The lights and sounds melded together as Tessa fled, faster than any normal girl she ran past vendors and tourist. Pushing people as she went, she didn't want to slow down, she didn't want to have to think. Her Ancestors were vampires! Thought their blood had been greatly diluted over the many generations, it still meant something. Hadn't she always known she was different? that's why she didn't have a family. that's why no one wanted her!

Fat tears rolled down her face, her sinuses filled making it harder to breath. By the time she stopped she was in Connecticut. "grate!" she said to her self. "lost in the middle of the woods in freaking Connecticut!" while she had been running blindly the darkness had closed in, cloud cover the nearly full moon, a dull gray light filter down through the thick foliage.

With a disgruntled sigh she collapsed onto the ground, eventually she would get up, continue walking east, eventually she would hit the ocean, and civilization. She could start over right there, no more vampire family, no more running faster than a car, just plain little orphan Tessa. "that's stupid." talking to herself helped, she had spent so much time alone as a child Tessa had learned how to be her own friend.

"they can find me. if I can find and follow my own trail with generations of human blood mixed in, those freaks can defiantly find me. What am I supposed to do?" Tessa held her hands up to the sky threw back her head and nearly howled a the moon.

The pain was more than emotional. She felt as if some one had plunged a knife into her chest. This was real! she clutched at her breast, her breathing labored, head spinning. This is it! She thought as her body collapsed onto the muddy floor of the forest. I'm going to die alone in the middle of no where. the edges of her vision blurred and turned to black, the last thing she heard before the darkness closed in was her own howled of pain ringing in her ears.

Tessa had no idea how much time had passed before she could summon the strength to pry open her heavy eye lids. It felt like a life time had gone by, the pain was gone, her head didn't hurt, the world wasn't spinning, and she was no longer laying in a mud puddle. She rolled to her side, it was not the most luxurious bed she had ever passed the night in but it was warm and better than the last place she remembered being.

She was swimming in a ocean of white down blankets, and cotton sheets. The pillows were numerous and soft, the room was clean and quiet. Some one must have found her and brought her home, like a lost puppy. But why hadn't they taken her to the hospital, the pain she remembered would have befitted an ambulance ride and uncomfortable hospital bed.

"since when are we taking in strays?" a high pitched female voice from beyond the closed door stopped any further movement. Tessa sat frozen in bed, listening with all her might to try and figure out where she was and who she was with.

"she was alone, and scared. It was crystal clear the she didn't know what was happening to her. Some one clearly did not explain coming of age to her." a male's voice responded.

"it is not my job to explain that to her! I'd don't even know her! You take her back where you found her, some one has got to be looking for her, she is beautiful."

"this is my house! I'll take in as many strays as I want." with that the door flew open and two figures jostled in. Tessa's eyes were opened wide, her mouth tried desperately to form words. Say any thing! Their staring at you. "hello young one." the male said gently. "welcome to my home. How are you feeling?" Tessa could only nod.

"is she a mute?" the pretty female asked, her perfectly shaped eyebrows pulled together.

"will you pleas control your self? My name is Gabriel and this is Avalon, what is your name?" Tessa tries again to speak, her vocal cords paralyzed by fear and uncertainty.

"don't call me Avalon!" the girl growled at Gabriel, effectively cutting off Tessa. Gabriel's sincere smile turned into a grimace as he turned on the poor girl.

"out!" he shouted.

"but…" the girl stuttered. Gabriel pointed to the door, looking like a stern parent. Avalon hung her head, her pretty brown hair hanging in her face and trudged out of the room like a scolded child.

"who are you?" Tessa managed sounding awed. Gabriel was a handsome young man, big and strong with the dark skin of a native American. But he could not have been much older than the girl called Avalon. Not old enough for her to listen to his orders unquestioned.

"my name is Gabriel, leader of a rag tag band of kids. Here you will meet many strange and wonderful people but know this…you are safe in my home, always." he smiled kindly and held out his hand. Still a little unsure but not wanting to be rude she reached out and shook his hand.

"my name is Tessa."

Thank you to VegitarianxVampire for agreeing to be my beta reader!!!!!!