I DO NOT OWN MIDNIGHTERS!

Chapter 1

Melissa felt the shudder. With it, the blue light which blanketed the world faded away. The sounds of life returned, as well as the dreams of the sleeping and the meaningless thoughts of those still awake. She closed her eyes, forcing her mind onto something else with difficulty. She had recently become better at quenching the mind- noise, but every now and then it still hit her like a mallet.

Rex grabbed her hand, his flesh granting her an esape as his mind, the mind she found solace in, helped her fight back against the daylighters. Slowly but surely, Melissa was able to breath freely again.

"Are you okay?" Rex asked gently.

Melissa gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Loverboy... thanks."

Rex smiled back. "Anytime."

Melissa turned morbidly toward her old Ford. It had been threatning to break down on the way to Rex's house before midnight, and Melissa doubted it would be able to take her all the way back to her own home. She would have to call Jonathan to see if he could fix it; Rex was no good with cars. That would have to wait until tomorrow anyway. For now, she had a bit of a walk from here to her house. At least the cops didn't seem to be on high alert tonight.

"Do you want me to walk you home?" Rex asked.

"Nah. I can make it. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you then."

Melissa walked off into the night. The black clouds overhead obscured the moon and stars; the only source of light came from the streetlamps, with their man- made light throwing yellow patches on various point of the sidewalk. Melissa was standing in one of these spots when she sensed him. He wasn't a cop... much worse. Great. The last thing she needed was some drunk lowlife stalking her. She stepped out of the light, camoflauging herself in darkness. He was getting closer. He had seen her, and Melissa tasted the sweet grape taste of a good time being anxiously awaited.

Melissa ran, but he was stumbling along after her. She turned into an alleyway, hoping to have sidetracked him. He knew she was there, and nearly at the entrance to the alley. She wasn't going out that way. Melissa ran further down the alley, but was forced to stop, her throat tightly constricted. The way forward was blocked by a brick wall.

"Hey Sweetheart!"

Melissa whirled around, so distracted by the deadend that she hadn't sensed his approach. The man looked to be about five years older than her, with straggly black hair and a scruffy beard. His eyes were so glazed over and his movements so clumsy that Melissa would have know he was drunk even if she wasn't a mindcaster.

"You might want to sober up, buddy," Melissa snapped. "The Bixby police don't appreciate drunk losers like yourself walking their streets."

The man stumbled closer to her. Melissa was pinned against the wall. He was now so close that she could smell the putrid alcohol on his breath. It made her want to puke.

"This won't take long," the man said, grabbing her jacket. Melissa struggled against him, tears welling uncontrollably up. NO NO NO!

Melissa pushed against the man's face and suddenly felt his emotions as if they were her own: lust, anger, confusion. His thoughts shoved themselves into her head: the aching to control this helpless girl and the befuddlement of what she was doing to him.

The man fell to the ground, dribble falling down his scuffy chin like a baby. Melissa fell to her knees, exhaustion overtaking her. She could no longer read his mind or feel his emotions. The drunken man was a shell with nothing inside. Melissa felt sick just looking at him.

Rex...

The thought crossed her mind at that moment. She needed Rex. She needed him more now than she had ever needed anybody in her entire life. Then, Melissa succumbed to the darkness which had been threatning to envelop her for the last two minutes, and she knew no more.