Title: Abandoned Masquerade

Author: Lady-Starfire2005

Spoilers: NW

Disclaimer: NW belongs to LJS and is being used only for fun. Everything unrecognised is mine.

Summary: Elektra escaped from a dull and sheltered life to start a new one on her own. She didn't expect to be hunted by both Circle Daybreak and the Night World.

Notes: Feedback appreciated. The original author of this story has gone off line and has no plans to return. She has given me permission to continue this story.

Part 1

She was dreading it. She didn't even know what life on the Outside was going to be like. All Elektra knew waC and the only ones around were odd shaped, with long trunks and very flat, curved leaves, called palm trees. Not pines. Elektra hated pine trees, all she saw from her window was a forest , and she had seen forests and mountains for the last sixteen years of her life.

Which was why she had chosen a town by the sea. The glittering jewel of the ocean was delightful, Elektra adored the way the sun danced in the crystalline blue and green waters reflecting, playing like light caught in faucets of diamonds. The sound of the sea gulls was like music to her ears, something she had never heard before.

And there were people around too. They walked about free and happy and without a care in the world. Envy stabbed at Elektra's heart, but all she saw from her window was a forest , and she had seen forests and mountains for the last sixteen years of her life.

Which was why she had chosen a town by the sea. The glittering jewel of the ocean was delightful, Elektra adored the way the sun danced in the crystalline blue and green waters reflecting, playing like light caught in faucets of diamonds. The sound of the sea gulls was like music to her ears, something she had never heard before.

And there were people around too. They walked about free and happy and without a care in the world. Envy stabbed at Elektra's heart, but was quickly gone as she reminded herself she was now one of the free people. She had a cheerful smile on her face as the bus pulled into the station. She followed the people off, looking around.

People pushed past her, ignoring her as she stood there. Elektra held her suitcase and backpack tightly to her. She had no number or anything. She was supposed to be meeting someone who would get her set up with a place to stay.

Elektra had only come into the human world a few days at a time, most with escorts and bodyguards crowded round me. One of them had introduced her to a marvellous human invention - the Internet where she had put out her plea for help.

Some of the replies and suggestions she had received were absolutely vile and shocked her to her core, making her think that it had been a stupid idea, and she had been quite happy to return to my secluded little life. Then startlingly, a letter had come to her from a girl calling herself Sirena who promised she would help her. How the letter had even come to her, Elektra don't know but writing back, she finally was blessed with the escape she had been dreaming of.

Sirena had made the arrangement for her escape, and told her someone would meet her at the bus stop of wherever Elektra wanted to go. Elektra had found somewhere, and here she was and well…there wasn't anyone around to meet her

Elektra sighed miserably, wondering what to do. She had no phone number of anything, only the little bit of human money Sirena had sent to aid her on her travels. She didn't want to waste it when she might need it later.

"Elektra?"

She turned gratefully at the sound of her name, pleased that she had no recollection of the voice and had no recognition of the boy who approached her. Thoughts had of course, been plaguing me that she would never be able to pull off the escape, that the guards would be after her but no one had come. The boy wasn't dark and imposing, he was only as tall as Elektra was, which wasn't very, around 5'5. He had rust-coloured hair and pale skin. He had almond shaped green eyes and a warm and welcoming smile. She could sense nothing supernatural about him, and for that she was grateful. "Yes, are you - " Elektra realised to her embarrassment that she had forgotten his name.

"My name's Scott," he said. "Come on, let's get you out of here." He reached out and picked up her suitcase for her. Elektra almost stopped him - she was so used to everyone doing everything for her it drove her nuts. But he was already carrying it and moving towards a small tan car in the parking area. "First time in California?" he asked her.

It was hot inside the small vehicle. Elektra's pulse was pounding with excitement as he started the engine and cool air came blasting in from an unseen source. She didn't tell him it was my first time in a car. "Yes, I can't wait to look around."

Scott chuckled as he drove the little car at an amazing speed into the line of traffic. "Well there's not really much to see in this town, I'm afraid. We don't get many new comers around here."

She shrugged, tugging nervously on a strand of her long blonde hair. "It's exciting to me. Do I actually get to meet Sirena? I'd very much like to thank her for everything."

Scott nodded. "She'll be around by the end of the week. The house we're staying at is owned by her parents, who are currently living in Tokyo."

She thought that was very strange, why would someone's parents go off and live in another country and leave their children behind to fend for themselves? It seemed very cruel. "You live at the house?"

He nodded again. "There are four of us there at the moment, myself and Sirena. My friend Toby Clifton and Sirena's friend Ximera Courtiez."

"All of you? With no adults around?" Elektra was amazed. The journey was over much quicker than she would have thought, Scott was already turning into the drive of a large house with two open gates. There was a fountain gurgling happily in the drive and two more cars there. Two white columns graced either side of a green front door. The house was painted white and a small pathway led around the side to a back yard.

"None, you get used to it. It's not exactly a bad thing."

Elektra drew in a deep breath, clinging to her backpack as Scott led her in the house. This was it. The start of her new life.