"Mommy?" asked Sarah, scrambling out of the car. "Mommy, where are you? I'm scared. Daddy? My knee has an ouchie…" Her voice softened and began to whimper as she crawled around the outside of the ruined car. She reached out with her hand at the sight of long brown hair slowly streaking with black wetness. "Mommy, there you are…" She huddled against the car, tears streaking down her face. It was too black for her to see her mother pinned in the car by the dashboard. Too black to see her father's chest ripped open, blood oozing around the crushed steering wheel halfway inserted into his stomach. Too black for her to see the ground slowly becoming covered with the blood of her family. Too black for her to see the wolf approach and change shape into a man. Too black to see him approach, only seeing him as he scooped her up into his arms.

She felt safe in his arms. His voice ran over her body like a warm bath. "Kalista, my little darling, you have come back to me…" He gently stroked her hair running his cold fingers over her tear stricken face.

"Sarah, my name is Sarah," she protested.

"You will never leave me again my darling, my little Kalista…" He began to hum a soft tune, the words entered her head making her tired… very tired…She curled into his arms as he carried her deeper into the forest.

"Jamsh? Soon right?" She turned her body to look at him, the single torch painting shadows on his features. He smiled at her eager face, her beautiful face. He loved her like no one else.

"Tonight if possible. I have to go into the city and get permission from the Prince." She frowned at that.

"But why? You're so much older than him, so much stronger. He's a little neonate compared to you. Jamsh, you could be prince if you wanted to." Kalista sighed. The same old argument, she thought. He hides here in the forest. I love it here, but he could be so powerful.

"You know I don't wish for that love. We've talked and talked this issue to undeath. Now come, let's talk about tonight." He ended the statement with a kiss, to prove once and for all that the topic is done with.

She smiled and thought about tonight. The night she will be embraced and become as he. She loved him so much, even all of eternity seemed to short of a time to spend with him. She looked at him again in the moonlight. He so handsome. His long black hair, slightly Asian eyes. But then his voice. I can't trace that accent from any certain part of the world. I know he's practically ancient, but he never tells me exactly. And he's so beautiful… It's undeath beauty; I know that, but still. And I'm the lucky one who gets to be with him. At first my father, then my friend, now my lover. He's so kind to take me into his cold arms at night, protect me, and teach me everything I need to know, about the forest, the world, and the Masquerade.

She cleared her throat. "Well lets get started then. You go into the city and talk to the Prince about me. I'm sure he won't say no. I think he fears you. You could squash him like a tiny rat."

"You're sure you're ready love?" He looked into her eyes, probing his mind into her thoughts.

"Of course I'm ready. Now go on, I'm going to go get ready." She rose and pulled him up with her. Smiling down into her face he kissed her gently, brushing his fangs against her lower lip.

Two vampires came strolling up to her about an hour after Jamsh had taken off. She sat inside the small cottage that Jamsh had built for her when she was very young, to hold what she needed to live.

"Are you Kalista?" the taller one asked. She looked at him funny in all his leather and tough-ness. She detected a small bulge under his jacket, she knew it was a gun.

"Yes," she replied innocently, picking up a brush to run through her waist length blond hair. With the long white dress on, she knew she looked innocent, and that’s what they needed to see right now.

"Come with us, the Prince wants to see you," said the other one gruffly.

"No," was all she said, and went back to brushing her hair.

Then all hell broke loose.

The two vampires grabbed for her arms instantaneously as she stood up, throwing the chair back to the floor. Throwing her body forward, the two vampires lost their mark and fell forwards. She did a perfect shoulder roll to the floor, grabbing a second chair and smashing it against the wall, leaving two of the chair legs broken off in her hands. The vampires gained their balance quicker than she expected. They circled around her, knowing well that she was outnumbered and didn't stand a chance, she knew it too, but at least maybe she could make it last until Jamsh came back. Suddenly one rushed her and the only thing she could do was jump to the side. The second vampire caught her mid-air.

She awoke on a cold surface, sirens echoing and bouncing off the walls above her head, causing her brain to shake and pulse, the pain so terrible she couldn't concentrate.

"Kallie are you ok?" A strange man loomed over her. She struggled to open her eyes; a thick film of something heavy and sticky lay over her face. When she finally managed she noticed he was handsome. With long black hair and almost Asian eyes…

She struggled for breath; a piercing pain was beginning to grow in her lungs. But she couldn't speak. Something bubbled in her throat when she tried, causing her to almost choke. The man knelt down in front of her; the same red stuff that her face was covered in ran from his eyes. "Kallie, I'm so sorry…"His breath came out in sobs. "I should have known he'd try something when I was gone. Oh I'm so sorry… They… Oh God, they tore open your throat… Smashed your head… I don't even know if I can help."

A bit about me... (like anyone wants to know lol)

Hi! <waves> I'm Carrie, and I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (across the harbour from Shade the Nossie) I'm in grade 10 and I go to Queen Elizabeth High School, where such famous people as Sarah McLaughlin and some Calvin Klein guy model named Forbes something-or-other graduated from. I'm 15, almost 16 (just before Christmas! Yaaah...) and rather small in stature. I enjoy dancing very much, and I'm a performing member with the Young Company of Halifax Dance. (The Nutcracker at Christmas, the touring Sorcerer's Apprentice in the Spring, the YoCo home show etc) I do have a very outdated web-page everyone can visit if they want to know more so I don't have to continue rambling.