Chapter 1
Who would have thought that her week was going to turn out to be hell? Work was not going as planned, and her dumb ass of a boyfriend of two years decides to cheat on her. She caught him screwing a co-worker just last night at a party she and her best friend were attending to. Oh, he tried to apologize, but she didn’t allow it. A slap across his face was the last thing he received from her. Kate had a reason to mad.
Currently, she was walking down the busy side street to a club she heard rumors about. Dressed in a black leather skirt, red velvet no-sleeve shirt, and brown boots, she knew plenty of men would have their eyes on her. She wasn’t dressed to get attention, but she was dressed to make herself feel sexy. She tried calling her best friend to come join her to drink her sorrow away, but unfortunately, her friend was sick with the flu.
The bouncer at the door smiled and nodded towards Kate before opening a small gate and allowing her inside. Music could already be heard pounding across the walls of the small black-light hallway. Walking through two more metal doors, she entered a large warehouse club. VIP areas were up top while small island bars were in the middle followed by round booths facing the stage.
A band was currently playing on stage, but she didn’t know who it was or even seem to care. She walked down the stairs and stopped at one of the bars ordering herself something to drink. Moving around the bar and down another pair of steps, she sat in one of the round booths. However, as she sat, she never noticed that three sets of eyes were watching her carefully.
Three drinks and two songs later, Kate finally stood and decided she needed to find a bathroom swiftly. She walked around couples either dancing to the music or making out in the middle of the room. She walked up another set of stairs swaying her hips to the music never noticing two big guys walking up to her. She was ready to push the door into the bathroom when a large pair of arms grabbed her mouth and waist, pulling her through curtains into a dull-lighted hallway.
***
He watched as she entered the bar alone and undisturbed. He could tell as he took a sip of his drink that she had no plans, nothing to divert her from staying or even leaving. She was just there. Her body, which first struck a cord deep inside, wasn’t the only thing that grabbed his attention. Tan, strong legs shaped nicely and covered so lightly by a tight leather skirt. The shirt hid no imagination with the right amount of cleavage.
Zackary watched as she walked around couples to one of the bars located on the lower level. He has been to this bar on multiple occasions. He recognized almost everyone that came. This woman, though, she was a complete stranger. However, there was something about her, something that was grabbing his attention. He was just unsure what the attraction was.
“Zack, are you okay?” The voice belongs to another woman. She was standing near him holding a glass in her hand. He glanced down at her and nodded before glancing back out. The girl who had grabbed his attention was sitting in one of the round booths. He smirked before returning back to his friends. Whatever attraction she has on him, he wasn’t going to be fooled. She was just another woman dressing up to get a man’s attention.
A couple of songs later and another drink he watched as she rose from the booth and ascended the stairs. The bathroom, figure as much. However, as he watches her approach the door, two big men grabbed her and pulled her down the hallway.
Zackary quickly handed his drink to someone behind him and jumped over the small table in front. “Zack, where are you going?” asked the young woman. She watched as he pushed through people and up the stairs. He quickly disappeared behind the curtains into the hallway.
Zackary ran down the hallway glancing into the small rooms. Nothing. All the rooms were empty. Where did they take her? He was about to turn around when he heard her scream. Pulling out a dagger from hidden in his boot, he crashed through the door. The men had her lying upon the ground. He quickly jumped slamming the dagger through one of brute’s back before turning and doing the same to the other.
Both men stood and started screaming before exploding in dark cloud of ash. Zackary wiped the black blood off his blade and returned it back to its sheath before turning towards the young woman. It was there that he realized why he was attracted to her. Bending over, he reached his hand out to help her when she yelled. She quickly stood and pushed against him before running out of the room.
Zackary quickly ran out of the room and down the hallway, but as he exits back into the main room, she was already gone. “Zack, what’s wrong?” It was the girl from before. Another man was with her this time.
“Did you see where that girl went?” He kept glancing around the room, trying to catch site of her once more.
“What girl? What happen? Why did you leave all of a sudden?”
Zackary cursed as he glances down at his friends. “Two demons tried to hurt a young woman. Demons never hunt humans unless…”
The girl raised her hand to her mouth, her eyes wide with fright. “You’re not saying?” She turned to look around the room also, her expression of fear never leaving her face.
“She’s magi, Mallory.”
***
Kate didn’t stop running after she left the bar. She quickly went down roads straight to her aunt’s house. Kate locked the door before releasing a breath of air she didn’t realize she was holding. Did she actually witness what she saw? Did she actually see a young man kill two other men much bigger than her? There was something that seemed strange about the whole scene. It was the way the two brutes disappeared. There was no blood. Hell, when the dagger was plunged, both guys disappeared into a black cloud of ash.
Kate heard strange rumors regarding of humans disappearing in similar ways, but she never thought anymore of it. It was similar to the stories regarding to this city and the whole world. However, by what she just witness, could the rumors or even the stories be true?
The stories were told on how the world changed over 500 years ago when the first meteorite crystal fell. Scientists thought it was an amazing discovery especially after the previous discovery that was found years earlier. However, this was a discovery that should have never existed or even been found. The crystals were some type of containers. They might have been even a space ship according to some people. Inside, strange demon-like characters emerged. They looked human-like except their bodies were covered in dark green scales. Their faces had red eyes and wide slits for the nose. The creatures had razor sharp teeth and three long claw-like fingers. At first, the humans tried to reason with them or at least learn about their very existence on Earth. However, the first death and the multiple that started to follow proved that these new creatures were no friends to the human population.
Besides normal humans, there was another group of humans that existed. These humans were known as magi or magic users. They had the ability to cast powerful spells and create potions or relics of enchantments. Ever since their discovery, the mages and humans were able to live in peace. This was due to the fact that humans couldn’t tell the difference on who was a magi and who wasn’t. However, because of the new discovery of the strange creatures and the deaths that were following, magi were starting to be notice and we’re scared on what could happen next. This was due to the fact on what the creatures were doing.
The creatures were killing only the magi and sucking them completely dry of their energy that produces their powers. At first, the humans were unsure why the creatures were doing it. However, one magi barely survived an attack. That magi was able to tell exactly what was happening within the crystal structures. The creatures were using the magi’s body and energy as food and as a power source for the crystal. The magi were in fear. The humans tried their hardest to protect them, but soon the creatures were learning how to blend in with the human population. To this day, very few magi exist while more and more creatures do.
Research has been done on trying to figure a way to stop or even destroy the meteorite crystal and the creatures completely. There was one way found. This idea, though, went completely silent over the years due to the one requirement. Only one single magi had the ability to stop the creatures completely. However, in present time, the amount of magi left has decreased that not even the human population knew how many were left or if there were any left.
Kate pushed away from the door and dragged herself to the bathroom. She turned the shower on and stepped in letting water run down as she thought about all the events that had happen during the evening. It was hard for her believe all the stories and rumors that were told about the world. However, with everything that she saw tonight, maybe she should be more careful on what she does alone. The stories might actually hold some truth to them.
***
