Prologue...

He loved nights like this, the sounds that filled the air, the way the moon glistened in the sky, the smell that filled his nose as he walked, that sweet sweet smell that made his body yearn for the days past..

So many things had changed over the years, trends, foods, politics, people, clothes, music, he never got tired of the music and he heard it now loud and clear as he walked, almost forgetting he wasnt alone..

"This place seems as good as any, new place, new names, new life" the man next to him said as John looked at him, he hadn't changed, still the same guy he met all those years ago. Same stocky build with a massive frame, standing at 6'5 it made him feel as though he was walking next to a giant..

It had only been them for years, rebels one would say, fighting the chains that bound them, seeking freedom from a life of inhumanity so to speak, it was dangerous , yes but well worth it, one day they would be found, they both knew it but it was worth the risk, freedom was everything..

Chapter One

"ahhhhhh" she let out an excited scream as she looked in the mirror at her outfit, this would definitely win first place at the Halloween Ball being held at a small club in Lanview called Capricorn, she twirled herself around a bit and smiled..

Tight black leather pants, black leather corset top, finished off with black leather boots and a long black trench coat.. Her hair pulled back some in a pony tail, a few red locks dangling on her face, just one more finishing touch, she grabbed the fake fangs, pushing them on her teeth as she smiled then laughed, she looked like Selene from Underworld minus the black hair and smaller frame but she was pretty damn close..

"wow, you look amazing" Cris said as he walked in and she blushed some, they had been friends for years but lately when he looked at her it felt like he was really looking at her, not with a friends eyes, it was weird cause they really were just friends, not that she didn't find Cris attractive cause she definitely did, ever since she met him when they were in elementary school and she had first moved to Lanview but just like then she was way too involved in her studies, and she had her board exam coming up, soon she would be working at Lanview PD as a Forensic Tech and not just an intern, she didn't have time for relationships, she never did..

"why thank you, you don't look so bad yourself" she smiled at Cris, holding back a laugh at his pirate costume, he was too big for it, his muscles bulging a bit, he would have been better off going for Batman or Superman, she giggled some and he frowned..

"Ok so its not as good as yours" he looked embarrassed as he looked at himself in the mirror..

"you could of went as a lycan" she smiled as she grabbed for her purse and he shook his head..

"You know your way too obsessed with vampires, Underworld is just a movie Nat" he followed after her out the door..

"or is it" she smirked then laughed as Cris rolled his eyes but he was right, she was obsessed with vampires, ever since she was a child and she got lost in the woods, she was living in Atlantic City at the time and Roxy, her mother , well one of them, the first one, yes her life was complicated, but Roxy was holding a birthday party for Rex, her brother's second birthday which made natalie 7 at the time...

The party had been boring, the adults were sitting around drinking, remnants of cake and soda sat on the table and Natalie looked around for someone to play with, all the other kids were either babies or not kids at all..

She began to walk, looking behind her as she did to make sure she kept her mother in view, but something caught her eye in the woods and she smiled, it was a dog..

"here doggie doggie doggie" she called out as she walked towards it, it looked like a puppy but it got scared and started to run from her..."hey, get back here" she called out as she ran after it, into the woods..

That dog could run and she tried to keep up as much as she could, she always wanted a puppy, her mother always said no but Natalie just knew that if she showed her mom this dog that she would say Yes, it was so cute!

The sights and sounds of the woods startled her as she stopped running, immediately noticing she had gone too far, way to far, she looked around as her little body began to panic.

"Mommy...Mommy" she called as she spun in a circle, everything looked the same, she didn't know where to go..

Fear began to course through her, she was lost, she tried to hold back the tears..."hello" she called out but she only heard the echo of her own voice, and the woods begun to look scary, sounds began to change like in a horror movie that her mother told her not to watch but she snuck and watched it anyway, she began to run frantically.."Mommy...Mommy im lost!" she cried out as she ran even deeper into the woods..

She finally stopped as she got out of breath and she saw a stream, she walked to it but the water wasnt clear, she inspected some more, put her hand in it, then looked at her hand, it was red, her eyes got wide as she saw something out of the corner of her eye and she screamed..

"Dont be scared little one" an older man with a bunch of wrinkles on his face came walking over to her, he had red on him too and Natalie looked down and across the stream and there lie a deer, it had red too and her eyes got wide, the red was blood, the deer was dead and now a strange man was standing in front of her..

With fear coursing through her veins she began to back up with tears in her eyes..

"i wont hurt you" he smiled and she saw his sharp teeth and she began to shake her head.."But you smell so... delicious"

"Go away !" she yelled at the strange man as she ran, it sounded like he was following her and she screamed more..

"Natty,...NATTY where are you!" she heard her mothers voice and she ran towards it...

"Mommy im lost, MOMMY!" she screamed and cried then off in the distant she saw her, her mother and she ran faster towards her..

"Natty don't ever do that again, you scared me" Roxy said as they neared each other and all Natalie could do was grab her mother and hug her tight..

"is he there, is he behind me" Natalie cried out, scared to look..

"Behind you, who?" Roxy said with confusion as she picked her daughter up..

"The man, the scary old man,...Mommy he had red on him, blood" Natalie began as Roxy looked around quickly and took off, calling the cops as soon as she got to a phone..

Needless to say the cops searched the entire area, they didn't find a man, they didn't find a deer, they assured Roxy that whatever Natalie thought she saw was just her imagination, she had gotten lost, she was scared, a child's mind can play tricks on them..

"But mommy he was real...he had sharp teeth" natalie pointed to her own mouth..

"Now thats enough Natty, there was no man, stop with these stories" Roxy was mad as they got home that day, Natalie would not give that story a rest..

"But Mommy" natalie began to cry..

"But nothing, go to your room" Roxy pointed her finger..."NOW!" she yelled as natalie hung her head down and made her way into her room, slamming the door..

"I hate her, I hate her, I want her to go away" she said as she grabbed her teddy bear and then she looked at Rex who was already in the crib, looking at her with his big innocent eyes.."what are you looking at!" she yelled as she jumped in her bed and buried her face in the pillow..

Later on that night apparently Roxy had too much to drink cause she fell in the kitchen, cutting herself on a piece of glass, she died that day and Natalie and Rex got put into foster care until one day they were both adopted by Victoria and Clint Buchanan , she tried to push her past behind her,not thinking of Roxy and the night she wished her away only to have it become a reality, never talking of that man again but her obsession to find out who and what he was lived on..

Over the years she began researching things, one day she stumbled on a movie called Interview with a Vampire, and so the obsession began, she slowly began to forget about the man in the woods and just became intrigued about the undead, thats exactly why she got into Forensic, something about being around the dead made her feel alive..

By the time her and Cris got to the party it was crowded as loud cheesy Halloween Music played, everyone in costumes..

"Gigi...hey!" she called out as she saw her best friend dressed as a playboy bunny, ears and all, then came Rex and Natalie couldn't help but laugh.."Oh my gawd"

"I know, I told him I was going as a bunny" Gigi laughed and rolled her eyes as Rex came over as a carrot..

"you didn't specify which kind dear" he rolled his eyes..

"your so lucky I love you" Gigi gave him a quick kiss..

Natalie and Gigi had met when her and Rex began dating a few yrs back, they bonded immediately and became instant friends, she was good for Rex, it was the happiest natalie had ever seen him in his life, as long as Gigi was there he was happy..

"Im sure playboy bunnies like carrots too or is that cucumbers" Rex grinned and Gigi playfully slapped his arm..

"Disgusting Rex, really!" she said quickly as Natalie shook her head with a smile.."You look great though Nat, how did I know you were gonna go as this" Gigi checked out Natalie's outfit..

"Only one of the best movies out there" Natalie smiled proudly and then looked around for Cris, he was standing off to the side, looking uncomfortable..

"a pirate Nat" Rex began to laugh..."I don't feel so stupid now"

"Stop it Rex, I think he is mad at me or something" natalie looked at Cris, he looked miserable..

"Probably cause he has been hopelessly in love with you for years" Gigi said bluntly and Natalie turned red..

"No he is not, we are friends" natalie said quickly..

"You may think that but I see a love sick puppy" Gigi said as she looked at Cris across the room..

"always breaking hearts Nat" Rex laughed and Natalie punched his arm.."hey.."

"me and Cris are just friends, end of story, he knows that, I know that, how about a drink" she wanted to get off this subject, it made her uncomfortable, Cris knew they were friends and if he was gonna act like a big baby then she wasnt going to play into it, she came there to have fun, not mope around..

"Now your talking girl" Gigi lead her away as they made their way to the bar. Natalie stopping as she caught the sight of a guy standing on the other side of the room staring at her, like really staring.."come on Nat, lets go, drinks are awaiting" Gigi pulled her as Natalie turned around and kept walking to the bar..

Drink after drink they had, Natalie was having a blast, so many people from her school were there, everyone having one last party before the big exam, she mingled and danced, making her way around, Cris started to enjoy himself a big more, apparently found himself a lonely girl to chat up which made things more comfortable..

Natalie excused herself from her friends, she made her way to the bathroom, the strobe lights were taking there toll on her as well as the alcohol running through her veins, she stumbled some and an arm reached and grabbed her before she fell on the ground..

"Thanks" she said as she glanced up and froze some as she looked at the person helping her, it was the man from earlier that night, the one watching her from across the room..

He had a mask on over his eyes, it was black but she could definitely see his piercing blue eyes, his long dark hair fell to his shoulders, he had a big build and maybe 6 feet tall..

"you ok" his voice sounded like velvet but before she could answer him the unthinkable happened, her mouth opened , no words came out, she puked all over the ground..

"Oh my god, Nat" Gigi apparently witnessed the entire thing as she came running over, Rex and Cris on her tail..."You ok girl"

"Huh" Natalie said as her head spun and she looked around for that guy, where was he.."where'd he go" she said with confusion as she looked around..

"Nat , who? Where'd who go?" Gigi looked at her with concern as natalie tried to look around..."Ok its time for you to get home...Rex go pull the car around, I think Nat is done for the night"

"But...he was here" natalie looked some more, her vision blurry as Gigi helped her up..

"Oh yuck... Nat your drunk, were gonna get you home" Gigi began leading Natalie away..

"But...but" natalie began to say...

"But nothing Nat, come on.." Gigi finished as she got Natalie out of there...