Venantium

Prologue

(A.N: This is the start of a whole new genre for me to work on. It will be a continuing series, but so far I'm not sure how many chapters there will be exactly. I'll publish them when they're ready, which I can't predict specific dates for either.

Also, this story is a team effort. A few friends of mine, along with myself, have taken on this project together. So I cannot take all the credit XD Shout out to the other authors/editors btw, you know who you are, you too Ghost Writer.

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy~ )

It's spring time in a southern coast-side town in California. The sun beats down along the coastline, and the beaches are packed with sweaty bodies in bathing suits. Avoiding the swarms of beach-goers, Haven and Proto Kuze sit back inside a small smoothie shop tucked away on the far side of the beach. With them sits a young girl, her long silver hair hanging down in front of her face.

"It's too hot here," Haven says as he lifts his smoothie and slurps on it.

"It's air-conditioned in here," Proto says. "You should be fine right now."

Haven doesn't respond and moves his eyes onto the girl. She keeps her eyes on her smoothie sitting on the table. Proto sighs and picks up his own smoothie, sucking with all his might on the red straw. The girl stays quiet as she pulls her drink closer to her, cautiously eyeing the two young men sitting across from her through her strands of hair. Haven notices her stare but ignores it. Proto puts his drink down and clears his throat before speaking.

"So, uh... how's the smoothie?" He asks the girl.

The girl quickly looks back down at her cup. "Good," She says quietly.

"You're going to be okay now, right?" Haven says as he slides his cup onto the table in front of him.

The girl nods, clutching tightly onto her plastic cup. Haven and Proto exchange glances before hearing both their phones ring; they answer simultaneously and listen. Seconds pass and they hang up their cells before casually standing up and heading towards the exit, the girl following close behind. Proto jogs up ahead to hold open the door as Haven tosses his half-emptied cup into the trashcan. The girl looks up as she approaches Proto, and his eyes make contact with her wide, blood-shot ones. Suddenly the memories of that morning resurface.

...

The agents dismounted their vehicles and stalked over to a nearby cabin, their movements resembling a predator moving towards its prey. With every step they tuned into the senses of the forest surrounding them through their bare skin; each noise, breeze, taste, and touch being accounted for. They halted right outside the cabin door. Haven could feel something inside, but it was more than just the traitor they were after, the one known as Red.

Noticing the sureness leave Haven's face, Proto asked: "What's wrong?"

"I dunno," Haven replied. "I'm not sure if he's alone".

"How are you able to tell?" Proto looked at him.