Yep I still aint owning nothing lol.

This chapter really would not be here if I didnt have the help of Midnight Seductress.

Oh and Derri your nagging helped as well :P

I awoke the next night and was amazed to find that I had managed to sleep the whole day, it had been a while since I had slept that long, and I felt disgusting after it.

I decided on a quick shower to get rid of the feeling, the quick shower turned into an hour long shower, I stood there thinking about everything that had happened the night before. I was still so confused about everything. The only explanation that made any sense to me would be mind games. Well attempted mind games anyway, if that was what David was doing then it would not have worked anyway. This shield that I have or am or whatever you want to call it seems to be working out pretty damn good in the long run. Like Alice said, I would figure everything out eventually.

By this point it was definitely dark outside, and I really needed to hunt. There was nothing that was going to stop me this time.

I had to make sure I didn't bump into any of the boys, I couldn't just tell them to fuck off because I was busy, I had still only been here two days and knowing them they would want to come with me just to see what the hell I was doing, and one thing I really didn't need was for them to see me killing someone. Now that would be a hard one to explain.

I decided that this was as good a night as any to wear my new skirt, it was white but I was sure that I could manage not to get my food down myself tonight. I stuck on a vest top and covered up with a leather jacket, it was nice and warm inside the jacket.

The boardwalk as usual was brimming with people, people staggering around drunk and many people dancing around either coming down from or still on a very heavy drug high.

Tonight I wanted to find someone that wasn't drinking or doing drugs, it made the blood taste different.

There was some concert going on, just down from the boardwalk, by the sounds of things it was some eighties music that was playing, some freaky looking guy wearing purple spandex pants, and playing a sax, I have to say he looked a right mess. I was too busy watching this guy to notice that someone was just about to run right into me, the guy was obviously shit wrecked, he was lying on the floor laughing, he obviously hadn't noticed how hard my skin was.

Just as I began to walk away my phone started buzzing.

I would suggest trying animals whilst being away from the family, but I know you won't listen.

Just don't blame me when you go all catatonic and shit, I did warn you.

Alice x

Alice did have a point, every time I had hunted and successfully drained a human I went into a slight emotional breakdown. There was no way I was ever going to attempt drinking from animals again though, now that really didn't work out for me, it was disgusting and every time Alice or anyone else had made me at least try it again I ended up vomiting everywhere within an hour from feeding, now Esme was not too happy about the mess, animal blood was not the easiest thing to remove from furniture. So I may have a slight breakdown when I fed from humans but it is better than the pain that the animal blood put me through.

I was trawling around just looking or smelling for someone to gorge on, and that's when the most amazing smell hit me, it was unlike any blood I had ever smelt. As soon I smelt it I knew that this person was in no way living. I would have them.

The scent was still strong and by the smell of things the person wasn't too far away. I followed the scent and came across a girl who looked to be about my age maybe even slightly older; she had long brown hair and was dressed what would appear to be in a very hippy like style. Now all I had to do was lure her away from the crowds.

"Excuse me, sorry to bother you but I am a bit lost."

Well that got her attention, I looked down and tried to make myself look embarrassed at my request.

She looked up and me and smiled, she probably thought I was some teenage runaway, but I most definitely was not.

"Yeah sure what can I help you with?" She ended her question with another smile; I couldn't help but smile back. It was then that I realised that I hadn't thought about what the hell I was going to ask her help with. I needed to think of something, and fast.

"Err yeah I am meant to be meeting someone at the entrance to the graveyard."

Oh god how lame did that sound; I probably made it blatantly obvious I was out to kill her. She smiled at me again.

"Sure I can show you the way to the graveyard, seems like a pretty strange place to be meeting someone, but who am I to judge. I'm Star by the way."

A part of me didn't want her to have to die just to satisfy my hunger but a more dominant part of me wanted to jump on her and kill her right that second, but I knew I had to wait. My mind was in the middle of making up its own little fantasies on ways to kill her when I realised that she had just told me her name and was probably waiting for me to tell her mines.

"Oh, Star, that's a nice name. I'm Akira."

I noticed as Star was walking ahead of me that she was very graceful, almost vampire graceful, it was as if she was floating along the ground.

"I like it not a common name."

I smiled at her again. What was with that, it was like she had some sort of hold on me; never in my life have a smiled this much in such a short time period.

"So how long have you been in Santa Carla Akira?"

I had expected that question, so it didn't come as shock when she finally asked me.

"I have been here two days."

She didn't even seem to acknowledge my answer, it was a bit strange.

"How long have you been here?"

I had to ask her, she didn't seem like a runaway, she was too well dressed and to clean. Not that I was saying that all runaways here were smelly tramps but you know what I mean.

"I was born in Santa Carla; I have been here my whole life."

I noticed that we were about a minute from the graveyard at this point and I needed to make my move, I walked slightly faster so I was now in step with her.

I grabbed her hand and stopped walking, I could see the fear in her eyes, and for once it didn't affect me at all, I didn't give a shit that I was about to take a life.

"I am sorry I have to do this."

I may not have felt guilty for having to do this, but I still had to say something, I didn't want to seem like a complete monster, even if I was one.

Start started struggling; she was trying to get her hand free and thrashing about a lot. Seeing her try and get away from me and the look on her face when I tightened my grip on her hand until almost breaking point had me laughing out loud. I was feeling pretty evil tonight, and I let the monster in me take over completely.

Star screamed out as I grabbed her hair and let go of her hand, even in her feeble attempts at getting free she still managed to cradle her hand against her chest, I was waiting for the pleading to start, it never came.

"What are you?"

The poor girl was full on sobbing by this point, tears streaming down her face. I wasn't going to tell her what I was, no point really, she wouldn't get all her questions out and answered before I drained her. So I settled for a very dark smile, showing off all my teeth.

I had dragged her into the middle of the graveyard by her hair, yet I still wasn't giving a shit how much pain I was putting her though, I let go of her hair and grabbed the front of her top, I pulled her off of the ground and slammed her up against what looked like the side of a rundown caretakers building, as soon as her body made contact with the stone wall a heard a rather sickening crunch, I didn't know what I had broken but it sure as hell had her making some fucking amount of noise.

"You're different from the rest."

I hadn't expected her to say something like that and I nearly lost my grip on her completely. I wanted to know how she had managed to get close enough to a vampire to find out what they are yet come away from the experience alive and by the looks of things unharmed, it was strange. In a matter of minutes it wouldn't matter though.

I tightened my grip, and successfully threw her head once again into the wall. She didn't look shocked in the slightest, mainly because she had apparently met a vampire before, and she was right I was different from the rest of them, I was only half.

Using the girls hair I turned her head, I now had her at the perfect angle for my teeth to sink into her flesh. The movement had cause a sharp cry of pain to involuntary escape her.

The girl no longer seemed to fear me, by the looks of things she had accepted her fate, and she was waiting for me to end her life now. I leaned in towards Star and inhaled her delicious scent; I could feel her trembling as I ran my nose up the side of her neck, she inhaled sharply and held her breath.

I took this as my cue and sunk my teeth into her jugular; the cry of pain I was expecting came out as a very pitiful whimper. The feeling of the blood sliding down my throat was amazing, and quenched the burn almost instantly, but that wasn't going to stop me and within the minute I had her drained.

I searched for a freshly dug grave, and it didn't take me long to find one, this grave was only two days old and held the body of someone by the name of Hannah Bailie, the gravestone that was there was gorgeous and the massive array of flowers was perfect for hiding the fact that the grave would have been dug up.

I removed all of the flowers taking my time and making sure that I didn't damage any of them, the young girl was obviously deeply missed among many.

Once all of the flowers were successfully moved, it took me minutes to dig up the soil into a nice neat pile off to the side; speed was one thing I was grateful I had.

I walked back over to the caretakers building and grab the girls hair once again, after I managed to rip a clump of her hair out I decided it would be best if I just picked her up.

I threw the body into the grave, I picked up one flower that had fallen from one of the arrangements and laid it on top of the girl's chest, I couldn't think of her name anymore, I was the one that had taken her life and I no longer held the right to even utter her name.

I put all of the soil back, being a bit more careful than I was when digging it up, making sure that I had successfully hidden all of the girl's body, I took my time and re-arranged the flowers until they were sitting in exact same places they were before.

I decided on heading back to the hotel and dressing more appropriately for the night life, maybe I would head back to the boardwalk and catch the end of the concert, seeing the guy in the lycra pants again would surely be humorous if only for a few minutes, it was better than nothing.

I managed to run most of the way back to the hotel only slowing when the crowd started to come into view again. It never ceased to amaze me at the amount of people there actually were living in Santa Carla, there would probably never be an exact population count of the area, too many runaways.

When I reached the hotel room I was still awaiting the emotional breakdown that I was sure was going to happen, but it never came.

I kept my leather jacket and vest top on but swapped my now dirt caked skirt for a nice new pair of black and white stripped skinny jeans, I added in a pair of cowboy boots that Jasper had given me as a birthday gift the year before, he had meant them as a joke but I swiftly fell in love with them. If Alice could see my outfit now; which I am pretty sure she already had, she would not be pleased at all, no matter how many times she had tried to drill her own fashion sense into my poor head, it never worked, she seemed to think I had no interest in fashion, but what she didn't know was that I just hated her fashion sense, it was fucking awful.

I grabbed my purse and headed out the door, the first place I was going was anywhere I could buy fags; I became a very pissy person when I had no nicotine.

Lucky for me the first shop I walked into sold my brand and I was off on my way happy once again.

The concert was still going on, it was still the same guy with the funky pants and the sax but the song he was currently playing was rather catchy.

I found myself dancing away in the crowd; I usually would have anything to do with a concert, too many people jumping about like fucktards, but for some reason I didn't care this time, I was too caught up in having a good time.

It only took me a few seconds to realise I knew the song that was currently being played, I had heard it many time since I moved in with my family, I couldn't tell you who was playing it though.

But I still believe
I still believe
Through the pain
And through the grief

Through the lies
Through the storms
Through the cries
And through the wars

Oh, I still believe

Flat on my back
Out at sea
Hopin' these waves
Don't cover me

I'm turned and tossed
Upon the waves
When the darkness comes
I feel the grave.

I found myself singing along and dancing around like the fucktards I had just described, I may have looked like a bit of a wank but I didn't care.

I was too caught up in the music to notice someone walking up behind me that was until I felt their hands on my waist and the breath tickling my neck. I shivered at the sensation I brought, I knew by the scent that it was Paul and by the smell of things Marko was very close as well, definitely not as close as Paul but he was here none the less.

"Little bit of warning next time Paul, you scared me fucker."

I could feel his frame shaking with the laughter he was trying to hold in, I don't know whether it was from the way I spoke to him or if it was because I near enough jumped a foot in the air when he touched me.

"Sorry about that babe, but how did you know it was me?"

I hadn't thought he would ask me that question so I had no answer to that one, so I had to wing it.

"Who else would even think about creeping up on me like that?"

Well that answer seemed plausible; at least I think it did. I could be wrong. People generally do stay away from me though, their instincts usually tell them to keep clear, they may not understand why, but usually they do follow their instincts.

"I suppose you right babe."

You know it didn't really bother me at first but now the pet name was really doing my head in, I was going to make him shut the fuck up and stop calling me that if it's the last thing that I do.

"Really Paul could you stop with the pet names I have my own name you know, and I don't really like being called babe, and considering how close you are I don't really think there is need for a name, I mean who the fuck else would you be talking to considering your face is just about embedded in my fucking neck?"

Paul looked a little shocked at my outburst, where as Marko was standing off to the side laughing his fucking ass off. I turned at the moment and waved at Marko, I didn't need to do much else as he obviously took this as my greeting and smiled at me before waving back.

"So what are you boys up to tonight and where is your pimp?"

Damn that "filter" of mines still seems to be on the blink.

Lucky for me it did cause both of them to laugh rather than glare at me for even thinking of saying something like that.

"Well we are supposed to be helping David look for his girl, but we bumped into you now didn't we."

I found it strange that I had spent the entire night with the boys and there was no mention of David having a girlfriend, although I had only known them for one night so why would they even feel like they needed to tell me something like that.

"So why does bumping into me stopping you from looking for her, and what do mean by looking for her?"

I knew that they were obviously looking to use me as an excuse as to why they are no longer looking for David's girl as Paul so nicely put it. Paul was giving me a playful glare obviously a bit irked that I had busted his plans.

"Why don't I help you look for her then, I have nothing better to do?"

It was true I had nothing better to do and my senses would surely help while looking for her.

"Sure, you can help us. I am sure that will make things a whole lot more fun now don't you think?"

He still hadn't told me why we were looking for her though, in fact he hadn't told me anything about the girl, I didn't know what the hell I was looking for.

"So what is her name, what does she look like I might need to know these things if I am going to help you know."

Paul looked slightly embarrassed at forgetting to give me any details, while Paul stood there rubbing the back of his neck, Marko came up and slung an arm around my shoulder before telling me what the girl looked like.

"She has long brown hair, real pretty girl you know."

Wow what a wonderful description that was, I am sure I will be able to tell her apart from the thousands of other pretty brown haired girls around here.

"Very fucking helpful you are Marko; do you know how many pretty brown haired girls there are around here? What is her name?"

At this Paul burst out laughing obviously over his previous embarrassment, it only took a few seconds before Marko joined in with the laughter, we were walking by this point and they were still laughing when we bumped into David and Dwayne.

"What's got them laughing like that?"

Once again I was shocked at Dwayne speaking, it just seemed wrong.

"What isn't amusing to them?"

David's emotionless mask slipped ever so slightly at my remark but he quickly hid the smirk threatening to break out. Dwayne sniggered but didn't full on laugh.

"So you are looking with us then?"

I don't know whether that was meant to be a question or just a statement but I answered him anyway.

"Yep I sure am, I will help you find her. How long has she been gone for?"

I just assumed she had gone missing.

"That is none of your business."

Oh wow David is such a nice person, I offer to help to look for his fucking girlfriend and he is treating me like shit.

"Paul Marko you two go that way, me and Dwayne will head this way, you know what to do if you find her."

Well aint that just great, I just got ignored, I feel a bit like a lost fucking puppy. Well that was until Paul flung his arm round my shoulders and started walking the direction David had sent them in, I didn't feel like a twat now.

I really wanted to say something about their reactions the night before, I couldn't hold it in.

"So what was with the reactions last night?"

Might as well be blunt about it.

"Reactions to what?"

Ah so they were going to play dumb, I think it's time to shock them. I really hadn't intended on being so blunt but subtlety obviously wasn't going to get me anywhere.

"I mean the reactions to David's little mind games not working."

I could tell that I really had shocked them; their facial expressions were rather funny to watch. I was rather glad that David and Dwayne went their own way again, I don't think I would get any answers had David been here.

"Oh come on, I aint stupid I want answers."

And there I go making demands, I am good at that. I knew that there was more to the boys than silly little mind games.

"We can... Well um... We can sort of read minds. Except..."

I didn't even let Paul finish that thought I already knew the ending.

"Except mine."

Paul and Marko seemed pretty shocked that I already knew that. I forget that I can read minds, I like to keep the mind reading and the empathy locked away, it's very stressful being surrounded by everyone's thought and emotions, very overwhelming.

I could tell from the look and the small nods being shared between the two that they were having a silent conversation.

I decided to tap in and see what they were talking about, because one I hate being left out of the loop, and if I replied to their thoughts maybe it would stop the internal freak out that appeared to be taking place.

"What the fuck did you tell her that for Paul? David is going to kill us."

Well Marko was obviously worried about David finding out.

"Shut up Marko, it was only a matter of time before he told her himself, and he won't kill us."

Who would have thought Paul being the voice of reason?

"No he won't kill us, but he will kill her."

I don't know why but I found it absolutely fucking hilarious imagining David trying to kill me, he could try but he would not succeed, that I knew for sure.

I couldn't hold in the laughter, which was definitely the cause of the strange looks I was getting from Paul and Marko.

"Look boys David can't get all pissy over something he don't know about now can he? I am sure you two know of some way to block your thoughts from him. Oh and don't worry, he hasn't got a hope of killing me."

Wow I was getting really good at shocking people.

"Can she hear us?"

"Yes Marko I can hear every damn word that flows through that pretty little head of yours."

I couldn't help but smirk at the looks on their faces, they didn't seem pleased that I was fishing around in their minds; they were worrying about what they had thought about me in the last two days when I was around them.

"Don't worry I wasn't listening in until about five minutes ago, so you're safe, for now anyway."

They both sighed in relief that seemed to calm their worries, although now I was curious at what they had been thinking about me.

"So what was with the mind games anyway, I mean I caught worms and maggots or some shit, but still not much to get from that."

I noticed Paul seemed embarrassed at the mention of last night's games although I don't know why it was David doing.

"Well he was trying to make you think you were eating Maggots"

I guessed that much. I think a little game of withstand the emotion, that always proved to be a good one, it's pretty damn hilarious when there are two empath's in the room, two emotions are shouted out they have five seconds to prepare for it, and it's not east to try and deny two different emotions, yes definitely about time for a game.

"So is it just the mind reading and games and stuff or can you do any other shit?"

I couldn't help but ask, for all I know they could do a whole lot of other shit.

"No, it's just the mind shit."

I didn't know whether to believe them or not but oh well. I decided to tell them about the empathy though; maybe if I told them a bit more, then they would be less reluctant to share.

"Well that's shit; Empathy can be a pretty fun thing at times."

As soon as I tapped into the empathy I was hit by the boys very strong confusion, I didn't know what they were confused about.

"What is so confusing?"

Ah understanding quickly overtook the confusion, apparently they didn't have a clue what empathy was.

"So you know what we are feeling."

I was right; they hadn't known what the hell it was. Idiots.

"I can feel everything you are, and I can manipulate your emotions, I could make you feel whatever the fuck I want you to feel."

Oh they didn't believe the manipulation part; they thought I was lying about it. I will show them.

"What you don't believe me?"

I linked arms with both of them; it took all of three seconds for them to be lying on the ground in agony.

I could have made the pain a lot worse, but I figured that this would be bad enough, considering it was un-expected.

I only left them in pain for around thirty seconds before I completely changed the emotions and hit them with a rather large amount of hilarity.

They were now rolling around the floor in laughter, I kept it up for about a minute before I let them go, the lack of air was probably getting bad and I don't think they would have been too happy if they had pissed themselves, now that would have been hilarious on my part, but I think they would have been mortified.

"So now that I have proved myself you want to get your asses up of the floor, in case you forgot we are meant to be looking for someone."

I didn't even wait for them to get up before I walked off.

I knew there was no point in trying to find this girl, she wouldn't be found unless she wanted to be, if I had her scent it would be a hell of a lot fucking easier but I don't, so it's really up to her to make her own way back.

"Where the hell did you learn to do that?"

I was shocked at Paul's question; it only took me a second before I recovered though.

"I didn't learn how to do it asshat, I just can."

I couldn't exactly tell him I woke up and stole it from Jasper; I think that would have brought on many questions that I really did not want to answer. In fact I couldn't answer; at this moment in time I thought it wise not to mention anything about my family.

"So what you just woke up one day and you could do that?"

I nearly burst out laughing at how close Marko was to the truth, it was pretty funny but I didn't.

"Something like that."

The tone of my voice told them that, that certain topic of conversation was over, and thankfully they dropped it.

"We should probably head back; see if David and Dwayne found anything."

Marko seemed a bit on edge, I think after the little bout of pain I had subjected him to, he was feeling pretty intimidated by me.

I took a look at my watch as we made our way to the boys 'hotel', I couldn't believe we had been wondering about for three hours, we didn't exactly do much looking.

Silence filled the air on the walk to their place; I knew that Paul and Marko were more than likely having a silent conversation, they were probably still discussing what David was going to say about their little discoveries, I mean mind reading and empathy were not normal things.

I was not looking forward to being in the same room as David again, especially not after he find out that I know they can read minds, I don't think that will be a pleasant conversation.

"Honey we are home."

I was brought out of my own little world by the boys all greeting each other.

Paul was the first to bring up the subject of David's girlfriend, by the looks of things and I do mean the lack of another female presence in the room I was guessing they had not managed to find her.

"Did you two find anything?"

David looked pissed off at the fact Paul had even asked him that, by the looks of things David had already told him something silently, I had a feeling Paul was only doing it for my benefit, or to up the charade of not knowing about my mind reading and me not know that they can read minds also.

"She is dead Paul."

I gasped, I don't know why; I really couldn't give a damn whether she was dead or not. It did not make any difference to my life in the slightest.

"How do you know she is dead?"

Why did I even ask I don't need to know, actually I don't even want to know, but for some reason I asked.

"We found one of her shoes and some of her hair and blood were stuck to the wall of the old caretakers building up in the cemetery, she is dead."

Wow still seemed real odd when Dwayne spoke.

And that is when it all clicked into place for me.

The cemetery.

The hair.

The Blood.

"I can't believe Star is dead , who the fuck would want to kill her?"

Oh god as if the information Dwayne had given wasn't enough, Marko had to mention her name.

Now I knew for sure I had killed David's mate tonight.

No I had eaten David's mate tonight.

"FUCK"

I hadn't meant to shout that out, it was meant to stay in my head, but my brain filter once again seems to be faulting.

Everyone stared at me, confusion colouring their faces, my little outburst had definitely not gone un-noticed.

I couldn't even form a coherent sentence; all I could do was stare right back at them.

It took all of four seconds for the tears to well in my eyes.

"Shit"

That was the one word I muttered as I ran from the place, I needed to phone Alice, and surely she could have warned me about this or something.

The last thing I heard as I raced into the darkness was Paul.

"What the fuck is with her, does she not know how to say goodbye?"

I had a feeling this would not be the last abrupt exit I would make whilst in their presence.

Well tell me what you think people. x