*Chapter 1*

A gentle breeze floated through the air and sent Raye’s silky brown hair rippling through the air behind her, as she hurried down the block to the school that she wished she could destroy on a daily basis. Whoever invented homework was sadistic, and whoever failed to place a self destruct button in schools was public enemy number one. The classes weren’t that bad, it was just that the law created burden to attend school interfered with the important things in life. Finding out who you truly are, for her more then most…
She glanced around at the dark town; the sun was hiding behind a mass of black clouds. Raye hurried faster, she hated to go to school all wet.

A sound came out from the darkness. Raye stopped, glancing around out of the small alley.
Who was that, she thought, her heart beating franticly, one of them, here? It can’t be…
“Is anyone here?” Raye called out, false valor filling her voice, “Leave me alone!
“Talking to your self Raye?” A sarcastic male voice asked, with the impression he was holding in laughter.
Raye gasped, whirling around, and saw a sandy haired boy, no less then 17 years old, watching her sardonically.
Raye’s thoughts screeched out, what is he doing here? What does he want? He’s not one of us! The more optimistic side of Raye whined back. he could be light.
“Ahem! Are you going to answer me?” The boy raised his eyebrows, waiting for something, heaven knows what.
“How do you know my name and why are you even talking to me? I don’t know you, and I don’t want to.” Raye’s eye’s flashed as she worked on her talent, answering his question with another, Oh yeah Kali you’d be so proud! She thought triumphantly.
His self satisfied smirk widened as he cryptically delivered lines that sounded more like a movie script then real life. “We all know your name…” then he turned and disappeared into the ally
***
Raye’s eyes were wide, her heart pounding. What did he mean! We all know your name, she repeated scornfully in her head. Who’s we and what do they know about me! It had been half an hour and she was still stunned.
Her mind went over everything that had happened, and all that she knew. He was a male, about 17 years old, sandy hair, blue eyes, and he seemed to be almost 7ft tall, spoke with an Irish lilt and clenched and unclenched his fingers when he gave her that annoying smirk.
Raye exhaled angrily and slapped her hand on the wooden table. Nothing made sense!
“Mrs. Blackthorn? Are you okay?” her English teacher asked in her annoyingly nasal voice. “Do you need to be sent to the nurse or something?”
Raye smiled endearingly, “no Mrs. Ericson. I’m sorry, I just figured out why Shakespeare had Romeo and Juliet both die.”
“That’s nice but we covered Romeo and Juliet last term” Mrs. Ericson scowled, “and it was pretty self explanatory, especially since you did that wonderful paper on it.”
“Mysteries never cease, do they Mrs. Ericson?” she gave a little cough, “and speaking of mysteries I think I should actually go to the nurse.” Raye gathered up her books and left the room already occupied by her earlier train of thought.
What was he doing there? How did he know where to intercept me? I only go one way to school, so it wasn’t chance. Why was he following me? Unless he was…
Raye shuddered at the thought of being in the vicinity of an abomination! One of those murderous, disgusting, evil, freaks of nature. She wouldn’t touch one of them with a 10 ft pole, even if someone paid her with immortality. Though, when an opportunity like that would come along she would never know. She wouldn’t know why an opportunity like that would come along.
The garish sign that proclaimed Nurse’s Office in blood red letters interrupted her musings as she got a pass to leave class, (faking being sick very well.)
Raye focused her cat green eyes on her homework for today. Write a paragraph on the books, Breaking Through, a statement on immigration, and what it had to do with the time. Raye sighed, homework was the reason she didn’t like eighth grade. Raye chanced a glance at the school then looked away and dashed to her apartment.
She unlocked the door and walked into the dark, fishy apartment. Raye flipped on the light and closed the curtains, blocking out the fish store nearby that created the smell. Not the best spot in town, but it was her house and she loved it to death.
“Mew! Mew!” A slim, white, female cat complained at Raye slipping into the room. Of course the cat loved the smell of fish though it made her always hungry. Her glare clearly said, give me food or prepare to die.
Raye smiled at the white cat and rolled her eyes slightly, because that cat ate so much and slept so much, it was a wonder she never became fat.
Raye’s loved anything white. Raye always wore the same white gold locket with the mother of pearl covering given to her by her mother, Alexandra. Raye also went out of her way to wear white clothing. Today, Raye was wearing a white shirt that flowed away from the body and dark-wash jeans. Her molasses hair was in a ponytail and she was wearing black flats.
“Milky, milky, mow, mow,” Raye crooned as she scooped up her cat and went to get it food. “Hungry sweetie, poor babe.” Raye set her cat on the counter and filled her dish, then settled into the couch. She remembered when she was younger…
It was Christmas and she was four. The house was overly decorated for the party that was going on, so it looked like a cheesy Christmas card. Her six year old sister was playing on the piano, doing a fairly complicated piece, but not very well. Raye could almost sense all the mistakes that were made. Everyone’s eves were riveted on her sister and they were muttering ‘child prodigy’ this and ‘genius’ that. Those words’s propelled Raye forward and almost before she knew what she was doing, Raye pushed her sister off the bench and slid onto it. Her sisters long blond hair fanned out around her face as she hit the ground with a wail. No one rushed to the ground to her sister’s rescue and punished Raye, because Raye was playing the piano. She played the same piece but flawlessly in a way that her sister never could. Her parents didn’t know but Raye practiced every day, pounding these same keys. Raye’s sister, Angela, had begun to sob but no one noticed. They were entranced by the way Raye had magikally learned to play.
“You’re going to let her get away with that?” Angela screeched from the floor, “it’s not fair! You let her get away with murder!”
Raye later was praised to the ends of the earth while Angela was punished for embarrassing the family with her faulty playing and her remarks from the floor.
“Get away with murder…” the words fell flat in Raye’s memory, but still made her eyes flutter open. A smile started to creep over her face as she thought about that, because it was true. She probably could get away with murder, and that was irresistible insurance that let her do whatever she wanted to, though, she never really wanted that statement tested. Raye glanced around and spotted the flashing yellow light on the answering machine. She pressed the button and sighed when she heard the voice that came out.
“Raye it’s your mom. I know your enjoying your time alone but we need you over here. We have found evidence of…I don’t want to tell you over the phone. I want you out of there now in case it’s proven. Come home sweetie, remember you’re only 13 years old in this life span and-” The machine cut her mom’s worried voice off.
Raye rolled her eyes; her mom was a worrywart and should not hound her every five seconds. Every time there was thought to be a group, it turned out to be a false alarm, but only after Raye had to uproot herself.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, then again, again… Of course, there was nothing wrong with a healthy paranoia, especially when there would be no good reason for some one to knock on your door. Raye glanced into the peephole and saw a bunch of middle aged men! So she ran, the fusillade of knocks reverberating behind her.