Chapter 1

Rachel

Learimarkless, is her name. I had no choice in the matter. The very day she was born, they came for her, trying to take her from my arms.

Yet, she was mine. I had carried her, I had birthed her, I was the one who spoke to my bloated stomach, to tell her that I loved her already.

I had always wanted her, a child of my own. I had envied everyone as their children were born, and as they raised them. So, once I finally got that bit of happiness, I was not going to let them take it from me.

I'd ran, hard, clutching her in my arms. She hadn't even made a sound, she'd kept quiet, watching me with large red slitted eyes.

They'd been close, I'd felt them just behind me, when I felt the familiar pull of a line. I'd paniced, scrambling to move into a different direction, but I hadn't been fast enough.

A hand had landed on my shoulder, pulling me and my newborn child into a ley line. I wasn't going to go, but she had looked at me, and smiled, and I had felt deep in my stomach, that she wanted to go.

We reappeared in a forest, high in the mountains, where the sky was just begining to blaze. I'd squinted at the light and turned to find Al gazing at us.

"Rachel," he had said gently, trying not to frighten me.

"You can't have her," I'd glared, clutching her closer.

"Rachel, you don't have anywhere to run. They will find you where ever you go."

"I don't care. I only have to run until sun up, then I'll find somewhere, I'll stay on sanctified ground, I'll..."

"Rachel," he'd sighed, almost sounding like he cared. "You know that there's no way for her to live, and she probably can't go on sanctified ground, besides, I have somewhere."

My eyes had widened, "You do! Tell me! Please!" I'd begged, sounding desperate. I didn't care, I was going to keep her.

"I can't tell you, you can't go there. I'll bring her myself."

"No! You just want to bring her to them to pay off your debts!"

"Rachel, how is it that you always ask for my respect, without earning it, but even after I prove I can be trusted, you refuse to trust me. Quit being so thick headed and let me help you!" Al had shouted.

I'd looked down at my daughter, who has only been in this world for a few short hours. She reached up with a chubby little hand to touch my face, smiling at me. I'd melted, and held her out for Al to take.

Al had smiled, taking my baby girl into his arms. "I'll bring her back to you as soon as possible. Don't worry, I won't let any harm come to her."

I'd nodded, deflated.

Ivy had spent the next week nursing me back to health. I had run from the hospital right after giving birth. I spent all those days worring about her. I never signed her birth certificate. She'd come early, so I'd never chosen a name. I cried most days.

Yet, true to his word, Al had brought her back. A month later. We'd met in the graveyard, he'd looked tired, exhausted, with dark circles around his eyes and no set to his jaw. He hadn't shaved in days, and he hadn't bothered to put on his crushed velvet jacket.

My daughter had looked fine though, clean, with pink cheeks and a shy smile. He'd dressed her in a white dress, and slid a little pink bow into her incredibly thin hair.

"You're here," I'd breathed, going to take her into my arms.

"I spoke with the others," Al had said, "I managed to convenience them that she would be better off being raised here, by you. Instead of in our worlds, trapped, frightened, and without someone who can practically care for her."

Now, I'm glad to have her.

"Mom, don't look at me like that," she smiles shyly at me, catching me staring.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, I'm just glad to have you home."

She's almost sixteen now, her birthday is in two monthes, and I'm going all out.

"Oh, I know I've been spending a lot of time with Less, but I can stay home, if you'd like," she offers.

Less is her boyfriend, he's not my favorite. She inherited my bad taste.

"No, it's fine. You enjoy your freedom. Just clean your room before you go, okay?"

"Sure, no problem." She stands from her seat. "I'm not planning on going anywhere though, did you think I was?"

Opps. "No, well, I was planning on going to the charm shop later, would you like to come?"

"Sure, want to make a trip of it? I have some money saved up."

"I'd like that," I tell her.

She smiles, and flees. It turns out she can't walk on sanctified ground. So, she has a room where we used to interview our undead clients. Al had managed to find a way to unsanctify the kitchen, and the way to her room, but that's Al. We still want protection from the demons and undead vampires.

Lear is a passionate girl, with my taste for thrills. She loves good novels, and conveniant spells, and just like me, she hates her freckles. I'd given her my ring for her thirteenth birthday, the one my father gave me.

She also wears an earring that changes her eyes. I don't want people to hate her because of what she is. The earring is a curse, but I won't tell her that. I don't want her to darken her soul, or her aura, and it's beautiful silver shimmer.

Many people ask who her father is, but I won't tell. It was a witch, but he's long gone. She has his dark hair; and his calm, friendly, optimistic nature, but she still has far too much of me in her for anyone to make a good guess, or for her life to be easy.

We have fun shopping for charms. It's a month until Halloween, so a few stores already have up some displays for the occasion. I'm secretly shopping for my next lesson with Al, and Lear's birthday, but it's not hard to keep it to myself. She knows me too well, and doesn't ask many questions.

"Mom, look!" Lear cheers from the next isle over. I look, finding her oggling a a display of orchids. "They're so pretty," she smiles. "Do you think Jenks will let me plant some in the garden?"

Jenks is still alive, which is beyond shocking. His children are slowly moving from the church, and I feel like he's determined until the last one has found a place of it's own.

"I don't know, maybe."

"I'll ask when we get back," she tells me.

She's gone the following day. She left to go to school, where kids don't know she's a demon. She'll be with Less the rest of the day.

Less is a living vampire, so I'm not worried about her becoming pregnant, but I still want her to be careful. He's still young, so he's not very controlled, and if they make one bad decision, I could lose her.

My lesson with Al is later, once the sun goes down, so I'm glad she's gone.

I don't like her being around Al. He'd taken good enough care of her, but I don't like him putting thoughts into her vulnerable teenage mind.

Learimarkless

Less leans against the locker next to mine, watching me as I put away my books and grab my messenger bag, decorated with Latin and runes.

He's beautiful, for a guy. Light hair, green eyes, and perfectly lean.

"So," he wonders, making my heart leap, "Are you planning on going to Rena's party on Halloween?"

"No," I answer, "I don't really like parties," I lie. I have nothing against parties, I just wasn't invited. I slam my locker shut, and we walk slowly out of the side door. He doesn't live far from school, so we walk.

"Come on, Leary, I don't want to go alone."

"Well, tough," I tell him. I'm playing hard to get, it makes things much funner.

He pulls me to a stop, taking me by my wrists and pulling me to look into his eyes.

His pupils have dialated a little, but not enough to have me worried. He gazes into my eyes, and it feels as if he sees past my charm that conceals the demonic crimson.

I hate having to hide what I am; who I am. I don't like being made fun of because I can't activate a simple amulet, or because I accidently light something on fire. Why should I have to, when they're the ones who are thick headed?

"Leary," he breaths, leaning in for a kiss.

We've just moved out of eye sight of school, so I let him, trying my best to enjoy his lips, but my mind is far away.

"What's wrong with you Leary?" wonders Less. "You've been acting weird all day."

Have I? I shrug, then move over. (I was on his lap.)

That takes his interest. I don't often move away from him.

"You're right," I admit, sitting properly and folding my hands on my lap.

"It's fine, Leary, you can tell me," he assures, moving to see me more clearly.

I swallow. I'm not sure if telling him is the greatest idea, but I need someone to accept me, and he's my only chance.

"I have a secret," I begin timidly, "I'm not supposed to tell anyone, but I can't handle it anymore."

He nods, so I continue, "I'm not a witch," I say faintly, but I know that he can hear me, with his vampire ears.

He blinks at this, then smiles, "Then what are you?"