Velvet Stars.

I wasn't sure what to think as Diamond walked towards me with a dazzling smile and her bright lilac eyes. She had a little witch hat on a hair band in her perfectly straight blond hair. Her skirt was so short I wondered why she bothered to wear it all and she had a little blouse on that she had tied up just over her pierced stomach and unbuttoned so low you could see the top of her bra.
“Oh hello. You must be Pearl. I'm Diamond. It's so nice to meet you.” I tried to smile and wondered how she managed to speak probably with a pierced tongue. I herd this girl was the ultimate bitch.
“Will you come with me?” I shrugged.
“Don't see why not.” she smiled and lead me up stairs out of the haze and the noise of the floor below. Lead me through the room stuffed with beds and into the back rooms Dorian had introduced as private double bed rooms. She opened the door and it lead into a little hallway with about five doors.
“Only four of these are the double bedded rooms. I pay extra so I can have one. Its useful to have dead rich parents.” she threw me a flash of blinding white teeth then opened it to revile a pink and cream room with a gold carpet and bed. It was a small room but enough for a bed, tiny kitchen area and a sofa.
“Tea?” she offered reaching some mugs down with her hands, I noticed her finger nails had little chains and hoops on them.
“No thanks.”
“Oh I get it, something stronger perhaps?” I rolled my eyes.
“I'm fine, really,” she smirked and just poured herself some hot water before positioning herself in front of me.
“I think we should get to know each other. Be friends.” I was to stupid to realise she only did this with people who were about to fall into high positions in the circle, such as being a leader.
“Yeah, I'm all for that.” I leaned back feeling a little more relaxed in the posh room.
She flicked her hand in the air with out looking behind her and the stereo started quietly. I think it was playing Feist.
She never broke eye contact with me and I found this a little uncomfortable.
“I noticed you were sitting with Theo and Lisa.” I nodded cautiously. She sighed and pouted her lips.
“Lovely as they are, you could do so much better.” I frowned and she waved her hand through the air to revile a dove.
“Lilly, would you go and get the girls to come up here please. They know what a dove means.” the dove instantly flew off.
“So your quite experienced with magic.” she admired her nails and looked up at me with a dazzling smile.
“I practise a lot.”
“On humans.” the smile was a little more evil this time.
“On humans.” she echoed my words. “Any way, I want you to meet some of my girl friends. Introduce you. I remember being new. Its hard work. I think your going to quite enjoy our little coffee meeting.” I tried to suppress a grimace.

Emma.

Not sure where Rosalind had disappeared off to, I focused on the skin head that had sat down between us and gave a huge grin. He had both ears pierced and humorous eyes.
“Hey Cody, Brier errr...”
“Em – Ivory even,” he nodded looking a little confused and turned back to Cody.
“Not a huge amount of us have gotten out and about tonight so we thought we would just go out to get some fresh air. Not to change. Some of the vamps are coming too. You interested?”
I looked over at Brier who was busy drinking a larger.
“What? Oh right – yeah. I'm cool with that?” He stood up looking pleased.
“We'll go in five minutes or so. See ya.” with that he bounced off to see if he could find anyone else to come.
“It's actually quite pleasurable talking with the werewolves and vampires. Not a boring as it sounds, and the fresh airs good.” I nodded, fiddling with the edge of the table.
“Did Cody do the tattoo on your face to?” she touched the smoky black (to match any werewolves eyes), werewolf print on her cheek. It was fairly big, but not overly, and it was a little like a paw print, just the toes curved round into a point.
“Yup.” he said proudly and ruffled his hand through her hair.
“Don't do that! I don't like it!”
“Anything for you baby.” Cody grinned. She didn't bother to retaliate as she turned to me, looking sympathetic.
“You okay? This must be so...”
“Shity?” Cody suggested for her and she slapped him on the arm that was round her neck. He didn't flinch.
“Confussssing?” Althaia put in for her. Brier clicked her fingers.
“That's the one. Confusing.” I nodded and laughed shakily.
“You could say that. Should I change quickly? If we're going out?” Lisa nodded, her straight green hair falling in ripples.
“Good idea.”
“You coming?” I asked her. She gasped a little and shook her head.
“No. Brier and Cody are the only werewolves I like! The others are scary. Its kinda the same with you Ivory. Only you and Indigo I can speak to from the vampires. I'm fine with all ghosts.” Althaia shuffled awkwardly on her seat.
“We not sssscary enough for you?” she trilled then laughed a little, flicking her long, wild blue hair behind her shoulder. Some parts of it had been thinly braided.
“Me and Theo should be very scary. We could turn one of you into toads at any minute. Although it would probably turn out by accident whilst we were trying to make your nails grow longer or something.”
“I think what your guys problem is – the magic is there but you cant control it or have power over it until your sixteen. It was different for Ros – Pearl even, because, well, she's one of the most powerful witches there are. But her magic blossomed the minute she turned sixteen.” I put in for them just as I rushed away.
Upstairs hardly anyone was about so I found a free space to slip on a black sweat top and some dark jeggings. It was then I caught sight of my self in the mirror. My hair was in a side parting and it looked so thick, long and wild. My skin was glossy and radiating but my pulsing crimson eyes looked a little distant. Like I couldn't focus on anything probably.
I tried to neaten my self up by putting a thin layer of eye liner under my eyes and pulling my hood up so the top part of my hair was covered up. It came spilling out at the bottom.
Back down stairs Theo gave me a kiddy thumbs up which I returned with a smile. The skin head chap was leaning down muttering to Cody who looked as if he couldn't take a single thing seriously in his life.
“Okay. We know where we are all meeting up. We'll leave when your ready.”
“Ready!” I laughed. Brier had put on a black jumper and Cody a dark blue hoody.
“Don't want to draw attention to our selves.” he muttered to me as he pulled it over our head. I probably should of told Rosalind where I was going but I didn't know where the hell she was and saw Enchantra way to busy with Raven to be bothered.

Rosalind.
Two girls entered the room after a light knock on the door, their clumpy rings making a horrid clinging noise. They both entered with the same dazzling smiles on their faces in which Diamond normally carried. One had dark brown hair that she had attacked the curlers and dark chocolate skin, the other had dark honey hair with natural lighter honey highlights that was cut in waves to just under her jaw.
“Ivory, this is Honey and Coco.” I was nearly sick. Who would call themselves those names? Diamond, Coco and Honey. They sounded like dogs.
“Hey.” I gave an awkward wave which they returned with an even bigger face splitting smile. I almost let out a long breath when there faces finally composed to normal as they arranged themselves on the sofa.
“So girls. I thought we could just have a gossip? Get to know Ivory-” Diamond started but Coco interrupted,
“is it true your soon going to be out leader. I mean you?” I suddenly felt very uncomfortable and found myself playing with my hair. Diamond shot her a controlled, hard yet oddly pleasant looked and went back to me.
“Well I wasn't going to jump straight in like that but while we're at it... are you?” I looked up and sighed to the gold painted ceiling, my chest heaving like I had just run a marathon. I hated the envy in their voices.
“Look, I have only just found out I'm a witch...” Honey leaned forward a little and frowned cutely. She looked real young but I knew she must be sixteen coz she can obviously control her powers to be in Diamonds inner circle. She looked twelve. But sweet.
“Surely you've noticed your powers before?” her voice was as sickly as her name.
“Well, all you people here are attempting to do magic under sixteen. I never tried because I never knew. I knew I was some sort of barrier between life and death. I always knew, and still do, the exact number of statistics of the new born and the deaths. And I had to keep it bottled up, because my dad... I don't know what he would of done to me if he found out!” at the mention of my dad I wondered if he cared that I had disappeared. Diamond looked a little disappointed and Coco looked, well ,the same. But Honey seemed to understand and she nodded with a sad smile.
“That's humans for you.” Diamonds face switched back to her bitchy sneer.
“So you going to hang round with us Pearl?” Jeez.
“Well you see, I have these other friends and-”
“Brilliant. I just know were going to be the best of friends.” I grimaced. There was no way I could get out of this one. And I didn't want to be trapped in this room for ever.
“Yeah.”

Emma.

It was a bitter night. But me and the werewolves didn't seem to care about the cold. There were a couple of witches who were shivering though, but they easily cast charms round their bodies to keep them warm.
We finally arrived, after running through the harsh winds of the night, by a little river that was surrounded by a small area of greenery and an ugly metal bridge, there was a big Budgens store that was open, but nearly vacant and a little white Scottie dog tied up out side. We walked round casually and I would of though people would stare at a group of people all with hoods and black clothing, but they kept their heads down and shuffled on, the very few people we did see any way.
“Why do you hang out behind here? Not in the woods.” they laughed and I dug my hands deeper in my pockets.
“We do go to the woods, when we're gonna change. But when we're not we go near shops so we can go in and get beers.” Cody told me.
“But half of you are under eighteen.” I snapped back.
“Yes but we have witches who can charm them. Then sometimes, when vampires do come along, they can influence the humans head can they not.” I shrugged.
“I guess.” Brier was chatting to some one I recognised as Bram from the Bramble twins.
“Hey Bram.” I waved and he caught my eye and smiled. We sat down on the damp grass next to the irritating noise of the river. It was a midnight dark behind here, unlike the side walk that had been lit up by the golden glow of the lights, but all our eyes adjusted.
I felt a little odd. So what do we do? Just sit here talking for the night? And then I remember the girls from my school all used to meet up in the evenings at the park to just chat. It must be a teenager thing. Cody was trying to light a cigarette. Unsuccessfully.
“Is it a werewolf thing to smoke?” I asked casually. He grinned at me.
“We only have like fifty years to live while you lucky bastards have a world space of time. What we do wont change the day we die, like its set in stone. This wont do nothing to our health.” Then he turned to the lanky kid lay out beside him, leaning on his elbow. “Dew, would you light this for me?” this Dew guy looked energetically up to Cody.
“Sure thang.” and clicked his fingers a couple of times in the air in front of it, until a spark set it alight.
“Cheers man.”
“Any time.”
It was weird. Being able to sit here and just talk. Well I listened more than talked, but one subject lead to another and I found myself straining my ears for more, and my side aching when we all roared with laughter. We did stay for quite a while. Because something shattered the whole thing just as my heart, that for some reason had been so messed up and sad lately, was starting to lift, the Police arrive.
Or rather two policemen. And yes, sorry girls, men.
“What are you youngsters doing out on a night like this then?” the first one said with fake cheeriness. Cody and Brier both rolled their eyes from under their hoods as it had started to drizzle.
“Just chillen ma'am.” Bram grinned sipping his beer. The other shook its head.
“Some of the public coming in and out of Budgens told us to check on you. Have you been threatening in any way?” he asked, slightly bolder.
“Do we look like we're doing anything threatening?” a werewolf kid from across the circle put in. Dew sighed.
“Well to start with, I can see quite a few of you drinking alcohol and smoking, who are under eighteen.” I stood up to face them, my face shadowed by my hood.
“You should leave now,” my words were harsh and clipped and I could hear the malice in my voice, yet quite and dangerous.
“Are you threatening me miss?” I snorted.
“I believe I am.”
“Leave it Ivory.” Brier whispered. But I was close to anger. Real anger. I had been having a nice time, I had been laughing and for once in my life it didn't matter that I was a vampire, or that I hated my home and my past and I wished my dad was alive. Here I am. It doesn't matter. And they came and spoiled it when we weren't really doing anything.
“Why? It would be so easy to snap their necks.” I whispered too quite for them to here, but loud enough for werewolves. Brier rolled her eyes.
“Not policemen, they'll know they're missing. And we can't draw attention to our selves.” she replied just as quite. I looked back up at the officers who had missed our seconds long silent communication.
This ones in for it... I froze.
“What?” I snapped. “Did you say something,” the police men looked a little startled, like I was mad.
“No I'm afraid I didn't. Now if you will come with me, all of you.” I tried to calm myself from the unexpected voice – that I probably imagined.
“Not likely officer.” I hissed then I spoke quickly to the others, “this is when we leave and Dew, you deal with them.” Dew understood immediately and jumped up much like an athlete, before bouncing over to them looking bored. Like he had done it too many times.
“Sir, if I could ask you to please-” the officer started but he was cut off. Dew was muttering something again and again under his breath and in awe, as the others behind me started to run off in dibs and dabs, some watching Dew, the two policemen's eyes closed.
“I'm glad that worked. I cant say I'm brilliant at charms and stuff. They'll open their eyes in one minute forget everything that's happened in the last couple of minutes.” feeling slightly dazed I patted him on the back.
“Well done.”
“Why thank you. Now lets go!” we ran back, my hair whipping round my face. It was the same feeling of sticking your head out of a car window on a motor way (which I don't suggest doing), at top speed, but more. Control of emotions, letting all the anger and confusion escape. Brilliant.
“Do the police bug you all the time?” I asked Cody who was still looking around like the world was a joke.
“Yeah, but it don't bother us. We stick to the rules. By wiping their minds we ain't revealing ourselves.” I shook my head.
“If we were part of society, don't you think people could learn to accept us?” he laughed coldly.
“Nah. Everyone here thinks humans are scum. Well not everyone, I don't. But people like Diamond and Hazel. Echo can't even understand what else their supposed to be on for then her sucking the life from them. Which I thinks pretty grim. I think this whole thing's pretty grim. But its not something to get out of.” he shrugged and for once, instead of his lazy joke attitude, I saw pain flash across his face – pain I could completely relate to. I had a strong urge to hug him but fought it back. Now I felt my insides crumple and I was, well, miserable. I could not WAIT to get back to work at the HQ then enjoy the nights here. But I cant imagine being here 24/7. and also I think I may of herd one of the policemen's thoughts. I think I'm starting to very slowly gain the gifts, maybe to early on.
Back at the Velvet Stars indigo was lolling at the doors, arms crossed over his chest.
“Does someone always have to guard it?” I asked him and he replied with a feverish snarl.
“Just go in.” I shivered as I walked in.
“Your not like the other vampires Ivory.” Brier told me. “you've got more humanity.”
“No, really. I can not begin to tell you how hard I've been struggling to keep my humanity.” she smiled at me as we sat down.
“Some of the werewolves are like that to. But we more let our wild side out when we change. And I feel stiff from not changing today.” Theo and Lisa were for once no arguing and leaning in each others arms.
“Are you guys together?” I asked them making them jump a little, as I sat down. They both laughed.
“No, I'm a lesbian.” Lisa said. I thought she was joking at first because they seemed so close. But she wasn't so I just sighed.
“You guys seem close.” they both nodded.
“Oh we are.” this made me smile.
“Oh crap, the bitch group are down and theirs a new member to their group. Isn't that your friend Ivory?” I looked over and saw Diamond being followed by three girls. And one of them was Rosalind. Diamond had changed into a sparkly blue dress that made her lilac eyes seem dull and milky. Rosalind was chatting to a honey haired girl and the black one was just pampering Diamond.
“Guys I need some alone time to clear my head, okay?” I asked spotting a vacant sofa.
“Yeah, no problem. We under stand.” Cody gave a big yawn. “No problem at all.”
I went over and sat down. What on earth was Rosalind doing hanging out with those bitches? And was Raven going to break Enchantra's ripped heart? Before I had a chance to think clearly I felt some on sit beside me.
“Sorry.” their voice was blunt but serious. I looked next to me and jumped a little to see Dorian sitting, his elbows on his knees, staring into the empty space.
“What?” I snapped. He leaned back and sighed and met my gaze.
“I'm sorry for being an ass hole.” I looked off, a little disgusted but touched as well.
“This is a big thing for me. I think that's the first time I've said that word to any one.” I looked back into his sad but bright eyes.
“Okay.”
“Its just. Your not like an every day vampire. And, I really like you Ivory.” I wasn't in the mood for this but he touched my cheek lightly, making a spasm in my stomach and a tremor roll down my back.
“Really?” its the only thing I could think to say.
“Will you come up to my room at noon. Give me time to kick out any sluts first.” I found myself smiling at the tone in voice. And then before I could stop my self I told him yes. The exultation was clear on his face but he did his best to hide it. He stood up slowly, his eyes found mine and for once he didn't have a cocky smile, but a gentle steady smile. Like he was making an effort. Then he walked off. I looked round the room that had started to empty. Cody and Brier were slumped out on a sofa and so were a couple of other werewolves, but the witches and a hoard of werewolves were going up stairs to sleep. The vampires and ghosts were all gathered round in a big circle in one corner.
I wondered when Rosalind was going to take over Dusks position. The dark room grew less and less smoking and for once I could see how big it was. And then I smiled. I think I was going to be happy here despite my previous bad mood. Everyone was in the same boat here. Everyone under stood.
I couldn't wait to get back to the HQ in the days and hang out here in the evenings. And I needed to go up stairs now to. To the very top. I had a meeting. And I felt good. Happy.
For the first time in my life.

some roses have yet to bloom, thorns to become the dagger of souls.
memories can be shattered, humanity and reality entwined to engage even the highest stars of the heavens.
how ever the rivers of the anguish and terror will wash away and freeze crystal clear, and finally a pathway will unreel itself like a velvet carpet to acceptance.
the blood is so beautuful it clings to tears, and the ever bleeding wound scared so deep can drag though what ever is hurled at it.
the reflection glistened on only the surface, but the spirit seeths within, aching to rip its claws into all thats left.
and to embrace it.
the way death seethes for one breath.
the way a stone amongst a flower bed want to become a seed.
the way the rain wants nothing more but for the sun to ripple through the air so it can be something beautiful again.
but all of us have destinies, jewels lying over our throbbing hearts, unless your heart is still and cold.
the world turns to slowly,
the day explodes too quickly, vanishing the satin night.
lift the poison to your tender lips and drink dear friend. sear your insides raw.
for one day it will all be over.
but for now
please the golden bulb in the infinite sky
streak through the worlds possibilities
and just
live