A/N: The untitled song Rayven sings is my own creation, so nobody steal it please (if it's worth stealing, I'm more of a scribbler than a real lyricist). The Latin song she sings, though, belongs to Jim Steinman of 'Meatloaf'. Translation to come in the next chapter.

Out of the Dark

Rayven woke with an odd craving on her tongue. She licked her lips, wondering what it was she wanted, and wanted badly. Shrugging to no one in particular, she got up, stretched, and found her bag lying on the floor nearby. David must have brought it for her from her bike. She fished around inside for a moment before retrieving a letter she hadn't had the chance to open. With one fingernail she slit the top open, pulled out the letter, and began to read.

Star stirred and woke up with a yawn. She smiled at Rayven, who smiled back and continued to read. "Who's that from?" Star asked.

"My penpal, Breeze," answered Rayven. "She lives in England. Here, she sent me a picture from her birthday." Rayven held out the photo and Star took it curiously. It showed a girl of about 18 with very pale skin, black hair with streaks of electric blue, and sapphirine eyes, wearing a black velvet mini dress by Gothic Lolita with lace up front and jagged hem details.

"Cool," commented Star, handing the photo back. Rayven nodded.

"Apparently this guy Max finally got up the nerve to ask her out," she said. "It's about damn time, too. He's been crushing on her for weeks." Rayven folded up the letter and picture and slid them neatly back into the envelope. She put this back in her bag and pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. She put the end of the pen thoughtfully between her lips, folding her legs Indian-style and staring hard at the paper. Grinning suddenly, she started scribbling as she sang softly to herself:

"So you think you got the best of me,
Well, honey, think again!
Come back to reality
I'll make you pay, amen!
You tried to tame me, run me down
You thought I'd break and kneel
Well now I've got you lying facedown
I'll bring you to heel!

Try to forget, but I'll never let you
You'll never outrun what you've done
My face will haunt you in your darkest nightmares
Sweet vengeance has only begun!

The grave you dug me wasn't deep enough
Now I'm back to make your life hell!
You never knew what it means to be tough
Now fall under my black vengeance spell!
I curse you forever, all that now awaits you
Is naught but nightmares and despair
You'll only know how everyone hates you
When you think you're alone, I'll be there!

Try to forget, but I'll never let you
You'll never outrun what you've done
My ghost will follow you wherever you go
This battle is already won!

Say you're sorry, beg forgiveness,
Remorse comes far too late!
Curse your soul into black Hell
And I'll be there to lock the gate!

Try to forget, but I'll never let you
I'm the cold finger tracing your spine
You'll never outrun what you did to me
Every face you see will be mine!
Every face you see will be mine!
Every face you see will be mine!"

Rayven smiled with satisfaction. "I've been so uninspired lately; I can't believe I finally finished that song!"

Star took a look. "I like it," she said. "It's very passionate."

"Thanks," said Rayven with a pleased smile. "Talking about why I left Philly, I thought about what might have happened if I hadn't grabbed the letter opener. I've always been fascinated with the supernatural and I've had more than one ghostly encounter, so I thought about what I'd do if I had died and became a ghost." Star only nodded thoughtfully. Rayven got up and stretched out again. "I'm going to find out what David did with my bike. I want to see about fixing that brake." Star nodded again and Rayven went topside, singing softly to herself:

"Carpe Noctem, lamia!
Decet diem exsecrari
Sanguim suga, belua!
Debet pravum exsequari
Inquiem perpetuum dona nobis, Satanas

Bestia diaboli, dona nobis damnationem!"

Rayven found her bike chained to the gate that was meant to block off the cave entrance. Sitting cross-legged on the rocks, she started fiddling with the wires that connected the brakes to the handles. A commotion above at the top of the cliff distracted her and, curious, she climbed up to see what was what. She saw David and the other boys fighting with a bunch of junky skinheads. She frowned, wondering what was going on…until she saw the boys' faces. Their eyes were red and yellow, their faces contorted almost beyond recognition, and their teeth elongated into knifelike fangs. These they used to tear the skinheads apart, blood spraying everywhere as the boys laughed. Rayven stared in horror.

"My god," she whispered. "They're vampires!"