I'd like to thank the following people for reading the prologue:
Tamashii- Glad you liked the prologue, and yeah it is more like a chapter than a prologue because originally it was going to be shorter.
practikalmagik- Merci beaucoup, glad you liked it.
Chapter One
Outside, in the car park, vibrations from the loud music that emanated from The Crypt made the ground vibrate. Zoë vaulted from Lexi's car, and slammed the door shut behind her. "Where's the fire?" Kryssy joked, as Lexi locked the car. "But seriously, why the rush?" she questioned.
Zoë looked at her pityingly; "Because I'm meeting Zack" she called over her shoulder, disappearing into the trees. Kryssy watched her blonde haired sister vanish.
The Crypt was the place to be seen if you were anybody, you went there- but only if you were in a certain crowd, which Kryssy wasn't. Her crowd was 'too cool' to go there. If she was recognised there, it would be seen as social suicide, but she doubted that that would happen. She doubted that even she would recognise herself, so she would be safe. The Crypt itself was located in the middle of the woods that bordered the edge of the town. It was an old shed that had supposedly been built on an ancient cemetery- though Kryssy believed that this was pure fiction. She couldn't see anyone being stupid enough to build anything on a cemetery.
Kryssy paled as what Zoë said hit her, "Not Zack Williams?" she gasped, Zoë nodded, "The very same" she replied. Zack Williams was a member of Kryssy's group, at the time it didn't occur to her that it was an odd place for him to be. Kryssy looked around for Lexi, who was taking her to The Crypt having said that none of her friends would be there, and noticed that Lexi was trying to disappear unnoticed. "Lexi!" she yelled furious with her, Lexi stopped dead knowing that she had been caught and there was no way that Kryssy was going to let her get out of it. Cautiously Lexi turned to face Kryssy, knowing that she would be undoubtedly furious with her. "Explain." Kryssy demanded her voice devoid of all emotion.
Lexi glanced round for Zoë, then noticing she wasn't there decided that now was the time to tell Kryssy all the things she had bottled up for the past seventeen-years. "Everyday I see you tear yourself apart Kryssy, " Lexi began. "You don't like what you've become do you?" she challenged, without realising it Kryssy shook her head. She didn't like what she'd become one bit, in her opinion she was a selfish, egotistical, spoilt brat with little, if any, regard for other people. If she knew what had made her change so drastically then, that thing would find itself at the bottom of an ocean. "I can't stand it any longer!" Lexi yelled, interrupting Kryssy's thoughts. " You shouldn't have to pretend to be someone your not, if they were really your friends they'd understand!" Kryssy smiled sourly, "So what if I'm 'pretending', as you so charmingly put it? What business is it of yours!" she hissed, angered by the fact that Lexi was making her see the truth she so desperately wanted to ignore. "Take me home, I don't belong here. I was a idiot to think I could belong her." Kryssy ridiculed. Lexi shook her head, "You're gonna have to show them the truth one day, Krys. You can't keep who you are locked up forever in a box." Kryssy's face twisted with anger and fear. "I can try," Kryssy murmured bitterly. "You could," Lexi agreed, "But you wouldn't be happy. And what sort of life would you have?"
Kryssy walked towards Lexi as if she was going to kill her, but she changed her mind and started to stalk back to Lexi's car. "Go back to the car then Krys, stay a coward." Lexi snapped, "I've locked the doors, so you'll have to walk." Kryssy turned and gestured rudely sister. "See if I give a damn!" Lexi yelled, having finally lost her temper completely. "How are you gonna get home?" she taunted, "Walk! Don't be ridiculous, it's too far!" Kryssy swung round to face Lexi. "How could you?" she shrieked, sinking to the leaf-covered floor.
Lexi sighed, and walked cautiously over to her sister, gingerly she put her hand on Kryssy's shoulder, which was shrugged off. "You have to choose Krys, sink or swim. I can't help you any more." Lexi called, disappearing into the trees.
With Lexi's disappearance the woods fell eerily silent, there was no sound but Kryssy's slow and even breathing as she fought to calm herself. Shivering Kryssy realised how utterly alone she actually was. Not just in the woods, but also with her friends who she pushed away if they got too close but still stayed with her- for some unknown reason. She owed it to herself and to her friends and family to be who she really was for a change, she realised. Standing up, in the silence Kryssy realised that she had no idea where The Crypt was from where she stood. "Lexi?" she yelled frightened, slowly she forced herself to stand up. She looked around nervously, and wiped the leaves off her trousers. Something made her realise that Lexi had gone, and couldn't hear her. She'd have to make a guess as to which way to go. Gathering her courage Kryssy set off in the direction she thought her sisters had gone in.
Kryssy letting instinct guide her feet, looked at the woods as she headed in her chosen direction. You could tell it was the middle of autumn she noticed, because most of the trees had lost their leaves and the ones that were left were yellow or orange- there were no green leaves in sight.
Without warning Kryssy stumbled and would have fallen into the deep river that was just in front of her had not someone grabbed her arm and held her preventing her from going anywhere. Once she had regained her balance the stranger let go, and Kryssy turned round to thank them. As she turned round Kryssy met a pair of hazel eyes, which were framed by dark lashes. The hazel-eyed guy was taller than Kryssy, she guessed around the six-foot mark, and had honey coloured hair. "Are you alright?" the guy asked, his hazel coloured eyes going slightly darker, as they filled with concern. Kryssy nodded, "I'm fine thanks." She added, to make the nod more understandable. "You shouldn't wander about in these woods on your own, haven't you heard the stories?" Kryssy raised an eyebrow, "And let me guess, it's okay for you to wander around on your own?" she questioned too pleasantly, her brown eyes glittering rebelliously. / Why do I get the feeling that I should know him, and know him well/ She wondered. "Who are you?" she demanded, suddenly sure that if he said his name, all would become clear.
The guy chuckled amused by her reaction, "Who I am?" he murmured thoughtfully, "I'll tell you later if you're real good," he teased, his hazel-eyes twinkling with laughter. "What's your name?" he asked, Kryssy smiled seeing a way that she could learn his. "Kryssy, I don't believe you told me yours." He laughed cheerfully at her attempt to learn his name. "I don't suppose you would be kind enough to point me in the direction of The Crypt?" she asked, realising he wished to keep his name a secret. "I'll do better than that," he intertoned, "I'll take you there," Kryssy looked at him gratefully, "There's no need to go out of your way, just point me in the right direction." She murmured, hoping he would accompany her. "I was just on my way there, it's no trouble Kryssy." He said sounding amused about something. He offered his gloved hand to her, after a moments hesitation she took it and he led up the riverbank in the direction of The Crypt.
Lexi stood outside The Crypt, where she had been for the past fifteen minutes waiting for her sister. She was now freezing and worried as well as absolutely furious with Kryssy. / Why must she be so… so aggravating/ She wondered for the hundredth time.
She couldn't believe that Kryssy, had by all appearances, been dumb… idiotic enough to walk all the way home in the cold weather. Of course, Lexi's mind thought rebelliously, there's always a chance she's wandering somewhere lost in these woods. She knew that either way it was her fault; she should never have allowed Kryssy to annoy her. It would be all her fault if her sister froze to death in these old woods, it wasn't uncommon, she reflected, it happened a lot in the winter when people left the path that led to the warmth of The Crypt.
Kryssy waved goodbye to her guide, and walked through some trees. She entered the clearing where The Crypt was, opposite her sister. Boy am I glad to see her she thought happily walking towards Lexi. "Lexi!" she called, desperate to make sure that the person she saw was indeed her elder sister. "Krys?" Lexi yelped startled, as Kryssy reached her. "It's me alright," Kryssy murmured hugging her sister furiously. Lexi pulled back and looked at her carefully. "Where the hell have you been?" she demanded.
"After I'd calmed down, you'd gone, so I tried to find you and I ended up getting lost in these blooming woods." She muttered darkly, "Anyway, some guy helped me, cause I nearly fell into the river," Lexi's eyes widened, the river was a long way from The Crypt, Kryssy must gave got very very lost. "He wouldn't tell me his name though," Kryssy pouted, Lexi smiled. / Whatever happened in the woods, she's fine / Lexi thought happily. "Let's go into the warm." She suggested. Kryssy smiled, "That sounds like a great idea," she murmured happily. "I might as well see the place, as I'm here." She teased.
As they walked down the steps to the main area within The Crypt, Kryssy reached out and tugged at Lexi's arm. "Thank you for reminding me who I really am." She said abruptly, before hurriedly continuing down the stairs. Lexi watched her startled for a minute, and then followed her.
The Crypt was made up of three main rooms, all of them below ground level. When you first saw The Crypt you thought that it was going to be tiny because all you saw was the shed, which was in actual fact covering the stairs that led to the three gigantic rooms that were used for dancing and drinking. Each room had a different theme, and a different style of music emanated from them. One was hard rock, another was rock and pop and the third and final room had techno music coming from it.
Kryssy stood at the bottom of the stairs deciding which room to head for first; she knew she had to find Zack. But she also knew that Zoë wouldn't be amused when she did. "Oh fuck it!" she murmured, heading for the second room, "If I'm meant to be seen, then he'll see me, if not…" she trailed off as she entered the rock and pop room.
Kryssy walked through the crowded room, and sat down on an empty stool at the bar. A woman behind the bar asked her what she wanted to drink, and she replied that she'd like a coke. A couple of minutes later Kryssy took a sip from her glass of coke, and listened to the music that was blasting out of the speakers around the room.
"Told you, I'd see you again." A cheerful voice came from Kryssy's right, she turned and saw the guy who had rescued her earlier, "So you weren't spinning a line," she murmured. "I'd buy you a drink, but it appears that you've already got one," he drawled, "Can I get you anything else?" Kryssy smiled; again he had presented her with the perfect opportunity. "How about telling me your name?" she inquired. A grin spread slowly across the guy's face. "Alright, I'll tell you, if that's all you want?" he responded. Kryssy nodded, that's all she wanted- for the moment. "I'm Ryan Phyllips." Kryssy gazed at him startled. / So this is the guy whom they think is causing all the trouble. He doesn't seem like trouble to me. / "So, you're the famous Ryan Phyllips?" she drawled. "The very same." He replied, amused that she had heard of him. "The 'troublemaker'?" she added cheekily on the end, Ryan fained innocence. "Me? You've got the wrong guy!" he held his hands up in mock surrender. Kryssy giggled, "They were right, you've sure got a load of charm." She remarked. Looking around the room she saw Joey/ So they all come here? I wonder why they don't want me to/ She got up from her chair and grabbed her glass, "I'll see you around, Ryan." She called, retreating into the crowd of people dancing- she'd definitely see him around if she had anything to do with it.
Looking around the room, Kryssy realised that she had lost sight of Joey. She swore quietly and headed for the corner of the room, so she could avoid the people that were busy dancing. As she approached the corner she saw Joey and a girl, she didn't know, hidden by the shadows. From the looks of it the girl was in the year above them, she had long brown hair that was tied back in a pony-tail and she was wearing jeans and a tight top- / Slut/ Kryssy thought. It looked like he was busy kissing her on the neck, so Kryssy decided that she hadn't better disturb him. She frowned for a second, remembering that Joey had said that he wanted to go out with her again- obviously he hadn't meant it.
"Why don't you come out with me for some fresh air?" A guy asked whom Kryssy had never seen before. Like the majority of people in the room the guy looked uncannily handsome. He had amethyst eyes and violet hair, she had never seen anyone with amethyst eyes before that were natural- it was obvious that his were, why else would they be framed by such dark lashes? The violet hair, she assumed, was dyed- no one would have that hair colour naturally, it would be impossible. "Sure," Kryssy said hurriedly, aware that she had been staring at him for too long. So she followed him out of the room and up the stairs ignoring the feeling in the pit of her stomach that she should run, run as far away from him as she possibly could because he was dangerous. Why she thought this, she wasn't sure, after all he had been nice to her so far.
"What brings a pretty girl like you, to a dump like this?" he inquired, leading her deeper into the trees outside The Crypt. She carried on following him, even though her mind was screaming at her to run while she could. "I just wanted to dance," she said forcing her voice to remain even and ignoring her instinct to flee from him.
"Little girls shouldn't trust people they don't know," he observed, deliberately turning towards her so that she could see the fangs that were protruding from his mouth. Kryssy backed up until her back was against a tree and opened her mouth to scream for help- but he was quicker. She froze in terror as she saw and felt him stick his teeth into her neck, and tear away at it.
In her mind an image appeared of Joey and the girl she had seen him with earlier. Joey had been drinking the girl's blood she realised, he was like the creep who was drinking from her- they were both vampires. The word vampire resonated in her mind, she knew it should mean something more to her than a fictitious blood sucker- but she couldn't remember what.
"It'll only hurt if you fight," the vampire urged. Taking the bait Kryssy fought with all the strength she had left, unaware that she was making things easier for the vampire. She screamed in torment, wondering if the terrible pain would ever stop. "Told you it would hurt." The vampire chuckled as Kryssy gradually slipped into darkness, and nothingness.