It was a foggy night and Kristina was running toward an unknown object. The only sound in the still night was the sound of her heart beat, her footsteps, and those of another. But who was that other? Kristina knew it was a person; she was holding his hand, but his features were not visible.
“They found us! We have to hide,” a male voice whispered to Kristina.
“You’re coming with me, right? You can’t leave me alone.”
“My dearest, I’ll never leave you.”
Kristina and the male ran into a nearby forest and hid behind a giant tree as three massive black wolves growling and snapping at each other’s heels ran past them.
“What are those?” Kristina asked as she held on tighter to the male.
“They are looking for us. Stay as still as you can. When they come near you, do not breathe! They’re blind, but they follow the sound of your breath.”
At that moment one last wolf walked passt them, but it turned around, looked at them and howled.

Kristina woke up with a start in her apartment, panting and sweating. It was 2:32 A.M.
“I hate these bad dreams,” she muttered to herself when her heart finally slowed down. She slung her legs over the side of the bed and got up.
“Krissy what are you doing up so early?” Kristina’s roommate Chelsea yawned as she trudged into the living room.
“Couldn’t sleep. Another weird dream,” she replied.
“Ohhh well… don’t stay up too late. We have graduation and then our road trip.”
‘Ok. I won’t stay up. Now go back to sleep.”
Chelsea walked away, back into her room yawning. Kristina stayed up the whole morning.
“Did you have another bad dream?” Chelsea asked when she was dressed in her uniform and ready to go.
“Nope. Not a dream at all.”
“You didn’t go back to sleep, did you?”
Kristina didn’t answer.
Chelsea sighed. “That’s alright. We are going to New Mexico. That should give you a lot of fresh air.”
“Yeah. I guess. We better leave now or they’ll start without us.”

After the graduation party, Kristina and her friends wished their families farewell and were on their way.
“El Paso is so boring!!” Chelsea complained as they passed nothing but mountains.
The teens stopped that night in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“It’ll have to do. It’s the only motel near and we have a budget,” Morgan said from the back seat. Kristina was tired and resting her head on the steering wheel.
“This is lame! If Kristina didn’t get lost we would be there by now!” Mitch mumbled from the back seat.
“You know what?! I’m tired of your nagging Mitchell! ” Kristina slammed the door as she left.
Kristina almost bumped into a boy who was on the sidewalk.
“Excuse me.” Kristina looked at his face.
“No problem,” he smiled. Kristina could only see his mouth. His teeth were pearly white.
There was a picnic area not far from the motel, and it had a lake. Kristina decided to relax there.
Where did I screw up?!” Kristina huffed as she sat on a bench. “Damn it, that is the most screwed up map I’ve ever bought!” Kristina threw the map in the river. After realizing what she had done, she fetched it out. Kristina turned to leave, but stopped. There was the same boy from the motel six feet in front of her.
“Oookee weird,” she said as she kept walking. She was almost past him when his arm shot out and grabbed her by the neck. It was too fast for Kristina to see it coming.
“What do you want?” Kristina’s voice was frighteningly calm which even scared her.
The boy bared his teeth, showing off needle sharp fangs in his mouth.
Kristina’s stayed unmoving and didn’t show fear.
“Not afraid of death, girl?” he hissed.
“I’ve seen scarier things then you... buddy boy. Go ahead bite me.”
“Your friends were tasty, a little too….sweet.”
Kristina laughed cruelly “More like a little too…sour. Will you get this over with already?”
He threw her on the ground. Kristina struggled for air holding her throat.
“I need you to… help me.” His back was now to Kristina.
“This is not happening. It’s just another one of my creepy dreams.” Kristina started running, but the boy popped up in front of her.
“What dreams?” he questioned sternly.
“Look, Batty! I’m not afraid of you. All year I’ve been having dreams about wolves, and red eyed bats-“
“Tell me what you have dreams about!”
“Not before you... tell me what you want from me and why?” Kristina crossed her arms. She wasn’t going to let him off so easily.
The boy walked back over to the bench and Kristina followed.
“I need you to help me recover items for my mother. She’s held captive and the Leaders are looking for me. The only way to gather the items is to be accompanied by a mortal.”
“ Ok?” Kristina grumbled. “So... what are these items, and why is your mom a prisoner?”
“My mom is a scientist. She discovered that 500 years ago a man named Leigoan found a way to keep Vampires from having to run away from the light. She decided to continue his research in secret because Leigoan was killed by the Artijyns-“
“Hold up... wait. What are Artijyns?”
“Wolves that are blind but-“
“Can sense your breathing from two miles away.”
Batty made an annoyed sound.
-Good. He better be annoyed - Kristina thought.
“How do you know that anyway” he said matter-of-factly
“Dreams,” Kristina answered simply.
“Artijyns are the pets of the Leaders. The items are scattered over the desert of Mexico. I....we have to recover them and finish my mom’s research.”



To be continued…