Strobe lights flashed as song after song was played through the speakers that hung from the gymnasium walls. Sweat rolled down my body, making the glitter Ella dowsed on me cling to my skin even more. She told me if I couldn't use my flames, I could still shine like the stars. I would have to rely on the mysterious moon instead of my trusted sun tonight.

As my body moved with a rhythm I didn't know existed, I hated to admit it, but I was having fun. Hand in hand with Ella, she would spin me through the heavy fog covering the dance floor. I ignored the group of hovering vultures though the trembles never left my spine. My eyes focused on the fairy before me, never wanting to meet the hard gaze of the blue eyes I knew I would discover if I peered over at the group, even for a second.

"Ignore them," Ella said as my body came closer to hers from a spin into a dip. Always the mind reader, that one. 

"It's hard to when I know they are staring at me."

"Only because you, my dear, are radiating fire!" 

As the song ended, she stood me back on my own feet. Back on solid ground. But how long before I slipped?

The strangest moment of the night was when I watched Antonio walk in with an arm draped over an angel-winged Lucy. She looked beautiful with her pale pink dress and the matching wings that twinkled as the light reflected off each encrusted gemstone. As I watched them enter the room, it was as if I observed sin leading innocence to her untimely doom. He was bound to shred her of all the purity she had left.

"She is none of your concern," Elfred whispered to me. 

I knew this, and I nodded in agreement but kept my eyes focused on the couple. Something did not sit right with me. There was a chill in the air that I was pretty sure no one else felt but me.

I tried to ignore the cold group and the uncanny couple while I kept dancing with my friends. Elfred and Ella spun me back and forth between them. I'm sure it was a spectacle for the crowd. It looked like they were having a dance battle, and I was their shared partner. I would never understand a twin's competitiveness.

"I'm dying of thirst!" I yelled loudly at Ella and Elfred. They didn't seem to notice as they were too busy arguing about who had the better moves. My dry throat was more important to me than who won. 

I dragged my body off the dance floor to the two liters of soda and poured a glass. There wasn't much choice, but they were warm since they had been sitting out. The warm liquid went down my throat with ease until I suddenly choked.

Chamomile. Someone put chamomile into the two-liter. I opened a couple more, and they all reeked of chamomile. 

The dizziness started first, and I grabbed hold of the table for support. I had to get to the bathroom quickly. Even though I ingested a sip, it made me feel so indisposed. The room was spinning as I entered the bathroom and into the stall just in time to release the poisonous contents. 

With it out of my system, I only would experience a slight weakness for about twenty minutes. I straightened my outfit the best I could and walked out of the stall with my head held high. No one was going to ruin my night. But when I walked out of that metal box, I was greeted by someone I didn't expect.

Lucy stood there with her arms crossed and her body leaned up against a sink, grinning at me. All shreds of her angelic innocence were gone. His vampiric sinfulness stole them. 

"How was your drink?" Lucy asked.

"It was fine," I said, walking to the sink to wash my hands. 

Why was she asking me this? She was not supposed to know a thing about us. Very few humans know about our kind. Only those with trusted family bloodlines or who have helped us in a way got indoctrinated into learning about our world. Wait, did he turn her? I turned and stared at her.

"Lucy?"

"Hmm."

"Are you...okay?" I managed to squeeze out.

"If you are asking me if I am a vampire, then no, I am not. Not yet," she said, while gazing at herself in the mirror and reapplying her pink lipstick. "Antonio promised to turn me if I did this to you. He said you know what he is and that you are allergic to chamomile for some reason. I personally think you are just weak." 

So, he didn't tell her what I was. I'm guessing he was going to use a spell on her that he got from a witch to erase her mind when he was done with her later. Lucy was only being used.

"I mean, at first, I didn't believe him about the whole vampire thing," she continued. "But then he has been feeding from only me for a while now. He said he only wanted me forever. That's why he is going to turn me."

She pulled out some powder from her purse and gently dabbed her face. I kept observing her when the scariest feeling came over me—human emotions—not knowing what these feelings were running through me I felt I needed to help her. Maybe it was fear, perhaps sadness. I wasn't sure. But I needed to warn Lucy of Antonio.

"Lucy, be careful. Antonio is not the best at keeping promises." 

"Whatever. You're just jealous," she said as she walked out of the bathroom. This was not good. I knew she would ignore my words like every other time, but it had now crossed the line into becoming severely dangerous. 

I tried to chase after her, but it was too late. She was already halfway across the gymnasium floor. 

"Where were you?" Kathryn asked me as I joined the rest of the group feeling defeated.

"I just had to use the bathroom." The effects were mostly gone, so I knew they wouldn't question it anymore.

I peered over at the nest of venomous spiders in the dark corner of the gymnasium, and that's where I saw Antonio pressing Athena up against the wall, kissing her. This was nothing out of the ordinary for them, and this would not have been a big deal if it wasn't for Lucy stalking toward them. She had seen. 

I had always thought there was nothing scarier than human emotions. And in a way, I was right. The frightening realization hit me as I watched Lucy take her next steps. She stalked the vampires with zero expectations but a determination in her eyes. As I watched her approach the group, I now knew my greatest fear was not just mere mortal emotions but a human who felt they had nothing left to lose.

"I just want to know one thing," Lucy shouted as she approached the dark-haired Antonio. "How could you do this to me?" 

Antonio turned his head toward Lucy and pushed himself off of the wall. Athena smiled at Lucy taking her thumb and wiping it across her bottom lip, rubbing off the stray moisture that Antonio's lips left behind, to mock her.  He slowly approached the livid human. 

I watched from across the room, inching ever so slightly her way with every word she spoke. As humanity seemed unaware of their encounter, I was on high alert.

"Easy," he replied. "You mean nothing to me." 

Lucy already felt like nothing, and Antonio had just confirmed it. An immortal would never understand human emotions, and I don't think they would ever care to try. For some reason, I empathized with Lucy.

In a split second, chaos befell the Halloween dance. Though the motions happened fast, it felt like every action was played in slow motion. The future is always unpredictable, but this event felt planned. The precise spot, the precise movement, and the precise moment. 

Lucy retrieved a lighter from her pocket and lit the low-hanging paper streamer above her head. The fire spread with a vengeance. She stood still with a menacing smile at the chaos she had created. 

Fire may scare most, but it was my best friend. I took off as fast as my feet would carry me, pushing through the crowd of students rushing toward the exit. I had to take her down before any human knew she was the one who started the raging blaze.

 Her smile only lasted for a second as I slammed into her body. The takedown was a more brutal impact than I had initially imagined. As I watched the blood pour from the cut on her forehead, I threw my hot hand over it, cauterizing the wound. But the damage had been done.

The bloodthirsty vampire's fangs protruded. The werewolves convulsed. Screams were heard as the hoard of teenagers shoved each other, trying to make it out of the burning gymnasium. The teachers were too busy trying to de-escalate the situation and get every student to safety to bother with what we were doing in a lone corner of the gym. Antonio approached me first with an unconscious Lucy in my arms. Her blood was still on my clothes.

"Back off," Ella growled. Elfred leaned down, scooping up Lucy's limp body in his arms. I watched his body stiffen for a slight second.

"Get her out of here," I said. 

With a nod, he took off, leaving Ella and me to deal with the vamps. As their dark presences grew closer, shadows loomed over me. Travis and Kathryn. With Travis in complete wolf form, the vampires immediately scattered. Drool dripped from the werewolf's mouth as his jaws snapped together, and he leaped over me, taking off after them. 

"I'm fine. I'll catch up," I told my friends. 

I knew they were busy. They would have to use their powers to clean this mess up, and I needed to get out of here before it started. They both nodded and took off running. 

I stood up from the floor and searched for an exit. Most of the doors were full of bodies of students trying to squeeze their way out of the fiery gymnasium. I didn't blame them. The burning building was not what scared me. It was what was going to happen in the next few seconds.

Without finishing my thought. It did. The fire had released the sprinkler system. The droplets of cold water spewed from above me. Every droplet burned, and I was trapped. I had nowhere to go except to crouch low to the ground making myself as little as possible.

I shut my eyes, letting my massive wings cover my body as they took the hit from each droplet. It felt as if a bullet was penetrating me with each impact. I knew steam was rising from me. This I could not hide. The warm orange tears ran down my face, and I hissed, enduring the pain the best I could. I saw the refreshment table and thought I could take cover underneath till the exit cleared.

I was about to run for it when suddenly, I was covered by a heavy tarp. I lifted my head, making eye contact with wet hair dripping into blue eyes. Zane had draped his leather jacket over me, protecting me from the icy droplets of the sprinkler system.

"Come on, let's go," he said, helping me to stand but keeping the leather jacket secure in its place, shielding me. I wobbled on my feet a little but was able to run with him. As much as I hated to touch him, I had to keep my hand tucked into his belt loop to keep up with his steady pace. 

Zane took us to the boy's bathroom.

"Really?" I asked him.

"Do you trust me?" 

I just stared at him.

"Don't answer that," he said as he pushed me through the door.

This was my first time in the boy's bathroom. Even though it was empty, it still somehow felt wrong. 

"Over here," he said, opening the door on the last stall. "I know you are amazed by the wonders of the boy's bathroom, but we don't have time for you to stand around and gawk." 

I narrowed my eyes at him as a little smile formed on his face. When I entered the stall, I saw the escape route that led us here. A bush covered a small window high above the toilet. 

"It stinks in here and a window above a toilet is creepy," I said.

"Yeah, well, it's our only way out right now."

"You think I will fit?" 

"You better," he smiled, and I saw the two snow-white fangs protruding. Was he in pain being around me? Did he smell Lucy's blood? 

I jumped up on the toilet seat and lifted the small window. I was able to get most of my body through it. As pretty as my massive wings are, sometimes they are just a hindrance. Zane must have noticed my struggle as he took hold of my ankles and shoved the rest of me through with ease. 

I crawled under the bush, knowing the leaves and sticks were clinging to me. There went my dress as I felt the tug and then heard the rip as it got caught on a stray stem. No sooner than I stood up, Zane was behind me. As I stood there, covered in dirt, with leaves and stems protruding from my hair and wings, a wave of jealousy washed over me. The vampire, flooded by the moonlight, appeared even more enchanting with his exquisite features. 

"Did you even crawl through that bush?" I asked him, pointing at that atrocity that I had just emerged from.

"Yeah," he laughed. "May I?" I nodded. He carefully reached up and removed a green leaf stuck right behind my ear, slightly grazing it with his fingertips. I shuddered when the sensations hit me.

"You cold?"

"Yeah." I wasn't cold. In fact, I was far from it. He just saved me, but why.

"I'll take you home. Come on."

We walked to the school's parking lot having to cross the football field on the way. I could see the flashing lights of the firetrucks now. Humans would classify this incident as a freak accident, and they wouldn't discover any further information. Kathryn would need to wipe Lucy's memory now that Elfred had taken her. Our world remained secure. We were safe, or so I believed.

We were halfway across the field when werewolves ran toward us at an unnatural speed. Zane tried to jump in front of me. This time it was my turn to save him. I pushed him behind me. Though I was still slightly shaky from the chamomile and the water, fire still coursed through my veins. I was a phoenix.

Bright orange fire began to light on my wings engulfing the massive beauties in a raging blaze. It cascaded down my arms and into my palms allowing me to hold onto glowing fireballs. When the werewolves were in front of us, I was hovering inches above the ground on fire ready to throw heat their way if they were to suddenly attack. 

Most immortals are afraid of fire. I raised my arms more to show I wasn't scared of them. I watched as the werewolves stopped fast in their tracks, causing them to skid a few feet further toward me. With quick movements, they turned and ran with their tails tucked between their legs. Never to look back.

My fire ceased, and I lowered myself to the ground, collapsing from exhaustion. Except I didn't hit the ground, I hit something warm and solid. Something that I could only explain with the one word I refused to use. It was dangerous and unacceptable, but the banned word popped into my head as his arms wrapped around me. This felt like home.