Chapter One
Marie
It was a foggy, cloudy and gray day on September first, the first day of school. Ashlynn-Marie was determined to make it a good day. Even though Oliver though had already called and said he wasn’t calling, even though she would have to correct six adults over her name-she could make this a good day.
From eight-thirty to four o’clock, just eight and a half hours and she would be done. This was her exact thinking as she shut the door to her old, Victorian home. One last look at the sunless sky and she was on her way to Fallen Hill High School.
After this long and grueling year, she would have just one more year left and she would be going to college. Once she corrected her English teacher that she went by Marie, she stared at the window, ignoring the rest of the world.
After the first bell rang, Marie rushed to Social Studies, sitting in the back to avoid people. She had been able to ignore the sudden urge for blood for several months now, but she wasn’t quite ready to give in yet.
Marie mostly tried to bury the vampire part of her for her aunt, Karen. Her aunt who had taken care of her since her mother had died-since Marie had killed her.
Karen had always told her how it wasn’t her fault, but it was. Her mother was an innocent human, tricked by a beautiful vampire demon-Marie’s father. He left as soon as he found out the news of her pregnancy, but Marie had remained, growing inside of her mother, killing her slowly and painfully.
Her mother knew this, yet she still loved her. That’s who her mother had been; a caring, loving person-gone too soon.
Marie heard a snap and looked down at her tightly closed fist. She released her grip on the broken pencil, letting the pieces fall to the ground like rain. “Is this yours?” A voice Marie didn’t recognize. His scent slapped her in the face like a cold, winter wind. He smelt like the outdoors, like the bark of trees, timber, a husky scent she couldn’t quite place her finger on. Why hadn’t she noticed it earlier? It was so strong.
“Um hello?” He asked, picking up the broken pieces and placing them on her desk. She had zoned out once again. “Sorry-y,” she stammered, looking up to see his face. Her words caught in her throat. He was beautiful. He was tall, tanned, and had a nice, buff and muscled body. He had good jaw structure, brown eyes, and curly black hair that reached the top of his eyebrows in messy disarray.
“No need to apologize,” he replied with a smile. “Could I ask what made you snap it in half though?” He asked. Marie’s face turned a bright crimson color. In her head, she mentally cursed herself. She was acting like a total idiot! “Or not,” he said, after she didn’t reply. “I’m Ashlynn, well Marie-I go by-Ashlynn-Marie. I’m Marie!” She finally managed to say. The stranger laughed before extending his hand.
“I’m Daniel Richards. Do you think you could explain your real name to me later?” he asked. Her face turned a beet red. Her stomach was in knots. What was wrong with her? “My name is Ashlynn-Marie, but I go by Marie,” she explained. “Ah, I see. Do you mind if I sit here?” He asked, acknowledging the empty seat next to her. “No, go right ahead,” she said as the bell rang and their social studies teacher walked in.
It turned out that her next two classes, science and Trig, were classes with the beautiful stranger. What she couldn’t wrap her head around most was why he seemed so attracted to her.
She had nobody at school except her best friend, Oliver. They were like two peas in a pod, inseparable since the age of five. They had both been outcasts in school, but they accepted it. Why was Daniel accepting to be an outcast as well? He belonged with the A-listers.
He looked as if he had walked off the cover of a magazine. Why did he keep following her? Why did he keep staring at her like that? Those questions bugged her the most.
“Okay, you can stop following me now!” Marie said, coming out of Trig and heading to the lunchroom. “But I don’t know anybody else,” Daniel said simply.
“Not my problem!” She shouted, causing people to look their way. “Look,” she began; softening up. “I’m really not having a good day. I like to just sit down and think alone,” she said, stressing out the “alone” part.
He said nothing. Suddenly everything clicked into place. “What are you doing here?” She demanded in a cold, heartless voice. She couldn’t believe she had been so oblivious.
“People are watching. Let’s sit down,” he insisted through clenched teeth. Reluctantly, Marie led the way to a table in the far back of the cafeteria.
“Okay, answer my questions, dog,” she demanded. “First off, I’m not a dog,” he said coolly. “Whatever,” she said, not really caring. Marie sat there, feeling so nervous and scared, but acting calm and in control. Right in front of her sat a werewolf.
