Chapter 1 The graveyard

"Come on Amanda I need your help to move into the new house too!"

"Dad, do I have too!"

"Come on Amanda I need all the help I can get."

"Fine." I groaned

I walked out to the car and pulled out the nearest box before trudging indoors, I hated it here. We had moved out here yesterday, dad had got a new job as a journalist here in Whitechapel and he just couldn't refuse the peaceful, scenic place. I think dad wanted something new as every part of our old life reminded us of mum, my mum who died two years ago. Perhaps the change would be good for us but somehow I just wasn't feeling it yet. I dumped the box down in the front hall and began to rummage inside, gliding my fingers over various items, it was the usual junk that dad kept.

There was a couple of his old collector's cars still in their boxes, an old pair of golfer shorts and a picture frame. I pulled It out slowly to take a good look. Her beauty grasped me, it always did. I knew it was her. I just knew it was mum when she was younger. I traced her face with my finger, my mum it's my beautiful mum! I knew her immediately from her piercing hazel eyes, they were exactly like mine. I never knew her very well as she had died when I was quite young but I had always seen photos of her in dad's private stuff. I could feel the hot wet tears stinging my eyes before they drip, drip, dripped down my face and splattered the picture below.

"Honey, are you okay?"

"Dad!" I said quickly. I shoved the picture back in the box and pushed it away, I didn't want him to know that I was prying through his personal things.

"Oh, sweetheart, I know you're upset about moving and all but I am sure you will fall in love with the place just like I did once you spend a little time here. Hmmmm? Come on sweetie." He said, pulling his arms open to embrace me in one of his giant grizzly bear hugs. I hugged him close and couldn't help crying even more once I was in his arms.

"Dad, I'm okay really, it's just I'm…"

"I know, I know, you're upset about this whole situation but we will be alright, I promise. Go on." He said, handing me some money. "Go and explore the area, get used to it huh? I will finish up the unpacking for today."

"Thanks," I said smiling through my tears. I was feeling a little better; perhaps I needed a little air anyway. I stepped outside into the cool breeze, it was actually quite late in the afternoon so I knew I couldn't spend too long as dad would get worried if I'm not back before it got dark. I wonder if this place has a good library or coffee shop?

I walked a couple of blocks before finding a quaint little coffee shop called Delia's delicious delights. It seemed nice enough, I made way through the door into a beautiful room decorated with flowers, there were orange sofas and window seats and many tables and chairs which were scattered all over the place. Patterned rugs covered most of the floor and the walls were cluttered with pictures and decorations. At the opposite end of the room was a wooden counter and a slightly plump, red faced women with a smile stretching from ear to ear was smiling across at me. The place had a few people here and there but it was mostly quiet.

I walked over to the wooden counter to order a coffee; I needed something with plenty of caffeine as I was actually quite tired after waking up so early. We hadn't put up any curtains yet and so the sun had streaked into my room at a most ungodly time of the morning and had woken me up!

"What can I get you honey?" The lady asked in a friendly voice.

"Just a coffee with milk and sugar please, thank you."

"I haven't seen you around here before, are you visiting on holiday or something?"

"Oh, ummm no actually me and my dad just moved here yesterday."

"Oh yes, so I heard that a new family was moving here! I get to hear all the gossip from my customers, you see, my shop is quite the hot spot here in Whitechapel." She bragged. "Here you go sweetie your coffee's done."

She passed me the warm mug with a spoon. The smell was sooooo delicious! I took it and found a small wooden table in the corner of the room. I was thinking about how much my life has changed from living in Oregon and now here! I was deep in thought before I was suddenly disturbed. I could see that it was already dark outside and I must have been sitting In the shop for a while.

I could hear some angry muttering nearby and peered out of the window. There were two boys, both had tousled brown hair, one was shorter than the other and was called Ethan by the other boy. The third person was a girl with brown skin and long flowing black hair and the forth was another girl with long blonde hair and seriously stylish clothes, they all seemed to be muttering angrily, obviously arguing about something before they pushed into the shop and crowded around another one of the small wooden tables just opposite me.

I was curious but didn't want to seem as if I was eaves dropping so I quickly dropped my head and began swirling my coffee with the silver teaspoon. I could still hear them muttering with each other when suddenly it all went silent. Slowly I peeked up from my drink to see the three of them just staring at me. I felt uncomfortable; I could feel their eyes boring into me as I squirmed nervously. I grabbed my bag, hurrying to the counter and handing the women her money for the coffee before rushing out of the door as their eyes followed me. Didn't anyone tell them that it was rude to stare! I felt so awkward and scared.

I just began to ran, it was too dark to see properly and I knew dad would be worried by now! The sky was a deep velvet black, there was practically no light at all just a faint orange glow from a couple of street lights. I was terrified. A threatening chill oozed up my spine as the wind whipped my hair across my face. I could barely see so I inched up against the wall and began groping my way along the path, feeling the cool, rough texture of the brick under my fingers. I moved quickly rounding the corner and then I saw it, moving at lightning speed with fangs, fangs?

My heart leapt into my mouth, she was in front of me, leering, laughing sarcastically. Her bony white fingers curled around my neck as she shoved me up against the brick wall. I thought my ears where going to burst open as my breath came in short ragged gasps. I scanned her face, it was a girl. Why was she doing this? What did she want? Her yellow orbed eyes glared at me furiously.

"Where is it? Where is the elixir half-blood?"

"What? What are you talking about, please, stop! I don't, l don't know where the elixir is?" I choked.

"Don't play with me."

My eyes bulged in their sockets, I felt extremely sick.

"Leave her Lauren, get out of here!"

The blood pounded in my head, I could just about see the four teens from the coffee shop grabbing the red headed girl whom they had called Lauren before I passed out.