I look back and wonder why I just couldn't let it go, and even now I can't. Amelia was right, once you know the truth it's hard to just go back to the way things were. When your naive and innocent, thinking there is something there and there isn't, because it's just your imagination. Looking around with covert glances as I walked to my English literature class I knew better. Devil, angels, half breed, vampires, etc. They do exist, we just don't realize it because they don't want us to realize it. The beauty of being human is the fact that your the sheep complacent with just the sugar coded topping. Yet that is the reality of the unreality. The air seemed colder, but when doesn't it in the winter time, I blamed the rising steam of my breathing on it, but I knew the truth. I was breathing a little too controlled. Watching the students that passed me by I wondered just how many of them fell into our friendly 'other' category. When I thought I saw one my hand went to my neck and collarbone on its own. The bite was gone of course and it was my fault I got bit. I looked and saw Amelia there against the wall by the door, with her arms crossed holding her books to her chest. To everyone else she was just a tad too pale and kept to herself. They didn't see what I saw. She was pale, her skin in the right light could look a slight blue trace of a twinge. I could see her canines were a bit more sharper and slender then most people. If you were really close you could see a sort of pattern under her eyes and the fact that her eyes were a startling blue you thought contacts could only accomplish. Hair a very very auburn it had reds under the sun's light. She always wore long sleeves because you could always see her veins like she was iridecent on the undersides of her arms. She always had to keep her nails trimmed so people didn't see how long they got, let alone how they looked like sharp glass. Amelia had saved my hide more times then I liked to mention and it's my fault she had to bite me. I belonged to her now and no one at the school, human or otherwise, was allowed to kill me. Yet. I guess it's good to have a half siren werewolf friend after all. She gave a smirk that was her soft version of a smile as I said yo and walked into class. I knew she came in behind me, it's like a second presence in the back of my skull. Now I just needed to learn the ropes......I think.

This is the preface for both my novels that are very very near completion to be sent for possible publishing. So I hope you enjoy and I'm looking forward to your feed back.
- Crystal

Seventh Sever: Hello Government Goodbye Politics

Preface:

The night was a perfect stillness, accept for the young reporter running like his pants were ablaze, stopping behind a building. Breathing hard and heavy. Listening for his pursuer and they were coming as feet pattered on the wet cold asphalt, after the rain. Dominic bolted feeling his legs ache and lungs burn for much needed air, he threw his Polaroids into the dumpster he ran past, and threw away the camera down the sewer. That was when the world spun and flipped before his body felt wet and cold laying face first in the street, trying to relearn how to breath he fought not to convulse. The baton that close lined him lowered and out stepped one of the Military guards of New Ally Incorporate, grinning. Dominic's eyes stung as tears welled up from his eyes watering. The man even more fat to him in his blurred green eyes. The man looked like a pencil pusher, the kind that gave the orders in slack pants and wanna be business suit complete with tie. A pig in a tux was what he thought, down to the pudgy face and the man's curly blond hair.
"Hello puppet." The man said in a little overly cheery voice, gripping him by the front of his now wet shirt, Dominic wanted to gage. The man smelled like a bar gone six ways till Sunday, even stale peanuts would of singed. The pursuers showed up. Lackey's in suits throwing out their arms getting those nice glistening battons to extended. "Now now gentleman, you've gone and ruined the young man's suit on his poor salary. Now that my friend is a crime." The voice came from the shadows displaced as if it had been there the whole time,echoing for centuries on the final return route back to you so you could hear the echo. Stepping into the light was someone dressed in riders boots, form fitting pants with side lace and meshing, to the doublet like mesh tunic, complete with bracers and corset. Face hidden in shadows.
"Get the hell out of here you Yankee this in none of your business." The person laughed, it echoed. Another walked into the half light then another, all with that laugh. Dominic stared all around him confused and his head hurt. What the hell was going on? The men drew guns. "We mean it or we'll fire!" They opened their arms spreading wide. "By all means try," the voice dripped with confidence. They did try, they fired they all shattered as glass fell hitting the pavement. Stopping in firing the fat man suddenly hit the floor at Dominic's feet, they briefly met gazes before the man squealed as he slid pulled into the darkness crying out before the silence. Gloved hands grabbed the other by the head yanking up disappearing into the darkness of the rafters, crying out with scuffling before the silence. The last guard shaking walked forward and up. Gun and flashlight trained. Dominic got up slowly before ducking as the man turned around and fired when a thud hit the ground between them. The second guard there on the ground and missing a ...head. The guard backed up and Dominic saw the shadows moving, yelling out to watch it, but too late the man was pulled in the darkness. Blood splattered like a puddle hit by a car onto him and the walls. Dominic felt his insides churn and tasted copper and last nights breakfast before his legs gave and body heaved violently losing all contents of the day. Heaving he smelled the sick wetness of pavement gone copper.
He only stopped heaving when their was nothing left to heave, eyes streaming, and breathing heavy. He ached and his chest hurt. There was nothing but the darkness of the alley and the sudden silence. The only sound his own breathing as he trembled trying to watch every shadow. "Nick." He turned and he saw upside down the pale face like some apparition of death gone animated, blue eyes set in crimson. Then a hand was over his mouth, his eyes wide, his scream was muffled. Recruits and back up arrived, their lights trained on the back wall and around the scene. Dogs sniffed about but the street was quiet and empty, only the dead evidence of something long gone remained. A something in a small single box with cute bow tie.

Locked Within: Red Fur Fang

Preface

Cold. Winter. I hate the cold. I stared at myself in the mirror of the girls locker room, the lights were out but the moonlight makes everything pale in here, you see the world in grey. I never gave much thought to my dreams, and that they were real. I didn't think much of anything for the last four days. I stared over my shoulder in the reflection and could see outside, see all the trees and snow covered ground, and my breath rise in steam. I lost Max in running to hide,lost the one thing that means the most to me and leaving me wishing I had never gone up the flight of stairs, and try solving the small puzzle box at home.The moment I had it changed to another, and now the world is literally upside down for me and Max. What if my actions got me and him killed? My reflection looks more confused then scared to me, but one might think I've seen a ghost. No, I've always been the pale one, and the way the twilight played in the room my blue eyes seemed paler and brighter then I felt comfortable with, my auburn red hair mussed and nearly black.

The call of my brother nearly jolted me out of my skin I turned only to press my back to the wall as gold eyes of the hunter stared back at me like some ominous devil. I imagined huge paws and bristling fur to go with those gold eyes but truly a devil stepped out. No paws, no fur. Just mesh Capri pants and bare feet. Calf's defined and sharp like a runner leading to toned abs,a broad chest, and broad squared shoulders. I thought my skin was pale, his was alabaster. Hair nearly blacker then mine, but I knew it was auburn and cut short you could spike it if you wanted to. His bangs streaked over those eyes. Framed by a delicate arch to his brows that Lent personality, and more so as the gold lightened, showing a hazel bronze. He had a straight nose and barely prominent cheek bones, that made his face soft a little. It made you think he was anywhere from sixteen to twenty. A strong jaw, with a slightly rounded chin, and thin slightly pout lips completed the picture.His left ear was pierced, and he had a earring cuff in it.

I didn't think of ways I could die but right here and now, I could come to too many my head spun, like that rabbit caught in the head lights, my body wouldn't budge. Not even as I stared up into those eyes as he leaned over me with strong hands on either side of my body, as if he could bench press the wall, funny, I didn't doubt he couldn't. He smiled at me and if in any other situation I might of blushed ,but fangs and seeing the guy as a wolf kind of ruined the image. Shivering. He breathed in as he started to lean even closer, I closed my eyes and didn't think about the hunter, his fangs or that fact I was about to die. All I could think of was that I hoped Max wasn't stupid enough to play hero. Dying for my brother counted for something right? I smelt forest and felt the heat from the hunters body, I wondered if he had rabies or a fever. He said my name and I automatically looked at him, then my world went..furry, my brothers yell and a sharp pain at my neck. Even as the world went black I realized I was going to miss my art class after all.

Heath Ledger as the JokerI attended the Via Arte Italian Street Painting Festival again this year. A lot more artist seemed to turn out this year then last. I chose the Joker from the Dark Knight as my portrait piece. There were many great artists out there and I hope you guys enjoy the works.
- Crystal

** http://www.bakersfield.com/1439/story/580225.html - click to see video of the art festival