Everything was dark and I didn’t like it. I woke up in the white room of the hospital that I had been in too many times before. Kai was in the corner talking to the doctor. He looked at me.

“Claire. God, I thought you were dead.”

“Where is everybody?”

“They all came by earlier. Paige is on a killing spree now and your mom freaked out when she saw the tattoos.”

“Oh great.”

“Do you want to stay at your mothers? Less things to kill yourself with.”

“I want to stay with you at your house.”

He looked at the doctor who nodded.

“Christopher how is your wife? Bad luck seems to shower your family.”

“Please stop calling me Christopher, Andrew. And her cancer is gone. Bad luck doesn’t shower my family either.”

“You get shot and your wife gets cancer. Your daughter dies and your girlfriend tries to commit suicide. You don’t call that bad luck?”

“My family has problems not bad luck.”

“Death isn’t a problem it was because you aren’t lucky. If you were she would be alive and Claire wouldn’t be here.”

“If she wasn’t dead then Claire wouldn’t be alive. Take one life to save one that’s how it works.”

Kai walked to me and picked me up.

“What time is it?” I asked.

“Two in the morning.”

He carried me out of the room and ran to the house. I closed my eyes and when they opened I was at the table with a drink in front of me.

“What is this?”

I played with the odd drink in front of me.

“Jasmine tea.”

I quickly drank it surprised at how good it tasted. I walked to Kai’s room where he was already sitting on the bed. He shut the door and grabbed me putting me beside him underneath the covers. Our noses where touching and there was a flashlight for light.

“What do you need to tell me?”

“Logan is on her way. She’ll be here when you wake up. She’ll be here all day so I’m taking you out of school. She has to leave the next day though.”

“Ok. Night.”

I got up to go to my room but he grabbed me and pulled me next to him.

“I don’t want you trying to commit suicide again.”

“I’m not tired.”

He started humming and I couldn’t keep my eyes from closing. The morning sun shone on my face but it quickly went away as I heard the curtains go over it. Another thing I hate about this house: no sunlight. There was bouncing on the bed and I sat up. I screamed and Kai grabbed me before I could run. I started breathing heavy. Logan was in front of me smiling.

“Calm down it’s just me.”

“Your dead.”

“No I fought with my souls not my skin. I had to wait in line forever to get them fixed. Then I got arrested for false death. But because I’m young, hot, rich, and a princess they let me out for a day.”

“So you aren’t dead?”

“Of course not silly!”

I pulled Kai’s arms off of me and started breathing like normal. I got out of the bed and hugged her. She felt around my back then pulled away from me.

“You got a tattoo?!”

“Two of them but only one was requested.”

“Never let Kai give you a tattoo. Let me see them.”

I showed her the tattoos he gave me and she laughed at the fangs on my stomach.

“So did you have fun without me?”

“I tried to commit suicide.”

“What!? Claire Lamone that was so unnecessary! I was coming back!”

“I was depressed.”

“Well lets go eat.”

“Paige wants to kill me.”

“Tell me at breakfast.”

We walked down the stairs were everyone was running around. Paige crouched and growled at me then ran to Logan and hugged her.

“Anything you want to do today?”

“Go to the beach!”

Paige looked out the window at the blazing sun.

“We have to go get the necklaces from Dakota.”

“Ok.”

She grabbed some clothes and slipped them on then quickly dressed me. All the girls were already in their cars by the time we got outside. Logan threw me into her Porsche and drove off.

“Where does Dakota work?”

“She’s a hairdresser.”

“What do the necklaces do?”

“They keep our skin from shining or for me turning red and scaly like a demon. They keep the guys from getting a purplish tint to their skin.”

“Oh.” That was the only response I could manage to find.

She pulled into the parking lot right when the other arrived. They an into the building and I followed them in. Dakota was standing over a woman doing her hair in long braids. She looked at me then Logan and the other girls.

“Do you need the necklaces?”

“Yes mother.” Logan answered her question sweetly.

“They’re in the case.”

Logan grabbed it and ran out of the beauty shop. She drove to the house and ran in. All the guys were already dressed. Logan handed them all the necklaces. It was just a little tooth that could easily be mistaken as something from a gift shop. I reached out to touch Kai’s but he gently placed my hand away.

“Don’t touch it.”

“Sorry.”

We all got into our separate cars but because mine was still at Debbie’s I had to ride with Kai. We walked onto the beach and laid out our things. I sat in Kai’s lap and I heard a scream of excitement. Two girls came running towards us and when they came close enough for me to see them better I knew who they were. Miki and Catherine. They ran in front of me then stopped. They looked at who I was with and their mouths dropped a little. I got out of Kai’s lap but he pulled me back into it. Catherine looked at me strange.

“Um…Claire?”

“Yes Catherine?”

“Why are you with them?”

“Oh I didn’t tell you? I live with them.”

“Why didn’t you say anything before?!”

“I’ve only lived with them for a few months. There mother adopted me.”

“Your adopted?”

“Yah so are they none of us are related.”

Miki leaned in and looked at my stomach.

“Is that a tattoo?!”

“Yah.”

“Claire you are going to be the most popular girl in school! You live with the hottest guys ever! And have at tattoo!” Catherine shook me by my shoulders.

Maria said something in Spanish and Will replied. Kai spoke in some language I didn’t know-probably Thai- to Paige who replied with a nasty look at me. I got up again and this time he didn’t stop me.

“I don’t like being the center of attention so don’t say anything about this please, Catherine!”

“Fine but can we say that we know the hottest guys in school?”

“But you don’t.”

“But you can tell us all about them!”

“Catherine, I barely know them.”

“How long have you lived with them?”

“Five months.”

“That is almost half a year.”

“In case you want to know Hunter Riley is my brother.”

“He’s like so cool! How can you not mention this to us!?”

“Because I hate my brother.”

“Can you get me a date with him?”

Logan jumped up and laid her hand on my shoulder.

“He’s taken.”

She sat down and I tried hard not to laugh.

James looked at Logan.

“Claire hasn’t mentioned a thing to him since she left to live with us. Get over him.”

Catherine stared at me.

“He’s British?”

“Yah. Kai is Thai and Chinese and Cynthia is German.”

Catherine laughed. “How good are their abs?”

“What do you mean?”

“Who has the best muscles? Who’s the hottest? Have you kissed any of them yet? Tell us everything!”

“I’ve tried to kiss Kai and he’s the only one I’ve seen without a shirt on. Clide has the most muscles but that is obvious.”

“So which one do you like the best?”

“Kai.”

“Is he a good kisser?”

“Yes!”

Kai looked at me.

“I’ve never kissed you before. You’ve tried to kiss plenty of times but I have never kissed you.”

“What about last night?”

“I never kissed you. Stop showing off for your friends.”

“I’m not showing off!”

“I hate you Claire Juliet. You are so hard to resin with.”

“You don’t mean that! You’ve told me that you love me plenty of times!”

“It makes you happy. You have an obsession.”

“I’m not obsessed with you!”

“Sure about that?”

“I hate you Kai Pattinson!”

“Hmm.”

He laughed his musical laugh and I bit my lip.

“I love you, Kai.”

“Good to know.”

“Catherine looked at me.

“You cave in that easily?”

“I have four extremely hot brothers. It’s hard not to.”

“So what do you do around the house?”

“Sleep and eat.”

Kai laughed.

“And complain about how I don’t love you.”

“And you say I show off?”

“You do.”

I ran to the water and cupped some water in my hand. I threw it at him and it splashed everywhere.

“Now do I?”

He grabbed my leg and pulled me onto the sand. He pinned me down but I flipped him over. He grabbed my arm and hit me against a rock. Logan walked to us fighting and pulled me away from him.

“Don’t break her! She’s fragile and delicate!”

She pulled me back to my friends who looked at me with an amused expression on their faces.

“That wasn’t funny you all.”

Miki laughed at me.

“I want to see you fight Clide!”

“He’d break me.”

Paige walked up to me.

“That would amuse me very much.”
“It would wouldn’t it.”
“Maybe you should keep your hands away from my boyfriend.”
“He doesn’t love you so he’s not your boyfriend!”
“He doesn’t love you either!”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Maybe because each time you try to kiss him he doesn’t let you.”
“You know he hates you you just don’t want to admit it!”
“That’s not true he loves me more than he could ever some dingy blonde girl!”
“Maybe he loves me because I don’t have any problems like you!”
She growled and Kai grabbed her pulling her into his lap. She started crying softly. She pulled herself out of his lap and ran down the beach. I looked at her smiling to myself.
“Claire you are going to get killed when we get home.”
“I know but I’m satisfied.”
“With what?”
“Don’t make me feel bad!”
“Whatever.”
He got up and walked towards Paige. Miki turned me around.
“That was great!”
“Thanks?”
“Listen I’m going to tell everyone about this tomorrow so be at school!”
“Fine.” I am going to dread the results of this.
“Bye bye then!”

They walked off and Cynthia hissed quietly. The day went by quickly after that. Kai paid a lot of attention to Paige and ignored me all day. I had to sleep in my room and Logan had to leave. I got dressed this morning slowly and ate quickly just to get away. Kai got my car last night so I could drive myself to school. As soon as I parked there was a swarm of people around my car. Miki ran up ad pulled me out.

“Everyone loves you Claire! Your basically famous!”

“I don’t feel famous.”

“Is it because of your fight with Kai?”

“Yah did you know he ignored me all last night?”

“That must be hard for you.”

I walked through the crowd of people begging to know more. Kai didn’t talk to me during science but it was lunch now so maybe he would talk to me. Miki and Catherine sat next to me at lunch but swarms of people surrounded us. They barked out questions that I barely knew how to answer. Everyone stopped their questions and there was a pair of cold hands on my shoulder. I turned around. Kai.

“What do you need?”

“Your car.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to draw attention to myself.”

“How am I supposed to get home?”

He dangled his keys in front of my face and I caught them before I got too dizzy.

“Take my Mustang.”

I handed him my car keys.

“I want it home in one piece. Don’t drive it insanely fast either it can’t reach speeds like your car.”

“Yes it can it’s a Charger.”

“Just don’t drive to fast. And I’m going to my mom’s house today I haven’t seen her in awhile.”

“Are you staying the night?”

“Yah.”

“You know I’m not mad at you about Paige on the beach.”

“You aren’t?”

“No, why would I?”

“I don’t know. Hey are you leaving right now?”

“No, I’m going to do a full day for once in my life. Are you?”

“No! I haven’t had a full day of school in months because you drag me out!”

“School is boring and a waste of precious time.”

“Like you don’t have all the time in the world.”
He laughed and left the table but turned around and came back.

“Tell Debra I’ll pick you up in the morning and fix your hair it’s a mess.”

“You do it! You neglected me yesterday how was I supposed to do it when you fix my hair all the time?”

“ You are a girl you should know how to do hair.“

“But I can’t.”

“Do you want me to braid it?”

“Yes.”

He braided my hair in two braids then twisted the braids together so it was almost a hoop around my head. Handing me a few hundred dollars he left the table and went back to his. A girl that I knew was a senior came up to me and laid her hand on my shoulder. She was slim and tall with frizzy brown hair and brown eyes.

“I’m Stephanie.”

“Claire.”

“Who doesn’t know you? You’re popular. Hey can you do me a favor?”

“Sure? What is it?”

“Get me a date with one of your brothers.”

“Pick one.”

“Who is available?”

“Kai and James at the moment.”

“Get me with James.”

“You know he’s younger than you right?” In one way at least.

“He is?”

“He’s a junior and you’re a senior.”

“Is there really a difference?”

“Yes! And I think he likes someone.”

She gave me a disappointed look but luckily the bell rang and I had to go to class. The other classes sped by mostly because I was thinking about how Miki and Catherine had ruined my life and how to get my revenge. I had fun driving the Mustang around town for half an hour after school before going to Debbie’s house. She ran out of the house when she saw me get out of the car. She hugged me and it reminded me of the airport when I first moved here. Before my live turned into a fantasy and I was dragged into the world of vampires and werewolves. She grabbed my hand leading me into the house. She sat me on the couch then left the room coming back with two cups of tea.

“While you were gone I have been trying internet dating.”

“Mom you are to old for that.”

“Well I found a man that I like and he likes me too. I think you should try it. You would be a lot happier.”

“I am happy mom.”

“Running around chasing after guys that don’t like you is not happiness trust me I know.”

“What if it is to me?”

“Then you are truly not my child.”

“I know he likes me it’s just his bratty wife that keeps him from telling me so.”

“Claire that isn’t happiness.”

“Can we not talk about this? I think he hates me now even though he says he isn’t mad. I got in a fight with Paige on the beach.”

“You aren’t happy. You should stay here a while.”

“Mom I’m happy now stay out of my life.”

“No you aren’t.”

“Can we please change the subject?” I could feel the tears coming down my cheeks.

“Are you staying the night?”

“Yes.”

“Do you have any homework?”

“No.”

“How was your day?”

“People want me to try to get them dates with the Pattinsons. Miki and Catherine saw me at the beach with them and I told them I lived with them so now I’m popular and I hate it.”

“Oh.”

“I’m going to my room.”