Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognise.

A/N: This story, I hope, will be a rather epic one. The idea came to me whilst on holiday, and, for a change, I actually have the entire plot mapped out. Here is just a small taster of what is to come, the first chapter should be up within the week. Hope you enjoy :o)

This story contains mature themes and strong language. Rating may rise.

How Soon Is Now?

Prologue

"Don't touch him!"

Before she could reply, Claire felt herself being dragged away from the sofa in a fierce grip, leaving her arms hurting, and causing the fear that was starting to worm it's way through her transform into raw panic.

She stared at the horrific scene before her, unsure what to do, not knowing how an innocent evening watching T.V and kissing and eating pizza had suddenly turned into a blood bath. James stood beside her, rigid, still gripping her arms and obviously going through the same terror as she was. Jenny was in the corner, screaming.

Claire's voice shook as she spoke, "What…what's wrong with him?"

Matt was lying on the carpet now, having rolled off the sofa in some sort of fit. Sweat was dripping off him in buckets, his eyes showing only white, his limbs moving wildly in every direction and blood pouring from his nose and mouth. The smell of the room made her feel sick, dope and sweat and sex and blood, the lone light bulb swinging slowly, eerily glowing and she would have collapsed if James hadn't been holding her up right.

"I…" James stuttered "I don't know."

Her knees buckled slightly, the sight of Matt writhing on the floor making her want to vomit.

The four of them had just received their GCSE results. James had come straight to her house, shouting with joy and waving a piece of paper in her face.

"Four B's!" he'd cried as she'd opened the door and giggled at the sight of plain happiness on his face. "Four fucking B's!"

"Oh come here." She'd said and hugged him, then kissed him, then lead him through to the kitchen. Her parents were, fortunately, out of the country on what they had called a 'second honey moon', but what Claire knew was actually 'marriage counseling.' She didn't like to dwell on the subject too much.

"So?" James had said, grabbing a beer from the fridge "How d'you do?"

She'd smiled and ducked her head bashfully.

"Three A's, two A stars."

James had then let out a bark-like laugh and looked at her with a mixture of jealousy and pride on his face that only he really knew how to pull off. Then he'd walked over to her, ruffled her hair (a gesture which most would find patronising, but which Claire adored) and given her a quick kiss on the lips.

"Knew you'd do it." He'd said. She'd swallowed, suddenly remembering why she'd fallen in love with him to start with.

"So…party at my place?"

The so called 'party' had actually only consisted of herself, James, Matt and Jenny, who had coincidently come across quite a sizable amount of alcohol and marijuana. Matt had got a near perfect set of results, and that morning had rushed to his Dad's work place to tell him in person that his only son wasn't a failure. When he'd arrived at Claire's, for some reason he was incredibly eager to tell them about his father's job.

"I'm telling you, there's summink going on in that place." He'd said.

"Matt, honestly, it's Canary Wharf. Not the bloody Death Star." James had said whilst rolling a joint.

"I'm serious!" he'd cried indignantly "It's like…The X files or something."

"Oh God, here we go…" Jenny had said. Matt looked slightly hurt that his girlfriend hadn't backed him up, but carried on anyway.

"All this 'new technology' Dad keeps raving about. You should see it there. It's all retina and finger print scans, encrypted passwords…you notice these sort of things when you look for 'em. And dad is constantly staying late…two in the morning he gets in sometimes."

"Mate, he's probably just shagging his secretary."

A look of reluctant realisation had passed Matt's face then, but he covered it with a glare.

"Well don't blame me when the bloody men in black start taking us all in for questioning."

James had passed him the joint he'd just rolled.

"I think you need that more than I do."

They'd ordered a few pizzas and watched the directors cut of Bladerunner, drank and smoked themselves stupid, and that was when Matt started to cough.

At first, they'd thought he'd over done it a bit on the booze. "Steady on mate!" James had cried, laughing and whacking him on the back. Jenny laughed. Claire giggled, but frowned when he continued to cough, his face turning a sinister shade of crimson.

Then he'd doubled over and started to shake.

Now, Matt was rolling around on the carpet, struggling to breathe and looking more and more like a mad man. He wasn't Matt any more. He was a stranger. Jenny was still screaming and Claire felt like yelling at her, but knew it wouldn't help the situation.

"Do something!" Jenny sobbed, falling to her knees and grabbing Matt's arm. "Call an ambulance!!"

Claire felt James run to the hall where the phone was, and she knelt beside Jenny, who was beside herself with fear.

"Jen…" she started to say "Jen calm down."

Suddenly Matt coughed again violently, and a huge snotty, bloody mess flew from his mouth, landing on her face. Jenny started to sob more while Claire wiped her face with her sleeve, her hand shaking.

"They're on the way!" James staggered into the room "They're coming, don't worry…he'll be fine." It seemed like he was trying to convince himself as well as the two of them.

Suddenly Matt's breathing turned into gasping moans, his eyes darting everywhere, his hands reaching out blindly.

He spat out more blood. "Ba…Baaa."

"He's trying to say something." James muttered.

"What's he saying, what's he saying!?"

"Jenny shut up!!"

Matt suddenly grabbed Claire's shirt and pulled her towards him, and she let out a scream, too numb to struggle.

"Baaad…"

Matt looked at her, and Claire felt an unbearable heat consume her as she gazed into his white eyes. Glowing white, they were. She felt like she could fall and fly and do impossible things, she felt powerful, invincible.

"Baaaaaaaaad….."

More blood splattered on her face, on her clothes. She could barely hear James' yells or Jenny's screams, she was too lost in the light that was glowing before her. Light and dark, everything and everyone, the stars, the sea, time and space. She could feel it all. She could see it all.

"Baaad…..Wolf.."

"What the fuck is going on!?"

And suddenly she felt darkness grab her, and the familiarity of James' arms as he pulled her away from the light. A terrible fear struck her then…the warmth, it was gone, never would she feel warm or safe or free again…

James was shaking her, then grabbed her face, pushing her hair from her eyes. She realised then that she was sweating.

"Claire?" he yelled, tears in his eyes "Claire! Talk to me!"

She chanced another look at Matt. He was still now, the glow vanished. Still and unmoving, just…lying there. He could have been asleep, so peaceful. Jenny was crying.

She sounded so far away. Everything did.

Matt's last words echoed inside Claire's head. She didn't know what they meant. Only that they contained power beyond her understanding.

'Bad Wolf.'

By the time the ambulance arrived, Matt was dead.