Chapter One: Runaways

         

                                                      Prologue

Everything in life must come to an end. That is the way and how it must be. For example, war, a war that has raged for centuries, will eventually end. Both sides may not want a solution, but it is like everything in the universe. Among the magical world of monsters, a baby is born who will change the fate of the war amongst vampires and werewolves. Over the centuries, the clans morphed into mafias with strong ties to tradition. One tradition is no crossing of the species of wolf and fang.

                                              Chapter one: Runaways

 “Mom, please talk to me about this?!” Angelica begged her mother. Angelica followed her mother up the stairs as she walked away.

“The answer is no.” Her mother answered, putting her foot down. “You are not ready, and my answer is final.” Her mother's pale blue eyes pierced into Angelica's green eyes as if to say drop it.

“I’m eighteen, mom. I cannot stay locked away. My only friend is Astra, and she is practically my sister.” Angellica fumed. “I can’t even have a boyfriend. Your rules are insane!”

“Angelica, please, I had a hard day today. Look, you can go to college online and stay home. Maybe next year, you can go live on campus.”

“Mom, I want the real college experience. I’m sick of being stuck behind a screen.” Angelica stated in frustration.

“Angie, mom is stressed enough. Can’t you just let it go for now? Let’s go watch tv or something.” Astra said as she came into the room.

A sudden calm came over Angelica with Astra’s words. Astra could always calm her down no matter how furious she was. Astra came to live with them when she was five after her mother died. They have been friends ever since.

“Why do you want to leave so badly?” Astra asked before plopping onto the couch.

“I want freedom, and mom is constantly breathing down my neck. I can’t do anything without her freaking out.” Angelica planted herself down next to Astra. “We can’t even have social media accounts or a cellphone!”

“She is just protective. In a year, you can spread your wings and fly away.” Astra spread her arms out like a bird as her black hair flared out as she flapped her arms.

“Astra, I was accepted to Stanford, a full ride. I can’t pass this up.” Tears filled her eyes as she felt her dreams slip away.

“Angie, why don’t you tell her that? She would understand.” Astra tried to comfort her, but nothing would help her feel less trapped.

“She would tell me to do online classes. I want to live on campus, go to parties and have a life outside this house.” Angelica wiped the tears from her face. “I don’t care what we watch, but can we just play something?”

Astra played a random movie while Angelica watched without paying attention. Before she knew it, she was asleep.

******

The ground was cold against her feet as she ran through the wood, the moon full above the only source of light. Her chest hurt as her heart raced and her lung burned. They were close. She could feel it as they hunted her down. All she could feel was fear as her feet became numb from the cold. Tears streamed down her face as she pushed harder to escape.

“Angelica!? Can you hear me!?” A muffled voice called to her from a distance. She ran towards the voice to a clearing with a marble mausoleum. The doors open, and she runs inside to get away from her pursuers. In the middle of the mausoleum was a marble coffin with silver chains holding the lid down. As she lay her hand on the cold marble, the chains vanished as the lid opened. Inside lay, a man with dark hair and pale skin shined in the moonlight. He looked so familiar, like a face from a lost memory. She leaned over the touch his face, only for his hand to grab hers. His eyes opened, and their green eyes met.

“Angelica, free me." He spoke, revealing shape fangs.

She tried to pull away as he repeated the same thing repeatedly. She began to scream for him to release her when hands grabbed her from behind.

*******

Angelica shot up from her spot on the couch with a scream. Astra was shaking her awake and looked concerned.

“You okay?” Astra asked with worry in her voice.

“Yeah, just a nightmare. No more horror movies.” She said, rubbing her head.

“I was playing a rom-com, but whatever dinners ready.”

The sun began to set as the girls, and their mother ate dinner in tense silence. Astra kicked Angelica under the table to get her attention. Angelia muttered an ouch and glared at her sister. Astra mouthed the words, “Tell her, or I will.” Angelica shocked her and replied, “You better not.” and glared. Astra took a breath and did what Angelica considered a betrayal.

“Angelica was accepted to Stanford for a full ride,” Astra stated as their mother choked on rice.

“Astra, I told you to shut up!” Angelica slammed her hands on the table.

“You applied to colleges without telling me?” Her mother said with fear in her eyes.

“Yeah, so I am eighteen. I don’t need my parents’ signature to apply.” Angelica was confused; she thought her mother would be angry.

“Did you use our address?” Her mother questioned.

“Well yeah, you have to put an address. It's not a big deal; it's not like we are hiding from the mob.” Angelica was beyond confused.

“We leave in the morning pack what you can fit in the car.” Their mother stated firmly as she quickly finished her food.

“What are you talking about? All I did was apply to college.” Angelica was confused and shocked by this outcome.

“You have no idea what you have done; I am trying to protect you, Angelica!” Her mother was not making any sense. “Go pack now!”

Angelia did as she was told and packed her suitcases for what felt like the thousandth time. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and her heart began to race.

Jack: Hey, gorgeous.

Angelica: Bad news, mom, is making us move out of nowhere again.

Jack: What, why?

Angelica: Cuz I used our address to apply for college.

Jack: Is your mom on the run or what?

Angelica: I swear she acts like it.

Jack: Crazy idea?

Angelica: I can do crazy…

Jack: Why don’t we run away?

Angelica: Midnight, I’ll be waiting down the street at the bus stop.

Jack: See you then, beautiful.

There was no way she was leaving Jack behind. They met at the local bookstore, the one place her mother let her go. The day they met, he bought her coffee, and they talked till she had to go home. He was charming and funny. He was her boyfriend, and she refused to abandon him. Her mother may have no problem leaving the people in their life, but she refused to. At 11:55, she tiptoed past her mother’s door.

“Shayla, you need to tell her.” A voice spoke. It was a somewhat familiar voice.

“She isn’t ready. What if she hates me?” Her mother said through tears. “She’s not ready to know the truth…I can’t.”

“You can’t keep her locked up.” The voice spoke with sympathy. “You need to tell her who she is.”

‘What the hell? Did she kidnap me or something?’ Angelica asked herself as she walked down the stairs and out the door. With her suitcase and backpack, she ran to the bus stop. Jack was already waiting for her in his beat-up green Pontiac. He was sitting on the hood staring at the sky. His blond hair shined in the moonlight as

“Hey, I’m here,” Angelica called to him as she ran to him.

“Hey, gorgeous.” He smiled as she hugged him. He took her suitcase from her as he kissed her. “You ready to go?”

“You have no idea.” Angelica sighed as she jumped into the passenger seat.

******

“Angelica?” Shayla knocked on her daughter’s door. “Honey, we need to talk.” She said as she opened the door. “Angelica?” She looked around the empty room only to find a note on her desk.

Dear, mom

I’m sorry, but I can’t do this anymore. You act like the world is after us, but it’s not. I am going to Stanford with Jack. I wish it didn’t have to be like this, but you won’t listen. I'll write as soon as I can. I am sorry. I wish you could have seen me off and helped to decorate my dorm.

“Astra, she’s gone!” Shayla screamed as she ran downstairs.

“What are you talking about?” Astra asked, confused.

“She ran off with someone named Jack.”

“Give me that.” Astra took the letter and balled it up and rolled it in her hand. Sparks began to fly as she pulled her hands apart. “Shit!”

                                                  TO BE CONTINUED