1 Prologue

I comb my white hair that goes all the way down to my feet. It is a challenge, but I manage to get it done. Not without sore muscles from my arms and legs. Yes, my legs and feet play a big part in combing my hair. As much of a hassle my hair is, I have never wanted to cut it. It is lighter than most people think. Although there are a couple of strands that block my golden left eye leaving only the right one for display. It does not hinder my vision in the slightest though. I could always pin in or put it behind my hair push-comes-to-shove.

I look at my reflection in the mirror in my room. I look at my knee-high black boots that hug my legs that are covered with ripped black jeans. Accompanied by my black noddle strap shirt which my black jacket hugs so that no skin shows, but my neck and face. My hands covered with finger covered gloves leaving everything but the center of the back of my hand covered. The only thing that covers my neck is my black choker to complete the look. It is a lot of black. I know, but you cannot go wrong with black.

My black clothes contrast with my peachy like skin tone. My knee high black heeled boots clack against the wood of my house as I make my way downstairs. My hair waving side to side in its high ponytail.

I am about 5'5 but my heels make me look 5'7.

I get my keys from their hook as I make my way towards my car and start driving to the local café. I make my order as I sit down and wait for my coffee and croissant breakfast sandwich. I play a couple of games on my phone before deciding to watch whatever is on the tv. I look up in time to hear a lady talking about some virus going around. They are keeping track of it but cannot do anything about it at this moment. They do not know every symptom yet so, they suggest that anybody who may seem sick is quarantined.

It is around late October so it is getting cold in Canada, but only cold to where you should get a cold and a runny nose. Nothing major. Having to quarantine every person who looks sick would be impossible. Thank God it is just me and my husky, Kookie. I do not have anybody else to look over.

The rest of my family is pretty spread out. My little sister, Sakura, lives in Florida, her older twin also my little brother, Shiro, lives in Texas, and for last my eldest brother, Shiraga, lives in Canada as well, but as I live in Toronto, he lives in Vancouver. They are about a 41-hour drive apart from where I live.

My cup of coffee and sandwich comes, interrupting my thoughts. I should be seeing them soon for our yearly visit, that is in about 2 weeks. I thank the lady for my coffee and sandwich. I pay and make my way outside to go to my job at a vet. My job as a veterinarian pays for most of what I have while my nighttime job as a singer at one of the local clubs pays for the other portion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is 9 PM so I start heading to the night club I work at.

About halfway there I hear an ear-piercing shriek. I immediately stop in my tracks. I look around at my surroundings. I am by a park that is on my right. I am on the left on a sidewalk with a couple of lampposts. I want to go home but decide that if I go further down the street there will be more people as it is near the club. I do not take time sprinting to the club not bothering to check out where the screaming came from. I do not know what happened, but if it is something to cause a scream like that I would rather not get involved

I make it to the club in 5 minutes when it would have taken me a good 15-minute walk. You can only imagine how hard I was panting. At this point I do not even know if I will have the breath to sing. At least I feel somewhat safe here seeing other people on the streets and in the club. I doubt anybody heard that scream as the music is just blasting from the club.

I quickly make my way inside and go backstage. I meet my boss behind there. "Soren! You're a bit early." I just chuckle and let out a deep and long sigh. He quickly examines me and notices my heavy breathing and the sweat that is trickling down my forehead. His face turns from happy to concerned quickly. "Hey you all right? They ain't nobody chasing you now is there? Just let me know and I'll put them in their place."

I laugh at his words since he knows that I am more than capable of handling myself, yet still offers his protection. Something that I deeply appreciate. "No there isn't anybody chasing after me. Something just spooked me, and I wanted to come to a more populated place." My boss, Fred, nodded although he did not look totally convinced. I will admit I am still a bit spooked by that scream. I almost feel bad for not going to help the person. ALMOST. If anything, that scream just kept me away.

As harsh as it sounds, their screams are better than mine. I may be able to fight, but I most certainly will not play hero. At least not without knowing the circumstances. I do not like going blind and going towards that scream would have meant exactly that.

Maybe if it was daytime and there were more people nearby, but nothing would have convinced me to go there in the middle of night. Especially not alone.

"I'm going to go practice since I'm next to perform. See you later boss." Fred just smiles and waves as I walk off looking as if he wanted to say more but decided against it. Probably for the best since wondering about why that scream was made would only freak myself out more.

I perform about ten songs before deciding to go to the bar within the club. I watch as the bartender, Luke, wipes off the counters inhuman speed. Once he finishes, he spots me and quickly makes his way over. "Hey" I say sounding a little tired after all of the singing. It is nearly 11 and I have been working all day. Not to mention something about that scream has my nerves on edge and my guts feeling like a knife is twisting in them.

"Wow. You look terrible" he says looking me up and down. "Jee. Thanks" I say in a sarcastic but tired tone. He gives a deep chuckle which would have had me squirming in my seat if not for Luke being well...Luke. The fact that he is gay does not help either. I would rather not get all hot and bothered over a guy who would not even look at me with lust no matter how sexy I looked.

"You need a drink?" he replies with a smirk. "No thanks. It's going to be midnight soon and I'd rather not roam the streets drunk." Luke gives an amused expression before replying. "Over our years of friend-ship I happen to know that you can hold your own against alcohol fairly nicely. So, tell me why you really don't want a drink." His expression turns serious as he says his next sentence. Something that is unusual for Luke unless he is dead serious or purposely trying to intimidate you.

"You came in here looking pretty panicked and it takes a LOT to spook you like that."

I just sigh knowing that there is no way that I am going to stop him from asking. Luke is a lot of things and persistent is definitely one of them. He does not know personal space or boundaries. If he wants to get something out of you, he will. Whether it is by being annoying or being terrifying. Usually, it is annoying.

"Well, I was walking on the way here and I heard a deafening scream. It was NOT pretty in the slightest. Something about it has me on edge. I sprinted here afterwards not wanting the next screams to be mine. The scream came somewhere a little farther than the park I was by. Far too close for comfort." Luke just stared at me with his red eyes that looked like rubies in the moonlight as his black hair covered some of his facial features, but only going past a centimeter past his eyes.

He was my skin tone and fairly buff. Luke has had his fighting days. He is not overly buff though. Just the right amount for me. Honestly, he's a panty soaking looking guy which is why it is such a shame that he is not bisexual. Sometimes he makes me want to be born a male.

Despite his sexuality he is much of a flirt with every gender. He just only gets in bed with guys. He has offered me many times to have sex with me, but I would rather not be one of the people that he brings weekly in bed. Besides, a woman getting in bed with a gay guy just shows how poor my love life is. It is not as if people are not attracted to me because they are. The feeling just is not mutual too many times and casual sex is not really my thing. Another reason I turned Luke down.

Apparently as the only woman he has offered to take to bed I should feel honored, but I would only feel used even though it is supposed to be the other way around.

This, however, does not stop me in the slightest from being intimate with him. We sometimes tell others that cannot seem to take a hint that we are dating. All-in-all we have a very deep bond that is not easily broken. If one has an enemy, then that makes them the other's enemy as well.

"I'm going to drive you home." He says obviously not giving any room for argument. Not that I would anyway. I would be more than happy to not walk and relax knowing I am with someone I trust. "Okay. By all means. I do not exactly like walking around at midnight anyway. I should really start driving my car here."

Luke goes back to making drinks but continues to respond. "Yeah, you should. I would prefer you alive than waste gas. I still cannot believe the reason you do not drive here is because you want to save gas money. It would take about 10 minutes off from your walk. I mean you are a veterinarian.

You are practically rich. You are far too conservative. If I had the amount of money, you had there is no way I would be the one working at the club. I'd be the person in the crowd."

Luke is not wrong. I have plenty of money to spare, but as ironic as it may seem, I do not like partying. It just is not my thing I would much rather be the one giving joy than receiving it in this situation.

"Don't make it sound as if you're poor. You too are rich if not than as rich as me." After serving a cup to one of the other people at the bar he turns back to face me with a grin tugging at his lips. "That may be true, but at least I know how to have fun." I scoff at the intended insult. "My life is fun. I love doing what I do. I get to work with animals and sing. My life couldn't get better."

It was true. I have everything I have wanted. I would not trade if for anything.

The problem with having what you want though is that there is nothing more to want. Without that life gets repetitive and boring. If you do not have a goal, you are just sitting in one place. The only thing that could alter my life right now is a partner and kids. A partner I would not mind, but do not necessarily need as my dog is filling up that void and kids are just something I am not ready for. I am only 23 and still young so it is not like I do not have the time.

"Doesn't mean you have to be boring. I know you have a wild side because I have seen many of those. Your life just is at a standstill for the moment. I am going to serve this last order and head out. Make sure you've got everything." I wait for Luke to serve the drink as I already planned to head out, so I did not have anything to pack. He grabs his backpack, and we make our way through the doors.

We got into the car and started to drive off. I slowly start drifting away at the sound of the low music and Luke's occasional humming.

It does not take long for me to wake up again though as the sudden sound of screaming infiltrates my ears.

A man looking around 27 is running at tops speed down the sidewalk we are by as a young woman about 18 is running after him. The man looks absolutely terrified as the woman manages to catch up to him. She quickly pounces on him and bites his neck. His cries of pain fill the air as I feel my lungs about to give out. Or so I think, because at this moment I am too shocked to even be sure.

After a few more bites and screams the man goes limp.

The woman then stares up at our car as she starts racing towards us. The man starts twitching as if having a seizure and gets up as if his throat did not just get ripped to shreds. He turns to us, and it is then that I see his once terrified eyes just a haze of glossy red and grey. He quickly follows the woman's direction. Us.

Luke immediately hits the breaks right as the woman bangs up against his glass window. We speed ahead and I look in the rear-view mirror as I see the two still chasing after us until they come upon a group of poor souls walking down the street. They start to attack them as more screams fill the night. Seems to be the subject of today.

Neither of us say anything the rest of the ride as we were still trying to comprehend what the hell just happened.

Yep, definitely glad that I decided to get in a car instead of walking.