Chapter 1
December 2001
A pretty light brown haired girl
swung her hair back as she typed furiously at a computer.
“ Christy, are you still alive?” a dark haired girl stuck her curly head inside the office.
“ Yeah, I just finished this article,”
Christy turned her aquamarine eyes upward from the computer screen.
“ Good, Boss wants to see you,”
the girl replied.
Christy sighed as
she stood up and walked out of her office.
She walked into a luxurious office
not far from hers.
“ Miss Robinson, I have a new
assignment for you. It’s not the usual
type you write, but Serenity, our entertainment journalist is sick. You’re the best we can come up with at the
moment. Tomorrow at 9, you’re
interviewing a boyband,” the man known as Boss said.
“ A boyband? You want to interviewing a boyband?” Christy
looked disgusted.
“ Serenity already wrote the
questions. All you have to do is ask
them. If the article’s good, there
could be a bonus,” Boss handed her a piece of paper.
“ It’ll be good alright,” Christy
assured him before walking out of the room.
“ Oh, this will be good alright,”
the boss whispered, then picked up his phone, “ She’ll be there guys. Find it out.”
Christy pulled her baby blue BMW
convertible in front of a luxurious house.
Journalism had been good to her over the few years. Being one of the youngest journalists at age
18 had its benefits.
“ I’m home,” Christy yelled to no
one in particular as she entered the house.
She threw her purse and keys
haphazardly on the table before throwing off her high heels. She fell on the couch for some much needed
sleep after a 32-hour workday. A
burning sensation on her uncovered wrist woke her minutes later.
“ Ow,” she pulled off the
bracelets from her tiny wrist.
The outline of a
crude cross had been formed from the cuts.
Christy shrugged, knowing they’d fade before heading up to her room to
sleep.
The next morning, Christy parked
her BMW, and then walked towards the Regal Hotel. A big African-American man stopped her as well as many screaming
girls.
“ Hi, I’m Christy Robinson. I have an interview with,” Christy paused to
looked at the sheet, “ *N Sync.”
“ This way, Miss Robinson. We’ve been waiting for you,” the man let her
inside and led her towards 5 guys.
Wordlessly, they entered the
conference room.
“ I’m Christy, filling in for
Serenity. You 5 are?” Christy asked,
trying to break the silent tension.
“ I’m Joey. That’s Chris, Lance, JC and Justin,” a dyed
blonde with his dark roots showing answered.
“ Well, let’s get on with the
interview,” Christy said hurriedly.
Something wasn’t
right here and she could sense it.
An hour later, Christy felt that
she had enough.
“ Thanks a lot,” Christy began to
walk out.
“ Wait, won’t you join us for lunch?”
the one called JD, or JB (Christy couldn’t remember his name) stopped her.
“ Actually, I have a deadline,”
Christy lied.
“ Your boss told us you would join
us for lunch like Serenity always does,” Chris replied.
“ Well, I guess if the boss ok’s it,
then it will be fine. Let me go freshen
up, then I’ll met you in the lobby,” Christy walked over to the front desk.
“ We’ll be waiting,” Lance assured
her.
Christy walked
away quickly. Her instincts screamed
for her to bolt, but her stiff, tired body kept her from doing so.
The 5 men sat talking quietly
amongst themselves.
“ Her boss was right. She does have something in her,” Lance
whispered, “ That’s why they’re after her.”
“ Yeah, we have to find out during
lunch or “accidentally” run into her,” JC empathized the accidentally with his
hands, “ No mess-ups, guys.”
“ I’m back,” Christy plastered a
smile on her face.
“ Let’s go then,” Justin stood up,
not towering much over her tall frame.
Christy tried to hide her
nervousness during the lunch, but the 5 guys sensed it.
“ If you don’t want to be here,
nothings keeping you from leaving. We
won’t tattle on you,” Justin said simply.
“ No, I never get the chance to
communicate with stars,” Christy lied.
She caught the 5
exchange an unreadable glance.
“ Can I see your wrist?” Lance
asked.
“ Yeah, my bracelets cut into my
skin yesterday,” Christy answered, lifting her delicate wrist for him to
inspect.
“ Did you?” Lance’s green eyes
seemed to read her soul.
“ Yes,” Christy repeated shakily.
“ Lance, do we have something
going on today?” Joey asked.
“ Yeah, we have a photo
shoot. Let’s go,” Lance checked his
watch.
“ Bye,” Christy got up with them
and started to her car.
Christy was halfway to her car
when a woman with black hair stopped her.
“ Christy Robinson?” she asked.
“ Yes, that’s me,” Christy
answered, “ Do I know you?”
“ No, but please come with
me. I have to warn you before its too
late,” she said.
“ Tell me who you are and I’ll
go,” Christy replied.
“ Candy, so nice to see you again. How long has it been?” a male voice
interrupted.
Christy turned to see JC and
Justin standing there.
“ You stay out of this, Joshua and
Justin,” Candy hissed.
“ What’s going on?” Christy asked.
“ Go home, Christy,” JC ordered.
“ Not until I know the truth,”
Christy planted her hands firmly on her hips.
“ Your journalistic nature is
going to get you in trouble, Christy.
Take her home, Justin,” somehow Christy’s car keys were in his hands and
thrown to the tall curly haired blonde.
“ I can drive myself,” Christy
snatched the keys away and got in her car.
3 pairs of eyes watched her leave.
“ She’s ours, Candy. You can’t beat us,” JC growled.
“ Watch me,” Candy turned and
stalked off.
“ Go get Lance and tell him to get
rid of Candy. She can’t ruin this,” JC
ordered.
“ It’s done,” Lance stayed in the
shadows, following the retreating girl.
Christy pulled back into the
restaurant parking lot and walked towards a dark alley she’d seen Lance go in
earlier. She pulled off her heels and
carried them to sneak up on her prey. A
short scream sent her running towards it.
The girl called Cindy had crumpled to the ground as a man released her. The familiar face of Lance, though marred by
red eyes and bloody fangs, shone through the hideous mask.
“ Oh my god,” Christy turned to
run and found JC right behind her.
“ What’s wrong?” JC asked.
“ He…” Christy turned to see a
normal Lance and no body.
“ All you saw was my girlfriend
faint. I took her inside. She’s been working too hard,” Lance assured
her.
“ That’s not what I saw,” Christy
replied.
“ Well, that’s the truth,” Lance
stared deep into her unearthly aqua eyes.
“ Go home, Christy,” JC repeated
his earlier words softly.
“ I think I will,” Christy walked
back to her car and drove off.
JC shoved Lance
lightly and glared at him before they both walked towards a waiting limo.
