The brisk, mid-October wind whipped against Helene Turner's face as she watched throngs of mysterious people pour into her house. Tonight was a very important night; she was going to be turned into a "Vampire." Of course that was just the name they called themselves, vampires were just a fantasy like unicorns or fairies. After standing outside for a few minutes she went inside to find her friend. Pushing through the masses of dark clothed figures she found her friend sitting on a couch talking quietly with some boy Helene didn't notice.

"Norah shouldn't you be getting ready. It's your ceremony too." Helene asked as she pulled her blonde hair out of her coat and sat down next to her friend and her mysterious boy toy.

"Come on Helene, relax," Norah drowned as Helene pulled her off the couch. As more and more people filled the room an uncomfortable feeling arose in the pit of her stomach. She pushed it off as nerves and continued at stare at the people.

"Do you think Coraline will be here?" Helene asked nervously.

Norah laughed Coraline never showed up to Turning ceremonies. Even though she was the leader Norah had only seen her once,

"Don't be stupid. Coraline wouldn't waste her time coming here."

"Well I don't know I just thought maybe she would make an appearance. You know maybe this isn't such a great idea, my aunt Beth did a story on a group like this and she almost died," Helene said remembering the stories she had told her.

"That's because she was spying on them Helene, she wasn't one of them like we'll be. And anyways you know what they said if we leave they'll find us and kill us."

Helene laughed, " Well shouldn't that send up some flags? I don't think I want to do this something tells me it's not such a great idea."

"That's just nerves just relax"

"No it's not Norah. I'm sorry but I think I'm going home something doesn't feel right." Helene left Norah with her boy toy and headed to the bathroom to her aunt Beth.

The phone rang a few times before a feminine voice answered.

"Hello this is Beth Turner."

"Aunt Beth, it's Helene. Can you come get me?" Her voice echoed of the walls of the expansive bathroom. It was three am and her parents were out of town so Beth was her only hope.

"Helene where are you? Are you okay?" Beth's voice was worried.

"I don't really know Aunt Beth. I got into some trouble with this Vampire cult and I need someone to come get me."

Helene heard the shuffling of keys in the background, "Where are you Helene? What kind of Cult is this?"

She told her all about the cult and how they turn teenagers into "Vampires" and how they would kill her if she got caught leaving.

"I'm on my way," Beth said before she hung up.

Helene dared to walk outside of the bathroom. She was sure Norah had told someone that she was leaving and that people would be looking for her. She poked her head out the door and heard the ritualistic chanting of the other members as other new members got turned. Soon they would all realize she was gone.

Helene decided that the sooner she got away the better. Without hesitating she dashed down the hall and out the door, past everyone. The cold air hit her bare arms and willed her to run faster. She heard the hollers of people behind her but she didn't look back. They were chasing her, throwing things at her, trying to scare her, anything to stop her from getting away. Then out of nowhere someone appeared in front of her.

"Trying to run sweetheart?" the guy said in a low, dangerous voice. She tried to dash passed him but he grabbed her arms and wouldn't let go. He held on with almost super human strength and when Helene lurched against him he held tighter.

"Let me go! I don't want to be here, this is crazy," she screamed. The guy leaned in and whispered in her ear, "You know the rules. We have to kill you now, or turn you, your choice."

"How about neither," She whispered just as venomously before she kicked him in the groin and he fell on the ground in pain. Helene ran again but she didn't get far before she was attacked again, but this time it was from behind. She felt a sharp pain in her back and she fell to the ground. Once she was down the rest of the members proceeded to kick her. She cried out in pain and she tried to shield herself but they were relentless. Like magic the crowd separated and Helene opened her eyes to see what caused them to stop. It was Coraline.

"Miss Turner, what makes you feel the need to be so aggressive to your family?" she said with an overly sweet tone. Something about Coraline sent a shiver down Helene's spine. She watched as the other members stared at her waiting for her answer.

"Miss Coraline, he attacked me and I don't feel safe here. This is crazy."

"Oh?" She said sweetly before kicking her hard in the stomach, "You know the rules: nobody leaves. You have your friend to thank for me finding out." Helene looked up to see her friend smiling down at her,

"Sorry Helene, I just couldn't let you run away." That's when they continued to beat her. The pain was so intense, it was everywhere. She begged for them to stop but they just laughed at her.

Just when she thought she would give up she heard a man yell, "Get away from her!" She could see the man throwing people around trying to get to her. Once he got close she reached out and grabbed his hand. He hoisted her too her feet and he looked at her with shock blue eyes and said, "Run, Beth is in the car." She did as the man said but she didn't get far when she noticed her aunt fighting with another man. This was chaos. Everyone was fighting, people were screaming and growling and she had caused it.

"Aunt Beth!" Helene screamed as she ran to assist her in the fight.

"Where's Mick?!" she yelled back as she dodged a punch. Helene said that he was fighting someone else and that he had told her to run to the car. Her aunt nodded and continued to fight the other member. Beth had landed a few good punches and even managed to push him to the ground. They had started to run towards the car when Beth let out a horrid scream. Helene turned to see her aunt lying on the ground in a crumpled heap. She ran to her and saw that she was bleeding heavily from the abdomen. She checked her pulse and it was weak. Helene hadn't seen what caused her injury but whoever did it had the intention to kill her aunt.

"Mick!" She hollered, "Help, Beth's hurt!" Helene tried to keep pressure on the wound but it continued to bleed. When she looked up she saw Mick kneeling by her side,

"What happened?" He looked tired and out of breath but even more obvious he looked scared.

"I don't know. One minute we were running to the car and the next thing I knew she was on the ground."

"We need to get her to the hospital. Ambulances won't get here soon enough so I'll drive." Mick tore off a piece of his shirt and dressed the wound of her unconscious aunt. He scooped her up into his arms and they ran to the car.

They had to get there soon.