Chapter 1...Running

I am Taiti Malcolm, the girl who was presently terrified of the smirking Queen Bee two rows back. Amberly Vera was not impressed by the rumors circulating concerning myself and her boyfriend of 3 years, Alex Cambridge seated with his jock friends a few seats ahead of me. Of course they were lies told by Amberly's best friend Diana Richards because she was the one screwing Alex behind hidden doors. I was the scapegoat, the girl who wasn't even at the party lost her virginity to a guy who has never acknowledged her, despite them having several classes together

I sunk deeper into my seat, pushing my glasses further up the bridge of my nose. I was the invisible nerdy girl with no friends but plenty of bullies. I had survived 4 years of petty high school bullying only to go out with a bang, a mysterious plot to destroy my already none existed life. For 4 years Amberly had tormented me but I never knew why. It always irked me how someone with everything could pick on someone with nothing. She had both her parents in her life and they were really nice people. I had a single mom who struggled to pay the bills and an estranged father who was friends with demons. I had always wondered why she was so cruel to me.

I glanced at her. I bit my lip in concentration, zoning out all the voice of the principal calling the names of the graduating class. I narrowed my eyes and focused harder. The world seemed to slow down and the sounds around me muffled. I subtle push forward, hoping to catch a glimpse of Amberly's memory but I saw nothing. I wouldn't give up. I pushed harder, so hard that my head began to ache.

"Taiti," a masculine voice suddenly said, the image of a myself viewed from afar entered my mind.

My heart jolted in my chest and I stood to my feet immediately.

"Taiti Malcolm," the principal called my name a second later.

My head quickly turned towards him, my eyes wide and terrified. Some students snickered while others made cruel comments. Petrified, I began to move through my row with great difficulty since everyone in my row kept pushing out their knees into the way. I glanced around the graduation ceremony searching for my mother, I had to warn her about the man but I couldn't find her. However I did find the spot where I saw the man looking.

Someone hooked their foot around mine and I tripped. My glasses went tumbling from my face and the principal just went on to the other name. I sniffed, forcing the tears pooling in my eyes not to fall. I raised my body from the ground with my hands, using my knees as support as I began to feel around the floor for my glasses, the palm of my hands becoming slightly bruised by the concrete floor. Through my blurred vision I spotted a slender dark object that I assumed was my black rim glasses. Suddenly a pair of red stiletto heels stepped onto the glass frame. The crunch set a sickening feeling in my stomach and my tears fell. I grit my teeth as I stared up at Amberly's smug face.

"Your best friend screwed your boyfriend in the gym locker and I saw! That's why she spread that nasty rumor," I told her with all my anger and bitterness towards her.

"You don't deserve to live you freak," she yelled.

Suddenly a loud explosion echoed through the air. The scent of smoke quickly filled the air and the crackling of fire merged with the screams. The principal was talking quickly over the microphone, requesting everyone to remain calm and to make their way slowly towards the football field. No one complied. I stood quickly as the panic arised and was pushed roughly into Amberly who fell. I heard her scream as someone stepped on her leg. I was going to help her but someone grabbed my hand and began pulling me.

"We need to go," my mother said sternly pulling me in the direction of the woods nearby the high school.

"Mom, I saw him," I told her my heart skipping several beats as I turned and noticed the burning the event. The fire had spread quickly, the smoke thickening the air, it was becoming harder to breathe. "Shouldn't we help!"

"No," my mother replied harshly pulling me forward to look her in the eyes. "It is us he wants, the further away we get the better it will be for them," she said her large brown eyes franctic and scared. "I can't let him take you away from me."

We took off into a sprint. We ran for a few minutes. The smoke of the fire following behind us closely. The sound of growls and barks moving with it. Suddenly my mother halted, releasing my hand she glanced around, turning as if she was lost.

"Where is it? Where is it?" She chanted loudly and then fell into a whisper. She suddenly paused and then began walking in a different direction from which we were heading. I struggled to catch up with her as she began walking swiftly towards a large tree with a large hole in it. She rushed towards it and began chanting. Sparing a glance behind us, I watched as the dark smoke wrapped around my foot, the scent of burnt flesh causing my stomach to churn. I rush forward to stand beside my mother. She turned and stared into my eyes.

"I love you cariña," she said sadly, a sad tear rolling down her cheek.

"I-I love you too, mama. What's wrong?"

"Only one person can get through the portal," she started.

I shook my head. She was lying.

"I need it to be you cariña. I need you to be safe and away from him. I'm already bond to him. You owe him nothing. I will not let him destroy your life," she told me, more tears streaming down her face. The smoke was thickening and the growls were getting louder. Mom noticed.

"The hounds are coming. Where this portal leads, I will make sure that no one follows. You must find Kylen Cole, he will take care of you. You are going to my home, cariña. You will be safe there," she said, rubbing my shoulders reassuringly. I pulled her into a tight hug. I found myself sobbing softly.

She pulled herself from my grasp and slipped a piece of paper into my hand, and kissed my forehead. Panicked rises in my chest as I saw a silhouette appear in the smoke. Mom sensed him but gave me a reassuring smile and pushed me into the hole. I heard her scream as the darkness enveloped me.

I fell to the ground with a grunt. I quickly observed my surroundings, caught off guard. I was still in the woods. I hurriedly stood to my feet. I noted that there was no smoke but there was still growls. Suddenly a giant black dog landed in front of me, a mist of smoke engulfing its mangled and burning body. Its eyes were red with tears of blood streaming down its face and black drool fell from its mouth. I began to step back slowly as another appeared and then another.

I ran. It wasn't my best idea since I wasn't the most athletic but I wasn't going to sit down and let them tear me limb from limb, though I bet they were enjoying this hunt were they will bite at my ankles. Grimacing at my own sick thought I decided that I couldn't let that happen. Raising my arms before me, I willed the trees to bend to my will. I pulled back using the minimal magic that I possessed. The tree went sailing by me and into the hellhounds. At the sound of a whimper cry I turned to see that I had hit one but my joy was short lived when my foot suddenly got caught in a root and I fell face first to the ground.

There was a split second were I felt like giving up and then there was the second after that where I wanted to survive. I cried out in pain as I attempted to move my foot. My ankle was twisted. I turned my body, watching as the hounds were helping each other. It was a marvel I had no time to respect. I slowly removed my foot from the root, using my hands to pull myself upwards but the pain sent me right back to the floor. I searched for a stick, something strong enough to support my weight but instead I found two large golden eyes piercing my soul. My heart slowed as I realized that I was caught between two enemies. The hounds were drawing closer, one limping slightly.

The wolf growled, a thunderous sound that shaked my very being. I lowered my head, snapping my eyes closed as it suddenly pounced but I never felt the sharpness of its claws ripping my skin. It attacked the hounds, swiping its long claws at the belly of the wounded hound. The wolf bit into the neck of the hound ripping its throat out mercilessly. It fell to the ground gurgling its own blood, its body twitching uncontrollably, unable to die. I felt sorry for the poor creature. While the wolf was occupied with the hound, its friend bit at its large hind leg. The wolf was 3 times the size of the hound if not bigger but the hounds bite burned like hot lava. The wolf was relentless but he couldn't win. The two hounds had their teeth in him, probably infecting him with their venom which was probably burning his veins.

I needed to help him. I pulled myself into a sitting position. It was then I remembered the paper my mother had given me. I opened it gingerly, trying not to cause it anymore damage. There was a single word written on it.

"Sangre," my voice was a mere whisper but as I read it, I felt my body become light. My eyes fluttered shut as I felt magic rush through my system. It was as if a burden had lifted off my shoulders. I could feel the raw magic running through the air I inhaled and felt refreshed.

I opened my eyes, staring down at the hounds that had unhooked their fangs from the wolf who staggered, its eyes draping downwards as it watched me. There was a story to be told, seeing him hurt made me hurt. Rage flooded my heart.

"Go back from whence you came," I boomed my voice not quite my own. I was commanding a power so pure, it was dangerous but it worked. The hounds erupted into flames the earth opening up momentarily to swallow them.

My breath caught in my chest as the wolf shifted into a man and suddenly I was falling but strong arms caught me before I hit the ground. Golden eyes faded into black ones and I stared at the face which was a blur to me. His lips parted to say something but my eyes had closed and sleep washed over me.