A/N: Just to recap what happened, Dana had her first day of school and ran into some trouble…namely a rather attractive Ruby vampire named Darrin Cobalt. Now there is about to a confrontation between the two clans…let's see what will happen…

Chapter 5

I looked down from my perch on a nearby tree. Chris was leaning against its trunk talking with Alex. Helios was pacing beside them, repeatedly cracking his knuckles. I glanced up at Cain and Abel on a branch a few feet above me. They had their foreheads together and Cain was speaking words of comfort lowly to his younger brother. Abel tried to smile at him, but just ended up whimpering. I looked at them with sympathy. I knew that Abel was terrified that there might be a fight and so was I.

I tried to calm myself, not wanting to lose control of my powers. Chris and I had found a way for me to channel my weapon making so that I could control when it happened and even what weapon I created. However, in times of great panic I had a hard concentrating on these abilities and they went a little haywire. My eyes snapped forward as I felt the Rubies breech the small force field I had placed around our corner to the park. It wasn't one to deflect but one to signal the arrival of the vampires.

I slid off the branch and land lightly beside Chris, keeping my dress from flapping up. I looked up at him a nodded curtly. Cain jumped down from the tree, Abel held protectively do his side. Helios and Alex came to stand closer to Chris. I was pushed behind them all with Abel. I reached over and held tightly to his hand. We all turned our eyes to the six figures gliding towards us.

Raven was the shortest of the six and was centered in the front. Darrin towered over her right shoulder. His eyes found mine and he winked, actually smiling at me. I couldn't help but think how beautiful he looked when he smiled. It made his red eyes less intimidating and more welcoming. The Rubies stopped about ten feet away from us. Raven stepped forward and Chris walked out to meet her.

"Chris," she purred.

"Hello, Raven," he greeted stiffly.

"It seems your little clan has been causing some trouble," she stated.

"I believe it is the other way around my dear," Chris replied coolly. "I do not appreciate your clan making threats or harassing my family!"

I flinched at how harsh Chris spoke. I had never heard him use that kind of tone. I heard Abel whimper so I looked over at him. His eyes were on one of the Ruby vamps to the far left. His eyes were trained on Abel, a sadistic smirk playing at his lips. I narrowed my eyes and pushed out with my mind to create a force field around me and Abel. Abel stopped whimpering and looked around bewildered. The Ruby vamp's eyes went wide as he looked over at me.

"What was he doing?" I asked Abel never taking my eyes off the enemy vamp.

"He was making me see things," Abel answered in a small voice, "terrible things. He showed me all of us dying in the worst ways imaginable."

"Not cool!" I shouted. Everyone looked down at me in surprise. "This is supposed to be a negotiation, not a fight. How dare you use your sadistic mind tricks on sweet little Abel! That's worse than kicking a puppy!"

"How did you know I could do that?" the Ruby vamp shouted over at me.

"Because," I said coolly narrowing my eyes into dangerous slits

I can hear everything you think… I transmitted into his mind

He gasped and took a step back. I could feel his fear rolling off of him like water. I smiled slyly and pulled away from Abel. I pushed past the others till I was standing just a few feet from the Ruby clan.

"I can hear everything," I whispered. "Every little thought that pops into your heads I can hear. And that's not all I can do…I can make you think whatever I want. If I want you to kill yourselves I could do it with just a simple thought…or I could do it myself."

I channeled the negative thoughts I held deep within my mind, focusing all my energy towards the task. I smiled as I felt the slim wooden shaft of a spear appear in my clenched fist. I looked over at the Rubies, pointing the tip of the spear at them, the metal shining in the fading light. All but Raven and Darrin gasped.

"You do not want to mess with me," I said softly, "I am not a force to be reckoned with."

"You don't look so tough," one of them called out to me.

And with that, he took a charge at me. Helios attempted to rush to me aid, but I had thrown up a wall between my family and me. The Ruby vamp let out a roar as he lunged at me. I ducked and held the spearhead up towards the sky. His warrior cry was cut off as he fell onto the spear. I closed my eyes as his blood rained down upon me. When I opened them, there laid the Ruby vamp…dead.

My eyes widened as the spear disappeared from my hand. I looked down at my dress, the soft ivory material slashed with red. I stumbled away from the dead vampire and vigorously rubbed at the blood that stained my dress and skin. A low growl made me stop and look up. The remaining five vampires were all advancing on me slowly. The one that had similar powers to mine managed to break past my mental blocks Chris had showed me to form.

I saw the vampires advance past me and towards my family. They pounced on them in a flurry of snarls and fangs. I watched helplessly as one by one, my clan was slaughtered. They saved Abel for last. His pure and innocent eyes pleaded for me to something…anything. No matter what I tried, I could not will my body to move. As Darrin crouched low and sprung on Abel, I let out a bone chilling scream.

I was still screaming when my knees hit the ground. I felt arms wrap around me from behind and scoop me up. I looked up to see Chris staring down at me with concern, worry, and worst of all fear. The Rubies were advancing faster as my family moved towards the forest behind us. Chris held me close to his chest, his heart beating furiously against his ribs. He was saying something but I couldn't focus on his words. The images the Ruby vamp had planted in my mind kept replaying.

"DANA!" Chris thundered. I snapped out of my thoughts looking up at him with wide eyes. "You and Abel have to get out of here. We can handle the others but you two have to get out of here!"

I nodded as he set me back on the ground. I grabbed Abel's hand and took off running. Abel held tightly to my hand as we ran from the sounds of the vampire battle. My heart was hammering in my chest like a frightened caged bird. My breath was coming out in short quick bursts as we flew past trees. I kept pulling Abel along behind me till the sounds of the fight could no longer be heard. I came to a stop and fell to the forest floor, taking deep breaths to calm my racing heart.

I looked over at Abel to see him sitting on the ground leaned up against a tree. His face was flushed and his hair was plastered to his neck and hair with sweat. He smiled weakly at me as he closed his eyes and tried to catch his breath. I let out a small laugh as I laid there on the ground. We elapsed into silence; the only sound was the sounds of the forest. I closed my eyes as I listened to the birds in the trees and the sound of a small river or creek nearby.

My eyes snapped open as I caught a strange scent coming towards us. It was a dank, musky smell; it reminded me of wet dog. I was on my feet in an instant scanning the trees for the source of the scent. A large black wolf stalked out of the dense trees the strange smell rolling off of its powerful body. Abel and I stared wide-eyed at the creature.

"It can't be," I heard Abel whisper.

"What?" I asked him never taking my eyes off of the wolf.

"Werewolf," Abel said his voice dripping with fear.

"Werewolf?" I echoed my eyes darting to Abel then back to the wolf.

I pushed my mind into the wolf's. I had never tried to read the minds of animals, assuming that they never had anything interesting going on in there. I was a bit surprised to see images flashing through my head. They were mostly the wolf tearing me and Abel to pieces. What surprised me more was as deep, gruff voice growling out names and actions.

Kill…tear…devour…Adam won't like…female pretty…male weak…easily disposed…must take female for Adam, the wolf kept repeating these words.

"No," I growled crouching in front of Abel. "You touch him and I kill you."

The wolf's ears shot up in surprise. It took a step back and began shifting into a man. My face turned red when I saw he was naked. I dropped my gaze to the ground but kept my defensive stance in front of Abel.

"You can hear my thoughts?" the werewolf asked his gruff voice sending shivers down my spine.

"Yes and I don't have any idea who this Adam is but I sure as hell won't be taken to him," I spat.

"I don't think you'll have much of a choice," the wolf growled as he lunged towards us.

I let out a small scream as the werewolf transformed mid leap and set his heavy paws on my chest, knocking me and Abel to the ground. Abel rolled and snarled at the large wolf on top of me. I beat my fists against his face screaming the entire time. The wolf snapped at my neck, his fangs grazing the skin and drawing blood.

Abel ran towards us and tried to beat the wolf off of me. Suddenly, a larger dark grey wolf leaped out from the trees and shoved Abel to the ground. Abel's head went back and cracked against the hard earth. He didn't get back up.

"ABEL!" I cried out trying desperately to get the wolf off of me.

The large grey wolf stepped over to Abel and sniffed at him once. I growled out a warning which turned into a whimper as the black wolf pressed his paws down harder on my chest. The grey wolf turned its gaze towards me, the bright blue irises burning into me. It stalked closer towards us. The other wolf slowly backed away from me and I sat up. My chest was heaving with every breath I took. I pushed into the new wolf's mind, finding it to be calmer than the others.

Hmm…a vampire, a cool deep voice echoed in my mind, an Emerald at that. I wonder if the small male is her mate.

"No," I answered the wolf's unspoken question. "He's my brother, and I don't appreciate you attacking us for no reason.

The large wolf narrowed its eyes and transformed. Much like the other wolf, he was naked. I looked up at his face trying not to blush. He had unruly sandy blond curls that fell to his rather tan shoulders. His build was muscular but lean at the same time. He towered over me by more than a foot. His overall appearance reminded me of a surfer more than a feral, supernatural creature. He looked down at me questioningly.

"What do you mean he's your brother?" he asked me reaching out a hand to help me up.

"I mean that he is not my mate," I responded smacking away his hand. I struggled to my feet and stood on shaky legs. "We have the same maker so that makes him my brother in a sense."

"Hmm," the werewolf grunted. He started circling me, looking me up and down. My eyes followed him warily. "Well, putting that aside, we didn't attack you without reason. If any vampire trespasses on werewolf turf, that gives us full right to attack and destroy if necessary."

"We are obviously not a threat," I growled. "And how were we supposed to know this was your territory? Another thing, vampires and werewolves really don't get along? I thought that was just something Hollywood made up to make a good movie."

"You're new to this aren't you?" the werewolf chuckled. His eyes found mine again and I was paralyzed by the icy blue irises. "But you are cute. Tell you what, I'll make a deal with you."

"What kind of deal?" I asked softly.

"I'll let your brother go and leave your little coven alone," he said a smile creeping across his face, "if you agree to come with me and be my mate."

"What's your name?" I asked looking up at him.

"Adam," he replied with a smirk.

"Adam," I purred narrowing my eyes. "Let me tell you something: I wouldn't ever consider your deal if you were the world was to be destroyed and the only hope for humanity was if I agreed to be your mate. You disgust me and smell like a wet dog in desperate need of a bath."

Adam threw his head back and laughed. My eyes narrowed further until they were thin green slits. Adam raised his arm and I heard the padding of paws hitting the ground softly. I tore my eyes away from him to see a small band of wolves surrounding us. I looked back at Adam with pure hatred.

"Seeing as how you are in no position to deny me request," he said walking over towards me. He took my chin between his fingers and tilted my head back. He pressed a gentle kiss to my exposed throat causing me to gasp and shiver at the intimate contact. "I'll just have to take what I want the old fashion way."

I squeezed my eyes shut as the wolves around us let of rough, barking laughs. I reached out with my mind hoping, pleading that someone would hear me and come to my aid.