Crimson (Book One)

Henry Pike’s POV

When the young ones left my office I felt insanely proud to have them within my reach, those kids had grown up so much for these past years, and I got to watch it all.
After the debrief they had given me this morning it proved that they were more than ready for real missions and Charlotte was a natural born leader, as her father and mother before her.
A loud knock sounds from my large oak doors, sound bouncing on the walls.
“Come” I call towards it.
The doors open quickly followed by six people, two of them being Alejandro and Katrina the others I had seen before, but not for a long time.
“Good Afternoon Henry” The man in front of my desk says, he wears a black buttoned suit stylishly groomed, a shape shifter, but not just any shape shifter he is their leader, Christian Tick.
“Christian, what do I owe this pleasure to?” I say and with this he snaps his fingers, and the young man that was behind him comes forward.
“My boy here wishes to join you” he says signalling the man now standing by my desk. He was wearing a dark leather jacket, a simple black t-shirt and tight black trousers.
“Oh he does, does he? What’s your name son?” I ask him
“Corbin, Sir, and yes I do wish to join you, I think I will be a valued new member of your team if you agree to have me too, Sir”
“What do you think Katrina?” I ask
“Me sir? I think that this boy is unneeded, we already have three new members, why do we need him?” She sounded giving a valued reason.
“Henry, consider this, my boy here is able to shift into different people, could this not help you in battle, a distraction of some sort?” Christian plies on.
“Sir, I say we give him a trial run, let the children decide” Alejandro says to me.
“Hmm, I think your right, he has one week to settle, if he is not welcomed within the group then he leaves immediately, understood?” I tell Christian
“Understood, come boy we shall ready you to meet these people tomorrow. Come Kierran, Kirsteen we take our leave” with this they turn into their alter ego animal skin leaving briskly.
“I don’t like the sound of this Henry” Katrina says softly
“Do not worry, I shall deal with the consequences when and if something happens, now go, go home, and go to the children, rest” I shoo them out of the room.
For the rest of the day I wonder, did I make the right decision in letting this boy join my ranks?
Today had started like normal, wake up, breakfast and head to training, but with a slight twist. Tony had turned up outside my house, smile beaming, to walk with us to headquarters, the thing is, he lives two miles the other side of the ‘barn’ (headquarters building). With a sweet kiss and an explanation to my parents about what was going on between us we set off hand in hand. On arrival to the building we headed towards the online notice board to see where we were to train today as neither Sandra nor Felix were there to greet us. Our names were on the far right side of the board, clearly written, underneath was the word:

Gym

Today would be an easy day, our gym consisted most of what would be found in a normal human gym, but to a bigger scale and fitted towards our hunter ability.
For once we were the first ones here, changing into sweat-shorts and tank tops (girls)/ sweat-shorts and t-shirts (boys), we began our work out. Tony and I begin on the treadmills, Dakota and Taylor on the row machines and finally Jett on weights. For a twelve year old boy Jett was very strong and wanted to grow stronger.
After two hours of gym the other three had still not turned up, I stopped working out and walked out of the gym leaving Tony and the others wondering where I was off to.
After walking around the building for 10 minutes I finally found them, with someone I was not expecting, the instant feel of dread hitting me like a ton of bricks.
“Well, well, well, we meet again” Corbin smirked.
“Wait, you two have already met?” Alex questioned.
“Yes, last night, he was lurking behind a tree on the way home” I replied
“I told you, I was merely looking around the area, especially since I am going to be joining your group” he said with a sly smile
“YOU’RE WHAT!!!!!” I shouted stalking off back towards the gym to tell Taylor the ‘great’ news.
I burst through the doors of the gym, Tony runs straight to my side.
“Hey, what’s the matter?” he says worried
“That...that Jerk is joining our group” I replied
“What jerk?” he says confused.
“Corbin was the guy that was lurking around the pathway, last night behind the tree!”
“Please tell me your joking Charlotte” Taylor groaned
“She is telling the truth, for here I am in all my glory” Corbin walks through the doors, looking as if he owned the place and walks up to us.
“I believe we haven’t met, I’m Corbin, I’m a shape-shifter and I will be joining your group for the week” he says
“So you’ll be gone next week?” Taylor asks
“Alas, it depends on the group vote” Corbin answers
“Group vote? What group vote?” Dakota murmurs
“Well this week is kind of like a trial run, to see how I am with the group and vice versa. At the end of the week Henry will ask you all to vote whether I am to stay or leave. I am hoping it’s the first option” he smiles deviously looking at me and Taylor.
“Not if I can help it” I mumble, apparently not silent enough though.
“Charlotte, cut the guy a break, you barely know the guy!” Tony says crossly.
I look at him in surprise, never before has he ever spoke to me in that kind of tone, even when we would get into small fights as friends he would never get to the point of shouting at me in that tone, I look at Corbin in disgust as I watch him interact with MY friends, Taylor and Jett the only ones at my side, even Dakota who was there last night with us had joined in with their chat.

“Don’t worry, they’ll realise that he’s not so great, you watch, when the week is up he’ll be gone, away from us” Jett said with thoughtfulness.
“Yeah, well just be careful guys, watch him carefully, he’s a shifter so could change himself into anyone, that could mean more trouble for us” I told them
“He could change into us” Jett said, I nodded in reply.

Serena’s POV

“Drake! Bring that infernal girl here right now, I need a feed and her persistent screaming is getting on my nerves” I shout at that bad excuse of a vampire, I am so hungry, and I feel for the taste of the bittersweet blood.
Finally, the boy brings in the disgusting piece of meat so I can drain the petite life out of her. A piece of meat, that is all that humans are, they are our food and we shall control all living beings.
“Here you are my queen” Drake shoves the girl in front of my feet, kneeling before me, screaming.
“For god sake, Shut Up! I shout at her, slapping her with such force it cuts her cheek, mmm the smell of her blood, so strong, it sends shivers down my spine in anticipation, and I had not had a feed in an hour and was craving to yet again feed on the pubescent child.
My fangs extend, grabbing her roughly by the shoulders, pulling her head by the hair to the side, exposing her neck with the large vein. Tired of the girls screams I snap her small neck, instantly silencing her so I can feed without disruption.

“Hello my love” My handsome husband says as he swiftly walks towards me, eyes red with hunger. I release the girl, not yet drained.
“Here my love, finish her, then you must tell me the news that you have gathered from our associate”
“All in good time” he says biting hard into girl’s lifeless body.
He drained the rest of the girl, throwing the body to the side, coming towards me with lust.
The rough passion between us accelerates, him roughly crashing me against the wall.
“Good news then my love” I say as I continue to tease him
“Very good news, the boy is in place; our plan to rid us of those disgusting vermin hunters, Christian has done us well”
“Zane is growing restless, we must act soon, and his need for the blood of Henry Pike is growing every day, we must get Christian to speed up the process, quicker infiltration, we must destroy them and take over, enough blood has been shed” I say
“You’re right, I shall inform him immediately, well, after I have dealt with you my love” He smirks lustfully, taking my lips with his.