MEAGAN

Meagan's biggest regret was that she wasn't in the same classes as any of her friends. Class-especially science-was torture without them. Her lab parter, Nicki, hated her. Meagan had never given her a reason to, but for some reason she couldn't seem to stand Meagan. Today was no exception.

"Goth girl's back, huh?" Nicki muttered when she sat down. Meagan did look a little edgy. Her white-blond hair looked bleached, even though it was natural. And sure, she wore heavy eyeliner and leather pants. It was her way of telling people to back off. If she really thought about it, the reason for her tough-girl look might have been the fact that her dad had left her mom when Meagan was born. She still hated him-the man, the dad she'd never known-for that. Meagan didn't allow anybody into her life now, except Alex, Sophie, and Brie.

Another reason why she hated being in a different grade as them. Alex was a junior, and Sophie and Brie were freshman. Being stuck in the middle was hard, but at least she had them.

"Shut up, Nicki." Meagan rolled her eyes. As the teacher started the lecture, Nicki continued to whisper taunts.

"Stupid, lonely goth girl. Everybody hates you, you know. They call you a freak." A mean smile was plastered on her face.

Meagan was sick of it. She knew what people said about her behind her back, and she didn't care because they weren't true. But Nicki had pushed her too far with her stupid, gloating smile. Meagan had learned a few tricks from Alex about pranking people. As Nicki kept on needling her, she hooked her foot around Nicki's chair and yanked it out from under her, hard.

But instead of hitting the ground like she expected, she exploded into a cloud of shimmery dust. What on earth? "Nice try, goth girl," she heard in her ear, and whipped around to find Nicki right in her face. She was still smiling meanly. No, not meanly...this was past mean. It was evil.

Meagan gasped. What was wrong with her? How did Nicki get behind her? "What are you?" was the question that came out in a gravelly whisper.

And as if her question had been his cue, Nicki's eyes glowed pure gold. Her smile widened showing long, sharp fangs. "I think you know the answer to that question already."

Suddenly, Nicki lunged at her, snapping at her neck. Meagan rolled out of the way, under their lab table, and glanced at the teacher, who saw Meagan on the floor and glared at her. "Meagan, is something wrong?" Meagan decided that her teacher couldn't see Nicki, because she didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, except that Meagan was lying on the ground. As Nicki stalked around the table, she cut her gaze back to the teacher for a split second and choked, "I think I'm sick!" before snatching her backpack and running out of the classroom, clutching her stomach for effect (middle school drama class had paid off, after all).

As she ran, she fished her cell out of her backpack and speed-dialed Alex. "I need your help, NOW!" she said frantically as soon as she heard Alex's quiet, "Hello?" then hung up. Next, Sophie. "Get Brie and get out. Find Alex. Meet me at the parking lot, it's an emergency!" Hitting 'end call', she tore down the hallway towards the gymnasium. She could hear Nicki hissing behind her. Chancing a look behind her, she saw Nicki gaining with every step.

When Meagan finally reached the lot, which was thankfully empty, she found her friends there with their backpacks slung over their shoulders, looking confused. But when they saw Meagan, and Nicki speeding along behind her, they each reacted differently. Alex looked horrified, and Sophie looked about ready to hide behind Bri, who was staring at Nicki with first disgust, then recognition, then fear.

"Meagan!" Bri screamed, her eyes wide. "Your dad's present!"

Unfortunately, Meagan knew exactly what Bri was talking about. Her dad had left a dagger made of bronze, in a leather scabbard, for her when he left. She carried it everywhere, not because it was sentimental...rather because she couldn't seem to leave it behind anywhere. Now she was actually glad for it.

Swinging her bag in front of her, she felt for the pocket in which she stashed the knife. pulling it out, she hurled the bag behind her, at Nicki. The girl-or monster, or whatever she was-was knocked off balance, just enough for Meagan to rush forward and plunge the knife into Nicki's arm.

Nicki disintegrated into sand, just as quickly as she had turned into a monster. Alex came forward, followed by Sophie and Bri. "Oh my gosh," Alex whispered. "What was that?"

Bri stepped forward. In times like this, she looked far older than she was. The kind of person who fit the name Brienna, instead of her nickname, Bri. "A Mormo. They're kind of like vampires, they feed on the blood of children. She was here to kill you, Meg."

"What do we do?" I ask, terrified. Sophie also looks pale, and Alex keeps shaking her head in disbelief.

Bri usually looks like a princess, with her deep auburn hair and pale skin. But not many princesses wear the look of determination that she does now. "You're not going to like it," she warns, "But I know exactly what needs to happen, and it needs to happen now."