Young Writers Society

Raegan Millahan | Outside the cemetary

Raegan turned around and stared at the person...no, vampire who had just addressed her. He didn't seem familiar. Normally, Raegan wouldn't have stopped for anyone, but there was something different about his persona...she decided to stick around.

"He's...someone I have to take care of, you could say." Raegan pursed her lips. "Not my next dinner, unfortunately."

"You sound disappointed."

Raegan shrugged. "All's well that ends well, I expect. Once my job is done, I can return home and lie around for a bit."

"Oh?" He looked thoughtful. "Where are you going now?"

"Phoenix, actually." Raegan sized him up; he seemed harmless enough. And heavens knew she'd need help if this specimen of a moron with the height of a gorilla woke up. "Why don't you come along? I could use the...company." Raegan almost groused out the last word; company wasn't a word she was particularly fond of. She watched as he assumed his thoughtful mode.

Lester Shiva


The invitation was quite tempting. The way my new friend- Raegan, I picked out from her mind- sized me up, the human she was carrying has to be too tall for her to handle. The human was a male named Zenkile. I chuckled. Funny name for a human. I thought the invitation over, then said, "All right, then. I'll come with. Works kind of slow down here, anyway." I noticed Raegan was a little short for a vampire. If she was any shorter, I would've mistaken her for an elf. "How about I take that human off your hands? I'm good at handling mortals his height. And don't worry, I won't feed off him. I just had my fill half an hour ago."
Raegan handed over Zenkile and told me that I better keep up if I want to go to Phoenix. She sounded pretty much pissed off, like she didn't like the likes of Zenkile.
I asked, "Why are you after this particular human?"

Raegan Millahan | Still Outside the Cemetary, New Orleans

"Why are you after this particular human?"

Raegan shrugged, not wanting to reveal too much. After all, as an Assassin, she did have to maintain integrity. "I don't know too much. I was merely ordered to fetch him."

"Ordered?"

Raegan grinned up at him, showing her perfect set of teeth in an almost predatory manner. "Trust me, you do not want to know."

He stared at her warily before they moved on. It was a while before either of them spoke again. Finally, Raegan, feeling bored, turned to him. "I realized I never asked your name. Or gave you mine, either. Raegan Millahan."

"Oh. My name is Lester."

"Just Lester? No last name?"

"None."

Raegan stared at him suspiciously. What was the vampire trying to hide? Even as she tried to break into his mind, she felt a strong barrier push up against her probing. If that's the way it works, then so be it. I'll pry out your secrets one by one, Lester. You won't get away with hiding things that easily.

"What were you doing at the cemetery?"

Ariadne

"Boo." It was childish of me and perhaps unprofessional, but I did so love to watch the way the vampire flinched and hurled his body around, searching for me, sniffing the air, listening for sounds of my breath. Ah. Vampires. They were a terribly inadequate race. They didn't have the intelligence of humans or the observational skills of the elves. Not the heightened senses of the shapeshifters or the knack of survival that every other race posessed. They were reduced to instincts and desire. Want, want, want. They were so obsessed with their inward selves that they just didn't see their death until it was upon them.

"Your target sends a message," I said. The vampire flinched again but this time re-gained composure much more quickly. He turned in my direction and I stepped out, confirming his successful detection of my position. Bravo. There wasn't enough human in him for relief and instead, it was a look of recognition and interest that passed over his face.

"Oh, you again. To be honest, I didn't expect to see you again. Wasn't the deal to bring him back or see that he was dead? Generally dead people don't send messages." He stood erect, his features pale against the industrial back-drop of red-brick buildings and smoke clogged sky. I dropped down from the rooftop and landed lightly in front of him. There were other vampires gathering at the fringes; I was in their nest. I counted six or seven, just a small band, a family unit of blood-suckers. This one I was talking to was their head and the link to Akasha. He was probably sired by her, an off spin of hers who thought he'd go out and make his own little coven. He still took orders from her though, evidentally. I knew whose coin I'd been paid with.

"Ooops, I guess I forgot. Funny that. He says he isn't coming back, but I think you knew that already." I flashed him my teeth and then the fun really started. One thing I admired the blood-sucker for was that he wasn't all show and theatrics like some of his kind. He was mean and he was gritty and he gave me no warning before springing forward and making a grab for me. I dodged gracefully out of the way, drew my blades and sliced clean through one of his buddies who came at me from the side. I reduced him to ash that blew away on the wind.

They were quick. Quicker than me if I'm honest and stronger but not as agile. And they didn't carry weapons. They relied on the strength of their hands which was all very well if they could actually catch me. They closed in. I spun in a circle, dancing my blades up and down to keep them at bay. One made a move forward and lost his head which resulted in the rest of his body disintegrating. Two down, five to go. But I couldn't cover all sides at once.

A female with copper curls and a face like a Renaissance painting tried to sink her teeth into my shoulder. I reached behind and slit her up the sides but then he came at me. Their leader. He pinned my arms to my sides, my blades rendered useless behind my back and he thrust his head into the crook of my shoulder. He smelled foul like dirty cigarettes and decomposed flesh. He sniffed my scent and pressed his mouth up against my ear.

"Looks like I win, darling."

"Eat dust."

I started to change. My skin prickled all over and before he'd had a chance to sink those pearly whites into my flesh, my hide was hard and furry and I was more pounds of meat than he could hold. I threw him off and let out a defiant roar before trampling all over him. After that it was quick work. Powerful jaws and strong muscles meant I was soon tasting the ashy flavour of vampire blood in my mouth. I killed them all. Except one. My hand picked messenger. He was young, not young looking but actually young. There was something still human in the way he hesitated to take on a creature larger than him and in the growing loss that flashed through his eyes as he vomitted over the final vampire corpse.

"Tell your queen that her pet has run away. For good. Oh and it wouldn't hurt to drop my name in there somewhere, helps the reputation you know." I was human again and I gave him a coy smile as I collected my blades from where I'd had to discard them.

"A... and what would your n...name be?"

"Kylla. You're going to be a big vampire one day, all grown up. I suggest you don't come looking for revenge."

Alright so I'm pretty much lost again xD. Anybody feel like bringing me in again?

Lester Shiva

I flinched when Raegan asked me what was I doing in the local cemetary. I pried her mind a little bit while keeping my own under a very thick shield. Around vampires- Underworld and Overworld alike- I keep my thoughts to myself. My darkest secrets needed triple protection, so I take no chances on thinking about anything. I lied, "Nothing, just want to scare the shit out of some late night mortals. I never get my chance, but I keep hoping." I pried a tad more, then shivered. Raegan was sired and apprenticed by Assassin vampires, which are the closest Akasha would have to royal bodyguards. "I got fired by my boss this morning when he found out I was an insomniac. I rarely sleep these days. If I do sleep, I only get nightmares."
Zenkile stirred a little, then started snoring. The smell of whiskey was on his breath, therefore I figured Raegan found him in a mortal tavern.
I decided to keep up with Raegan without exposing myself as a former shapeshifter by the surname Shiva. "So, why are we off to Phoenix? From what I heard, there's a certain bakery in that city. Business must be over the roof for the proprietors of that bakery."

Roxxanna Fira New Orleans
I was walking along still hunting for a place to collect my thoughts and maybe change just to get my claws into something the cat inside of me was hissing eager for blood but I swallowed it back though I know my eyes were blazing with a silver flame they way they always did. I heard a few voices and I closed my eyes extending my senses. 'Two vampires one a bit shorter taller one carrying a load I can hear the extra weight in his footsteps. The load is a...human? Odd but not unheard of.' I thought opening my eyes. I took a deep breath and sauntered gracefully over so that I was visible. I heard their footsteps stop and I looked at them. The shorter vampire a female with auburn hair was eyeing my cautiously obviously looking for an opening and the taller one parchment pale and onyx black eyes was just casually lounging Zenkile dangling from his arms. I hissed a feline sound. "Zenkile what did you do." I murmured under my breath eyeing him. I breathed a sigh of relief he was still breathing and it was obvious he was drunk. "Hey y'all." I said calmly walking over to the two vampires.

Lester Shiva

I looked at the person who addressed me and Raegan. The smell of cats and bird shit caught my nose. Another half-blood shapeshifter. This one before me and Raegan was female, a descendant of both the Felina and Aerialina clans. Judging by her accent, she was from Louisiana. It didn't take a genius to figure that out. I heard Zenkile snore and couldn't help but chuckle. The way he snores reminded me of a prostitute who snored no quieter than him. The prostitute was my last kill before I went to New Orleans. I decided to play safe with myself. I said calmly, "Hello there." I pretended to be confused. "You lost your way somewhere, senorita? My friend and I are off to Phoenix. The guy I'm hullin' was drunk and passed out when we found him. Poor fella's sure gonna get in a heap o' trouble if I'd known better."
Raegan just stared at me, still trying to pry my shielded mind no doubt.
I thought, You can't pry me that easy, girlfriend. You can pry if I let you pry.

Roxxanna Fira
I smiled engagingly cool and calm. "No I'm not lost you see that human there" here I jerked my chin at Zenkile. "is a friend of mine and I want to make sure he's not in danger. Not that I don't trust vampires hell I get along with some of them." I said smoothly not skipping a beat. "You don't need to worry chica he's in danger from us." The taller vampire replied. "I'm supposed to take your word for it mon cherie?" I asked still smooth studying the both of them.

Dream: Our chars can meet again in a moment if you'd like? On her return journey she could smell him and decide to satisfy her curiosity before reporting back.

Ariadne

I had a few wounds to lick on the way over to father's. They were superficial, nothing much, but it did hurt my soul to think a few bloodsuckers had managed to put marks on my hide. I travelled on my big, velvet paws and trotted along out on the open roads. A few travellers glanced my way but not too many; of all the species we shapeshifters were perhaps the most integrated amongst the humans and certainly the most socially acceptable. The elves were far too distant and the vampires too intimate, if you know what I mean. While so many shapeshifters lived the gypsy life, lodging in the homes and inns of humans, eating their food and doing their work. Oh yes, and sleeping with their women to leave half breeds like me.

I climbed into father's house by way of an upstairs window. It was locked but opened from the outside and I had the key. I entered into a bedroom which he called 'mine' but it didn't feel like home to me. Father had once let slip that my mother liked to collect things and fill her home with memorabilia and little treasures from around the world. I'd started to do that. My room was an Aladdin's cave of hand crafted ornaments, jade statues and whatever else I had been gifted or found. The humans sometimes had a strange way of paying with objects instead of cold, hard cash. Unfortunately though, when I looked around my room I only saw junk. Apparently I lacked my mother's human sentimentality for baubles and trinkets.

Still, I'd continued to collect out of habbit and it seemed to please father well enough. I found him downstairs, reading in front of the fireplace.

"A Shiva has me doing his dirty laundry," I said before throwing myself down directly before the warmth. Mmmm. I stretched out and let the fire dry my skin for it had rained a little on the way.

"You were respectful?"

"To a degree." My father sighed and closed his book crisply. But I could tell he was amused.

"And what does this Shiva want to know? If he has you 'doing his laundry' as you say, I can only presume this is not a social visit." That was my father for you, always knowing more than he should. Sometimes it was useful but most times, just irritating.

"He said I should ask you about Lester Shiva and I'm thinking that's probably who he is." I turned a lazy eye to watch my father's reaction and was surprised to find that he looked alarmed and the hairs on his body were bristling. He didn't even make an attempt to hide it. Shit. What had I gotten myself involved in?

"What have you got yourself involved in, girl? Nevermind, it can't be helped now. You shall have to help him of course."

"Help him with what?"

"Why with recovering his honour of course. You never were too sharp on your history." And father proceded to fill me in on the details of Lester Shiva. Apparently he'd been heir to the throne until he supposedly killed his father and was banished. Now, most shapeshifters wanted nothing to do with the oulaw but a select few, like my dad, were waiting for the day he cleared his name. Father said it would be a terribly dangerous venture which made me feel marginally more interested but I could tell this would take up a big chunk of my time. Finally, he ended by saying I would have to decide for myself if I was going to obey him or not.

"I thought we didn't have a choice with Shivas?" I questioned lazily, though my mind was already made up. I was interested enough that I couldn't possibly turn my back. Besides, if he proved to be king one day, he'd remember the felina who refused to aid him and my honour wouldn't be worth anything at all.

"Usually that's the case but with outlaws, none would hold it against you if you walked away."

"He might," I said, a glint in my eye. Father let out a hearty laugh and gave me a slightly wistful look. I wondered if he missed the gypsy life.

"Be on your way then, girl." I nodded and left him but not without a feeling of... something. I fled back to the city before I could find the time to wonder what that feeling might be.

(sorry about the late entry)
Race: vampire
Name: Riley
Age: 21
Appearance:
Power: Super-speed and mind-reading
Personality: smart and very mischievous
History: He was born in the 1800s. He doesn’t remember much since his change into a vampire.
Dwelling: A high-class mansion and lives with his human fifth generation niece.
Social Status/Rank: Very popular amongst his donors and in the high-class ranking.
Friends: Sarah Arceus
Combat skill: karate and ti kwon do

Sarah Arceus
Phoenix, Arizona

I put on a black bandanna and said, "I'm going out, Daddy. I have a social engagement to take care of with Riley."
Daddy said calmy, "Tell him I send my regards." He put a basket on the table. He just got home from delivering cookies and pies. "And be sure he doesn't nip you just like he did last time."
I went out to Riley's mansion, which was a thirty-minute walk from the bakery. I was at the gate when a guard asked me to state my business. I said lazily, "Tell the master of the house that Sarah the Silver Panther is here to see him. And don't say that I'm not permitted to be here at this late hour. I know the master of the house enjoys a social engagement with a friend at this time of night." I bared my teeth, just to prove I was who I said I was.

Lester Shiva

I felt the Shiva dragon in me stir, but I held it back masterly. The half-breed- Roxxanna Fira, I pried from Zenkile's mind- didn't trust the likes of me. I could tell just by studying her memory archives. To her, I was just some stranger with a friend of hers snoring in his arms. I chuckled and said, "None of us even fed off this kid. Besides, I don't have the heart to do that. I already had my fill of human blood. Not his blood. This kid's flat-out drunk."
Raegan glared at me.
I hissed at Raegan and said, "Give me an attitude and I will feed off the kid, no matter how much alcohol he consumed before you showed up."

Raegan Millahan | New Orleans

Raegan hissed back at him. "You threaten him one more time and it's this blade you're going to taste. I'm not going to let some upstart from nowhere with no past mess up one of my jobs, you hear me?" She could feel Roxanna shift uneasily on the other side; but what surprised her was the bark of laughter.

It was Lester. Chuckling, he grinned at her. "Upstart from - good one. Really good one - " It was then that he let Zenkile drop from his arms and onto the floor, which elicited an "OW!" from him and sleepy eyes. Raegan stared down at him, not sure what to make of the odd turn of events. Then, Zenkile suddenly scrambled to his feet, an odd look in his eyes as he edged away from Lester.

"That feeling...you're a Shiva, aren't you...?"

Raegan didn't edge away. Instead, her glare became worse. "Figures. You're an unmanageable, brutish lot, you Shivas. I thought they had more class...but apparently not."

Late profile, sorry =u=b

Name: Rosalyn Francis (Rose)

Age: 14

Race: Half breed Shiva/Felina

Appearance: A petite girl with short, black hair. In her human-like form, she is always wear a small floral sundress with no shoes and a flower behind her left ear. When she shift to panther form, she is (of course) all black. As a dragon, she is also black, but under her wings are flowers and birds that look like they've been painted on.

Personality: Rosalyn is very sweet and caring. However; she has some major trust issues, due to some troubles early in life. She is quite clever in battle, forming outrageous plans in her head that only she can pull off. She adores reading and taking naps, and she has a pet eagle. His name is Talon, and he comes to her only when she needs him. Some sensory thing that I have yet to work out... It'll be explained later. Her greatest weakness is pain. For example, if she is captured and is threatened with torture, she'll spill everything she knows.

Power: Shapeshifter. Rose has some elf in her, so she can make a few flowers grow... It's not much, but she does love flowers...

Combat skill or weapon: Skills: Speedy, Agile, Clever. Weapon" Bow and Arrow.

History: Rose never knew either of her parents. When she was three, she was left by her mother in the wild, in hopes that she would be eaten. However, she managed to survive and make a home for herself. She met a friend, Ethan, when she was seven, and he helped teach her how to read and write. One day, he tried to kiss her, but she ran away, afraid that a kiss might ruin their friendship. She never saw him again.

Dwelling: Rosalyn lives in the forest by herself. She lives behind the castle and is given food in exchange for being a guard. No job

Social Status/Rank: Awaiting a rank

Friends/Comrades: (you will have to know who else is in before you fill this blank in.)