Look out for the <>!

Stella POV

"Hey, you need to drink this," Alice said as I walked into the house of Timberlyn's for a party I got roped into going to.

I didn't remember the turn of events that got me here, but I did remember talking to Alice and Timberlyn during lunch. They brought up the idea of the party so easily; insisting I should come even though I told them no. But they wouldn't budge and so here I was, looking around at all the underage drinkers.

Alice shook the cup in her hand, forcing my attention back to her, which caused me to give her a fake smile. "I'll pass. Thanks," I said, as I remembered the last time I drank in LA. That was the first party I went to. I was told it would be fun, but it was nothing but fun. That football player almost took advantage of me when I took a few drinks and I wouldn't let that happen again. That was the last time I would drink at a party, I was sure of it.

"Oh bummer. It's the good stuff," she said and downed the cup that she offered me. "I'm so excited that you showed up."

At least someone was because I for sure wanted to leave and I just got here. She didn't understand that she really didn't give me a choice in the matter. I was here because I wanted to stay within the circle of her knowledge. I was not here for fun times and drinks. "It'll be fun," I said with less confidence than I wanted to have.

<>

She did not notice my tone and led me to the dance floor. "Let's dance."

"I don't really want to..." But it was already too late, I was on the floor, dancing with Alice. She swayed to the music as if it was the best song she ever heard, although I was pretty sure she had never listened to the song before. Songs passed, and slowly I became more comfortable with being here. Once again, I was surprised that I was having a better time than I thought I would.

"Gosh, Stella, you are such an excellent dancer." She said as she wrapped her arms around me, pulling me closer.

The song switched to a slower song and I let out a breath, knowing that she would not want to dance to a song with such a slow beat. Maybe, if I was lucky, we could take a break and sit down because I wasn't sure how much more dancing I could do.

"You know, you look stunning in that outfit."

"Thanks." Alice had given me compliments before, but this one was different from the rest. It made me wonder what she was really thinking about for a moment.

Breaking me from my thoughts was when she brushed some of my hair from my face intimately. The touch caused me to pull back slightly to look at her better. Alice had a boyfriend. I wasn't sure what she was doing here.

"Have you ever kissed a girl before?"

I shook my head silently, not sure what to say to her. I never had and honestly, I never thought about it in the past. But as we danced, I wouldn't help but wonder what her lips tasted like.

"Want to try?"

Her question was so gentle and soft, making me wonder if she had ever done it herself.

"Hey Alice! Redmon is here. I told him to find you. Have you seen him yet?"

And just like that, our moment was over as Alice dropped her hands and smiled at the boy that approached us. "We probably should find him. Oh Stella, you are going to love Red, he is fantastic," Alice gushed as if we never had that moment to begin with.

With her words slurring slightly, I wondered if she would even remember this moment tomorrow. I would, but something told me not to bring this up with her. She was drunk, probably didn't even mean it to begin with.

Alice pulled on my hand as we walked through the house, trying to find a boy named Redmon. I knew most of the people at school, but Redmon was someone that I had never talked to be. He always floated around with the football team and didn't wander far from his crew. I didn't question Alice's statement, but I was not interesting in talking to a football meat head.

But once again Alice didn't care about my opinions and before long, I was sitting on a couch with Redmon in an almost empty room. I wouldn't deny that he was handsome, but his conversations were boring. He was nice, but as the minutes ticked by, I knew we had nothing in common and this was a waste of time for the both of us.

"So what do you think of skiing?" he asked with a smile, as if this was a conversation he was dying to have.

I thought about skiing with Bec and dad a few days ago. I wouldn't say I hated it, but I didn't love it by any means. "It's ok."

"I've been skiing since I was a young kid. You just have to get the hang of it. You know, I can help you out sometime. Let me know when you go skiing next."

I nodded, knowing that I would not let him know when I went next. I skied to be closer to my family, not to run off with kids that I didn't even want to talk to at a party.

"So what is your favorite sport?" he asked as he tucked a stand of hair behind my ear.

The action caused me to frown, but I didn't protest. I knew he was getting closer to me, and that made me feel slightly uncomfortable. I was not ready to date anyone, even though Grayson hadn't talked to me in weeks. As much as he probably hated it, I still thought about him often.

Breaking me from my thoughts was when a pair of thin, heavy lips crashed into mine. I was shocked at first, but as he forced his tongue down my throat, I realized I didn't want this. I pushed him off me and stood up from the couch. "What are you doing?"

He frowned as he wiped his mouth. "I thought you wanted that."

I shook my head as memories of that kid in LA forcing himself on me on a couch. "In what universe did I lead you to believe I wanted that? No, you wanted it."

Just like that, it triggered me and I had to get out. I couldn't stay here any longer or with him. I needed air, somewhere that I could think. Without wasting another moment, I walked out of the small room into the hall.

"Isn't Redmon amazing?" Alice asked, as if waiting for me to come out of the room.

"So amazing," I said with sarcasm. "Look, Alice, it's been fun, but I have to leave. Tell Timberlyn thanks for the invite and hosting this party."

Alice frowned but didn't protest. For the first time, I think she saw I was uncomfortable. "Ok, I will."

I smiled as I placed my hand on her shoulder. "I'll see you at school on Monday." And with that, I grabbed my winter coat and walked out the door, unwilling to stay in that house any longer.

Walking down the lonely snow-covered path, I held my head high, knowing that I was in control. I was the one that left; I planned that. But I couldn't help the hot, stinging tears from falling down my face. That moment worked me up more than I wanted to show and as the minutes continued to pass, my mind told me should have not gone to the party.

Going to that party was not predicable, Redmond was not predicable. I should have seen that a mile away. I should have stood my ground when I said I wasn't interested in going. But now here I was walking home in the cold of night, wishing I was skiing with my parents instead.

I wiped my nose as I heard a growl in the distance, which caused me to walk faster. Fear filled me as I realized I shouldn't be out alone at this time. I knew there were tons of animals out here. Alice reminded me just recently that there was something killing off the antelopes at the reserve. Whatever was out there killing them would be out here tonight and I would be an easy prey.

Swearing mentally, I knew I should have bummed a ride from someone at the party. I knew so many of those people by now, they would have taken me home. But I was so eager to get out of there. Memories of my last party swirled around my mind like a draining tub. That kiss was a trigger, and I wanted nothing but to leave at that moment.

Wind blew around me, causing me to shiver. I was wearing a winter coat, but that didn't seem to be enough on this night walk. I looked at my phone again, knowing that I still had another two miles to go.

Another growl echoed in the distance, however this one sounded closer.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets as I continued to push forward, fear filling me. Another growl filled the air from behind me. I froze in fear, knowing that growl was closer than I wanted it to be. Carefully, I turned on my heals to see a shadowy figure in the distance. Its red eyes stared at me, as if knowing that I was all theirs.

My heart raced in my chest. Run was the only thing I thought of and without wasting a moment more. I turned on my heals and started sprinting down the path. I pushed with all my might with each step I took, but the beast was faster. I could hear it gaining on me.

I felt it pushed me to the ground, causing me to wince as my jeans ripped on the snowy ground.

The beast circled around me as if deciding how it wanted to end me. I couldn't breathe or move as fear took hold. The beast looked like a human in some ways but it walked on all fours as if it was a cat. It was something that differed completely from what I had seen before. But as I watched it, I know this was it. Just like the antelope, my fate was sealed, but this beast.

Suddenly the beast screamed as it clawed at an arrow in its side.

"Stella, are you ok?" Gray's voice asked as another arrow went flying into the beast again.

I nodded as I got up from the ground. Grayson ran past me as he stabbed the beast as if that was his job. "What was that?" I asked as I shook from nerves.

Gray's attention turned to me as the beast smoked, filling the air with an ashy smell. "Are you ok? Stella, this is important. Answer me."

I nodded as I looked at my skinned knees. The beast just pushed me over. "I'm fine."

"Did it hurt you in any way?" he asked with such concern, as if this was the most important question he could ask me.

I shook my head. "I'm fine Gray, but please tell me what that thing is?" That thing wasn't from here, and how did he know how to kill it?

Gray paid little attention as the beast melted into the snow. The fear in his eyes set me on edge. He was holding something from me and seconds ticked by until finally I couldn't stand it any longer.

"Grayson, answer me!" I shouted at him, hoping he would look.

He turned to face me with concern in his eyes. He looked at me from head to toe as if making sure I was really ok. "This thing, it's a Darkling. They are from the Churchwell realm and they shouldn't be there."

Did I hear him right? A Darkling. Realm. Nothing made sense in that sentence. "Realm? What are you talking about?"

He gave a sigh as he started talking to himself, as if this was the worst thing that could have happened. "Stella, please stop this."

"Stop what?"

"Asking damn questions because heavens I'm not going to answer them."

I frowned, not liking being shouted at. The beast attacked me, I felt like I had some rights to some answers. "Fine. Then answer me this one last one and I'll be out of your hair. Why was it chasing me?"

He sighed as he ran his hands through his hair again as he tried to find the answer to the questions. "I don't know."

His words were just a slap to the face and caused anger to boil within me. I wanted one more question and he couldn't give me that.

"Gray, did you get it?" his foster mother's voice rang out from behind us.

Gracefully, she walked past me, not giving any attention as she looked at the black dust on the ground. She sighed as she knelt down beside it. "Gray, go home, I'll make sure the girl gets home safely," she said as she turned her attention to me for the first time.

Gray didn't move as he looked at me.

"Grayson, go home," she commanded him.

With a nod, he left without another word, down the pathway.

"Let's get you back shall we?" she asked with a friendly tone, although I sensed I was nothing but an inconvenience to her.

As we walked to her car, I couldn't help but ask her one more question. "What happened to it?"

"Grayson killed it. It won't be coming back."

"Are there more?"

She shook her head. "Nope, just that one."

Although I knew that was a lie. I could see right through her fake smiles. For a second, we were silent until I spoke up again. "I won't tell anyone about this." I knew that this was their secret. They were trying so hard to hide it and I think there was a reason for that.

"Ok then," she said simply as she drove down the road.

"Gray was so worried that it attacked me, but I think he was mainly scared I saw it."

"You think you know Grayson so well then?"

I nodded.

She smirked as if it was a joke. "This is your neighborhood, right?" she asked as she stopped in front of a gated community.

I nodded again.

"Good, get home and don't waste your time." she said, unlocking the car for me to leave.

And I got out without another word.