Lilliana Macaria just turned nineteen. She had her whole life ahead of her, and yet one event turned her entire life upside down. 

Her adoptive parents had decided to surprise her with the names of her real parents in case she wanted to know them. To have them in her life. Of course, they never expected to find out that the beautiful little girl they had raised for almost her full nineteen years, was in fact a demi goddess.

After searching for days on her parents they were forced into a scary reality. Her parents were not human. At least not completely. Her mother was a goddess, and her father was a human. The child was left alone in the human world while her father unknowingly went about his life. Her mother was long gone.

She had never exhibited any signs of power, but she was what she was. Without telling her why, and without talking to her, they took her straight to a wooded dark area in the middle of nowhere..

They pretty much kicked her out of the car, and drove off into the night. Heart broken and alone she sat down by the road side on her suitcase, full of clothes and books, and cried.

 This was not supposed to happen.

_____

Hideaki sniffed the air. He motioned for Riven and Xander to run to his right.  " I'll catch up. I'm going to make sure whoever that was is gone. If someone was left find them. We can't very well leave a creature in need out here.. " he went off to follow the car.

Riven and Xander followed the scent Hideaki had picked up on. 

" Over there. " Riven pointed down the beaten path. " A girl. No godly clue what she is.. I can't get a read on her. " he spoke in a thick English accent. Riven was a tall picture of handsome. His skin was so clear, his eyes bright crimson, and his silky white hair were  a few prominent features that stood out. The scars across his face stood out like battle trophies he displayed with pride. He could look scary to some; Intimidating was more like it. 

The wolf nodded, " Lets get her. Hideaki can figure her out later. " his voice strong and gruff. He wasn't mean, nor was he violent in most circumstances. He was built, and probably the strongest creature at the Village. That was saying something, because the village was not small in the least little bit.  His wild brown hair stood in waves, his eyes were a piercing brilliant blue, and he screamed power.

He walked over towards her. 

Lilliana heard rustling.. A wild looking guy came out of the bushes towards her. She scrambled to her feet, and tried to back up at the same time. It caused her to lose her footing. She breathed rapidly, scared out of her mind, " W-what do you want?!" 

Riven caught up with Xander, " Forgive him.. He can seem a bit over bearing. " he spoke softly. He didn't want to startle the pretty young girl before him even more. " My name is Riven Ambrogio, a vampire from the Village. This big rough guy is, the teddy bear, Xander Valko a Werewolf. Both of us are part of the council.. We keep creatures like yourself safe. " He held his hand down to her. 

Lilliana stared at him. " You're kidding right?" she asked sort of pushing his hand down. 

He gave her a puzzled look, " Why would I kid about this? " Riven stayed near just in case.

" Because Vampire, werewolves, and such things don't exist.. At least I didn't think they did anymore.. Sure in the past but that.. is in the past." She sounded insane even to herself.  

He smirked enough to show his sharp fangs, but just barley. " I assure you Miss Macaria, We exist. Did you know your last name is that of an old goddess?" he asked curiously. " Sorry off topic i know, but fascinating. " He held his hand out again to help her up.

Xander had already picked up her luggage. " Do you need more proof? I could perhaps have Xander turn for you? " 

The terrified girl continued to stare. She was shocked.. Confused.. Why was she here then? " But.. I'm human. " she said softly. Taking his hand. It wasn't like she was hiking out of here tonight.. Maybe not at all on her own either. So she might as well try to find shelter at least for the night. It would be better than staying in the woods.

Xander shook his head, " You are far from human little bit. Maybe half to a quarter.." He came closer sniffing her hair. It would seem odd and creepy if she didn't bakready know he was a werewolf. Or that she might even be hallucinating. Or dead, and in some kind of limbo. . "Certainly not full human. I imagine that's why you were dropped here. No one told you why or what you were?" he continued.

She shook her head, " No.. My parents just dropped me off. They wouldn't talk to me. They wouldn't listen to reason.. I tried talking to them, begging them to stop. I mean I am adopted, but I thought.. I thought they loved me. They raised me for nineteen years.. You don't do that without loving the child right? " She asked tears falling from her eyes.
 

Riven gave a sad smile, " Some people are blinded by the unknown. They hate what they don't know. Grow envious of what they can't have, or are afraid to ask for. " he shrugged a little. " It doesn't make sense, but humans are stupid beings most of the time. Hop on.. I imagine you are exhausted. " No sooner had he said it, he was settling her on his back and pulling her arms around his neck securely. " Don't let go. You might fall. " He warned. " Come on Xander. Hideaki is waiting at the gates. " 

Lilliana held on tightly to him. As if to prove to her further that he was indeed a vampire he took off at an incredible speed. " Oh god.. " she muttered closing her eyes and laying her head on the small of his upper back. " So nauseating.. " she whispered. He responded with a humored chuckle. She felt like hitting him for it.   He stopped after what seemed like forever. In reality it had been less than five minuets. 

Xander trotted up as a large brown wolf with her bag in his mouth. He glanced at her with what seemed to be a smile. He sat it down, and pranced over to a tree, coming out rather quickly after. " Hideaki we brought her back. You'll take a liking to her. " he teased picking her bag back up. " You might wanna take her though. I think Riven is making her sick. Or not. I'd like to see Riven get vomited on. " he snickered. 

Riven rolled his eyes, and sat her down on the ground. He steadied her before stepping away so Hideaki could take her in fully. "Mutt..." He growled causing her to glance back.

He literally growled.

Hideaki was fully taken aback. The girl standing there was gorgeous.. She had long flowing light brown hair, at least down to her mid back. Her eyes were bright, big, and a luscious green. Freckles dotted her nose and cheeks, her skin was pale but gave her a glow, and to top it all off, she was rather short. He liked that.  " Well, well.. Xander was right.. " he muttered to himself though both men heard him.

" Hello there beautiful. My name is Hideaki Akata, Spirit fox. " he tilted his head exposing his fluffy ears. " Nice to meet you.. " 

She smiled softly, still saddened by her abandonment. She thought they all knew her name by now, but she realized she hadn't even told Riven her name.. He must have had the powers that vampires of the past had.. She didn't know all of them, but she knew certain ones.. Strength, speed, mind reading.. " U-Umm.. I guess I should tell you all my name.. I don't recall doing it. " she said looking down confused. " Anyway.. My name is Lilliana Macaria.. I just turned nineteen.. Some birthday this is. " she joked lightly. " So.. this is real.. I'm not human? I- I've never done anything.. I don't know what I am if i'm not human. " 

Hideaki gave a puzzled look. Her name was absolutely ancient. " We'll figure it out. I'm sure its just a matter of late blooming. Some creatures tend to not come into their power until much later. Some just don't know how to tap it. We can work on it.. But slowly. To quickly and it might push you over the limits your body can handle. " 

She nodded, " Sure.. " she said with a sigh. She just didn't care at the moment. Nothing mattered at the moment really. It was stupid, and enraging. She hated them right now, but wished them well.. her adopted parents that is. " Is there a place I can stay for the night? I just want to sink into bed.. Maybe a bath first.. " she said quietly. 

The fox nodded, " You'll stay at my place. I have extra rooms, and you can bathe and sleep it off. " 

She started to protest. " Why should I stay at a house with a guy I don't know? " 

He smirked a little, " I could stick you in the dorms with the incubus demons if you'd prefer? " 

Wide eyes she shook her head, " No thank you. I'll take you over that I guess. I take it you are on this council thingy to? " 

" Indeed. I'm the leader of it. " he purred lightly. " I have the power to make people uncomfortable or happy. It is a balancing act, so I have to think and act accordingly. You haven't got a clue what you are, and neither do we. It make sense for you to stay with one of us for the time being. " 

She pouted, " Fine.. Just take me wherever so I can get clean and rest. " her nose twitched slightly with annoyance.  

He nodded a smirk seemingly permanently planted on his face. Hideaki turned, and took the group back into the village. 

Lilliana couldn't help but sneak peeks at him. Her hand brushed against his own, and she almost gasped at the sensation that rippled through her. He had taken a sharp inhale, so she knew it wasn't in her mind.. Maybe it was just static.. Yeah.. It had to be. She sneeked a glance at him again.. He was stunningly handsome. So were the other two in their own way, but he was on a different level all together. everything from his semi long whiteish-silver hair, his large fluffy ears, his toned muscles, or what she could see through his clothing, his cocky smirk, and his sharp yet soft inquisitive eyes just felt right. He carried himself well, and didn't let his cocky side show much.. He was almost perfectly balanced in her mind. She wondered if he had a tail to.. Well she knew one way to find out, but it would be embarrassing so she opted out of pantsing him in front of his friends. Though, it would have been fun. She still wondered what that sensation of tingles and giddiness was though.. She would have to ask later.

_______

Hideaki felt it, she brushed against him, and he felt it. That particular sensation happened once in a creatures life time.. But, she couldn't be. It had to be a fluke.  He'd found his mate long ago before he came to this god forsaken place. She died during the raids, and he was ferried off here..

Put in a compound designed to kill off creatures in mass. Good thing they were smarter than humans. Humans killed their land, creatures gave back and nourished it.. They came together putt differences aside, and flourished on a different plane of being. This village they walked into was just a decoy to fool any stray humans.

They still took care of it, but it was claimed by nature, and they respected that. Many herbs and food items came from here, so plenty of creatures were out during the  night to gather and hunt. He cleared his head, clearly he was rambling to himself to keep from thinking about those tingles. The butterflies that formed in his stomach... She couldn't be... 

They reached the village and he stopped, " Well.. This isn't where we are going, but I might as well explain what it is while we are here. " he said as he gestures to the working people.

" This was one our village. Hundreds of years ago our little group here was amongst the first to get raided and put here. I'm sure Riven has explained.. humans don't like what they don't know. They feared us.. Some of us for good reason wraiths, incubus, succubus, even many vampires and wolves were not all good. Anyone can be evil. Evil isn't always dark, and good isn't  always light. They liked to feed on and harvest human bodies.. Others like myself, Riven, and even Xander got caught in the cross fire. Sadly we were punished for being different. In Xander's case, it happened about ten years ago, but he is a valuable team mate none the less. We would be lost without him. " he smiled a little. 

 Xander's cheeks flushed a little. " I do what I can. " he said as he chuckled, and walked forward a little.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw a brilliant blue figure heading towards them, skipping really. She came up on a crumbling rock wall separating the road from the village, but instead of hopping over it she went right through it. Lilliana's head snapped straight over to her unable to believe it.

The girl's blue skin shimmered in the moon, her rainbow colored hair bounced in ponytails..  She had bright sparkling turquoise colored eyes, and a button nose. She was cuter than a puppy.

Xander's face lit up when he saw her. A small soft rumbling came from him as he went up to her. " Violet. I missed you. " he pecked her cheek gently and twirled her around happily. 

" Xander.. Its only bee an hour.  "she giggled as he sat her down. She turned her attention to Lilliana, " Oh my.. A new girl? " Violet studied her before smiling happily, " I'll help you get some new clothes and stuff tomorrow. You look like you need them. It'll help forget the night you've had and perhaps some of the past a little. Shopping helps. Trust me. It. Helps. " she said brightly. 

" I.. I don't mean to be rude.. But, what exactly are you...? " Lilliana was dumb struck. Honestly she felt rude asking, but everything was making her feel dumb tonight.  She had no clue such a place existed. Creatures she had been taught were bad.. weren't all bad. Hell, things she didn't know existed anymore still existed!

The girl winced a little. " Umm.. well I'm a Zombie girl.. Painted very differently by humans I know.. But we aren't bad.. We eat what everyone else does.. We can walk through things, and see through them as well. Some of us can even talk with animals. I can, and most of my family could. " she answered softly, and shyly. " Oh, don't hate me please..! People really take to hating me because they hear zombie.. " 

She shook her head, " No.. I wouldn't. " answered Lilliana. " I'm just.. Learning that things are different.. why would zombies not be? I am surprised. Shocked honestly. You are so pretty.." She reached out to touch one of her silky rainbow curls.

Xander slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close. The rumbling in his chest continued softly.  " I like different.. " he seemed to purr to Violet softly. 

Violet punched his arm gently, but didn't pull away, " Not the time Xander.. " she flushed. " Thank you Miss... " 

" Lilliana Macaria.. " she held her hand out for Violet to shake. " Nice to meet you. " She turned towards Hideaki, " Why can't I stay with her? " she asked in a pouty tone. 

" Violet Tanda.. And because I live with Xander.. I'm his mate.. After the creature put aside differences many of us went in different directions.. It isn't taboo anymore to be with another kind. Witches can date faries, Faries can date kitsune, kitsune can date vampires.. You get where i'm going. " she said answering before Hideaki could, and taking Lilliana's hand.

She gasped suddenly and held on tightly. Something wasn't right with this girl. She saw something.. She saw The Darkness, and this girl was glowing softly until the shined like the sun, scortching darkness in her path. She dropped her hand, and shuddered. " You.. are very important to us Lilliana.. Take care of her Hideaki.. " She mummbled.

She watched him before nodding a little. She had seen something else to.. A very distraught Hideaki losing Lilliana to the Darkness. Why she couldn't say. " Xander.. Take me home? I'm tired. " Indeed her skin had stopped glowing as much, and her eyes lacked the luster they held before. 

Lilliana was confused. Hideaki decided it might be time to get her back home before the Darkness came to claim her..

He started to feel funny. Hideaki tensed. " Xander.. Get the girls back to the portal. Now. " he ordered. " Everybody back to the portal! " He yelled picking Lilliana up and sitting her firmly on Xander's back. He'd already changed and Violet was on as well. " Now people. The Darkness is coming! "  People started to skitter back, running as fast as they could while Riven and Hideaki stayed behind to help round the others up. 

Xander's howl was the first sign that the Darkness was here. It was powerful, and hurt Lilli's ears. Something bit down on his tail. He glanced back to see a dark cloudy figure nawing at him. He tried to buck it off, and ended up bucking the girls. He stopped to fight it away. 

Violet gasped, and grabbed Lilliana. The two of them landed hard, she scrammbled up with the girl in tow, and booked it. Lilli seemed to be having a hard time keeping up. Understandable after everything the poor thing had gone through. " Sorry Lilli, We can't stop! You aren't ready to face this yet! Hideaki and the others will come back.. They always do! " she shouted forcing her to keep running.

This girl was to important to be sent into the darkness unprepared. She barreled through the fencing, with Lilli and towards the portal to the Village. " Almost there! " 

Lilliana's head was spinning. She listened though, and ran with Violet. She started to protest the fence, but was pulled straight though as if it wasn't there. She looked back, and to her horror Xander was covered. Though a moment later he let out a shaking snarl, and broke through with ease. Hideaki and Riven were out of sight. She focused again on running, listening to Violet. " But.. Why is this happening?" she yelled as they ran. "What is going on?!"

" That is a story for Hideaki to tell. He's the oldest here. Lost his mate coming here, saw the whole thing go down.. This is not the time or place. We have to get to safety! The witches can only hold the portal open for so long! " 

"Then what about them?!" 

" Hideaki is a spirit fox. He has abilities he won't even share with us!  Keep going! " she ordered.

  A few moments later they landed in Darkeville. Landed was a soft term. More like she collided with the ground again.

Violet noticed Lilliana gasping and holding her head and sides, " First time is always a trip.. You'll get used to it. " She patted her back a little, and rubbed soothing circles.  " I'm sorry.. I believe i owe you all an apology. I think i used to much magic when i had those visions earlier. I have to get better control over myself.. " she sighed softly, looking very down. 

Hideaki gathered the weaker of the bunch, Riven gathered the materials and supplies from them, and they took off. Xander fought off the shadow figures from inside the village while the others escaped into Darkeville. When he saw Hideaki and Riven fly past he turned tail and shot into the portal as well. 

Xander came up behind her hearing his mates words.  " Nonsense. Sometimes you can't control it.. " he said softly, brushing her cheek with his hand gently. He felt the others come through and the portal close. " Come on love.. Lets get you home. " 

She looked at him, " Oh god.. Lets get you taken care of.. You're bleeding everywhere.. " she said in slight horror. " I mean.. you'll live.. But still.. " She kissed him, and his deep rumble came back. 

" I know ways to make sure i'm alright if you wanna baby me a little. " he smirked softly before scooping her up and walking off. 

Hideaki sat everyone down, and went over to Lilliana. Violet had confirmed what he felt, but how was it possible?

He placed a hand on her shoulder, and felt the same tingles. " I think we should talk. I'm sure this is all.. way to much to handle, but its important. I'll tell you everything you want to know.. " he said softly.

Riven went past them to the storage area. Hideaki bent down, " I'll carry you home. " 

Lilliana jumped everytime he touched her. She liked the feeling and sensations, but in all honesty she was afraid of them. It was something she had never felt before.. Longing maybe? He bent down for her. She almost told him she could walk, but her legs were like jelly. The ride would be appreciated. " Thanks.. I do want to know.. " she said softly before hesitantly climbing on his back.

The full contact felt wonderful.. every part of her felt alive and vibrant, though she felt like crap.  She saw his clothes were a bit bloody to. " Are you alright?" she asked touching one of the areas. 

Hideaki jumped, and shifted her slightly up. " Not really.. It was a sudden attack.. But i'll be fine. A few bites and some scratches. " 

" No. I'll help.. I'll take care of you.. You helped me in more ways than you know. " She smiled a little, and rested her head on him. He deserved some help. Everyone did.