Different

Chapter One - In the Air

Katy sighed, pulling the strap of her laptop back up her shoulder. It was a cold night - one that would freeze anyone and anything that stood still even for a couple of seconds. She looked up to the sky, watching as her warm breath danced around her. The moon was high in the sky, and the stars burned brightly. She gave a smile, but it faded as she looked down to her watch. It blinked 12:37. Holy shit, she thought to herself.

She had finally reached the bus stop, which wasn't such a comfort from the cold night. She sat down and rubbed her hands together. This was the only thing she hated about being a college student. There was so much homework and class work. She knew it was bad when the janitor in the library knew her by name.

She looked up. The bus better get here quick, she thought to herself. Usually, she walked home, but she was just too tired. There was no way she could walk three blocks with her laptop and her books. Screw that.

She looked around. The street was so quiet, maybe a bit too quiet especially for a college town. The wind pounded against the clear plastic of the bus stop. For some reason, she had a feeling someone was watching her… but there was no one out there. She shook it out of her head. She was just tired, she told herself. Just wait for the bus, and get home. She needed some sleep though she knew she wasn't going to get much tonight. It was the sacrifices of getting an 'A' in physiology she guessed.

Her eyes caught something and she looked up again. Her eyes scanned over the street, and there was nothing. What the hell? She turned her head again, thinking she saw something, but again, there was nothing. She let out a breath. Her eyes were playing games on her again. They did that a lot. Sometimes she even swore she was going crazy.

She pulled her arms around her chest and yawned. Of course, being dead-tired wasn't helping either.

She looked up again. She had DEFINITELY seen someone. She stood, a small bit of panic running through her. Her heart beat quickly, pounding against her insides."Oh yes, let it beat faster." A voice seemed to wrap around her like a tourniquet. She blinked and shot her head around… There was no one out here! No one she could see. "I see you." There was that voice again!

"Hello?" She yelled to the empty darkness. Who was out there? Was there anyone out there? She bit her lip and kept close to the light, hoping the bus was right around the corner. Come on, you stupid fucking bus, she thought to herself.

As her eyes scanned the darkness for motion, she reached into her book bag grabbing out something her friend had given her just in case something should happen. Good thing she had it, she thought. A lot of students had went missing, and she hoped that tonight, she wouldn't become one of them.

She snapped her head around. "Whose there?" She yelled.

There wasn't any answer. Just silence. She let out a breath. God, maybe she was going crazy.

"Katy," the voice came again. "We got you now."

Her eyes widened. They knew her name? How the hell? "Leave me alone!" She screamed. She looked around. She had a feeling the bus wasn't coming. Fuck it, she thought and immediately started running. She didn't care, she just needed to get to some public place… a store, something that was open. She would be safe there, right?

Laughter echoed in her head, just making her run faster and faster. She turned her head around, thinking they were running after her, thinking they were catching up. God, why were they doing this? What had she done to deserve this?

She screamed as she ran into someone and fell to the concrete with a loud crash. She looked up, tears running down her cheeks, pointing behind her. "Please, help me!" She pled. "Someone's chasing me!" She looked to the stranger. It was someone she hadn't recognized.

A wicked grin chased across the strangers cheeks. Long fangs rested just outside his pink lips. He took a step forward and reached down to pick her up. She screamed and grabbed out the mace, pressing down the button and throwing it into his eyes. "NO!" She screamed. She dropped everything she had, except for the mace and started running. The laptop and all that would just hold her back, plus she could replace them.

The figure screamed in pain and fell against the wall as she ran passed him. "You BITCH!" She heard him yell.

She screamed as she felt a push on her back and she ran head first into one of the buildings. She toppled to the ground and looked back up, seeing the stranger in front of her. No way! She ran as fast as he could, and he caught up with her in seconds? There is no way!

She backed away as he laughed and took a step forward. "Leave me alone!" She screamed. "Help me!"

He continued to laugh. "Keep laughing, 'cause no one will hear you." He said.

She tried to get up but he smacked her across the face, sending her flying against the wall again. She groaned and fell to the ground, trying to force her body to move as fast as she could, but it wasn't working all that too well.

The stranger laughed and took another step towards her as more silhouettes surrounded her. The first stranger laughed again and ripped her up and pressed her against the cold stone wall.

She screamed and turned her head away. His breath smelled so bitter and his eyes were blood red. What and the hell was he? Why were they doing this? Tears ran down her cheeks as she felt the strangers hand dance down her sides. God, was he going to rape her? Please, God, no!

He laughed again, hearing her thoughts. "I have you now, princess." He laughed and ripped her forward, pressing his lips to her throat. She screamed out as pain shot through her shoulders, down through her chest and across her whole body. She gasped and tried to fight him off, but he was too strong. She tried to scream again, for anyone to help her. Someone! Please?!

She could feel her life fading from her, and a sense of euphoria fell over her. She stopped struggling, she stopped fighting, and she just looked up to the sky… "H-hel… help me…" She whispered.

--

He growled lowly as he jumped from the roof top, his sword already unsheathed as he landed behind the couple of vampires. He looked up and grinned, rushing at them as they rushed towards him, trying to protect their 'leader.' They wanted him to finish her, finish her in peace. Yeah, in pieces maybe.

The one that had bit her, pulled his head up. She winced and fell to the floor, unable to move, as the stranger dropped her. It was like she couldn't breath, it was like she couldn't move. She watched as three figures started to fight each other… she couldn't tell which ones were the good guys… even if there were any.

She screamed in pain as she pulled herself to sit up and tried to crawl away. It was all she could do.

It was no time before two of the silhouettes were killed. She turned around to see one coming at her. She screamed and started to crawl away a bit faster, but she wasn't fast enough. He grabbed her and pulled her to her feet… It was a different one. She screamed and struggled against him. "Let me go!" She yelled.

He let her fall to the ground and he slowly pulled the glasses from his eyes that were focused on her wound. She was bitten. She would eventually turn, and he would just have to kill her the same way he had her attackers. But there was something different about her -- something in her blood. It wasn't normal.

He pulled a gun out of his jacket and pointed it at her. Thoughts rummaged through his head… any other human would have been dead by now. His eyes narrowed as he looked into her eyes. She was scared, he could see that.

She shivered, closing her eyes as he pointed his gun at her. She didn't know what to say, what to do, she was going to die now. Why? Why, god damn it?

"Whistler won't like this," he said to himself as he placed the gun back into the jacket.

She looked up, she didn't understand. Who was that? What was he talking about? She shook as he bent down and pulled her into his arms but she was too weak to fight it anymore. If he was going to kill her, just do it already. She closed her eyes tightly and let the darkness overcome her. She didn't care anymore. She was tired.

--

"Blade? Did you bring a friend home?" King asked as he walked into the building with Katy in his arms.

Blade didn't say anything as he placed her on the gurney. "..Fix her." He said, walking away.

King looked down to see she was bitten.. It was a deep one too. He looked back up as Abigail came in. "Fine, whatever." He said. He turned to Abby, who gave him the 'antidote.' "Let's hope it works on this one."

They had tried to save a couple other people but it was too late for them. The antidote hadn't worked, and King and Abby had to take care of them, which wasn't a happy sight. They thought they had all agreed to not bring strays there anymore, but they were sure Blade had a reason.

Abby sighed and followed after Blade. "It's not like you to break your own rules." She teased as Blade placed the sword on it's rack. Blade said nothing. "Oh, come on, there has to be a reason."

He looked up to her. "I'll kill her if I have to, Whistler." He clenched his fists. "She'd be dead by now if she was a normal human. Can't you smell it in her blood?"

"No," Abby said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Blade looked to her, shrugged, and just walked away.

Abby sighed and walked back towards the girl and King. He had already given the antidote to her. "So, what do you think?" She asked him.

"Hell if I know," he said, grabbing a gun and making sure it was loaded. He'd do it, if he had to. Unfortunately.