Hey guys! My last story just sort of died out, but I might write on it again when I feel the intuition! Sorries. I have none for those characters right now, in fact, I think they've gone on a holiday and these new characters have swamped my mind. Dear god, wot should I do? Tsk tsk. *hangs head* I had no other way but to write this...hopefully the feeling will keep comin'. Please read and review, I would be utmost grateful to any soul who can spare a moment, pwease?? I'll give u a lollie? I have resoted to desperate measures.

Love 'n' watermelons

Kaye~~

~~everything was gone, and all that was left, were shadows of light~~

Chapter one SHADOWS OF LIGHT

Moonlight poured in through the window, and landed in a silver pool on the rich mahogany floor. A light creaking of the floorboards belied that there was someone in the room.

Raven was awake, and she knew that she was not alone. Her hand was clasped tightly around the cross which lay on her heart and prayed. She always prayed. Not because she believed in God but because the words forming noiselessly on her mouth held a familiarly sweet comfort, and partly because it had become a habit. Her eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings and her whole body seemed to tremble uncontrollably among the bed sheets. But she wouldn't shout or scream or cry.

Because Raven wasn't weak.

She might look like a fragile china doll, but her will was as hard as iron, and her courage didn't break. Couldn't break.

He had come. She always knew he would come, because he could never let go of her mother. Because he had a hatred inside him which fueled the flames roaring out of his eyes.

Because he was her father.

Raven opened her eyes and forced back the urge to vomit when she saw that his chin was smeared with blood and a piece of raw flesh drooped from the corner of his smirking mouth. She reached in deep within her self, her prayers becoming a trance, and somehow she knew that her mother was gone. She closed her eyes from the disgusting sight and reached in quick for the silver pool of light somewhere within her. Silver, like the colour of the moonlight. Silver, like the glint of the cross on her dark pajamas. Silver, like the colour of her eyes.

She felt the rush of adrenalin every time she used her magic, it soared through her veins, bringing with it excitement, and the smell of power. Silver light shone form the very pores of her skin and poured out of her arms which were arched in a semicircle of anguish above her head. The pool of moonlight on the floor seemed to throb and pulse with her magic, and she shouted out for the sheer joy and agony of it. The room was spinning, and all the time her power was building, a sheer quicksilver wall of hurt, passion, hatred, torment, a wave of her inner most feelings surging towards the monster who was supposed to be her father. His face registered shock, he never knew she had this kind of power, but before he could utter a sound, all there was left in the room was silver dust raining down like snowflakes on everything, her hair, on her eyelashes, on her ivory skin, and on her soft, warm lips, melting before they could settle. The room was a turbulence of different shades of silver, silver so bright that it was almost white.

Raven allowed her gaze to wonder, and instead of the pool of moonlight on the floor, there was a pool of ashes and blood.

It was then that the giddiness of having harnessed her magic died away. That was her father. A tear trickled down her silver dusted cheek, and dripped onto her hand which was still tightly clasped around the cross.

The room was still.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "Raven! Come down and eat breakfast!" the gentle sound of her grandmother's voice and the strong smell of freshly brewed coffee lured her out of bed. Her feet hit the carpet, and she changed out of her white pajamas, carefully checking that her silver cross was still there. She fumbled around her desk for a scrunchy and pulled her hair back into a messy black pony tail. She caught the sight of herself in the mirror and nearly laughed. She seemed so much older, though it had only been a year, and 17 year old Raven had adopted to this relaxed comfortable style of life with her grandmother.

This was what it meant to be a witch. And a Harman, or Hearthwoman, *the* most powerful line of witches who were direct descendants of Hannah Hearthwoman, the first witch. And the little old lady in front of her in fact was the crone of all witches. After the old crone died, her grandmother had been appointed crone and was the head of a circle of some of the most powerful witches in all time. It was a dangerous job, but she loved it.

There was already a glass of steaming coffee on the table and Raven took a sip, then sighed "Grandma, you're a legend!"

Her grandma smiled cheekily, "Yes, I know dear. Nothing like coffee in the morning to get you up and ready for your first day at this new school."

Raven nearly spluttered coffee all over the cream coloured carpet. "What?!" cough, cough, "Grandma! I thought I didn't have to go to school till the end of this term! You very just nearly killed your granddaughter here! Don't surprise me like that!"

Words streamed out of her mouth like a bursting dam.

Her Grandma smiled, "I didn't want you to get too worked up about it."

"Worked up?! Granny!" she knew her grandma hated that word and smiled inwardly to herself, "I'm supposed to go to school in, in-" she looked down at herself, "a pair of old track pants and a worn woolen jumper?! And socks which don't match?! Grandma, why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Her grandma looked sheepish. "Yes, well, dear, with all the things going on in the circle I had forgotten...."

Her voice drifted off and she looked sad. "I must be getting old..."

"Oh Grandma!" Raven regretted her harsh words and put her arms around the old lady's frail body, "You're not old. People who see you mistake you for a forty year old!" it was true. Though her grandma had grown older the past year, her skin still had the minimum of wrinkled for a woman her age, and her hair was still rich, though white. The old lady smiled, and murmured, "Well, you'd better get changed. The bus comes in 10 minutes."

"Oh yeah!" she had almost forgotten about the school bit.

Raven ran up the steps and sprinted down the hall to her bedroom. She stumbled through the door and rummaged in her closet for clothes. A fluffy blue jumper and black pants. Changed socks whilst pulling a comb roughly through her long blue black hair, guess where she had gotten her name from?

In two minutes she was down the stairs, placed a quick kiss on her grandmother's soft cheeks and dashed out the door, only pushing herself harder for the bus stop when she heard the rumble of the bus hot on her trail. The bus was just a little bit in front of her, but she could make it. Damn! The bus was not stopping.

All the running for nothing. "Come back *^$#@!" she swore. Raven looked up and was surprised when the rumbling vehicle came to a hesitant halt.

She started running again, and the doors opened.

The bus driver looked like he was about to fall asleep on the spot. She flashed her most winsome smile, the bus driver stared back, and slowly began to smile, his stern face breaking into a laugh.

Raven knew she was quite a sight, but not to this extent. The bus driver opened his mouth and said, "You're a funny girl."

Was that supposed to be a compliment or an insult? Her silver eyes flashed and she went down the bus, where 30 or so students were looking at her with open mouths.

Raven was confused, and was relieved when a girl moved her back in a gesture for her to sit down. "Nobody has seen Old Bluey there laugh. We were sure he couldn't but you..."

The girl laughed, her whole face lighting up, her warm brown eyes staring curiously at Raven. "Well, let me introduce myself. I'm Jaycee. You can call me Jay."

Raven hesitated before answering hesitantly, "I'm Raven."

There was an awkward silence, and the whole bus seemed to be holding in the same breath. Raven opened her mouth to speak but Jaycee, or Jay, shot a desperate look in her direction. "Shhhh..." She whispered.

Raven froze. The bus came to a stop, and a gang a black clothed boy stepped onto the bus. People seemed to be looking at them with real fear.

Raven thought, jerks. You can tell. The gang was heading towards them, and the leader, so it seemed, looked at Jay and sniggered, "What's with that new hairdo of yours? Going for the bald crew look?"

To Raven's astonishment, no one stood up to him.

She really didn't want to embarrass herself on the first day of school, but as the guy continued in his mocking way and Jay's eyes ffilled with tears, she couldn't stand it anymore.

"Who the hell do you think you are, picking on someone like that! I think her haircut looks quite nice."

The boy turned his gaze on her, she expected mocking, anger even, but not this cold pit of epiphany, not like all the darkness in the world was gathered behind those fathomless eyes ready to lash out. His eyes were so black you couldn't see the pupils. Such a contrast to her own silver eyes. One light, one dark, ironic really.

The guy walked towards her, and her fists clenched.

"what are you going to do about it, *little girl*?"

so she was slight. But she hated been called little girl. And he was so close. So, to show her affection for him she punched him. Hard. Across the cheek. Fin was taken by surprise.

The moment her hand brushed against his cheek, her world tumbled into a turbulence of shadows, shadows of light, and shadows of shadows. She pulled her hand back, nursing her fist. That really hurt.

The guy looked at her. And for some reason, smiled.

Raven was truly freaked out. And so was everyone else in the bus. This new girl had made two people who had never so much even showed emotion before smile. The bus was silent as the students waited for the gang leader's reaction.

A boy behind him called out, "Fin! Let me get her!"

Fin turned an icy glare on the boy and uttered one word. "No. I can *take care* of her myself."

He turned to the vermin who had just collapsed his world.

"Meet me at the park after school."

A shiver ran down her spine.

The bus was silent for the whole trip.

When they arrived at school, Jay dragged Raven off and whispered to her, tears now flowing freely down her cheeks, "Sorry, I'm so sorry! God Raven, you shouldn't have, now, now-" Jay choked on her words.

"Now what?"

"Raven. You know anyone that monster asks to meet ever returns to school? I mean, it's as though they disappeared."

Raven put on a reassuring smile, "He can't be that bad. Don't worry, I can handle him."

Jay looked at her with wide eyes and smiled wobbly, "and punch him like you did on the bus?"

Raven laughed, "Yes, punch him like the way I did on the bus."

She didn't know why she had punched him really, only that he made her angry and that he was teasing her friend. The only friend she had right now. But she was worried. Although she was a witch, she sensed that he was dangerous. It was such a familiar feeling. Like when her mother had....

God, he was a vampire! Why didn't she realize that earlier? As much as she wanted to deny it, Raven was still part vampire, although she didn't have to drink blood, because she was mostly witch.

The bell rang, and Raven followed Kay down the hall, with curious gazes burning into her back.

In the form room the teacher called out her name, and made her stand up in front of the whole class.

"Tell the class a little about yourself, Miss Raven Hana." She had to change her surname in case anyone in the school reconised her.

The class sniggered.

Raven stood up and brushed her hair back away from her face, her cheeks flushed a pleasant pink colour.

She felt eyes staring at her, and she looked around, when a dark gaze slammed into her.

God, now there was no way of avoiding meeting him. The Vampire.

She searched her mind for words, and smiled, right at the vampire.

Fin felt as though he was trapped by those endless silver eyes, like a vast field of brilliant stars which glittered and shone. And her lips, curved in a sweet smile. Such an innocent girl. It was a pity really that he would have to finish her off. He wouldn't mind having some fun with her.

Raven raised her eyes so she was gazing directly at him, and put some of her power behind her words. "My name is Raven, and I hate bullies. People who pick on weaker ones because they themselves are too scared of being seen as weak."

Fin's eyes flared and changed to a dangerously dark blue, like a raging beast constrained to these windows of the soul, a raging beast whose hearted had dropped a million miles when this, this vermin laid her eyes on her. And her words held such a power and authority in them that he was drawn in by the soft sound of her voice, and intrigued by this mysterious girl who was not afraid of what she saw in his eyes.

No, he changed his mind. He wasn't going to toy with her. She had to *disappear*. Otherwise he might just drown in those magnetic silver eyes.

Raven smiled, and sat down.

The class was quiet, then someone clapped, and the clapping echoed around the room. It was Fin. The class was silent, and then the teacher seemed to jerk herself out of her stupor and, her mouth set in a grim line and her hands twiddling nervously on her skirt commanded, "Thank you, Raven. Class, we shall start today's lesson."

The bell rang for the last lesson of school; she had almost forgotten what it was like to have a ton of books weighing down your arms, and she was definitely not used to it. Some immature jerk ran past her and bumped her arms, causing books and paper to fly all over the place.

"Jerk!" she shouted to the running figure.

Jay came around, and bent down to help her pick up her stuff. She reached automatically for her cross and her heart fell as she realized it was not there.

Damnation to hell!

Raven threw her books into Jay's surprised hands and chased after the boy. She was ure he had taken it.

Her feet pounded on the lino flooring of the hall, chasing that shadow which was just in front of her.

Closer, closer.

The shadow was gone.

All the swearwords she could think of streamed out of her mouth. She was not having a good day.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Fin. And he had a guy in one hand, and her silver necklace in another.

Raven ran towards him.

"Give it too me!"

"Is that the way to ask?" Fin smirked.

Raven snatched the necklace out of his hand. She didn't know why she was so angry, why did she even care? She spat out "Stay away from me, you LEECH!"

Fin looked surprised, and she stalked off. How the hell did she know?

Fin ran and stood in front of her.

Raven was looking at the ground, and wondering why the Goddess she was so emotional today when she walked into his chest.

And the floor dropped out from under her.

She probed his mind, it was like his eyes, it seemed as though where there was once light in his mind were now only shadows.

His whole mind was clothed in darkness, but, and she probed deeper, she realized there was something veiled under a white sheet which seemed to ache to stretch and grow, she reached out a delicate hand and with trembling fingers touched the edge of the satiny white cloth. Before she could get a good look at it, she was smashed backward by a force field so powerful that she nearly cried out in agony. But not before she had seem that it was a girl with long, blue black hair, just like her own.

Guys, tell me wot u think, so I noe whether to continue or give up. And please, please, please review, with sugar and chocolate on top?