Night's Beginning

Shari sighed with impatience. 1

"Listen... dude. Um, what exactly are we doing here?"2

Junakae looked at Shari and raised an eyebrow.3

"Obviously we are standing on a street corner."4

"That's not what I meant. I mean, you walked into that store and stomped right up to me three hours ago. I am with a complete stranger, and i want to know why."5

He rolled his eyes and smirked slighty.6

God he is so conceited, thought Shari.7

"Listen. Right now, we are just on a need to know basis, you got me? You are here because you willingly came. If you want to run, then all the power to you. Run."8

Shari smirked in return. "I don't run. I face the unknown. It's kind of part of my job description."9

"Job description? Please. You are an intern for the Journal Advocate. You don't even get paid. And last I heard, you only take the pictures."10

Shari grumbled with annoyance and turned so that her back was facing him. She was 18, but she really wasn't acting it.11

They were quiet once more. It was getting really... awkward just standing there with someone she barely knew, but yet someone who knew her down to the T.12

"Do we have to stand here all night or something?"13

Junakae cracked his knuckles and shook his head, his perfect hair bounching around his flawless face. "Nope, just long enough to see something."14

"See what?"15

He smiled and cocked his head slightly to the side. 16

"I'm testing fate."17

Shari couldn't help but burst out laughing at this. She grabbed her stomach and litteraly doubled over, her laughs echoing loudly in her ears off the sidewalk.18

"What is so funny about that?"19

"Oh! Come on! 'Testing fate.' You sound so serious, and I just..." with that, she burst into another laughing fit.20

Junakae glided over to her gracefully and pulled her to him, his hand over her mouth so that she could not make another sound. He leaned forward so that his face as snearing right into Shari's. What annoyed him most, was that she wasn't even scared. She was still smiling, and she slightly rolled her eyes.21

"Keep your mouth shut. There are things out here that can kill you with one finger. Things that would completely assault your mind if you don't watch yourself."22

Shari rolled her eyes again, and Junakae let her go out of annoyance. 23

"You really think I don't know this?" she asked with a slight chuckle.24

Junakae glared back at Shari, and she simply rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.25

"So, really, what are we waiting for?"26

She didn't have to say much more, because there was a silent hiss from behind her, and she quickly whipped around. Whatever it was, it wasn't pretty. It looked kind of like a person, only the face was distorted slightly, and pale. White teeth could be seen gleaming against the street light.27

Shari didn't think anything of it, but she quickly crouched down in front of Junakae defensively and glared the beast right on. Before she knew it, the beast lept toward her. She quickly reached up and grabbed his arms before they could grab hold, and she yanked down as hard as she could, bringing him down with the yank. she quickly twisted the arms around the beast and leaned over him. Her mind was in a whole nother place. She really had no idea what she was doing, but she knew she was doing right.28

The beast moved his head quickly, and its teeth barely grazed her arm. Shari locked his arms underneath her knees and grabbed his head. With one last hiss and screech, she snapped its neck and watched in fasicnation as it glowed and slowly turned to dust beneath her.29

It was quite as her mind came back to reality. It took her an extra couple minutes to realize that Junakae was clapping.30

"What the hell was that?" asked Shari breathlessly.31

"That, my dear, was a vampire. And you just proved fate. Do you have any idea that power that you hold?"32

Shari rolled her eyes and stood. "Whatever. Listen, I don't know what the hell is going on, but you better be explaining, soon."33

"Not only are you my future," he whispered, "But you are the future savior of my world. You are the raeyne rider."34

Shari let out a sound kind of like a guffaw and a raspberry. She had heard the stories around town before. Legend mostly. This so called person was meant to save the good people of the night, mystic creatures in danger of extinction because of some over zealous leader. 35

"Listen... I have no idea what you are talking about, and I hardly know who you are. So, um, can we just leave it at that?"36

Junakae raised an eyebrow. "No, Shari, we cannot."37

With that, he reached forward and grabbed her waist, his wings breaking through cover, and they flew across the night sky with a strangled cry from Shari's mouth.