(View of Jade/Allora)

I'm sitting at the kitchen table clutching a cup of blood as I stare out the window into the night. "What say you and I go have some fun?" Braden says, laying a hand on my shoulder. I shake his hand off. "Will I get my first bite?" I sneer, drinking from my cup. I feel Braden's mood darken. "If your source is willing."

And so, a short Super Speed run later, we're standing outside of Senka's Dungeon, a nightclub for the "Undead." Through the pulsing strobe lights, the mind splitting techno garbage, I see a pink maned girl running through the crowd, waving her arms wildly at the DJ booth, cursing like a sailor. A scrawny boy gestures wildly back, pointing at her. She pushes him out of the booth, and he flails all the way down. Braden thunders over to the girl, and I'm right on his heels as the song cuts out.

"I'd like to apologize," the girl's voice crackles to life as she speaks into a microphone. "My friend Ethan here thought it would be okay to turn off Falling in Reverse. So let's give him a round of Applause for stupidity!" The crowd boos, and Ethan flips her off.

Ethan! My brain screams. I stare nervously at Ethan as Braden introduces me to the pink haired chick. Ethan looks perplexed, as if he recognizes me, but doesn't quite place where he's seen me before. "Ethan, this is my friend Braden and his special friend….um…" she looks at me for a name. "I'm Allora," I squeak, tucking my now blonde hair behind my ear. Ethan laughs. "woo…. For a second there, I thought you were my friend back from the dead." I smile pleasantly, swallowing the lump in my throat. Madison whistles under her breath. "Damn, Allora. Nice set of chompers you got there. You a freshling?" she asks, marveling at my mouth. I shut it quickly, blushing. Braden clears his throat. "That's a touchy subject at the moment." Madison nods, as if understanding.

"You looking for a bite?" she asks Braden. "For her, yes. Might get her fangs under control." Madison smiles, and then taps her watch twice. The music turns down. She grabs the microphone off her belt.

"HEELLLLOOOOO, MY ROCKIN' REJECTS!" she rumbles and I can sense the crowd's excitement. "I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine, ALLORA?" she points to me, and I'm hit with a spotlight. I wince, and then wave shyly. "She's a branded freshling, one of Lucy's…." a group of people in a booth in the farthest corner cheer. "LUCY! LUCY! LUCY!" Madison raises her fist in the air, silencing them. "And tonight's going to be her first bite!" more cheers erupt from the crowd. Madison raises her fist again. "And since that's a big hoorah for you blood suckers, I say we treat her to the good stuff!" silence.

Madison taps her microphone and mutters, "Do we have any human non-faculty in the house that aren't busy in the back room?" she shrugs. "Guess not. You know what that means, folks?" She pauses for dramatic effect. "Allora's first bite is on the house!" Madison squeals, slamming her hand down on her watch.

"BLOOD BATH!" she screams, as the fire sprinklers come on. A death metal guitar solo blares through the speakers, bashing my eardrums. Blood sprinkles down into the crowd at first then starts pouring as everyone starts dancing spastically.

Madison grins at me, and offers her wrist. "To a new member of our society!" she squeals, pointing to her artery. "Drink up," she whispers dementedly. The room begins to spin, and I feel bile rise in my throat.

No.

No.

I couldn't.

I wouldn't.