Chapter 2

           Ivy’s Mom looked at her, and then at the men standing behind her daughter. “Well, yes, I do actually. What they have told you is true. But it’s been years since we fought and killed the Shadow Dwellers,” she said. “Daniel, why do you come now?”

           Daniel shook his head “I have a letter warning you about us coming for you.” He said shaking the piece of paper over her.

           “A letter?” she said turning to look at the paper. He dropped the letter in her lap. She quickly read it and then looked at Ivy. “I see.”

           Daniel walked around to face Ivy, “you see Ivy you are important. You will be the next greater power.” He said facing Ivy’s Mom. “You see you should have listened to your husband and gave her to another family member. She would have been safer. Shadow Dwellers have certain energy when a family is intact.” He said half smiling.

           “That’s just a myth. Why come now? Why teach her to be dark like you?” she challenged.

           “Because your daughter is special, and it takes a certain way to change her to become one of us; don’t worry I’m here to start the process.” He said looking at Ivy.

           “Yes, Ivy is different, I was told she was only half Dweller. A rarity.” She spoke again “My sources tell me differently. We have to kill you. Your daughter is coming of age and we must teach her our ways.” Daniel said, “then, she’ll fully turn, and it will be the end of the White Dwellers.”

           “She’d never learn your ways. You are evil, the bottomless pit where good people never go.” Ivy’s mom spat at him.

      “Well, she will be, and we will train her,” he said.

       Ivy stood up, she challenged Daniel, “Whatever, dude. I am not your kind. You need to let us go. My parents aren’t hunting you. They have too much at stake here. I want to talk to your boss now!”

        “Ivy, be quiet,” Ivy’s mom pleaded with her daughter, but she wouldn’t listen.

           Finally, Ivy realized she was upsetting her mom, and Daniel was getting impatient, she sat down again, waiting for someone to say something.

         Ivy’s Mom flipped over the couch, kicking one of the hooded men in the face. He stumbled back, she punched him again he flew into the bookcase. Ivy’s mom was on a roll until Daniel summoned a purple energy ball, he hit her in the back. She went down, Daniel walked over to her. Ivy got to her feet, she jumped on Daniel before landing on the couch with him.

           “You’re not killing my mom,” she said struggling with him.

           Daniel pulled her arms apart, pressing her down until his men grabbed a hold of her. “She has to die Ivy.” He said walking past her.

           “She’s gone, find her now. Bring her to me.” Daniel growled walking towards the kitchen. “Your mother would have made you a good Dweller, now she’ll never see what you are going to be capable of.” He said looking at Ivy.

           One of Daniel’s men cried out in pain, he went down. Ivy’s mom stood behind him. “Now your kind has less. I would tell your friend to release my daughter before I kill you,” she growled.

           Ivy took that chance that her mom gave her to run and hide while they were fighting. She wasn’t sure she was getting out of this, but she knew she had to try. Running up the stairs, she went to her parent's room to hide. She crawled under the bed, and waited, and waited.

           The sound of breaking glass scared Ivy, and then it suddenly got quiet. Ivy tried to keep her breathing under control, she wasn’t sure what these people were. She knew they weren’t human.

           “Hm, she has to be in here,” Daniel said coming into the room. “Here,” he said looking under the bed. “Got ya.” Someone grabbed her legs and pulled her out from under the bed. “Now Ivy, I need to finish what your mother decided to do. We’re going to finish her off. Now be a good girl and follow me downstairs.

           They went down the stairs, Daniel pushed Ivy to the ground when a purple orb came flying at them. “Ah, there she is.” He said jumping over the banister. She tried hitting him with another and missed.

            Daniel took a step towards Ivy’s mom, “You can try to kill me. I would be a sacrifice and your daughter would be taken to our world. You would never see her again. Would you like that?” he challenged.

           She shook her head. “You're planning too anyway.” She spoke. “I’m going to die saving my daughter, Nick and his family will be here soon to stop you from starting a war you’re not even sure about.” 

             She summoned another purple ball tossing it in the air. Daniel dodged it, running towards Ivy’s mom. Daniel pushed a dagger into her stomach, twisting it allowing the poison to spread. She went down, grabbing her stomach. Daniel stood up, looking at Ivy.

           “MOM!” Ivy cried, trying to get out away from the hooded man. He held onto her until Daniel allowed him to release her. 

           He pulled the dagger out of her stomach and examined it before speaking. “You see, this dagger is coated with poison. You will die, not I,” he said looking down at the dying woman. “Now when is your husband going to be home? I'd like to end this tonight,” he said.

           “I, I don’t know,” Ivy’s Mom said, out of breath.

           Ivy struggled to get to her mother, but Daniel wouldn’t allow it. “You see Michelle, I was sent by Drake. Drake kept tabs on your daughter at school. I know enough of what’s going on, and Nick has yet to show. So, don’t get your hopes up that he can save anyone. He’s already too late.” 

“If you're going to kill my mom at least let me say goodbye,” Ivy cried.

           Daniel looked over at Ivy and shook his head. His men let go of her, she fumbled to where her mother laid dying. “Mom?” she whispered.

           “Ivy, you cannot go with them, no matter what happens. They will train you to kill innocent people. That is the only reason we were hunting them before I got pregnant with you,” she said, out of breath.

           Tears rolled down Ivy’s face. She didn’t know what to do. “I'm not going to do anything they say. I promise.”

         Daniel grabbed Ivy from the back, pulling her to her feet. “Oh, but you are. You will have no choice,” he said, pushing her into two of his men. “Well, I was expecting to do this the easy way, Ivy. I thought you would be more cooperative; I see it’s not going to work in my favor.” He complained.

        Ivy struggled to get free, Daniel pulled out a syringe filled with a purple-colored liquid. 

        “You bet it’s not!” she growled, struggling to push him away.

          He grabbed her wrist, pulling her sleeve up. Ivy ripped her arm out of his hold. He looked at her like he wanted to smack her, instead, he grabbed her arm again. His men helped him hold it in place.

             “NOOOO!” Ivy yelled, pulling her arm as hard as she could.

“Be quiet, Ivy, this is only going to hurt once it is fully in your system.” He pushed the needle into her skin, he dug around for the vein he wanted before pushing the liquid into her body.

           Her body felt weird, her legs felt like Jell-O. Daniel helped put her on the couch. The room started spinning it was like a roller coaster ride.

          “Three more doses of that, and you will become one of us,” Daniel’s voice echoed in her head.

        “So, I am not your kind? You are MAKING me one of you?” Ivy mumbled; she wasn’t sure if she was making sense.

           “No, Ivy, you are our kind. This speeds up the process a little, so you become fully one of us when you turn eighteen,” he said. “Don’t worry Drake will show you how when you can understand how this works.”

           Ivy sat up enough to see Daniel was leaning over checking her mom out, “Is she?” She asked.

           Daniel looked over at Ivy, “She'll stay alive long enough for your dad to get home, but then she'll die and so will he. He said looking at his dagger. “Lay her down, please. The more relaxed she is the easier it will be for her.”

           Ivy’s Dad arrived home, Ivy tried standing. Daniel’s men forced her to lay down, she struggled with them. Daniel looked at the door. “Sounds like Daddy’s home.” He said half smiling waiting near the door.

            The front door opened; Ivy’s dad walked in. “Honey, I'm home,” he yelled, as he walked into the living room. 

           He saw Michell and then Ivy. He looked towards Daniel and frowned. “My wife, what did you do to her?” he said as he leaned down to see if she was still breathing.

           Daniel looked at Ivy, and then her father, “I've killed her, and I've come to kill you.”

           “Fat chance, Daniel. You see, my wife was the week one.” He challenged.

Daniel walked towards Ivy’s Dad. “Your little wife said the same thing about you, but look, she is dead and you are next.”

           Ivy’s dad took a step towards her, “My daughter?” Dad asked, looking at Ivy.

           “Is mine,” Daniel said as he stabbed him with the same dagger he used on Michelle.

Ivy struggled sitting up again, “NOOO!” she cried out.

           He went down next to his wife. Ivy stood up, she swayed back in forth. Whatever Daniel gave her was strong. “No, Ivy, it’s time for your next dose of medicine,” Daniel said walking towards her. “I’m going to give you two doses; you have a long road ahead of you.” He said injecting her two more times.

           Ivy struggled, “No, I don’t want to become like you. I am human. Just leave me alone!” she cried out.

           Daniel pulled the syringe away, Ivy swayed back and forth. “Sit her down please.” He said walking into the kitchen.

           Daniel sat down at the table and punched some numbers on the phone. Ivy couldn’t hear what he was saying, but it sounded like the person on the other end was happy with what he did.

           He glanced at her as he closed his phone. “Well, my work here is done until you are of age. We have one more injection and will be gone before the police get here to investigate this,” he laughed.