"This is exactly like my dream…I'm going to get a better look."

"No, it's too dangerous. We need to go."

"Just be quiet and stay here. If I'm not back in a few minutes head towards the village I'll catch up."

"What! No I'm not leaving you."

"Just do as I say Mina." Before the bickering could continue Serena silenced it by walking to where the bleeding man had come from. She held her breath as she snuck closer hiding with her back against a tree listening to the distinct arguments with what sounded like three men.

"…He should have done a better job of holdin em. It's his own fault for getting hurt." A rough voice remarked carelessly as another voice cut in.

"Well now that he's tied up, what are we gonna do with em?"

"Kill em." The third man replied with disdain, sending shivers down her spine.

She peeked her head out from behind the tree getting a better look at the three men and the one they had tied to a tree with blood smeared on the side of his head and mouth. She stood their quietly looking around aimlessly seeing if there was anyone that could possibly help him…there wasn't.

Serena contemplated on what to do, or how to do it. She knew this could end her life like they planned on ending his, but she also knew she wouldn't be able to live with walking away. So with a deep breath and without another thought she kept placed her hooding to the lining of her eyes so they couldn't see them and stepped into the small clearing. "Do you really consider what you're doing fair or just?"

Her sudden appearance caught them off guard giving them a quick startle.

"Listen here missy, this is none of your business. Leave."

She didn't dare look up as he spoke for fear she would run off, she didn't move. "This may not concern me, but before I take my absence please tell me what this man has done to be given this sentence?"

As the last word left her mouth the sky opened up allowing the rain to fall hard enough to barely hear the men grumbling for a reason why.

"He is of no importance…he's not even human. That's good enough!" The man barked back in response with disgust as he spoke about their victim.

"What does that even mean…how is he not human?"

They were quickly becoming impatient with her presence and prying. Some how during the conversation they were having she had gotten within a few feet from the injured man.

"He drinks the human body dry…he's one of em…a vampire."

It was becoming to cold and wet to be outside as she quickly looked at the man tied against the tree with confusion wondering who she should be more scared of. "Leave…I'll be fine."

His tone was fierce as the three men laughed loudly each distinctively saying, "That's what you think."



The laughter dyed as the last man who spoke found sudden interest in her, as he slowly circled around her small stature. "So…where you from?"

"Out of town…just here for the day." She responded hesitantly. Her hand slowly entered the pocket of her cloak feeling for the pocket knife her mother had given to her before she left.

She could here the man below trying to get free but to no avail, as the other men seemed to have gotten closer. The same man continued speaking, "It isn't very safe for a girl to be out here alone…you never know what could happen?"

She could feel him plucking at her cloak causing her to instantly turn around, unfortunately the hood fell back showing them all her silver hair and bright blue eyes.

In those brief seconds time seemed to stand still and ended just as quickly as it came. She stared at the three around her with a new sense of fear taking in their appearance. They looked as though they hadn't bathed in days as they hovered slightly above her with un-brushed hair and unkempt beards.

They began touching her face, hair and cloak. The man with the darkest hair out of the three grabbed her chin roughly forcing her to look at him. "Your kind is no different from his…the only difference is we'll have more fun with you."

He jerked her forward freeing her hand from her pocket and instinctively she used that moment to cut his cheek with the knife and got a quick stab at his left arm causing him to reel back in pain as his blood smeared onto her. Before the other men could react she threw the knife to the man who tried desperately to free himself…then she shoved past the men and ran.

Serena ran her legs and chest burning from exertion while she could feel the adrenalin throughout her body. She knew if stopped they would do terrible things before they killed her, giving her motive to run faster. The grunting of the angry men sounded as though they were getting closer. Branches were tearing and snagging at her cloak causing her to choke, within seconds she untied it from her aching neck.

The rain clouded her vision matting her hair across her face and back, sticking to her waistline. She had lost the protection of her cloak and could now feel the pain of the branches scraping and cutting through her dress tearing into her flesh.

Everything on her screamed out with pain and numbness, she had made it into a clearing and saw a pond further ahead that was slightly bigger then the one she was use to. A strong force grabbed her causing them both to collapse to the ground.

Her throat burned in protest as she screamed at the top of her lungs, even as the calloused hand covered her mouth. She struggled against his unrelenting hold. "Shut up! And stop moving or you might get us both killed." He yelled into her ear causing her to cease all movements and sounds, going completely limp except for her ragged breathing.

"How?" She meant to ask how he was able to get to her so quickly, but her voice only carried one word.

"I killed one of them, were down to two…when I say run, you go."

"Run."



He practically lifted her off the ground and helped her run, then a piercing scream filled the deaden silence. Serena abruptly came to a halt almost collapsing to the ground, trying to run back from where they came.

"MINA!" She cried sharply.

"I'll get her, keep going." He stated as he started running towards the direction of the scream.

The rain was still falling though it had lightened up some it had not made it any easier for her to see the man who helped her fade away.

She was startled as the man she had cut stood no more then two feet ahead of her. Just as quickly as she saw him she soon saw the dusk lit sky. He had slapped her hard enough to send her fragile body to the ground with a thud.

Before she could blink he ripped her from the ground standing her up as he squeezed her throat, barely allowing the tips of her toes to touch the ground. The blood still slithered down his cheek and arm as he began yelling, "Witch…we'll see how you like knives."

He pulled out a small blade somewhere within his pocket as he forced a tighter grip around her throat. The blade slowly danced around her face and chest, then she immediately felt a sharp pain in her left arm forcing her to scream out in pain.

Once again he held the now bloody blade in front of her face and linger across her left cheek. She could feel the tip slowly piercing into her skin, squeezing her eyes shut tight and with a quick force she collapsed to the ground.

She lay as if she were lifeless until she heard the cries of a man jolting her to become fully awake and aware. Serena used every screaming muscle to stand up, she looked around…she was alone.

If she squinted her eyes she could make out two figures in the distance, neither of them looked like Mina causing her to cry out for her lost friend.

Some how she found herself standing inches away from the water that resembled her little haven.

"Hey!" A male's voice yelled through the soft sounds of rain. She tried turning around swiftly but her body protested against the sudden movements.

He took a step towards her abruptly causing her to take one back, bringing him to a halt. She could feel the cold water biting at her ankles as a man she could not fully make out other then he had dark tousled hair, tell her it was okay. Her head nodded in disagreement while he tried taking two steps forward.

The water nipped and pierced her body ravishing it fiercely forcing her to feel every strained muscle as well as the cuts she had received upon her exhausted body, slowly it extended to her waist.

She had wanted to cry out so but her throat and body deprived her of it, only leaving her with the pain of fire where there should have been breath.

Before her now stood two men, she was beyond scared as her teeth chattered uncontrollably and her body began to tremble. Slowly one of the men entered the water making his way towards her. Her body had given up on her not allowing any movement.



She could here him talking but could only understand bits and peaces, her eyes barely managing to stay open any longer.

"…It's me…don't be scared…your okay." Desperation and Sadness were lined every word.

He carefully brought her into a strong embrace, picking her up as though she were a fragile baby. She kept going in and out of consciousness as she heard two men bickering.

"NO! We'll cover her in the cloaks and take her to shelter."

"There's no time, stop being stubborn. Her lips are blue she needs the body heat."

"I'm not comfortable with this…I left Mina in the woods I'm going to check on her…Do what you feel is necessary but be forewarned…"

He was cut off abruptly as well as reprimanded at the accusation let alone the idea of it all. "Jadeite…go! I understand you're the big brother hero. Now let me attend to her." He worked swiftly to remove her garments as well as his before he used his body as well as the cloaks to blanket her.

"Unbelievable…this is why I stick to my own kind…ridiculous." He mumbled more to himself almost incoherently.