have killed you long ago," Skye shrugged as if he wouldn't really have minded. Willow tiptoed to where her brother stood and squeezed his hand tightly. His hand twitched but he didn't pull away.

"You would care," She whispered her long red hair falling out of the untidy ponytail, "You would…"

Skye grunted noncommittally and slipped away from Willow carefully. He didn't like this. He felt a little lost and alone. Glancing out of the apartment window nervously he took a good look at this strange new country he and Willow had escaped to. Northern Ireland. Why out of all the countries in the world had they decided to come here? Skye already knew that answer. It was a long way from Chicago.

Skye looked at the clock ticking nosily on the wall opposite. 8:15. Plenty of time. He pressed his warm forehead against the cool glass and saw nothing. Nothing that was even remotely interesting. No people, no cars, no nothing. The sky was a clear blue with the odd wisp of a cloud. The footpath directly below his window was old grey cobbles still wet from last night's downpour. An elderly man ambled past walking a small dog. As far as the eye could see there were patchwork quilts of green fields with the odd lonesome sheep or horse inhabiting them.

"What is with this place?" Skye wondered out loud. "Where is everyone?" Just as that thought escaped his lips a blue public bus thundered past. Skye flinched back from the window. Taking that as a sign that he should leave. He grabbed Willow by the arm and slammed the door closed behind them.

"We're going to school, school, school, school," Willow chanted in a singsong voice. She skipped on ahead, her green schoolbag thumping off her back. Skye groaned internally closing his eyes briefly. He heard a shriek of delight from Willow. He opened his eyes quickly to find her jumping up and down excitedly.

"Skye," She screamed, "Can I pet the horse?"

"No," Skye hissed, "Get into the car!"

"Please Skye!" Willow pouted and folded her arms across her chest, "I'm not going to school unless I can pet the horsy!"

"Fine then don't go to school, see if I care," he said while opening the car door, " Bye." He revved the engine. Willow slammed the passenger door shut and glared at her brother.

"Hmph," Willow dumped her schoolbag at her feet, "I hate you. You never let me have any fun."

"Tough," Skye laughed at the disappointment etched onto her face, "You're 15 years old, not 5."

"Just because you're an old man," Willow stuck her pointy tongue out at him. Willow sat in silence the whole journey which suited Skye just fine. He was started to enjoy himself as he speeded past the different shades of green.

"Oh," Willow gasped from beside him as they found themselves in the traffic jam of a major city, "Where are we?"

"Belfast, I think," Skye was shocked as well, though he managed to control it better than Willow who by now had her head hanging out of the window to the surprise of the drivers beside them. All around them were cars and buildings and more than those put together were people. When they had arrived early that morning they had pasted Belfast but it had been empty then but now it was utter chaos. There three cars ahead was the blue bus that he could now see was packed with school children.

Willows blue eyes were glittering eagerly as she watched the human children chatting and fighting on the bus. Oh no, Skye thought, not again.

"Right, Willow, stop it now," Skye said sharply.

"Huh?" Willow said confused, "What did I do?" She batted her eyelashes innocently. Skye rolled his eyes, forcing himself not to laugh.

"I'm not going to let this happen again," he replied, "Stay away from the humans Willow."

"Oh come on Skye," Willow snapped, "Can't I just be friends with them without you thinking the worst."

"What like before," he said harshly, "Ben Williams. He was just a friend wasn't he?" He thumped the steering wheel hard and the car lurched forward a few inches. The young woman from the car in front eyed him warily from her windscreen mirror. He stared back fiercely until she cringed and looked quickly away. Willow slumped in her seat and rubbed at her eyes.

"C'mon Will," Skye said guiltily, "It wasn't entirely your fault." That was a lie, it was her fault but Willow always made him feel uncomfortable. Sometimes he didn't feel like her older brother more like her dad. Although he loved her more than anyone else on the planet he still didn't fully understand her. For the 17 years of his life he had been mostly brought up by his Uncle Rastaban, a hard intolerant lamia vampire. Skye had grown up despising humans and believing that the lamia race was the elite race but Willow had a different view. She believed that the Night World should be revealed to the humans. Willow, from the very beginning, had been determined to cause trouble and Skye had been always forced to take the wrap for her. This time it would be different, he vowed to himself as he parked his car outside St Columba's Grammar School.

This is just the start of it. Next chapter will be better. Promise. XX J plz rate and review!