Music: Counting stars, OneRepublic. This is the stuff I listen to while writing this book.

May's POV

Watching Ethan killed me. To see his body, limp and pale, it hurt not to hear a soft grunt, a small whisper, anything at all. "Miss?" It was one of the younger Elven healers. I gave a small bow. "Just May. 'Miss' makes me sound all proper." The small elf nodded, and pulled out his notes page. "We have been observing their thoughts for some time, to get a better look at their pain, but they rarely think about it. They think about you, at the times Ethan shakes most, when their fear is peaked, Is at the night, when they slip into R.E.M. It's a perfect picture. Their surroundings aren't clear, and their thoughts aren't either, and your there, too. And your making eye contact, but a voice comes in Ethans head, 'only one of you can live.' And then Ethan pushes their back onto a wall of silver, say their sorry, and then they fall out of R.E.M, skipping deep sleep, and pushing the boundaries of being awake." His brown hair covered his neck as he bowed. I bowed back, and found a shivering Ethan, and a space on their bed. I took their hand and they flinched. Ethan's voice was back, and so was their control over their sore limbs, but it all still hurt, just a bit. "You shouldn't be alive right now. The first attack should have killed you, and if it didn't, the second was sure to do the job." Nothing in their face showed their thoughts, nor in their body language. But something told me that Ethan would say 'I could take more.'

My weird knowing of what Ethan was thinking, or wanted me to see, happened more. Ethan never told me their favourite Athera fruit, as we've only been here for a few months, and yet i knew it was dansh, a sweet large fruit that almost resembles an apple, just softer, larger and darker in colour. None of the others knew why or how i knew this. Ethan's love for drawing came from years of lectures their parents taught them, about how Earth was terrible, and all earth's creatures were stupid and wrong. They hated their parents. There were several crimes on the serpentine, but this crime was most painful. It was the only time someone had been killed on the ship. It was 4 people. 4 people died. Ethan's terrible parents had hit them that night, they thought of Ethan as a runt, because they were born of both genders and My parents, Talia and Marcus Ganis, were arguing about how Ethan's parents should raise their child.

I didn't know that before. How the fuck did i know that? Ethan had a fucked up childhood, no wonder they were so shy as Alen's parents adopted us, knowing they had such a big house, and many un-used rooms.

I wrapped Ethan in my arms, and whispered, "your parents were fucked up." They keep waking up at the wrong times, key note, if i'm ever telling you something while you are asleep chances are, I want you to stay asleep. Not wake up and agree. "Your telling me." They responded. "I've been able to hear what you're thinking, like, I can hear tiny bits of your thoughts." So they can too.

"I wonder if it's something related to us being gems, except, i can only hear you... the parts you heard, what was it?" They pulled closer to me, their head rested in the crook of my neck "it was just things like what you wanted to tell me when i woke up." So it was just what I wanted them to see. "You only saw what I wanted you to see." I put up my defences, not defending myself, because if i was defending myself, i'd be keeping myself from the thing i love most. I was defending my little pixie. All the bitches who want to harm them, will be killed trying to get to them. "We should activate the space stone." Straight forward, thanks E. "On who?" I didn't know who they meant to try. "The 6 of us. Or 12, depends on how you judge the familiars being separate to who they are bound to."

We sat in a Cult style ritual circle. The space stone was heavy in my hand. It was strange, the earth gem, my gem, was so light, I couldn't feel it. I placed it in the middle of our satanic ritual and sat back. "Chrys? Are we supposed to do some satan-summoning chant?" I asked. The familiars learnt how to speak our tongue. "Nah, it should do something soon." She licked me until my ears involuntarily turned into bear ears. I groaned. "Will you stop doing that? It's so fucking annoying!" Chrys pouted you really saying that to your mum? She is obnoxious.

The empty space in the middle of the circle teared like paper, giving a big rrrriiiippp! For a few seconds, we all stared in confusion and silence. 'Damn, thought there would be more.' I thought to Ethan, my expression relaxing from alarm to content 'Is that not strange enough for you? That is absolutely terrifying!' They thought back, obviously concerned. 'Honestly, thought something was going to come out, you're a scaredy-bat, Ethan.' Ethan pushed my bullying away. Best friends can insult each other, it's just the way it is. 'Did May just... Could Ethan and May do that the whole time? Did i just intrude on a mind conversation? What the fuck is happening?' It was Kya's sweet voice, she was too sweet for us. "Kya, did you just... Can you do it to?" I was going to say more, but a claw reached out of the tear. It reached to Evia, and her bob cut hair bounced as she jumped out of the way. A long, slender dragon with glistening purple-black scales, adorned in feathers on the wings, had come from the hole. 'This, is more of what i thought would happen.' I thought, propelling my thoughts to everyone else. I was the only calm one. As a giant dragon from the depths of nowhere came from the ground and stood menacingly at me. Everyone had taken fighting stance, and i was sat cross-legged staring down into its soul from it's obsidian eyes. It took a step closer, growled, and then snorted In retaliation, I stood, growled, then grabbed one of it's horns, pulling its face closer to mine. "What are you?"
"Chill! It's ok, I'm just testing you! Ok, so... um... I'm Ikasi! (Pronounce names with @that1Green-Guy_Elfo! This dragon's name is I- Kah- sea!) "ahem... when were you two planning on telling us that you can read each other's minds?" Came the bullets of Kya's investigation skills. "Only found out we could do it today." Great minds think alike, they say, because said it at the same time.

"Ok! Everyone sit! You are all gems, right? Well so am i! I'm Ikasi, a 1000 year old ethereal dragon. Because of you harnessing the space stone gem thingy together, you are each other's familiars. It works the same way familiar's work. You can only use your powers when one of your familiars are near, you can hear each other's thoughts. However, Ethan and Maybell... you could hear each other's voices in your head before the ritual... odd. I'll look into that." Strange, however, everyone's faces flushed with redness, as though someone had told them some huge'OMG THESE PEOPLE ARE DATING' secret.

After a couple of days, Ethan's silver wounds had healed over, leaving just a small, insignificant slightly red part of skin where the silver had made contact with their body. It was strange though, because they were the only one yet to shift. Crack. It was a bone, one of many, the bone belonged to the short child only a few weeks older than me, and they were in pain. "E, your ok, it's going to be fine, you're finally shifting!" I took them in a hug, hoping to soothe their pain, and in a few short moments, i had a tiny bat, just larger than earth bats, but still small, and it was a ball of bear and bat.

Kya's POV

Ethan and May are destined to be together, 100% soulmates. Cali came and put her hand on my shoulder, "hi Kya." I want her to give in, more than anything. "What can I get you Bae?" I might have purred, but that's a cat thing, and i'm a bird. "I want a hug." By hug, she meant we both shift, and we just fall asleep like that. It was late, and i was tired, too. "Sure babe." She was irresistible, and convincing.

May POV

We lay sleeping in our shifts late into the morning, it was so calming, as we were both ready for the day ahead. "May, Ethan, as cute as this is, we need to go." Evia's soft, brown eyes looked into mine, and i gently grabbed the scruff of Ethan's neck, pulling them with me. We were travelling as a pack, the 6 of us rode on our familiars, and Kya got Ikasi.

I put Ethan on Husk, shifted to human, and mounted Chrys. From what I had been told, we're looking for Iven's Master or some shit. 'Iven still onboard?' I mind linked Josa, who had the prisoner in Orchia's grasp.
'Yeah, sadly, says we're going the right way.' I knew we were, because i had his mind in my grasp. I jumped of Chrys and shifted, keeping up with her with ease, and Ethan must have had the same idea, however their tiny wings were not enough to keep them up front for long, so they rested on my brown, fuzzy back "your so annoying." I growled jokingly at Ethan. "Hey! You should kiss!" Ikasi called to us. "Also, were here."

The giant cave yelled spooky vibes at us. Kinda sus, not going to lie. A tall, pale skinned, white haired man stood in the entrance, away from the sun. "This is it. If you want to be vampire food, you'll step in the shade." Iven announced as the pale man's red eyes hovered on him. May tossed him over to the vamp, and other vampires, none with white hair, came to grab him. 'Is this safe? White haired vampires are pure bred! That means he is strongest!' Ethan exclaimed as May let go of their scruff, setting them on the ground. She lowered herself down to the ground, prepared to fight. Ikasi had said they couldn't fight such strong beings, but fighting vampires is easier than fighting Maybell's stubborn mindset. She may be thousands of years old, but she didn't care.
  So, you brought the traitor. A wise move. However, you should have run away when you could." Many large reptile like creatures jumped from the jungle of trees. They were equipped with sticky fingers, knife like teeth, and powerful tails. They grabbed the 6 and put muzzles on the familiars, to prevent a nasty bite. The reptiles tied the humans' arms behind their backs, and led led inside the dreadful cave, where where they were handed to vampires, led through tunnels, and then split up, the all being locked in cells, however Maybell was led to a different cave cell. This one held Iven, and a few others.
  "It seems the all powerful Earth Gem can't help but end up in line to become the master's food." May gave him a low growl.  She didn't exactly plan to be here for long. Her plans were so very smart. She could barely feel the other gems, but because she could, the Orange Eyed girl did her best to communicate. 'Ethan! You there?'

Ethan POV

  'Ethan! You there?' May called to me, and I hoped she'd tell me it's ok. Because it is, we are 100% ok. Nothing to worry about! 'May! You won't believe it. They have different cells for different things. Your in the pure bred vampire's food cell. I'm in the 'useful' cell, which basically means their gonna use me.'  She could definitely see my pleb face through the link. You know what else is definite? That we are ok. It's certain that we are ok. Damn, my math teacher would be proud, one of the 1 in 1000000 chance that i'd ever use math, let alone any subject, irl.

May POV

  Ethan is so stupid, and May loved it. The only thing they want, is a notepad. You can't draw if you don't have anything to draw on.
  One prisoner was be taken. They never returned. That was the schedule, it repeated itself every 4 days. It's said that each time one gets taken, they turn into a snack platter. They walk around, following the head vampire, until he gets hungry, and takes a drink. What a horrible way to die.
  At the moment May had been thrown in, there were 5 other prisoners, and it had been 20 days. "Enjoy the last 4 days, if you survive that long." She teased Iven, pretending to be so calm. 'Ethan, I'm the last prisoner, I'm next. I have a four days left. Four days to live.'
  'Please, don't die on me.' The next 4 days, May sat in silence, only talking to her friends, far away. She dreaded the day, and then it came.
  'Today's the day. They're here. I died young.' She linked to everyone, knowing that the others were either in holding cells, to be used once, and Ethan, would be used more than once.
  'They came for me, to.' Ethan had told us. Everyone else agreed, what were the vampires planning?
She had been tied with rope, the long rope that tied her hands was fixed to the ceiling, her boredom so long it could wrap around Athera twice, and Athera was around 3 times the size of earth. The head vampire, who's name was not known, so he was referred to as Count Dracula, had stepped behind the Tall Girl, and placed a hand on her  shoulder, whispering some words, "You're too valuable to kill, I might give you a curse, probably something that would help you, but something to scare your friends." He thought she wouldn't tell them this?
  'Guys! Dracula has a plan! I still need you to act like you don't know it, but basically, he said "You're super valuable and cool, so I'm not gonna kill you, cause why should I? But anyway, I'm going to curse you to scare your friends." That noob.'

  Ethan was forced into the large area, their hands tied behind their back. They looked at May with what seemed to be fear mixed with worry, only, the expression they were making had a few fatal flaws that only May, or someone else from the friend group, would notice. The rest of the humans were forced in, only the familiars weren't here. May forced herself to cry, even though it was difficult. They've been doing these acts since they were 8, and have gotten good, however back then, it was only to get one of them out of trouble. "I lied." Drac told her while leaning on a table. "I'm not going to curse you. I knew you'd warn your friends, and it is such a perfect act, but vampires can read minds." Every hair on my body stood up. And everyone's faces shifted slightly, from one look of fear to the other. From fake to real. Drac's long sharp fangs shot through my skin, not taking blood, but sliding something into my bloodstream, and it started spreading like wildfire. "To the pond, and throw the others in the veiw point." Did he put venom in her veins? "Don't give her food, or water, let her find out, by herself."

  She felt like she might throw up, her head spinning faster than a record player, and her own blood didn't feel like it belonged to her. 'Are we just going to take turns watching each other's dying selves?' Ethan asked, and she laughed, Ethan was right, again, and May didn't really know what to say, they did save each other's lives like it's nobody's business.
  'You know the drill, then? Give me a run down on everything that happened.' She was still lying lamely with her eyes closed, focused on the voice in her head.
  'You have some stupid special thing in your blood, something like anti venom or some shit, so you can't be injured by venom, and if you get someone to drink your blood their venom wounds heal, or something, anti poison and other stuff, and you can survive on anything's blood solely, so like, you can survive for around a month without water or something I don't know I don't care.' Ethan's idea of a rundown was not the same as Maybell's idea of a run down. 'Also open your eyes.' There was water everywhere, except, it was confusing, normally when she was staring into an aquarium, she went all dizzy, but it was so... clear. 'Strange, right?' May got up, and looked to them, there was no glass, it was water magic. She could swim to Ethan.

  She jumped in the water, swam for a bit, then got pulled back and tossed on the ground. 'If I had known what you were planning before you did it, I'd stop you. The currents are too strong.' They gestured to Alen, who's mop of brown hair was dripping on an already wet tee shirt.
  "Can't Alen stop the currents?" I said aloud.
  'We can't actually hear you, May.' He told her through the mind link.
  'Can Alenor stop the currents, or change them?' Everyone did the 'oh.' Face, except Alen, who did the 'on it!' Face. They were busy for a while, even going as far as testing the waters, before giving the ok. "The currents should go straight here, you'll get tossed out on this side."

Ethan

  Maybell braced herself from her side of the 'water wall'. She readied herself, and ran, dripping in water as she crashed through the water, but instead of being chucked out, on either side, she stayed, stuck in the middle. She began thrashing, loosing air faster due to panic. Then, she opened her eyes.

May

  It was blurry, but she could still see rather well. Ethan's rampant eyes as he looked at her, trying to get her out. She focused on them, not the fact that she was running out of oxygen. Eventually—in about five seconds, but to May, it felt like 10 minutes— Ethan thrust their hands into the water and latched onto May's wrists, pulling, but failing to bring her back out of the water. By this time, she had closed her eyes, and nearly ran out of air. She didn't feel as the water ran cold, or as the currents began to pull Ethan off her, only when she was tossed on the ground, finally able to breathe.