A/N I'm not L.J Smith, I own nothing. This is my first Night World fic, so tell me what you think. Oh, and I'm English so I apologise in advance for any mistakes of that sort. I tried to keep out all of the 'Bloody hell's and 'Bugger's I almost put in, but if I miss anything please tell me.

Chapter one: a welcome to remember.

Ash POV

23 minutes. That's how long I have been standing, staring at these doors. The doors to my new life. To my Dragon. This was the place to honour my parting words to Mary-Lynnette. And all I can do is stare at the doors.

Tentatively, I raise my hand, when the doors swing open.

"Ash!" Exclaims a voice, that's when the fist hit my face.

I'm being dragged inside by my hair, "What the hell do you think you are doing here!?"

Other voices fill my head, "What's going on?" "Who is that?"

Then I hear a voice I never thought I would here again, "It's you." stated a small girl, with a mass of curly hair.

My attacker releases me, revealing himself as Quinn.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" he hissed

I looked around slowly, my eye was throbbing, and I could taste blood on my lip.

"If this is how you recruit new members, then I'm not sure if I want to be a part of Circle Daybreak any more."

I begin to move towards the door, but my cousin, James, jumps in front of me, blocking my path.

"Why don't I believe you?" he asked. I make my face as blank as possible.

"I don't know, do you have history in mistrusting people? Did you have a traumatic experience when you were younger? Have-"

"You know what I mean Ash." James snarled, more like the vampire he was than I have ever seen him in his life.

"It has happened James." I stated, "I met someone, and it hurt. A lot. Emotionally and…physically." I winced, remembering being kicked in the shin, almost blinded with a torch, falling down a hole, and… oh yeah, almost being killed by a jealous werewolf…

"Ha! Prove it!" called Quinn, I turned back to face him.

"Ah Quinn, funny seeing you here, you must've beaten me, last I checked you were working rallying humans for Hunter, and that was definitely after I met… her." Quinn was not amused.

"Well," he smiled, "If you have met someone, describe her…or him, I'm not one to judge." I roll my eyes at Quinn.

"She is brilliant, she's my soul mate- human- and she lives in Briar Creek." Quinn gasped quietly, "She is stubborn and brilliant, and seems to enjoy kicking me in the shins. She is afraid of nothing, she knew I was a vampire and still enjoyed to kick me in the shins, she's friends with my sisters, and her brother, Mark, happens to be Jade's soul mate. She loves star-gazing and, and… she was the person who really killed the werewolf."

Poppy was staring at me, in fact, everyone was, but it was her who walked closer to me.

"Wow," she whispered, "your eyes go the most wonderful colour when you talk about her."

Everyone sat down, and I told them the full story. All of it… but not once could I bring myself to say her name. It hurt too much.